FOUR DECADES OF NATIONAL SEED SYMPOSIUM

TRIBUTE : FOUR DECADES OF NATIONAL SEED SYMPOSIUM (1976 - 2016) HISTORY,PROGRESS AND ACHIEVEMENTS 
By, H.F.Chin, Department of Crop Science, UPM, Bioversity International ,Email : h.chin@cgiar.org


The first National Seed Symposium was organized by the Faculty Of Agriculture and held at Universiti Pertanian Malaysia (UPM) on 4 th February 1976. This was well attended by over a hundred local participants and few from overseas. This symposium of 4 days included field trips and seed exhibition. They were officiated opened and closed by the Minister of Agriculture and closed by the Minister of Energy, Technology and Research. Forty years ago, this symposium was considered a success and served as a model for subsequent ones. The journey down memory lane of four decades is over. It is time to celebrate our Ruby Jubilee (1976 - 2016). This long journey was not that comfortable, simple and straight. There were bumps here and there, hence, the second symposium was revived after a period of 18 years and third, another 6 years. A seed organization, society or association need to be established. So the Malaysian Association of Seed Technology (MAST) was proposed and was found to be not suitable. Finally an alternative National Seed Association of Malaysia (NSAM) was proposed, forwarded to the Registrar of Society and finally after 32 years from the first seed symposium, it was approved and launched on 25 th February 2008. Since then, every two years, we have a National Seed Symposium 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014 and now 2016 this month. 

Wellcome first seed sympodium in 1976 by Prof Chin at UPM.

With the establishment of NSAM, there is both national and international recognition. It is now the voice of the seed industry and its role is recognized. Locally, a number of institutions and government have recognized our services, teaching, running workshops and advising services. We are also represented in the National Seed Council (NSC). Internationally, we are members of Asian Pacific Seed Association (APSA). We had organized the APSA Seed Congress in KL Hilton, and members have received special awards. Locally, our members have contributed to a number of government departments like SIRIM for formulating seed standards and help to conduct courses at different levels. In particular, we have been giving courses in seed science and technology for a few decades and provide the sources of manpower in the Department og Agriculture, Incorporated Society of Planters (ISP) and seed industry. In the future with further growth in manpower, greater interest with more resources and closer linkage.

Posted by:
M Anem,
Senior Agronomist (NSAM Members),
Hotel Sama-sama,
KLIA, Sepang,
Selangor, Malaysia.
(24 August, 2016)