Community seed program
I read with interest your article on community seed, which I think will do more good to the farmers but what sort of mechanism will regulate such scheme? James Gomna, Bokoro, Bauchi state We got the response below from a seed researcher, Akotunola Ben. The seed council is expected to create and maintain […]
I read with interest your article on community seed, which I think will do more good to the farmers but what sort of mechanism will regulate such scheme?
James Gomna, Bokoro, Bauchi state
We got the response below from a seed researcher, Akotunola Ben.
The seed council is expected to create and maintain an efficient market structure that addresses marketing of planting materials such as: tree cash crops (cocoa, oil-palm, cashew, coffee etc.) fibre crops (cotton, jute, etc) cereals and legumes (‘groundnut’, rice, maize, sorghum, millet, wheat etc).
Community Seed Project/Producer should be brought under effective coordination and regulation to prevent anybody or group of people from undue exploitation of rural community through self-assertion and rule of jungle in the name of community seeds;
In this regard, a database should be first generated through survey; followed by 2-3 interactive sessions to chart suitable strategies that will enhance performance, coordination and quality assurance of the material output;
Community Seed producer shall first register with Corporate Affairs Commission and be licensed by National Agricultural Seeds Council;
License shall be renewed every three years (as the program is to large extent not for profit maximization; also it involves several people, making decision-taking more difficult);
Sixty-six percent of the seed produced shall be taken up by the members and one-third remaining may be sold to non-members within the community;
Seed Council shall apply conventional ranking to community seed licensing based on infrastructure, capital base and technical personnel respectively;
No seed produced in one State shall be sold in another except for fungibility among groups;
No Community Seed producer shall be allowed to import seeds to meet community demand;
No Community Seed Producer shall enter into seed supply contract that exceeds twenty-five percent of total annual production;
Field certification fee and other charges shall be put at twenty-five percent of the conventional rate.