Conversations on the transformation of Africa’s food systems are underway at #AFS2026 in Kigali, Rwanda. Discussions on finance, diverse crops, climate action, youth, innovation, and the investments needed to build resilient food systems are going beyond calls for policy implementation to call for concrete action. How can these conversations turn into investment to finance Africa’s food systems?
The #AFS forum sidelines, has a perfect blend of multisectoral exhibition that are bringing innovation, networking and Africa food systems conversations to life. The COMESA EAC Horticulture matching grants beneficiaries from Rwanda SOUK FARMS Avocare Rwanda@EGSP are showcasing innovative products and services to a regional and international audience. We are ready to connect and meet with you; visit us in the main.
The message from #AFSForum2026 is clear: transforming Africa’s food systems starts with investments in diverse, nutritious, and climate-resilient crops. But farmers can’t do it alone. Structural barriers around weak infrastructure, financing gaps, policy inconsistency, and poor market data still limit farmers' potential. To move from challenge to solution, we must:
✅ Invest in policy and research
✅ Diversify into nutritious, climate-resilient crops
✅ Scale market-driven breeding
✅ Partner across public and private sectors
Call to Action: Governments, development partners, and the private sector to co-invest in seed systems and market infrastructure.Together, we can build food systems that are resilient, profitable, and work for farmers.
The Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA), a specialized agency of COMESA, convened an impactful induction meeting for the 11 nominated COMESA Panel of biotechnology experts, drawn from across the COMESA region.
The induction was conducted in partnership with ISAAA AfriCenter on 29th – 30th July 2026 at the Jacaranda Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya, and aimed to strengthen the capacity of the COMESA Panel of Experts to effectively undertake regional Biosafety Risk Assessment and provide science-based technical options for decision-making. This is crucial in enhancing understanding of modern biotechnology, emerging breeding technologies, and their adoption within the COMESA region.
ISAAA Inc. ISAAA AfriCenter Director Margaret Karembu and the ACTESA CEO John Mukuka remarked on the relevance of biotechnology in fostering regional food and feed security.
The highly engaging induction training included insightful presentations and impromptu remarks from diverse regional and global experts in biotechnology and biosafety, underscoring the importance of strengthening knowledge and skills in biosafety regulation, risk assessment, and biotechnology for effective, informed decision-making.
Meeting Highlights:
✅Robust science-based Modern Biotechnology and Biosafety evidence enhances decision-making processes.
✅ Inclusive regulatory systems and harmonised policies foster intra-region collaboration on Biotechnology and Biosafety.
✅ Relevance of capacity building of the. Panel of Experts on biosafety risk assessment.
✅ Promoting understanding of COMESA’s Modern Biotechnology and Biosafety policy among Member States.
As the region transitions from decades of knowledge and research into lasting prosperity, propelling innovation and evidence-based decision-making is crucial. Looking ahead? The instituted COMESA Panel of Experts is eager to advance the Biotechnology and Biosafety agenda through the transformation of evidence into action, innovation into enterprise, and policy into shared prosperity. Special thanks to our partners whose support made the induction training a resounding success.
Together, we are moving decisively towards zero hunger.
The Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the African Seed Trade Association (AfSTA) on the sidelines a regional meeting on the COMESA Seed Information System and the COMESA Seed Harmonisation Implementation Programme (COMSHIP). The MOU seeks to advance;
✅ Increased seed production, reliability and trade competitiveness of the Seed Industry in the COMESA region;
✅ Seed Quality Assurance and Certification;
✅ Regional Seed Trade Facilitation; and
✅ Digital Transformation and Innovation, and private sector development.
Speaking at the signing ceremony held in Lusaka, Zambia 6th August 2026, African Seed Trade Association (AfSTA) Secretary General, Dr. Yacouba Diallo and the COMESA Acting Secretary General for programmes, Ms. Esther Mwimba, representing the ACTESA CEO, Dr John Mukuka, described the MoU signing as a significant step towards accelerating access to quality certified seed, increased productivity, enhanced intra-agriculture trade and food security the COMESA region.
“Today’s signing ceremony actualizes a framework of our partnership with ACTESA, crucial in accelerating implementation of the COMSHIP,” remarked Dr Yacouba.
The signing ceremony is more than symbolic ceremony, it’s a demonstration of ACTESA and AFSTA’s commitment in transforming Africa’s agri-food systems to ensure farmers have access to high-quality, affordable, reliable, high-yielding, and climate-resilient seeds.
Looking ahead, we are thrilled with the shared commitment to drive agriculture competitive and resilient economies. Special thanks to our partner AATF African Agricultural Technology Foundation for their unwavering support.
Across the COMESA region, only 1 in 5 small-scale farmers currently has access to quality, improved seed. The result? Lower agricultural productivity constrained regional trade, and millions of people continuing to face food insecurity.
ACTESA, under COMESA, is taking a transformative step forward with the unveiling of the COMESA Seed Information System (COMSIS) and the operationalization of the COMESA Seed Labelling and Certification System. These regional initiatives will:
✅ Improve farmers' access to certified, high-quality seed.
✅️Digitize and strengthen seed information management across Member States.
✅ Facilitate harmonization of seed certification and labelling to facilitate seamless regional trade.
✅Increase transparency, traceability, and trust throughout the seed value chain.
✅Attract greater private-sector investment while strengthening food systems and regional resilience.
All this was reviewed at the regional meeting held in Lusaka, Zambia on 5th and 6th August 2026, aimed at presenting COMISIS and building consensus with the seed industry and stakeholders in the 21 COMESA Member States.
