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By Chinyere Anyanwu
Nigeria’s quest to achieve food security and reduce its dependence on agricultural imports may remain elusive as the research institutes expected to drive innovation, improve crop yields and develop high-performing seed varieties struggle with neglect, inadequate funding and obsolete facilities. Once established to power agricultural transformation, many of these institutions are now battling operational challenges, raising concerns about their capacity to support farmers and strengthen domestic food production.
Among such institutes established across the country include the Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI), with the focus to improve and develop production technologies for wheat, millet, and barley as well as the improvement of the productivity of the entire farming system in the North Eastern Zone.
Another is the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training assigned with the responsibility of taking charge of soil and water management research, genetic improvement of kenaf and jute and improvement of the productivity of the entire farming system of the South West Zone.
Also on the list is the National Cereal Research Institute (NCRI), with the focus to improve cassava, yam, cocoyam, Irish potato, sweet potato, and ginger and overall research in the improvement of the farming system of the South East Zone.
There is the Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria (RRIN) established to research into genetic improvement, production and processing of rubber and other lather producing plants; the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) established with the aim of improving production and local utilisation research on cocoa, cashew, kola, coffee and tea.
Other agricultural research institutes established by various administrations of the country are; Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIOPR) billed to research into genetic improvement, production and processing of oil, coconut, date, raphia and ornamental palms; the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI) given the mandate to research on food animal species and forages; the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) assigned to research into all aspects of animal diseases, their treatment and control; the National Institute for Freshwater Fisheries (NIFF) focused on research into all freshwater fisheries, and long term effects of man-made lakes on ecology and environment throughout the country; the National Agricultural Extension, Research and Liaison Services (NAERLS) aimed at researching into technology transfer and adoption studies; overall planning and development of extension liaison activities nationally; collation and evaluation of agricultural information; the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation (NCAM) with the focus to develop and test agricultural machinery and tools.
These are a few of the numerous agricultural institutes established to boost Nigeria’s agricultural productivity and the economy.
However, most of these institutes are either comatose or operating at half their capacities.
At the root of their non-performance is majorly the unavailability of funds.
The various administrations that established them hardly sustain their funding and to worsen the situation, when new administrations come into place, they hardly sustain the vision and mission of these institutes.
At the FirstBank Agric expo held in September this year, the Governor of Niger State, Mohammed Bago, lamented that 64 research institutes in Nigeria are moribund.
Dr. Olufemi Ibiremon, the Director of Research Operations, Nigeria Cocoa Research Institute (NCRI), in a recent chat with Daily Sun, decried the tendency for the government to starve these vital institutes of funds.
According to him, “the institute has not received any funds for the past two years. There are specific marks given to the institute by the federal government, our employer, at the beginning. One is to develop improved varieties that will increase productivity; to control some of the production issues, like insects, pests, diseases that impede crop health; to add value by developing products from cocoa; and to also train farmers and develop their skills in cocoa production.
“We have well trained scientists who are ready to do the work. But when you don’t fund the place, where will we get the resources to do the work? So, that is the issue. There is no problem about the ability of CRIN.”
