The Georgian Seeds and Saplings Association (GEOSSA) became a new member of the International Seed Federation (ISF). As a result, GEOSSA will receive new opportunities to establish working relationships with overseas partners, to exchange knowledge and connect to potential clients and suppliers.

Founded with EU and FAO support, in the framework of the EU4Business project “EU Innovative Action for Private Sector Competitiveness in Georgia”, the main goal of GEOSSA is to boost the production of high-quality seeds and planting material, complying with the upcoming standards put forward in a certification system aligned to the international standards.

“By becoming a member of ISF, Georgian seeds and sapling producers under GEOSSA just got a chance to reach new levels in their field, to learn from the best producers in the sector and open opportunities for international trade of locally produced seeds and saplings,” Alexander Sakandelidze, the Secretary General of Georgian Seeds and Saplings Association stated.

“To be a member of the International Seed Federation opens new opportunities for Georgian seeds and sapling producers. It’s a path towards reaching better quality produce in the country and ensuring the future prospects for export of Georgian goods with international standards. FAO and the EU will continue to support GEOSSA and the whole sector, to achieve better results in this endeavour,” said Javier Sanz Alvarez, EU-FAO Project Coordinator.

The International Seed Federation is a non-governmental, non-profit organization that represents the interests of the seed industry at a global level. Created in 1924, currently the members of ISF provide 96% of global seed trade and its main goal is to facilitate accessibility of the highest-level seed and planting material. The federation also facilitates free movement of seeds and seedlings; protection of the intellectual property for the owners of seeds and plant varieties; facilitation of trade between buyers and sellers at an international level, or the assistance in the resolution of disputes related to the international trade, through mediation, conciliation, or arbitration. 

As a member of the ISF, Georgian Seeds and Saplings Association, will represent Georgian seed producers on the international level. Having existed for less than a year, GEOSSA, managed to bring together many Georgian seed and sapling producers, including the largest wheat and barley seeds producers in the country. The association is open for any Georgian seed and sapling producers to join in the future.

The ISF and GEOSSA have already agreed to conduct a working meeting linking Georgian seeds and sapling producers to such organizations as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) and the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA). This meeting and new connections are destined to support the development for refining trade procedures and protocol details for the cooperation of GEOSSA and ISF members.

GEOSSA was founded with the support from the EU Innovative Action for Private Sector Competitiveness in Georgia Joint Programme. The EU-funded Programme, implemented by FAO and other UN agencies (UNDP, IOM, UNIDO), was launched in 2018. The main goal of the Programme is to enhance entrepreneurship and business sophistication by strengthening the capacities of Georgian government and local entities to develop and operate clusters and support companies directly with strategic investments.