New Markets Lab

THE CORPORATION IS ORGANIZED FOR THE CHARITABLE AND EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE OF: ADVANCE THE SPREAD OF SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE ALONG AFRICA'S "DEVELOPMENT CORRIDORS" IN WAYS THAT MEASURABLY IMPROVE THE INCOME OF SMALL FARMERS AND INTEGRATE THEM INTO A DYNAMIC, INTERNATINALLY COMPETITIVE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR.

IN 2021, THE NEW MARKETS LAB (NML) PARTNERED WITH NEW AND EXISTING ORGANIZATIONS TO FURTHER ITS MISSION OF ADVANCING THE SPREAD OF SUSTAINABLE AND EQUITABLE COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE TO THE BENEFIT OF SMALL FARMERS AND COMMUNITIES AND LEVERAGING LAW AND REGULATION AS A TOOL TO ADVANCE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT IN AN EVOLVING GLOBAL MARKET. AGRI EXPERIENCE LTD (SEEDSAT): NML LED THE LEGAL, REGULATORY AND POLICY COMPONENT OF THE SEEDSAT PROJECT, WHICH WAS INITIALLY MANAGED BY DAI AND WAS MANAGED BY AGRI EXPERIENCE LIMITED IN 2021, WITH FUNDING FROM BMGF AND IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH AGRA. NMLS INITIAL CONTRIBUTION INCLUDED DESIGN OF THE LEGAL, REGULATORY, AND POLICY APPROACH AND ASSESSMENT OF ETHIOPIAS AND NIGERIAS POLICY, LEGAL, AND REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT BASED ON THE STRUCTURE OF THE ENABLING ENVIRONMENT AND AN EXISTING METHODOLOGY FOCUSED ON LEGAL AND REGULATORY DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION ASPECTS. THIS WAS THEN EXPANDED TO INCLUDE GHANA, KENYA, MALAWI, AND UGANDA. THE METHODOLOGY USED FOR SEEDSAT WAS DEVELOPED BY NML AND INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING FIVE FACTORS: (1) POLICY, LEGAL, AND REGULATORY DESIGN (STRUCTURE OF SYSTEM AND PROCESS OF REGULATORY DEVELOPMENT); (2) EFFICIENCY OF THE POLICY, LEGAL AND REGULATORY SYSTEM TRACKING THE TIME AND COST OF COMPLETION OF REGULATORY PROCESSES; (3) LEGAL AND REGULATORY GATEWAYS THAT ESTABLISH REGULATORY PRECONDITIONS; (4) ENGAGEMENT IN THE POLICY, LEGAL, AND REGULATORY SYSTEM, WITH ASSESSMENT OF CHANNELS FOR CLEAR STAKEHOLDER PARTICIPATION; AND (5) EFFECTIVENESS OF THE POLICY, LEGAL, AND REGULATORY SYSTEM DESIGNED TO ASSESS THE EXTENT TO WHICH POLICIES, LAWS, AND REGULATIONS ACHIEVE THEIR PURPOSE (BASED ON NML, 2019 AND KUHLMANN, VARIOUS, INCLUDING 2020, 2021).CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES: SINCE JUNE 2019, NML HAS PARTNERED WITH CRS UNDER THEIR SUPPORTING SEED SYSTEMS FOR DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY (S34D), WITH SUPPORT FROM USAID. NML AND CRS DEVELOPED A STUDY FOCUSED ON BRIDGING INFORMAL AND FORMAL SEED SECTORS THROUGH LAW AND REGULATION IN ORDER TO MAKE SEED SYSTEMS MORE INCLUSIVE, WHICH INCLUDED IDENTIFICATION OF GLOBAL GOOD PRACTICES IN SEED SYSTEMS TAILORED TO FARMERS REALITIES (SEE KUHLMANN AND DEY, 2021). IN 2021, NML AND CRS LAUNCHED A PROJECT TO TAILOR NMLS REGULATORY SYSTEMS MAPS TO ONGOING REFORM OF THE ETHIOPIA SEED POLICY AND REGULATORY SYSTEM, WORKING IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH ETHIOPIAN STAKEHOLDERS, IN ORDER TO HIGHLIGHT PROPOSED CHANGES FROM THE CURRENT SYSTEM AND ASSESS IMPACT ON EQUITABLE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT. ALLIANCE FOR A GREEN REVOLUTION IN AFRICA (PIATA PROJECT): IN 2021, NML CONTINUED ITS WORK AS A MEMBER OF A CONSORTIUM COORDINATED