FAO backs community seed production urges Act Passage.

The Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) has supported the use of community based seeds to curb adulteration in the system just as it urged the Federal Government to ensure the passage of the revised seed Act without any further delay saying this would enable more effective running of the industry by the private sector.

 

FAO’s Country Representative in Nigeria, Ms Louise Lobisa gave the advice at a stakeholders’ consultative workshop in Abuja. She said that the passage of the revised Seed Act would help develop the private sector and the community-based seed systems and by extension guarantee food security in the country wondering why the Act is still being held in the Federal Ministry of Justice after many delays with the legislation before approval.

Ms Louise Lobisa said that the essence of the workshop is aimed at designing a draft strategy that would strengthen and support private and community seed operation in the country adding the farmers need to know the importance of using improved quality seeds for agricultural production while government should face the business of efficiency system in the country.

She stated  that FAO was interested in building the capacity of government institutions with seed certification, seed quality, upgrading skills as well as strengthening agro-based laboratories as they are ready to make sure the private sector  playing its roles in the seed system in Nigeria pointed that “  seeds should not just be made available, but those, who are providing the seed should also make profit and make a living out of it”

Dr Okelola Oluwole, FAO Consultant and agricultural economist in his lecture “Draft Strategy to Strengthen Private Sector and Community Seed Systems” said that the country had witnessed the collapse of many seed companies.

He said “after witnessing collapse of many seed companies as far as 1984, but the number increased from 36 in 2011 to 164 in 2014.Certified seed production rose from 6,109 tons in 2012 to 149,844 tons in 2013. Access to credit by seed companies increased from N1.8 billion in 2012 to N6.02 billion in 2014. Seed distribution by companies also rose from 9,455 tons in 2011 to 59,000 tons in 2013”