Pakistan
June 12, 2014

By Irfan Afzal, PhD, Assistant Professor, Seed Physiology Lab, Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

For sustainable agricultural growth and food security, production of quality seed always remained at top priority. Supply of quality and certified seed of various crops in country is very low than total requirement. With rapid growth of private seed sector, total number of private seed companies has reached by 766 and out of which 5 are multinational. Vigorous growth in seed business along with pesticides indicates the potential of this sector to emerge as modern seed industry in the country. But due to lack of trained manpower in seed industry and business, the sector always remains thirsty for human resource development in seed technology. Therefore, seed certification and delivery program in country need a boost for the sustainable production of quality and certified seeds to meet growers’ demands.

This compassionated as push pull for the academia, stakeholders and industry to embark upon the idea to develop a platform for innovations in public-private partnership. To develop the policy framework, a workshop on “Capacity building in seed technology” was organized at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) on June 07, 2014. Of total 225, about 60 key stakeholders representing public-private sector such as Seed Association of Pakistan, Crop Life Pakistan, Federal Seed Certification and Registration department, Farmers Associates of Pakistan and country representatives from ICARDA, FAO participated in the event. At inauguration, Dr Irfan Afzal from UAF provided a brief overview about initiative of Pakistan Seed Academy (PSA) that with mushroom growth of seed companies, there is desired need of disciplined seed business in the country. The purpose of PSA is to invigorate public private partnership in seed innovations and human resource development in seed technology through training workshops. PSA is also struggling for foreign investment in seed sector and to energize the people involved in seed business under one umbrella in order to highlight seed related issues in a better way. It has been also linked with International Seed Academy to start joint international seed training workshops in the country.

Pakistan Seed Academy will equip seed industry individuals with updated and innovative seed technologies to multiply their seed business at international level.

Under the patronage of Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan, Vice Chancellor UAF and Dr Shakeel Ahmad Khan, Director General Federal Seed Certification & Registration was nominated as president of this forum. Pakistan Seed Academy (PSA) is an initiative of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad and Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department, joined by Punjab Seed Corporation, Seed Association of Pakistan, Crop Life Pakistan and Farmers Association of Pakistan.

Idea of Pakistan Seed Academy was highly endorsed by Chief Guest Dr Shakeel Ahmad Khan and during his address, DG FSC & RD said that in present scenario, the establishment of Pakistan Seed Academy is highly encouraging step to provide close liaison for public and private seed sectors and FSC RD ensures its full support to UAF for this initiative. Pakistan Seed Academy is the only forum in country which can bring together stakeholders from national, multinational seed companies, public seed sectors and farmers association under single umbrella to share their problems and suggest innovations for the development of national seed industry.

During this workshop, Seed Association of Pakistan (SAP), FSC & RD and Crop Life Pakistan are agreed with UAF to organize first Pakistan Seed Congress in future under the umbrella of Pakistan Seed Academy which will attract foreign delegates and give a chance to our local seed entrepreneurs to interact with them. This will strengthen the linkage of Pakistan seed industry with international organizations and will provide opportunity to identify their international seed market. By inviting international seed organizations in congress will definitely improve seed trade in the country. This will develop international collaborations and improve research standards in quality seed production and marketing.

Chairman SAP Mr Salman Mahmood also addressed the role of national seed companies in Pakistan seed industry. He highlighted the role of SAP at national and international levels and fully endorsed the idea of Pakistan Seed Academy. Later on Mr Khaqan Babar, MD Punjab Seed Corporation talked about public sector contribution in Pakistan seed industry. He further told that Punjab Seed Corporation is committed to supply sufficient quantity of high quality seeds of major and minor crops, at an affordable price to the farmers’ community, as well as to make efforts for the promotion of overall seed industry, in order to enhance national per acre agricultural yield. At the end of inaugural session, Dr Muhammad Arshad, Dean Faculty of Agriculture, UAF concluded the session and appreciated the efforts of organizers and participants. Dr Shahzad Basra, Chairman Department of Crop Physiology, UAF shared words of thanks to all the stakeholders.

After tea break, technical session was started in which different topics i.e. seed certification and registration system in Pakistan, Plant Breeder’s rights, seed amendment bill, sanitary and phytosanitary measures for seed import and plant genetic resources and gene bank management etc were covered. Dr Abdul Rauf Bhutta and Saeed Iqbal from FSC & RD, Dr Khalid Zafar from Plant Protection Dept and Dr Sadar Uddin Siddiqui from Plant Genetic Resources Institute, NARC were the resource persons of this capacity building workshop. Mr Muhammad Asim, Regulatory Manager Monsanto Pakistan represented on behalf of Crop Life Pakistan. Mr Banaras Khan FAO representative and Dr Tassawar Malik from ICARDA were also there. The participants learnt a lot during this workshop and appreciated the efforts of UAF on organizing this event which is the first step of capacity building of people associated with seed business.
 

Website: http://www.sap.com.pk/

Published: June 12, 2014