There are efforts to improve seed system in sub-Sahara Africa. Cassava is among specific seed systems being addressed. Stakeholders are calling for increased local support to boost cassava seed system in Nigeria
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has been working in collaboration with the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) and the Foundation for Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta (PIND) to promote a cassava seed system that will trigger the adoption of cassava stems of improved varieties to boost the productivity of cassava farmers in the Niger Delta.
Under a five-year tripartite agreement signed under the IITA Building an Economically Sustainable Integrated Cassava Seed Systems, Phase 2 (BASICS-II), the three institutions will leverage each other’s capabilities and strength in advancing the development of an economically sustainable cassava seed sector in Nigeria by collaborating to organise advocacy programmes, training of farmers and the promotion of the use of improved disease-free varieties of cassava stems.
between 2015 and 2020, facilitated the development of Village Seed Entrepreneurs (VSEs) in Nigeria, is a five-year project aimed at transforming the cassava seed sector by promoting the dissemination of improved varieties, thereby creating a community of seed entrepreneurs across the cassava value chain. The project focuses on Nigeria and Tanzania with spin off to other African countries.
The Executive Director, Dr. Dare Akola, explained that a key component of PIND was economic development and that the cassava value chain was crucial due to the fact that the sector has a large number of poor farmers in the Niger Delta region. “So, there is an overlap of interest and that is why this partnership with IITA and NRCRI is very important,” he said.
He added: “We want to leverage the resources, knowledge and expertise of the two research institutions to be able to maximise our own development output and at the same time bring out our network and relationships with farmers and state actors in the Niger Delta region into the partnership so that we can all achieve our common goals.”
The Federal Government recently approved new names for 10 improved cassava varieties, as part of efforts to brand the root crop for easy identification, cultivation and marketing of cassava stems. The branded varieties comprise six released varieties and four yet-to be-released varieties. The released varieties and their new names are as follows: IBA961632 (Farmer’s Pride), IBA980581 (Dixon), CR36-5 (Anaya), IBA070593 (Sunshine), and IBA980505 (Fine face). TME 419, a variety already popular among farmers, remained unchanged as TME419. The yet-to-be-released (pre-release) varieties and their new names are TMS13F1160P0004 (GameChanger), TMS13F1343P0022 (Obasanjo-2), NR130124 (Hope) and TMEB693 (Poundable).
On a national scale, IITA, National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) and NRCRI are determined to develop a cassava seed system that would help Nigeria to transform cassava and meet the growing demand for cassava seeds of about N10 billion from cassava growers. Last year, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) midwife a programme to develop cassava seed growers on 100,000 hectares across the country. This created a huge demand for improved and disease-free planting materials that surpassed supply.
“Last year, the demand for certified cassava stems from cassava growers was estimated at N10 billion. Unfortunately, this opportunity was not fully taken by farmers as it was difficult to get certified stems of improved varieties,” IITA Director for Development & Delivery, Dr Alfred Dixon, who led a delegation of experts, said during a visit to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Alhaji Muhammad Sabo Nanono, in Abuja recently.
Dixon noted that IITA through the BASICS-II project was already working with partners and farmers to tap the opportunity, explaining that the Project was creating a formal seed system for cassava that links breeder seeds with foundation seed producers and foundation seed producers to commercial seed entrepreneurs.
“The commercial seed producers will thereafter sell to the cassava root producers…and cassava root producers will subsequently process into various end products or sell surplus roots to processing industries in the Country. In this fashion, we will be creating jobs and income generation opportunities for young people that will serve as seed entrepreneurs and modern producers of cassava. Furthermore, the use of certified seeds will increase the national productivity of cassava,” he added.
