The Federal Government has unveiled two new chicken breeds, Noiler and Cobb 500, and 14 high-yield crop varieties.
This announcement was made during the 34th meeting of the National Committee on Naming, Registration, and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds, and Fisheries, held on Thursday.
Professor Soji Olufajo, Chairman of the National Variety Release Committee (NVRC) during the meeting explained that the registration and release of the two chicken breeds and crop varieties were based on recommendations from the committee’s technical sub-committees.
“The new chicken breeds are Noiler and Cobb 500, the high-yield crops include wheat, barley, maize, cassava, rice, castor, and jute,” Olufajo stated.
NAN reports that the technical sub-committee chaired by Prof. S. Ado during its 38th meeting on Tuesday deliberated on the 19 varieties received. After careful consideration, 14 varieties were recommended to the NVRC for final approval during Thursday’s meeting.
What they said
The NVRC also reviewed the findings of another technical sub-committee, chaired by Professor Waheed Akin-Hassan, which met on Wednesday to discuss the two new chicken breeds.
According to Akin-Hassan, “The Noiler is a locally-developed dual-purpose chicken, while the Cobb 500 is a meat-type chicken breed.”
- After an extensive exchange of ideas and thorough scrutiny of the recommendations, the NVRC officially announced the registration and release of both the chicken breeds and the new crop varieties.
- Professor Olufajo emphasized that the two new chicken breeds are already accessible to end users, including poultry farmers, consumers, and researchers. “The release and registration of the breeds are to make it official,” he explained.
- Dr. Anthony Okere, Director of the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB), expressed optimism about the potential impact of these releases on food sufficiency in Nigeria.
“The release and registration of the crop varieties will enhance food sufficiency in the country,” Okere said.
He urged farmers to adopt these newly-released crops to maximize their production efficiency and yield quality. “Embrace these crops to enable you to produce quality and quantity with little stress,” he added.
- Okere also took the opportunity to commend the various research institutions and organizations that contributed to the successful hosting of the meeting, highlighting the collaborative effort required to drive agricultural advancements in Nigeria.
- This initiative is expected to play a vital role in addressing the challenges of agricultural production and food availability in the country.