‘Nigeria Requires 30,000 tons of Rice Seeds in 2013’ Yesterday, AUGUST 14, 2013 - 6:42PM BY OUR REPORTER Dr Julius Okonkwo, the Acting Director-General of the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike in Abia, says Nigeria requires 30,000 tons of rice seeds in 2013. Okonkwo said this at the five- day training workshop on seed production for 10 graduates of Agriculture which started on Tuesday. The participating graduates drawn from the South-East zone, are currently on their one year National Youth Service Corps scheme. He explained that 15,000 tons of rice seeds were distributed across the country in 2012. Okonkwo, who was represented by the Acting Director of Planning in the institute, Adelugba Keinde, further noted that the seed industry had expanded over the last 30 years. He said the situation underscored the need for manpower development, to cope with the current challenges in the industry and the expected increase in the production level. Okonkwo explained that the Federal Government’s transformation agenda made the need for more seeds “critical”. He noted that quality seed was the bedrock for high agricultural output as it constituted over 50 per cent of agricultural production. “It is the foundation of agricultural production and if you get it wrong, you will miss every other thing in agricultural production,' he said. Also speaking, the Regional Head, National Seeds Council, Umudike, Ike Okalanwa, said that the workshop was designed to solve the manpower need in seed quality control and certification. “The council wants to tap the knowledge and put it together to achieve our aim in quality control and seed certification.” He charged certification officers across the country to redouble their efforts to cope with the challenges ahead.
Posted on: Thu, 15 Aug 2013 08:31:24 +0000
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