WAAPP Urges Public-Private Partnership To Enhance Seeds Industry

The National Project Co
ordinator, West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP), Prof. Damian Chikwendu, on Wednesday said government alone could not develop a sustainable seeds industry in the country.
Chikwendu said this at the workshop organised by the Nigerian chapter of the Alliance for Seed Industry of West Africa (ASIWA) and West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) in Abuja.
He said it would take collective and united effort from both the private and public sectors to bring the desired development to the seeds industry into reality.
The project coordinator added that the use of improved seed was one of the cheapest and fastest ways a farmer could increase his productivity.
“To achieve this goal, WAAPP is supporting the National Research Institutes to produce adequate good quality breeder seeds in line with the harmonised 2008 seed rules and regulations.
“The rule is designed to facilitate seed trade in the region, to also support the private sector to produce adequate good seeds and form an inclusive alliance for the seed industry in West Africa.
“We were all elated when the seed rules and regulations were harmonised in Nigeria but this effort may not yield desired dividends if, cross border movement of seeds continues to be a nightmare,” he said.
According to Chikwendu, ASIWA is not a government programme but a public-private partnership.
The coordinator added that this is why all stakeholders in the Nigerian seed sub-sector have been invited to brainstorm.
He urged stakeholders in the seeds industry to help those countries affected by the Ebola virus epidemic with improved seeds and flow of seed trade.
“I am happy that officials from the ECOWAS commission are here and are conversant with this frustrating experience.
“I hope and trust that they are already thinking of ways to address the problem of improved seeds fast.