National Varietal Release Committee expresses concern on adoption

* Releases 23 varieties

* Suggests rename hall after ..

As about 23 new varieties of crops including four transgenic and 8 hybrid maize were among the newly released and registered into Nigerian market, the National Varietal Release Committee ( NVRC) chaired by Prof. Olusoji Olufajo has expressed great concern on how to get these and other candidates into the hands of farmers for increased food production in the country.

This concern was raised at the January 11, 2024 commercial release and registration of about 23 new crops varieties into the market for their superior characteristics over the existing conventional seeds in terms of yield and resistance to diseases.

Prof. Olusoji Olufajo said that all legitimate strategies must be explored to ensure that improved technologies get into the hands of farmers saying the ones being released by the private companies would definitely not face market challenges because no private venture would want to invest into an unprofitable venture.

Olufajo pointed out that all hands in government and private seeds sectors must work assiduously together to ensure transferring of improved technologies into the hands of farmers saying this was how the issue can be best handled.

According Prof. Olufajo " NASC is very key to this request because they are the ones that signed up all these improved varieties. There are so many seed companies that produce and sell these seeds to farmers. That is why both private and public sectors have to work together. The NASC, the seed companies and extension workers who are Ministries' workers are the people that supposed to take the materials to farmers. So it is a joint effort. We agree that we release the varieties, but the transfer is meant for NASC, Seed Companies and extension workers "

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security ( FMAFS) Regional Director, Southwest, Dr. (Mrs) Abimbola Akeredolu has raised the issue of how these new released technologies could be channeled towards enhancing food security by getting into the hands of farmers with best agronomics practices to give expected results as she added that the ministry is particularly concerned about this.

Dr. Akeredolu said that " Our concern in the ministry is about food security and how these improved technologies can get to farmers. I know it is not the mandate of this committee, but I just want to know how to ensure farmers get the best. It has always been same all stories, and this is very sad. Are farmers getting all these high yielding varieties? Are they benefitting from it? What can we do if they are not benefitting?"

Earlier during the send forth party held for the immediate past national chairman for variatal release committee, Chief ( Pa) Oladosu Awoyemi had expressed passionate concern on adoption by farmers saying there is need for proactive improved seeds transfer to ensure mass food production for security in Nigeria.

Prof. Olakojo, a member of the release committee in his opinion expressed that Government has no reason to say it would not ensure multiplication towards availability to farmers having expended 85% on publicly bred seeds, pointing why shouldn't it ensure availability into the hands of farmers through additional budget line of just 15% for multiplication. 

Olakojo stressed that doing this would enable research Institutes to ensure multiplication availability in conjunction with private seeds companies in the country.

Recall that the FG through the Minister FMAFS state, Sen. Abudullahi Sabi during the West African Extension Week conference in Nigeria last year November frowned at many technologies wasting on the shelves of research Institutes just because they are materials majorly motivated to earn promotion rather than national interest of food security, saying this had to stop and releases must be demand driven to avoid dumping.

However all the 23 new crops varieties presented  by the Sub technical Committee on crops chaired by Prof. S G Ado at the Ibadan office of National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology ( NACGRAB) were all registered and released into the market after being subjected to thorough scientific scrutiny that fitted well into global varietal release standards.

Among the newly released varieties are four transgenic maize that had the certification of National Biotechnology Research Agency on friendliness to the environment, animal and human consumption through on farms trials for almost a decade before being brought for registration.

Among the transgenic popularly known as Genetically Modified Organism ( GMO) ) maize are SAMMAZ 72T, SAMMAZ 73T, SAMMAZ  75T and SAMMAZ 74T that are registered and released based on their resistance to Fall Armyworm and high grain yields with large kernel size peculiar to SAMMAZ 74T in addition to its characteristics.

The committee asked that all the transgenic maize varieties are  to be locally produced since   they have been registered and released into Nigeria market.

Others hybrid maize are in this order that were released 

1. SAMMAZ 71 with aflatoxin resistance with high grain yield from Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) and other collaborators.

2. Champion Gold 68 ( hybrid maize from IAR, Samaru with Monipo Nigeria Limited.

3. Maize SC 417 brought for registration by Seed Co Nigeria and IAR for its early maturing, good standability and high yield.

4. Maize SC 655 was released based on its good standability, husk cover and high grain yield. Brought by Seed Co Nigeria and IAR.

5. Maize hybrid Kabamanoj ( Yellow) produced by IAR with Gemini Seeds and Genetic Limited. It was released and registered for its high yield, drought tolerance, stay- green standability.

6. Maize hybrid Golden MH1- W (White) brought by Nigeria Flour Mills and IAR was registered and released for its good milling quality, high yield and big cobs.

7. Maize hybrid Golden MH2-Y ( Yellow) from Flour Mills Nigeria, IAR, Fed. Uni, Oye Ekiti, Horticulture Science, UI, and Dept of Agronomy, Uni Ilorin. Released and registered on good milling quality and high yield.

8. Maize hybrid SAMMAZ  70 brought by IAR, IITA, Ibadan and Uni. Ilorin, Nigeria for its high pro vitamins A, tolerance to striga and high grain yield.

Two varieties of pepper were brought by Premier Seed Nigeria Limited in collaboration with the National Horticultural Research Institute, Ibadan and World Vegetable Centre, Taiwan. Both were released and registered  as PS PEP 1 and PS PEP 2 for their potentials in medium maturity ( 80-90) after transplanting, medium pungency ( 10-50mg/100g) long, heavy fruit and multiple disease resistance, and early maturing ( 70-80 days after transplanting), medium pungency (10-50mg/100g) long fruit with horned fruit shape, and multiple disease resistance respectively.

Three rice varieties including Ex- Badaru named after the immediate past Governor of Jigawa state brought by National Cereals Research Institute ( NCRI), Badeggi, Niger state, department of plant biology, Federal University of technology, Minna and Jigawa state Agricultural Research Institute was allowed to be released and registered into the hands of farmers towards enhanced food security along with other two hybrid called ( Bioseed Fiyah 549 and Bioseed Fiyah 800) also from NCRI.

The only one hybrid yam called  UMUDR36- SHARPSHARP brought for registration by National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Abia state Nigeria and IITA, Ibadan was registered and released by the NVRC for its popular acceptability by farmers based on early maturity, high flour yield and high yield.

Also released and registered was Sorghum hybrid Golden SHI for its high yield, early maturity, dwarfness and stay- green characteristics. It was brought by Flour Mills Nigeria, IAR, Zaria, Department of Crop science and horticulture, Federal University of Oye Ekiti and Department of Agronomy, Uni Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.

The rest released and registered crops are castor and three oat varieties all from IAR, Samara.

Castor variety SAMCAS 1 was released and registered based on high seed yield while Oat Variety SAMOAT 3 was for its high grain yield and protein. SAMOAT 4 for earliness, high grain yield and protein of 10.25%, and SAMOAT 5 was allowed for its high grain yield & protein ( 12.25%).

Also, there was suggestion to name the NACGRAB conference hall after immediate past chairman of National Varietal Release Committee, Chief Awoyemi for his selflessness contribution to varieties registration in Nigeria.