Official Newsletter of the WANA Seed Network

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CONTRIBUTIONS from SEED PROGRAMS and PROJECTS

Cyprus Enacted New Seed Law

In view of the accession of Cyprus to the European Union in April 2004, the House of Representatives have adopted a new Seed Law in July 2002. The new Seed Law harmonizes all the activities in varieties and seeds with the European Union Acquis Communitaire. It sets out provisions for the admission of varieties of agricultural and horticultural crops to the National Catalogue of Varieties and then to the EU Common Catalogue. The European Union has granted Cyprus a transition period of five years during which existing varieties, which are not listed in the Common Catalogue, can be freely marketed in the local market.

The Law sets out provisions for seed certification of both agricultural and horticultural crops. It also allowed the sale of commercial seed of barley due to certain difficulties in meeting EU standards. The commercial barley seed, which at present is provided to farmers in case of certified seed shortage would be stopped, as marketing of such seed is not allowed in the EU.

The Seed Production Center of the Department of Agriculture will operate as an independent organization on equal terms with other private seed enterprises. Petros Xystouris, Seed Production Center, Department of Agriculture, Nicosia, Cyprus;
E-mail: doagrg@cytanet.com.cy

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Ethiopia Established a National Agricultural Input Authority

The National Agricultural Input Authority (NAIA) was established under the Proclamation Number 288/2002 in July 2002 following the merger of two independent organizations, the National Seed Industry Agency and the National Fertilizer Industry Agency. The Authority is entrusted with responsibility to implement and control the enforcement laws for production and trade of agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilizers and agricultural pesticides.

Goal and Objectives
The goal is to enhance the local production of agricultural inputs, ensure their timely availability with competitive prices so as to increase production and productivity and thereby enable agriculture to be the springboard for industrialization.

The objective of the Authority is to ensure that the production, supply, distribution and marketing of agricultural inputs are undertaken in efficient and effective manner, and capacity is built in the sector to benefit producers and the user community.

Powers and Duties
The Authority is responsible to:

• Formulate agricultural input policy and strategy based on national rural development policies and strategies and follow up the implementation thereof
• Implement agricultural input laws by establishing links with appropriate institutions
• Issue guidelines and procedures for agricultural input evaluation and release and monitor their implementation
• Issue guidelines and procedures for the proper formulation and preparation of agricultural inputs programs and projects in line with the development needs of the country
• Issue import and export permit for agricultural inputs
• Ensure the distribution of high quality agricultural input to users
• Provide assistance in market and demand forecast studies to enhance the development of the agricultural input industry
• Undertake studies and submit recommendations to the government to take the necessary actions to stabilize the price of agricultural inputs
• Provide necessary support in capacity building in production, marketing and distribution of agricultural inputs
• Promote public awareness to enhance the growth and development of the agricultural input industry
• Encourage active participation of the private sector in production and distribution of agricultural inputs
• Facilitate and ensure, in cooperation with the relevant organizations, the supply and availability of agricultural inputs
• Establish a central agricultural inputs database and information system

Organization
The NAIA comprises has three departments and five support services. The major departments and their activities are as follows:

Quality Inspection and Certification
Department

• Effect the implementation of agricultural input laws
• Issue permits for import and export of agricultural inputs; certificates for agricultural input manufacture and trade
• Issue guidelines and procedures for agricultural input evaluation and release and monitor their implementation
• Assure the distribution of high quality agricultural inputs to users

Planning and Programming Department

• Preparation, distribution and monitoring the budget and activities of the Authority
• Close follow up of the National Agricultural Input Project
• Soliciting funds for purchase of agricultural inputs especially fertilizers
• Issue guidelines and procedures for formulation and preparation of agricultural input programs and projects
• Formulate agricultural input policy and strategy based on the national program

Marketing Department

• Formulation of the crop season's agricultural input forecast
• Soliciting fund for purchase of agricultural inputs especially fertilizers
• Updating information on national and international agricultural input prices in particular and the agricultural input trade in general.

Inputs Covered
Agricultural inputs with respect to the current scope of the Authority are composed of:

a. Seed and planting material: mature ovule or the seed, bulbs, tubers, cuttings, or any other plant material used for the propagation of plants.

b. Fertilizer: any natural or industrial product of organic or inorganic origin containing one or more plant nutrients which could help to maintain/improve soil fertility.

c. Pesticide: any substance, chemical, compound or mixture thereof or a living organism intended for use as an agricultural input to prevent or control pests; excluding migratory pests.

Collaboration
NAIA closely works with various public, private and international organizations some of which include: (i) EARO; (ii) MoA; (iii) Regional Agricultural Bureaus; (iv) Cooperative Promotion Commission; (v) Educational institutes (for Agriculture); (vi) Quality and Standard Authority; (vii) Environmental Protection Authority; (viii) Ethiopian Seed Enterprise; (ix) International organizations (FAO, IDA, UNDP, ISTA, FAI, etc); (x) Seed producers, importers of agricultural inputs, investment offices; and (xi) Professional agricultural societies.

NAIA is located in Addis Ababa with eight branch offices for seed testing in four different administrative regions which may increase in number as the need may arise. Belay Semane, NAIA, P.O. Box 9197, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. E-mail: nsia@telecom.net.et or nfia-ethiopia @telecom.net.et

Ethiopia Released Three Tef Varieties

In another development the Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center of the Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organization has announced the release of three improved tef varieties selected from germplasm materials collected from Ethiopia. The improved varieties are Gerado, Koyu and Key Tena. The varieties are drought tolerant and can mature within 80 days and give a yield of up to 2 tonnes/ha. Ethiopia is known for the wealth of tef germplasm and the only country where the cereal crop is used as principal food crop. Tef ranks first among cereals in terms of area and production in the country. However, low productivity remains the major constraint where yields are as low as less than 1tonne per ha is common.

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