FG to go tough on substandard, fake seed merchants

FG to go tough on substandard, fake seed merchants
…moves to meet 350, 000 mt of farmers’ seed demand
By Gabriel Ewepu
ABUJA- THE Federal Government has promised to go tough on substandard and fake seed distributors as it had negatively impacted on food production and income of farmers in the country.
This was stated by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, in his keynote address at the two day ‘National Workshop On Developing a Rapid Action Plan for Quality Seed Production and Presentation of the Alliance for a Seed Industry in West Africa, ASIWA’ organised by the National Agricultural Seeds Council, NASC.
Ogbeh, also disclosed that it was the Jonathan led administration who rolled out the programme of grass seed importation for grassing some hectares of land for herdsmen and their cattle in order to address herdsmen and farmers clashes, and reduce their migration.
Therefore, he maintained that the present administration will continue with the grass-up programme on 51, 000 hectares of land in some states in the North.
He said: “The high turnout of financial partners, the CBN, NIRSAL, BoA, Ministry of Finance and the Commercial Banks, sends out a strong signal that the Nigerian seed industry has come of age. It is also an affirmation that the industry has now fully appreciated the reality that its business is to provide quality seeds to our ever-ready farmers to feed our fatherland.
“This, no doubt, will help us to achieve food security, reduce dependence on food imports, conserve foreign exchange, and complement the on-going efforts by this administration to diversify the national economy.
“Accordingly, if we must sustainably feed our teeming population of 170 million people, and also serve as the food basket for the West and Central Africa Sub-Regions, in view of their increasing reliance on us for some of their food requirements, especially grains, we must come up with a clear strategy to ensure the availability of high quality seeds. 
“In order to ensure availability of high quality seeds over the long term, as a key strategy for reviving the agricultural sector, the need to balance the forces of supply and demand of high quality seeds is inevitable. In the course of this address, therefore, I wish to examine the current situation in the seed sub-sector with a view to appreciating the need for its revival and revitalization.
“First, it is worth noting that the estimated annual seed demand in Nigeria for 2016 is about 350,000 MT for rice, maize and sorghum with an approximate seed industry value of  N112 Billion ($564 Million).  The 2015 annual production was about 122,000 MT valued at N43 Billion ($216 Million). This, effectively translates into a supply-demand gap of about 231,000 MT valued at N81 Billion ($409 Million).
“Presently, the gap is filled through massive use of low quality seeds, such as farmers saved seed and supplies from unscrupulous seed merchants. In this regard, Nigeria needs a seed industry revolution. We will go all out to clamp on these substandard and fake seed distributors to save our farmers and their investment. In 2015, 70 companies distributed fake seeds to unsuspecting. Farmers.
“We must reverse this unhealthy situation in order to increase the productivity and competitiveness of Nigerian agriculture, generate more income for farmers through bumper yields and block the huge loss of funds within the system.”
According to him the agro-ecological suitability for major crops and availability of adaptable cultivars, resources and manpower, the seed industry revitalisation can be achieved with proper planning and coordination of the deployment of adapted varieties with yield potential of over 4.0 t/ha compared to the average 2.0 t/ha currently deployed on farmers’ fields.

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