The influence of IRRI Bangladesh in the automation of the seed certification process enhances the efficiency of the Seed Certification Agency of Bangladesh as well as the public and private sectors' efficiency.

The quality of rice seeds in Bangladesh has been a persistent concern, with a significant gap of 55% observed from 2018-19 to 2021-2022 (Yearbook of Agricultural Statistics 2022). Private sector contribution to addressing this gap has remained stagnant at around 11% from 2016-17 to 2018-19 (Amin, Didarul, et al.). The complexity, time-consuming nature, and high costs associated with manual processes have contributed to this situation. To address these challenges, the Seed Certification Agency (SCA) of Bangladesh, an autonomous government agency under the Ministry of Agriculture, is responsible for certifying agricultural seeds, registering varieties, and ensuring quality control. In 2022, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), conducted a study to understand the complexities and inefficiencies of the seed certification process. The findings highlighted the need for automation and improvement in various aspects of the process. After a year of close collaboration with the SCA, the agency marked the launch of the "Services of Agriculture" section on myGov.bd platform, focusing on the achievements in automating the seed certification procedure. The SCA introduced a web-based field certification process that considers crucial factors such as seed test results, lot offer/collection dates, VCU and DUS tests, and grow-out tests. To enhance efficiency and convenience, the SCA plans to utilize drones for land measurement, implement blockchain and QR codes for smart tags, enable online payments through EFTN or mobile money transfers, and leverage smart technologies such as IoT devices, big data analytics, IoT cameras, and image analysis by drones. These digital advancements strengthen the seed system of Bangladesh to streamline certification processes, reduce time, and make seed certification more efficient for farmers and seed companies. Ultimately, the introduction of these apps enhances the efficiency of seed systems by enabling efficient product tracking, timely seed test reporting, field certification, VCU and DUS tests, and online payments which are revolutionary achievements by IRRI in Bangladesh for the Seed Certification Agency.