FAISALABAD: Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Bosan Wednesday said that the National Seed Policy has been finalised after thorough consultation with stakeholders and is ready for submission to the government for approval.
In his message read released b Ministry of Textile Industry Commissioner Cotton y Dr Khalid Abdullah, during inaugural session of first Pakistan Seed Congress, held at University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) here Wednesday, the minister said the Seed (Amendment) Act 2015 had been promulgated and:” We are following an inclusive approach for implementation of this new law.”
He said implementation arrangements under the Seed (Amendment) Act 2015 were almost at final stages while another significant breakthrough has been achieved as the Plants Breeder’s Right Law was introduced on November 27 2015 in the National Assembly.
The minister said new arrangements would not only give more space for the national private seed sector but also give required confidence to the multi-nationals and overseas entrepreneurs to invest in research and development of the seed sector.
He said Pakistan’s seed sector was undergoing a major transformation. A momentum is in progression as important adjustments had already been made and a number of initiatives were at various levels of implementation.
He said there was an increased understanding and commitment for turning around this sub-sector of agriculture through creating enabling environment for seed sector stakeholders and concentrating on technology and knowledge based interventions. This effort will only be successful through joint focus of academia, research system, seed industry and Government seed sector institutions in identifying, developing and absorbing emerging technologies and practices with an open mind.
