SEED QUALITY TRACEABILITY
Seed quality inspection app for inspecting seed deliveries, post processing seed QC, and pre shipping seed quality control. Manage entire cereal, oilseed seed business, silo storage, grading & processing and packing. Less waste, better quality seeds!
SEED PACKING TRACEABILITY MANAGEMENT
Seed processing, storage, packing app: easily manage unlimited silos, know exact amount of seeds & their origin & traceability: full sorting, husking, grading, packing, and quality control for seed packing and processing. Manage seed orders & seed exports, audits, and recalls.
SEED TRACEABILITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Seed business management app CGC: The app manages your seed, oilseed, cereal inventory traceability, orders, seed storage, seed sales, wholesale and export. Full business management solution for grain, seed, and cereal handling. Organic and conventional. Generates paperwork for CGC and other government requirements; saves your time.
Seed tracing can be used to map seed flows, especially as farmers multiply new varieties and distribute them in the informal seed system. The data set can form the basis of an Impact Network Analysis (INA): it forms a ‘minimum data set.’ Mapping the seed flows helps to understand germplasm distribution, conservation, and the spread of seedborne pathogens in a seed system. A network analysis highlights social dimensions of a seed system. For example, it can show how seed access and exchange depend on gender or on household wealth.
It can also reveal which farmers have better access to formal seed. When tracing seed (through snowball sampling), data can be collected on transactions between actors, including volumes, quality and prices. The transactions form the links in the network analysis and the nodes represent the actors, such as breeders, seed multipliers and farmers. Gender, wealth, location and other information can be collected from these actors, depending on the research question.
Examples of questions that the tool can address
How is a new variety spreading from farmer to farmer?
How do men and women share seed in different ways?
What does that mean for effective introduction of quality planting material?
For more information on the tool
Contact Fleur Kilwinger (Wageningen University & Research): Fleur.Kilwinger@wur.nl
Seed traceability to be operational from kharif in Telangana
QR code on seed certified by TSSOCA, TSSDC to help trace origin of seed, quality
Seed certification and traceability in the country is set to enter a new era from the coming kharif (vanakalam) season with the introduction of Quick Response (QR) code for the first time in Telangana. The traceability system would come into effect for the seed certified by Telangana State Seed and Organic Certification Authority (TSSOCA) and TS Seed Development Corporation (TSSDC).
Although the Ministry of Agriculture has announced the introduction of the traceability system in 2019 to ensure supply of quality seed to the farming community in line with the system followed in the developed countries, it could not take off at the national level due to various reasons.
First in country
However, the Telangana government has started working on the system immediately.
To take the seed traceability concept forward, the State government has been holding meetings with other government departments and the seed industry for the past few months for shaping an efficient system.
“The system of traceability is ready for implementation and it would be a first of its kind in the country and the model would pave the way for other States to introduce it to control the menace of spurious seed,” Director of TSSOCA K. Keshavulu told The Hindu.
Credibility
The seed certified by the TSSOCA and TSSDC, including that of several seed companies who get certification from the two agencies, would have an added advantage in the seed market with its credibility (genuineness) factor with the further value addition of the traceability factor. The seed certified by the two agencies is supplied to about 10 other States in the country besides within the State.
Being the seed bowl of the country, Telangana meets about 60% of the country’s seed needs besides meeting its own requirement. During 2019-20, about 33 lakh quintals of seed of various crops certified by the two agencies was produced and processed in the State and made available for 2.03 crore acres of cultivation.
Two generations’ record
“The traceability of seed certified by the two agencies with help of the QR Code will include information on who, when and where the seed is produced, date of expiry, when and where the seed is processed and packaged. Further, it will also have the information on who supplied the seed to the producing farmers or the origin of the breeder seed. In all, the code will have the information about two generations of the seed,” Mr. Keshavulu explained.
Seed supply chain: A Technological Movement to Uphold Traceability
India’s extensive agricultural network makes it one of the largest seed markets in the world, with an estimated value of $ 3.6 billion in 2017 and a 17% annual growth rate during 2010-2017, according to Research and Markets. The main challenges in the Indian seed market are the unorganized seed supply chains that compromise the seed health during its transportation and the market for fake seeds. By leveraging blockchain for agriculture management, traceability solutions focus on reinforcing market confidence in seed quality.
BLOGS
The Technology Movement to Bring Traceability to the Seed Supply Chain
India has the world´s second-largest arable area, with 46 soil types in 15 agro-climatic zones. Its extensive agricultural network makes it one of the largest seed markets in the world, with an estimated value of $ 3.6 Bn in 2017 and a 17% annual growth rate during 2010-2017, according to Research and Markets.
However, quality assurance is facing new challenges with the increase of fake seeds in the market. Read on to know how TraceX uses blockchain to trace seeds from soil to fork to back up the brand’s claims and meet consumers’ requirements for certified seeds.
