'Myanmar Seed Alert Report' identifies the major challenges and actions for the Myanmar Seed Sector
The Integrated Seed Sector Development Myanmar program (ISSD-M) published on 1 May, 2020 the Seed Alert Report in the context of the Covid-19 crisis. The overarching goal of the report is to provide an insight into the current challenges and the constraints on the functioning of the seed sector in Myanmar. The report clearly highlights four alerts and most importantly it identifies a list of practical actions to be taken by the public and private stakeholders.
Four alerts
- Measures reduce the mobility of farmers and seed entrepreneurs, and thereby reduce farmers’ access to quality seed
- Measures affect regulatory functions in seed import, variety release, and registration
- Measures affect the affordability of quality seed for farmers
- Measures hamper the production and supply of early generation seed (EGS)
The area which results in the most severe negative impact is mobility for farmers to carry out sales and to reach to the informal markets. Cash availability and affordability are another pressing cases, followed by field operations, production and supply of early generation seed.
Suggested actions for the Myanmar Agriculture Ministry and its relevant departments, Regional and District Agricultural Offices, private sectors, entrepreneurs and associations are to promote the use of virtual and digital platforms like the mobile-based Quality Seed App, the Myanmar Seed Portal for seed import and variety registration. The report also draws attention to support improved access to agricultural loans including the extension of loan payment periods and lowering of bank interest rates for growers. Other proposed actions include organizing of public-private partnership and collaboration for data collection, sharing of registered seed and early generation seed. For further details, see the Myanmar Seed Alert Report.
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