Farmers call for innovation, high-yield crop varieties out

Farmers, under the aegis of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) have said that Nigeria needs sustainable innovation and knowledge-driven agricultural production to ensure food security and peace, just as 23 high-yield crop varieties have been released to farmers. The farmers’ call on innovation was made by the President of AFAN, Arch. Kabir Ibrahim, as he disclosed that efficient knowledge of agribusiness in 2024 would be Nigeria’s year of agricultural prosperity and sustainable food security.

According to Ibrahim, “To restore Nigeria’s glory and dignity, we need to roll up our sleeves and embark on sustainable innovation and serious knowledge-driven agricultural production and processing, including invaluable value addition. To start with, we should aim at adequately feeding our huge population of over 200,000,000 and still counting, as a short term milestone. This is not very easy for several reasons, but definitely doable with focus and determination”, adding that the government should encourage the private sector by providing an enabling environment for sustainable agribusiness with the hope of making Nigeria’s agricultural situation better.

Meanwhile, a total of 23 high-yield crop varieties have been provided for farmers at the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB), Ibadan, Oyo State, during the 33rd meeting of National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds/Fisheries. The Chairman, National Variety Release Committee (NVRC), Prof. Soji Olufajo had announced the registration and release of the 23 new varieties of seven crops recommended to the committee by its technical sub-committee, and that the crops were received from research institutes, universities and private companies, which included maize, pepper, oat, rice, yam, sorghum hybrid and castor.

The technical sub-committee, chaired by Prof. Shehu Ado, had deliberated on 24 varieties that were received before recommending the 23 varieties. The listed 12 maize varieties registered and released include SAMMAZ 72T, SAMMAZ 73T, SAMMAZ 74T, SAMMAZ 75T, SAMMAZ 71T, Champion Gold 68, SC 417, SC 665, Kabamanoj (yellow), Golden MH 1-W (white), Golden MH 2-Y (yellow), and SAMMAZ 70. Olufajo added that two varieties of pepper, namely PS PEP 1 and PS PEP 2, three rice varieties – Ex Badaru, Biofeedback Fiyah 549 and Bioseed Fiyah 800, and one yam variety – UMUDr36 sharpsharp, were also registered and released.

He further announced that one sorghum hybrid (Gold SH1), one castor variety (SAMCAS 1) and three oat varieties, namely SAMOAT 3; SAMOAT 4 and SAMOAT 5), were all approved and released. The NVRC chairman said that the 12 maize varieties had high grain yield, resistance to fall armyworm, resistance to aflatoxin B, early maturity, among other characteristics, noting that the two pepper varieties were registered and released based on their medium maturity, pungency, long, heavy fruits and multiple disease resistance, saying that the three new rice varieties were released because they had early maturity, high yield/tillering and high swelling ratio.