In a significant move to enhance agricultural productivity and improve the nutritional health of Nigerians, the Federal Government has introduced two new chicken breeds and 14 high-yield crop varieties.

The announcement was made on Thursday during the 34th meeting of the National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds, and Fisheries, NACGRAB.

The meeting, presided over by the Chairman of the National Variety Release Committee, NVRC, Prof. Soji Olufajo, saw participation from committee members, researchers, geneticists, and breeders. Prof. Olufajo detailed that the decision to register and release these new breeds and crop varieties stemmed from recommendations made by two of the committee’s technical sub-committees.

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The newly introduced chicken breeds are the Noiler, known for its dual-purpose use, and the Cobb 500, recognized as a meat-producing breed. The new crop varieties include wheat, barley, maize, cassava, rice, castor, and gongronema.

Further discussions were held during the sub-committee’s 38th meeting on Tuesday, where 19 crop varieties were considered, leading to the recommendation of 14 for NVRC’s approval. Simultaneously, the sub-committee chaired by Prof. Waheed Akin-Hassan evaluated the two new chicken breeds.

After thorough scrutiny and discussion, the NVRC officially registered the new breeds and crop varieties, which are already accessible to poultry farmers, consumers, and researchers. Dr. Anthony Okere, Director of NACGRAB, expressed optimism regarding these developments, emphasizing their potential to improve food security in Nigeria. He encouraged farmers to adopt these new varieties to enhance productivity while minimizing challenges. The meeting also acknowledged the contributions of various research institutions and organizations involved in the process.

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