The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) has handed over a new seed processing facility to Ganorma Agro Company (GAC) Limited to help facilitate the production and distribution of certified seeds in the Northern Region.

The facility is also to enhance the processing of larger quantities of viable seeds to be distributed to farmers in the north to increase their crop yields.

The IFDC, under its Agricultural Technology Transfer (ATT) Project, handed over the facility to GAC in Tamale on Tuesday during the IFDC Board of Directors’ 43rd annual meeting in Tamale.

The facility, funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID), consists of a Dichwe cleaner, Trommel, Seed Treaters and Bagging unit, which has the ability to process maize, rice, soy, wheat, barley and all beans related seeds.

Dr Jay Scott Angle, President and Chief Executive Officer of IFDC, who commissioned the facility, said through the ATT project, the IFDC has supported six selected seeds companies and seed distributors in the Upper West, Upper East and Northern Regions.

Dr Angle said this has helped to reduce the sourcing of seeds from uncertain suppliers by the regions to help farmers acquire their expected crop yield annually.

He said the facility was also going to help reduce the importation of seeds that has lost their genetic value into the country.

Mr Abdulai Fuseini, Unit Manager of GAC, thanked the IFDC for the intervention and appealed to them to further support the company by furnishing their seed laboratories with equipment to make the facility more functional.

He also appealed to the IFDC to support the facility with a unique packaging material to help promote their efforts.