b'At that time, it was a crucial moment as we broad- to add through each and every KSO an element of com-ened our scope of acting towards food security and sus- munication.tainable agriculture, Keller says. It is not about only theColes notes that in almost every KSO, theres a key seed. Were a critical starting point of food production,word such as accelerate, promote, encourage or support. and I think this was a way for us to reset and start again. All these words are key words that speak to some-But, Keller says to reach your ultimate dream, there arething that will lead to a deliverable to an action, he says. many steps to take, especially in terms of clarifying whatAfter 25 years of fake news being imposed on the the steps are and what topics fall under your vision.seed sector internationally, weve got an incredibly big mountain to climb to try and push back against. Because Building the Topics of that, communication is absolutely fundamental to what After establishing the new mission for ISF came the reallywe do in the future. We need to present ourselves as we difficult partgetting strategic with choices.are; responsible people with warm hearts and thoughtful Its all about strategy and clarifying the road we haveminds. At the forefront of our whole work is to ensure to journey together in an inclusive way, Keller says. Onthat every living thing on the planet can continue the our previous strategic objectives, we didnt feel like weway we have in the past, and seed is at the centre of that were going the right direction until halfway through, nearaspiration.2018. The question became a deep look at the previous five years for ISF to see what they would have changed. AFTER 25 YEARS OF FAKE NEWS BEING IMPOSED It came to a point of asking: What does this really mean for us? How can we contribute? Whats the ultimateON THE SEED SECTOR INTERNATIONALLY, WEVE outcome? Coles says. And most importantly, it was the question of: What feedback can we get about our suc- GOT AN INCREDIBLY BIG MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB TO cesses? TRY AND PUSH BACK AGAINST.The first objectives were good, but needed to be more structured, Keller says. Donald ColesAfter that, we decided to structure ourselves and build task forces dedicated to invest energy to prepare, he says.That means, leading up to the KSO announcementKeller agrees with Coles.at the board of directors meeting at the end of 2020, aWe knew we needed to be clear and concise, he dedicated group, including Keller and Coles, workedsays. We knew this is all about engagement.intensively to see how to better improve ISF and whatFor both Coles and Keller, that meant the new KSOs direction to take from here on out. Other participatingneeded to be absolutely crystal clear about what the ben-and leading members were ISF First Vice-President andefits are of quality seed, and how ISF needs to be a part chair of the KSO committee Marco van Leeuwen andof that discussion with the value chain. Marc Cool, chair of the breeders committee.After communication comes innovation.The group started by engaging with the value chain Innovation and plant breeding are in our DNA, from the farmers to grain traders and beyondto under- Keller says. We need to accelerate innovation, but at the stand what all the stakeholders priorities were, as wellsame time, we need to enable seed to remain a contribu-as their perceptions of how the seed sector fit into that.tor to solutions that farmers can access.The second round included seeing how organizationsThat means not only focusing in on improving breed-such as FAO, OECD, CGIAR or foundations like the Billing, but also honing in on the regulations that can affect and Melinda Gates Foundation see the seed industry, andinnovative breeding. what they think the challenges for the future would be. The third focus is on the movement of seed.From the beginning, we tried to be really inclusive,Coles, in particular, thinks this KSO is imperative Keller says. At the end, its somehow broader than justto getting quality seed into the hands of farmers seedits also the topics that encompass seed. across the globe. Based on all this surveying of members, nonmembers,Theres a lot to efficient movement, Coles NGOs, international organizations and other stakeholders,says. But its not just getting seed in a bag ISF was able to frame up a few key areas to tackle.and transporting it to its destination. Our Coles mentions there was one thing top-of-mindfocus is to move healthy seed and to main-throughout the process: communication.tain phytosanitary standards in order to With Marco and Marc driving the discussion, I wassupport efficient production systems for left free to participate in the meetings, he says. I wantedour customers.48GERMINATION.CAJULY 2021'