Nigeria's Seed Industry Tests Improved Crop Varieties for Food Security

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s seed industry conducted a field demonstration of improved crop varieties, including maize, rice, sorghum, millet, soybean, groundnut, and cowpea, in Zaria, Kaduna State. This initiative was organized by the African Cereal and Legume Breeding Consortium (ACLBC), Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT), and the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA) during a two-day workshop.

The demonstration plot, established with Premier Seeds, allowed seed companies to evaluate the varieties under field conditions. Participants included the Seed Entrepreneurs Association of Nigeria (SEEDAN) and the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC), who assessed crop performance, yield potential, and grain quality.

Geoffrey Nsofon, ACLBC lead, stated that the initiative aimed to accelerate the adoption of improved varieties developed by CGIAR centres. Yacouba Diallo, AFSTA secretary-general, emphasized the need for private sector engagement to distribute new varieties commercially.

Solomon Gizaw, head of the TAAT clearing house, encouraged seed companies to invest in breeding technologies to enhance seed availability across Africa.