Guinea

Seed sector in Guinea

The lack of a functioning rural credit system is a key factor that prevents the modernization of equipment and the use of inputs. To address the challenge of access to quality seeds for smallholders, the National Seed Committee was established, while the Seeds, Plants and Fertilizers Division of the Ministry of Agriculture handles seed certification. The government recognizes the important role that the private sector can play in supplying farmers with seeds at a reasonable cost, so it encourages private operators to invest in implementing a seed policy. Together with the Food and Agriculture Organization and  the Permanent Interstate Committee for drought control in the Sahel (CILSS), Guinea is preparing a national variety catalog and an overarching seed policy.

Since its inception, the West African Agricultural Productivity Program (WAAPP), funded by the World Bank, has supported the supply of seeds to farmers in countries throughout the region, including Guinea. WAAPP, under the regional coordination of the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF/WECARD), is a program that generates and disseminates improved technologies in participating countries. It has become an important player in the Guinean seed sector.

Observations

Only five index companies have seed sales activities in Guinea, and none is involved in other activities, such as breeding, production or extension services. However, several national seed companies and seed-producing cooperatives (not included in the index) are involved in seed production and sales.