National Seed Vision 2013 – 2025 (Seed Sector Development Strategy)

The National Seed Vision is a national vision with a sectoral approach. The duration of the Vision is 12 years from 2013–2025. Its main objectives are to increase crop productivity, raise income, generate employment opportunities through self sufficiency and generate import substitution and export promotion of quality seeds.
The Vision will contribute ensuring food security to poor, women and disadvantaged groups. Edible food availability will reach 8 million by 2025. The Seed Sector Development Strategy will have a significant impact on ensuring food security. The Vision also has a twin track approach as for the purpose of future use and to meet emergency needs, it is recommended that about 10 to 20 percent of total seeds of any commodity should be stored.
New crop varieties and quality seeds are the most viable means to improve agricultural production. The Vision presents key strategies, processes and inputs required to meet the desired outputs towards development of sustainable seed system in Nepal. A sound seed system reinforces the national agriculture through higher productivity rate. Agriculture still forms the largest economic sector in Nepal and its development means increasing the quality and quantity of agricultural products and seed plays a vital role for the development of the agriculture sector. Development, maintenance and deployment of specific high yielding competitive varieties are also the means for increasing agriculture production. By 2025, seed replacement rate is expected to reach 25 percent in cereals and 90 percent in vegetable crops. The Seed Vision promotes inclusive and equitable development that ensures full and active participation of women and disadvantaged groups. The Seed Sector Development Strategy will have an impact on biodiversity conservation and it is also expected that this Vision helps in accelerating agricultural development by ensuring an efficient system for the supply of best quality seeds to farmers.
The Seed Sector Development Strategy will also have an impact on reducing poverty, generating employment opportunities and gender equality and social inclusion. Rights of farmers and local communities need to be protected for equitable access and fair sharing of benefits.
The Seed Vision proposes four strategic directions, which are: a) strengthen varietal development, release, and maintenance using diverse gene pool both from local and exotic sources; b) support public, community and private enterprises in seed multiplication, processing and conditioning through efficient seed quality services; c) enhance marketing skills of seed entrepreneurs and invest in seed related infrastructure; d) promote use of quality assured seeds by expanding farmers’ choice including use of local genetic resources. Farmers should have an easy access to the required quantity of quality seeds at an affordable price to raise the living standard of the majority of Nepalese people. There is an urgent need to increase the launch of competitive varieties rapidly as to provide diverse choice for farmers. Furthermore, hybrid research is limited in Nepal due to lack of trained human resources, infrastructures and investments in both public and private sectors. In order to reduce the import of hybrids, public and private sector research institutions should be involved in hybrid research activities with adequate fund and human resources. The Seed Vision proposes development and strengthening of seed networks, seed dealers and seed supply channels in public and private sectors. Seed education/campaign needs to be promoted to aware farmers on the use of good quality seeds. The Vision proposes the government to establish four big private seed companies in PPP model.
The Seed Sector Development Strategy will also have an impact on adapting adverse impact of climate change.
In 2002, the government established the National Seed Company Ltd, an important step towards promoting seed business in Nepal. Government agencies are involved in various activities such as - formulating seed law and policy, conducting seed research, crop variety development and maintenance, BS and FS multiplication, seed quality control, marketing, training farmers on seed use besides seed extension and seed planning. Non-governmental agencies (NGOs) including, seed companies, cooperatives, seed dealers and communities also develop limited crop varieties but they are mostly engaged in producing, processing and marketing of cereal and vegetable seeds. To assist the implementation of the Vision, the National Seed Board needs to take main responsibility of coordinating the institutions under the Ministry of Agricultural Development and concerned line ministries at the central level.