IV. DEVELOPMENT OF SEED SUPPLY

IV.1. DEVELOPMENT OF SEED SYSTEMS

In the late 1960's, some seed production and multiplication were performed by the Agricultural Research and Extension Department in research stations. Emphasis was on wheat seed production and multiplication.

In 1972, the Department of Agro-Business was established in the Extension Department of the Ministry of Agriculture. It was responsible for multiplication and distribution of seed of improved varieties of wheat.

In 1976, the Afghan Seed Company (ASC) was established with support of the Asian Development Bank, as a semi-autonomous agency under the Ministry of Agriculture.

From 1982-92, seed multiplication was by FAO inside Afghanistan with the cooperation of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Improved Seed Enterprise (ISE, formerly the Afghan Seed Company). Later, this was implemented by the Seed Improvement Programme of Northern Afghanistan in Mazar-I-Sharif.

In April, 1992, the linkage between provincial and central offices was broken. At present, four ISE plants (Herat, Pulekhumri, Kandahar, and Kabul) work as implementing partners (IP's) of the FAO seed programme. Foundation seed are produced on ISE farms in these provinces. After 1992, seed multiplication projects were implemented from Pakistan by FAO through implementing partners (NGO's, ISE), or directly with Shurahs (village councils) and communities. Also, emergency seed programs were implemented in various regions to procure quality-declared seed of cereals and legumes for distribution to farmers. A number of international donors such as Japan, Netherlands, Canada, ECU, etc., contributed generously for production of improved seed.

IV.2. SEED CERTIFICATION

In 1989-90, the Department of Seed Certification was established in the Extension Department of the MOAL to check and certify seed produced by ISE. However, no certification law was enacted. As the conflict continued, MOAL became inactive, and ISE "certified" its own seed internally.

IV.3. SEED PURIFICATION AND IMPROVEMENT DEPARTMENT

The Department of Seed Purification and Improvement in the Ministry of Agriculture, was established in the late 1980's with the help of Russian experts. Its conducted germination tests and purified and maintained varietally-pure stock (Breeder) seed used to plant fields which produced seed for distribution to farmers. They established a lab for seed testing on Badambagh Research Station; varietal purification was on the Darul Amon Agri. Research Station. Four Russian experts worked with Afghan scientists.

IV.5. BREEDER SEED

Before the war, Breeder seed in small amounts was handled by breeders. The Crop Improvement Department of MOAL produced small amounts which were given to ISE to re-multiply into Foundation seed on its farms. In recent years, supply of Breeder seed was interrupted. On its farms, ISE maintained "purified" stocks as Foundation seed.

IV.6. FOUNDATION (BASIC) SEED

ISE re-multiplied Breeder seed from the Crop Improvement Department into Foundation seed on its owned farms. During the period of conflict when the Crop Improvement Department was not functioning, ISE re-multiplied some of its own seed for use as Foundation seed.

IV.7. SEED LEGISLATION AND POLICY

A person familiar with agricultural legislation and the Official Gazette stated that there was no officially-published act to establish a legal base for seed supply, which was part of the program of MOAL Departments. No legal act was found.

IV.8. SEED TESTING

ASC's (now ISE) main task was production, processing, testing, certification, distribution and sale of seed, but it built 3 seed testing laboratories. During the conflict, these were looted and "seed testing facilities are almost non-existent" (Tunwar). The Herat seed station was not looted and still has a well-equipped seed testing laboratory (Fitzherbert).