The Umudike Seeds Company, in cooperation with important agricultural industry participants, will establish the Nigeria Seed Innovation Partners Forum for Vegetatively Propagated (VPG) crops.
According to a statement issued Tuesday, 22nd April in Abuja by Dr. Tony Bello, Chairman of Umudike Seeds Company, the forum will be launched in the third quarter of this year.
Instead of using seeds, VPG crops are grown from non-sexual plant elements like stems, roots, or tubers. These crops include sugarcane, bananas, ginger, sweet potatoes, cassava, and yam. The offspring of these crops are genetically identical to their parent plants.
Dr. Bello revealed that a Task Force has been formed to coordinate national stakeholder engagement and streamline policies to support a strong, market-oriented seed system for VPG crops in Nigeria. Ms. Mosunmola Umoru and Dr. Ruby Onwudiwe will jointly lead the task force.
The decision was made during the organisation’s first in-person board meeting, hosted by Sahel Consulting Agriculture & Nutrition Ltd., a founding incubator and strategic implementation partner of Umudike Seeds.
Organisations that have pledged their support for the initiative include the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Sasakawa Africa Association, Industrial Cassava Stakeholders Association of Nigeria (ICSAN), National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF), and Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
Experts highlight that while vegetative propagation enables quick multiplication and the retention of favourable traits, it also poses risks due to genetic uniformity, making crops more susceptible to diseases, one of the principal vulnerabilities in the seed supply chain.
Dr. Tony Bello stated that creating the task force and the decision to launch the forum represent a significant step forward in advancing seed system innovation for vegetatively propagated crops (VPGs) in Nigeria.
“Over three days, the Board of Directors reviewed the company’s strategic direction and gave the green light to form a dedicated task force,” Bello explained.
This task force will drive stakeholder collaboration and align national policies to support a robust, market-driven seed system for VPG crops like cassava, yam, sweet potato, and ginger.
One key decision from the meeting was the unanimous approval of creating the Nigeria Seed Innovation Partners Forum for VPG Crop.
This new platform is expected to catalyse access to quality seeds, foster stronger public-private collaborations, and position Nigeria at the forefront of innovation in root and tuber crop industrialisation.
“This development marks a shared recognition among private companies, government bodies, and technical experts of the critical role VPG crops play in achieving national goals around food security, economic growth, and sustainable agriculture,” Bello added.
He also noted that the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) has reaffirmed its support for the company’s seed expansion plans, aligning them with national development priorities to address seed supply challenges, bridge financing gaps, and strengthen seed system capabilities.
According to Dr. Tony Bello, stakeholders have committed to increasing operational capacity, attracting investment, and meeting the growing market need for certified seeds of recently created cassava varieties, such as TME419, Game Changer, and Obasanjo II.
He clarified that Umudike Seeds Company is a licensed seed company specialising in producing and distributing premium foundation and breeder seeds for root and tuber crops.
The company was founded in 2018 as a spin-off from the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) ‘s BASICS I project.
Bello underlined the company’s commitment to developing Nigeria’s seed value chain via strategic alliances, innovation, and farmer-focused solutions.
Source: AgroNigeria
Image Credit: Umudikeseeds
