Seed growers must label their products in line with the Plants and Fertilizer Act 2010 (Act 803) in order to avoid prosecution.
Consequently, any person who imports, advertises or markets seeds without a label is "liable on summary conviction to a fine not less than 200 penalty units or a term of imprisonment of not more than two years or both." The Ashanti Regional Seed Coordinator of the Ghana Seed Inspection Division of the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Division of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ms Anita Kubi Happy, made this known here in Kumasi.
Speaking at a training on seed production and marketing for selected seed growers and farmers in the country, Ms Happy pointed out that any person who had registered to produce or market seeds of a particular class might only market or produce seeds of that class and shall not produce and market any seed unless the seed was of a registered variety.
The training was organised by the Crops Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-CRI) in collaboration with sponsors, SEEDEQUAL Project, of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).
The event aimed to equip farmers, seed producers, and agricultural stakeholders with the knowledge and skills to enhance seed quality, improve yields, and increase market access.
Ms Happy walked the participants through the Plants and Fertilizer Act 2010 (Act 803) urging them to be abreast of the rules and regulations to avoid any legal tussle.
She told them that to produce or market seed in the country, the seed must be of "a standard, packaged and labeled" as prescribed by the Act or its regulations.
The Act, she said, was essential because it protected all stakeholders operating within the seed industry "and lead to the development of improved varieties that will boost seed production in the country." Acting Director of the CSIR-CRI, Dr Ernest Baafi, observed that the seed system was bedeviled with "low seed yield, insufficient capacity to multiply seeds, inadequate seed treatment services, poor packaging leading to seed damage in storage." He also mentioned limited market information, insufficient distribution channel and counterfeit or adulterated seeds, almost which affected crop yields and food security in the country.
Dr Baafi was happy the conference was a critical step towards enhancing "our capacity in seed production which is vital for food security and sustainable environment." He was optimistic that the conference would have a "positive influence on your work and contribute to the overall development of agricultural sector of the country." Dr Priscilla Francisco Rebeiro, senior Research Scientist with the CSIR-CRI stressed that the training was to "unlock the full potential of the farmers and seed producers," leading to improved food security and economic growth.
The goal of the conference, she explained, was to improve seed quality and availability, enhance farmers' income through better market access, promote sustainable agricultural practices and foster collaboration among stakeholders.
FROM KINGSLEY E.
HOPE, KUMASI