As farmers produce less than 10 tonnes per hectare

By Gabriel Ewepu – Abuja

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA, on Thursday, expressed worry over poor performing seeds in Nigeria’s cassava production as prices of cassava-based foods remain high.

Speaking on the issue, the Project Manager, BASICS-II project, IITA, Prof Lateef Sanni, said Nigeria should ensure maximize economic potentials of the root crop  as she currently occupies the first spot as largest producer of the commodity.   

According to Sanni, Brazil, China, Thailand, Vietnam, and even Cambodia are reaping ‘gold’ from cassava.

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He said: “These countries do not record less than 30 tonnes per hectare. However, farmers in Nigeria produce less than 10 tons due to poor performing seeds.

“The goal of BASICS-II project is to provide farmers with access to affordable, quality-assured seeds of improved cassava varieties in demand by local food and processor markets through the establishment of a commercially viable seed value chain.

“We are doing this using the seed system approach called the BASICS model. We are encouraging farmers to adopt new and improved varieties to improve productivity, raise incomes of cassava growers and seed entrepreneurs, enhance gender equity, and contribute to inclusive agricultural transformation.”

Meanwhile, other experts pointed that Nigeria as the largest producer of cassava in the world, needs to adopt a new seed system approach to compete globally and keep the price of cassava-based foods stable and affordable in the country.

Also the Advocacy, Promotions and Outreach Lead, BASICS-II project, Dr. Godwin Atser, maintained that to change the low yield per hectare as it is now is the adoption of improved varieties.

“Improved varieties are  key to changing that narrative of cassava. Adoption of improved varieties will increase cassava productivity, ensure food security, guarantee processors of quality raw materials, and hinder the spread of cassava crop diseases on farms.

 “Today, we have hundreds of farmers across Nigeria and Tanzania that are engaged in cassava stem multiplication and marketing.

“Currently, the project has created over 400 of cassava seed entrepreneurs in Benue, Kogi, Abia, Delta, Cross River and Akwa Ibom States.”

He also said that the project had strengthened links between with the country’s seed regulating agency, National Agricultural Seed Council, NASC.

He noted that the country currently has two EGS companies – IITA GoSeed, a private company owned by IITA, and Umudike Seed, a private firm owned by the National Root Crops Research Institute, NRCRI, Umudike, Abia State.

Meanwhile, a vegetative seed specialist and the General Manager of IITA GoSeed, Dr Mercy Diebiru-Ojo, explained that the Early Generation Seed Companies were responsible for multiplying the new varieties developed by the breeders in IITA, NRCRI, NextGen Cassava and other breeding programmes.

She said: “At IITA GoSeed, we use new technologies to multiply the improved varieties and make virus–free stems available to the seed producers who will further multiply and sell to farmers.

“Our Semi Autotrophic Hydroponics (SAH) technology has helped us surmount the slow multiplication challenge we used to have in the past.

“Now we are multiplying virus-free cassava planting materials at a much faster rate such that within two years of release, the improved planting materials are commercially available.

The Operations Manager for IITA GoSeed, Akinyemi Ibikunle, also stated that the business of making improved varieties available to farmers is also a very lucrative venture for those interested in cassava seed production.

Vanguard News Nigeria