SEED SYSTEM IN NEPAL

Nepalese seed system comprises two seed system first one informal seed system and also called the farmers seed system. It includes the majority share of the Nepalese seed system and another is a formal seed system. The contribution of the formal seed system to the total sector is very low. There is often a mismatch between the crop variety in demand by the farmers and seed variety in offer by the formal sector.   

In informal seed system seeds are produced and preserved by the farmers themselves for the subsequent planting. The seeds are bartered within the farmers as the informal network exists in this system for seed flow. This is also called the social seed system and acknowledged as a means for the maintenance of local crop diversity (Shrestha, 2012).

The formal seed system in Nepal is characterized by the production, processing and distribution of registered varieties in demand with the precise quality control mechanism. Transaction wise formal seed system at present contributes more than 90 percent in Nepalese seed system and function as a leader in spreading new varieties (Seed Vision, 2013-2025). In formal seed system breeders seed are produced by NARC and other source seeds from stations under the department of agriculture, contract seed production by National Seed Cooperation, private seed companies (eg; Annapurna Seed Company Pvt. Ltd. SEA seed Pvt. Ltd.), in some cases farmers cooperatives (Budan Cooperatives Ltd., Bardiya, Udhyamshil Cooperatives Ltd., Dang) and non-government organizations (eg; CEAPRED, Kathmandu, Li￾BIRD, Pokhara, FORWARD, Chitwan). In addition, several program play important role in seed production and distribution system such District Level Seed Self Sufficiency Program (DISPRO), Community based seed production program and government and donor-funded projects also add into the formal seed system in Nepal.

There are also concerns on seed qualities and timely delivery of the seeds which reflects the lower productivity and in turn food insecurity. In addition, marketing of quality seed has been facing a devastating problem like; some farmers groups and cooperatives involved in seed production and marketing are forced to sale seeds for the feed purpose. This is because the seed value chain has not been strengthened enough, some value chain participants are still out of the seed value chain and more importantly, this business has not yet been commercialized in Nepal.