Govt urges institutes to commercialise agric research

Govt urges institutes to commercialise agric research

Taiwo Aremu

The Federal Government has harped on the implementation of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) Act that makes provision for the council to establish spin-off companies to commercialise research products and innovations by the institutions.

It tasked research institutes to strengthen the platform, as a means of increasing their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to augment the available fund for research, training and extension activities.

The call is in line with the reform process of the Nigeria Agricultural Research System (NARS) to boost crop yield, following growing concerns about the shortage of staple crops such as rice, wheat, cassava, soybean, millet, sorghum among others, which are key to the achievement of food security in the country.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Abubakar Kyari, during a meeting with heads of research institutes in Abuja also admitted that research and training play vital roles to drive agricultural transformation, research and training, adding that “research remains the engine room” for agricultural development.

He said: “Our priority, as a ministry, is therefore, to reposition the NARS for greater productivity.”

Stakeholders had expressed concern over the low yield per hectare of crops in the country, saying while farmers in other countries were getting between 10 and 20 tonnes per hectare, Nigerian farmers were still battling with between half and two tonnes per hectare. (GUARDIAN)