NASC and PIND sign agreement to expand access to certified seeds
In Abuja, Nigeria, the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) and the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) signed a two-year memorandum of understanding. The agreement is intended to expand farmers’ access in the Niger Delta region to certified seeds and quality planting material. Premium Times Nigeria reports.
Certification and local enterprises
The parties agreed to develop seed production at the community level, strengthen certification and inspection, support local seed enterprises and attract investment into Nigeria’s domestic seed industry.
NASC will be responsible for certification and quality control, while PIND will handle enterprise development, technical assistance and the establishment of market linkages. NASC Director-General Fatuhu Muhammad said the cooperation would make quality-control services more accessible to farmers and seed producers and protect agricultural producers from low-quality planting material.
PIND Executive Director Sam Daibo noted that many farmers understand the benefits of quality seeds but cannot obtain certified material at the required time and place. According to him, the partnership is expected to strengthen local seed enterprises and help farmers develop more productive and commercially viable farms.
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Development of programmes in the Niger Delta
The memorandum formalizes cooperation that has continued since 2016 as part of a programme to create an economically sustainable cassava seed system. The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and the National Root Crops Research Institute also participated in the programme.
The new framework agreement provides for the distribution in the region of NASC-certified community-based seed multiplication, as well as licensed seed inspector programmes. Candidates are planned to be recruited from PIND networks, which include providers of farming and business services.
The partners are also expected to promote domestic production of tomato, pepper and cucumber seeds, as well as expand access to planting material for cassava, bananas and yams produced under the NASC PROSSIVA programme. The first major joint event is expected to be the 2026 Nigeria Seed Systems Forum in Abuja.
