Seeds – Significance & Challenges – Explained Pointwise

In agriculture, the fundamental input is the seed, which is more than just a mere grain. Unlike grains, seeds encompass living embryos nestled within supporting or food storage tissues. Seeds prioritize the biological essence, emphasizing the living organism within, whereas grains emphasize the economic yield of the supporting tissue.

Introduction:

• Seed plays an important role in farming due to its characteristics, Seeds are not just inert grains; they contain living organisms crucial for plant growth.
• As per Seed Act 1966, Seed means any of the following classes of seeds:
  1. Used for sowing or planting, seed of food crops including edible oil seeds and seeds of fruits and vegetables,
  2. Cotton seeds;
  3. Seeds of cattle fodder;
  4. Jute seeds include seedlings, tubers, bulbs, rhizomes, roots, cuttings, all types of grafts and other vegetatively propagated material, of food crops or cattle fodder.
• Seed Replacement Rate (SRR):
  • Measures how much of the total cropped area was sown with certified seeds in comparison to farm saved seeds.
  • Higher the Seed Replacement Ratio, higher is production as well as productivity.
• Regulation ensures the quality, safety, and integrity of seeds, safeguarding farmers’ investments and ensuring consistent yields.

Types of Seeds:

Seed Supply Chain:

Significance of Seeds for Agriculture:

1. Determinant of Crop Yield & Quality:
   • High-quality seeds contribute 20–25% directly to crop yields and, when combined with proper management, can boost total productivity up to 45%.
   • Improved and certified seeds lead to better plant vigor, uniformity, and enhanced resistance against pests and diseases, ultimately resulting in higher output and quality produce.
2. Driver of Agricultural Innovation:
   • Use of hybrid, genetically improved, and biofortified seeds enables adoption of high-yielding and stress-tolerant varieties.
   • Seeds are central to the dissemination of new technologies such as drought-tolerant, pest-resistant, and climate-resilient crop varieties, supporting sustainable agriculture.
3. Food Security: Timely and affordable access to quality seeds is critical in ensuring food security for India’s large population.
4. Risk Management: Quality seeds help farmers manage risks from biotic and abiotic stresses—like droughts, floods, and pest outbreaks—by providing greater yield stability.
5. Input Cost: Better seeds mean less need for chemical inputs (fertilizers, pesticides), lowering cultivation costs and minimizing environmental impact.
6. Environmental Benefits: Improved seed systems support diversified cropping, value-added crops, and market-oriented production, boosting farm income and export potential.
7. Foundation of Rural Prosperity: The availability of quality seeds is the bedrock of farm success, enabling small and marginal farmers to participate in productivity gains, poverty reduction, and rural development.

Challenges related to seeds:

1. Limited Access to Quality Seeds: Many farmers, especially smallholders, rely on farm-saved or uncertified seeds, leading to poor yields, low resistance to pests/diseases, and inconsistent quality. The availability of certified, hybrid, or improved seeds is uneven across regions and crops.
2. High Cost (Affordability Issue): Hybrid and biofortified seeds often cost significantly more than traditional varieties, creating affordability barriers for resource-poor farmers. Lack of credit and input subsidies further restricts access for marginal farmers.
3. Counterfeit & Substandard Seeds: The market is sometimes flooded with counterfeit, spurious, or low-quality seeds, particularly in high-demand seasons. Poor enforcement of seed quality standards and lack of awareness among farmers increases risk of crop failure.
4. Storage Challenges: Poor seed storage infrastructure leads to loss of viability, higher rates of decay, and wastage—especially among small producers.
5. Distribution Bottlenecks: Inadequate seed distribution networks (especially in remote/rainfed areas) cause shortages and seasonal mismatch.
6. Regulatory Issues: Delays in variety approval, seed certification, and complex regulatory procedures impede market entry for new, improved seeds.
7. Intellectual Property & Legal Hurdles:
   • Limited access to information, extension services, and demonstration plots hampers adoption of stress-resilient, hybrid, and climate-smart seed varieties.
   • Research-extension gaps mean many advances in seed technology do not reach farmers in time.

