National Workshop on SATHI Portal Highlights Progress and Future Roadmap for Seed Traceability and Certification

New Delhi: The Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare (DA&FW), Government of India, held a National Workshop today on the SATHI (Seed Authentication, Traceability, and Holistic Inventory) Portal at the NASC Complex, Pusa Campus, New Delhi. The event, led by the Seed Division of DA&FW, brought together over 140 participants, including government officials, state agriculture department representatives, researchers, and other key stakeholders, to review the portal’s progress and chart its future roadmap.

In his welcome address, Dr. Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary, DA&FW, highlighted the crucial role of seed traceability in ensuring the availability of high-quality seeds for farmers. He emphasized the importance of concerted efforts to make certified seeds accessible, stating, “The introduction of new, superior seed varieties must be promoted for the benefit of farmers.”

Shubha Thakur, Additional Secretary, DA&FW, delivered the inaugural address, stressing the vital role of state departments in achieving the SATHI Portal’s goals. She noted, “Collaboration among stakeholders is key to SATHI’s success,” and urged state departments to act as true “Saathis” in the portal’s implementation. She further emphasized the importance of the upcoming Phase-II rollout, which focuses on seed inventory management and improving farmers’ access to reliable seed information.

The workshop’s technical sessions featured detailed presentations from officials of the National Informatics Centre (NIC), the Seed Division, and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), showcasing how the SATHI Portal addresses challenges in seed certification and management. The platform’s ability to streamline seed certification processes, as demonstrated by state representatives, has already led to significant improvements in accuracy and speed.

State officials also shared their experiences with the portal, discussing the benefits and challenges encountered during its implementation. Their insights underscored the positive impact of the portal on seed certification and its potential for widespread success.

The workshop concluded with discussions on the portal’s Phase-II adoption, with officials from various states expressing their readiness and outlining the support they require for successful implementation. The SATHI Portal, developed by NIC, aims to revolutionize seed certification and inventory management by enhancing transparency, traceability, and efficiency in the seed sector.