Mega Seed Project and Seed Hub An Approach

Mega Seed Project and Seed Hub: An Approach to increase the Agricultural Production Dr. SITA RAM KUMHAR Professor (PBG) & Zonal Director Research Agricultural Research Station, Mandor, Jodhpur Agriulture university jodhpur Presented during Group meeting organized by ICAR-ATARI, Jodhpur for 26 -27 July 2018 -19

Ckht (Seed) ds. Unzd cht (Nucleus Seed) iztud cht (Breeder Seed) vk/kkj cht (Foundation Seed) çekf. kr cht (Certified Seed) Truthfully Labeled Seed (TL Seed)

Introduction q Seed is alchemy of agriculture. Quality seed is pivotal for yield enhancement, production and self sufficiency needs of the country. q From a meager 50. 5 million tonnes during 1950 -51 to 275. 78 million tonnes of food grain production during 2016 -17, voyage is quite remarkable and flaunts the might of Indian agriculture. q It is made possible due to use of quality seed of improved varieties, advanced package of practices, adroitness and diligence of Indian farmers. q For agrarian based country like India, Seed security is having a strong positive correlation to food security, which is quite clearly evident from increment in food grain production vis-à-vis growth in quality seed production.

q ICAR Seed Project –seed production in agricultural crops played its part in augmenting quality seed production, infrastructure establishment to support seed activities, seed related technology dissemination, capacity building and more importantly making seeds available at q right place and time by innovative model deployment (participatory seed production and seed village programme etc).

Mandate q Ensure supply of quality seeds to the farmers. q Effective implementation of Seed law enforcement. q Strengthening seed certification and seed testing system in the country. q Develop and enforce seed quality standards. q Maintaining sustainability with profitability to the farmers by development of suitable infrastructure for Seed Quality Control and Seeds Development.

Legal Instruments for Seeds Quality Regulation 1966 Seeds Act. 1968 Seed Rules. 1983 Seeds(Control) Order: Licensing of seed business 1988 New Policy on Seed Development: Making best of the planting material available the world over to Indian farmers through public and private sectors 1989 Export/Import Policy: Structuring of Indian seed exports/import 2004 Introduction of the Seeds Bill. 2015 Cotton Seed Price (Control) Order

Mega Seed Project q Seed is elixir of agriculture having the potential to transmute the face of Indian agricultural scenario and for transgression of yield barriers. q Seed is prime input encompassing the capacity to ensure food security i. e. seed security can play a crucial role in ensuring food security. q A robust seed system guarantees food security needs of the country and acts as driver of growth in agriculture. q Making the resource poor farmers enable with quality seed and its wholesome production technology is a challenge that needs to be tackled upon. q Role of quality seed is documented and acknowledged across farming systems and ICAR duly acknowledged this fact by the launch of mile stone projects viz. AICRP- NSP (Crops) and ICAR Seed project vis-à-vis Mega Seed project.

Mega Seed Project q AICRP- NSP (Crops) came into existence in 1979 -80 with the goal to produce adequate quantity of breeder seed production as per country’s requirement and conduct seed technological research to support quality seed production. q The breeder seed is further multiplied to produce foundation and certified seeds by various agencies. However, there is wide gap between the requirement and production of quality seeds and 6065% of farmers are using their farm saved seeds for sowing. q In a bid to raise the seed replacement rate (SRR) and to make quality seed available to the farmers ICAR has launched a Mega Seed Project-“Seed Production in Agricultural Crops and Fisheries” during X plan and was continued in XI plan period with field crop component alone. q This project had strengthened all facets of quality seed domain viz. production, infrastructure establishment, technology dissemination, model deployment, entrepreneurship development and capacity building.

Progress of Seed Project q Having a modest start during X plan period, this project made an everlasting impact on the face of Indian seed sector during XI plan period. q If we see the quality seed production figures of this project implementation period, production of breeder seed in field crops component has been increased from 62231 quintals during 200506 to 102569 quintals, which shown 64. 81% increase over base year during 2011 -12. q Production of foundation seed during 2011 -12 (116156 quintals) shown 123% increase over base year i. e. , 51925 quintals in 200506. q Whereas, certified/TFL seed production has increased from 96413 quintals during 2005 -06 to 225340 quintals during 2011 -12 which accounts for 133. 72% increase over base year. q With respect to participatory seed programme, the quality seed production increased from 32303 quintals during 2005 -06 to 251100 quintals during 2011 -12 registering 677% increase over base year.

