By Awyetu Asabe Hope
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture has urged the Federal Government to prioritise policies that will strengthen Nigeria’s seed yam value chain to boost productivity and exports.
IITA Deputy Director-General, Partnerships for Delivery and Scaling, Dr Tahirou Abdoulaye, made the call at the National Yam Advocacy Summit in Abuja, themed “Catalysing a National Agenda for Yam Value Chain Transformation through Improved Seed Technologies.
He described yam as Nigeria’s most valuable food crop, stressing that a functional seed system would improve access to quality planting materials, raise yields, and expand processing and export opportunities, particularly to diaspora and Caribbean markets.
Abdoulaye highlighted innovations such as Single-Node Cutting (leaf-bud cuttings), which enable rapid multiplication of high-quality seed yams with minimal inputs.
He said scaling such technologies would bridge yield gaps, reduce losses, and enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness.
Head of Station, IITA Abuja, Prof Beatrice Aighewi, identified poor-quality seed as a major constraint, noting that average yields of eight to 10 tonnes per hectare fall far below the 30-tonne potential.
She called for stronger policy regulation and quality assurance systems to fast-track dissemination of improved varieties.
Aighewi added that seed accounts for up to 60 per cent of yam production costs, making it the most expensive input, and said scaling innovations could double productivity while creating formal seed business opportunities.
Stakeholders, including the National Association of Yam Farmers, Processors and Marketers, also welcomed the repeal of the 1986 yam export ban, describing it as a boost to Nigeria’s participation in global markets.
