Farmers enjoying dual advantage from community seed scheme

FARMERS are enjoying a dual advantage from a community seed scheme in Region Two. Some were trained with Mr. Kuldip Ragnauth, Extension Manager Burma Research Station during my tenure as an Extension Officer with the Guyana Rice Development Board (GRDB) in seed production, earning revenue as, producers for seed that they sell to fellow farmers. The rest of the community is benefiting from access to good quality seed suited to local needs and conditions. The seed business has helped me and many farmers to earn money to educate our children, and above all feed them well. We were trained in seed production of improved varieties, monitors and certify seeds to ensure quality.
The farmers we supplied are equally enthusiastic, reporting significant improvements in their yields. Seed is quite literally the starting point for all crop cultivation. As such its importance cannot be over-stated.
Poor quality seed affects productivity and encourages the spread of disease. Farmers need seeds adapted to their production requirements and conditions, and able to meet the challenge of shifting agro-ecological systems caused by climate change. In many developing countries, however, farmers find themselves at a disadvantage from the outset. Often, ACP producers suffer from inadequate access to quality seed at a price they can afford. Obstacles to small scale farmers’ ability to obtain good seed include weak production, storage and distribution systems and poor quality control mechanisms.
Fake seeds are a major concern and problem in many parts of Guyana, with unscrupulous dealers selling poor quality substitutes to farmers, many of whom only discover their costly mistake when their harvest falls. Other major problems are lack of information and inadequate national seed policies.

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