BY AGRA AND THE COMMON MARKET FOR EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA (COMESA) UNDER THE IMPROVED REGIONAL SEED TRADE IN COMESA AND EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY REGION PROJECT, WORKING WITH THE AFRICAN SEED TRADE ASSOCIATION (AFSTA), SEED ASSURE, AND ECI-AFRICA. NMLS CONTRIBUTION TO THE CONSORTIUM FOCUSED ON ALIGNMENT OF NATIONAL SEED LAWS AND REGULATIONS WITH REGIONAL SEED LAWS AND REGULATIONS BENCHMARKED AGAINST REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL GOOD PRACTICES. NMLS WORK FELL WITHIN TWO MAIN COMPONENTS, NAMELY THE ALIGNMENT OF ETHIOPIAS SEED LAWS AND REGULATIONS (SPECIFICALLY ETHIOPIAS DRAFT SEED PROCLAMATION AND ANY NEW SUBSIDIARY MEASURES, INCLUDING REGULATIONS TO BE DEVELOPED) WITH COMESA SEED TRADE HARMONISATION REGULATIONS OF 2014 AND THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMON VARIETY IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (VIN), INCLUDING THE FACILITATION OF REGISTRATION OF QUALIFIED VARIETIES INTO THE COMESA VARIETY CATALOGUE. THIS PROJECT FOCUSED OVERALL ON IMPROVING REGIONAL HARMONIZATION AND TRADE WITHIN COMESA AND THE EAC. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY: NML HAS WORKED WITH MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITYS AAP SINCE 2017, COLLABORATING WITH A CONSORTIUM OF U.S.- AND AFRICA-BASED INSTITUTIONS, INCLUDING THE AFRICA FERTILIZER AND AGRIBUSINESS PARTNERSHIP (AFAP), MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY (MSU), THE REGIONAL NETWORK OF AGRICULTURAL POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTES (RENAPRI), AND, IN AN EARLIER PROJECT STAGE, THE INTERNATIONAL FERTILIZER DEVELOPMENT CENTER (IFDC). THE COLLABORATION HAS FOCUSED ON FACILITATING THE TRANSFORMATION OF AFRICAN AGRICULTURE AND SMALLHOLDER FARMERS LIVELIHOODS BY IMPROVING ACCESS TO AND USE OF FERTILIZERS THROUGH COMPREHENSIVE, RELEVANT, AND ROBUST NATIONAL AND REGIONAL FERTILIZER POLICIES AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS.NATHAN ASSOCIATES (BMGF FUNDING): IN 2021, NML WORKED WITH NATHAN ASSOCIATES, INC. ON A PROJECT FOR BMGF FOCUSED ON WOMENS ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT (WEE) AND GENDER EQUALITY PRIORITIES IN THE AFRICAN UNION, WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION, AND OECD. THE PROJECT FOCUSED ON WEE PRIORITY AREAS, INCLUDING WOMENS EMPLOYMENT, WOMENS ACCESS TO FINANCE, AND FUNDING FOR WOMENS EMPOWERMENT COLLECTIVES. NML PREPARED A REPORT BASED ON RESEARCH AND STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATIONS THAT FOCUSED ON TRENDS, INITIATIVES, AND AREAS OF OPPORTUNITY FOR ENGAGEMENT TO ADDRESS ISSUES AND VULNERABILITIES FACED BY WOMEN IN THE AFRICAN CONTINENT, ALONG WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ENGAGING IN ADVOCACY TO ADVANCE GENDER EQUALITY IN AFRICA. NML ALSO COMPLETED REPORTS FOCUSED ON WEE INITIATIVES THROUGH THE WTO AND OECD.THE AFRICAN FERTILIZER AND AGRIBUSINESS PARTNERSHIP: IN 2016, WITH THE SUPPORT OF AGRA SSTP THROUGH USAID, NML BEGAN A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE AFRICAN FERTILIZER AND AGRIBUSINESS PARTNERSHIP (AFAP) TO FOCUS ON LEGAL AND REGUALTORY ASPECTS OF THE FERTILIZER SECTOR IN ETHIOPIA, MALAWI, TANZANIA, AND MOZAMBIQUE. UNDER THIS PROJECT, NML, IN COLLABORATION WITH AFAP, DEVELOPED COUNTRY-SPECIFIC LEGAL AND REGULATORY