Policy LINK’s Bangladesh Team Headlines 2023 Seed Congress
The Policy Activity team pictured at their booth at the 2023 Bangladesh Seed Congress (photo: Policy LINK).
About the Bangladesh Seed Association
The Bangladesh Seed Association (BSA) is the apex private sector platform for seed companies and various informal and formal seed associations throughout the country. The BSA aligns with the government of Bangladesh, builds public-private partnerships, develops short- and long-term plans for food production and seed import estimates, creates a seed supply and demand database, and promotes a strong business enabling environment. In line with USAID’s localization principles, the Policy Activity partners with BSA to facilitate complex seed policy discussions, promote sensitization on prioritized seed policy areas, and provide capacity building on seed acts, ordinances, and rules. The BSA are a valuable partner throughout the Policy Activity’s seed policy influencing cycle, including prioritizing and advocating for policy areas that require immediate revision or amendment by the government of Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh Seed Association (BSA), a coalition partner for the Feed the Future Bangladesh Policy LINK Agricultural Policy Activity, in association with the Ministry of Agriculture, organized the Bangladesh Seed Congress from February 11-13, 2023 at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka. The Congress brought together the seed business community, including national and international representation from government, development agencies, academia and research institutions, civil society, communities, and the media. The Congress aligned with and contributed to Policy Activity objectives to increase agricultural productivity through inclusive engagement of stakeholders, including the private sector, and harmonization of seed policies, acts, and rules to foster overall growth in the seed sector.
The seed sector is one of four pillars anchoring the Policy Activity’s work in Bangladesh, which aims to improve policy formulation, analysis, advocacy, reform, and implementation. During the Congress, the Policy Activity Country Lead made a keynote address on “government policies, support, and regulatory mechanisms for smooth development of the seed industry.” The address focused on the ten prioritized policy areas and associated recommendations surfaced through a collaborative, incremental process involving government, private sector, development agencies, academia, and communities. These include but are not limited to seed dealers’ waiting time, dual license requirements, import costs and tariffs, seed certification processes, access to quality seeds, and representation in the national seed board. Fellow panelists included representatives from Ispahani Agro Ltd, a private sector agribusiness, and the International Rice Research Institute.
Faheem Khan, Country Lead, Feed the Future Bangladesh Policy LINK Agriculture Policy Activity, makes a keynote address on “government policies, support, and regulatory mechanisms for smooth development of the seed industry” at the Seed Congress (photo: Policy LINK).
The session was chaired by Mr. Abdullah Sazzad ndc*, Chairman of the Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation, who is actively involved in and supportive of the Policy Activity’s efforts to prioritize seed policy areas and identify recommendations for the government of Bangladesh to take into consideration. In January 2023, Mr. Sazzad, who was previously the Director General, Seed Wing, Ministry of Agriculture, chaired the Policy Activity-facilitated national executive roundtable meeting on seed policies, where government leadership and representatives along with industry experts convened to validate and suggest revisions to the identified seed policy areas and recommendations.
During the technical session at the Seed Congress, Mr. Sazzad was encouraging of the Policy Activity’s approach and recommendations, stating: ‘’I am familiar with the Policy Activity and have been a part of multiple discussions on the policy areas and recommendations identified. I agree with 99% of the areas highlighted in the keynote and will help ensure these are reflected in the revised seed act and rules.” This public acknowledgement of the Policy Activity’s efforts indicates the commitment of key figures within the government to advance the recommendations that will foster growth of the seed and, ultimately, agriculture sectors in Bangladesh.
Throughout the three-day event, the Policy Activity attended technical sessions and maintained a booth which served as an excellent opportunity to network and share information on the Activity widely. At various intervals throughout the Congress, the booth was visited by notable dignitaries, including the Ministry of Agriculture Secretary, all of whom were appreciative of the Policy Activity and interested to learn more about the work on seed policies.
*A title bestowed to alumni of the National Defense College, a government institution that offers strategic training for key civil and military officers.