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1.
Objectives of the Seed Policy:
1.1.
Overall Objectives:
The overall
purpose of this policy is to make the best quality sees of
improved
varieties
of crops conveniently and efficiently available to farmers with
a view to
increasing
crop production, farmer's productivity, per capita farm income
and
export
earnings.
1.2
Specific Objectives:
1. To
breed, develop and maintain improved crop varieties with special
emphasis on
those suitable for high-input and high-output agriculture.
2. To
multiply and distribute, on a timely basis, to all farmers
sufficient quantities
of quality
seed of improved high yielding varieties that are resistant or
tolerant
to disease
and insect pests.
3. To
promote farmer's acceptance and use of improved varieties of
seeds.
4. To
promote, through education, training and financial supports,
balanced
development
of public and private sector seed enterprises.
5. To
simplify the importation, for research and commercial purposes,
of high
quality
seeds and planting materials.
6. To
promote seed technology by providing training and technical
supports to
agricultural specialists and professionals, farmers and workers,
and private
seed
growers and merchants in seed production, processing, storage
and use
of high
quality seeds.
7. To
monitor control and regulate the quality and quantity of seeds
produced as
well as
development and commercialization of the seed industry.
2. Strategy
for Seed Development:
To achieve
the above objectives, the following strategies, among others,
are to be
followed:
2.1 To
strengthen the institutional capability of the public and
private sector entities
engaged in
the seed industry.
2.2 To
evolve and/or adapt seed technology to meet the needs of
high-input and
high-output
agriculture.
2.3 To
promote balanced development of the seed sector by providing
equitable
opportunities to the public and private sector at all stages of
the seed industry
from
breeding to marketing of seeds.
2.4 To
simplify procedures for import of high quality seeds and
planting materials,
both by the
public and private sectors to enable farmers to have access to
the
best
quality materials available in the world.
2.5 To
strengthen seed certification, quality control and testing
facilities to ensure
availability of quality seeds to farmers.
2.6 To
simplify procedures for effective observance of plant
quarantine.
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3.
Development and Promotion of Improved Seed Varieties:
3.1 Variety
development programmers should, as a matter of priority, be
focused on generation
of high-input and high-output technologies.
3.2 The
NARS will continue to pursue plant breeding programs for all
crops of
national
importance. However, special efforts will be made to evolve
improved
varieties
for pulses, oil seeds, tuber crops, vegetables, fruits and
spices.
3.3
Improved varieties of seeds and planting materials should be
procured and
introduced
in the country by allowing their import, especially through
private seed
entrepreneurs. For this purpose, business contracts, including
joint ventures, are
to be
encouraged between private enterprises and foreign seed
companies.
3.4 Private
persons, companies and other agencies will be encouraged to
undertake
plant
breeding programs and will be allowed to import
breeder/foundation seeds
of notified
crops for variety development and promotion purposes.
4. Approval
and Registration of Varieties:
4.1 New
varieties of wheat, rice, jute, potato and sugarcane developed
by private or public
agencies will be subject to notification by the National Seed
Board.
4.2.
Varieties of all other crops developed by public research
agencies will be subject to an
internal review and approval by each respective agency and must
be registered
with NSB before being released.
4.3
Varieties of crops, other than rice, wheat, jute potato and
sugarcane that are
imported or
locally developed by a private person, company or agency must be
registered
with the NSB giving prescribed cultivar descriptions, but will
not be
subject to
any other restrictions.
4.4 In the
event a variety of seed is found to be harmful or potentially
harmful to the country's
agriculture, the NSB will prohibit the sale of that variety.
5. Variety
Release:
The variety
release and variety notification function will be separated. The
NSB shall
notify
varieties of seeds under the provisions of the Seeds Ordinance.
The release of varieties
of controlled crops such as rice, wheat, jute, potato and
sugarcane, or those added by
NSB, shall vest in a Technical Committee headed by Executive
Vice-
Chairman,
BARC and consisting of representatives of major research
institutions
(BARI, BRRI,
BJRI, SRTI), SCA, DAE, BADC, private sector Seed Growers and
Farmers
Associations.
6.
Maintenance Breeding:
Maintenance
breeding and breeder seed multiplication is to be improved and
strengthened at the NARS. For this purpose, required facilities,
equipment, trained
personnel
etc, shall be provided at the respective research centres and
stations.
7. Seed
Multiplication:
7.1 Breeder
and Foundation seed, of all varieties will be made available
through
negotiation
to duly registered seed producers both in the private and public sector.
