EXCLUSIVE: FG partners Netherlands govt. to get a new seed road map

The Federal Government (FG) through National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) in partnership with Netherland Government is already working on new seeds road map that will give an effective systemic operation for availability of improved seeds with different varieties to farmers.

This was disclosed yesterday at the NASC headquarters office by the organization communication officer, Alhaji Dahiru Rabiu.  

Dairu said that NASC in collaboration with some Netherland seed companies are already working on a draft copy towards this new road map for seeds that would be synchronised into the new agricultural policy that will replace the Green Alternative of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) by this year 2020, adding that the peculiarities and challenges confrontation the seeds sub-sector would be very considered in the new road map.

 He stated that the ‘’ first draft of the road map is out as consultation is on going to make it a better package from  where we are coming from. We have also developed a five year seed strategic plan from 2020 to 2025 with 2 years implementation strategic. 

The document was launched in one of our meetings but we are still putting finishing touches to it so that it can be launched by the honourable minister. Already the ministry is developing its own new policy, because the Green alternative is ending by 2020, and there is  need for a new policy document and that is why we are working on ours so that it can be synchronized into the one of the main ministry’’

 The new road map he said would be tailored along the findings by the two countries from the capacity building being given to vegetable farmers in Kano saying that Netherland major seed companies are already in Kano giving training on best agronomics practice of using an improved vegetable seeds to get maximum yield to recover cost implication.

He emphasised on the need for plant variety law that would encourage private companies to have enough confident to release new varieties without their economic right being trampled upon, adding that the new road map would well considered this law.

NASC spokesman continued that the two parties have done a study and identified areas of weaknesses, strength and opportunities, and they intended to come up with an implementation strategy that will be tailored along findings from the training's of this vegetable in Kano, stressing that Netherland is a very reputable country for vegetable export across the globe, and Nigeria is a big market to access other West African countries.

Again he said that Netherlands appreciated the advantages of Nigeria’s different agro ecological zones like the Sudan savannah, Guinea savannah and the Sahel savannah, knowing fully that if they have breeding programmes in Nigeria, it is for the West African countries, and they know that 60% of their market is here in Nigeria’’