By; KATO P. LADAN, Kaduna
Lake Chad Research Institute Maiduguri Institute has over the years developed and released seventeen (17) improved wheat varieties which comprised of eleven (11) bread wheat, two (2) rain-fed and four (4) durum wheat.
Professor Baba Gana J. Kabir, Executive Director of the institute disclosed this at the In-house Review Meeting and North East Zonal REFILS workshop held at the institute.
He said the meeting is a forum for discussing the highlights of research activities carried out by Lake Chad Research Institute in the preceding seasons and the proposals for the coming seasons, while the REFILS workshop is aimed at reviewing the highlights of extension activities carried out by the Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs) in the Zone in collaboration with Research Institutes, Government Agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) as well as articulating the proposals for the coming farming season.
The Executive Director said, these varieties are high yielding and have excellent baking qualities and the Institute has also developed technologies of production which enables farmers to get yields of 5 to 7tons/ha. Millet is also another core mandate crop of Lake Chad Research Institute.
“It is also worthy to note that the Institute has over the years developed and released several improved varieties of Millet in Nigeria”.
The Institute in collaboration with ICRISAT registered and released three (3) new millet varieties namely LCICMV 5 (Chakti) LCICMV6 (Yelwa) and LICIMV7 (Bristle or Gargasa) and these varieties were specifically developed to meet some farmers’ preferences.
He said the Issues of high yield, Zinc and Iron bio-fortification and bristled panicles against birds’ infestation were adequately addressed.
Value addition to mandate cropsis also a research priority of the Institute. In this respect several value added products and recipes have been developed.
Professor Baba Gana said, agricultural production in Nigeria today is experiencing renewed attention from both the Federal and state governments under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security under the able stewardship of Sen. Abubakar Kyari and Sen. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Hon. Minister and Hon.Minister of state, respectively, has distributed seeds of high-yielding crops varieties,agrochemicals, and farm equipment together with and other interventions have led to substantial increase in production.
The Executive Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum commissioned 312 tractors 600 thousand bags of fertilizers for distribution to 27 LGA for 2023 rainy season.
Also the Executive Governor of Yobe State has constituted a standing Committee on revival of agriculture. Other state government shave also undertaken various steps to boost agricultural production.
“The theme for this year’s meeting is ‘Empowering Farmers, Nourishing the Nation: Climate Smart driven Initiatives for sustainable agriculture’’.
The Director advised the participants to listen and understand the issues of climate change and measures to mitigate its impact using smart initiatives are key to sustainable agricultural production.
The Keynote address speaker is a season research scientist, a university Don and an Extensionist per excellence who specialized in the area of agricultural Technology Transfer, Prof. Yusuf L. Idrissa who coined in line with the global attention to climate smart initiatives.
The In-house Review Meeting is a forum for discussing the highlights of research activities carried out by Lake Chad Research Institute in the preceding seasons and the proposals for the coming seasons, while the REFILS workshop is aimed at reviewing the highlights of extension activities carried out by the Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs) in the Zone in collaboration with Research Institutes, Government Agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) as well as articulating the proposals for the coming farming season.
Lake Chad Research Institute has the National mandate for the genetic improvement of Wheat, Millet and Barley as well as the investigation of the problems of production of all agricultural food crops grown in the broad North East agro-ecological zone with emphasis on farming systems including integration of Livestock, tree crops and agroforestry in to production systems.
In fulfillment of these mandates, the Institute has recorded milestone achievements.
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