ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of National Food Security and Research has informed a parliamentary committee that the inquiry commission investigating the sale of counterfeit seeds will share its findings next week.

Discussing the counterfeit seeds sale nationwide on Friday, the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research warned that this practice would drastically affect agricultural output and food security.

The committee’s chairman asked the secretary of national food security to provide the findings report, which would be thoroughly examined by the sub-committee headed by MNA Rana Muhammad Hayat.

The ministry was also requested to furnish a detailed report on the seed certification process, including information on the number of registered companies, the volume of seeds these companies are permitted to import, and other pertinent details.

The secretary briefed the committee on the Seed (Amendment) Bill 2024. It was informed that the Seed Act of 1976 and its subsequent amendment in 2015 were enacted following resolutions from the provincial assemblies and approvals as required by Article 144 of the Constitution.

The committee reached a unanimous decision, directing the ministry to send a letter to the provinces, requesting their feedback within 10 days, considering that agriculture is a provincial matter after the 18th Amendment and is not included in the Federal Legislative List. The committee believed effective implementation of this legislation would require prior consultation with the provinces.

The committee further explored the Seed (Amendment) Bill 2024, considering the input and concerns of the ministry and its affiliated departments. The ministry suggested that the food minister head the National Seed Development and Regulatory Authority. It also proposed that the authority include provincial ministers, in addition to the secretaries.

The Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) advised that the authority’s role should be limited to regulatory functions and not include development tasks, as managing both roles within a single entity could be ineffective.

Furthermore, PARC recommended that the chairman of the authority ideally hold a PhD in agriculture or a related field and has at least 20 years of experience. It emphasised that breeding is a research-based work best managed by the experts within the relevant departments.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2024