Tonnes of hybrid seeds are sold to farmers as the only way to raise yields. But results on the ground disappoint. A Killid investigation by Nematullah Taneen
Tonnes of hybrid seeds are sold to farmers as the only way to raise yields. But results on the ground disappoint. A Killid investigation by Nematullah TaneenKhalilullah has been a farmer all his life. Like his neighbours in Gul Bagh, Kabul province, he sowed imported hybrid seeds distributed by the Ministry of Agriculture and harvested a mere 28 ser (1 ser is equal to 7 kg) of wheat. “Farmers of Gul Bagh did not get the promised yield,” he asserts. “The improved seeds produced many times less than what we’ve got from the land in previous years.”
The farmer is disenchanted with hybrid seeds. “The seeds are in nice packages, and the promises they make on the packaging are very persuasive. But when you plant them they don’t germinate, and we don’t know why.”
Abdul Rasheed, a farmer in Charikar, north of Kabul city, had an equally disappointing experience with hybrid seeds. “The improved seeds gives good yields only for one year but in the second year the same seed cannot be used. They either don’t grow or if they do the yield is poor.”
Farmer Gulab Khan in Nangarhar province has come to the conclusion that the new seeds are to be used only once. “They will not give a good yield a second time, he says.
Hidden agenda
However, ministry officials insist the seeds can be used “three to four years”. Mohammad Akbar Waziri, head of seeds promotion department in the ministry told Killid: “All the seeds distributed by the Ministry of Agriculture are improved and can be used for three to four years.”
The ministry has distributed an estimated 30,000 tonnes of hybrid seeds valued at 7 million dollars, which was subsidised with the support of Japan, US and France.
By definition hybrid seeds, that are widely in use all over the world, have been tampered with by science to increase yields and to be not as susceptible to certain diseases. They are bred to look their best even after travelling a long way to their final destination (for instance from a US hybrid seed company to farmers in Afghanistan). They can only grow within a certain period of time after being bought and farmers cannot save seeds from their produce for the next season as was done for centuries in the past.
Raheem Dad who sells seeds in Mandawi says hybrid seeds can be used only once. “If we think about it we can understand why seed production companies are spending millions to produce seeds which give best yields only one time,” he adds rhetorically.
Ahmad Sohail, a shopkeeper in Mandawi, is “amazed” how officials have kept it hidden from people that seeds have a shelf life. “It is amazing how the issue has been kept hidden! All imported seeds are for one use only because (seed) companies cannot make profits if they are longer lasting. Hybrid seeds have to be bought every year.”
As a result of poor yields, farmers are reluctant to use these so-called “improved” or hybrid varieties of seeds. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Agriculture has become dependent on imports from big seed companies that are subsidised by foreign governments.
Import dependence
Former minister of commerce and industry, Mohammad Amin Farhang, sees a growing dependence on foreign seed companies. He says research carried out in 2007 and 2008 by the ministries of planning and commerce found “some NGOs skillfully want to create dependence to prepare the ground for their permanent presence.”
Dawood Sultanzoy, former MP, believes the hybrids promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture have been at the cost of local varieties. But Majeedullah Qarar, spokesman of the Ministry of Agriculture, denies this is so. He insists, “The ministry is quite careful when importing the mother varieties to prevent damage to agriculture and protect the native seeds.”
Zmarai Ahmadi who heads the research centre at the Ministry of Agriculture says all varieties are tested for suitability for four years before they are commercially introduced to farmers. “We import 700-1000 mother varieties from Smith Seed Services, an international company which is a big research center for seeds, at the request of the Ministry of Agriculture and distribute these after four years research to farmers.”
Rajeev Sharma of Smith Seed confirms hybrid seeds cannot be reused.
Ahmad Khaled Lala Zar of Kayenat Sabz company in Kapisa and Hajee Shah Mahmood of Mustafa Chopan company in Baghlan share the view that Afghanistan can be self-sufficient only if it produces its own varieties of seeds. Lala Zar says, “My company produces 60-70 tonnes of improved seeds but still has not been able to produce a mother or hybrid seed.”
Abdul Mutaleb Safayee, head of National Administration of Ansor (Dari for element), which is a non-governmental company responsible for the activities of seed companies in Afghanistan, says all mother seeds are imported. According to Engineer Mohammad Agha of FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation) Afghanistan has no choice but to import seeds since it doesn’t have the technology to produce its own.
Hybrid seeds are distributed by a 100-odd companies. To keep track of each one would be a challenge.
