Alexandria, Virginia, USA
April 26, 2010

Source: ASTA e-news

The American Seed Trade Association sent three representatives to India April 4-10 to help develop partnerships and learn about potential opportunities for grower outreach and education regarding the use of quality seed and methods to maximize yields.

Andy LaVigne, president and CEO; Bernice Slutsky, vice president of international affairs; and Lisa Nichols, director of international affairs, held meetings with individuals to generate support for the learning centers in several different areas of India including Mumbai, Mahyco, Pune, Delhi and New Delhi.

"We are early in the planning stages of developing a Seed Learning Center," LaVigne and Slutsky explained. The goal this year is to identify partners, specific stakeholder groups and the appropriate regions and their respective crops. Also in development are educational materials, an operating plan and the physical elements of the centers.

These centers will be a physical location where stakeholders and farmers can learn about different seed practices, new varieties available, good agronomic practices and many other related topics. The centers will feature demonstration plots, which will showcase the benefits of using quality seed and a variety of agronomic practices.

"We are looking for partners who can provide expertise and knowledge of the Indian seed industry, growers' needs, regional requirements and effective methods to reach and communicate with growers in the area," LaVigne said.

The ASTA team feels the trip was a success and they obtained the support of parties they met with regarding the Seed Learning Centers. They noted there was specific interest in Plant Variety Protection 101 workshops and seed quality management training. The team will continue their work with plans to have the first learning center operational by 2012.

Website: http://www.amseed.org

Published: April 26, 2010