The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has announced that the federal government will provide more support for research institutions in the country to enhance food sufficiency.
Kyari made this statement in Ibadan while speaking at the 60th anniversary lecture of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN).
Represented by the South West Zonal Director of the Ministry, Mrs. Olayinka Akeredolu, praised CRIN for its outstanding performance as an institution.
The executive director of CRIN, Dr. Patrick Olusanmi Adebola, noted that CRIN has not only met but consistently surpassed the goals of its founding fathers.
“I stand before you with pride to affirm that CRIN has not only met, but consistently surpassed the goals of the founding fathers,” Dr. Adebola said.
CRIN has developed early-bearing cocoa varieties with high yields, insect pests, and disease tolerance.
The institution also maintains a robust collection of coffee arabica varieties for genetic improvement and farmer distribution, ensuring Nigeria’s relevance in the global coffee industry.