With the recently launched Revised National Agricultural Seed Policy 2022, the Federal Government has assured farmers across the country of access to enhanced quality seeds.
Dr Mohammed Abubakar, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, offered the promise at the Policy’s launch in Abuja.
He stated that the strategy will provide farmers with unlimited access to the greatest genetics to boost productivity.
Abubakar outlined a variety of obstacles to food production and food security in Nigeria.
These issues, he noted, included economic uncertainty, policy inconsistency, rising oil prices, population growth, insecurity, and, most recently, arm conflicts in several countries throughout the world.
The minister stated that a review of the 2015 National Seed Policy was necessary in order to bring about progressive and constructive improvements in the seed industry’s operations.
He said “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.
“The present seed policy document represents the concerted efforts of the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) and stakeholders,” he said.
The minister said stakeholders have made valuable inputs and contributions, towards ensuring that farmers have unrestricted access to best genetics to enhance their productivity.
“Let me reiterate that this Revised Policy has removed the ambiguous areas in the erstwhile 2015 National Seed Policy.
” It will strengthen the identified weaknesses and introduce innovations that optimise 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,” he said.
The minister acknowledged the efforts of stakeholders from both the public and commercial sectors to the enrichment of the New Policy document’s contents.
He described it as the ministry’s investment in a better future for Nigerian agriculture based on the value of seed in increasing farmer output.
Earlier, Dr Philip Ojo, Director-General of the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC), stated that policy has benefited from the advancement of technology and innovations in the seed business.
He expressed hope that the new strategy would strengthen government efforts to ensure that Nigeria is not just food secure, but also a net exporter of agricultural produce within the community of countries.
” The NASC will be committed to the full implementation of the policy,” he said.
In a remark, the Chief of Party, Mr Olumide Ojo, USAID, Feed-the -Future Nigeria Agribusiness Investment Activity, assured that the Activity remained committed to strengthening Nigeria’s agribusiness enabling environment.
Ojo said that this is an important precondition for private sector investment in agriculture..
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that on March 27, the Federal Executive Council approved a revised National Agricultural Seed Policy for the country.
Explaining the reason for the revision, the government said with the current rate of technological advancement, seeds are constantly being upgraded to standardise four to five vitamins.
