As part of efforts to help optimise farm productivity in Nigeria, Corteva Agriscience, the agriculture division of DowDuPont, says it is partnering local farmers on seed development, expected to boost food productivity in the country.
Prabdeep Bajwa, president, Corteva Agriscience, Africa & Middle East disclosed this during this year’s seed connect conference and expo organised by the National Agricultural Seeds Council in Abuja recently.
He explained that the country’s agricultural sector is vital to the overall economy because of its importance in creating jobs and wealth. According to him, the agric sector is only second to oil as the leading contributor to the country’s gross domestic product.
“Nigeria’s abundant resources are a great foundation on which to build a sustainable agricultural sector. I believe the utilisation of technological innovations can help overcome local challenges. “We’re committed to ensuring that Corteva Agriscience is an enabling collaborator for the Nigerian agricultural sector,” he said.
Bajwa described Nigeria as one of the leading African countries in farming based on levels of productivity and profitability. The country, he says, has about 70 per cent of the workforce employed in agriculture and the small farms produce 80 per cent of the total food, while 33 per cent of land is under cultivation for this purpose.
He highlighted the company’s continued footprint expansion across African markets, saying that it is committed to serving agricultural sector optimisation by providing the best insights, products, and technology to farmers and a market that is under-served.
On his part, Alain Pescay, Commercial Director for Corteva Agriscience, North West, West, and Central Africa region, expressed the company’s commitment to support the Nigerian government’s initiatives towards achieving food security goals, import substitution, job creation, and economic diversification.
“We are committed to supporting government in advancing the agriculture sector—the critical foundation of any successful economy and country,” he said, adding that “we can’t do this alone and collaboration is central to what we do in Nigeria.”
Corteva Agriscience already has presence in Nigeria through its “Pioneer” brand seeds, crop protection solutions as well as collaboration with Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc to develop maize hybrid seed in the country.
Other projects by the company include collaborating with several NGOs on the bid for a new $60 million USAID West Africa trade hub, and engaging with USAID to develop a concept for a new Global Development Alliance related to smallholder farmers. It is also collaborating with USAID and CNFA in Nigeria to advance demo plots and extension services through the USAID maize value chain project.
Caleb Ojewale
