New yam registration, release will unloose billion dollars, says NRCRI Jude Obidiegwu

The lead breeder of a new yam candidate ( White rotundata UmuDr32) which was among the newly approved crop varieties at the recently held 33^rd  national technical- committee meeting on crop varieties, Dr. Jude Obidiegwu has said the new improved yam seed is with striking attributes that made it very much outstanding over the last two released varieties as it is potentially capable of generating billions of dollar into yam productivity system both in local and international markets.

Dr. Obidiegwu in an exclusive interview with Food Farm News expatiates on some of the distinct qualities of the new candidate in terms of yield increase and its economic implications. Read the excerpts of his conversations below.

Can you introduce yourself and the detail of the new candidate you have just presented for approval before the National Sub Technical Committee on crop varieties registration, release and naming?

 

My name is Dr. Jude Obidiegwu, am the lead coordinator for yam programme at the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Nigeria. I am a breeder too.  We have just presented UmuDr32, it is from rotundata species, which is a popular white yam and we envisage promoting this particular candidate with the name ‘’ favourite’’ as a commercial name. Why did choose the name favourite?  This is a process that takes many years, and in the course of testing we find out that the candidate has so many striking features that is very distinct in terms of food quality with high percent yield for yam flour and dry matter, starch quality and high tuber, slow rate of oxidation and excellent sensory attributes. In the course of on farms trails, and consumers’ acceptability test, it tops across several locations in Nigeria. Farmers are actually demanding for it at a moment, and that is why we have brought it at this moment to this honourable committee for consideration for commercial release and registration.

Now let us talk about its potentials on Nigerian economy, what can you say about that?

 That is a very good question, the last time i came here for this meeting, we released some varieties that give potential yield of 24 tons per hectare and 28 tons per hectare respectively. The present candidate we are advancing or presenting or projecting for release is giving an average yield of 32.5 tons per hectare. The economic value of this differential is transformative beyond the world of tuber.  If you look at the dry matter, it has a dry matter percentage of 5-6 % over initially released varieties. You know dry matter is a food that has a lot of economic implications with multiplier effect on the food value chains.  If you look at the flour quality, that is the flour yield, it is very significant because it has over 40% of flour yield, while most yams are operating at 28-32% flour yield. For me it makes a lot of difference. Even if is 1%-2% of course which can never be because it has a difference of almost 5- 6%. The economic benefit in terms of impact is running to about billions of dollar, it has implication for yam value production, processing industry and export markets.

Who are the prospect seeds producing off takers, who are the prospect seeds company you are expecting to pick up this new variety by the time it is finally approved?

Of course i come from a responsible Institute with national mandate to proffer foundation and breeder seeds for the off takers along the yam seeds system. We have the necessary technology that can provide both the foundation and breeder seeds for commercial availability anytime they are needed. The commercialization will not be any problem because of the YIIFSWA project, a sister project that has established a formal seed system for yam in partnership with critical stakeholders for yam improvement for food security in West Africa. (YIIFSWA)