The Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, Mariano Assanami Sabino, signed off on the final draft of the National Seed Policy at an official handover ceremony last Monday.

The Chairman of the NSP Working Group, National Director for Agriculture and Horticulture, Gil Rangel da Cruz, formally submitted the final draft to the Minister in a simple ceremony witnessed by members of the multi-stakeholder NSP Working Group.

IMG_0772

Minister Sabino (left) receives the final draft of the NSP from National Director, Gil Rangel da Cruz (right) and SoL Team Leader, John Dalton (centre)

The Working Group developed the NSP with inputs from the USC-Canada Regional Representative and Scientific Advisor, Pratap Shrestha, and representatives from the government, NGOs, farmer’s groups and Timor-Leste’s academia over 12 District and two national level consultation workshops.

“The consultative process used to develop this policy is a great model,” said Shrestha. “Other countries developing national seed policies would do well to learn and follow this model too.”

Following the review and adoption of the NSP by the government, a National Seed Law, regulations and implementing guidelines will be developed in consultation with farmers, traders and all other stakeholders.

“Other countries developing national seed policies would do well to learn and follow this model too.”

These will be used to guide the operation of the National Seed System, ensuring farmers across Timor-Leste have good quality seeds of proven varieties of staple and other crops in hand at planting time.

Minister Sabino applauded the policy and the positive impact it will have on farming families and seed security and sovereignty in Timor-Leste.

“This seed policy is very important, it ensures our food security and means that farming families can use good quality local seed and we don’t have to rely on seed from outside the country,” he said.