Strengthening vegetable seed systems:
Africa-wide consortium showcases exclusive new breeding lines
Breakthroughs in climate-resilient, high-yielding, and disease-resistant vegetable varieties took the spotlight at the latest Africa Vegetable Breeding Consortium (AVBC) meeting in Arusha, Tanzania, last week.
Co-hosted by the World Vegetable Center’s Eastern and Southern Africa office (WorldVeg ESA) and the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA), the three-day event brought together representatives from seed companies and institutions in Italy, France, South Africa, Malaysia, Thailand, Mali, Burkina Faso, Zambia, Tanzania, and Kenya.
Established in 2018, AVBC is a joint initiative of WorldVeg and AFSTA, which aims to promote the development of a strong vegetable seed sector in Africa. A public-private partnership, it provides members with exclusive, early-bird access to WorldVeg-improved vegetable breeding lines to enhance their own breeding programs. It also connects vegetable breeders, entomologists, pathologists and other researchers with seed companies and farmers.
The meeting placed special focus on climate-resilient, high-yielding, and disease-resistant varieties of key crops such as pepper, okra, amaranth, mungbean, African eggplant, tomato, and pumpkin. Participants were able to see and evaluate trials of many new breeding lines available exclusively to AVBC members and co-develop strategies for breeding future varieties.
“The AVBC is about more than developing new vegetable varieties – it’s also about equipping farmers with the tools and knowledge to thrive, and shaping strategies for future vegetable seed systems” said Ozimati Alfred, Scientist – Vegetable Breeding, at WorldVeg.
During meeting, participants also visited local food markets to help ground discussions in the daily realities of farmers and consumers, ensuring that crop innovations remain closely align with the practical needs of actors across the vegetable value chain.
Participant Kairuki Thomas, from Kenya’s Simlaw Seeds, said: “We’ve had a long-standing relationship with WorldVeg, especially through sharing of germplasm of indigenous vegetables like nightshade, amaranth, and green gram. WorldVeg has always provided technical support – at one point their staff helped us identify Tuta absoluta, a pest devastating our tomatoes, when we had no idea what was causing the damage. The AVBC platform has enabled us to interact with multinational companies, understand market dynamics, and make better decisions.”
For East-West Seed – an AVBC member and one of world’s leading vegetable seed companies – the impact of being part of the consortium has also been significant. “Most of the varieties we market can be traced back to parents at WorldVeg,” said Digna Swai, an associate breeder for East-West Seed in Tanzania. “We are doing well in the market with varieties such as amaranth, nightshade, and Ethiopian kale, which we’ve been able to commercialize. The AVBC platform keeps us closely connected to R&D, gene development, and industry trends – it’s been very supportive in helping us solve complex challenges.”
Following the workshop, registered seed companies will be invited to request up to ten exclusive lines free of charge that best suit their target markets and business environments. This strategic approach provides a direct pathway for delivering WorldVeg’s innovations and technologies to stakeholders, ultimately supporting farmers and driving real-world impact.
For more information on AFSA – including how to join – visit:
https://avrdc.org/africa-vegetable-breeding-consortium-2/
