The Federal Government has unveiled two new chicken breeds and 14 high-yield crop varieties aimed at boosting agricultural productivity and improving the nutritional well-being of Nigerians.
The announcement was made on Thursday during the 34th meeting of the National Committee on Naming, Registration, and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds/Fisheries.
Chairman of the National Variety Release Committee (NVRC), Prof. Soji Olufajo, presided over the session, which was attended by committee members, researchers, geneticists, scientists, and breeders.
Mr. Olufajo explained that the approval of the two new chicken breeds and the seven crop varieties came after recommendations from two technical sub-committees. “The new chicken breeds, Noiler and Cobb 500, along with high-yielding varieties of wheat, barley, maize, cassava, rice, castor, and conchorus, have been officially released,” he stated.
The technical sub-committee, chaired by Prof. S. Ado, reviewed 19 crop varieties during its 38th meeting on Tuesday and recommended 14 for NVRC’s final approval.
Similarly, the sub-committee on livestock, chaired by Prof. Waheed Akin-Hassan, evaluated the two chicken breeds on Wednesday. “The Noiler is a locally-developed, dual-purpose breed, while Cobb 500 is a meat-type breed,” he noted.
Following thorough evaluation, the NVRC endorsed the 14 new crop varieties and the two chicken breeds, making their release official.
Dr. Anthony Okere, Director of NACGRAB, expressed optimism, stating, “The registration and release of these crop varieties will advance food security in the country.”
He encouraged farmers to adopt the new crop varieties to increase both quality and yield efficiently.
Dr. Okere also acknowledged the contributions of research institutions and other partners in facilitating the meeting.
