The National Seed Trade Association of Ghana (NASTAG) has called for a comprehensive review of the country’s 2013 Seed Policy, highlighting the need to align it with advances in agricultural technology and stimulate investment in the local seed industry.
Speaking at the 6th Ghana Seed Business Forum in Accra, Mr Mubarak Seidu Abdulai, NASTAG President, said the policy, which has guided Ghana’s seed sector for over a decade, no longer adequately addresses current challenges and opportunities.
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“It’s been 12 years since the policy was introduced. We need to holistically review it, take stock of what has worked, and determine what new directions are required, especially considering climate change and modern biotechnology,” he stated.
Organised by NASTAG in collaboration with the National Seed Council (NSC), the forum brought together policymakers, seed producers, researchers, and investors to explore strategies for strengthening the seed value chain and attracting private sector investment.
Mr Abdulai noted that the existing policy had left gaps in irrigation, seed storage, cold chain systems, and capacity building, contributing to low productivity and a continued reliance on imported certified seeds.
“The continuous importation of seeds we can produce locally is costing us foreign exchange, creating job losses, and weakening our research and regulatory institutions,” he said. He added that a strong local seed sector would create jobs and enable Ghana to control what is grown and consumed.
The Association recommended that the government consider a temporary ban on seeds that can be produced locally, or impose higher tariffs on imports, with the proceeds reinvested in the domestic seed industry to improve competitiveness and sustainability.
Professor Michael Osae, Director of the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, noted that many high-yielding and climate-resilient crop varieties developed by Ghanaian researchers have yet to reach farmers due to limited local production capacity.
He highlighted new cowpea and soybean varieties from the University for Development Studies and the Savannah Agricultural Research Institute, as well as fall armyworm-resistant and nutrient-enriched maize and cassava varieties.
“Less than 20 per cent of the crop varieties developed in Ghana are currently being utilised. This shows there is room for investors to partner with research institutions to commercialise these seeds and make them available to farmers,” Prof. Osae said, adding that private sector engagement would bridge the gap between research and commercial production, ultimately improving food security in Ghana.
