Need to Strengthen R&D in Nigeria's Value Chain of Agricultural Commodities

Agricultural research and development across the value chain of Nigeria's agricultural commodities could reduce hunger and poverty and transform the economy. This was forwarded by Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Nigerian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, in a gathering of researchers, policy makers and investors in Ibadan.

Adesina added that doubling research investments in research and development in sub-Saharan Africa could improve the lives of 144 million people who are in poverty. He lauded efforts of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) for its work on maize, soybean, biological control, and cassava. In particular, he mentioned the institute's work in the development of improved maize varieties and research to improve soybean, which he said "helped to make Nigeria the largest soybean producer in Africa."

See IITA's media release at http://www.iita.org/home-news-asset;jsessionid=AC32C314304BC88DF633E1EE33C7003E?p_p_id=101_INSTANCE_1nBS&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=column-2&p_p_col_pos=1&p_p_col_count=4&_101_INSTANCE_1nBS_struts_action=%2Fasset_publisher%2Fview_content&_101_INSTANCE_1nBS_urlTitle=iita-is-crucial-to-nigerias-agricultural-revolution-agriculture-minister-says&_101_INSTANCE_1nBS_type=content&redirect=%2F

A similar article is available at http://africasciencenews.org/en/index.php/life-and-style/49-food/140-nigeria-seeks-to-boost-maize-yields-to-20m-tonnes-annually.