Government to vet cassava seed suppliers

By Prossy Nandudu

Ministry of agriculture is issuing cassava seed traders with movement permits to reduce on the number of people selling cassava planting materials from uncertified suppliers.

This comes at a time when the cassava seeds are on demand due to the fact that cassava is turning into a commercial crop as well a food crop, through its value added products, breweries, Pharmaceutical and starch among others.

According to the Cassava Seed Systems project Coordinator at the National Crop Resources Research Institute (NaCCRI), Anthony Pariyo, the permits have just been introduced after realizing that many dealers in cassava planting materials get seed from uncertified dealers.

He said that Uganda still faces a threat of cassava diseases such as the cassava mosaic much as researchers have been able to come up with resistant varieties.

"In Uganda we still have a serious threat of the cassava disease, much as we have resistant varieties, many people will think that that disease has been eliminated which is not true this can only be true for research stations but the disease is still around," said Pariyo.

Pariyo adds that the other disease, which is the cassava brown streak disease, causes 100% yield loss because it attacks the entire crop from the leaves to the stems and finally the tubers.

"So to put a measure to contain that disease we are strengthening our relationship with the ministry of agriculture through the seed certification and inspection department to ensure that movement of planting materials is monitored through the issuance of movement permits," he said.

The permits for whoever is selling cassava seeds will guarantee the safety and quality of the seed being taken around, said Pariyo.

He revealed this during the annual review and planning meeting of the commercializing Clean Cassava Planting Material delivery systems in Uganda.

According to the assistant commissioner and Cassava Seed Focal Person at the ministry of agriculture Ehprance Tumuboine, the permits come along with penalties according to the Plant Protection and Health Act and the Seed and Plant Act of 2006.

She said that those carrying planting materials must ensure that they are healthy and meet the required standards and have been collected from a certified seed multiplier who has been inspected by the ministry of agriculture's seed certification department.

Who issues the permit?
At the moment the ministry of agriculture is issuing the permits through the district agriculture officers who will only issue the permit after the planting materials have been inspected.

However, Tumuboine warns that whoever is interested in joining this kind of business must be ready to adhere to standards and conditions of the product they are dealing because it's a living organism which must be handled carefully for germination to take place.