Progress q With respect to infrastructure development, state of art facilities were established in cooperating centres, many centres developed core competencies and now ready to serve as model centres regarding processing, seed quality enhancement and molecular diagnostics aspects. q This project has helped in human resource development, technology dissemination, model deployment and employment generation. q During XII plan period, horizons of this project is widened by means of expansion of seed activities to unexplored areas (N-E states), concentration on untapped areas for seed production; capacity building and commercial orientation is accentuated upon.

Seed Rolling Plan o States long term seed plan based on crop area, seed rate/ha. total seed required, targeted SRR seed required for normal conditions and seed required for contingency situations worked out. o Out of total quantity of seed required variety wise quantity of seed required for individual crops be worked out. o The required foundation and breeder seed to be worked backward three years in advance. o States should focus on crops, in which production will be impacted during the year due to Natural calamity as demand for seed of such crop in the succeeding year could be high.

Increase use of Improved & Hybrid Seeds for self sufficiency in Pulses Production 1. 5 lakh qtls. through 150 Seed Hub q Agriculture Technology Application Research Institutes (ATARIS) are collaborator for implementation of Seed – Hubs. q One time grant Rs. 50 lakhs/Seed Hub for Seed Processing & Storage Facility. q One time grant Rs. 100 lakhs/Seed Hub as revolving fund to meet expenses for production, processing and procurement. q The profit generated out of seed sale can be utilized by Seed Hub for development of other facilities to increase pulses seed production. q Each Seed Hub will produce 1000 qtls. pulses seed every year in a sustainable manner. q 150 Seed Hub will produce total 1, 50, 000 qtls. HYV pulses seeds on sustainable basis to ensure increased productivity and production of pulses in the country.

The Success story of ICAR Seed Project q Seed production in agricultural crops is a crown jewel of ICAR. Apart from mere production, capacity building with focus on skill q intensification, technology dissemination, model deployment (Farmers’ Participatory Approach and Seed Village Programme), employment generation, commercial orientation addressing gender outlook i. e. women entrepreneurship, q expansion of activities in untapped areas are significant contributions of this project. q During XII plan period, under the sustentation of ICAR with a team of dedicated scientists and staff throughout the country, ICAR Seed project reveal its full colours and tread us towards seed security q thereby contributes its portion towards much awaited ever green revolution.

Seed at AU Jodhpur Breeder Seed production (q) - 2013 to 2018 Year 2013 -14 2014 -15 2015 -16 2016 -17 2017 -18 Kharif 18. 3 7. 60 1. 77 12. 29 11. 35 Rabi 360. 44 - Zaid - Total seed (q) 378. 74 7. 60 1. 77 12. 29 11. 35

Seed at AU Jodhpur TL Seed production (q) - Kharif 2013 to 18 Year 2013 -14 2014 -15 2015 -16 2016 -17 2017 -18 Kharif 135. 62 421. 57 666. 16 969. 20 1043. 59 Rabi 110. 56 360. 27 279. 76 628. 00 - Zaid 3. 48 7. 47 64. 82 106. 40 - Total seed (q) 249. 66 789. 32 1010. 74 1703. 6 -

Conclusion q Seed is the decisive input for sustained agriculture production and is paramount for q realizing the potential of all other inputs without which the investment on inputs such as fertilizer, water, and pesticides will not pay desired dividends to the farmers. q Use of quality seeds alone could increase productivity by 15 -20% indicate the critical role of seed in agriculture. q As Indian economy is basically agrarian due to sheer number of people directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture, the role of seed in India’s context is far greater significant. q With respect to share of Indian seed market in international seed domain, is to the tune of 2 billion USD and holds 6 th position in ranking, where estimated commercial seed market is of the order 45 billion USD (ISF, 2013).

q Whatever the share of Indian seed market, is from organized sector that accounts for only 30 -35%, which opens a window for enormous possibilities. q Mere doubling of organized sector can shoot India to first position, which is a focal issue that needs to be pondered upon. q In the era of climate change, with impending threats of resource depletion and population explosion, development of climate resilient, location specific seed production technologies are need of the hour. q However, a blessing India is having its vast biodiversity and varied agroecological zones offer vistas for alternative provenances for seed production, contingent planning and model deployment to mitigate looming challenges of present era.

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