SEEDS OF TROUBLE

Countries and economic blocs across Africa are on a legislating spree to regulate the continent's seed markets, ostensibly to overcome chronic hunger. The real reason, many believe, is the corporate push that is driving nations to facilitate and promote trade of hybrid seed varieties. The fear is that the new laws will destroy not only the continent's food diversity, but also its indigenous practices of seed conservation.

- RICHARD MAHAPATRA, KIRAN PANDEY, COLLINS MTIKA, SUZGO CHITETE, TIKONDANE VEGA, KELVIN MBEWE, NEWTON SIBANDA, FELIX MWAKYEMBE

A “$30,000 fine, or 20 years of imprisonment.” This is the punishment for trading uncertified or fake seeds in Malawi, as per the country’s parliament on April 4, provides for instruments to regulate the production, processing, certification, sale, import and export of seeds. In a country where agriculture accounts for 80 per cent of the employment opportunities as well as 80 per cent of the total exports, the legislation was much needed. At least one would think so.

Its passage is preceded by nearly a decade of debate, with the approval to the Act stalled many times. While the government deploys all reasons to justify the legislation, there is an uncomfortable question: What happens to Malawi’s informal seed system, or farmer seed system, which accounts for 80 per cent of the planted seeds, leaving only the 20 per cent of the formal seed system to be regulated by the current law? Farmer groups and civil society organisations see the law as an entry of commercial seed companies to the market to ultimately take over the indigenous seed system.