The central importance of the agriculture sector to the South African economy is undeniable. Apart from the nearly one million people employed in primary agriculture, and being a significant contributor to gross domestic product (GDP), the sector also ensures food security, the bedrock of any functioning economy and society.
The fact that South Africa can supply itself with quality food that is still readily available is something that should be celebrated.Agriculture’s injection of foreign revenue into the economy through the export of high-quality produce is also important to note.
In most current public discussions about a food-secure and economically healthy agriculture sector, focus is placed on headline-grabbing topics like climate change, land reform, labour rights and water scarcity.
While these issues are indeed important, it is interesting that the humble seed – the very beginning of most of the food value chain – does not get much attention.
The seed of truth
The truth is that South Africa’s strong seed industry is one of the main reasons we have a world-class agriculture sector. Seeds hold the potential for a bountiful harvest or a disappointing season.
They even play a central role in the meat industry, as grain feed is essential to it. Without the dedication of an entire industry ensuring that quality seeds are planted in our fertile ground, our entire agricultural system would falter.
As such, the seed industry has a lot of responsibilities. These include four important focus areas: quality control, stimulating crop innovation, ensuring a predictable seed trade environment, and supporting the continued transformation of the South African agricultural landscape.
Making sure that quality seed is bred and used by South African farmers involves a certification process. The South African National Seed Organization (Sansor) is the national designated authority with regard to this process.
It verifies and ensures that seed is produced, inspected and graded in accordance with the requirements of local and international standards.Quality seed is ensured through scientific analysis that takes into account elements like germination, emergence (the breaking of the soil surface) and yield.
While these processes are rather technical and obscure to most – indeed, when you buy bread or vegetables you don’t think of the science behind wheat and cabbage seeds – this work is the invisible assurance that you will have a safe and high-quality product in your hands at the supermarket.
Quality seed also empowers farmers to make informed decisions. Aspects like germination, emergence and yield have financial implications for them. Thanks to the seed industry, they plant healthy, viable seeds, maximise their resource use, and contribute to a thriving economy.
Innovation holds promise
Seed innovation holds immense promise. Already, varietals are planted in South Africa that have been bred for specific beneficial characteristics, such as higher yield, drought or pest resistance, longer shelf life, improved nutrient content, and even fitting aesthetics or consumer preferences.
In our fight against climate change, the development of heat-resistant crops is a tool that must be used. Research shows that climate-resilient maize, for instance, has the potential to increase yield in Africa by up to 25%.
The seed technologies used to achieve these impressive results are varied, from traditional plant breeding to the addition of biological or chemical elements and the judicial use of genetic engineering. There is also the technique of gene editing, which in some cases produces crops that will be similar to those produced by traditional breeding.
Advocating for sensible regulation that ensures the development of superior crops is part of the responsibilities of the seed industry.
On the trade side of things, pursuing market access, adhering to phytosanitary trade measures and eliminating trade barriers are all key priorities for the seed industry. South Africa’s ability to import and export seed from all corners of the world must be protected. It ensures a competitive agricultural landscape.
Onion seed powerhouse
Did you know that South Africa is an internationally recognised powerhouse in the production of onion seeds? Our onion seed is exported to Japan, South Korea, China, Australia, Brazil, Turkey, Kenya, the Netherlands, France, Italy and North America, among other regions.
A critical way in which the seed industry can be kept competitive is by championing the intellectual property rights of breeders. This keeps the seed industry competitive and profitable, which ensures further innovation.
The seed industry also takes on certain responsibilities involving the transformation of agriculture and the empowerment of emerging farmers and crop breeders.
The industry, through Sansor, is kept relevant and robust by means of initiatives like bursaries, mentorships, the upliftment of subsistence farmers, as well as a variety of online and in-person training engagements.
By its very nature, the seed industry is the quiet, almost invisible, member of the agriculture family. The small seed is, after all, replaced by the product.
But there will be no products – or, rather, there will be no safe, high-quality products – if the seed industry doesn’t do its job well.
Keeping the seed system intact and economically viable should be a priority if we want to protect food security and millions of livelihoods.
The local farmer who plants a seed in the ground should be able to trust that it is of superior worth because it is the beginning of a produce chain that ends in the hands and mouths of every single South African.
The views expressed in our weekly opinion piece do not necessarily reflect those of Farmer’s Weekly.
Email Dr Lukeshni Chetty at [email protected].
