Seed Producers Advocate Law On Seed Production In Ghana

THE Seed Producers Association of Ghana (SEEDPAG) has appealed to government to enact a law on seed production for the country.

They contended that the absence of a seed law in Ghana continues to hamper the production and distribution of certified and quality seeds to farmers and other agricultural production.

Members of the association made the appeal at a workshop here on Thursday.

The workshop which was sponsored by the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge, aimed at sensitising the association’s 350 members on the need to advocate a seed law to protect their industry.

They contended that the influx of cheap seeds on the open market adversely affected the Ghana seed producer and agriculture, which employs millions of Ghanaians.

'Thus the Ghanaian seed producers loses a lot of income since these imported inferior seeds compete with quality seeds produced by the Ghana producers,' they noted.

The producers were of the view that the law when passed will provide the legal and regulatory framework of producing and distributing quality seeds in Ghana.

Dennis Puorideme, SEED-PAG Project Consultant, said the issue about the seed law was not new in the country.

He explained that a draft bill was sent to Parliament in 1993 but was withdrawn for fine-tunning to make it more effective and operational.

However, a new bill is yet to be laid before the House for consideration and passage.

He said until the law is passed, there will not be the availability of certified seeds for farmers. Also the influx of cheap and unwholesome seeds that harm the agricultural sector will not be averted.

The vice president of SEEDPAG, Naa Bawa Seidu, in his welcome address called for a strong advocacy for the law to be passed, adding that it was long overdue.

He noted that the law will not only protect seed producers but other stakeholders such as researchers, farmers and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture as well.