Nigerian Government Introduces High Yield Varieties of Wheat

The Federal Government of Nigeria has introduced high yield varieties of wheat, used for the production of wheat and pasta, to farmers so the prices of the commodities may crash in the country.

Wheat is among the ten new varieties of crop approved for release by the Federal Government as part of efforts to address food security, sustainability and sufficiency in the country.

The government gave the approval through the National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds and Fisheries, during its 32nd meeting held at the Conference Hall, National Centre For Genetic Resources And Biotechnology (NACGRAB), Moor Plantation, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

The ten newly approved crops include four varieties of wheat, four potato varieties and two synthetic maize varieties following an earlier submission by the Technical Sub-Commitee (TSC) of the National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds and Fisheries at its 36th meeting.

The four new wheat varieties comprised two bread wheat varieties (Borlaug100 and Neloki) and two durum-wheat varieties (Crino and Bayoreca).

The wheat varieties were submitted by the Lake Chad Research Institute, Maiduguri, Nigeria; the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre, Mexico; and the Flour Milling Association of Nigeria.

At the meeting, the stakeholders included the Head of Department, Cereal Research, the Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI), Dr Zakari Turaki; an Agronomist, Flour Milling Association of Nigeria (FMAN), Mr Hamed Abdullahi; the Director/CEO, LCRI, Maiduguri, Prof Babagana Kabir; and the Registrar NACGRAB, Dr Anthony Okere.

The stakeholders all agreed that the new wheat varieties were high yield and would, in a short time, help address the importation of wheat which largely accounts for high cost of bread and pasta.

Abdullahi noted that FMAN collaborated with LCRI for the release of the four wheat varieties with both financial and technical support to ensure the release, saying the association would ensure the processing and promotion of the varieties among millers.

He stated: “The gains and quality parameters of these varieties are outstanding and the milling industry is keenly interested in making sure that these varieties get to the Nigerian farmers and they cultivate. This will in turn save Nigeria the billions of naira spent on import of wheat into the country by boosting local production.

“The FMAN is working with relevant stakeholders to improve local wheat production in the country, cutting import and saving the country’s naira and that is why the partnership with LCRI is paramount,” Abdullahi revealed.

He explained that the stakeholders were glad with the release of the high yield varieties for farmers to cultivate and would continue to support Nigerian farmers to grow the wheat locally so that the country would get to self sufficiency in wheat production.