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NIGERIA POLICY ON AGRICULTURAL SEED PRODUCTION

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Seed Production

1 Generation System of Seed Multiplication
1.1 Nigeria shall follow a three-tier system of seed multiplication- Breeder seed, Foundation seed and Certified seed under the seed certification scheme.
1.2 The National Agricultural Seeds Council shall supervise production of all classes of seeds (breeder, foundation and certified) to maintain the limited generation plan towards guaranteeing the production and marketing of high quality seeds.
2 Early Generation Seed Maintenance and Supply
2.1 As may from time to time be decided by the FMARD, particularly concerning food security crops, the production of foundation seeds of improved crop varieties and their subsequent multiplication as commercial seeds will be adequately funded through the NASC, State Seed Multiplication agencies, contract growers and other private commercial seed producers within the national seed rules and regulations.
2.2 Production of breeder seed of publicly bred varieties for national requirement shall be the responsibility of the relevant National Agricultural Research Institutes (NARIs) that has the national mandate for any given crop.
2.3 Breeder seed which is the starting point for all seed multiplication shall be expected to meet all seed standards as may from time to time be prescribed by the Council. The institution that originated a variety shall have the primary and leading responsibility for the genetic purity maintenance, and multiplication of breeder seed.
2.4 No agency shall be allowed to produce more than one class of seed under a trade name. Private Seed companies wishing to produce both foundation and certified seeds must do so under separate trade names.
2.5 Production of foundation seed shall be decentralized, with the functions of NASC focused on supervision, monitoring, coordination and certification including licensing private seed companies to handle the production of foundation seed.
2.6 Companies with adequate capacity can produce foundation seed directly on license while NASC shall exercise the power of coordination, supervision, regulation and control for the assurance of quality maintenance. Existing seed growers who wish to produce foundation seed shall be encouraged to establish their own private Seed Enterprises which shall be duly considered for registration by the Council for that purpose. Where it is considered not profitable to do so, government will intervene in a specific and transparent manner in the interest of the public
2.7 It shall be the responsibility of private sector to establish enterprises for the production of certified seed.
2.8 Production of certified seed from foundation seed shall be carried out by duly registered and licensed seed companies only. Any Government/Public institutions interested in producing seeds for commercial purposes must float and register a seed company and thereafter seek accreditation of the company with NASC.
2.9 Hybrid crop varieties developed and released by NARIs shall be commercialized only by seed companies with the payment of royalties to the relevant NARIs.
2.10 NASC shall from time to time as the need arises organize capacity building programmes for producers of all classes of seed.
3 Vegetative Seeds
3.1 The establishment and commercialization of tissue culture laboratories in multiplying horticultural crops and other seedlings shall be promoted.
3.2. Producers of vegetative planting materials for sale to farmers shall be required to register with the NASC for operational license.
4 Seed Conditioning
4.1. It shall be a requirement that all seeds to be marketed and distributed in Nigeria are processed/conditioned.
4.2 NASC shall, in partnership with seed industry players, evolve a system of providing seed conditioning services to small-scale and community seed producers for a fee.
5. Quality Standards
5.1. Seed quality is the basis of crop performance and yield. Therefore, quality of seeds shall be the basis of all activities with a view to ensuring that seeds of highest quality that meets prescribed minimum standards enter into the Nigerian seed system irrespective of their source
5.2 NASC would ensure that only seed lots that meet prescribed minimum seed certification standards are offered for sale to farmers. To ensure this, joint monitoring and field inspection of breeder, foundation and certified seed plots shall be undertaken in accordance with prescribed procedures and standards stipulated in the Seeds Act and the Harmonized Seed Rules and Regulation.
6. Seed Quality Control Mechanisms
6.1 External Seed Quality Control
6.2 Certification, that is independent third party guarantee, shall be compulsory for all seeds to be marketed in Nigeria
6.3 NASC shall organize a seed certification system that guarantees the farmer the assurances that the seed in circulation is genetically pure and that it meets specified minimum seed certification requirements.
6.4 NASC shall ensure that all seed producers comply with technical details in maintaining quality standards for certification.
6.5 The NASC will carry out inspection and certification of all seed production fields throughout the country, irrespective of the producer.
6.6  NASC shall collaborate with other relevant law enforcement agencies for the enforcement of quality standards in the seed industry.
6.7 Certification may be undertaken on behalf of NASC by accredited and registered seed specialists who must have requisite qualifications (of at least an MSc in seed science and technology) and experience the remuneration of which shall be borne by the recipient of their service.
6.8 Internal Seed Quality Control
6.9 Accreditation of new seed companies/enterprises and renewal of accreditation for existing seed companies and enterprises producing and marketing seeds in Nigeria shall be contingent on the existence of an internal seed quality control mechanism approved by NASC.
6.9.1 NASC shall be responsible for the establishment of guidelines and standards for internal seed quality control system
6.9.2 Plant Protection and Quarantine
6,9.3 Seed Law
    1. 6.3.1 The subsisting legal framework for implementing the National Seed Policy is the National Agricultural Seeds Act No 72 of 1992 and as may be reviewed and amended by the National Assembly.
    1. 6.3.2 The seed law as well as the harmonized seed rules and regulations governing the seed industry produced by NASC shall constitute a schedule to the Seed Policy. The appropriate sanctions for violating the seed rules and regulations are as stipulated in the Seeds Act.
6.9.4 Seed Testing
    1. 6.4.1 There shall be regular sampling and testing of seed lots in order to enforce the seed law in accordance with the seed rules and regulations of Nigeria and ECOWAS.
    1. 6.4.2 There shall be established standard seed testing laboratories comprising the Central Seed Testing Laboratory and the Zonal Seed Testing laboratories to be equipped and strengthened with adequate quality control equipment, manpower and facilities.
    1. 6.4.3 Satellite seed testing laboratories shall be established in all the states of the federation and FCT to bring seed testing facilities closer to producers and farmers.
    1. 6.4.4 Private seed companies shall be encouraged to establish seed testing laboratories for purposes of internal seed quality control.

