‘Why farmers should have knowledge of 40 maize varieties produced by ABU’

Can we know the main responsibility of your unit?The main work we do here is producing and multiplying improved foundation seeds for the use of various categories of farmers in the different ecologies in Nigeria. Some of our farmers have this wrong notion that they can get their seed anywhere, even in the open market. […]

Can we know the main responsibility of your unit?
The main work we do here is producing and multiplying improved foundation seeds for the use of various categories of farmers in the different ecologies in Nigeria. Some of our farmers have this wrong notion that they can get their seed anywhere, even in the open market. Seed production is a special technology, which is designed to produce qualitative and pure seeds. There is a scientific way in producing pure breed for a particular ecology or need, which would be free from contamination of foreign materials that are both physical materials and biological factors. These materials usually affect seed’s purity and also affect the true type of the particular plant. Therefore, there is a technique that we follow to ensure that the seed we give to farmers is pure and unadulterated. That is, it is free from anything that would adulterate it. When we say this is a certain variety, we mean it is purely that variety.
With this explanation, can we say that it is wrong for farmers to produce their seed?
The problem is that the farmers may not have the scientific knowledge of ensuring that certain factors have interfered with their seeds. This is why you find out that some plants are not producing the right yields, because of poor seed selection. There are microorganisms that interfere with seed quality. Seed requires special storage technology. Another important thing is the fact that seeds have life span. There is a limit that a farmer can keep them. Therefore, if the life span of a seed is stretched, they may not germinate after planting, and even if they germinate, certain percentage may be lost. So, actually seed production requires scientific technology.
Does it mean that the seed of a given crop that suits ecology ‘A’ may not suit ecology ‘B’?
What it means is that the seed may be the same if the source is the same. But if the source is not the same, it may be quite different. For example, in IAR we have different varieties of maize that have different yield potentials and characteristics. So, if the farmer from Katsina, for example, comes here and buys his seed, another farmer from Niger or Kaduna or Kano also comes here and buy his seed for the same variety, you find that each of them would have similar characteristics. So, if the source of seed is the same, then the seed may be the same. Therefore, what farmers ought to understand is that they have to consult experts to know the suitable variety of seed for their own area. Each of our ecological zones in Nigeria has varieties that are suitable to it. There is also the issue of adaptation to the environment. Therefore, contacting experts is very important. In IAR, we are always ready to attend to farmers by telling them the right variety of seed that would suit their areas, depending on the farmer’s objectives. Different farmers have different objectives. Some farmers are after high-yielding varieties. Others are even after colour, because there are some farmers that would come here, for example, to tell us that they need only yellow maize. By contacting us or any other experts, we would be able to tell them the characteristics of the different varieties. Therefore, buying seeds from open market may not suit the objectives of the farmer or his ecological zone. Nevertheless, there are some farmers that know all these techniques, and this is why when they come here they would tell us the specific variety they need.
Are you saying that in IAR you have varieties of seeds that can suit all the ecologies of the country?
We have all the varieties that can suit all the ecologies of the country, especially maize and other costumes. We have researched and produced about 40 maize varieties. These 40 maize varieties have their peculiar characteristics, which can suit a particular situation. There are some varieties that can resist pests and diseases. There are some varieties that are resistant to striga. Striga is an endemic in some areas, which is the most debilitating weed that hinders maize production. Here, we don’t just produce maize, for example, for the sake of just eating but we also enhance the quality. There is, for example, what we call Quality Protein Maize (QPM), which is SAM 14. This variety has high content of protein. Companies making infant food find this variety very useful, likewise families with low income can use this maize for their balanced diet. Some farmers may want to get maize and the stoke (kara) for feeding their animals. There is a special variety for this, which is called dual purpose variety. In a nutshell, we have variety of seeds of different categories that are meant to serve different purposes and situations, and our farmers need to know all these things. In maize, for example, we have varieties meant to cope in the areas that usually experience shortage of rainfall. This variety can be used by a farmer that even starts his activities late in areas that have usually longer rainfall duration. Because of the fact that yellow maize is rich in Vitamin A, you see poultry farmers cultivating it mainly for the feed of their chickens, as Vitamin ‘A’ enhances egg quality. This is why I said in producing our seeds, we consider farmers’ objectives and characteristics of different ecologies.
Do you think lack of enlightenment make farmers to believe that shortage of rainfall or diseases affect their activities?
Shortage of rainfall is a global issue, which affects rainfall pattern. In some areas they receive torrential rainfall while others may not have any. Therefore, what farmers ought to do is to come to us or other experts in their states to ask for the variety of seeds that would suit their areas. If farmers know all that we have here, in some areas they can have two harvests in one raining season. In an area that usually have rainfall for up to five months, a smart farmer can make two harvests. A lot of enlightened farmers are doing it. What they need to do is to go for the early or extra early varieties. We have a variety that matures within 70 days. In that case, a farmer can harvest twice. And in areas where the rainfall period is short, these varieties would also be very useful.
Are farmers aware of this development and are they utilising all these varieties?
Actually many farmers are aware of these varieties. During our sales period, this office is usually full with farmers from different ecological zones of the country. Some states, through their agricultural programme units, also come here to buy the varieties that suit their ecologies for distribution to their farmers. Despite this, our farmers need enlightenment. Another important thing that our farmers need to know is that different varieties of maize, for example, need different quantity of fertiliser. For example, the high-yielding variety of maize is the one that needs high quantity of fertiliser. Those early varieties need less fertiliser. And the extra early needs less fertiliser than the early. When we say extra early, we mean those that mature within two months or 70 days in the case of maize. These varieties need less fertilizer. Therefore, a farmer that has limited capacity can go for these early varieties instead of going for the high-yield variety that needs a lot of fertiliser. Therefore, famers should know that it is very important they select their seeds based on the ecology, capacities and objectives, and we are ready, anytime, for farmers to come to us for advice.