Proceedings of Review workshop on Creation of Seed-Hubs

Proceedings of Review workshop on Creation of Seed-Hubs for Increasing Indigenous Production of Pulses in India for the KVKs of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha & West Bengal

In a view to assess the performance of the KVKs implementing seed hub programme, a Review Workshop for KVKs of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha & West Bengal was conducted on 2^nd August, 2017 at ICAR-ATARI, Kolkata under the Chairmanship of Dr. N.P. Singh, Director, IIPR, Kanpur in the presence of Dr S. S. Singh, Director, ICAR-ATARI, Kolkata and other dignitaries. The list of participants is annexed.

The formal welcome address was delivered by Dr. S.S. Singh. He deliberated the importance of this flagship programme. Dr. P.P. Pal, Pr. Scientist, ATARI, Kolkata briefly presented the performance of 19 KVKs involved in seed hub programme including the expenditure statement and a few issues related to the programme.

Dr. N.P. Singh, the Chairman of the programme, briefed about the objectives of the workshop emphasising the detailed guidelines in which it should be conducted. The DEEs and Director Seed and Farms also discussed region specific issues regarding this programme. All the participating KVKs presented the status of the achievements during 2016-17 either through PPT or orally.

The following action points came out during the day- long interaction session:

• Opening of a separate bank A/C for KVK Saran, CISH Malda and Vaishali must be completed within a week. (Action: Concerned KVKs & DEE, RAU Pusa; Director, CISH Lucknow)
• Less than 10 year old variety and the variety listed in DAC guideline should be taken for seed production programme. (Action: All 19 KVKs)
• List of notified varieties for the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal to be made available to the KVKs. (Action: ICAR-IIPR, Kanpur)
• 30% seed replacement rate should be targeted. (Action: All 19 KVKs)
• Seed sources must be authenticated before procurement of seeds.(Action: All 19 KVKs)
• Minimum seed standards prescribed for certified seed production should be followed and State Seed Certification Agencies will monitor and certify quality of seed. (Action: All 19 KVKs & ICAR- IIPR, Kanpur)
• Care must be taken by Seed-Hubs to ensure genetic purity of seed (Action: All 19 KVKs & Director, Seed & Farms of SAUs)
• Infrastructure @Rs. 50 lakh per Seed-Hub (Seed Storage Facility & Seed Processing Plant) is allotted, structure must be constructed on priority and in no case the budget should exceed .All 19 KVKs must complete infrastructure development before onset of rabi 2017. (Action: All 19 KVKs; DEEs of SAUs; Director, CISH Lucknow)
• Revolving fund @ Rs. 100 lakh should be utilized in production, procurement, processing, manpower deployment etc. A skilled person should be appointed for monitoring seed production programme with a monthly remuneration of Rs.10, 000/-. The manpower engagement rate should be uniform for each and every KVK. (Action: All 19 KVKs & DEE of SAUs)
• The procurement rate may be finalized after assessing the market price prevailed in the Seed-Hub districts during last two months through a committee constituted by the Competent Authority of KVKs. (Action: All 19 KVKs & concerned host organization)
• The produce can be procured from farmers offering 10-20% higher rate than the average of last one month’s market rate and MSP at the time of purchase. The rate can be fixed either for raw produce or graded one as per mutual agreement among stakeholders. (Action: All 19 KVKs)
• Universities should discuss with State Department of Agriculture and State Seed Corporation for use/purchase quality certified seed produced by Seed-Hubs in different promotional programs.(Action: DEEs / Director of Seed & Farms of SAUs)
• ICAR- IIPR Kanpur will take initiative to link NSC for purchasing of seeds from the seed-hubs: each Seed-Hub should submit information to NSC about crop(s) and variety (ies) along with quantity of foundation/certified seed to be produced. (Action: All 19 KVKs and ICAR- IIPR Kanpur)
• All the KVKs should purchase seeds from Seed Hub for CFLD & FLD programme. (Action: DEEs of SAUs)
• Registration for quality seed (F/S and C/S) is to be done at state seed certification agency. (Action: All 19 KVKs)
• Director of Seed & Farms should register the farmers producing seed under seed hub with National Seed Cooperation. (Action: Director of Seed & Farms of SAUs)
• Four KVKs namely Lakhisarai, Muger, Vaishali & Dumka did not give power point presentation on their performance in Seed- Hub in spite of strict instruction. The matter should be looked into by the DEEs (Action: concerned DEEs)
• Seed certification process must be completed by all KVKs at the earliest (Action: All 19 KVKs)
• Overall production and status of expenditure were below expectation which should be looked into. (Action: All 19 KVKs & DEEs of SAUs)
• KVKs should submit progress report and expenditure statement to ICAR- ATARI, Kolkata on a regular basis to keep abridge the national coordinator.(Action: ICAR- ATARI, Kolkata)
  Apart from the above mentioned points, the following issues were also highlighted:

1. Seed certification and renewal of certification is mandatory.
2. In case of any change of programme approval must be obtained from IIPR, Kanpur.
3. Varieties notified for a particular state should only be taken for seed production programme
4. Avoidance of admixture in produced seed should be given attention.
5. There should be a same tender for KVKs under single organization for creation of infrastructure
6. Submission of utilization certificate by the KVKs / Host organizations to ICAR-IIPR, Kanpur will lead to next instalment of fund

The meeting ended with formal vote of thanks.

Annexure

List of participants attending Review workshop on Creation of Seed-Hubs for Increasing Indigenous Production of Pulses in India for the KVKs of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha & West Bengal