PESHAWAR: The scientists and officials on Tuesday urged the private sector seed industry and farmers to use quality seeds of various crops and plants to get better agriculture yield and achieve food autarky in the country.
These views were expressed at a function held at the Nuclear Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA), Peshawar, to mark the Seed Day-2022.
Director General Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department (FSC& RD), Islamabad, Afaq Ahmad, was the chief guest at the event.
Besides representatives from various private-sector companies of seed industry and progressive farmers, the function was also attended by Dr. Gul Sanat Shah, Director NIFA, Peshawar, Abdul Qayyum, Director (Seed), KP Agricultural Extension Department, Inayatullah, Deputy Director, FSC & RD, KP, Dr. Roshan Zamir, Head Plant Breeding & Genetics Division, Sher Ali Khan, President KP Seed Industry Association and others attended the event.
Speaking on the occasion, Afaq Ahmad highlighted the vital role of FSC & RD in ensuring quality seed production of crops and horticultural plants in accordance with standard procedures in the country and the KP as well. He advised the farmers to establish close liaison with the NIFA for getting quality approved seeds of wheat, oilseed Brassica and pulses to achieve better yield.
He also urged the private seed industry to come forward and take merit-based decisions to procure NIFA’s approved varieties.
Earlier, Dr. Gul Sanat Shah highlighted the role of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) in the field of food security in the country with special reference to research activities in the four agricultural centres of the entity.
He explained the remarkable scientific achievements of NIFA in high yielding crops varieties development, soil and environmental sciences, plant protection, preparation of a variety of food products and their long-term preservation through applications of radiation technology.
He asked the private companies to play their role in providing quality seeds of NIFA’s approved varieties to the growers in KP as per FSC & RD rules and regulation.
Director (Seed), KP, Abdul Qayyum threw light on the active role of NIFA in contributing quality seeds in the provincial seed production system. He told the participants about a future plan of establishing KP Seed Corporation to ensure quality seeds of approved varieties of crop plants in KP.
Sher Ali Khan appreciated the concerted efforts of NIFA for breeding high yielding varieties of crop plants. He assured the association’s assistance in producing quality seed of these varieties on their farms and further dissemination to growers in the province.
On this occasion, Inayatullah asked the private seed industry and the growers to use quality seed of crop and horticultural plants duly certified and tagged by the FSC & RD.
The farmers also spoke on the occasion and shared their problems related to seeds and crop productivity with the chief guest as well as NIFA scientists. The chief guest urged the technical personnel to devise practical solutions to address these problems and also assured every possible help at government’s level.
Later, the chief guest along with representatives of seed companies, progressive farmers visited the NIFA experimental fields. They took keen interest and appreciated the research endeavours and varieties developed by NIFA scientists and witnessed their performance in the field.
Head Plant Breeding & Genetics Division, Dr. Roshan Zamir thanked all participants for attending the event and hoped that all the stakeholders would collaborate in future to achieve food autarky in the province and the country as well.
