The National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) has organized a Farmers Field Day in Abuja to create awareness on the benefits of improved seeds to increase the nation’s food production.

Mr. Olusegun Ojo, the NASC’s Director-General said that the council is organizing the campaign in order to enlighten farmers on the importance of improved seeds.

The DG, who advised farmers to buy seeds from reputable seed companies or agro-dealers, urged farmers to look for the council’s blue certification to ascertain quality seeds adding that the council was doing seed promotional activities annually to demonstrate superiority of high quality improved seeds over the local ones as a strategy to encourage seed diffusion.

“Any seed package offered for sale without the seal of the NASC certification tag is fake and should not be purchased,” he warned.

Representing the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, the Permanent Secretary, Arc. Sonny Echono, said the government, through NASC, has ensured that improved seeds were available for farmers every year, reiterating the fact that an increase in awareness of improved quality seeds will go a long way to boost productivity.

According to Echono, the campaign is aimed at showcasing the potential of newly improved crop varieties for farmers to adopt in order to boost their productivity, adding that it would assist in enlightening farmers and students on the benefits of using improved seeds as against the farmer’s saved seeds.He stated that the Ministry and NASC are working closely with the traditional rulers to create awareness so that farmers can adopt and utilize high quality and high-yielding seeds.

Echono while warning farmers not to patronize adulterated seeds added that the ministry is demonstrating to farmers what the outcome of using improved seeds will be if carried out according to instructions by our extension service workers, emphasizing that the ministry had adopted measures to curb the menace of the unscrupulous seed merchants.

He gave assurance that the seed council, which has the statutory responsibility of enforcing the provisions of seed law as it relates to selling fake and adulterated seeds, would ensure that the problem was addressed.