13th National Seed Congress 2024: ‘Suggestions from meet to act as blueprint for buttressing UP seed systems’

Minister of state for horticulture, agriculture marketing, agriculture foreign trade, and agriculture export, Dinesh Pratap Singh, said that the deliberations and recommendations from the 13th National Seed Congress 2024 will act as a blueprint for strengthening Uttar Pradesh’s seed systems and making the state a hub for quality seed production.
“Uttar Pradesh is blessed with diverse agro-climatic conditions, a large agricultural base, and dedicated farmers. With the right strategies, we can empower farmers by providing them access to better-quality seeds, including hybrids, biofortified crops, and vegetable seeds, which will boost productivity and profitability,” he said.
He was speaking at the concluding ceremony of the meet at the shared campus of IRRI South Asia Regional Centre, and National Seed Research and Training Centre (NSRTC), Varanasi, after three days of discussions aimed at transforming the Indian seed sector.
The theme was “Innovating for a Sustainable Seed Ecosystem.” The Congress witnessed over 700 participants from India and abroad.
Singh said, “I am particularly encouraged by the discussions on developing seed parks, enhancing public-private partnerships, and empowering farmers as seed entrepreneurs. The outcomes of these deliberations will be implemented with the full support of the state government to ensure food security, economic growth, and the welfare of our farmers, ” he added.
Dr Yvonne Pinto, director-general, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI); Dr KV Raju, economic advisor to the chief minister; and Dr Panjab Singh, chancellor, Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University and former director-general of ICAR, participated in the deliberations.