Nigeria develops four new climate-resilient potato varieties

These new varieties are the first to be introduced in Nigeria in more than a decade. The country is developing its own seed potato production in order to replace European imports. The Nigerian Potato Seed Safety Partnership (NPSSP), a project funded by the German company GIZ, has announced the release of four new potato varieties that are resistant to late blight and climate-smart. This will strengthen local capacity in the public and private sectors to ensure an adequate supply of high quality seed potatoes that meet market demands and are adapted to local conditions, says Viviana Infantas, CIP International Potato Center Events and Public Affairs Specialist. The NPSSP project, in collaboration with the Nigerian National Root Research Institute (NRCRI) and Fruit and Veggies Global Ltd., received official approval at the end of June to register and release the following varieties: Unica, Juriya, Babban and Kyau. “These new potato varieties are high yielding, highly disease ...