One of the key barriers to achieving increased crop productivity in Nigeria is the quality of seed grown by farmers. Traditionally, seed quality has been monitored and certified by a central authority, which deploys seed certification officers to inspect and certify seed fields across the production areas. However, given the country’s size, crop diversity, and resource limitations, seed certification has been a persistent challenge for the certification authority.
Technological advancements are revolutionizing how seed fields are accessed, tracked, and certified. The National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) of Nigeria has integrated digital technology into the seed certification process, thereby increasing system efficiency and enhancing trust in the quality of its certified seeds. The digital tool being adopted by NASC, called the “Seed Tracker,” provides end-to-end enhanced transparency and traceability throughout the seed supply chain; enhancing confidence in investing in quality seeds for improved productivity.
Seed Tracker improves Effectiveness, Transparency, and Traceability
The Seed Tracker was developed by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) funded Building an Economically Sustainable and Integrated Cassava Seed System (BASICS) project as an electronic tool for seed certification of cassava.
At the onset, the system faced a lot of challenges, including technicalities, the inability of the seed producers to access the portal, and poor awareness of usage. Through the Collaborative Seed Programme (CSP), the Seed Tracker is now extended to include rice, maize and potato. The programme trained seed production managers of 23 seed companies to increase their technical capacities to use the system effectively. After the training, the companies kick-started their data uploads, allowing seed field inspection to go digital in Nigeria.
Testimonials from the participants
Lilian Daudu of Fruit and Veggies in Jos: “This training has been what we were waiting for, as we have been constrained to use the tracker by knowledge and access. Going forward we shall begin to seamlessly upload the necessary information”
Muhydeen Oyekunle of Mychoice seeds in Zaria: “This activity, as organized by CSP, will catalyze the use of digital seed certification in Nigeria.”
