b'ing group built the agenda for the nextthe same stakeholders, together with theDevelopment and Irrigation of Peru, two years, in which the interaction withseed industry representatives.Miguel Quevedo, the president of officials and regulatory authorities will beThe purpose of these meetings was toAPESemillas, Hctor Snchez, and SAA a priority, as well as the increased adop- discuss adjustments and/or adaptationspresident, Angel Saavedra.tion of this technology in Latin Americaof regulations to new scientific advances,The forum was divided into three and facilitating access, exchange andand improvements in the predictability ofmain blocks, international seed move-interaction between the National Seedregulatory processes, as well as identify- ment, intellectual property and seed Associations members of the SAA.ing what opportunities may favor theregulations, and innovative plant breeding The Board of Directors held its annualdevelopment of regulations in countriestechniques and regulations, respectively. meeting on Tuesday, September 26. Onethat do not yet have them, in order toSAA participated in the different panels of the highlights of this encounter, wasfacilitate scientific development with genewith presentations by Diego Risso, SAA the incorporation of Guatemala as ordi- editing in those countries.executive director, Ins Ares, coordinator nary member of the SAA, and Ecuadorsof SAAs working group on Phytosanitary change from observer member to ordi- First National Seed Forum in Peru Issues and Juan Kiekebusch, coordinator nary member. We are happy to welcomeThe Peruvian Seed Association,of SAAs working group on Biotechnology these two countries to our association. APESemillas, held the first national seedand PBI.forum in Peru on 29 September. The aimAPESemillas, as a member of the SAA, SAA and other seed sector keyof the forum was to promote a space forhosted SAAs working group meetings, stakeholders gather in Lima discussion on priority and current issuesthe board of directors meetings and Taking advantage of the presence ofwith the institutions that make up theother meetings with different seed sector several key seed professionals, two mostNational Seed System,and to integrateplayers, such as regulators from differ-successful meetings were held during thisthe main actors of the seed value chain. ent countries of the Americas, and the busy seed week in Lima: a meeting withThe opening ceremony speakersInter-American Institute for Cooperation government representatives, regulators,were the Head of the Agricultural Healthon Agriculture (IICA), with which the SAA and IICA, and another joint meeting withService of the Ministry of Agriculturalhas signed a cooperation agreement.SWRethinking the SAA Workshop.LATAMSEEDWORLD.COM /11'