RICE farmers here on the Essequibo Coast are drawing a dual advantage from a seed-paddy scheme. Some are being trained by Mr Kuldip Ragnauth, Extension Manager of RRSB in seed production, and 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
Some of them are trained in seed production of improved varieties and GRDB monitors and certifies these seeds to ensure quality. The seeds business has helped these rice farmers to earn money to educate their children, and above all feed them well.”
The farmers who bought and used the paddy are equally enthusiastic, reporting significant improvements in their yields.
The farmers said that 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 are buying seeds from local producers and GRDB, BRRS which are adapted to their production requirements and conditions, and able to meet the challenges of shifting agro-ecological systems caused by climate change. In many rice-growing regions, however,farmers find themselves at a disadvantage from the outset.
Often, many farmers 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 problem in many rice-growing regions, with unscrupulous dealers selling poor quality substitutes to farmers.
Yours sincerely,
Mohamed Khan