Adani Staple Crop Processing Zone Food Company Limited (Adani SCPZ), a subsidiary of Ellah Lakes, has announced the signing of a Seed Production and Technical Support Agreement with the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) on a soybean seed multiplication program.
The Chief Executive Officer of the organization, Chuka Mordi, noted that the partnership under the supervision of the IITA is a symbolic and significant milestone in building staple crop processing zones across the country.
The seed multiplication program is divided into two phases, with the first phase involving the production of high-yielding soybean seed varieties on 5 hectares of land located in IITA Ibadan, Oyo State, and subsequently on the flagship site located in Adani, Enugu State, for the second phase.
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The partnership agreement will facilitate the production of premium-quality soybean seedlings for cultivation at Adani SCPZ in Enugu State, with IITA providing all the technical support required in producing the seedlings for the company.
Mordi disclosed that Adani remains the flagship site to accelerate progress of soybean production in Enugu State during the course of 2023 with an improved variety of breeder seeds expected to yield 2.5 metric tons of quality soybean per hectare, 150% higher than the Nigerian national average of 1.0 metric ton per hectare and on par with output in South American countries such as Brazil and Argentina.
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According to him, with the partnership, Adani SCPZ will be able to significantly boost productivity at its 3,700-hectare farm in Adani, Enugu State, and will be on track to achieving a target output of 7,500 metric tons of soybeans per annum upon full cultivation of the farm.
