Farmers in Benue State are eagerly anticipating a bountiful cassava harvest this season due to the adoption of improved cassava varieties and the support of initiatives like the Building an Economically Sustainable Integrated Cassava Seed System (BASICS-II) project.
Traditionally, cassava yields in Nigeria have been less than nine tonnes per hectare; however, improved varieties, such as TME 419, cultivated by Cassava Seed Entrepreneurs (CSEs), are achieving yields of 20 tonnes and above.
The BASICS-II project, led by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), employs a systems approach to provide farmers with access to clean, disease-free, and high-yielding planting materials.
Central to this initiative is the establishment of CSEs linked to early generation seed producers and breeder seed producers.
In Benue and Nasarawa states, the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) is incubating CSEs who generate income and create employment through the sale of cassava stems. The project has successfully assisted 10 cooperative societies in establishing more than 50 hectares of cassava seed fields across various local councils in the two states.
Farmers like Vitalis Iorlaha have expressed enthusiasm about the improved varieties, stating, “We planted the TME 419 variety, and the performance has been encouraging. The fact that we can sell the stems and make money from roots and stems gives me a lot of joy. Honestly, this project is a life changer.”
Similarly, Mrs. Dorathy Amile noted that, beyond introducing farmers to improved cassava varieties, SAA provided training and inputs that facilitated cultivation.
Another farmer, Mr. Success Agindi, highlighted the project’s role in acting as a catalyst for agricultural development in their community, easing access to inputs, and enhancing knowledge about quality planting materials.
The BASICS-II project aims to transform the cassava seed sector by promoting the dissemination of improved varieties and creating a community of seed entrepreneurs across the cassava value chain.
However, the goal is to provide farmers with access to affordable, quality-assured seeds of cassava varieties in demand by local food and processor markets through the establishment of a commercially viable seed value chain operating across breeder, foundation, and commercial seed levels.