The African Seed Access Index (TASAI-VISTA) Dashboard was launched during the 22^nd Africa Seed Traders Association (AFSTA) Congress, from 28 Feb - 03 March 2022, after one year in development. The new, interactive digital tool seeks to measure, track, and compare enabling environments for competitive seed systems serving Africa across time and space.

In its nascent state, the Dashboard has incorporated data from some strategic commodities of seventeen Member States and displays 22 different indicators that are essential to seed sector development at national level. Such indicators are categorised under research and development, industry competitiveness, seed policy and regulations, institutional support and service to smallholder farmers.

Speaking after the launch, the African Union Commission, represented by the Head of Division of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Simplice Nouala hailed the dashboard as a powerful communication and advocacy tool for government policy makers, development agencies, seed enterprises among others. To this end, the Commission pledged to finalise the process of formalising partnership with the TASAI Inc to facilitate the expansion of the coverage of the tool to all the 55 Member States of the African Union. This is particularly important considering that the 3^rd Biennial Review Report which was endorsed by the Heads of State and Government during the 35^th AU Assembly held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 5-6 February 2022 has an Annex on the status of implementation of the African Seed and Biotechnology Programme: the strategic framework for the development of the seed sector in Africa (Assembly/AU/Dec. 135(VIII).

It is important to note that for much of Africa, rising populations combined with climate change and other environmental factors are threatening food and nutrition security at a time when the AU Theme of the Year 2022 is “Strengthening resilience in nutrition and food security on the African continent: Strengthening agro food systems, health and social protection systems for the acceleration of human, social and economic capital development”. Therefore, it is urgent and necessary to provide decision-makers with information on where and how seed quality and availability are lagging for evidence-based actions. Hence the dashboard is timely and the right step towards making that information more easily accessible, user-friendly and actionable. The Dashboard is freely available to the public and can be accessed at the following link: https://dashboard.tasai.org

Coordinated and developed by TASAI Inc, the Dashboard has been realised through political, technical and financial efforts supported by the African Union Commission, BMGF, USAID, AGRA, AfDB, AATF, DG, Kenya Markets Trust,UKAid, Adam Smith International, Cornell University, and ElAN RDC.

For media enquiry:

Mr. Molalet Tsedeke, Information and Communications Directorate | African Union Commission|+251-911-630 631; Molalett@africa-union.org

For further information, please contact:

Ms. Peace Mutuwa, Knowledge Management Officer| Agriculture Rural Development Directorate | African Union Commission Tel: +251 115 517 700 | E-mail: mutuwap@africa-union.org| Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org  
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