For two transformative weeks, the IITA–CGIAR Plantain Breeding Program welcomed a team from NIHORT, marking a new chapter in advancing plantain and banana production for food security across Nigeria and Africa. The training, held from 28 October to 8 November, was designed to create a skilled professional base capable of undertaking the activities in the different stages of the plantain breeding pipeline to deliver improved varieties and high-quality planting materials to the farmers, a critical need as demand for healthy crops continues to rise.
The NIHORT participants immersed themselves in diverse learning areas, from tissue culture and macro propagation to field management and digital data capture. They gained essential skills for developing resilient plantain and banana crops through these modules. Indoor sessions offered insights into the unique characteristics of plantains, prevalent diseases, and the importance of enhancing plantain seed systems. These foundational lectures delivered by Moses Nyine (Breeder), Yao Kolombia (Pathologist) and Delphine Amah (Breeder and seed systems expert) prepared them for hands-on experience as they visited laboratories, propagator sheds, and IITA’s plantain fields under the mentorship of experts. Grouped by their primary interests, participants worked closely with specialists, learning practical techniques they would later pass on, creating a “train-the-trainer” ripple effect to expand expertise across Nigeria and beyond.
Reflecting on the experience, participants expressed awe at the knowledge gained. One of them responded, “The field experience was awesome. We learned about the morphology of plantain, how to distinguish between plantain and banana from an early stage, how to carve (or just use prepare) suckers for macro propagation, how to select the ideal land for plantation, and which sucker is best for propagation.”
The training also introduced NIHORT to MusaBase, a global database for banana breeding that further enriches their tools for data-driven breeding practices. This development marked a new digital phase for NIHORT, as they joined the worldwide network advancing banana and plantain breeding research.
In further support, the IITA Accelerated Breeding Initiative, led by Rony Swennen, provided NIHORT with a new HP printer, five tablets, and a desktop computer to enhance their capability to record, analyze, and share valuable data in their work.
The closing ceremony was a time of gratitude and mutual exchange of gifts. Ibitoye Dorcas Olubunmi, the Plantain and Banana Breeder at NIHORT, expressed appreciation to IITA, remarking, “Much trust has been invested into all of us. Let us go out there, be fruitful and multiply.” Delphine Amah, PROSSIVA Coordinator and Plantain Breeder at IITA-CGIAR, reinforced the partnership’s value: “We appreciate this partnership and commend your commitment and dedication throughout this training period. We assure you of our continued support—once you enter the plantain and banana breeding program, you will become a part of the family.” She added that participants can tap into the PROSSIVA package to build successful businesses from plantain and bananas, emphasizing the integral role of the participants in the partnership.
This growing partnership between IITA-CGIAR and NIHORT signifies a future ripe with potential. By equipping dedicated individuals with the knowledge and tools to sustainably propagate plantain and banana crops, the IITA-CGIAR Plantain Breeding Program sows the seeds for stronger food systems and improved livelihoods across the continent.
Contributed by Folake Oduntan
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