By Jimoh Babatunde

The non- availability  of quality seeds to rural farmers in the country was  one major issue discussed by stakeholders to the just concluded National Council on Agriculture and Rural Development meeting held in Katsina recently.

In a memo presented by the National Agricultural Seeds Council, it was observed that the underlying cause of food crisis in Africa and by extension Nigeria is low productivity in agricultural production as a  result of decades of neglect of the adoption of improved technology, “in particular improved seeds utilisation by farmers.”

It was observed that the  lack of awareness of the importance of improved seeds coupled with unavailability of same, make farmers resort to the use of own ‘saved’ seeds with resultant low productivity.

“Most Nigerian farmers obtain seeds either from the previous season’s crop or purchase grains in the open market and plant without regards to genetic purity hence their average yields are among the lowest in the world.”

The resultant effect of this, according to the memo,  is the low yield recorded, “in addition, low adoption rates (below 10%) have been recorded for most crops except Maize, whose adoption rate is estimated to be about 20%.This accounts for the low level of food production and consequently food crisis being experienced worldwide Nigeria inclusive.”

The realization of the importance of the utilization of seed coupled with the attendant increased productivity has led to the need for the emergence of small and medium scale seed producers in rural areas, just as seed delivery system has become a critical foundation for all the intervention programmes being put in place to mitigate the food crisis in Nigeria.

Among the challenges facing seed production, processing and marketing in Nigeria as discussed in the memo include limited availability of improved seeds; nonexistence of small scale seed producers; Lack of awareness on the use of improved seeds; dearth of information on available seed processing technology; Non adoption of modern seed production and processing technology; Lack of well organised seed distribution/marketing channels and activities of unscrupulous seed dealers who sell grains as seeds.

It was added that lack of processing facilities and inadequate finances are some of the major challenge facing small seed producers and specialized cooperative groups in the country.

In a bid to address the above challenges, the Federal Government through the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) is supporting the Community Based Seed Development Scheme aimed at making high quality seeds available in the rural areas.

In addition, the Community Based Seed System is expected to increase seed adoption rates and reduce drastically the use of farmers ‘saved seed’ through the production of improved seed in the rural areas.

The National Agricultural Seeds Council in a bid to enhance the production, processing and marketing of improved seeds in the rural area is also providing  motorized maize shellers, rice reapers, mobile seed processing plants and NASC branded agro-seed dealer kiosks.

Members of the council in its discussion noted that  improved seed determines the efficiency of other agro -inputs and that the use of improved seeds by Nigerian small holder farmers is necessary to increases their farm yield and income.

Members after deliberation agreed that in order to ensure that quality seeds are produced, processed and adopted, it has become imperative that small scale seed enterprises emerge and be able to access modern production and processing equipments.

This was adequately captured in the communique issued at the end of the three-day meeting with the call for the need to increased budgetary   provision to address Seed Dealers Kiosks Project nationwide.

The communique said “ the council noted with concern the non-availability and accessibility of quality seeds to rural farmers and support the needs for enhance accessibility and affordability of quality   seed to rural farmers through the development of small scale rural enterprises and so endorsed  increased budgetary   provision to address Seed Dealers Kiosks Project nationwide.”

The council also noted the impact of high quality seeds and seedlings in the nation’s food security and other Government initiatives and the implementation of ECOWAS harmonized regulatory framework which advocated compulsory certification of all classes of seeds, and endorsed the establishment of Satellite Seed Testing Laboratories in each State.

The ECOWAS protocol provides for a regional regulatory framework under which seed rules and regulations were  harmonized to facilitate regional seed trade among member nations and  Nigeria is a signatory to that protocol.