National Seed Testing Lab technicians undergo UNIDO-supported training

Samplers and Analysts of the National Seed Testing Laboratory (NSTL) of the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate (PPRSD) have benefited from a two-week training programme in Seed Purity Testing and Other Seed Determination.

The training was facilitated by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)’s -Trade Capacity Building (TCB) Programme and aimed to prepare the samplers and analysts of the laboratory to perform their work in compliance with the requirements of the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA) rules and standards as part of their preparation for accreditation to the ISTA standard.

Trainer and International Seed Purity Expert, James Kefa Oganda said that participants of the two weeks training will now be able to satisfy quality management systems requirements in seed purity testing.

Laboratory Manager, Veronica Nipaah Foster expressed gratitude to the UNIDO-TCB team for the two weeks intensive training, saying “The training has helped change the entire set up of the laboratory”.

National Technical Expert for the UNIDO-TCB Programme, Abena Safoa Ofori encouraged participants of the workshop to keep practising with the new methods using the standardised equipment supplied by UNIDO to keep the expertise imparted to them.

The training for the National Seed testing Laboratory is part of ongoing initiatives by the UNIDO Trade Capacity Building Programme which is funded by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) to improve laboratory testing capacities in the country.