Firm boosts wheat production with heat-tolerant variety

Nigeria will see a boost in wheat production in the 2024/2025 planting season owing to Olam Agri and Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI)’s recent announcement of a heat-tolerant and super-early durum wheat variety suitable for local cultivation during the harmattan season.

In a statement, the agribusiness company revealed plans to prioritise developing wheat seed varieties that suit the country’s unique topographic and climatic conditions by the production of a special wheat variety called ‘crown wheat’.

“The crown wheat variety is tailored to Nigerian growing conditions after working closely with local farmers to understand their needs, especially the need to grow super-early varieties that allow farmers to harvest and replant rice on time,” said Filippo Bassi, specialist wheat breeder at the International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas.

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“Based on test results run with Crown Flour Mill Nigeria, this variety is certified as suitable for high-quality pasta production,” he added.

According to Kachalla Mala, an LCRI breeder, the availability and accessibility of quality seed varieties are important to farmers.

“We are excited to release ‘crown’, a heat-tolerant, high-yielding wheat variety,” Mala, who is also lead in the project, said.

“In collaboration with Olam Agri and ICARDA, this is the first step in a chain of actions to work with women’s cooperative unions and local farmers to multiply and commercialise the seed,” he noted.

Nigeria imports a huge chunk of its wheat needs due to low production majorly on the back of a lack of high-yielding seedlings.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics show that Nigeria’s durum wheat imports in the first and second quarters of 2024 amounted to N228.89 billion and N232.21 billion, respectively.

Olam’s intervention aims to boost the country’s wheat production as well as train a wide range of smallholder farmers on modern agronomic practices, with a stronger focus on empowering rural women.

Nitin Mehta, managing director of Crown Flour Mill Ltd, stressed the company’s food sufficiency goals. He noted that the project will enable Africa’s most populous nation to boost food production.

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“The milestone release of the novel durum wheat seed variety supports the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and focuses on food security.” Anil Nair, managing director of Olam’s Agri operations in Nigeria, said in the statement.

Adding that, “This initiative is not only advancing greater domestic wheat production but is also empowering women farmers to play a critical role in scaling up farming communities. The future is bright for the food value chain, and we look forward to 100 percent Nigerian-grown wheat.”