In Nigeria, six priority crops, namely rice, maize, cowpeas (beans), cassava, oil palm and millet, would receive funding to boost productivity and increase availability in the country.This is because the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) is embarking on partnership drive with the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC), titled ‘Enhancing Seed Systems for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security in Nigeria’, which was put together by NADF in collaboration with NASC, in Abuja.
According to the Executive Secretary of NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, the six priority crops, which are staples in the different geopolitical zones in Nigeria, are crucial for achieving food security in the country.
“Through the Seed Systems Enhancement Programme, we aim to provide financial support to drive this transformation.This includes funding for agricultural research institutes to develop and scale breeder seeds for priority crops”, he stated. Ibrahim expressed the determination of the Fund in its comprehensive efforts to enhance Nigeria’s seed system with focus on the six priority across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
The Executive Secretary highlighted NADF’s strive for financial support to agricultural research institutes and seed companies to develop, scale and distribute improved seed varieties.
On his part, the Minister of State Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Aliyu Abdullahi, said this move had become necessary, as the listed crops play vital role in the country’s agro-economy and food security moves while emphasising the urgent integration of modern seed technology to counter the existential threats posed by climate change on the country’s food systems.
Meanwhile, the Executive Director, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Ibadan, Oyo State, Dr. Patrick Adebola, has informed that the price of cocoa reached an all-time high of N15 million per ton from its previous price of N1.8 million recorded in January 2024.
Adebola disclosed this while addressing newsmen on the occasion of CRIN’s 60th anniversary and hosting of the 18th edition of the Research Institutes Games of Nigeria (RIGAN) by the institute. He attributed the surge to disease outbreak in Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire, the leading producers of cocoa globally, a situation that has led to about 40 per cent loss of the crop in both countries.
“Cote d’Ivoire is the largest producer of cocoa producing about two million metric tons followed by Ghana with 900,000 metric tons. Nigeria is still 300,000 tons. Meanwhile, we have more land and everything than both countries.
“As at January this year, a ton of cocoa used to sell for N1.8 million, the price has risen to about N15 million per ton, but has now stabilised at N12 million now.
That is to tell you that cocoa production is no joke, it is the way to go now. If you have one hectare of land, it will give you 1,111 trees, if you do 3mtr by 3mtr spacing. In a year, it will give you at least, 1.5 tons and one ton is N12 million.
All you need on cocoa farm management is just to ensure that fire does not get into the farm and making sure you do your spraying when it is fruiting and the weeding that’s all.
No cost maintenance and cocoa can last for a lifetime and you can even hand it over to your children to inherit”, the Executive Director added.
