QUALITY SEED HELP IN SEED SUFFICIENCY AND SEED SECURITY IN NEPAL
Food security means that all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life. Self sufficiency means the ability to maintain oneself or itself without outside aid : capable of providing for one’s own needs.
Quality seed is defined as varietally pure with a high germination percentage, free from disease and disease organisms, and with a proper moisture content and weight. The quality of the seed is determined by its moisture content, seed health, germination, vigour, physical purity, genetic purity etc. Seed is one of the most crucial elements in the livelihoods of agricultural communities. It is the repository of the genetic potential of crop species .It is the basic vital unit in agriculture, which is also basis for food security. Quality seeds ensures good crop stand because of its high genetic and physiological qualities. Quality seed is referred to as the most viable means to improve agricultural production, on which the efficacy of other inputs like fertilizer, irrigation is dependent. High germination percentage and vigour results into raising of an excellent crop having adequate plant population and uniform growth. The cost of production decreases with the less chance of insects, pests and disease attack. Similarly, using of quality seeds make easier to carry out intercultural and management practices like timely irrigation, weeding, use of fertilizer, etc. Not only this, quality seed is a carrier of new technology. They show good response of other agricultural inputs, thus brought a revolution in agriculture.
Quality seed reduce the amount of seed requirement by about 25% which will make the farmers to save their money and invest. Generally improved seeds are of short duration than local seeds and this helps in timely harvesting of preceding crop so that succeeding crop can be planted on time. In short , we can say that quality seed help farmers to follow good crop rotation and results in more production in a year. so, with the institutional and technological enhancements in seed sectors, quality seeds can be used as solution for food security with addition to food self-sufficiency too. Every farmer should able to access healthy seeds which are genetically pure, with high seed vigour and good germination percentage. Timely availability of good quality seeds at reasonable price ensures good yield and profit to the farmers. The seeds plays a vital role in agriculture and acts as a carrier of the genetic potential of varieties. The primary risks to food security are at the country level: as the Coronavirus crisis unfolds, disruptions in domestic food supply chains, other shocks affecting food production, and loss of incomes and remittances are creating strong tensions and food security risks in many countries. Generally improved seeds are of short duration than local seeds and this helps in timely harvesting of preceding crop so that succeeding crop can be planted on time. In short , we can say that quality seed help farmers to follow good crop rotation and results in more production in a year.
Writer: Renuka Khanal (Student, 4th semester, IAAS, Paklihawa Campus)