Quality seed and adequate regulation, the key for agro-alimentary self-sufficiency

The president of the Mexican Seed Association ( AMSAC ), Angel Saavedra , said that “in order to ensure agri-food self-sufficiency, Mexico must have quality seeds and an i ntegral regulati on that helps to create an efficient production and distribution ” during the 2018 AMSAC Convention , in Los Cabos, Baja California Sur.

In the opening ceremony, AMSAC contributes to food self-sufficiency by relying on innovation , plant breeding , and seed protection because it "will give us the quality that the producer is looking for in seeds".

He said he considers that it is necessary to harmonize the sector with a regulation : "we need to have a favorable environment to transport the seeds and make it possible that the producers have th e proper conditions so that our organic seed system is accessible to them".

In addition, he added, that we must seek that the seeds are available to those who need it , as well as create a system that analyzes the pest risk , in order to prevent limited production during a key moment when demand will increase.

He mentioned Colombia as an example , a country that regulates innovation and plant improvements , and that tries to favor the process to improve the seed for larger and better production.

This regulation establishes that when there is a new seed variety , the interested party should ask an official institution to determine if it is a conventional improvement o r if it has to go through a homogeneous regulation.

This regulation is carried out in Canada, Brazil, Chile, and Argentina . Mexico is working to achieve an effective regulation and for the farmers to have all the necessary tools to carry out their work and to become competitive.

Saavedra

said that it is their duty to create a regulation in an efficient manner , and that "we have to work with many institutions , so we need a strong Secretariat of Agriculture" .

He recalled that Mexico exports a large number of vegetables and agricultural products , and therefore "we need to move trade , the seed reaches certain quality and we don't have obstacles that prevent us from handling the seed."

He emphasized that the obstacles faced by Mexico are the "piracy", unfair competition, seed theft and the lack of input for production issues , hence a key strategy to address these problems is the unity among the country's producers.

In regards to this, he expressed his confidence that during this meeting they will consolidate strategies to be developed in the incoming years.

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