The Federal Government has unveiled a newly developed chicken breed and 57 improved crop varieties as part of efforts to boost food production, increase meat supply and strengthen national food security.
The announcement was made in Ibadan during the 36th meeting of the National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds and Fisheries, organised by the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology.
At the centre of the development is ‘Moorbeta’, a locally bred meat-type chicken developed by the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Moor Plantation. The breed was approved based on its strong performance indicators, including “high body weight at 10 weeks, good carcass characteristics and tolerance to heat stress,” according to the committee’s technical findings.
Officials said the introduction of Moorbeta is expected to significantly improve local meat production, especially in the face of rising demand and climate-related challenges affecting livestock farming.
In addition to the livestock breakthrough, the committee also approved two new maize varieties, ARTPOP 001 and ARTPOP 002, developed by the same institute. The popcorn maize varieties are part of a broader set of 57 newly registered crop varieties aimed at improving yields, resilience and food availability across the country.
Chairman of the National Variety Release Committee, Soji Olufajo, who presided over the meeting, described the approvals as a critical step towards aligning agricultural research with national food needs.
Researchers involved in the development emphasised that the new varieties are the result of years of scientific work focused on improving farmers’ productivity. One of the statements from the institute noted that the achievement “is a testament to the Institute’s commitment to agricultural research and service delivery geared towards improved farmers’ productivity and livelihood.”
Stakeholders at the meeting said the combined rollout of improved livestock and crop varieties reflects a deliberate strategy to strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural value chain.
