Research
and Training Activities, Seed Publications and International Collaborations
The department has professional expertise to
offer training on various aspects of seed production and certification.
A total of sixteen training courses has been conducted with the
collaboration of FAO/DANIDA, ICARDA and UPOV. The department has
conducted a week long training program with the help of ICARDA for
private seed industry at Multan from 22nd to 25th
February, 2000. More than 100 professionals have been given training.
In addition to this, the department has also imparted two week training
to a group of professional from Afghanistan. FSC&RD is the leading
institution in making available more than 100 scientific papers,
published in reputed national and international journal. Twenty
books/proceeding has also been published. Training imparted on the
following disciplines.
- Seed Technology.
- Seed Health Testing.
- Plant Breeders Rights.
- WTO Agreement and ISO 17025.
Introduction
Seed Technology and seed production
program in its present discipline is comparatively late arrival
in Pakistan. It needs sound back up of teaching and research system
to strengthen the seed activities on scientific lines. Presently
teaching and research in seed technology has been initiated as part
of courses of Agronomy in various academic institutions. In order
to sustain the future seed industry and strengthen private seed
sector, trained manpower in the subject of seed technology will
be essentially required. So initiation of independent degree courses
and research projects in seed technology is the need of time. Any
how, the Federal Seed Certification & Registration Department
has been managing the training of its professional/technical staff
from relevant international organizations/universities as the same
was not available locally.
Research and Training Activities
It is the mandatory responsibility
of the Federal Seed Certification & Registration Department
to develop training programs for the personals engaged in seed programmes.
The department has been able to organize sixteen international and
national seminars/training courses, mentioned below:
S.No. |
Name of seminar/training
course |
Sponsorship/ collaboration |
Duration and Locality |
1. |
Training course on implementation of Seed
Act, 1976. |
FAO/DANIDA & FSCD |
September, 12-13, 1984, Lahore. |
2. |
Regional Seminar on design and implementation
of government seed program. |
-do- |
March, 3-7, 1984, Islamabad. |
3. |
National Training Course on Seed Potato
Technology. |
-do- |
April, 5-16, 1987, Islamabad. |
4. |
National Training Course on Vegetable Seed
Technology. |
-do- |
March, 18-29, 1987, Islamabad. |
5. |
National Training Course on Seed Pathology. |
-do- |
January, 10-21, 1988, Islamabad. |
6. |
National Training Course on Maize Seed Technology. |
-do- |
March, 27, April, 7, 1988,Islamabad. |
7. |
2nd National Training Course on Seed Potato
Technology. |
-do- |
March, 11-22, 1990, Islamabad. |
8. |
Train the Trainers Course on Legume Seed
Production. |
ICARDA & FSCD |
April, 5-14, 1994, Sahiwal. |
9. |
Follow up training program for Train the
Trainers Course on Legume Seed Production. |
FSCD |
December, 5-8, 1994, Islamabad. |
10. |
Train the Trainers course on Post Harvest
Handling of Oilseed Crops. |
FSCD & NODP |
December, 15, 1994, Islamabad. |
11. |
National Seminar on the nature of rational
for the protection of plant varieties under the UPOV convention. |
UPOV & NSRD |
November, 29, 1994, lslamabad/ Rawalpindi. |
12. |
Train the Trainer course on Food Legume
Seed Health Testing. |
ICARDA & FSCD |
March, 16-20, 1995,Islamabad. |
13. |
National Training Course on Morphological
variety description. |
ICARDA & NSRD |
March,28 and April,3 1995, Rawalpindi. |
14. |
Training in Seed Technology “Seed
Testing and Crop Inspection Procedures”.(For Afghan
Trainees). |
FAO & FSC&RD |
May, 4-15, 1998, Islamabad. |
15. |
Training course on management issues for
emerging private seed sector in Pakistan. |
ICARDA & FSC&RD |
February, 22-25, 2000, Multan. |
16. |
Training Course on “Quality Seed Potato
Production in Northern Areas”. |
FSC& RD/ AKRSP |
September 2-4, 2002 Gilgit.. |
Table-1 Number of seminars/training
courses conducted by FSC&RD
More than 150 professionals
both from public and private sector have been trained. Rapid development
and active role of private sector has attracted the researchers
to work on problems related to seed technology and seed production.
