Summary
This discussion paper outlines how seed law reforms in Europe and developing countries are contributing to the erosion of seed diversity, which is vital for climate change adaptation and food security.
The first part of the paper reviews ongoing EU seed law reforms and seed law reviews underway in Africa. It shows how EU development assistance and trade links are influencing African seed law reforms.
The second part of the paper assesses whether EU development assistance for African seed law reforms is coherent with its food security objectives. These objectives are set out in the EU food security policy framework.
APRODEV has used this framework and the EU’s international commitments to safeguard biodiversity to develop a set of indicators against which to measure policy coherence. Our analysis shows how EU development assistance is supporting seed law reforms in Africa which fail to recognise and protect farmers’ rights and seed diversity, both of which the EU aims to promote in its food security framework.
Impact of Prioritising Plant Breeders’ Rights and Commercial Seed Uniformity on Global Trade and Seed Diversity
African seed laws, like those of the EU, are increasingly prioritising plant breeders’ rights and uniformity of commercial seeds. Furthermore, the EU has been trying to negotiate trade agreements which include provisions on intellectual property protection. This is to support the EU commercial seed industry, which is seeking to expand its global market share. Thus, it requires governments in developing countries to adopt seed laws which will facilitate cross-border trade in seeds and protect commercial seed varieties.
The analysis in the paper draws on the research of civil society organisations in Africa, in particular the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA). It aims to raise awareness among EU policymakers and civil society organisations in Europe and Africa (including APRODEV members) of the impact on food security and resilience of EU seed law reforms, and especially EU support for African seed law reforms.
Recommendations
To ensure that EU development assistance supporting African seed policy reform is coherent with EU food security objectives, APRODEV recommends the following:
- EU financial and technical support for African seed policy development should include the facilitation of consultation among all stakeholders, in particular national farmer organisations and civil society organisations that promote seed diversity.
- DG SANCO and DG DEVCO must ensure that the EU’s commitments to farmers’ rights in the ITGPRFA are reflected in all technical assistance and financial support for seed policy development.
- The EU needs to support and facilitate efforts to scale up local seed bank community projects.
- The EU must facilitate and support efforts to learn lessons from local seed exchange and knowledge systems, share success stories of farmer-bred varieties, and link experiences from local seed banks to policy processes.
- The EU has to support IPR regimes that enhance the development of locally adapted seed varieties and farmer-saved seeds.
- The EU should refrain from putting pressure on or creating incentives for developing country governments to adopt UPOV 1991, in particular through bilateral and regional free trade agreements, economic partnership agreements, and international frameworks such as the G8 New Alliance.
- Assess EU seed laws and EU support for African seed laws against the objectives set out in the EU’s food security framework.
- Assess EU seed laws and EU support for African seed laws against its human rights obligations.