Farmers in Nigeria give thumbs up to cassava seed system intervention

Cassava farmers in Benue State are excited over the positive outlook of their cassava fields as they anticipate high yields this harvest season; and hundreds among them taking up the business of selling improved seeds in local communities. Typically, yields in Nigeria are less than nine tons per hectare but improved varieties grown by Cassava Seed Entrepreneurs (CSEs) offer 20 tons and above, according to Sasakawa Africa Association. Farmers across the country now aim to achieve higher yields in addition to selling stems for additional income and sustainably facilitate the diffusion of varieties throughout the country. “We planted the TME 419 variety and the performance has been awesome,” said farmer Vitalis Iorlaha. “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.” The Building an Economically Sustainable Integrated Cassava Seed System (BASICS-II) project is using a systems approach to offer ...