Participatory Guarantee Seed System ( for Seed Quality Assurance) Arnab Gupta, Hteik Htar Oo WHH, Myanmar

Quality Control

Quality Assurance

The points of Quality Control and Assurance

Sowing

Crop growth Harvesting Processing

Packaging and

distribution

Seed source

Field crop history

Land suitability

Isolation

Designated diseases

Weed plants

Physical

admixtures

Germination

Moisture

Physical purity Quality Assurance

Quality Control

Seed testing by seed lab

Fie

ld inspections

Volunteer plants

Seed source

Isolation

Roguing

Planting machine cleanliness

Care during harvesting and threshing

Genetic Purity

Isolation from diseased fields

Proper weeding

Seed source to be free from diseases

Control of disease spread

Roguing of diseased plants

Free from weeds, diseases, pests

• Harvesting at proper stage

• Care during harvesting

Physical purity

The field processes and QA interventions

Proper processing

Processing at right moisture content

Physical Purity

Drying where necessary

Storage under right relative humidity

Packaging materials as per moisture need

Moisture • Processing at right

moisture content

• Storage under low moisture condition

Germination

Post Harvest processes and QA interventions

Participatory Guarantee Seed System (PGSS)

Philosophy

A peer group assurance system for Quality Seed Production

Aims to assist DOA to cover larger areas for seed field inspection

Pooling of resources (labour, inspection, finance, marketing etc)

Strong group coherence and ownership

Future potential to have Govt. accreditation

Quality Assurance is the Key

The group should pay maximum attention to Quality Seed production

procedures

Proper maintenance of Isolation, clean cultivation, proper seed source,

rogueing, harvesting.

Thorough technical knowledge for Self / Peer Field Inspection

Attend technical trainings for Seed Quality Assurance and Quality Control

Scheme of field inspections by a PGS group of 6 members

Each field is inspected by at least 2 members

Future and the proposal

The Future of PGSS in Seed QA

PGSS is necessary to increase the area under Quality Seed

Production

This system is voluntary but highly technical

Does not yet have DOA accreditation, so needs policy interventions

RSSD project proposes 3 steps to regularise PGS into a mainstream

Quality Assurance system running in parallel with the regular DOA

seed certification system as an Internal Quality Control Mechanism

Steps for Regularizing PGS for Seed QA

Training

• Thorough training of the PGS members in Field Inspection (by DOA/NGO)

• Training in PGS management

Audit

• Check and audit the field inspections done by the PGS members by DOA

• Continue audits for 2-3 seasons and generate report of their competency

Accredit

• In the meantime, policy advocacy to be done with NPT DOA to recognize PGS

• Grant Recognition to the PGS groups that score high on competency audits.

• Seeds of the PGS group (Accredited) inspected fields to be recognized.

Requirements

A highly trained PGS group who are motivated towards quality seeds

A good Policy / Manifesto document that contains all rules, protocols,

responsibilities, bylaws for the PGS management

A sound financial sustainability process (fees, PO/IC linkages etc)

Good linkages with DOA

Favourable legislation vision (to regularize PGS)

Recognition of PGSS as an alternative informal method of quality assurance The

DOA to recognize the PGSS groups

The PGSS shall only be able to produce CS (Maximum CS2)

DOA approved methodologies for auditing, recognition procedures in place.

These regulations and procedures can be placed as an annexe to the Seed law

Procedures / rules for monitoring of the PGSS groups. Every year 5% (or any

other decided portion) of the area under PGS certification will be independently inspected by

DOA and the results compared statistically with ranges of tolerance. Non-conformities

beyond the allowable statistical range are liable to licence cancellation.

Policy Requirements

Format for Audits

Proposed Format for Auditing the PGSS group by DOA

Advantages of having PGS for Seed QA

Increase in the area under Quality Seed Production

DOA inspectors can devote more time to training and CS inspection

Awareness about Seed Quality Control reaches the grassroot level

Supply of good quality seeds increases, thus increasing the quality

level of seeds in distribution

Discussions in the 2nd Workshop

Attended by Regional DOA, Seed Division and

potential PGSS groups formed in the 1st workshop

The attendees had group work on the full

certification system and other alternative systems

Discussed the advantages , disadvantages and

solutions/ suggestions

The Suggestions that came out….

The PGSS was accepted by the farmers an DOA alike

Dedication and Commitment The farmers in the group should

have a dedication to produce quality

sees

Well Managed Finance Finance to be well managed and if

possible credit facilities to be linked

Technical Procedures The Groups to strictly adhere to the rules and regulations of field

inspections. All formats that are used by DOA to be used here

too

Small Committed group Max 5-6 members. Keep administration easy

Training Farmers should not miss trainings.

This is very important.

Linkages with Market and Lab Seeds sales to be linke with the market

Samples MUST be sent to lab

Thank you

Questions are

welcome