Seed production and distribution involves judicious effort of the producer and enforce4ment agency. With 6000 million people dependent on agriculture and related activities, the Job of the seed producer becomes evermore important for he is the vital link between the job and the land. Since, most of the farming community is illiterate or semi literate, it the job of the government to frame rules that govern the production and distribution of quality seeds. Though seed act had been implemented in European countries at the fag end of 18th century, India did have an act to designate seed quality parameters. This void was fulfilled during 1966, when the Seeds Act was formed followed by Seeds Rules, 1968. Both were adopted during 1969 for the whole of India except Sikkim and Kashmir. Over the years, with newer varieties coming into the agricultural scenario, the Seeds (Control) order, 1983 was formed insisting on compulsory licensing of the dealer. This was made ever more stringent, by bringing the seeds under the Essential Commodity Act, 1955. To help multinational corporation in utilizing the manpower and knowledge base of our country, the Plants, varieties and fruits, important into India, order was passed during 1989 and amended during 1998. Signing of WTO agreement during 1995 paved the way for private sector research and development of varieties. In order to regulate such varieties and to prevent the poor Indian Farmer from being exploited by scrupulous multinational corporations, the Protection of Plant Varieties and farmers Right act, 2001 was passed. Thanks to the deliberations of Dr. Vanthana Shiva of navdanya, India not only framed rules to project the intellectual property rights of breeders but also the rights of the traditional varieties for several generations.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR K Sivasubramaniam
Dr. K. Sivasubramaniam, Associate Professor in Seed Science and Technology is an erstwhile alumni of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, coimbatore. He has involved in teaching and research for the past 17 years. He is responsible for developing UG/PG lessons for e-learning and at his credit are several research topics in electronic version for teaching Seed Science and Technology. He has vast experience in breeder seed production of cereals, pulses and oilseeds with several articles of research and popular nature. Now working at agricultural College and Research institute, Madurai. He is also the Co-Principal Investigator in the GOI sponsored Medicinal plant Scheme. His experience in seed production at the upper chain of generation system has helped him a lot in bringing out this book in an abridged form. He has also undergone training in preparation of self-help manuals in seed technology at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR K. Ramamoorthy
Dr. K. Ramamoorthy, now Professor in Seed Science and Technology at Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai, TNAU, was a Kaira Research Fellow of College of Agriculture from Calcutta University, West Bengal. he pursued his doctoral research under the able guidance of Prof. R.N. Basu, and research, he is the author of 75 research papers of which 15 are in international journals and 60 popular articles. He did his M.Sc. (Ag.) in Seed Science and Technology, Department of Seed Science and Technology, Tamil Committee for monitoring and upgradationof seed testing taboratories in Tamil Nadu, member, Board of Studies, TNAU, Coimbatore and Principal Investigator of GOI sponsored Medicinal Plant Scheme and serving in editorial board, of three leading national journals devoted to agriculture.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Th.A. Kannan
Sri A. Kannan, M.Sc. (Ag.) has worked in seed Certification wing of Tamil nadu State Agriculture department in various capacities for 35 years especially in seed inspection as Assistant Director of Agriculture (Seed Inspection) for 3 years and retired from service on 30th September, 2005. he acquired his B.Sc. (Agri.) from Tamil Nadu Agricultural university, Coimbatore and his M.Sc. (Seed Science and technology) at Department of seed science and technology, TNAU during 1983-85. He has rich experience in seed certification methods and arbitration procedures involved in seed law enforcement. As a member of various standing committees of the certification department, he was instrumental in bringing forth regulations necessary for smooth implementation of seed certification and seed law enforcement.
There are no reviews yet.