Seed Quality

In many countries the seed and planting material available to farmers are often of insufficient quality, thus undermining the potential yield and performance of crop production. FAO supports countries in raising the quality of the seed produced locally and used by small-scale farmers and in strengthening their capacity to develop and implement quality assurance systems for the production of seed and planting material.
 

QDS - The Quality Declared Seed System

The Quality Declared Seed System, presented by FAO in 1993 and revised in 2006, has been widely used and consulted. These guidelines/ protocols are aimed at assisting small farmers as well as specialists on seed production, field agronomists and agricultural extension services in the production of quality seed. The system provides an alternative for seed quality assurance, particularly designed for countries with limited resources, which is less demanding than full seed quality control systems but yet guarantees a satisfactory level of seed quality. It has proved to be particularly useful for those working in the field of emergency seed supply and as a source of practical information on seed standards for a range of crop species.