By; SANI ALIYU, Zaria
The Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria has conducted 108 researches with exciting results.
Prof. Muhammad Faguji Ishiyaku, Director of the institute stated this at the 2023 annual research review and planing meeting held at Balarabe Tanimu hall yesterday.
He said the institute’s resilient staff, especially the scientists, alongside technicians and technologists have developed and released new crop varieties such as five maize, one cowpea, two oats, and three sorghum, which will give farmers a wide array of choices from the existing varieties to use.
Prof. Faguji Ishiyaku added that the new varieties have scaled through the eagle eyes of the National Committee on Naming Registration and release of crop varieties, livestock breeds and fisheries, have unique characteristics, including high yields, tolerant to drought,
The director said all the success story he highlighted were achieved as a result of findings from Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), which enabled the inserts procured and installed a state of the art multi million Naria SEED sorting, grading and classification machine as the IAR SEED company which was commissioned by the minister.
According to him, their research output is based on feedback from stakeholders on overall adoptions of technologies from the Institute in the last three years.
Faguji said their current drive is to continue with developing drought tolerant, flood resilient and nutrition varieties to mitigate effects of climate change and nutrition security among Nigerians.
Earlier in his speech, the Vice Chancellor Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Prof. Kabiru Bala said the future of the Nigerian economy is agriculture and the current awareness and advocacy is prime and urged the institute to overcome this current challenges of changing global climate to enhance its food security.
Bala said, “we all have cognate, active key roles to play if the presented opportunities must all work together for a multiplier overcome.
According to him, formidable networks are brought to being and linkages are structured with a plan to progress and harness the potentials of agriculture that are essential to making Nigeria a prosperous nation.
The theme of this year is, “Refocusing Agricultural Research in a Changing Global Climate for Food Security,Economic Growth and National Development”.
