Kathamadau, February 24 The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has formed a task force to study the listing of new varieties of seeds after complaints from the private sector.
There has been little research for new varieties of vegetable seeds in Nepal and the process of listing and certifying imported seeds has been lengthy and cumbersome. After the private sector repeatedly raised this issue, the Ministry on Monday asked the Director of Nepal Crops and Horticulture, Dr. A seven-member task force has been formed under the coordination of Ram Bahadur KC.
The task force includes representatives of the government and the private sector. The task force will study and submit its report to the National Seed Committee under the Ministry of Agriculture within 10 days, said Keshav Devkota, head of the committee. New varieties of seeds are listed according to the Seed Seed Act and regulations. Committee member secretary Benuprasad Prasai informed that it is difficult to work in the current environment as the law is outdated. So far, the work of seeding is being done as per the Seed Act 2045. That act is very old. He said that there is a problem in listing the seeds while working according to the law in the current environment.
The Act has been sent to the House of Representatives for amendment. He said that discussions have been held on it but it has not been implemented as verification is yet to be done. He said that the task force will study how to facilitate the listing of new varieties of seeds and how to involve the private sector. The process of listing new varieties of seeds is very long. By the time of listing, some seeds have reached the stage of not working. Some have even been removed from the list. He said that discussions will be held on how to shorten the listing process and make it accessible to more farmers.
According to Chief Devkota, it takes at least four years for a seed of a new variety from abroad to be listed in Nepal. The seeds of the new variety go to three different committees for listing. After being approved by the committee, it is sent to the Ministry of Agriculture. After the Ministry of Agriculture studies it, it sends it to the Ministry of Law for legal advice. The Ministry of Law studies and sends the seeds back to the Ministry of Agriculture with suggestions. After that, the farmers can use it only after the government publishes it in the Gazette. Due to such hassle, the private sector refuses to bring seeds. Durga Adhikari, a seed trader, said that the farmers were in trouble due to lack of seeds.
The private sector is not allowed to bring unlisted seeds. If brought, it may be illegal. He may be prosecuted according to law. Although new varieties of seeds are being imported illegally due to open borders, no one is to blame for the problem as they are not listed.
According to business officials, farmers do not get new varieties of seeds. All the seeds are old. Which is not used at present. Farmers are looking for hybrid seeds but they are not getting them. Stating that the right to produce and research new varieties of seeds should also be given to the private sector, the official said that the problem will not be solved unless the private sector is allowed to research new varieties of seeds. The official said that their demand is to adopt seed facility as per the demand of the farmers.
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