National Seed Policy, June 2010.

The National Seed Policy is the Ministry's outline of the intervention measures to be implemented in the seed sub sector in order to achieve the stated objective of availing adequate high quality seed and planting material for the country's farming and forestry needs. These is intended to be achieved through the implementation of measures geared towards exploiting the potential of improved varieties and technologies for increased agricultural and forestry productivity; building capacity and infrastructure development within the seed industry to handle research and development, quality control, technology transfer, and other emerging technologies; establishing an effective regulation, coordination and management of all activities within the sub sector and, creating an enabling environment, through policy and legal reforms for effective participation of both public and private sector (viii).
The policy background chapter underscores the role and contribution of the agriculture sector in the nation's economy, the historical development of the seed sub sector and its critical importance in achieving improved crop productivity. The important crops and forest trees and their seed production and management systems are considered in turn together with institutions involved in their research and seed multiplication (viii). The objectives of the Seed Policy aim: to address the above problems, it is prudent that a review of research and development, plant germplasm conservation/preservation, seed production, processing and quality control, marketing and distribution, institutional and legal framework to which the problems relate be undertaken in the seed industry to spur agricultural growth. Indeed the Government through the Agriculture Sector Development Strategy recognizes the importance of accessibility and affordability of farm inputs, including seed, for sustainable agricultural development. Seed has the greatest potential of increasing on-farm productivity and enhancing food security (pag. 18).
This Policy, therefore, aims at giving clear direction for the seed sub sector development in order to sustainably avail adequate high quality seed and planting material to the users. It also aims at harmonizing all seed-related activities. The policy underscores the principle and recognizes that both private and public sector offer invaluable potential to accelerate development within the agricultural and forestry sectors. It is geared towards achieving increased agricultural productivity, food security, and conservation of biodiversity, employment creation and poverty alleviation through good governance, transparency and accountability (pag. 19).