Obasanjo Farms Nigeria commissioned a screen house and laboratory-based cassava multiplication facility on 20 January in Ota, Ogun State. IITA Director General Dr Nteranya Sanginga chaired the commissioning, with the participation of the IITA Senior Management Team and Scientists.
In August 2022, former Nigerian President and IITA Goodwill Ambassador, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, visited President Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with a Business group from Nigeria. As part of the agenda for his visit, Chief Obasanjo visited the Semi-Autotrophic Hydroponics (SAH) site for cassava multiplication at CERAGRU under the facilitation of IITA experts in the DRC.
During the visit, Chief Obasanjo took an interest in the rapid multiplication of cassava seed and its potential impact on food security in Africa. He requested a replication of the facility and the SAH technology at his agriculture enterprise—Obasanjo Farms Nigeria (OFN), which has 2000 hectares reserved for cassava cultivation. The conventional cassava planting methods require a high proportion of resources, such as labor, time, and machinery. However, the new SAH facility can produce 1 million plantlets per time (3 months), with at least three productions per year. Thus, it is easier and faster.
President Obasanjo describes SAH as an important technology for African agricultural transformation. In addition to conducting business with the SAH facility, OFN has become an advocate of SAH technology. During the commissioning, President Obasanjo said, “I think this is very important for us to showcase, considering that cassava is a major staple in Africa, and this technology also presents a great business opportunity for farmers.”
He commended Dr Sanginga as the brain and energy behind the implementation of the project. “This screen house will be one of DG Sanginga’s legacies.”
In response, Dr Sanginga thanked the former Head of State and assured that the mission of IITA is to scale technologies for sustainable food systems and agribusiness prosperity.
Contributed by Dolapo Ogunsola
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