IITA and Ministry of Agriculture moves to reposition yam in Nigeria

6 March 2026

Nigeria's dominance in global yam production may soon translate into economic leadership, following a decisive National Yam Advocacy Summit convened by IITA -CGIAR under the PROSSIVA program in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in Abuja recently.

Bringing together policymakers, regulators, researchers, seed companies, farmers, processors, exporters, and development partners, the summit marked a strategic turning point in repositioning yam from a culturally significant staple to a formally recognized national economic priority.

Despite producing approximately 71% of the world's yam, Nigeria has yet to fully unlock the crop's commercial potential. Stakeholders agreed that structural inefficiencies, particularly in the seed system, remain the single largest barrier to transforming yam into a driver of productivity, and export growth.

A key insight into discussions during the summit showed that seed accounts for up to 50% of yam production costs under traditional systems. With seed prices ranging between ₦300-₦500 per tuber and recommended planting densities of 10,000 plants per hectare, farmers can spend nearly ₦3 million per hectare on seed alone. Speaking during her presentation, IITA Seed System specialist, Dr Beatrice Aighewi revealed that at an estimated national yam cultivation area of eight million hectares, the Nigerian seed economy represents a multi-trillion-naira opportunity.

Dr Aighewi explained how under the Gates Foundation funded PROSSIVA program, IITA-CGIAR and partners have developed and validated breakthrough seed technologies such as vine-based propagation, mini-tuber production, and virus-cleaned planting materials, that dramatically increase multiplication rates, reduce disease pressure, and more than double yields under farmer conditions.

Evidence presented at the summit showed establishment rates of up to 98% and yield increases exceeding 100% when clean seed is used. Importantly, seed production itself was shown to be more profitable than ware yam production, opening new investment pathways for specialized seed enterprises.

In his welcome address, Dr Tahirou Abdoulaye emphasized that while IITA has developed improved varieties and advanced seed technologies over decades of research, "varieties alone cannot drive transformation; efficient seed systems must follow."

Representing the Gates Foundation, Dr Lawrence Kent described the new leaf-bud cutting technologies as "almost a miracle," noting that clean planting materials can increase yields by 106%. He reaffirmed the Foundation's commitment to supporting innovations that improve smallholder productivity across Africa.

Delivering the keynote, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Minister of State for Agriculture, described yam as "the king of all crops" and confirmed its inclusion among Nigeria's priority Tier 1 crops under the Ministry's evolving food systems strategy. He stressed that the time has come to reposition yam within national policy, investment, and food security frameworks.

The Director General of the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) Fatuhu Mohammed called for certified seed system strengthening to ensure quality assurance and sustainable scaling, while the Executive Director of the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Prof. Chiedozie Egesi urged a shift from cultural symbolism to economic acceleration, spanning exports, processing, and innovation leadership.

A high-level panel discussion moderated by BASICS II Program lead, Prof Lateef Sanni, underscored that clean seed systems are foundational to productivity, export competitiveness, and market buoyancy. Participants highlighted the need for formal national recognition of yam as a strategic commodity and strengthened regulatory oversight and certification systems amongst other actions for impact.

The repeal of long-standing export restrictions was recognized as a major milestone, opening space for structured export expansion. Regulatory authorities clarified export requirements, emphasizing uniform tuber size, disease-free certification, and phytosanitary compliance as critical to accessing premium markets.

Processors and seed entrepreneurs stressed that finance remains the biggest constraint to scaling, calling for credit programs and investment platforms that de-risk yam enterprises across the value chain.

The summit concluded with the reading of a communique calling for accelerated national implementation of validated seed technologies, institutional strengthening of certified seed systems, policy alignment, and export competitiveness.

In her closing remarks, PROSSIVA Program Coordinator, Dr Delphine Amah delivered what became the defining message of the summit; "Seed system was the constraint for yam expansion, and today, seed system is the solution."

Across stakeholders, the consensus was clear, Nigeria must transition from being the world's largest yam producer to becoming the global leader in yam productivity, seed innovation, value addition, and export competitiveness.

With proven technologies, strong policy signals, and unprecedented multi-sector alignment, the National Yam Advocacy Summit may well mark the moment yam shifts from cultural representation to economic powerhouse in Nigeria's agricultural transformation agenda.

Contributed by 'Timilehin Osunde