As part of the implementation of the texts implementing the seed law, the Ministry of the Environment, Agriculture and Livestock, through the ONCCS in collaboration with the PIPARV-B project, organized on Wednesday November 03, 2021 in Gitega, a workshop to launch the 2nd edition of the national catalog of plant species and varieties, admitted for certification in Burundi. The workshop was organized for local government officials, officials from the ministry in charge of agriculture, parliamentarians, technical and financial partners involved in the seed sector.

The Director General of the ONCCS said that the national catalog of plant species and varieties admitted for certification in Burundi is a collection of all varieties that are admitted for production in Burundi.

And this collection of species of varieties cultivated in Burundi was made in close collaboration with research institutions, in this case ISABU, which worked in collaboration with the technical agents of the ONCCS so that together we can find varieties that are better compared to varieties that are better compared to varieties fully exploited in Burundi. “This compendium will allow users of our various varieties to have a variety that adapts to the different agro-ecological forms of the country”, specified the Director General from the ONCCS.

Regarding the techniques that will be used so that farmers are aware of the seeds selected and that are adapted in their regions, the Director General of the ONCCS said that the ministry has the services in charge of popularizing the various innovations. He added that There are also provincial directors of the environmental, agricultural and livestock offices who support in this activity

In all agro-ecological areas, varieties that adapt are available and it is up to the various directors of the provincial environmental, agricultural and livestock offices to properly collect these different varieties of seeds so that they can offer them to users.

As for the challenges that haunt the ONCSS, the Director General cited in particular the inadequacy of staff and means of travel. He also said that the vehicles and motorcycles used are in poor condition. He also cited the lack of laboratories that meet the conditions to receive all the seeds for analysis. The Director General of ONCSS asked the government for new vehicles to facilitate work on the ground.