FG provides 89,512.10 MT seeds for 2023 planting

*  Association decries fake inputs

The Federal Government ( FG) has promised to give farmers a total of 89, 512.10 metric tons for the year 2023 planting seasons, just as an association of seed producers wanted the activities of companies selling fake chemicals checked against food security efforts of the Government.

 These were the issues of discussions among others yesterday at the revised launch of 2022 National Agricultural seed policy by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) where the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Mohammed Mahood Abubakar disclosed that Government would provide for farmers improved seeds of 89, 512.10 MT to ensure secured food production for the year 2023.

The Minister said that the critical review of 2015 national seed policy has been able to remove unproductive blockages in the wheel of the progress of seed productivity in Nigeria, thereby commending the role National Agricultural seed Council (NASC) and other stakeholders in the final outcome of the 2022 seed acts.

Dr. Abubakar said the government in face of many challenges ranging from economic uncertainty, policies inconsistency, rising oil prices, population explosion, insecurity and armed conflicts has been able to provide the said amount of improved seeds for 2023 cropping seasons to ensure food security.

Speaking on the seed acts review, the Minister said that  " It is expected that following the critical review of the 2015 National Seed Policy, the progressive and positive changes in the operations of the seed industry has necessitated the review exercise, especially after the enactment of the National Agricultural Seed Act, No 21 of 2019, and the Plant Variety Protection Act, No 5 of 2021 that had confined new responsibilities and widened the scope of operations of the NASC"

"The present seed policy document represents the concerted efforts of the NASC and other stakeholders who had made valuable inputs and contributions towards ensuring that farmers have unrestricted access to best genetics to enhance productivity. Let me reiterate that this revised policy has removed the ambiguous areas in the esthwhile 2015 national seed policy, strengthened the identified weaknesses and introduce innovations that optimized the regulatory, promotional and protection roles of NASC in ensuring that our esteemed farmers have access to improved quality seeds. Some of these include the introduction of SEEDCODEX as a quality authentication tool and traceability aimed at curbing adulteration, participation of third party seed inspectors in the quality assurance process, establishment of satellite and private seed testing laboratories and strategic seed banks to act as reserve and buffer stocks in case of food emergencies and encourage active participation of women and youth in seed business along seed value chain among other innovations embedded in the new policy document. Some these achievements have enabled the availability of 89,512.10 MT of assorted improved seed varieties for planting by farmers in the 2023 cropping season" the Minister said

The president, Association fòr Registered Seed Companies in Nigeria (ARSCON)  Alh. Sarki Abubakar decried producers of fake fertilizers and chemicals saying their actions had been frustrating food productivity effort of the FG.

According to him "despite the effort put in place to ensure that farmers accessed quality seed fòr increased inproductivity, some group of people in the fertilizers and chemical industry are doing everything to sabotage the plans of the FMARD and NASC on ensuring that there is availability of quality seeds at affordable prices to boost food production across the country"

He added that the introduction of sub-standard products by compaines selling them have plunged farmers and investors into serious debt because the fake products do not allow them to obtain maximum result when it comes to the value of what is planted due to the lost incured" he Said.