What are the main problems of seed quality control?
In addition to the effects and impact of agro-climatic change affecting the global seed market, two of the main challenges in the Indian seed market are the inadequate seed supply chains that compromise the seed health during its transportation or storage and the market for fake seeds.
Seed fraud is the practice where plant seeds marketed as high-performance have been tampered with or been replaced with inferior products. The illegal seeds are commonly sold under the name of prominent companies, putting at risk the productivity of crops and the livelihoods of farmers who lack an effective mechanism to identify them as such.
Along with the sale of fraudulent seeds comes the illegal planting of transgenic crops unapproved by regulatory authorities, such as in the cases in India of the illicit cultivation of herbicide-tolerant (HT) Bt cotton and soybean, to name a few, that put the health of farmers, the consumer and the environment at risk by stimulating the use of toxic herbicides such as glyphosate to save on the manual labor of getting rid of weeds from the fields.
How to regulate the seeds market while making it more efficient?
The answer lies in the supply chain and the seed management system. Startups such as TraceX technologies have translated the features of blockchain technology: decentralized and distributed ledger, fully digitized verification system, and tamper-proof data management to the seed supply chain.
For the agents involved in the seed market, this means being able to trust that the life cycle of the seeds will be traceable from the nucleus seeds, through the crops, and into the hands of the end customer.
This not only prevents manipulation attempts and better controls the quality of each seed but adds value to the end product by giving consumers a chance to know what route their food has taken to reach their tables.
How does seed supply chain traceability works?
By leveraging blockchain for agriculture management, the TraceX traceability solution focuses on reinforcing market confidence in seed quality while offering a competitive advantage to brands seeking to back up their quality and reliability claims on their products.
Why does seed supply chain traceability matter now?
According to the Mitsui & Co. Report (2019), due to the diversification of consumer needs, a fundamental shift has been observed in the seed industry.
Instead of the traditional product-outside approach, whereby development, production, and sales are conducted from the perspective of suppliers (growers and manufacturers), the focus is shifting to a market-in business strategy based on consumer needs, which are leaning heavily towards a more conscious consumption targeting food safety and a low impact in the environment.
For this consumer-oriented style of seed business, the application of blockchain in the agricultural sector plays a vital role by solving multilevel seed management issues and giving the consumers precisely what they are asking for, transparency and accountability, which is why multinational companies such as Unilever, Nestlé, and Walmart already have blockchain-based solutions for their food supply chains.
Quality assurance and maintaining a transparent and robust seed system for any modern seed market will be essential for a country’s food security and comes to the forefront as the key to boosting and accelerating agricultural growth.
Identity Preservation and Traceability
The demand for identity verification and traceability in food systems continues to grow. By using grains and oilseeds grown from Certified seed in your food production system, you can confidently deliver on promises of specific food characteristics and traceability to your consumer. This is often achieved by establishing a system of identity preservation (IP).
IP System
What is Identity Preservation?
Identity preserved agricultural production means that the unique traits or quality characteristics of a variety are maintained from when the crop is seeded through to when the crop is harvested, transported, handled, processed and shipped. A trait can be any valuable, distinguishing characteristic that the buyer requires – for example, high sugar content in snack soybeans, or high colour in durum used to make pasta.
The Canadian Grain Commission’s Canadian Identity Preserved Recognition System (CIPRS) is a voluntary program that certifies that a company’s IP system for the production, handling and transportation of specialty grains, oilseeds or pulses is effective.
Providing Traceability with Certified Seed?
IP systems that begin with Certified seed provide identity verification and detailed traceability on the crop and the seed planted to produce that crop. Where a specific attribute or ingredient is required to deliver specific nutritional requirements, Certified seed ensures those requirements are met.
The evaluation of the Traceability Concerns in the Seed supply chain
The evaluation of the Traceability Concerns in the Seed supply chain
I had the privilege to grow up in a community in Ghana where seeds can sprout easily without any field preparation. As a son to one of the best smallholder farmers in the community, I was exposed to the different phases in crop farming at an early age. These memories have contributed a lot to my way of thinking and how I approach issues in crop farming.
I still remember how my father and his colleague farmers in the community struggle to keep a record of their seed produce. My father, for instance, uses different colours of pieces of clothes to tie the packaging materials. This approach is used to track and trace individual packages. I also remember clearly how he uses gravels to count and keep record of his corn produce. These gravels are kept in a transparent rubber and anytime a bag of corn is sold he throws away one of the gravels.
He also uses to add one gravel anytime a bag of corn is added to his produce or in case someone returns any of his produce. It was interesting to know how he engaged me as his medium or channel of communication to disseminate and receive information from his colleague farmers and buyers. I used to walk back and forth for more miles to deliver and receive information concerning his farming activities on his behalf.
