The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has hailed the cassava seed system project being implemented by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) with funding from the Deutsche GesellschaftfürInternationaleZusammenarbeit (GIZ).
GIZ, through its Green Innovation Centers for the Agriculture and Food Sector Program in Nigeria (GIAE) with the aim to mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19 in the agricultural sector, had launched a cassava and maize value chain project to create more income opportunities for farmers with special focus on women and youth in Ogun and Oyo States.
The project which is led by IITA, established sixty cassava seed entrepreneurs as part of efforts to promote the use of quality cassava stems of improved varieties, upscale cassava production and generate increased income for small holder farmers.
At a monitoring field visit to one of the seed entrepreneurs in Gbana community, Ogbomoso area of Oyo State, delegates from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Oyo State Ministry of Agriculture and GIZ-GIAE Nigeria expressed delight at the success rate of the programme.
The site portrayed the qualities of the improved varieties which assures farmers of yield up to thirty tonnes of cassava per hectare compared to the old varieties which produce less than ten tonnes per hectare; it is also highly resistant to major pests and diseases that affect cassava.
The farm owner, Mrs Dorcas Alaamu attested to the high level of resistant of the variety to pests and diseases as she disclosed that she only weeded once since planting the farm.
“I am so excited about my farm; infact, I will say that there is no field like mine in this vicinity, I am grateful to the donors and partners for exposing us to this practice because using the old grains we use, I would have weeded up to three to four times by now, the plants are looking fresh and healthy,” she said.
In her remarks, the leader of the FMARD delegation, Dr Ngozi Odunze, explained that the visit was to check the progress of the project,ensurethat the implementation was according to plan and also seek for areas of adjustments.
“I am happy with the level of progress, I am satisfied that even when the project elapsed, we’ve been able to increase access to an improved method of planting cassava.”
While explaining the approach the project adopted, the Project Manager, Dr. Godwin Atser, pointed out that the project was creating job and income opportunities for farmers and young people while at the same time establishing a sustainable seed system for cassava using the BASICS Model developed by another IITA project, Building an Economically Sustainable Integrated Cassava Seed system (BASICS-II).
Similarly, a representative from the State Government, Mr Moses Moyosade expressed delight at the project.
He stated that the Government is planning to replicate the project in other parts of the State.
The Oyo State Government has already acquired 100 hectares of land at Fashola settlement, Oyo town to boost agricultural productivity in the State.
The cassava value chain advisor for GIAE Nigeria, Dr. Abidemi Ajibola said the project was one of the COVID-19 measures by the international organization to improve productivity, livelihood opportunities especially for youth and women and contribute to food and nutritional security.