TASAI News – April 2019
Welcome to TASAI’s quarterly newsletter, where we share updates about our work and opportunities to engage with us on all things African seed systems-related. SIX NEW TASAI COUNTRY STUDIES TO BE RELASED SOON 
With support from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), TASAI’s coverage will extend to 21 countries in 2019, expanding TASAI’s footprint to over half of Sub-Saharan African countries – and growing the number of funding partners to 8. By June, we plan to release six new country reports for Burundi, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Mali, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone. Prior to their release, TASAI will convene dissemination workshops in each country, inviting stakeholders in the seed industry to critique the findings. Our team will also work with the Ministries of Agriculture, national seed authorities and national seed associations to identify priority issues as countries work to achieve a vibrant and competitive seed sector. Keep an eye on our events page for dates! 
TASAI, STRAM, AND LUANAR CONVENE SEED INDUSTRY MEETING IN LILONGWE On February 19, 2019, TASAI convened a meeting to discuss the findings of the TASAI Malawi study. Held in partnership with the Seed Trade Association of Malawi and the Centre for Agricultural Research and Development of the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, the meeting was attended by over 30 seed industry participants from the private sector, government, research institutions and development partners. Dr. David Kamangire, Deputy Director of Research, Department of Agricultural Research Services in the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development opened the meeting. In addition to discussing the TASAI findings, participants also listened to a presentation by Dr. Claid Mujaju, Head of the Seed Services Institute in Zimbabwe. Dr. Mujaju shared relevant experiences of the seed industry in Zimbabwe and provided an overview of how SSI is structured, its key services, how the organization has approached key issues like the challenge of counterfeit seed and the regional harmonization of seed regulations. 
Dr. David Kamangire of the Ministry of Agriculture opened the meeting. 
TASAI Program Coordinator Mainza Mugoya shares the Malawi study findings. TASAI @AFTSTA ANNUAL CONGRESS  The TASAI booth at AFSTA was well attended. TASAI participated in the Annual Congress of the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) on March 5-8 in Mombasa, Kenya. The Congress drew thousands of participants from across the Continent. Represented by Principal Investigator Michael Waithaka and Program Coordinator Mainza Mugoya, the TASAI team hosted an exhibition booth with TASAI reports, the Data Appendix, and previous Newsletters on display. The team also held meetings with representatives from the International Seed Federation, the Seed Trade Association of South Sudan, the African Development Bank, and the West and Central Africa Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF/WECARD). As a follow-up to the meeting with CORAF, TASAI participated in the conference of the Alliance for a Seed Industry in West Africa (ASIWA), where Program Coordinator Mainza Mugoya presented the TASAI findings from West African countries. UPDATES FROM THE DRC In collaboration with ÉLAN RDC, in 2017 TASAI conducted the first TASAI Country Study of the Democratic Republic of The Congo (DRC). Since then, the TASAI and ÉLAN RDC teams have continued to collaborate on activities and recently launched COPROSEM, a new platform for seed industry stakeholders in South Kivu province. Recognized by both the national and provincial governments, the platform is co-chaired by representatives of the government and the private sector. COPROSEM’s objective is to bring together seed industry players to respond to issues including policy formulation at the provincial level, linking seed produces to relief agencies that procure seed, and combating counterfeit seed. COPROSEM is currently active in (LIST PROVINCES).
On 12th November 2018, the members of the Association of Seed Producers in Katanga (APSKA) met to finalize key organizational and management tools, including the association’s internal rules and annual work-plan.
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