EZULWINI – Agriculture ministers, senior government officials and seed industry players from across the continent will open three days of talks in Ezulwini tomorrow, as Eswatini hosts the inaugural African Union Africa Seed Summit.
The summit runs from Monday 5 to Wednesday 7 October 2026 at the Palazzo Convention Centre under the theme “Resilient Seed Systems for a Food Secure Africa.” It will end with a meeting of African Union Heads of State and Government.
The African Union Commission is convening the gathering as an Extraordinary Session on African Seed Systems. The aim is to turn political commitments on seed into investment, policy reform and coordinated action across member states. 
Monday’s programme opens with a ministerial session for Ministers of Agriculture. Plenary sessions, side events and exhibitions will run alongside it. On Tuesday, an Executive Committee will bring together Ministers of Agriculture and Ministers of Foreign Affairs, and the technical sessions and exhibitions will continue. Heads of State will meet on Wednesday for the final day.
Prime Minister Russell Dlamini is among the confirmed speakers, alongside AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment Moses Vilakati.
The summit is expected to produce a declaration setting out commitments by African leaders on seed systems. It was earlier proposed as the Ezulwini Declaration. A roadmap for carrying out those commitments and a revised ten year action plan for the Africa Seed and Biotechnology Programme are also expected.
The AU will also launch the Seed Sector Performance Index (SSPI) 2025 Status Report for Africa during the summit.
For local farmers and agribusinesses, the exhibitions offer a chance to see what the continent’s seed sector has to offer. The AU says the exhibition space is open to seed companies, manufacturers of seed processing equipment and grain processors, among others.
According to the AU, seed quality remains one of the biggest obstacles to farm productivity in Africa. In some countries, more than 70 percent of farmers growing maize and vegetables use improved certified seed. For most other crops, especially legumes, roots and tubers, fewer than 5 percent of farmers do.
The AU says the gap persists even though more than 500 improved crop varieties were released across Africa between 2022 and 2024. These include varieties bred for higher yields, early maturity, better nutrition and tolerance to pests and disease.
Talks will be organised around five thematic areas:
- implementing seed policy and regulatory instruments
- mobilising public and private investment in the seed sector
- aligning the seed programme with the second ten year plan of the Kampala CAADP Declaration for 2027 to 2033
- making seed sector development inclusive
- using technology to speed up agricultural development
The summit also seeks a renewed political commitment from member states to laws and regulations that encourage private sector investment in seed.
Other confirmed speakers include:
- Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, John Dumelo
- Zimbabwe’s Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Jongwe Masuka
- Botswana’s Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Dr Edwin Gorataone Dikoloti
- Liberia’s Minister of Agriculture, J Alexander Nuetah
- Sierra Leone’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr Isata Kamanda
- Somalia’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, Zahra Ige
