Obaseki agric reforms: Edo, agro firms showcase hybrid vegetable seedlings to boost food security
The Edo State Government, Prime Agro Seeds, and a Netherlands-based agro firm, Profyta, have unveiled hybrid tomatoes and pepper seedlings, developed and bred in Edo State on the back of reforms by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led state government to boost agricultural production and tackle food insecurity.
The vegetable seedlings were showcased at the Wells-Hosa Greenhouse Farms with a total of 28 varieties of hybrid tomatoes and pepper seedlings, showing their adaptability to the Nigerian weather, disease resistance, and yield among other qualities.
Addressing journalists after the demonstration, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Stephen Idehenre noted that the demonstration is a testament of investors’ trust in the Obaseki-led administration, reassuring that the government will continue to provide the right environment for businesses to thrive.
He said, “We are here to see what Prime Agro Seeds has done with the in-country production of vegetable seeds here in Edo and they are doing very well.
“This is the first state in Nigeria where this experimentation for seed multiplication is happening and it’s something that will help to save our foreign exchange greatly.
“First, we are trying to see how we can bring down the price of our vegetable seeds and this action is one long way of doing it. Bringing in a certain kilogram of vegetable seeds from outside the country costs so much but with this development, the cost of seed purchase will drop by at least 70 percent and I’m very sure of that.”
Idehenre further noted, “Ours, as a state, is to create the enabling environment for investors to come in, and seeing what is going on here will attract other investors. The environment is trouble-free and investment-friendly which will guarantee returns on investment.
“It’s been two years since they have been on this research programme here. The partners
