Scientists, industry demand passage of new Seeds Bill, changes in policy

Context: On the second day of the three-day National Seed Congress (NSC),
scientists, experts, and industry partners asked the Centre to revisit and
modernise the Seeds Bill of 2004 and the Seeds Policy of 2002 to incorporate
the latest developments in the sector. At a panel discussion as part of the
13th NSC, the experts also demanded strategic interventions to face the
challenges faced by the seed sector. The Seeds Bill, introduced in Parliament
in 2004, was not passed due to opposition from farmers. Experts argued that the
policies must be in tune with the contemporary situation in the seeds sector
and the concerns of farmers should be incorporated in the new policies.

Key points

·       Overview: The Ministry of
Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare hosted the 13th edition of the National Seed
Congress (NSC) in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, from November 28-30, 2024.

·       National
Seed Congress: NSC is an annual gathering of researchers,
policymakers, farmers, and representatives from the private and public sectors
to build a roadmap for a vibrant and equitable seed sector in India. The
congress aims to foster regional cooperation, partnerships, and knowledge
exchange, strengthening India’s seed sector and addressing food security and
agricultural resilience.

·       National
Seeds Policy of 2002: It was launched in India to protect the interests
of farmers, conserve agro-biodiversity, and provide a favourable environment
for the seed industry.

Objectives - Protect the
interests of farmers, Conserve agro-biodiversity, Provide a favourable
environment for the seed industry.

Focus areas - Varietal
development and plant variety protection, Seed production, Quality assurance, Seed
distribution and marketing, Infrastructure facilities, Transgenic plant
varieties, Import and export of seeds and planting material, Promotion of
domestic seed industry, Strengthening of monitoring system.

Features - Development of
new and improved plant varieties, Timely availability of quality seeds, Compulsory
registration of seeds, Abolition of licensing for seed dealers.

·       Key
highlights of the meeting: The Event is being jointly organized by the
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) South Asia Regional Centre (ISARC)
and the National Seed Research and Training Center (NSRTC). The theme for this
year is “Fostering Regional Cooperation, Partnership, and Knowledge Exchange in
the Seed Sector”. NSC 2024 will provide a platform for presenting experiences
and insights on the research advances, innovations, and principles related to
seed, crop improvement, and seed delivery systems. The Congress will focus on
building sustainable, equitable, and resilient seed systems by addressing a
diverse range of topics such as climate-resilient breeding, advancements in
seed quality and technology, innovative seed delivery methods, etc.

Ø  International
Rice Research Institute (IRRI) - IRRI is an independent, nonprofit, research
and educational institute, founded in 1960 by the Ford and Rockefeller
Foundations with support from the Philippine government. It is headquartered in
Los Baños, Philippines, but has offices in 17 rice-growing countries in Asia
and Africa.

Ø  IRRI South Asia
Regional Centre (ISARC) - Located within the premises of the National Seed
Research and Training Centre (NSRTC), Varanasi, ISARC is IRRI’s central hub for
research partnerships in South Asia and Africa. The Centre was inaugurated by
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 29 December 2018 and provides cutting-edge
research and capacity development facilities to improve and boost the
rice-based agri-food systems in the region.