THE Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations is collaborating with the government to review and update the seed certification regulatory framework.
Authorities said the collaboration is meant to boost agricultural productivity and enhance food security in the country.
The initiative is supported by the US$25 million African Development Bank (AfDB)-funded Zimbabwe Emergency Food Production Project.
According to Patrice Talla, subregional co-ordinator for southern Africa and FAO representative in Zimbabwe, the seed certification framework is a critical component of the country’s agricultural sector.
“The project will adopt the best practices in international and regional seed systems and incorporate them into the local seed certification scheme, which will help to boost agricultural productivity and enhance food security in the country,” Talla said.
Talla said aligning it with international and regional standards would help to improve the quality of seeds and fertilisers available to farmers.
The project aims to increase food production within the next two years by providing farmers with seeds and fertilisers for seed and food crop cultivation.
The project will also support government’s commitment to implementing agricultural and trade policy reforms that create an enabling environment for market-led input distribution as well as facilitating import and export markets.
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By strengthening the seed certification framework, the project aims to improve the livelihoods of farmers throughout the country.
The local seed certification scheme, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Seed Schemes, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa Seed Scheme and the Southern Africa Development Community Seed Schemes have different minimum standards in a number of attributes, which presents challenges when specific seed lots are produced under the local scheme but find a market regionally or internationally.
The review and update of the seed certification regulatory framework will help to address these challenges and ensure Zimbabwe’s seed certification system is aligned with international and regional standards.
