The Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA) is an international conference on agri-food policy issues which takes place usually in Berlin, Germany. Due to the Corona restrictions the conference took place this year only virtually from January 18^th to 22^nd, 2021. By choosing “How to Feed the World in Times of Pandemics and Climate Change” as the topic for this year’s event, the GFFA 2021 addresses two particularly important challenges to global food supply which require global cooperation https://www.gffa-berlin.de/en/ .

On January 20^th, 2021, a panel discussion on the role of the seed sector in strengthening the resilience of agricultural production took place in the frame of the GFFA. This panel discussion was organized by the GFA Consulting Group and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ). As part of a virtual expert panel discussion with representatives from science and agribusiness, concrete experiences from the projects of the Bilateral Cooperation Programme (BKP) of the BMEL in India and Ethiopia have been presented and discussed.

After the introduction to the topic of the event, the National Project Coordinator Dr Sowmini Sunkara gave short overview about the ongoing Indo-German Cooperation Project on Seed Sector Development, emphasising the objectives, approaches and the evolution of the project as well as key partners in India and Germany involved. Along with this presentation, a short video clip was also presented by the Indo-German project describing briefly the impact of climate change on agriculture production in India and the role of the seed sector in strengthening the resilience of agricultural production. This was completed by a short introduction on the Indian experience and challenges in this context by Dr Malavika Dadlani, who is the President of the Indian Society of Seed Technology and regular active as Senior Short-term Seed Sector Expert of the Indo-German seed project.

The details of the panel is available Online @ https://www.gffa-berlin.de/en/fachveranstaltungen-2021/fachpodien/fachpodium-8/

Panel discussion is available online @https://youtu.be/K6ZZZr5gPAA

The project “Indo-German Cooperation on Seed Sector Development” is part of the bilateral cooperation programme of the German Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) and implemented by the consortium of ADT Project Consulting GmbH (ADT) and German Plant Breeders’ Association (BDP). The objective of this bilateral cooperation project is to strengthen the Indian seed sector and to facilitate the cooperation of Indian and German institutions in the seed sector.

In accordance to the regional priorities of seed production, an International Webinar on “Capacity Building on Seed Production – Northern Zone” was successfully conducted between January 12^th – 14^th, 2021 in cooperation with DAC&FW, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Govt. of India & Indian Council of Agriculture (ICAR)- Indian Agricultural Research Institute Regional Station, Karnal, Haryana, India. During this capacity building program, the most important seed crops of Northern zone were selected i.e., Mustard, Wheat & Barley.

The aim of this webinar was to exchange experiences & views between experts of India and Germany on various aspects involved in seed production. More than 80 Officials from Seed Department of DAC & FW, MOA, GOI, Officials of State Department of Agriculture, National Seed Corporation, State Seed Corporation, Private Seed Industry associations (NSAI & FSII), ICAR institutes, SAU’s etc. have attended this webinar & participated in active discussions.

A team of well experienced national and international trainers from public and private sector covered various topics during this webinar which include:

• Indian seed industry: Current trends and future perspectives;
• Overview in Seed Production System in Germany/ EU with focus on Wheat & Barley;
• National seed system and policy implementation in India;
• Latest Trends in Seed Production of Wheat & Barley in Germany/ EU;
• Seed production and supply systems in India;
• General principles and practices of seed production;
• Maintenance of Varieties and Seed Production of Wheat, Barley and Mustard;
• Hybrid seed production methodologies of Wheat, Barley and Mustard;
• Regulatory framework for seed quality assurance in India.

All speakers from India and Germany provided excellent presentations and information on the topics above. Many other participants actively participated and contributed to fruitful discussions during Q & A Sessions on all the three days.

The “International Webinar on new EU Plant Health Regulation with special reference for seeds” was successfully conducted on December 14^th, 2020 in cooperation with DAC&FW, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Govt. of India and the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), Delhi in the frame of the Indo-German Cooperation Project on Seed Sector Development. The project is part of the bilateral cooperation programme of the German Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) and implemented by the consortium of ADT Project Consulting GmbH (ADT) and German Plant Breeders’ Association (BDP). The objective of the project is to strengthen the Indian seed sector and to facilitate the cooperation of Indian and German institutions in the seed sector.

The new EU Plant Health Regulation provides measures for controlling and managing pests depending on the risk they represent from an economic, environmental, social, and agricultural point of view, and according to their impact on the quality of production. The new EU Plant Health Regulation was recently adopted and is applicable from December 14, 2019. Indians fast growing seed industry is interested to export seeds to the EU. Therefore, to facilitate trade of seeds it is very important to understand first of all the requirements of the EU. Seed produced in non-EU countries like India must offer the same guarantee of quality as EU seed. The aim of the Webinar was to exchange experience and know-how on the requirements and quality standards for seed.

More than 60 Officials from Seed Department of DAC & FW, MOA, GOI, Scientists from National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), Plant Health officials from Directorate of Plant Protection, Quarantine and Storage, Seed Certification Officials from OECD Designated Seed Certification Agencies of India, Plant Health Scientists of National Agricultural Research System of India (from ICAR and SAUs), seed sector experts and the German Plant Breeders’ Association (BDP) attended this webinar & participated in active discussions.

Among the panellists of Germany were the German project Team Leader of ADT, 2 experts from the Institute for National and International Plant Health at the Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), the German Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, 1 expert of the German Federal Plant Variety Office (BSA) and 2 experts of the German Federal Office of Agriculture and Food (BLE).

The technical program of the Webinar covered various topics such as:

• Overview about institutional framework in India related to plant health issues;
• Overview about institutional framework in Germany related to plant health issues;
• Introduction to main elements of Plant Health with relevance for seed and propagating material in new Regulations and Implementing Measures of the EU;
• Import of plants and plant products from Third Countries – New Phytosanitary requirements and procedures for import of plants, including seeds under the new EU Plant Health Regulation;
• The new EU Plant Health Regulation with special reference to seed certification;
• Procedures and standards for the approval of import of plant products and seed from third countries like India.

All speakers from India and Germany provided excellent presentations and information on the topics above.