To ensure that there will be no food crisis after the COVID-19 plight, and to mitigate any adverse effect that might escalate food insecurity, the Nigerian federal government representatives recently said that the country aims to be among the world’s top three potato producing states by 2025.
During the first International Potato Value-Chain and Root Crops Conference and Exhibition held in Jos, Plateau state capital, Mustapha Baba Shehuri, minister of state for agriculture and rural development said that in this respect there are ‘huge investment opportunities that exist within the country’s Irish potato value chain.
He added that the Ministry had identified the challenges confronting the high yield of the product as poor seed, disease infestation, inadequate storage facilities, and mechanization. The challenges, Shehuri said, should be addressed at both the federal and state level.
According to The Cable, some of the measures taken to tackle the challenges include the establishment of a tissue culture center at the National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI) sub-station in Jos, to solve seed problems.
Others include a 20-hectare irrigated land to support seed multiplication as well as a 10-ton cold storage facility currently being built in the station.
“In addition, two cottage factories have been constructed at Pankshin and Bokkos local government areas to support processors in the state to address post-harvest losses,” he said.
Mustapha Baba Shehuri added that these actions were taken in recognition of Plateau state as the highest producer of Irish potatoes in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa.
