Need for strengthening seed system stressed at seed entrepreneurs’ meet

GUWAHATI: The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) organized a workshop on “Strengthening Seed Ecosystem, Empowering Seed Entrepreneurs of Assam” in Guwahati on Monday with an aim to understand the challenges faced by seed entrepreneurs of the state and explore possible solutions to address those challenges.

The programme saw participation from individual seed entrepreneurs, private seed farms and FPC representatives. Attending the workshop, Mowsam Hazarika, Director of Assam Seed and Organic Certification Agency (ASOCA) appealed to all the budding seed entrepreneurs of Assam to register in the SATHI portal for certified seed production. Dr Mrinal Saikia, Director of Research at Assam Agricultural University, emphasized the importance of meticulous planning for seed business by the entrepreneurs. He highlighted the effective branding, packaging and promotion of seeds to meet the rising market demand in Assam. Dr. Swati Nayak, South Asia lead - Seed System, IRRI, and the recipient of the prestigious Borlaug Field Award-2023, offered by the World Food Prize Foundation cited examples of different successful models of seed business across different countries that appealed to the seed entrepreneurs to map the demand and supply different paddy varieties in Assam. The meeting was also addressed by Dr. Virendar Yadav, Resident Coordinator, IRRI, Assam.

Currently, some of the Individual Seed Entrepreneurs (ISE) and a few private seed companies are actively engaged in paddy seed production in Assam, making valuable contributions to strengthen the seed system. During 2023-24, only 19% of the total area was registered by 33 FPCs and Assam Seed Corporation Ltd. (ASCL), whereas the rest of the area is registered by ISEs/Private seed farms. Hence, during this programme, a roadmap was developed to work together with a better convergence platform to address the challenges of the seed business in Assam.

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