BY BUSINESS REPORTER THE Zimbabwe Seed Trade Association (ZSTA) has changed its name to Zimbabwe Seed Association (ZSA) to make the association more inclusive of all stakeholders involved in the seed value chain. The change was made at ZSA’s annual general meeting in Harare on December 10, 2020. Over the past few agricultural seasons seed production has been low owing to droughts and unfriendly weather conditions caused by climate change forcing farmers to invest more in drought resistant or hybrid seeds. Currently, Zimbabwe, as noted by the International Trade Centre, imports annually cereals worth US$510 million and oil seeds worth US$250 million. “At the recently-held Zimbabwe Seed Trade Association annual general meeting in Harare (on December 10 2020), the members present unanimously agreed to change the name of the association to Zimbabwe Seed Association. This change was considered necessary to make the association more inclusive of all stakeholders involved in the seed value chain and not just those involved in seed trade per se,” ZSA announced in a statement. “The association also believes that the word ‘seed’ means all material used to propagate plants for food, feed, fibre, construction, aesthetic value for the benefit of humanity. “This, therefore, includes true seed, vegetative propagation, seedlings, saplings and tissue culture propagation systems.” At the same meeting, the term of the current executive committee was extended and John MacRobert of Mukushi Seeds (Pvt) Ltd was voted chairperson of the association for a two-year term. The managing directors or executives of Corteva, Klein Karoo, Kutsaga, Mukushi Seed, Pittsworth, Prime Seed Co, Quton Seed Company, Reapers, Seed Co and the Zimbabwe Seed Potato Co-op make up the association executive committee. “The association will also accommodate those actors involved in research, production, marketing and regulation so as to make the association a true representative of the sector, which is so crucial and foundational to agricultural development and food security in Zimbabwe,” ZSA said. Follow us on Twitter @NewsDayZimbabwe