QUALITY DECLARED SEED SYSTEM | FAO |
The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
This report contains the collective views of two international groups of experts and does not necessarily represent the decisions or the stated policy of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations or of the World Health Organization.ISBN 92-5-105510-6
All rights reserved. Reproduction and dissemination of material in this information product for educational or other non-commercial purposes are authorized without any prior written permission from the copyright holders provided the source is fully acknowledged. Reproduction of material in this information product for resale or other commercial purposes is prohibited without written permission of the copyright holders. Applications for such permission should be addressed to the Chief, Publishing and Multimedia Service, Information Division, FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy or by e-mail to [email protected]
© FAO 2006
Abstract
FAO recognizes the pivotal role of seeds in agricultural development. Increasing the quality of seeds can increase the yield potential of the crop and is one of the most economical and efficient inputs to improve crop production and productivity. The FAO/Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) Technical Conference on Improved Seed Production (Kenya, 1981) and at the Expert Consultation on Interstate Movement of Seeds (Rome, 1986) identified the concept of Quality Declared Seed as a strategy to increase the availability of quality seed for the agricultural community. After further discussions and studies of this concept, FAO Seed and Plant Genetic Resources Service, in consultation with relevant experts, in 1993 produced and published specific crop guidelines as Plant Production and Protection Paper No. 117 Quality declared seed – Technical guidelines on standards and procedures.