NRCRI trains Southern Plateau Irish potato agro ecology farmers

NRCRI trains Southern Plateau Irish potato agro ecology farmers 

The National Root Crops Research Institute Potato Program Kuru,  Jos South Local Government Council of Plateau State, organise a one day training to dry season Irish potato agro ecology farmers from the Southern and Central Senatorial Zones of the State.

The training which held at the conference hall of the institution has it's participants drawn from the six local government areas of the southern and central senatorial zone of the state on dry season Irish potato agro ecology farming.

The Coordinator National Root Crops Research Institute potato program, Mr Kahya Shuaibu, in his remark, Stated that 9 out of 17 local government areas of Plateau State produces potato which is not a good number for a state which is regarded as home of potato, and for that reason, NRCRI potato program swung 

into action as a research institution and come up with dry season potato farming trail in remaining 11 local government areas of the State. 

He said Plateau State is not only been regarded as home of potato not only in Nigeria but Africa as a whole.

Mr Shuaibu further disclosed that after a thorough investigation and research by the scientists from the institution, which started in 2019 dry season period, the result came out very perfect with Langtang North LGA joining the league of Irish potato producing local government areas in the state.

He also revealed that with the result and high produced of Irish potato that was recorded in Langtang North, shows that farmers from the southern part of Plateau State can key into dry season farming of Irish potato.

Furthermore, he call on all those who are interested in going into this year's dry season potato farming to contact institution for further inquiry on how to go about it, and also revealed that the institution has produced a potato seedlings that can comfortably adapt to the weather in those areas. 

In his part, potato value chain (PVC) consultant, Mr Dachir Sati Habila, of the Kongwan Agro-Allied and Integrated Service Limited commend the efforts of the institution for coming up with this laudable innovation to increase the farming of Irish potato on the Plateau.

Mr Habila who could not hide his joy stated that this great feat is a wonderful development to farmers on the Plateau and beyond, he said with this it means more money to farmers from the southern part of the state, and by that it will also increase revenue generation of the respective LGAs, and Plateau.

He also call on for more farmer to go into dry season potato farming from that axis since it is now confirm that Irish potato can be farm during the dry season.