Agriculture
THE African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), has pledged its commitment to encourage agricultural innovation through public-private partnerships, to boost cowpea production.
Dr Emmanuel Okogbenin, AATF Director, Programme Development and Commercialisation, in a statement on Monday, said the foundation had begun equipping seed companies with the necessary skills, to encourage dry season cowpea production in Kaduna.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the AATF recently Organised a training for Seed Companies licensed to market PBR (Pod-borer resistant) Cowpea in Kaduna.
Okogbenin stressed that the foundation was determined to transform farmers’ livelihood through innovative agricultural technologies to improve incomes, food, and nutrition security in sub-Saharan Africa.
He urged seed companies to take advantage of dry season production to ensure adequate supply of the PBR cowpea seed to farmers.
“Farmers have been educated on the benefits of the product and they are waiting anxiously for more certified PBR cowpea seed from seed companies.”
He commended the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), for its support towards the production of PBR cowpea.
The statement also quoted Prof. Ishiyaku Mohammed, Executive Director, IAR, Zaria, as saying that the collaboration with AATF had led to the development and release of Nigeria’s first genetically modified crop.
“Nigeria is now a reference point in areas of biotechnology products in Africa, and we must continue to scale up production of this technology to make it available to farmers.
“The Pod Borer Resistant Cowpea is a classic example of how technology can provide solutions to one of the major challenges confronting cowpea farming,” Mohammed said.
He noted that for many years, plant breeders had tried without success to find solutions to the ravaging attacks of Maruca, but the collaboration between the AATF and IAR had led to the development of this great technology.
He said seed companies were key to the commercialisation of the PBR cowpea project, and so there was a need for constant capacity building.
“The PBR cowpea is a huge success in the biotechnology space in Nigeria and more seed companies are eager to take up the product.
“There are testimonies from farmers in terms of high yield, resistance to pod borer and improved income because of planting the PBR cowpea,” he added.
He enjoined the participants to take advantage of the training, which would build their capacity in PBR seed production, he also encouraged the participants to always contact AATF/IAR for further questions/clarifications. (NAN)
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Tags: AATF Emmanuel Okogbenin
