Nigeria's potato sector is being positioned for growth through closer cooperation between government and private investors. Dr Olufemi Oladunni, Chief Executive of the Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute, said collaboration is required to improve productivity, increase yields, and support farming communities involved in potato cultivation.
He stated that a coordinated approach would help build a more efficient and market-driven agricultural sector, while strengthening competitiveness in both domestic and export markets. According to Oladunni, aligning public policy with private sector capacity is necessary to support long-term development.
The call for collaboration follows concerns among industry stakeholders that current support measures for the potato value chain remain insufficient. Market participants are calling for clearly defined and time-bound policies to improve farm incomes, expand processing capacity, and support export growth. Ongoing inefficiencies across the supply chain continue to limit sector performance.
At the same time, efforts are underway at a continental level to improve sweet potato production through research and innovation. The International Potato Center, in partnership with national research institutions and supported by the Gates Foundation, has launched a multi-country program to validate improved sweet potato varieties for wider adoption.
The program, introduced at a meeting in Nairobi, includes participation from Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, and Mozambique. It focuses on field trials under commercial farming conditions, allowing farmers to compare varieties based on yield, maturity, resilience, and cooking quality. Consumer preference assessments and laboratory analysis are also being used in the selection process.
Initial results from trials in Nigeria and other participating countries indicate that some new varieties deliver higher yields compared to commonly grown types, along with improved quality traits and consumer acceptance. Several of these varieties are currently undergoing regulatory procedures for release.
The program also aims to strengthen collaboration between research institutions, improve data systems, and support the use of digital tools in agricultural decision-making. Demonstration farms and extension partnerships are expected to support adoption at the farm level.
Source: AgroNigeria
