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Although Traditional seeds are produced locally by small holder’s farmers, these are not yet recognized by the formal seeds systems, farmers argue that indigenous seed accounts for 30% of seed sold and planted by farmers in the country.
Officials from SEATIN have been appearing before the EALA Committee on Agriculture Tourism and Natural Resources to present their views on why they don’t want the GMOs to come to East Africa.
Seatini Uganda is advocating for the use of indigenous seeds to save the environment by getting rid of the GMOs which have flooded the market.
According to the Executive Director SEATIN Robert Kafeero,says the GMO seeds are on the market but they are not going to solve the problem of inadequate food on the market.
He Added that traditional seeds have been neglected and time efforts have been geared to the GMO leaving out the traditional seeds, they also call for the enactment of the Laws by the East African Parliament that will see the promotion of the traditional seeds.
He says smallholder farmer’s matter a lot because they are the backbone of our food security, who cannot be ignored with the current climate change adding that they can easily adapt to local conditions of our climate compared to the Hybrid seeds which have flooded the market.
Jonathan Lubega- The programs officer SEATIN-Uganda says the GMOs cannot promote the commercializing of the agricultural sector, he calls for the farmers to maintain their indigenous seeds without losing them in a bid to promote commercialization of Agriculture.