Research by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is critical to the transformation of Nigeria’s agricultural sector, says Dr Akinwumi Adesina, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, in his recent Statement to the Nation.
“IITA is crucial for Nigeria and we st and ready to support IITA in its important work. Very well done,” he said at a gathering of researchers, policymakers, and investors on 12 August in Ibadan.
Adesina says agricultural research and development across the value chain of Nigeria’s agricultural commodities could reduce hunger and poverty, and forge the transformation of the economy. The country is the most populous nation in Africa.
Among other things, he lauded IITA for its work on maize, soybean, biological control, and cassava.
He commended the institute for the development of improved maize varieties, which brought about transformation of maize production in the northern Guinea savannah.
He also cited IITA for its research to improve soybean, which he said “helped to make Nigeria the largest soybean producer in Africa.” At the same time, he mentioned IITA’s biocontrol program in West Africa and saving the ECOWAS region an estimated $94 million per year.
“The IITA-led research on the control of cassava mealybug generated benefits worth between $15.6 and $27.8 billion in 2004,” he explains.
The meeting in Ibadan brought stakeholders in the cassava sector to the table to discuss opportunities on value chain development in cassava processing with a view to developing markets and generating jobs and incomes for farmers.
Citing a study by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Adesina said that doubling research investments in Research & Development in sub-Saharan Africa could lift an estimated 144 million people out of poverty.
While commending IITA for organizing the conference on building a cassava road map, the minister said the government would give the necessary support to cassava, stressing that the root crop was among the crops targeted to drive the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
The support, according to him, would come in the area of creation of policies that would support cassava production and value addition. He said the limitations to agricultural production would be tackled, adding that the private sector would be encouraged to take the lead in agricultural development.
It will be recalled that better and improved cassava varieties helped Nigerian farmers boost production by 10 million tons between 2002 and 2008, enabling the country to overtake Thail and as the world’s biggest producer of cassava.
Consumed by millions of Nigerians, cassava is also an important industrial crop that provides starch and other products for confectionery, sweeteners, glues, plywood, textiles, paper, biodegradable products, monosodium glutamate, and drugs. Cassava chips and pellets are used in animal feed and alcohol production. Investing in value chain development would ensure food security and jobs.
IITA Director General Hartmann, while welcoming the minister, emphasized that the key to economic transformation in Nigeria lies in agricultural development.
According to him, addressing agricultural issues along the value chain will help produce the desired results.
For full transcript of Adesina’s speech, click here
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For more information, please contact:
Godwin Atser, g.atser@cgiar.org
Regional Corporate Communications Officer (West Africa)
Jeffrey T. Oliver, o.jeffrey@cgiar.org
Corporate Communications Services Manager
IITA – Headquarters
Ibadan, Nigeria
About IITA
IITA is an international non-profit R4D organization established in 1967, governed by a Board of Trustees, and supported primarily by the CGIAR. We work with partners in Africa and beyond to reduce producer and consumer risks, enhance crop quality and productivity, and generate wealth from agriculture. We develop agricultural solutions with our partners to tackle hunger and poverty. Our award winning research for development (R4D) is based on focused, authoritative thinking anchored on the development needs of tropical countries.
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