Kathmandu, Nov. 2
Experts have stressed
strengthening the formal and informal seed system to protect the indigenous
crops and help in food security in South Asia.
Speaking at a seminar on
‘Suitable seeds for food security’ organised by South Asia Watch on Trade,
Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) and Fridtjof Nansen Institute (FNI) Norway,
they stressed the adoption of participatory approach and involvement of
community for better protection of seeds.
Former Vice Chairman of the
National Planning Commission and Chairman of Nepal Institute of Urban and
Regional Studies (NIURS), Dr. Jagadish Chandra Pokharel, said that while seeds
have been a fundamental part of food security initiatives, preservation of
traditional seeds and promotion of preservation technology are paramount for
it.
“In order to know suitable seeds,
there should be good policy regime and positive interventions,” said Dr.
Pokharel.
Dr. Posh Raj Pandey, Chairperson
of SAWTEE, urged to recognise the role of farmers in finding the suitable seeds
for them. He stressed on strengthening the seed system and preservation of biodiversity.
“The government and other
stakeholders should collaborate to increase the access of farmers to quality
seeds,” he said.
According to him, the
Russia-Ukraine war is likely to have catastrophic impacts on food security. It
has already been disturbed by previous conflicts, climate change and pandemic.
Dr. Kristin Rosendal, Research
Professor at FNI, suggested for greater collaborations among the national and
international stakeholders as the national seed regulations and legislations
are affected by international factors and regulations.
Climate change has also posed a big
threat to seed biodiversity, she said.
According to the organisers,
improvement of seeds and innovation in plant breeding is increasingly being
carried out by commercial seed corporations at the expense of traditional
on-farm developments, among farmers’ communities leading to a schism between
short term gains in the form of higher yields and seed diversity as the
prerequisite for food security in the long run.
Meanwhile, growing urban
population depends on increased food production, while the available arable
land is declining. The genetic diversity among and within plant varieties and
other plant propagating material is shrinking rapidly all over the globe. These
interlinked challenges must be addressed to maintain food security, especially
in fragile states, they said.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 3 November 2022.
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