Nigeria has been ranked the world’s largest yam producer by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).
According to a report published by Vanguard on Friday, November 29, Nigeria has produced about 65% of yam production globally.
This news was disclosed by Dr Mohammed Umar Bello, who is the Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development at the National Awareness Workshop on Yam,
The seminar was organized by the Advocacy and Resource Mobilization Team (ARMT) of Yam Improvement for Income and Food Security in West Africa (YIIFSWA), an initiative of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).
The Director of Agriculture, Engr. Frank Satumari Kudla, who represented the Minister said Nigeria is not a member of the Comity of Yam Exporting Nation despite being the world largest yam producer.
He said that the reason is hinged on the lack of quality seeds of improved varieties and efficient seed production.
However, efforts are being made by (IITA) under it’s (YIIFSWA) programme to create a sustainable system that is capable of producing high quality yam seeds at an affordable price to Farmers with high yielding potentials.
The Permanent Secretary also pointed out that, the current practice in Yam Seed production is at a Ratio of 1.1 within 12 Months but that the new technology will produce a 1.300 Ratio within six Months, Vanguard reported.
