FG unveils new chicken, crop breeds to boost food production
The Federal Government has unveiled new chicken breeds, Noiler and Cobb 500, along with high-yield varieties of crops.
This was announced at the 34th National Committee meeting concerning the Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds, and Fisheries, which took place on Thursday, as reported by NAN.
Professor Soji Olufajo, who chairs the National Variety Release Committee, noted that the registration procedure is based on the recommendations made by technical sub-committees.
“The newly introduced chicken breeds are Noiler and Cobb 500, while the high-yield crops consist of wheat, barley, maize, cassava, rice, castor, and jute,” Olufajo mentioned.
The technical sub-committee, led by Prof. S. Ado, reviewed 19 varieties during its 38th meeting on Tuesday.
After thorough evaluation, 14 varieties were recommended to the NVRC for official approval at Thursday’s meeting.
The findings from another technical subcommittee, which met on Wednesday to examine the two new chicken breeds and was chaired by Professor Waheed Akin-Hassan, were also presented to the NVRC.
Akin-Hassan noted, “The Noiler is a locally-developed dual-purpose chicken, whereas the Cobb 500 is a breed primarily for meat production.”
Following extensive discussions and careful review of the recommendations, the NVRC officially announced the registration and release of the new crop varieties and poultry breeds.
Professor Olufajo indicated that these two new chicken breeds are already accessible to end users, including poultry farmers, consumers, and researchers.
Dr. Anthony Okere, the Director of the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, expressed hope regarding the potential benefits of these releases for food adequacy in Nigeria.
“The introduction and formal registration of these crop varieties will contribute to food sufficiency in the nation,” Okere stated.
He urged farmers to adopt these newly released crops to improve the quality and efficiency of their production.
“Make use of these crops to achieve both quality and quantity with minimal effort,” he advised.
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