Nigeria launches process to institutionalise crop variety monitoring, adoption 

Nigeria is set to institutionalise monitoring of crop variety adoption using genotyping program, tagged “IMAGE” to ensure availability of accurate data on crop variety adoption by farmers and proper seed coordination in the country that would in turn boost access to quality seed by farmers.

The National Agricultural Seed Council in Nigeria held the first physical launch of the IMAGE project and constitution of the national steering committee in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

What is “IMAGE”

One of the most important decisions a farmer faces is what crop varieties to grow with so many varieties available, while significant investment are made by government, donors, research-NGOs, Universities etc. to develop and disseminate improved seed varieties, a general lack of reliable varietal adoption data still exist.

This is what the Institutionalizing Monitoring of Crop Variety using Genotyping program (IMAGE) seeks to resolve by helping partner countries measure accurately, farmer’s adoption of released improved crop varieties.

This process will in turn expose which particular seed is mostly used by farmers and which released improved crop variety is yielding the desired result, giving room for proper seed planning that would greatly impact food production.

IMAGE is a five year project led by country teams in Nigeria, Tanzania and Ethiopia supported by Global Context Development and the Bill and Belinda Gates Foundation with the aim of establishing, institutionalizing and scaling routine monitoring of improved variety adoption and turn over.

Under the project, the three partner countries have selected staple crops to be used as focus crops, Nigeria for example will focus on four staple crops of Maize, Cassava, Cowpea and Rice.

Tanzania will focus on Maize, Cassava, Common Bean and Rice while Ethiopia will focus on Maize, Wheat, Common Beans and Teff.

While delivering his welcome address, the Director General of the National Agricultural Seed Council Dr. Philip Ojo said so far in Nigeria studies of improved seed adoption were mostly based on household surveys which does give accurate data.

“Over time, studies of improved seed adoption in Nigeria are almost based on household surveys and are premised on the assumption that a farmer can accurately self-report their use of improved seed varieties”

“However, many studies have shown that farmers report of seed varieties planted, or whether the seed is improved or local are sometimes inconsistent with the DNA fingerprinting results of these varieties. He added

Dr. Ojo noted that misidentification of seed varieties or type could have several implications for both adoption of improved technology, for planting, for Policy formulation for food security and also for regulatory activities in the country.

“We expect that the IMAGE project will provide insights and evidence for seed sector actors to enhance government agency capacity, improve stakeholders’ coordination, and lead to better investment & resource allocation decisions for varietal development and commercialization in Nigeria”

The Director General appreciated the support of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for supporting the efforts of the project while commending Global Context Development for successfully coordinating the project.