Nigeria currently faces several challenges in the agri-food sector, most notably the low productivity of its farmers. Nigerian farmers achieve only about 40% of the yield attained by their global counterparts, indicating a need for improvement.
Researchers estimate that addressing 50% of this productivity gap can be achieved by utilizing quality seed of improved and adapted varieties, while the remaining 50% can be addressed through enhanced cropping practices. Seed quality and variety significantly influence growth, yield, quality, and resilience to adverse environmental conditions, underscoring the importance of seed as the foundation of agricultural production.
In recent years, substantial investments have been made in research and development to produce high-performing crop varieties that are resistant to emerging pests and diseases while remaining adaptable to changing climatic conditions. However, little attention has been given to innovating the system that supports the release of these varieties into the Nigerian market.
The Crop Variety Registration and Release system plays a crucial role in ensuring that only well-adapted and high-performing crop varieties developed by public and private breeders enter the Nigerian seed system.
Prof. Olusoji Olufajo, a Professor at Ahmadu Bello University, leads the National Variety Release Technical Sub-committee and has been spearheading efforts to enhance the efficiency of the variety release system. Prof. Olufajo emphasizes that the reforms approved by the committee aim to ensure that only high-performing and well-adapted crop varieties are made available to farmers. He states, “The reforms approved by the committee aim to enhance the efficiency of the variety release system and ensure that only high-performing and well-adapted crop varieties are available to farmers.
The exemption of vegetable varieties from mandatory Value for Cultivation and Use (VCU) trials and the harmonization of ECOWAS release and registration regulation in Nigeria are important steps towards achieving this goal.”
Prof. Olufajo’s statement aligns with global best practices for VCU trials, where it is recognized that making them optional for vegetable crops is more appropriate. The diversity of these crops makes a one-size-fits-all approach impractical, and niche market varieties may not meet the commercial viability criteria set for the tests.
Dr. Akinyode, a tomatoes breeder at the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), enthusiastically supports this innovation. He states, “The optional VCU testing for vegetable crops was instrumental in reducing the time required for varietal release of improved tomato varieties from 3 years to 1 year and two months. This allowed us to release three new tomato varieties to farmers in January 2023 with significantly reduced financial commitment.” Dr. Akinyode further adds, “Now we can make great strides in our breeding efforts, with the ability to release improved tomato varieties in record time. This breakthrough will help boost agricultural productivity in the country by making it more affordable for farmers to access high-quality tomato seeds.”
Private seed companies are actively participating in the reform of the variety release system. Through interviews, focus group discussions, and validation workshops, these companies provide valuable insights into the system’s challenges and contribute to piloting innovative solutions.
One such company, Advanta Seeds Company, recently released a new maize variety following the approved ECOWAS variety release harmonization guideline. This innovation allows for a one-season mandatory confirmation trial for any crop variety already released in a country within the ECOWAS sub-region. Gideon Orolakin, the company’s business development manager, emphasizes the significance of this release, stating, “The release of our maize variety that was previously released in —- in just one year following confirmatory trials is just one example of the innovation needed to drive the quick diffusion of seed technology across the sub-region.”
Advanta Seeds Company is also leading the way in the registration and release of rice varieties. Their innovative approach involves concurrently conducting mandatory VCU and DUS trials for the release of new rice varieties. This streamlined process eliminates the waiting time associated with sequential testing and is expected to revolutionize the development and release of rice and other cereal varieties in Nigeria.
The reform of the variety release system in Nigeria is a critical step toward unlocking the country’s agricultural potential. Given the challenges of low productivity and climate change, innovative reforms are needed to improve efficiency and ensure that high-performing and well-adapted crop varieties quickly become available to farmers.
The exemption of vegetable varieties from mandatory VCU trials and the harmonization of ECOWAS release and registration regulations in Nigeria are already yielding positive results, with reduced time and financial commitments required for varietal release. More innovations are in the pipeline and require collaboration between dedicated private seed companies, public research institutions, and regulatory authorities. By embracing these innovations and implementing critical reforms, Nigeria can significantly enhance its agricultural productivity, meet the growing food demands of its youthful population, and become a global agriculture powerhouse.
