NRCRI releases pro-vitamin A cassava varieties

In its determination to achieve food security in the country, the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike near Umuahia, Abia State, says it has developed and released to farmers seven improved, high yielding, disease-resistant cassava varieties.

This is in addition to pro-vitamin A of such cassava varieties in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan.

Julius C. Okonkwo, executive director of the Institute, who disclosed this in Umuahia during the opening ceremony of the 2014 research review and planning workshop of the institute, said the pro-vitamin- A cassava varieties were aimed at combating vitamin A deficiency in pregnant women and children.

Okonkwo further said his institute had developed a technology for inducing flowering in cocoyam to produce viable true seed, adding that with this development, it was possible to develop new varieties of cocoyam.

The NRCRI executive director also revealed that they had developed and released three orange fleshed vitamin A – secret-potato varieties between 2102 and 2014.

“These high yielding varieties had contributed in placing Nigeria in the first position in the worked-in cassava, yam and cocoyam production, with animal production standing at 52 million metric tons, 37 million metric tons and 3.2 metric tons, respectively,” he informed.

He further informed that the research outfit had trained and empowered over 3,000 rural women and youths across the country in areas of production of roots and tuber added values, however, regretting that the constraints of the institute were electric power, water and inadequate and untimely release of funds.

The chairman of governing board of the institute, Oluwole O. Aina, in his speech, noted that NRCRI, Umudike, in collaboration with advanced laboratories and international partners in the use of cutting-edge technologies had yielded increased capacity for high quality research in root and tuber crops.

“In recognition of these, few years ago, NRCRI was adjudged by NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa’s Development) as the best research institute in the country based on its contributions towards community poverty eradication, youth empowerment and development programmes, promoting presidential initiative of commercial cassava production, and ensuring environmental stability,” said Aina.