D. U. M. RaoB. L. MANJUNATHA2016-03-112016-03-112013http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/65095Seed is the most important input in agriculture and all other inputs play a supporting role in harnessing the genetic potential already inherent in seed. Since time immemorial, farming community has played a vital role in conserving, selecting, saving, using and bartering of seeds. Farmers’ livelihood and even the nation’s food security and sovereignty are dependent on seed security. However, in the last few decades, farmers’ dependence on market for seed has increased. Consequently, they face various problems in each season in procuring quality seed from credible sources. This issue has gained more attention in the backdrop of Union Ministry of Agriculture trying to enact Seed Bill 2004. In this context, it was envisaged to study the extent of accessibility to quality seed by farmers, the problems they face in procuring seeds and the gaps in the seed laws with special reference to the recent Seed Bill 2004. The study was conducted in Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Bihar involving 120 farmers and 30 representatives each from researchers, NGOs, Agriculture Department Officials (ADOs), seed dealers and Private Seed Companies (PSCs), with a total sample size of 270 respondents. The study found that the Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) in production of both breeder and foundation seeds in the last decade (2001-11) was at 11% p.a. The production of certified/quality seed has increased by 4 folds from 1991 to 2001 and the production tripled in the last decade with a CAGR of 15% p.a. The CAGR in seed production for cereals, pulses and oilseeds in the last decade was more impressive at 15, 16 and 17% p.a. respectively. The average SRR for various crops was higher in states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Gujarat where PSCs are well established. In such states, the SRR was 100 per cent in case of crops where hybrids are available such as cotton, sunflower, maize, jowar and bajra. The SRR was found to be lower in states such as Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, and Madhya Pradesh. The private sector dominated in securing Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) over seeds in terms of patents over the Bt. cotton events (5 out of 6) and Plant Variety Certificates/Plant Breeder’s Rights issued by Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority (PPVFRA) for new varieties and hybrids (approximately 90%). The analysis of the seed policy highlighted that there has been a gradual shift from farmers using farm saved seeds during pre-green revolution era to HYVs and hybrids bred by public organizations during the green revolution period to using hybrids and proprietary technologies developed by private sector in the last few decades. New Policy on Seed Development (NPSD) 1988 liberalized Indian seed industry and paved the way for private sector participation. Various laws thereafter have encouraged private participation, benefitted private seed companies and provided better market access to foreign seed companies. Allowing Bt. cotton for commercial cultivation in 2002 has further expedited this process. Various studies suggest that at present, private sector is dominating the Indian seed market by concentrating only on developing and marketing of proprietary hybrids in selected high-value crops. Study found that higher percentage of farmers in AP had access to timely availability of quality seed from credible sources than the farmers in Bihar. The farmers in AP found the seeds to be costlier than in Bihar. However, there was no difference in both the states in cultivation of improved cultivars. It was interesting to note that more than 90% of farmers in both the states maintained very good standards in farm saved seeds. Though there was difference in extent of accessibility to quality seed by farmers in 196 both the states, issues such as timely availability of quality seed from credible sources in affordable prices were the major common challenges. Though the Seed Bill was first introduced in the Parliament in 2004, it is not yet enacted because of several contentious issues from the perspective of various stakeholders. The analysis of the bill found that it had taken away the farmers’ rights recognized and upheld in Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act (PPVFRA) 2001. Farmers, NGOs, researchers, ADOs, and seed dealers strongly favoured for the regulation of retail price and trait/royalty fee over seeds; granting powers to State governments; simple but robust compensation mechanism; and stringent punitive and accountability clauses. The bill was also found to be inconsistent with certain clauses of other laws related to biodiversity conservation and environment protection. The bill was positively biased towards PSCs and so anti-farmer that various stakeholders came together irrespective of their professional and political affiliations to put pressure on the government in bringing various pro-farmer amendments. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture (PSCA) also recommended all the amendments sought by civil society groups. The government accepted and brought amendments in certain clauses in the recent drafts. However, the important issues such as seed price and trait fee regulation, compensation issues, powers to state government and stringent punitive and accountability measures are yet to be accepted and included in the final draft of the bill before its enactment. It is recommended that the bill should strive at achieving farmer-level seed self-sufficiency by incentivizing informal seed systems and revitalizing public sector seed system. The bill should uphold the rights of farmers and national seed security rather than the commercial interests of the seed industry.endna, tca, vegetables, physical control, livestock, polymers, planting, biological development, diseases, rettingThesis