IITA GoSeed, a seed company of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), has commended cassava farmers for significant progress in the sales of improved cassava planting materials produced by the company as a vital node in the cassava seed value chain.
The Seed Specialist of IITA GoSeed, Dr. Mercy Diebiru-Ojo, during the annual meeting of the Building an Economically Sustainable Integrated Cassava Seed System, Phase 2 (BASICS-II), disclosed that sales were driven by orders from farmers and processors who aimed to get higher yields to maximize profit.
IITA GoSeed was established in 2016 as a unit of the IITA Business Incubation Platform (BIP) for the commercial production of the early generation seeds of the improved crop varieties from IITA, to offer high-quality breeder and foundation seeds at affordable prices to improve farmers’ productivity and profitability.
IITA Advocates for Improved Cassava Varieties to Boost Production
The seed company work to ensure the downstream movement of seeds to farmers to transform their productivity, income, and livelihoods under the mandated crops that include banana, cassava, cowpea, maize, plantain, rice, soybean, and yam.
Dr. Diebiru-Ojo explained that they worked with out-growers to achieve their target while ensuring that women were active participants, and that they are optimistic that sales and expansion will get better in coming years.
IITA, GIAE, GIZ Collaborate to Upscale Maize, Cassava Production
IITA Deputy Director General (Partnership for Delivery), Dr. Kenton Dashiell, during the meeting made it known that the progress was a demonstration of farmers’ desire to rapidly transform the cassava ecosystem.
At the meeting, Prof Lateef Sanni, the Project Manager, (BASICS-II), expressed his joy while eulogizing IITA GoSeed, adding that the progress made so far is impressive, and that the organization is proud of the seed company.