7.2 BADC
will concentrate primarily on producing foundation seeds of
rice, wheat,
jute,
potato and sugarcane on its own farms.
7.3 BADC
will use farmers to multiply seeds on a contract basis and will
gradually
cease to
grow certified seed on its own seed farms.
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8. Import
of Seeds:
8.1. Except
for appropriate plant quarantine safeguards, restrictions on
importation of seeds are
to be eliminated. Approved varieties of rice, wheat, jute,
potato and sugarcane
may be imported for commercial sale. However, registered seed growers
will be permitted to import small quantities of seeds of rice,
wheat, jute, potato and
sugarcane for adaptability testing.
8.2 The
Plant Quarantine Regulations provided under the Destructive
Insect and Pest Act 1966
(as amended upto 1989) are to be reviewed and reformed with a
view to simplifying
procedures to facilitate import of high quality seeds and
planting materials.
Plant quarantine procedures will be made applicable to
crop/plant species and
not to specific varieties.
9. Seed
Regulations:
9.1
Controlled crops:
The NSB
shall designate kinds and varieties of crops that are to be
notified.
Initially,
rice, wheat, jute, potato and sugarcane will be the only
notified crops.
Release of
the varieties of notified crops will be subject to evaluation
and testing
by the
Technical Committee on Seeds. Varieties of all other crops will
have to be
registered
prior to being sold, but there will be no requirement for prior
testing and
approval.
9.2
Registration of Varieties:
Any
variety, whether imported or developed in Bangladesh, must
registered with
the
National Seed Board. The registration will require the
characteristics and
attributes
of the variety to be described.
Registration will be a relatively easy process designed to
facilitate legitimate
identification. Except for controlled or notified crops,
registration will not involve
testing or
any other procedure.
9.3
Registration of Seed Dealers:
Any
individual, company or agency that wishes to import seed,
develop and
register
new seed varieties, or package seed in labeled containers must
first be
registered
with the National Seed Board. Registration will be automatic by
paying
the
prescribed fees.
9.4
Labeling of Seeds:
Anyone
packaging seed in labeled containers must do so in accordance
with
requirements prescribed under the seeds rules. The labeling
requirements will
specify
variety of crop, lot number or batch identification, net weight
or count,
minimum
germination percentage, physical purity, name and address of the
company
packaging the seed and the date of packaging.
9.5 Seed
Certification:
Seed
certification will be a service provided to private individuals,
companies or
public
agencies who wish to assure their farmer customers that their
seeds are of
high
quality. Although seed certification. will be voluntary, public
sector
breeder/foundation seeds will be certified as a matter of
policy.
9.6 Seed
Quality Control:
Seed
quality will be ensured by requiring seeds in labelled
containers/packages
to meet the
standards specified on the label. Seed dealers who develop a
good
reputation
will be protected by making it illegal for anyone to sell seeds
in a
labelled
container that copies the name or trademark of any registered
seed
dealer.
10. Seed
Security:
BADC and
NARS will be required to maintain small stocks of improved
varieties of rice,wheat and jute seeds so that when natural
disasters occur, and seed supplies in an area are lost; seed of
superior quality will be available for distribution. The amount
of seed to be stored will be subject to further assessment and
budgetary considerations.
11.
Strengthening Institutional Capability of the Seed Sector:
11.1.
Strengthening NSB:
11.1.1
The NSB will be strengthened through necessary amendments in the
Seed Laws
to establish it as the highest authority for policymaking and
planning
for development of the national seeds system.
11.1.2
Reorganization of NSB:
The NSB
will be reconstituted as follows to ensure representation of all
concerned
with the development of the seed industry:
1.
Secretary, MOA Chairman
2. Vice
Chairman, BARC Member
3. Heads of
National Research Institutions Members
(BARI, BRRI,
BJRI, BAU, SRTI, BINA, Cotton Board) (7)
4. Director
General, DAE Member
5.
Chairman, BADC Member
6. Member
Director (Seeds), BADC Member
7.
Representative of Seed Growers Association Member
8.
Representative of Seed Merchants Association Member
9. Director
Seed Certification Agency Member
10.
Director Plant Protection, DAE Member
11.
Representative of Ministry of Finance Member
12.
Representative of Farmer's Association Member
13.
Director General (Seed), MOA Member-Secretary
11.1.3.