The above preamble shows how data management and traceability in the Seed supply chain have evolved for the past years. The current business and regulatory needs of consumers have put tremendous pressure on stakeholders regarding food data management and traceability systems, but the issues highlighted in the previous paragraph persist. I was surprised on my last visit in 2016 to see that majority of the seed producers in this same community in Ghana still employ this same approach of using different colours of clothes to keep track of their produce. The only improvement currently is the use of a paper-based system to keep record instead of the gravels.
Traceability Concerns in Seeds Supply Chain
In the Seed supply chain, traceability forms part of the key concepts because it serves as the main requirement for seed certification programs. This involves the ability to captures, stores and transmits adequate information about the history of the origin, production process and handling steps and stakeholders in the seed supply chain. Also, can it be classified into process and origin.
1: Consumers want to have a broad view of the life cycle of seeds
Traceability in the seeds supply chain has become a relevant concern presently. This can be attributed to safety and quality control issues in the food sector. Currently, consumers want to have a broad view of the life cycle of seeds as they move through the different phases in their production and marketing channels. For instance, consumers want to be updated about information concerning parent lines of crops, phytosanitary treatments, protocols for cleaning the seeds, human rights and labor issues. This demand from current breeds of consumers has triggered the implementation of programs to reduce consumer risks.
2: Difficult to capture data and information exchange
Despite these, there are several traceability challenges well-known by the stakeholders in the Seed supply chain. Issues concerning inadequate identifiers of lot on shipment documents, difficulties in track and trace of packing boxes and difficulties in managing cumulative record of produce blended together form part of the traceability challenges in the sector. Again, a number of seed produce are also conveyed through an unconventional medium. This also makes it difficult for data capturing and information exchange. In a situation where lots are used, most of the lots are created artificially, and such an approach is prone to errors.
3: Paper-bases system still in existence
Most of the producers still use the paper-based system to keep record of their crop treatment. With such a system, it is always difficult to keep accurate record and trace type and origin of inputs, pests and diseases. These concerns make it challenging for the stakeholders in the sector to have access to real-time traceability information. The lack of information technology with well-developed traceability functionality has been recognized as the root cause of the issues highlighted above.
Role of digitization in the seeds supply chain
Digitizing the seeds supply chain implies creating or converting the physical or non-digital things such as paper-based forms, images etc. into a digital format that can be used by computing systems. This approach will help promote a pathway for leveraging data collection, management and analysis. This will increase cost effectiveness and efficiencies.
Planning & sourcing stage
At the planning and sourcing stage in the seeds supply chain, digital solutions could be used to plan area, labors, machines and materials. It can also be useful in providing insights into selecting a reliable producer and crop insurance where appropriate.
Production management stage
At the production management phase, innovative digital solutions could be useful in managing the activities on the farm and in the greenhouses. These include alerting producers on weather events, providing alerts on when to inspect and treat crops. Advanced digital solutions could also help to create new observation by providing alerts on who, when and where the observation relates. This kind of solutions could also be used to capture and store the chemical/ fertilizer application of crops.
Post-harvest stage
At the post-harvest stage, digital solutions would be helpful in electronically assigning unique identifiers to lots, package boxes, capturing and storing phytosanitary documents information. With such solutions, data inconsistencies will be eliminated, data will be easily available and accessible. Information concerning the physical location of seeds, genetic constitution of seeds, and sequences of the activities in the seed process can be exchanged easily.
There are several mobile applications and modern ERP solutions in the market that could be valuable in digitizing the seeds supply chains. This blog highlights the role of ERP solutions in digitizing the seeds supply chain.
Role of ERP in seeds supply chain digitization
Currently, ERP software has been recognized as an integrated business software that supports diversified business processes. ERP is a management information system that provides value to the business in areas such as production planning, sales, order management, accounting, distribution, inventory control and human resource. With ERP package, the different departments or responsibility centres in a company can communicate and share real-time information. The flexibility associated with these modern ERP systems makes it easier to plan and manage the biological business processes in the horticulture sector. Modern ERP packages also give easy accessibility and sharing of data and information across supply chains.
Mprise Agriware is a typical example of such systems that provide functionalities for planning and sourcing, production management, and post-harvest activities. The system provides the flexibility to enter data, store every bit of data and retrieve data at ease. The system connects and provides an update to stakeholders in the supply chain network. This allows users to track all volumes of products, materials etc. moving through their supply chain network. Mprise ERP also has direct system-to-system communication with the Fieldbook App that makes it easy to capture and share field information.
Modern ERP systems such as the Mprise Agriware would be valuable in digitizing the seed supply chains. This will help to handle seeds legislation, safety and quality control, certification, welfare and seeds supply chain optimization.
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