Farmers, seed companies to harvest opportunities at seed fair
The Nigeria Agricultural Seed Council is hosting the continent-wide seed fiesta, which is expected to bring together thousands of farmers, seed companies and researchers to Abuja, the nation’s capital. The event which is billed to hold next week Monday 15th to Tuesday 16th next week will be the second edition to attract global seed actors […]
FILE PHOTO – Wheat seeds
The Nigeria Agricultural Seed Council is hosting the continent-wide seed fiesta, which is expected to bring together thousands of farmers, seed companies and researchers to Abuja, the nation’s capital.
The event which is billed to hold next week Monday 15th to Tuesday 16th next week will be the second edition to attract global seed actors to Nigeria, which the largest supplier of seed in the West Africa sub-region.
Speaking during a road walk designed to raise awareness for the nation’s biggest seed event, the Director General of the Nigerian Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) Dr. Philip Ojo said that all the seed stakeholders in the world would attend the event.
“We are putting together this event in order to look at what we have done and the gaps and take a lot of learning from some of the stakeholders that are coming in order to move Nigerian seed industry forward. We are trying to ensure that the seed industry is very strong; we are putting together this in order to ensure and assure seed security because without seed security there cannot be food security,” he said.
According to him, since Nigeria supplies 75 per cent of the seed in West Africa, the show will feature an exhibition with emphasis on showcasing the strength of the Nigerian seed industry adding that it would also strengthen linkages between innovation and business as well as creating a platform for business to business (B2B) discussions along with the exhibition.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, who was represented by a director in the ministry, Mr. Quadri OlaLekan emphasized that the ministry was placing importance to the event because there cannot be food security without seed security