Seed security

Excessive dependence on multinational companies (MNCs) and private seed distributors does not appear to auger well for the current state of seed management in the country. This has been voiced strongly at a seminar in the capital recently, participated by a number of farmers' organisations. Their suggestion seeking a suitable alternative to the prevailing practice of seed distribution reflected the need for strengthening the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation (BADC) to be solely entrusted with the sensitive job in order to relieve the farming community of what they termed 'oppression of the MNCs'. Competence of BADC to handle things better may be debatable given the functioning of this state agency in recent years. However, fact remains that mismanagement in seed distribution and imports of untested seeds have been a major concern in the country over the years.
While quality seeds in the country are in high demand, determining the right quality continues to be a serious difficulty often faced by the farmers. Examples of adulterated seeds (either local or imported) causing havoc in cultivation are many. One of the reasons behind the unabated misdeed is obviously the absence of any mechanism for penal actions that the country should have put in place long back. Besides the adulterated seeds, there are complaints too about good quality imported seeds as the yield is not found satisfactory compared to that in their country of origin. This could be due to soil conditions, fertiliser applications, irrigation and so on, all of which goes to explain the lack of control and supervision on the types and varieties of seeds imported and their adaptability with the local soil conditions.   
Quality seed is unquestionably the basic input for increasing agricultural output and thereby achieving self-sufficiency in food production. Effectiveness of other inputs like fertiliser and irrigation depends largely on good seed. Development of facilities in public and private sectors for production of sufficient quantity of improved seed and for making them available to the farmers at appropriate time and at reasonable price has been suffering from lack of definite policy directives. The key issue is thus seed security, implying ready access by farmers and farming communities to adequate quantities of quality seeds and planting materials of crop varieties, adapted to their agro-ecological conditions. It need not be stressed that the country's agricultural researchers and scientists have done a commendable job in innovating improved and diversified varieties of seeds for boosting both the staples and horticulture productivity in the past decades despite constraints. The field-level staff and officials have also earned reputation for their good work. However, to ensure whether the farmers are using the right variety of seeds should be a new challenge worth taking on.
To address all issues relating to seed distribution, formulation of a seed policy demands priority. It has been reported that the ministry of agriculture has been contemplating on the task for a while. In this connection, seed policies of neighbouring countries having similar agro-ecological and socio-economic settings do also need to be taken into account. Concerned quarters are of the view that the seed policy in order to be able to do away with the mismanagement in the whole range of activities should be strongly backed by institutional arrangements rather than by penal measures.