The National Assembly has adopted the much awaited Seed Bill which, among others, aims at ensuring farmers’ access to certified seeds.

The passing of the Bill also corresponds with adoption of a joint committee report of Legal Affairs, Agriculture and Irrigation on the Seed Bill.

In an interview, Chairperson for the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Ulemu Chilapondwa, described the passing of the Bill as a ray of hope for farmers across the country.

Chilapondwa said: “This Bill is very crucial and it has been overdue, you know, it has been going through stages, consultations and gathering information, polishing it up for the last 15 years.

“We have had cases where people have been sold counterfeit seeds and due to the absence of the Act there has been a challenge to arrest the culprits.”

Chilapondwa added that the Bill, once enacted into law, will see unscrupulous seed traders being fined over K30 million and the imprisonment of 20 years and above.

“The passing of this Bill will actually bring sanity in the seed industry in as far as seed production, seed selling is concerned,” he said.

Meanwhile, Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM) president, Frighton Njolomole, has expressed gratitude with the passing of the Bill.