LAHORE: The Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFS&R) claims significant progress in institutional reforms and modernisation initiatives aimed at strengthening Pakistan’s seed sector and ensuring nationwide availability of quality, certified seed for farmers.

To address long-standing structural issues—including fragmented seed policies, weak regulatory oversight, limited access to improved and climate-resilient varieties, and outdated certification mechanisms—the government enacted the Seed (Amendment) Act, 2024, says a press release of the ministry.

Under the act, the National Seed Development and Regulatory Authority (NSDRA) was established as a specialised body mandated to enhance regulatory oversight, promote varietal development, and ensure the supply of genetically true-to-type seed.

As part of the reforms, the Federal Seed Certification & Registration Department (FSC&RD) was integrated into NSDRA. The transition involved strategic rightsizing to optimise human resources and strengthen technical capacity, enabling the authority to function as an efficient, performance-oriented regulator across the seed value chain, it says.

For digital transformation, an MIS-based digital system has been introduced to provide end-to-end traceability of seed sector activities, including registration and renewal of seed companies, variety approval, registration of nurseries and seed processing plants, fruit plant certification, internationally accredited seed testing, and market monitoring.

The Truth in Labelling Scheme has also been notified and implemented to promote transparency and accountability through performance-based regulation.

On the policy front, NSDRA has submitted the National Seed Policy 2025 and the Agriculture Biotechnology Policy 2025, along with crop-specific strategies. Regulatory enforcement has led to the cancellation of 430 non-compliant seed companies, while a new categorisation system has been introduced based on research and development capacity and technology adoption. Internationally harmonized certification protocols have been developed for olive, mango, and citrus crops.

The authority has also regulated the inter-provincial movement of 221,731 tonnes of wheat seed, improving certified seed availability across provinces and contributing to higher seed replacement rates, including 67 percent in Sindh during the current Rabi season.

Research coordination and varietal innovation have been strengthened through the digital revamping and activation of the Variety Evaluation Committee (VEC) across major crops. During FY 2024–25, 208 improved crop varieties were approved, covering wheat, rice, cotton, maize, fodder, cereals, oilseeds, and horticultural crops. A dedicated VEC fund disbursement mechanism has been established to ensure timely support for varietal trials and approvals.

Additionally, NSDRA facilitated the import of elite germplasm from CGIAR centers, including CIMMYT, and convened a national consultation with heads of agricultural research institutions on Dec 3, 2025, to develop a unified roadmap for varietal research and development.

The ministry stated that these reforms are part of a broader effort to enhance regulatory effectiveness, institutional capacity, and coordination across the seed sector, ultimately improving farmer access to high-quality seed, boosting agricultural productivity, and strengthening national food security.

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2025