The African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) has dismissed fears of an impending food crisis in Nigeria—provided that farmers embrace advanced seed technologies like the TELA Maize variety, known for its resilience against climate stress and pest attacks.
Speaking during a media visit to demonstration farms in Jaji, Kaduna State, Mr. Olawale Ojo, AATF’s Hybrid Seed Market Development Manager, emphasized the critical role of improved seeds in agricultural productivity.
“Our goal at AATF is to ensure food security,” Ojo said. “Seed technology alone contributes up to 30 percent of a crop’s potential yield. Without improved seeds, food security will always be threatened. That’s why we’re encouraging the use of technologies like TELA Maize.”
He explained that TELA Maize is genetically designed to thrive in harsh conditions—resisting drought and major pests that often decimate crops.
According to him, the seeds are already available across the country through authorized dealers, and farmers are urged to try them out.
Farmers in Kaduna who have adopted the variety are seeing dramatic improvements.
“It’s the best I’ve seen in terms of early maturity and yield. We harvest within 70 days,” said Malam Sabitu Abdullahi, a farmer from Danmarke, Jaji in Igabi LGA, who planted the SAMMAZ 75 T strain.
He also encouraged his peers to purchase the seeds early in preparation for the coming planting season.
His wife, Aminat Sabitu, a fellow farmer, added, “We used to get 10 bags from our land. Now we harvest 22. The seed responds well to fertilizer, and it’s drought-resistant. I encourage more women farmers to give it a try.”
For younger farmers like 27-year-old Ismail Shaibu, the transformation has also been significant. “I used to get 7 bags. Now I get 13 using the same plot,” he noted. “We no longer spray for pests, because the maize resists them naturally.”
Veteran farmer Saleh Ahmadu, who has spent over 20 years in the field, described the maize as a breakthrough.
“Pests don’t eat the leaves, and I now harvest twice what I used to on the same land,” he said.
Mr. Ojo noted that farmer responses from across the country have been overwhelmingly positive.
“Farmers are saving costs on insecticides thanks to pest resistance. This variety has been tested nationwide. We’re committed to helping farmers access technologies that improve yields and boost food security,” he said.
With increasing adoption of climate-smart seed technologies like TELA Maize, AATF believes Nigeria can overcome the challenges of food insecurity and empower rural communities through more sustainable farming systems.
