The Project Manager, NextGen Cassava, Professor Egesi Chiedozie, has said five new cassava varieties have been released to farmers across Nigeria in the last 18 months. Speaking on NextGen Cassava at its Annual meeting in Abuja, Chiedozie explained that the project was all about improving cassava varieties to enhance food security, while increasing income for farmers in Nigeria. The Project Manager said NextGen is the largest cassava breeding network located in four continents, and currently working with 20 partner organisations across the world. Also, Chiedozie informed that NextGen accommodates gender responsive breeding to ensure that the voices of women are heard. “So, we do not just go to scientists to give us new breed varieties, but to the village woman who plants cassava and prepares garri or fufu from it,” he added. Also, the Director General, National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC), Dr Phillips Ojo, said the distinct role of NextGen in the development of breeding capacities in cassava had changed the face of the commodity seed system in Nigeria. Represented by the Director, Seed Coordination and Management Services, Zidafamor Jimmy, the DG noted that the project was building and transforming practices of stakeholders in the cassava value chain, and enhancing the farm-level productivity of smallholder farmers. According to him, the new improved cassava varieties released in the country were expected to have significant impact on food security, enhance farmer income, improve agro-industrialisation and create jobs. Ojo recalled that over the last four decades, researchers have released 54 improved varieties of cassava in Nigeria. “This is a significant feat as we now have varieties that are fit for purpose and economically viable to encourage large scale participation,” the DG added. On his part, Acting Executive Director, National Root Crops Research Institute, (NRCRI) Umudike, Dr. Godwin Asumugha, said the NextGen meeting would strengthen commitments to deploy technology, innovative and global best practices to improve cassava for economic diversification.
