Rutger Persson and Jean-Louis Duval, both senior experts in the seed sector and food supply chain, have decided to combine their experience and network in creating a new consultancy agency: Svalöf Consulting AB.

They recently agreed to purchase the consultancy department previously operated by Svalöf Weibull AB from April 1^st 2006. The new company will continue to be located in the town of Svalöv in southern Sweden. .

Svalöf Consulting will continue to develop the consulting activities in the agri-food sector, mainly in Central Asia, in partnership with Niras-Scanagri, based on their well-established relations with the agricultural and food sectors in countries such as Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and neighbouring countries.

Svalöf Consulting will contribute to enforcing the strategy of modernizing these sectors on behalf of international agencies (WB, ADB, EC, EBRD, DFID, Sida) within the scope of international agreements of partnership and cooperation. 

Svalöf Consulting will provide technical and regulatory assistance mainly in the seed industry, through project management, training and planning, with an overall objective to assist transition and structural changes in Central Asia which began in the early nineties.

Svalöf Consulting will focus on the rehabilitation of the seed industry by:

• Strengthening the institutional and regulatory structures and services in accordance with international standards.

• Raising the operational standards of certification and quality control services to international standards

• Proposing seeds and plants for alternative crops

• Improving seed production management practices and techniques

• Modernizing seed processing techniques and logistics

• Expanding the local seed markets to regional and the global seed market

• Providing the framework for the creation and strengthening of a market driven seed industry

Svalöf Consulting will conduct specialised training courses in the following areas:

• Genetic Resources and Intellectual Property Rights

• Sustainable Agriculture in an Environmental Perspective

• Modern Plant Breeding, Technology and Marketing of High Quality Seed for Global Food Security.