The National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC),  is to train farmers, seed producers and dealers on quality seed use and production to boost food security.

Mr Bulus Sule, the Regional Director, NASC, North East Zone, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Thursday.

Sule said that the training was necessitated by the need to enlighten farmers on the numerous advantages of using certified seeds.

He said that the beneficiaries would be trained how to identify and  obtain certified seeds.

He said that any seed that had not been certified by the council and labelled should be called grains, adding that seed must go through laboratory examination and screening before being certified.

According to him, seed production and use are important aspects of agriculture that must be given attention to improve yields and boost productivity in the country.

Sule said that NASC would continue to ensure that only quality seeds of improved variety are distributed to the Nigerian farmers by regulating and supervising the production of seeds of improved variety.

“This we do to complement the effort of the Federal Government to boost productivity and ensure that farmers get more from using improved seeds which will in turn enhance the agricultural sector.

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“ We want to train the farmers this November. We will be inviting farmers from North East, seed companies and other stakeholders for a two-day training on quality and improved seeds use and production.

“During the wet season, we do train major stakeholders; the training now is to prepare farmers and seed producers ahead of the dry season which starts soon.The training will hold in the second week of November.

“Since the farmers are the ones to use the seeds, we are going to tell them what to look out for when procuring seeds. The quality of seeds should be their paramount concern if they really care about productivity,” he said.

He said that quality of seeds determine productivity.

“That’s why the Federal Government is concerned about  farmers  using certified seeds that can yield more per hectare and enhance more profit for farming,’’ he said.

Sule appealed to farmers to use certified seeds from approved seed dealers, licensed by the council, adding that there were more benefits from using improved seeds.

He, therefore, warned seeds dealers to desist from selling fake seeds, saying  that his council was ready to rid the market of fake seeds.

He said that  the council had been carrying out surveillance in that regard. (NAN)