Creating a Seeds Wing in the Ministry of Agriculture:
A Seed Wing
will be created in the Ministry of Agriculture, primarily to
serve as a
Secretariat for the NSB, and to perform among others, the
following
functions:
1. to help
update policies and plan strategies for the development of
the seed
industry with special attention given to promoting private
sector seed
enterprises and to ensure implementation of such
policies
and strategies;
2. to
monitor development and commercialisation of the seed sector;
3. to
oversee and co-ordinate the production of breeder and foundation
seed by
public and private seed enterprises to meet farmerfs
demands;
4. to
promote human resource development in the seed sector through
training,
seminars and workshops;
5. to
develop a permanent cadre of trained and experienced seed
technologists in public sector institutes to ensure sustained
growth of the seed
industry;
6. to plan
and promote seed technology research in the NARS, BAD
and the
private sector;
7. to plan
and implement a seed security system including
maintenance
of buffer stocks of seeds;
11.2.
Strengthening of BADC-Seed Wing:
11.2.1
Reorganization of the Seed Wing:
(a) The
Seed Wing is to run on a commercial basis as far as possible
and be
given control over the planning and financing of its operation.
(b) The
Seed Wing will be reorganized to include such as Seed
Production
Division, Seed Conditioning, Processing and Storage
Division,
Seed Marketing Division with an internal quality control
system, and
an Administration Division.
11.2.2
Roles and Functions:
The role
and function of the Seed Wing should include, among others, the
following:
(a)
Foundation seed production of all publicly developed varieties
of
controlled
crops.
(b)
Production of other kinds of seeds on a "level playing field" in
competition
with the Private Sector. BADC should gradually
withdraw
from production of those kinds of seeds undertaken by
the private
sector.
(c) The
Seed Wing should provide technical assistance and other
support/services to promote the development of a private sector
seed
industry.
11.2.3 Seed
Pricing and Subsidies:
BADC's seed
prices should reflect costs more closely and subsidies
should be
phased out gradually.
11.2.4
Resources and Facilities:
BADC's seed
multiplication farms will be turned to other uses except those
most
suitable for foundation seed production. All production beyond
the
foundation
seed class, and including foundation seed if possible, will be
done by
contract growers. Excess facilities, especially those of smaller
scale, will
be made available on a lease basis to the private sector for
growing
seeds.
11.2.5
Marketing:
The seed
sale centres at the Upazila level will be phased out and
replaced
with a
network of seed dealers. The regional and transit seed centres
will
be
designated and developed as "lifting" sites for prLvate sector
dealers.
11.2.6
Reserve Seeds Stocks:
The Seed
Wing will be given management and operational responsibility
for seed
security stocks with budget allocation for this purpose.
11.2.7
Local/Improved/Popular Varieties:
The BADC-Seed
Wing will be authorized to purify and maintain local
varieties
for which there is substantial and steady demand. Purification
and
maintenance will be done on the seed farms.
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11.2.8 BADC's
role will
be reoriented to promote development of the private
sector seed
industry by:
(a)
advising and training private seed producers to produce,
process,
store and
market quality seeds;
(b) advise
private seed entrepreneurs to manage and finance their seed
companies;
(c) custom
process, test and store, if convenient, seed of private
entrepreneurs at BADe's facilities;
(d)
negotiate with private sector seed enterprises for potential
take-over
of BADe's
Contract Grower's Scheme;
(e)
providing seed-testing facilities to private seed entrepreneurs.
11.3
Support for Seed Businesses:
11.3.1
The business of seed breeding, multiplication, production
processing,
import and
marketing should be declared as an agrobased industry under
the
Industrial Investment Schedule to make such companies eligible
for
various
incentives, supports and concessions.
11.3.2
Individuals, companies or agencies engaged in the seed business
should
be allowed
easy access to institutional credit at preferential rates of
interest.
11.3.3
Foreign Exchange:
Importers
of seeds and seed processing equipment will be made eligible
for
allotment of foreign exchange. Seed merchants will be allowed to
enter
into
supplier's credit arrangements with foreign seed suppliers.
11.3.4
Access to Facilities and Equipment:
private
sector seeds men will be granted access to storage space, drying
floors,
dryers, cleaning equipment, and related equipment and facilities
that are in
excess of BADC-Seed Wing needs. Access will be through
custom
services, lease, or lease-purchase arrangements.
