Zvamaida Murwira
Senior Reporter
The Government has appointed seed inspectors and analysts to test seed samples, check on purity, germination standards and quality compliance, as it intensifies drought mitigation measures under its six-pillar drought mitigation plan.
The inspectors and analysts are also empowered to inspect any seed, books, records or documents found on the premises, and to seize and detain any seed or documents that may provide evidence of a law violation.
Permanent Secretary for Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development, Professor Obert Jiri, announced the appointments in a Government Gazette published last Friday.
The crops covered include maize, wheat, sorghum, pearl millet, sunflower, African pea, soya beans, sugar bean, groundnuts and cowpea.
In an interview, Prof Jiri said agronomists needed to ensure observance of the Government’s six-pillar drought mitigation plan.
These pillars are: an enhanced Strategic Grain Reserve, accelerated climate-smart production, an integrated financing architecture, livestock drought mitigation, enhanced imports and coordination, early-warning systems, and capacity-building support.
“On El Niño season preparedness, the message to all agronomists employed by both the private sector and the Government, is to extend the message to all value chain players on the six pillars for drought mitigation, particularly on agro-ecological matching for crops and crop varieties, and climate-smart practices in moisture conservation, among others,” said Prof Jiri.
Outlining the importance of appointing seed inspectors and analysts, Prof Jiri said that, in terms of the Seed Act, all seed houses operating in Zimbabwe must be licensed by the Ministry responsible for Agriculture.
He said it was imperative that seed houses employ qualified technical staff for quality assurance in their seed multiplication and seed processing activities.
Prof Jiri said this was critical at a time when the country was bracing for El Niño, with subdued rainfall forecast for this summer cropping season.
“These are the seed inspectors/seed agronomists who are mainly involved in field seed multiplication activities, and the seed analysts who are mainly involved in laboratory seed testing activities. The training of seed inspectors and seed analysts is conducted by the Ministry’s Seed Services Institute,” said Prof Jiri.
“The training covers both the theory and practice of seed certification and quality assurance processes over a minimum period of two years, focusing on specific crop species that fall within the licensing scope of the employing seed house.”
He said after successful completion of the theory examinations and the requisite field visits, the Ministry publishes the authorised seed inspectors and seed analysts in the Government Gazette in terms of the Seed Act.
“However, all the activities of these gazetted inspectors employed by seed houses continue to be under the monitoring of the Ministry’s Seed Services Institute. What is important to note is that the authorisation of the seed inspectors and seed analysts is not permanent. They are required to do refresher courses every five years as a way of monitoring proficiency and to keep them abreast of international best practices,” said Prof Jiri.
“Zimbabwe’s seed certification system enjoys recognition by international standard-setting bodies. These are the International Seed Schemes and the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA). These bodies conduct regular technical and systems audits for the Ministry’s Seed Services Institute to maintain accreditation.”
He said the training of technical staff employed by seed houses is guided by internationally agreed standards.
“Regionally, our training module is also compliant with both the SADC and COMESA Harmonised Seed Regulatory Systems, which we have already domesticated as a country,” said Prof Jiri.
The Government has unveiled several drought-mitigation measures as the country braces for El Niño-induced weather conditions that might result in low yields.
