What happened
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has highlighted a set of measures to strengthen India’s seed sector and improve its global competitiveness. The stated focus is on research and development, climate-resilient crop varieties, quality seed production, traceability, and easier trade procedures.
According to the government, the National Agricultural Research and Education System (NARES) has supported varietal development through 56 Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Institutes, 48 State Agricultural Universities, 3 Central Agricultural Universities, and 39 All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Seed (Crops) centres.
Background and earlier position
India’s seed sector has long been governed by a regulatory mix of the Seeds Act, 1966, the Seeds Rules, 1968, and the Seeds (Control) Order, 1983 as amended. These instruments allow State Governments to regulate seed quality, inspect and test seeds, and act against sub-standard and spurious seeds.
The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights (PPV&FR) Act, 2001 created a framework for registering plant varieties and protecting breeders’ and farmers’ rights. The current release presents the PPV&FR regime as a central institutional pillar for India’s seed innovation system.
Related current affairs
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