Seed producers worry about poor use of improved seeds

Koforidua, Aug. 21, GNA - Seed producers in the Eastern and Greater Accra regions have complained about the poor use of improved seeds by farmers, relying rather on flawed non-certified seeds, due to the poor regulation of the industry by the state. They said aside their businesses being bruised by the non-enforcement of regulations by government leading to low returns on investments; the poor reception by farmers on the use of certified seed was also having a negative effect on their businesses.

They said although certified seed produced in Ghana is currently 10 per cent below the national seed requirements, almost half of the seed is left unsold thus serving as a major disincentive to producers to invest in improved crop varieties to increase yields. Mr McKeown Frimpong, President of the Eastern and Greater Accra regions Seed Growers Association (EGARSGA), told the GNA in Koforidua that a well-functioning seed policy must be the basis of dynamic agricultural business in the country as it could help promote continual improvement in productivity.

"It is only in an atmosphere of well-laid down policies that would guide the production and distribution of certified seeds to enable members realize the sweat of their investments in the seed business," he said.

Mr Frimpong said in addition to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture being made to enforce rules on certified seeds, there was also the need for farmers not to rely on the grains being sold to them as certified seeds because in most cases, that had resulted in poor yields. He said were farmers to prefer the use of bulk seed whose quality was certified and treated with fungicide, they could make profit on their venture as well as ensuring that seed growing also became a thriving business to boost the economy. In particular, Mr Frimpong wants a sustainable profitable seed industry competent in guaranteeing that small-scale farmers have affordable access to adapted genetics and traits in high quality seeds to support the overall growth of the agricultural sector.

Dr Ofosu Budu, an Agricultural Consultant, mooted the idea for a private sector-led process facilitated by the state to enable small-scale seed producers establish drying and bagging centres across the country.

While accepting that a major determinant of crop productivity in the country will hinge on the use of improved seeds and planting material, he nonetheless said there was the need for seed growers to demonstrate their pedigree by ensuring proper drying, proper moisture content to gain the acceptance of the populace. Dr Budu accepted Mr Frimpong's view that lack of understanding by farmers with regards to seed technology could be blamed for some of the difficulties being experienced by farmers and thus called for education on the impact on agriculture productivity when certified seeds are used. Mr Francis Adzalo, Managing Director of Dela Farms, a small-scale seed growing concern, said the manifold of problems in the sector did not make it lucrative for further investment in the sector, which should be a source of worry to the government as that could affect the nation's food security drive.

Coupled with this, Mr Adzalo said, is a growing phenomenon of racketeering, a situation whereby some persons have been able to illegally pack grains and presented them to unsuspecting farmers as seeds.

He said there was the need for officials of the Food and Agriculture Ministry to intensify their monitoring of seed production to weed out charlatans in the system so as not to kill the seeds sub-system of a promising agricultural business. Mr Adzalo said the government should treat as a national priority the need to educate farmers to realize the implication of using a non-certified seed, which is vulnerable to pest and other diseases as against relying on improved seeds. The Head of the Seed Inspection Division of MOFA, Mr Cletus Achaab, said everybody within the seed sub-sector should take some blame for the current state of affairs.

Mr Achaab said government is to pass a new seed law by the end of the year to address some of the problems that had emerged to ensure that charlatans operating in the sector are punished as well as positioning the industry for growth.

He said Ghana needed to emulate Kenyan's example where nearly 70 large scale seed companies are operating to ensure certified seeds for farmers.

Mr Achaab said although certified seed is the foundation for profitable agribusiness, what obtains in Ghana is a situation of small-scale schemes without the complementary farm inputs, which are also saddled with high cost of productions. He said although the Eastern and Brong-Ahafo regions produced substantial quantities of certified seeds, drying, conditioning and storage facilities are absent in the two regions making it difficult to maintain seed quality sometimes.

However, as recently noted by Mr. B.B. Yerenkyi, President of Seed Producers Association of Ghana (SEEPAG), nearly 90 per cent of seeds in the system are not certified due to poor regulatory regime. He said the National Redemption Council Decree 100, which was passed in 1972, has lost its usefulness. Currently, EGARSGA members have in conjunction with the Business Sector Advocacy Fund (BUSAC) began a project aimed at tackling the proliferation of poor quality seeds on the market. 21 Aug. 08