A non-governmental organisation, The Sasakawa Africa Association, has called on farmers in Nasarawa and Benue states to prioritise the use of improved and disease-free cassava seedlings to boost production.

The NGO gave the advice on Saturday during a field trip at Mbaalusu-Mbatyav, Ushongu Local Government Area of Benue State.

Project Focal Person, Building An Economically Sustainable, Integrated Cassava Seed System, Phase 2 (BASICS II), Jonathan Yassah, said that the BASICS II project makes improved cassava seeds available to farmers in the two states.

Mr Yassah said that the project encourages farmers to adopt the best cassava seed production practices and the six steps to cassava weed management toolkit to produce high-quality stems.

 The project focal person, who also doubles as the Programme Officer, Market Oriented Agriculture (MOA) of SAA, urged farmers to make good use of the opportunity.

 He said, “We have trained 42 cassava seed entrepreneurs in both Nasarawa and Benue states in 2024 and provided them with cassava seeds that are disease resistant. Cassava seed production is now good business in the two states, as the demand for improved seeds by farmers in the two states was not met in 2024. “BASICS II target is to make improved seed available while the roots are surplus to cassava seed entrepreneurs. Our target is to cover more local government areas in these two states to enable them to also key into the BASICS II project by using improved cassava seed varieties. I appeal to the government of the two states to key into this project to help upscale the use of improved varieties of cassava seeds and boost productivity in their states.

The Leader of Hope Farms, Mbagwaza Farmer Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Ushongo, Savior Daniel, thanked Sasakawa for giving him the opportunity to farm the improved cassava seeds, as he had seen changes with his cassava yields.

The Village Head of Mbaalusu, Jacob Awua, thanked Sasakawa for bringing such an initiative to his domain and pleaded with the team to provide more cassava stems to other groups in the community to enable them to taste the improved cassava seeds as well.

 The groups currently working with Sasakawa in the community were Hope Farmers, Mbaver Farmers, Mbagba Farmers, and Mbaalusu Farmers.

Some prospective groups planning to utilise SAA BASICS II in 2025 include Star Farmers and Mbaalusu Youths Multipurpose Corporative Society.

(NAN)