11.3.5
Technical Assistance and Services:
Technical
assistance, training and services from BADC-Seeds Wing, DAE,
Research
Institutes, NSTL, SCA and other public sector units involved in
the seeds
industry will be made available to private sector seeds men on
request for
a reasonable fee in connection with services such as seed
testing,
certification and inspection. The private sector will be granted
access to
or included in all donor assisted and organized seed related
training
courses, workshops and study tours._ In cases where expert
technical
assistance is brought into Bangladesh under donor financed
seed
related projects, the technical assistance and services will
also be
made
available to the private sector. The Bangladesh Seeds Merchants
Association
and the Bangladesh Seed Producers Association will be used
as a
mechanism for communicating with the private sector.
11.3.6
Private Sector Representation in Seed Policy Making:
The private
sector will be allowed representation in the National Seed
Board,
Variety Release Committee, and in any special committee
constituted
for or in the interest of seed production in Bangladesh.
11.3.7
Concessions and Incentives:
Favourable
policies, incentives, and support will be provided to promote
private
sector participation in the seed industry.
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11.4.
Strengthening of the Seed Certification Agency (SCA):
To
facilitate implementation of the new Seed Policy, the role of
SCA will be
expanded
beyond seed certification to include seed quality control and
testing
and
enforcement of seed regulations. For this purpose the SCA will
be
strengthened by provision of expanded infrastructure and
laboratory facilities,
increased
number of trained seed technologists, and gradual development of
a
seed
sub-cadre. The expanded role of SCA will be to:
1. advise
seed producers on production, processing and quality control of
seeds;
2. carry
out post-market quality control through inspection, testing;
3. collect
data/information on seed production, processing and quality
control
for use by
the NSB;
4. certify
all Breeder and Foundation seed of controlled crops;
5. certify
seeds for seed enterprises as a service, if resources permit;
6.
co-ordinate the variety evaluation and release mechanism for
notified crops;
7. advise
NSB on the denotification of varieties for reasons of poor
performance
or disease and pest susceptibility;
8. help DAE
in the promotion and use of improved seed of HYV's among
farmers;
9. collect
samples of truthfully labelled seeds throughout the country and
check
their
declared standards through appropriate tests;
11.5.
National Agricultural Research System (NARS):
Varietal
development by NARS should anticipate the increase in irrigated
highinput,
high-output
cropping systems and adapt their crop species and variety
selection
criteria accordingly. With an increasing demand of food per unit
area PY
a fast
expanding population, it is imperative that NARS respond by
releasing
seeds of
high-input responsive crop varieties into the agricultural
sector. In
particular,
the use of hybrids must be expanded. To achieve this, the NARS
will:
1)
reorientated its plant breeding programmes to develop varieties
that
respond to
sustainable high-input, high-output technology especially
emphasising
diversified crops, such as oilseeds, pulses, cereals (other than
rice),
vegetables, fruits, etc. that fit into rice-based cropping
systems. The
NARS will
need to respond to farmer's current demands for varieties and crops;
2) design
breeding programmes keeping in mind the opportunity of importing
improved
seed which may be an economic way to obtain improved varieties;
3) develop
adequate maintenance breeding units at .their regional/central research
stations;
4)
co-ordinate variety development programmes between scientists
and
institutes
in both public and private sectors by developing common
objectives
and testing procedures.
11.6.
Department of Agricultural Extension:
DAE will be
responsible for promoting newly envolved superior crop
varieties. For
this
purpose DAE will:
1) Monitor
the farmer's response/demand for varieties .and transmit farmer
preferences
to the NSB so that adjustments to production of Breeder and
Foundation
seed can be made;
2) Promote
new varieties among farmers through demonstration plots;
3) Advise
NSB on developments in the seed sector;
4) Create a
suitable career structure for seed technologists in all seed
sector
agencies so
that staff continuity and retention of experience can be
achieved;
5) Improve
facilities at entry points for laboratory testing and post-entry
quarantine
testing.
11.7.
Agricultural Information Services (AIS):
AIS will
facilitate dissemination and sharing of information from private
and public
sector seed
agencies and enterprises with the farming public, particularly
with
respect to
promotion of new varieties.
11.8
Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU):
BAU will
undertake the following:
1)
Establish/strengthen a course in seed technology, which would
cover all
aspects of
the seed industry from seed breeding to its multiplication an
distribution, seed policy and seed industry development;
2) Develop
its seed laboratory as a National Seed Health Laboratory which
will,
besides supporting the university's teaching functions,
regulatory review
the seed
quarantine requirements and develop seed technology necessary
for the
production of healthy seed.
3) Promote
the technology and production of inoculum for legume seeds in
both public
and private sectors.
By order
of the President
D. L.
Chowdhury
Senior
Assistant Secretary
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