More than five hundred seed professionals both from public and private
sector are now engaged directly or indirectly with seed industry.
Seed Publications
Scientific publications and
availability of literature on seed technology remain a bottleneck
in creating awareness and fast development in seed sector. Currently,
there is not even a single publication of scientific seed journal
in the country. Federal Seed Certification & Registration Department
is the leading institution in producing more than 150 scientific
publications and 25 books, proceedings and reports in the field
of seed technology (List of Publications).
International Collaboration
Seed Industry in developing
countries is getting new momentum. Private sector is entering in
seed business in a big way. Seed production and seed technology
is highly integrated process which involve comprehensive approach
based on various allied disciplines of Bio-sciences and other fields.
In this scenario, international collaboration with the developed
world can help in fast acquisition of new technology. Multinational
seed companies have played very important role in the introduction
of hybrid seed technology and investment in seed processing plants.
Corporate culture of free market economy is sensitizing the multinational
seed companies to establish joint venture with the national private
seed sector. Since Pakistan has one of the largest volume of private
sector so it needs extensive training in various fields of seed
technology. However, public sector seed professionals can play a
significant role in imparting training to private seed sector.
Area of
Cooperation
A)
With the availability of present research and training facility,
Pakistan Seed Industry can co-operate in seed production and seed
industry of the WANA region, SAARC and ASIAN countries. The possible
areas of cooperation is as under:-
- The production method of pre-basic seed of wheat, cotton,
rice and pulses etc.
- Training facilities covering agronomy and techniques for seed
multiplication and seed increase from breeders to certified
seed.
- Field inspectors course (2-3 weeks) for wheat, paddy and cotton
crops.
- Short-term training in seed processing, seed treatment and
packing etc.
- Short-term (2-3 months) training course in seed testing and
certification of major crops.
- Short-term training course (2 weeks) in variety registration
and release system.
- Short-term training course (4-5 weeks) in seed health testing
for fungal, bacterial, and nematode viral seed-borne diseases.
- Export of seed processing plants/units from Pakistan and its
manufacturing on small scale handling of seed processing.
- One week training course on monitoring of seed quality at
the port of entry (testing of imported seeds).
B) Seed
industry of Pakistan have developed manifold which needs further
training and expertise in specialized field. The professionals of
Pakistan need cooperation in the following areas:-
- One week training course for execution in
regulating a small scale private seed sector.
- Training course on modern techniques for
identifying crop varieties e.g. electrophoresis and DNA finger
printing.
- Degree course in Biotechnology and genetic
engineering.
- Seed health training course for most modern
serological technique for identification of virus and bacterial
diseases.
- Short-term training (2-3 months) in execution
of Plant Breeders Rights.
- 3 to 4 weeks training course for data base skill.
International Collaborating
Organizations
In the past, Pakistan seed industry
has enjoyed very fruitful collaboration with the following international
organizations:-
- International seed testing association (ISTA,
Switzerland).
- FAO/DANIDA and Danish Government Institute
of Seed Pathology for Developing Countries. Copenhagen, Denmark.
- IPO-DLO Waganingen, The Netherlands.
- Mississippi state University, USA.
- International Union of Plant variety Protection (UPOV), Geneva
ROM.
- International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas
(ICARDA), Aleppo, Syria.
Collaboration
with these organization is still very active. FSC&RD has chalked
out a series of training programs with ICARDA for the private seed
sector in the country. The department is actively associated with
UPOV and WIPO/TRIP to meet the obligations of world trade organization
(WTO).
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