Nigeria Federal Government, Wacot Partnership Enhances Seed Production

Director General of National Agricultural Seed Council of Nigeria, Mr. Anthony Olatokun has said the council in partnership with WACOT Ltd, a privately-owned agricultural based company, has enhanced the production of improved seeds in the country.

He said Nigeria had greatly benefited from the partnership with Wacot Ltd. under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda and expressed satisfaction over the progress so far made by the company on the improved seed multiplication and distribution scheme in the country.
Mr. Anthony also added that NASC had rightly upgraded the company to a large scale producer of improved seeds for the teeming farmers.

He expressed satisfaction over the state of company's machinery, warehousing capacity, its seed breeding lands and other activities going on at the company's sites, saying that "the company has been able to meet the international standard of seed production and in other agricultural input needs."

Speaking at Funtua of Katsina State, when he led a government delegation on an inspection tour of Wacot facilities particularly the seed processing factory, said with this development, the quest for foreign training of agricultural workers and search for quality seed would be drastically reduced while he encouraged the company management to improve further on research work to produce Hybrid seeds for farmers.

He urged the management of Wacot to sustain the level of its achievements by taking "QUALITY" as the focus point so that it would continue to make the desired impact on Nigeria's agricultural transformation movement.

The Director General noted that the company's present rate of seed production will help to meet farmers' demand, which would in turn; facilitate the country's economic growth.

He appreciated the Investment made by WACOT in upgrading its ginning machines, but showed his concern about the poor seed cotton production and the under utilization of Wacot's Ginning capacity.

He cited the ailing industries in Nigeria especially the textile industries is the main reason.

Responding, Wacot General Manager, Mr Subirkumar Dey, commended the support from Federal Government, State Government, Seed Regulation Authorities like NASC and farmers' support which had ensured the company's continued existence with growth in Nigeria.

Mr.Dey disclosed that the level of said support encouraged the company to metamorphose from its initial stage of cotton ginnery to producer of good quality seeds and supplier of good quality Agric inputs like fertilizers, agrochemicals, sprayers, tractors etc.

He gave the assurance that the seed multiplication projects would facilitate the production of high quality seeds of crops ranging from Soya bean, Maize, Rice and cotton.

WACOT collaborated with Research Institutes like IAR-Zaria, IITA-Ibadan is already working on developing new improved varieties & hybrid seeds for Maize, Soya & Cotton crops, while listed some of the measures that ensured the company's success as the introduction of latest seed processing machinery capable of giving the best quality seeds as well as productivity.

He also disclosed the company's future expansion plan in seed processing capacity from the two lines of seed production to three lines in few months time making the capacity of seed processing over 200 MT per day.

Wacot could build a good extension team with the recruitment of qualified Breeder, Agric Graduates & Post graduates who in turn trained & helped the farmers on the implementation of modern farming techniques for higher yield and better quality seeds.