The Director General of the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC), Hon. Fatuhu Muhammed, has declared that Nigeria’s food security is entirely dependent on the quality of seeds used by farmers, warning that the current production deficit is “alarming and scary.”

Speaking on Monday at the opening of the 2026 Boot Camp on Plant Variety Protection (PVP) and Intellectual Property in Abuja, Muhammed highlighted a massive gap in staple food production. 

He specifically pointed to a 2.9 million metric tonne deficit in paddy rice production, which he attributed to the widespread non-use of certified seeds by farmers across the country.

The Boot Camp, organised by the Nigeria Plant Variety Protection Office (NPVPO) and NASC, is supported by international bodies including the UPOV Office in Geneva, WIPO, and AGRA. 

It seeks to train a new generation of lawyers, plant breeders, and seed scholars on the Plant Variety Protection Act of 2021. 

This legislation is designed to protect the intellectual property of breeders, encouraging the development of climate-resilient crop varieties.

“We are giving birth every day and the birth rate is alarming,” Muhammed noted, stressing that the country must feed itself to survive. 

He cautioned that while the 2021 PVP Act was a historic milestone, impact would only come through competent administrators and skilled professionals who understand international standards.

The Registrar of the NPVPO, Dr. Folarin Okelola, added that the intensive one-week residential training is a strategic move toward full UPOV membership. 

By creating a secure system for breeders to commercialise their work, Nigeria aims to attract significant investment into its seed industry. 

Out of over 600 applications received nationwide, only 30 participants were selected through a rigorous, merit-based process to lead this agricultural innovation.

Source: Independent News