Nigeria launches seeds portal, plant protection regulation

*Promises farmers'  training 

The Nigerian Government has stepped up her seeds productivity system as she launched a portal in order to track and protect the quality of all released seeds varieties with breeders' protection regulation just as farmers were promised  of better training in the use of the new technology.

On behalf of the Government at the 7th seed connect conference held in Abuja last Tuesday, the Acting Director General ( DG), Dr. Isaiah Khalid in the company of national and  international stakeholders officially launched the use of the seeds portal, seed roadmap dashboard, and presentation of a gazette plant variety protection regulation for the public awareness.

Dr.Ishiak Khalid said that the injection of the seeds portal, dashboard and plant variety protection regulation were all to the improvement of seed system development towards more competitiveness in the global market, adding that it was a great victory to the sustainability of food security as he promised to ensure the training of farmers in the application of these technologies.

This was in line with the earlier position of the Minister of state, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security ( FMAFS) Sen. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi who had emphasized the need for more training to rural farmers in view of 23 millions people grappling for food challenges in Nigeria.

Sen. Abdullahi also called on agricultural research Institutes to ensure availability of improved seeds that are climate smart in order to meet president Bola Ahmed Tinubu' aspiration for food security, saying that " researchers must align their seeds priority to Mr. President food security ambition through their mandate crops"

Speaking on the launch benefits to the seeds system in Nigeria, the Acting Registrar, Plant Variety Protection office, Dr. Folarin Okelola said that the launch of the portal, the seed baseboard and intellectual property right regulation would bring great benefit into the seeds system development and Nigerian food security. 

Dr. Folarin Okelola recommended the technical collaboration supports from Netherlands government, National varieties release committee and NASC to the plant protection office saying the portal would be a common place to submit applications for Varietal release as plenty of paper work will be drastically reduced.

According to Folarin " the portal is a unique place for any interested applicants to submit applications for either or both registration and release of a new variety and the protection of the varieties when it is desired"

" By variety protection, we are talking of the introduction of an intellectual property protection regime for new seed varieties thereby recognizing the intellectual and innovative work of variety developers "

He added " This will mean better motivation for such developers to put in more time, intellect and money to the development of varieties which are climate smart, stress tolerant, resistant to diseases, and more productive. All these will result in better yield, more income for farmers, and a food secured country that is a net exporter of excess produce rather than an import dependent nation"

The stakeholders at the plenary sessions agreed on the need to include the media in the genetic engineering modification of crops at the laboratories so as to diffuse the wrong impression being created just as more proactive actionable measures be injected into the institutional distribution network of seeds system to farmers.

Dr. Dorcas Olubunmi of NIHORT in one of the sessions posited the need for media inclusion in the laboratories preparation of engineering modification of new improved crops to checkmate climate and diseases challenge against increased food productivity, adding that doing this would make them better informed about the reporting of the genetic seeds as not being imported.

HIHORT Olubunmi argued there was no contradiction on Genetic engineering being a science innovation to enhance crops resistance to climate and disease stress, but pointed the need for media education about the laboratory process of these improved seeds technologies.

She said " the advocacy can start by bringing the media close so as to eradicate the belief that we import the technology, but not knowing they are  being raised in Nigeria. The media should be brought into the laboratory to see the process of breeding "

The Executive Director (ED), NSPRI, Ilorin,  Dr. Rufus Olagbaju supported the need for media advocacy and education of people on the need for improved seeds deployment to enhance food security adding that the extinction of crops must be prevented through efficient gene banks.

Stakeholders also felt there is a need to use a community based seeds system to enhance the transfer of new varieties to farmers adding the feedback from the farmers' were quite encouraging towards supporting the seeds system.

Dr. Teryima lorlamen, University of Makurdi pointed that most registered seed companies did not have a distribution network down to the rural areas where farmers resided, saying the option of community seed based would bridge this gap of certified seeds getting to rural areas for enhanced food security.

NASC, Dr. Idris Dantsoho also followed the path of farmers' community production inclusiveness in the seed productivity system.

According to Dr. Dantsoho " Food system is in a precarious situation. We have registered many seeds companies but they have no significant contribution to ensuring food security. The best option is farmers community seed based"

The representative of Premier Seeds Limited, Dr. Samson Afolabi posited that inconsistency policies of the government, late preparation and faulty procurement process to farmers had been making seed companies lose  market of farmers as timely availability of certified seeds are in doubt due to a hurried preparation on the part of government.

Stakeholders however advised the government to plan ahead of time so as to be able to give enough room for companies' production deadline even as they observed long storage of certified seeds for food productivity as not good enough because of potency.

Also the stakeholders queried the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security ( FMAFS) for always hurriedly giving seeds contract to merchandise who ended up supplying grains in the process of trying to cut corners, pointing the need for early enough planning that would allow proactive preparation for any planting season.