The country’s seed regulation authorities are positive the IMAGE project will boost seed quality in the country.
This is against the backdrop of seed quality challenges in the country which has characterised the industry for years.
Institutionalising Monitoring of Variety Adoption, using Genotyping, otherwisw known as the IMAGE Project is being implemented in a number of countries and Nigeria is one of them.
It’s aim is to assist the country in developing verifiable, accurate and relevant data .
It is also designed to increase the efficacy of variety development by way of scaling up routine monitoring of improved variety adoption and turnover using genotype technologies with focus on specific crops.
The preliminary results of the National crop survey under the image project for rice , maize and cowpea is now being socialised to further drive the process.
Those being engaged here include the national excecutive steering committee, focal persons, crop experts and other stakeholders.
The Institutionalizing Monitoring of Variety Adoption Using Genotyping, IMAGE Project, is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation .
The project will assess varieties of four staple crops farmers are presently growing in Nigeria and identify the rate of improved variety adoption through surveys and comparative analysis.