7. SEED DISTRIBUTION AND MARKETING

7.1 Basic Principles
    1. 7.1.1 Government shall encourage and support the establishment and operation of a private sector-led seed supply system, which makes improved seed available within their zone of mobility to all farmers in all crop production areas.
    1. 7.1.2 Distribution and marketing of seed of any variety emanating from formal seed sector seed agencies to farmers for the purpose of sowing will be allowed only if the said variety has been released and registered by the NCVRRC.
    1. 7.1.3 For all intent and purposes, seed should be sold on the basis of cash or on credit as appropriate. Agencies can only engage in free distribution of seed in the case of emergency or relief with the approval of NASC and the intended beneficiary communities and farmers have to be identified in collaboration and agreement with the FMARD.
    1. 7.1.4 No attempt should be made by agencies to distribute free seed that could undermine commercial sales of seed. This excludes small quantities of seeds meant for promotional purposes.
    1. 7.1.5 Marketing of certified seeds shall be carried out by duly registered and licensed seed companies ONLY.
    1. 7.1.6 Agro-dealer development programmes and seed value chain approaches shall be vigorously pursued to open up the market for seed and as a vehicle for reaching rural farming communities.
  1. 7.1.7 No agency shall market more than one class of seed under a trade name.
7.2 Market Support and Coordination
    1. 7.2.1 Appropriate instrument for fair seed pricing policy shall be put in place to ensure affordability of improved seeds while allowing remunerative profit margin for market actors.
7.3 Seed Extension and Promotion
    1. 7.3.1 Farmer’s level of awareness about use of improved seed would be enhanced through seed extension and other promotional activities such as demonstration, field days, farmer field schools, mass media and other methods.
    2. 7.3.2 The quality and volume of seed extension work would be improved through training and re-training of seed extension workers.
    3. 7.3.3 Government shall mount aggressive seed promotional campaigns on the use of improved seed at national, state LGA, and community levels to increase demand for improved seed and thereby increase the volume of seed trade and adoption.
    4. 7.3.4 The private seed sector shall seriously and regularly undertake seed extension and promotional activities to expand their market and consequently the use of improved seed.
7.4 Seed Import
    1. 7.4.1 Importation of germplasm for breeding and varietal development purposes shall be encouraged.
    2. 7.4.2 Importation of commercial seed of varieties outside the West African Catalogue of Plant Species and Varieties (WACPSV) shall only be permitted in small quantities for experimentation.
    3. 7.4.3 Application for importation of seeds in commercial quantities shall be made to NASC and such application shall be handled in a manner as specified in the Seed Act and in consonance with phyto-sanitary requirements of National Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), the Nigeria biosafety guidelines and in accordance with the harmonized ECOWAS regulatory framework.
7.5 Seed Export
    1. 7.5.1. Seed export, especially to African countries, would be encouraged in order to facilitate international seed trade. Seed trade will be promoted under the seed rules and regulations of the ECOWAS sub-region as harmonized, with a view to applying regionally agreed principles and protocols that minimize trade barriers.
    2. 7.5.2 Application for exportation of seeds in commercial quantities shall be made to NASC and such application shall be handled in a manner as specified in the Seed Act and in consonance with phyto-sanitary requirements of National Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), the Nigeria Biosafety Guidelines and in accordance with the harmonized ECOWAS regulatory framework.

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