Millet development needs more funding, says Lake Chad Institute

 

The Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI) has advocated more funding for millet research and its commercial promotion to justify the crop's nutritional potential.

A millet breeder, Dr. Maryam Dawud representing LCRI at the recently concluded international conference of Nigerian Plant Breeders Association held in Abuja has declared in an interview with Food Farm News that more funds needed to be deployed into millet research development in order to exhaustively tap the nutritional potential in millet productivity in Nigeria.

Dr.Maryam Dawud argued that Nigeria is not investing enough fund in millet research, promotion and development despite its potential to improve food nutrition with capacity to withstand climate change challenges.

Millet she argued  is particularly important because of its nutritional properties and ability to perform under harsh environmental conditions.

LCRI plant breeder said millet contains significant amounts of iron and zinc, nutrients important for human health, and could contribute to improved nutrition among vulnerable groups, including children and pregnant women.

Dawud added that millet has an important advantage under increasingly difficult climatic conditions because of its ability to withstand drought and perform in environments where other cereal crops may struggle.

She recalled 2023 international year of millets, saying the event really generated increased interest in the crop, stressed the need for more awareness to effectively tap the crop's potential.

However Dr. Dawud stressed that funding was required at virtually every stage of the crop from breeding and research to seed production, farming, processing, marketing and consumer awareness.

Recall that the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology's variety-release documentation reports that three pearl millet varieties — LCIC MV5, LCIC MV6 and LCIC MV7 — were released in 2023, including varieties selected for high iron and zinc content and high yield.

The same document identifies millet as an important crop in northern Nigeria and reports an estimated 2023 production of about two million metric tonnes, while highlighting challenges including erratic rainfall, land degradation, pests and diseases.

Dawud appealed to the Federal Government to pay greater attention to millet and engage researchers and institutions working on the crop.

Dawud pointed that increased investment in millet over the next five years could produce significant benefits for Nigeria added that stronger government support, combined with research-industry partnerships and sustained public awareness, could help unlock the crop's potential for farmers and consumers.