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Most African farmers use recycled seeds, says Chituwo

Most African farmers use recycled seeds, says Chituwo
Written by Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Saturday, February 14, 2009 9:44:32 PM

AGRICULTURE minister Dr Brian Chituwo has said most farmersin Africa use recycled and untested seeds. And International Conservation Union (ICUN) Invasive species coordinator Geoffrey Howard said the ministry of agriculture needs to intensify public awareness that growing invasive plants is a crime.

During the official opening of the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) seminar in Livingstone yesterday, Dr Chituwo said information on high quality seed availability in African nations indicated a mixed pattern.

"However, the situation that is obtaining in much of our continent is that high quality seed is not readily available to many of our farmers. Most farmers use recycled and untested seed resulting in poor crop yield, leading to food insecurity," he said.

"This situation is worrisome and requires special attention by all nations. I believe that African nations can share high quality seeds through movements of seed from surplus to deficit countries.”

He added that there was little seed trade among African countries.

"There may be a number of many factors responsible for this unfortunate situation. Prominent among these is the existence of different seed policies, seed laws, regulations and seed testing methods. This should be looked at critically with a view to harmonising the seed policies across boundaries,î he said.

He however noted that the Eastern and Southern African countries had reached advanced stages in harmonising the process of seed laws and regulations.

"Harmonised seed testing methods in line with ISTA should also be encouraged across Africa. This will go a long way in facilitating seed trade on the continent and beyond,” he said.

Dr Chituwo said Africa needed more in seed testing in order to provide high quality, superior, high yielding crop varieties.

And Howard said the invasive weed Lantana Camara was a banned plant in Zambia and that people could be prosecuted for planting it.

"Lantana Camara is a banned plant and people can be prosecuted for planting or cultivating it. There are laws under the Ministry of Agriculture that state that this invasive plant cannot be cultivated,” he said.

He appealed to the Ministry of Agriculture to use the press and educate people on the legal implications of planting or cultivating the Lantana under the Weed Act of 1948.

"There are many hedges planted by people in Livingstone and other parts of the country. We need to do more awareness programmes in a better way than alarming them," said Howard.

Labels: AGRICULTURE, BRIAN CHITUWO, ISTA, SEED

posted by MrK @ 9:44 PM