Luis Felipe Arauz, Minister of Agriculture, presented the National Seed Policy 2017-2030, which seeks the development of new varieties and breeding. In addition, the objective is for Costa Rican producers to have greater access to high quality seeds.
The policy was promoted by the Center for Research on Grains and Seeds of the University of Costa Rica and the National Seed Office and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock. It also had the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).
Octavio Ramírez, resident coordinator of the FAO in Costa Rica, indicated that the improvement of crops, the supply of high quality seeds and varieties selected for producers, are necessary to guarantee a better agricultural production and meet the growing environmental challenges.
Manuel Otero, Director General of IICA, indicated that this marks a milestone and puts Costa Rica once again at the forefront of modern public policies to promote sustainable development.
It is necessary to define where we are and where we want to go in terms of seeds. It should be noted that this instrument is aligned with the Policy of the Agricultural Sector and Rural Territories, as well as the Sustainable Development Goals,”
said Walter Quirós, Executive Director of the National Seed Office.