By connecting Member States through a shared digital platform and harmonized standards, COMESA is laying the foundation for a more integrated, competitive, and food-secure region where quality seed reaches farmers faster and agricultural markets thrive. Special appreciate to our all-weather partner ATTF for its support.
The Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA), is participating in the 2026 Zambia Seed Trade Association Congress in Livingstone, Zambia, where regional and national seed companies have convened to shape the future of the seed industry in Zambia.
The Ministry of Agriculture Permanent Secretary, Mr. John Mulongoti, officiating as guest of honor, highlighted the seed sector as a Foundation of sustainable agricultural productivity and increased global trade in agriculture, translating to opportunities for economic growth, investment, and food security.
The Ps reaffirmed governments' commitment to supporting enabling policy environments and regulatory standards for an innovative, competitive, resilient seed sector.
In a high-level panel discussion on the COMESA Seed Harmonisation Implementation Programme (COMSHIP), which fosters standardisation of seed laws and regulatory frameworks across COMESA’s 21 Member States, the ACTESA Chief Executive Officer, Dr John Mukuka, highlighted the COMSHIP initiative as crucial to driving the reduction of regulatory seed fragmentation that has historically constrained regional seed production, access to improved seed varieties and enhanced regional seed trade.
Together with other speakers, Mr Christopher Simuntala of the National Biosafety Authority; Mr. Musa Muyatwa of Bayer Zambia; and Mr. Ndavi Muia of Advanta Seeds highlighted; ✅ Seed counterfeiting as a key threat to agricultural productivity and food security across the region.
✅ Certification and harmonisation of seed trade laws as crucial to advancing intra-agriculture trade and food security.
✅ Leveraging technologies, innovation, and strategic partnerships to mitigate the effects of climate change for enhanced resilience.
✅ The seed sector as an engine for driving economic growth.
The highly engaging session demonstrated that advancing seed production requires concerted collaborations from stakeholders in the public and private sectors to foster enhanced agricultural production and productivity.
On the sidelines of the session, ACTESA Agri-business and Policy Advisor Mr John Chambamakasa highlighted the COMESA Seed Information System as a crucial digital platform to improve the collection, management, and accessibility of seed information among the COMESA Member States.
As the region works towards sustainable seed production, it's more prominent that seed production is not simply an agricultural issue; it's fundamental to peace, stability, job creation, and economic resilience. Held under the theme; Sustainable, Resilient and Viable Seed Industry, Enhancing National Prosperity Through Local and Transboundary Trade”, this year's congress brings together a wide spectrum of leaders, innovators, researchers, policymakers, development partners, and industry experts from across the agricultural and seed sectors.
✈️ 🗞️Transitioning from the Vision Board to Practical Action!! Yesterday, CABISouthern Africa, led by its Regional Director Dr. Natasha Mwila paid a courtesy call on the ACTESA Chief Executive Officer, DrJohn Mukuka, at the ACTESA Secretariate in Lusaka, Zambia.
Discussions underscored the exigency of advancing progress of our Joint Action Plan, which among other issues focuses on, trade facilitation and market access, research and innovation, women and youth inclusion in Agriculture, value chain upgrading and capacity building, climate resilience and strengthening SPS compliance to enhance market competitiveness.
The meeting reinforced the need for coordinated and actionable initiatives as a springboard for accelerating progress in our partnerships. The engagement also provided a valuable platform for exploring other potential areas of collaboration, such as, complimenting efforts in ensuring regional alignment and adoption of bioprotectant standards.
🎉 Together, we are driving agriculture resilience and enhanced intra-regional and global trade through improved market access, competitiveness and regulatory alignment.
Grants management training is crucial for ensuring compliance, fostering trust with development partners, and successfully delivering on project milestones. We are proud to join other COMESA divisions in the Grants Management Training towards strengthening transparency and accountability.
The initiative focuses on closing gaps and developing a more robust, impact-driven Grants Management Manual and is spearheaded by the Director of Budget and Finance, Mrs Auleria Olunga, in collaboration with @SteadmanGlobal.
The two-day training held from 14-15 April, in Lusaka, Zambia, is a significant step forward beyond driving grant management to practical delivery and sustained investments.
🎊ACTESA has joined other COMESA institutions at the 3rd COMESA Awareness Week and Trade Fair, in TUNIS, Tunisia convening from 29th of June to – 3rd July 2026, bringing together COMESA Institutions, Member States, development partners, the private sector, and regional stakeholders to strengthen collaboration and advance regional integration.
In his remarks, Tunisian Minister of Commerce and Trade H.E Mr. Samir Abid, underscored the need for COMESA to leverage regional integration to enhance resilience, drive growth and mitigate global shocks. Reflecting on Tunisia’s growing role in regional integration and intra-African trade, COMESA Secretary General, H.E. Chileshe Mpundu Kapwepwe, commended the Tunisian Government's vision for economic modernization and integration into African markets, in alignment with the COMESA agenda.
In his intervention, ACTESA CEO, Dr John Mukuka, highlighted, low agricultural productivity, uncoordinated markets, lack of harmonized policies, access to finance, and poor infrastructure as critical challenges for smallholder farmers requiring strategic public private partnerships. What next !!!!!!Strategic dialogue, high-level presentations, and multi-stakeholder discussions will define the days ahead as we drive transformative partnerships for a more resilient, competitive, and sustainable future for COMESA region. Stay tuned as we unlock more exciting conversations.
