NTAHANGWA, April 10 (ABP) – Members of the National Assembly met on Wed nesday, April 8, 2026, to examine and adopt the draft law on the organization of the plant seed sector. The plenary session was held at the Kigobe hemicycle under the chairmanship of the speaker of the National Assembly, Daniel Gélase Ndabirabe, in the presence of the minister of environment, agriculture and livestock, Calinie Mbarushimana. In the statement of reasons, Minister Mbarushimana indicated that the seed law in force since 2012 has constituted a significant step forward in structuring the sector.
However, she explained, a revision is necessary to address emerging challenges and to align the legislative framework with the country’s sustainable development and food security objectives. According to Mbarushimana, this draft law provides for a thorough modernization of the seed sector in order to promote sustainable and inclusive agriculture.
To overcome obstacles related to the low quality of seeds and the lack of access to improved varieties, the new draft introduces strengthened mechanisms to support the seed industry, as well as measures promoting research and innovation.
In addition, the minister in charge of agriculture emphasized that seed multipliers (abagwizambuto) will play a key role in promoting improved varieties while supporting the preservation of traditional species. Regarding seed marketing and the fight against counterfeiting, the draft law provides for strengthening the market regulation system, with stricter quality standards, increased price control, and monitoring measures accompanied by rigorous sanctions.
During the discussions, members of parliament raised the issue of dependence on imported seeds. Minister Mbarushimana responded that the government, through the Institute of Agronomic Sciences of Burundi (ISABU), intends to intensify local seed production in order to reduce imports and mitigate the impact of foreign currency shortages.
Regarding the avocado sector, Ms. Mbarushimana indicated that this crop has strong export potential. She encouraged producers to cultivate more of the “Ruhere” variety, which is highly valued on the international market, while assuring that the ministry in charge of agriculture continues to seek external markets to generate more foreign currency.
Speaking on this point, the speaker of the National Assembly suggested that this variety be primarily intended for export, while other varieties would be consumed locally, thus contributing to the country’s economic growth.
At the end of the debates, the members of parliament adopted the draft law on the organization of the plant seed sector.