FG urges seed companies on improved seedlings to farmers

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Chief Audu Ogbe has urge seed companies to come up with more innovative ways of distribution of improved seedlings to farmers at the right time.
Speaking at the 2016 annual seed fair organized by the National Agricultural Seeds Councils (NASC) at Sheda Abuja last week, the Minister said, “this year’s Fair is coming at the period when farmers are preparing for the 2016 dry season which creates timely opportunity for the farmers to be exposed to the array of quality seed varieties from both the public and private sectors.
“With the increase in the number of Nigerians going into the Agricultural sector, I implore the seed companies to come up with more innovative ways of distribution of the improved seeds to farmers at the appropriate time.”
This year’s event was organized in conjunction with the Seed Entrepreneurs Association of Nigeria (SEEDAN), CORAF and MAAN, an annual event to create awareness on the improved seeds by farmers also to showcase improved crop varieties produced and packaged by seed companies.
Chief Ogbeh, represented by the Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, reiterated the use of improved high quality seeds which play a major role in enhancing farmers’ productivity as seeds set the upper limit for the efficacy of other farm inputs.
“The attainment of national food self-sufficiency and becoming a net exporter of food will remain a mirage if production and distribution of improved seeds are not given required attention; every crop value chain starts with an efficient seed program that will ensure diversification of our economy, stimulate economic growth and serve as panacea for the present economic recession we are facing”, he said.
He further pointed that the National Agricultural Seed Council has over the years worked to ensure that farmers have access to improved quality seeds at the right price and time saying,
“This collaborative effort at organizing this fair also underscores the readiness of private sector to play its part in the seed industry.
“Government, he said will not relent in its effort at providing a very conducive environment in this regard and regulate the industry to maintain best practices.
“I am aware of the pains the seed companies are going through because of the long delay in paying for the seeds supplied for 2014/2015 planting seasons. I am deeply worried by this development and I am assuring you that the Ministry is working to ensure you are paid in the shortest possible time.
We are in another planting season and our farmers need seeds. I therefore solicit your cooperation by deploying seeds to the agro-dealers for the dry season “Growth Enhancement Support” (GES). Funds have been set aside to pay for what is supplied as soon as the required documentations are completed.”

The minister called on breeders to come up with improved seeds that will meet world class standards and save the Nation from importing seeds from other countries depleting scarce foreign exchange and exposing us to pests and diseases.
He called on distributors of poor quality seeds to desist and change for good imploring the seed council to intensify efforts at performing their statutory responsibility of enforcing the provisions of the Seed law relating to fake and adulterated seed.
In his earlier remarks, the Director General of the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) Dr. Philip Ojo Olusegun said, “We need a lot of implements to be able to carry out this plan successfully. We must ensure that whatever seed crops or food that is coming to this country must be safe, and we must develop the capacity and the ability to be able to identify it. Any one that is not safe will not be allowed to come to the country.
Any seed for sell without the sleek of national seed council is fake and should not be purchased for planting”.
He added that “we are making efforts to take this varies to another level of electronic certification. Nigerian produced about 70% of the seeds used in West Africa, this is the crucial role Nigerian food industry is playing in the West African sub-region.”