प्रकाशित मिति: १४ कार्तिक २०७७, शुक्रबार १८:०७

– Aakriti Gajurel

IAAS, Lamjung Campus

 

 

The seed is the primary entity that protects and sustains life, which is the key factor for food security and biodiversity conversion. It can be defined in various ways, but scientifically seed is the fertilized, matured ovule of a flowering plant containing an embryo or rudimentary plant covered with seed coat or propagating material. In the days to come, to ensure food security, quality seed plays a crucial role. For better production and productivity, farmers must be accessed to certified quality seeds.

The seed is said to be of quality if produced scientifically and is distinctly superior in physical, genetic, physiology, and pathological parameters. The domestic production of seed does not fulfill the country; therefore, Nepal depends entirely on India and other countries to import the quality seeds.

Making Nepal self-reliant on the quality seed will surely meet the food need with its production, which will lead the country into a path of food self-sufficiency and food security, and a stable economic state. Food security is the state that exists when all people have physical and financial access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that needs their dietary needs and the food to live an active and healthy life.

• Observing the characteristics of the quality seed helps in food security and self-sufficiency. The germination percentage and vigor of the quality seed are high, leading to a better yield.
• The quality seeds have been found to increase crops’ productivity by 20-30% compared to the farmers’ local informal sources.
• The uncertified local seeds may have several physiological and pathological defects. If used without the proper inspection or the examination, this will reduce production, leading to food deficiency due to low productivity, or sometimes no productivity (maybe because of disease or physical damage).
• The quality seeds have better crop stand traits, and the input efficiency is seen, which will ultimately lead to the food security condition.
• The quality seed will not only ensure food security and self-sufficiency. Still, it will also be a blessing to farmers to ensure their health, economic state by the high production.
• Not only that, the farmers will get more motivated towards the production of the food and help maintain the food security state.
• Distribution of the quality seeds to the rural part will increase the people’s production. They will be able to uplift their lifestyle and contribute to the increment in the country’s GDP.
• The quality seeds available to the farmers can be used to cultivate the crops for the uniform maturation and harvesting of the crop. This ensures excellent land because of its better genetic and physiological qualities.