Guinea-Bissau

Last updated: April 2019
  • Region Western and Central Africa
  • UPOV membership status Member of the African Intellectual Property Organization (OAPI) and UPOV
  • Participation in OECD Seed Schemes No
  • ISTA-accredited member laboratories No
  • GM crop approval for cultivation None
  • Law on Plant Variety Protection Annex X of the 1999 agreement revising the Bangui Agreement on the creation of the OAPI
Seed sector in Guinea-Bissau

The seed sector in Guinea-Bissau is composed of cooperatives, seed producer associations, non-governmental organizations and small local private actors. The Association des Productrices et d´Autopromotion pour la Lutte Contre la Faim is an NGO that (among others) provides seeds to farmers.

The government established the National Institute of Agricultural Research, with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization, West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research (CORAF/ WECARD) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), to restructure the seed sector by training seed inspectors and seed multipliers. In addition, the mandate given by the national research institute also includes quality control of field seeds in 40 locations selected for seed production. This mandate, exercised by the various research centers, concerns monitoring not only farmers and seed producers but also seed companies, cooperatives and associations (national or foreign).

The fragility of the country is one reason why foreign companies have not invested in Guinea-Bissau’s seed industry, which is why no international seed companies are active in the country.

Observations

Pop Vriend Seeds is the only index company operating in Guinea-Bissau. Apart from selling vegetable crops, the company does not have any breeding, testing, seed production, processing or extension services in the country.

Several national seed companies (not included in the index) are involved in seed sales, but none is involved in breeding or production. No seed-producing cooperatives have been identified in the country.

Index company activities identified in Guinea-Bissau
Company Crops in portfolio Company activities in country
Companies selected for
the Access to Seeds Index
Field
crops
Vegetables Breeding
location
Testing
location
Seed
production
Processing
location
Sales Extension
services
Pop Vriend Seeds

Other companies identified in the regional landscaping study and their activities.

Company Crops in portfolio Company activities in country
Field
crops
Vegetable
crops
Breeding
location
Seed
production
Sales
APALCOF
Contuboel Semence
LVIA
MBORMAF