Following the validation of the National Seed Policy, with a view to endowing the seed sector in Haiti with a legal framework for its regulation, the Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development (MARNDR) in conjunction with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have organized a workshop this week for the validation of the revised draft seed bill, accompanying the National Seed Policy, available since the beginning of 2017.

This workshop is part of the implementation of the project "Support to the revival of the seed sub-sector in Haiti", financed by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) through the Agricultural Technology Transfer Program (PTTA) of the Ministry of Agriculture. This project, implemented by FAO in support of MARNDR's National Seed Service, aims to provide Haiti with a National Seed Policy and an appropriate legal framework.

In his opening remarks Arnoux Severin, Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture, stressed the importance of quality seeds for the country "This workshop is an opportunity to create a space for consultation of the main actors on the legislative and regulatory framework governing activities related to the production, marketing, quality control and certification of seeds.

Aloys Nizigiyimana, the Coordinator of the Seed Sector Support Unit of FAO, while reaffirming the commitment of his Organization alongside the Haitian Government, highlighted the value of such an approach "This consultation of the main actors is essential and if we want to achieve a seed system that protects and encourages private sector initiatives in the establishment of viable and sustainable mechanisms for the production and distribution of quality seeds."

Workshop Recommendations :

At the end of this workshop of validation of the legislative and regulatory framework of Haiti's seed sub-sector, some thirty representatives of Ministries, Universities, NGOs and other civil society organizations and the private sector recommended :

To add sections concerning the certification, protection of breeders, the rights of farmers to multiply their farm seeds as well as the seed of declared quality;

To clarify the obligation of importers of crops planting material to vegetative propagation to comply with phytosanitary rules in order to prevent the entry of diseases and viruses into the country;

To add one or two articles on the incentives of the Assistance Fund to the Seed Sector (FASS) relating to the development of the seed sub-sector;

To include in the preamble the key elements of the seed policy that have already been agreed among stakeholders.

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-19230-haiti-agriculture-towards-a-haitian-seed-policy.html

HL/ HaitiLibre