YIIFSWA-II seed yam production technologies displayed at ICERIA 2019
Agrobusiness Times kick-started its initiative for promoting agricultural innovations for economic development as part of the inaugural International Conference and Expo on Research and Innovations in Agriculture (ICERIA) which took place at the National Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Victoria Island, Lagos on 24 October.
The conference with the theme, “Harnessing Sustainable Agricultural Innovations for Economic Development,” was set up to promote innovations and attract funding for research institutes in Nigeria and the commercialization of sustainable agricultural research outcomes to boost the nation’s economy.
YIIFSWA’s Oyeyemi Azeez speaking with a member of the press corps.
The YIIFSWA-II project was on ground to showcase some technologies including the yam High Ratio Propagation Technologies (HRPT) and Robust Diagnostic tools (RDT) for seed yam production. The project team displayed aeroponics single-node vine seedlings and related generated seed yam tubers seedlings ranging from over 1 kg to less than 50 g. Participants at the one-day conference were surprised at the use of Temporary Immersion Bioreactor System (TIBS) and the aeroponics for seed yam production.
Mr Moses Ajireloja from the Nigerian Seed portal initiative said, “I am amazed at what IITA is doing and how it is leading research and development in Nigeria. I am so happy to see that we now have quality seed yam tubers of improved varieties made available for farmers to buy.”
In his keynote address, Former President of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Dr Kanayo Nwanze, urged Nigerians to stop talking and start doing. He
said, “We can’t keep waiting and depending on foreign aid for development, we must invest our funds in realizing the revolution we want. There are too many technologies on the shelf gathering dust that need to see the light of day.”
