HDC FUNDS TRAINING TO SPEED UP CROP VARIETY RELEASES IN ZIMBABWE

The Horticulture Development Council (HDC) has committed funding for a two-day training workshop aimed at strengthening capacity of plant breeders and regulators in variety testing and commercial release procedures.

The training is running from 18 to 19 August 2026 at Cresta Lodge Msasa in Harare and will target 35 participants comprising plant breeders from both private and public breeding institutions, and members of the National Variety Release Committee (NVRC).

According to the concept note signed by Seed Services Institute Head, Mtetwa Edmore, the justification for the pilot phase is to ensure breeders and regulatory compliance managers properly plan and comply with variety testing and release requirements.

The HDC, noted that NVRC members also require skills to effectively and objectively evaluate variety release proposals to allow for well-informed decisions on approval or rejection. The workshop has three main objectives: to train participants on the procedures, management and requirements for VCU trials; to train them on procedures for DUS trials; and to train them on data collection, data analysis and compilation of variety release proposals.

Experts facilitating the training have been drawn from the Seed Services Institute, CIMMYT, the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), the Zimbabwe Seed Association (ZSA) and the Zimbabwe Plant Breeders Association (ZPBA).The concept note also notes that some seed houses access varieties ready for commercialization from CGIARs and government-funded public breeding institutions under licensing agreements.