Introduction Myanmar Seed Investment Plan

Daw San Kyi & Joep van den Broek

MOALI-DOA & ISSD Myanmar

Wednesday 6 November,

Park Royal Hotel, Nay Pyi Taw

Background

• Major steps taken in Myanmar’s seed sector development: Seed Sector Road Map approved (2016), Seed Sector Action Agenda (2017)

• Main policy directions: enhance private sector investments with government focusing on:

• quality assurance

• research/breeding

• early generation seed production for food security crops

Achievements 2017-2019

Major achievement in the seed sector by government and project partners, following the Action Agenda:

• reduction in priority crops required for variety testing & release

• pilots on alternative quality assurance models like PGS

• simplification of seed import procedures

• new PVP law in line with UPOV 1991

• seed demand forecasting system in place in the Delta

Achievements 2017-2019

Major achievement in the seed sector by government and project partners, following the Action Agenda:

• design for a one-stop-shop finalized

• system developed for risk-based inspections and post-control

• establishment of Myanmar Seed Association

• Quarterly meetings of NSC and TSC

• Myanmar Seed Portal operational

National Seed Investment Plan

• Ambition of government to increase private sector investment and become seed export country in next 5 years

• Investments needed from public, private sector & development partners

• Key issues identified in a preparatory meeting:

• Develop incentives for private sector

• Need for concrete production targets

• Implement one-stop-shop for seed regulatory services

Example: National Seed Plan Ghana

• Developed in 2015 for a period of five years: 2016-2020

• Objective of the National Seed Plan: To create a competitive seed sector ensuring timely availability of high‐quality seed of improved and appropriate varieties at affordable prices for smallholder farmers

Example: National Seed Plan Ghana • Focus on:

• Support for small- and medium-sized seed enterprises: hardware investments and training

• Government support services: seed certification, additional staff and training, and investments in the seed laboratories

• Strengthening of seed sector governance and coordination: National Seed Council Secretariat

• The Seed Plan has clear targets & detailed budget

• Development Partners use seed plan for task division & ensuring complementarity

Example: Ghana National Seed Plan

Achievements:

• Increased turnover of improved varieties • Registration timelines down from 4 to 2

years • EGS production secured • + 30 breeders: 50% public – 50% private • + 30 crop inspectors

• + 2,500 extension agents trained

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Myanmar Seed Investment Plan

Topics identified:

1. Myanmar Seed Valley

2. One-stop-shop

3. Private Sector Investments

4. Local seed production

Topic 1: Myanmar Seed Valley

• Government wants to establish Myanmar Seed Valley: a cluster of seed companies and seed services

• Cluster can consist of a location of >400 ha with:

• Domestic and foreign seed production companies

• Research & development

• Regulatory services: Variety testing (VCU and DUS)

• Postharvest infrastructure: seed lab & seed processing facilities

Example: Korea Seed Valley

• One location for new seed production companies

• Public-private partnership: Government provides the land and infrastructure

• Research & Development: government 30% and private sector 70% financing

• Different type of companies: start-ups and established companies

Example: Korea Seed Valley

Activities / services:

• Seed industry centre for breeding and seed processing

• Variety trials

• Exhibition and demonstration centre

• Training centre

Topic 1: Myanmar Seed Valley

Main questions:

• Roles and responsibility division between public and private? Who does what? Criteria for involvement?

• Which activities and services should the Seed Valley have?

• Which seed production companies can co-invest in the Seed Valley?

Facilitators: Dr. Nyome Htwe (DOA) &

Joep van den Broek (ISSD Myanmar)

Topic 2: Private sector investments

• Still limited private sector investment in Myanmar and high level of imports

• How can Myanmar attract more private sector investments?

• What should be the role of the private sector and what of the public sector?

• Which specific investments and incentives are needed? Land, infrastructure, finance?

Facilitators: Khon Cho Yau (ISSD) & Hervé Thieblemont (SFSA) & Swe Zin Thein

Topic 3: Regulatory services & one-stop-shop

One-stop-shop is fully digitized system for all seed applications: seed export/import, variety registration & seed busines license, both at Union and Regional level.

Break-out session focuses on:

• Explanations on current status: functionalities and process; + Q&A

• Discussion on additional services and support for companies and seed division, including banking system

• Discussion on needed investments to make the one-stop-shop fully operational

Facilitators: San Kyi (MOALI-DOA) & Aung Kyaw Phyo (IFC-WBG)

Topic 4: Local seed production • How can we increase local seed

production by seed producers, producer groups and small-scale seed enterprises?

• What models work best to support local seed production and how can we scale these up?

• How can demand and supply of seed be matched better?

• What type of investments are needed by public sector, private sector and development partners?

Facilitators: Thurein Mg Mg (WHH), Ye Pyae (SFSA) & Andrew Noble (LIFT)

Group discussions & Follow-up steps

• Each participant can join two topics, 11:00-12:30 & 13:30-15:00

• After the NSP: Key points presented to National Seed Committee (November)

• Development of seed investment plan including targets and budgets (December-April)

• Seed Investment Forum planned for May 2020

Thank you!