‘High yielding soybean varieties can curb shortage’

What could be responsible for the acute shortage of soybean in recent times?First of all, we have to look at soybean as a crop, its strategic position and its economic importance in the national economy that makes it an essential commodity. Soybean is an industrial crop; it is also referred to as a miracle crop […]

What could be responsible for the acute shortage of soybean in recent times?
First of all, we have to look at soybean as a crop, its strategic position and its economic importance in the national economy that makes it an essential commodity. Soybean is an industrial crop; it is also referred to as a miracle crop because of its nutritive value as a weaning food for infants and cheap source of protein for the privileged and the less privileged.
Soybean has about 40 percent protein content and more protein-rich than any of the common vegetable plants found in Nigeria. It is a major industrial crop because soybean seeds contain about 20 percent oil on dry matter basis which is cholesterol-free. Almost in every home, soybean is consumed in one way or the other.
How do you assess the market for soybeans in Nigeria?
The market for soybean in Nigeria is growing very fast. There is a large demand now for soybean oil and also the cake is being used for livestock feeds. With the rapid growth in the poultry industry, there is actually high demand for soybean in Nigeria. Nigeria is the largest soybean producer in sub-Saharan Africa with about 510,000 metric tonnes per annum. Over the past seven years, soybean production has expanded because of the rapid growth in the industrial sector that require soybean.
Soybean is a major cash crop and is widely used in the food and feed industry. But the decline is also grave. And this could be attributed to low competitive price for farmers; some farmers complained that there is no market for soybean. Another factor for the decline is the effect of climate change in some areas where there is terminal drought. The rainfall in the area cannot sustain long duration soybean varieties hence the need for early maturing varieties. Farmers have to be introduced to high yielding varieties; most of the farmers still use old varieties that had been developed over 20 years ago such that if terminal drought sets in, it often leads to poor harvest because most of the old varieties have long maturity period.
Farmers also have to be taught improved agronomy practices because availability of good seed alone contributes to about 40 percent of harvest and if managed well can lead to increase productivity. Currently, most farmers harvest below two tonnes per hectare compared to 2.5 tonnes per hectare on average if well managed. If the trend continues we would not be able to meet the need of our industry sector.
What can be done to overcome the present challenge of soybean shortage?
High yielding varieties have been developed in recent times. What we need to do in this circumstance is to deplore these high yielding varieties to farmers to enhance productivity. Most of these high yielding varieties have potential for up to three tonnes per hectare compared to old varieties that yield below two tonnes. Our soybean production should not be on expansion on land area alone but on productivity per unit area.
Based on our record from on-farm evaluation of soybean in four local government areas of Benue most of these new varieties produce on average at farmers field 2.5 tonnes per hectare. We have to identify and recommend suitable soybean varieties that have good adaptation and high yield in a particular ecological zone rather than recommending one variety across all ecological zones.
What do you think can hinder mass production of soybeans to address the acute shortage?
We have to look at the fact that most of our farming is still at the subsistence level. Farmers are still cultivating a hectare, half a hectare or even below half a hectare. This kind of practice cannot bring the desired result. We have to find a way to mechanise our agriculture so that farmers can increase their hectarage.
 If farmers have access to improved seed variety and expand their land area of cultivation with improved agronomic practices that will lead to increased production and productivity. The issue of National deficiency we are experiencing now will not arise.
What can researchers do to provide high yielding varieties that can produce above 3,000 tons per area?
In recent times, new varieties that are high yielding have been developed. What farmers need to do now is to access these high yielding varieties. For instance, in Makurdi, we are collaborating with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in promoting these improved varieties that are high yielding to farmers. We are already working in four local government areas of Benue State which now have access to these varieties. Farmers are already telling the success story of the benefit of the new improved varieties. Some of the LGAs were experiencing rust problem, in these communities, we have been able to deploy rust resistant varieties in the affected areas.
Why must soybeans be used to feed chickens?
Chickens are mono-gastric animals so they also need protein. The soybean is used to fortify their meals. If there is enough production, we don’t need to worry. That deficit would stimulate farmers to get into production because demand has been created. When there is demand, there would be supply and the supply will increase if there is competitive price. We are happy because it would make farmers, especially the youth, to go into agriculture.
 I have seen many graduates of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, that are now managing directors/chief executives of their seed companies. They are doing wonderfully well in the agricultural sector. You know that government cannot absorb everybody into the workforce. These graduates have acquired knowledge and now they are producing the knowledge. The rapid growth in the poultry sector has expanded demand for soybeans; this will create more jobs in the agricultural sector. We have to produce to feed our growing industry. I am happy that agriculture is been revitalized again as the major employer of labour.