By Awyetu Asabe Hope
The Federal Government has unveiled an ambitious plan to raise national yam yields from 10 metric tonnes to 30 metric tonnes per hectare as part of efforts to boost food security and strengthen the crop’s value chain.
The initiative, led by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, aims to close a domestic supply deficit estimated at over 50 million metric tonnes.
Under the “Ramping Up Programme,” the government will focus on three pillars: expanding land under yam cultivation, tripling yield per hectare, and reducing post-harvest losses from 40 per cent to 25 per cent by 2027.
Speaking at the National Yam Advocacy Summit in Abuja, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, declared yam a “Tier-1” crop, citing its national importance to food security, income generation and economic growth.
He noted that Nigeria currently produces 67.2 million metric tonnes annually — about 67 per cent of global output — but said productivity gains and improved storage, processing and export systems are needed to maximise value.
The IITA said advances in early generation seed production and improved propagation technologies could raise productivity by 70 to 140 per cent, though officials stressed the need for a more efficient seed distribution system.
Meanwhile, the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation has developed a tractor-mounted “Yam Mound Maker” to reduce labour intensity.
While manual labour produces 300–400 mounds daily, the machine can generate up to 2,560 mounds per day, significantly boosting efficiency.
Officials say the combined measures are expected to raise farmer incomes, cut losses and position Nigeria as a major exporter of value-added yam products.