GUIDES ON THE FERTILIZER INDUSTRY DESIGNED TO HIGHLIGHT CHALLENGES TO ACCESSING NEW MARKET OPPORTUNITIES, IDENTIFY KEY LEGAL AND REGULATORY INTERVENTION POINTS TO OVERCOME ISSUES IN THE ENABLING ENVIRONMENT, AND SHARE INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL BEST PRACTICES. NML ALSO WORKED WITH AFAP TO DESIGN REGIONAL REGULATORY REFORM GUIDELINES THAT SEEK TO ADVANCE REGIONAL HARMONIZATION OF FERTILIZER LAWS AND REGULATIONS, FOCUSED PARTICULARLY ON COMESA BUT APPLICABLE TO OTHER REGIONAL TRADE EFFORTS AS WELL. IN 2021, NML CONTINUING WORKING WITH AFAP AND AGRA TO SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT OF MALAWIS LEGAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR FERTILIZER AS WELL AS CARRY OUT A LEGAL REVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF THE FERTILIZER REGULATORY FRAMEWORK OF 16 SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY (SADC) COUNTRIES. SYNGENTA FOUNDATION FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE (SFSA): NML HAS A LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIP WITH SFSA UNDER ITS SEEDS2B PROGRAM, COLLABORATING ON POLICY, LEGAL, AND REGULATORY INTERVENTIONS TO SCALE SEED SYSTEMS AT THE NATIONAL AND REGIONAL LEVELS. THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THIS WORK IS TO FACILITATE THE DEVELOPMENT AND RELEASE OF NEW SEED VARIETIES FOR THE BENEFIT OF SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN AFRICA, EXPAND MARKETS FOR SEED, AND FACILITATE THE TRANSFER OF SEED FROM PUBLIC RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS INTO PRIVATE MARKETING CHANNELS, ALL WHILE ENSURING GAINS TO SMALL FARMERS AND PROTECTING THE PUBLIC GOOD. NMLS CURRENT WORK WITH SFSA/SEEDS2B ON REGIONAL SEED HARMONIZATION IS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PARTNERSHIPS FOR SEED TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER IN AFRICA (PASTTA) PROJECT, WITH SUPPORT FROM USAID. THIS HAS INCLUDED CASE STUDIES AND TEST CASES TO STRESS TEST REGIONAL REGULATORY SYSTEMS IN THE EAC, COMESA, SADC, AND ECOWAS WITH THE GOAL OF HELPING TO IMPLEMENT REGIONAL REGULATORY HARMONIZATION INITIATIVES. THESE TEST CASES HAVE FACILITATED ENTRIES INTO REGIONAL SEED CATALOGS AND HIGHLIGHTED IMPORTANT TRENDS IN THE HARMONIZATION OF REGIONAL SEED RULES. IN 2021, NML DEVELOPED A CASE STUDY ON REGULATION OF VEGETABLE CROPS IN KENYA AND FINDINGS OF THE CHECK-BACK MECHANISM FOR REGIONALLY REGISTERED VARIETIES, WHICH INCORPORATED THE TEST CASES. FURTHER, NML CONDUCTED A STOCKTAKING REPORT FOCUSED ON MALI, SENEGAL, AND UGANDA TO SUPPORT LICENSING EFFORTS IN THESES COUNTRIES. NML HAS ALSO WORKED WITH SFSA ON LICENSING AGREEMENTS AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS FOR PLANT BREEDERS (INCLUDING FLEXIBLE LICENSING AGREEMENTS), INCLUDING UNDER THE ACCELERATED VARIETAL IMPROVEMENT AND SEED DELIVERY OF LEGUMES AND CEREALS IN AFRICA (AVISA) PROJECT, FUNDED BY A GRANT FROM BMGF AND CONDUCTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE INTERNATIONAL MAIZE AND WHEAT IMPROVEMENT CENTER (CIMMYT), INTERNATIONAL CROPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR THE SEMI-ARID TROPICS (ICRISAT), AND OTHER PARTNERS FROM THE CGIAR. IN 2021, NML CONDUCTED WORKSHOPS IN TANZANIA AND NIGERIA TO ADVANCE THIS WORK, WHICH HAD BEEN POSTPONED FROM 2020 DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.