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The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security’s Regional Rice Value Chain Project on Wednesday, 7th August 2024, engaged seed actors at the Project office in Bo district to discuss challenges and strategies related to the multiplication of certified seeds.
The meeting aimed to address the current seed rice situation affecting rice productivity and to collaborate with Apex Bank to secure funds for importing foundation seeds and producing certified seeds.
The Project Coordinator emphasized the importance of certified seeds in increasing rice production and highlighted the need for collaboration with Africa Rice, SLARI, and SLeSCA.
He stressed that the ‘Feed Salone’ program requires all seed actors to work together to ensure the availability of the right seeds to boost yields per hectare.
Dr. Momoh Yusif Turay, a Consultant Seed Expert at the Ministry, reiterated the necessity of certified seeds over grains for improving rice production. He mentioned that the Ministry and SLeSCA prefer local seed production over importation to benefit domestic farmers. SLARI is tasked with producing homegrown seeds suitable for different ecologies to ensure increased rice production.
Ibrahim Mansaray , Head of Administration at SLeSCA, expressed the agency’s commitment to working with seed actors to produce certified seeds while opposing seed importation to support local farmers.
He noted that RRVCP funding has enabled the training of seed vendors and master farmers nationwide.
Mohamed Kamara, Head of Agribusiness at Apex Bank, explained the bank’s role in supervising community banks, and they have introduced the Islamic Microfinance product. He assured that the bank is ready to support seed actors through the project, provided they adhere to the guidelines.
Seed actors shared their challenges, particularly the lack of access to foundation seeds for multiplication. They expressed hope that funding from Apex Bank through the project would help increase seedling production in the country.