Government initiatives for seeds:

1. Seed Legislation: The seed industry in India has been governed by several legislative & policy frameworks such as Seed Act (1966), Seed Rules (1968), Seed (Control) Order (1983), New Policy on Seed Development (1988), Plants, Fruits & Seeds (Regulation of Import into India) Order (1989), Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Right Act (2001), and the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 including Seeds (1955), National Seed Policy (2002), and Seed Bill (2004).
2. National Seed Policy 2002:
   • Sets the framework for quality assurance, production, certification, and distribution of seeds across varieties and crops.
   • Focuses on protecting farmers’ rights, encouraging private innovation, and improving availability of high-yielding and resilient seeds.
3. National Mission on Seeds & Planting Material:
   • Aims to increase production and supply of certified/hybrid seed, promote breeder and foundation seed multiplication, and strengthen public sector seed farms.
   • Supports seed hubs and demonstration plots to fast-track adoption of improved varieties.
4. PM Fasal Bima Yojana Synergy: While primarily a crop insurance scheme, it complements quality seed initiatives by reducing farmers’ risk in trying new or improved seed varieties.
5. Seed Mini-Kit Programme: Distributes free/highly subsidized minikits of improved seed varieties (especially in pulses, oilseeds, and coarse cereals) to showcase performance and encourage adoption, especially among smallholders and in rainfed/difficult areas.
6. Seed Certification & Distribution:
   • The government, through State Seed Certification Agencies and the National Seed Corporation, strictly enforces certified seed production, testing, labeling, and market surveillance to curb substandard and spurious seeds.
   • Digital tools and the National Seed Traceability System (NSTS) improve transparency and track the seed supply chain.
7. Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights (PPV&FR) Act, 2001: Initiatives for faster variety registration, IPR protection under Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights (PPV&FR) Act, and simplified field trial procedures.
8. Indian Seed Vault:
   • It is the second such seed bank in the world after the one at Norwegian Arctic island of Svalbard.
   • The gene bank was created at Chang-La, 75 km from Leh in Ladakh.
   • Another Seed Bank in India for long term storage of seeds is maintained in New Delhi by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) but that runs a huge electricity bill for refrigeration.
   • Currently holds 5,000 seeds of vegetables and crops developed and grown by the defence scientists.

Way Forward:

1. Enhance Quality Assurance and Enforcement:
   • Strengthen certification systems and market surveillance to eliminate substandard and counterfeit seeds.
   • Expand digital platforms like National Seed Traceability System for transparent tracking from production to sale.
2. Promote Innovation and Research:
   • Invest in development of climate-resilient, biofortified, and hybrid seeds suited for diverse agro-ecological zones.
   • Facilitate collaboration between public research institutions and the private sector for rapid variety development and adoption.
3. Increase Seed Replacement Rate and Adoption:
   • Set ambitious seed replacement targets and incentivize adoption through minikits, demonstrations, and targeted subsidies, especially in rainfed/remote regions.
   • Encourage adoption of new varieties via extension services and capacity-building initiatives.
4. Strengthen Distribution and Accessibility:
   • Improve last-mile distribution channels and infrastructure to ensure timely, affordable access of quality seeds to all regions, especially for small and marginal farmers.
   • Leverage digital ordering and agri-tech platforms for seed availability updates and farmer support.
5. Support Farmer Awareness and Training:
   • Scale up farmer training, field demonstrations, and digital extension to increase knowledge about benefits of improved and certified seeds.
   • Promote awareness of seed quality, proper storage, and the risks of using uncertified seeds.
6. Policy and Regulatory Reform:
   • Streamline variety registration, approval procedures, and IPR protection to encourage private innovation and rapid market entry.
   • Enforce effective grievance redressal mechanisms and simplify availing government schemes.

Conclusion:
Recognizing the significance of seeds as living entities and implementing effective regulations is essential for sustainable agriculture and food security.