Commercialisation of seed sector to begin
Small farmers will have access to quality seeds at village centres.
ISLAMABAD:
The government is in the process of initiating a project to improve and commercialise the seed sector by strengthening ongoing seed production programmes in the public and private sector.
The basic objective of the National Commercial Seed Production Programme is to meet the farming community’s growing needs for quality seed and to make the country a seed exporter.
A senior official at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture on Friday said the other benefits of the project, which costs Rs3.5 billion, were to improve existing seed sector infrastructure – including seed research, production, storage, marketing, certification and availability of quality seeds to farmers. The official said small farmers’ access to quality seed will be ensured through a public-private partnership initiative by setting up village seed centres at grass-root levels.
He said, through various incentives the private seed sector, will be facilitated to enhance its role in research and seed production, particularly through hybrid varieties.
Similarly, he said through various incentives, private seed sector will be facilitated to enhance its role in research and seed production particularly of hybrid.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 28th, 2011.
The government is in the process of initiating a project to improve and commercialise the seed sector by strengthening ongoing seed production programmes in the public and private sector.
The basic objective of the National Commercial Seed Production Programme is to meet the farming community’s growing needs for quality seed and to make the country a seed exporter.
A senior official at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture on Friday said the other benefits of the project, which costs Rs3.5 billion, were to improve existing seed sector infrastructure – including seed research, production, storage, marketing, certification and availability of quality seeds to farmers. The official said small farmers’ access to quality seed will be ensured through a public-private partnership initiative by setting up village seed centres at grass-root levels.
He said, through various incentives the private seed sector, will be facilitated to enhance its role in research and seed production, particularly through hybrid varieties.
Similarly, he said through various incentives, private seed sector will be facilitated to enhance its role in research and seed production particularly of hybrid.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 28th, 2011.