Section 5: Establishment of the National Crop Varieties Livestock Breeds Registration and Release Committee

(1) There is hereby established a committee to be known as the National Crop Varieties and Livestock Breeds Registration and Release Committee (in this Act referred to as "the Committee") which shall operate under the Genetic Resources Unit of the Department of Agricultural Science of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and shall be charged with the general responsibility for crop varieties and livestock breed validation, registration, naming and release in Nigeria.
(2) The Committee shall comprise the following members that is-
(a) a chairman who shall not be a person employed in the public service of the Federation or of a State to be appointed by the President;
(b) the Director, Federal Department of Agriculture;
(c) the Director of Agricultural Sciences, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology;
(d) the head of Genetic Resources Unit, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology;
(e) the Director, National Seed Service;
(f) the chairman, Committee of Deans of Faculties of Agriculture in Nigerian Universities;
(g) the President, Genetic Society of Nigeria;
(h) a representative of the Federal Agricultural Co-ordinating Unit;
(i) two experienced breeders appointed on their personal merit by the Minister;
(j) one large-scale crop farmer appointed on his personal merit by the Minister;
(k) two general managers representing two River Basin Development Authorities from different ecological areas in rotation appointed by the Minister.
(3) Subject to this Act, the Committee shall have power to regulate its own proceedings.
(4) The validity of the proceedings of the Committee shall not be affected by reason of-
(a) any vacancy in the membership of the Committee;
(b) any defect in the appointment of one or more members of the Committee; or
(c) a person not entitled to do so taking part in its proceedings.
(5) The Committee may appoint such number of technical sub-committees as it thinks fit to consider and report on any matter with which the Committee is concerned.
(6) The composition and functions of the technical sub-committee appointed under subsection (5) of this section are provided in the Schedule to this Act.