Decentralizing seed quality assurance in Nigeria will help to improve the quality and sustainability of seed supply to farmers in rural areas which are commonly harder to reach. Emerging lessons show decentralizing seed quality assurance can empower stakeholders and promote self-reliance, meeting their unique needs. This also allows seed producers to take more active roles in ensuring seed quality. Overcoming the challenges experienced within the centralised Nigerian system was identified as essential within the National Seed Road Map (NSRM) and is therefore being tackled by the Collaborative Seed Programme (CSP), which is actively proffering solutions through its “Decentralized Seed Quality Assurance” topic.
Sharing insights from Nigerian and Dutch experiences
In search of effective solutions, members of the CSP involved in the Decentralized Seed Quality Assurance (DSQA) topic undertook a study visit to the Netherlands. This visit aimed to explore the country’s models of private seed certification and evaluate how these practices could be adapted to enhance the seed certification system in Nigeria. Four representatives from key Nigerian institutions and organisation—the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC), the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), and Sahel Consulting—participated in this study tour. The visit was facilitated by experts from the Wageningen University & Research (WUR).
The team engaged with experts both at the Netherlands Agricultural Inspection Service (NAK), which focuses on Seed Quality Assurance (SQA) of field crops, including potatoes; and Naktuinbouw, which focuses on SQA of vegetables. In addition, they visited the private seed companies Agrico, looking at the internal system of seed potato quality assurance, Syngenta and Rijk Zwaan, looking at SQA internal processes for vegetable crops. The NIHORT team member further joined a specific training on tomato seed certification at Naktuinbouw.
The study visit provided the topic team members with a good understanding of the various seed quality assurance models employed in the Netherlands. This experience facilitated the development of pilot programmes in Nigeria, focusing on alternative third-party seed certification models and the creation of a comprehensive Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) for ensuring the quality of tomato seeds. The insights gained were invaluable, and several team members shared their feedback on the impact of the visit.
Dr. Monsur Abdulrafiu of NIHORT stated, “The training at Naktuinbouw exposed me to the Dutch diagnostic protocols for tomato, and the interaction helped shape my thoughts to achieve the completion of the tomato standard operating protocol for Nigeria, which has been hanging for too long.”
Dr. Osho-Lagunju Bankole of NASC further elaborated on the impact of the study visit: “The study visit gave me robust insights into the expectations of international seed companies in terms of quality assurance processes for seed potato and vegetable seeds. This is an eye-opener for standardizing our operations as a regulatory agency for seeds in Nigeria.”
As Nigeria continues its journey towards establishing a reliable and sustainable seed sector, the study visit – as part of the wider DSQA initiative – serves as a crucial stepping stone. By fostering partnerships with the Dutch seed sector actors and other key stakeholders, and by emulating exemplary models like those in the Netherlands, Nigeria can elevate its seed quality assurance systems to meet global standards. The path forward requires sustained collaboration and a commitment to excellence, ensuring a thriving agricultural sector driven by improved access to quality seeds of improved varieties to farmers farmers.
