USAID Handsover Seed Cold Storage

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has handed over the newly refurbished cold storage facility for reference seed samples to the Seed Control and Certification Institute.The facility that was gutted by fire in 2015 has been rehabilitated at a cost of 30-thousandU.S dollars an in-kind grant provided by USAID through its Feed the Future Africa Seed Trade Project.Agriculture Minister Michael Katambo has extoled USAID for helping government to rehabilitate the seed store which is important for both national and international seed certification and quality assurance.He says the government is committed to ensuring that the country maintains its seed export status in the SADC region and beyond.Mr. Katambo said this in a speech read for him by Ministry of Agriculture Acting Permanent Secretary Morgan Malambo during the handover of the cold storage facility at SCCI offices in Chilanga.And USAID Zambia Mission Director Sheryl Stumbras says the organization is committed to supporting (SADC) and understands the importance of seed storage.And SCCI Director Mable Simwanza says the rehabilitation of the seed store has enabled the Seed Testing Laboratory to be reaccredited to the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA). Post Views: 4
News Source: ZNBC