Farmers to get quality seeds as NASC, AGRA move to boost trade

By Chinyere Anyanwu                                   [email protected]

The National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) in collaboration with the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), has boosted the acceptability of Nigeria’s seeds at international market having enhanced access to quality seeds by smallholder farmers.

The Acting Director General of NASC, Dr. Ishiaku Khalid, stated this during a stakeholder review and validation meeting cum socialisation of achievements made through the support of AGRA and the Partnership for Agricultural Transformation in Africa (PIATA) towards implementation of NASC Act 2019 and the Plant Variety Protection Act 2021.

Dr. Khalid stated that AGRA has been playing a role in the food security system in Nigeria and has been supporting the council in staff training, equipping of their laboratories as well as provision of equipment.

He said through AGRA support, the council has been able to reposition its laboratories such that they are able to test seeds just like other countries involved in seed trade, noting  that this would further increase acceptability of Nigeria’s seed in any part of the world.

He recalled instances where Nigeria’s agricultural products were being rejected because of lack of traceability, emphasising that traceability starts from the seed, and if the source of the seed planted is not known people will tend to ask questions when given the end product to eat.

The Acting Director General stressed the need to reposition the council to bridge the gap so that from seed up to the final product can be traced as the final product will be determined by the quality of seed.

Disclosing that Nigeria has about 500 seed companies, he said NASC has been supporting seed companies that are qualified to establish outlets in the rural communities to ensure farmers have access to quality seed.

The Country Director, AGRA, Dr. Kehinde Makinde, noted that AGRA has been supporting NASC in the implementation of the Seed Act and to ensure Nigeria has a strong regulatory body, adding that the event was to socialise the bridge investment with their partners so as to better prepare them for implementation.

Makinde stressed that farmers need to have access to good quality seeds so that they can get good return on investment, adding that AGRA has been working to keep fake seeds out of the market.

He said, “if we don’t do that, farmers can buy poor quality seeds and expect good quality returns. Some of them buy grains and expect huge returns, and that will not happen. That is why we are working to ensure that the quality of seeds in the market are top notch.”

The former Managing Director of Kenya Seed stated that Nigeria’s plan to have a quality seed system is a good statement coming from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu because all good begin with seed.

He, however, stressed the need for Nigeria to boost its seed policy, seed law and seed regulation, saying that seed policy is important to provide specific directions for the sector, and that it was important that all the documents don’t contradict one another but work together to have a robust seed sector in Nigeria.