The Chief Executive Officer of the National Seed Trade Association, Augusta Nyamadi Clottey is calling on the government to provide additional funding for the various research institutions in the country to help in improving the quality of seeds produced in the country.
There have been concerns by some players in the agric space about the fact that some locally made seeds were not up to international standards thereby producing yields under expectation.
Speaking to Citi Business News on the sidelines of the Ghana Seed business forum, however, called on all players within the seed production space to live up to expectations to ensure the quality of seeds produced is not compromised.
“There aren’t enough quality seeds in the system. One is that, in the research institute sorry to say, the government usually pays their salaries they don’t put enough money in the system for enhancing research.”
“The seeds that are released date through the support of donors. So, the quality of seeds has a problem right from the research institute through the value chain until it gets to the farmer And for us as an association, we want to see how we can come together under one umbrella to discuss.”
She stressed the need for collaborative efforts between various stakeholders to address this challenge in the country’s agricultural space
“Until we come together to discuss this issue and relay our problems to the next person in the value chain will always be complaining a will not get there. So, what we seek to do is that all of us in the value chain need to make sure that the seed in the value chain is the standards that expect so that when the farmer buys it, we get the best highest yield that he deserves”
She spoke to Citi Business News on the side-lines of the 2nd Ghana Seed business forum- seedlink 2021 organised by her outfit.
The event sort to create a platform to collectively find workable solutions to address current challenges in the seed sector, highlight some seed related policies that promote seed business opportunities and unearth new ideas to promote investors’ interest in the seed sector.
