The Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), ABU Zaria, has developed a Cotton Master Plan to address the decline in the production and quality of seed to meet local and international market requirements.
Prof. Mohammed Ishaku, the Executive Director of the institute, made this known at the 2022 Annual Cotton Master Sample and Production, Marketing and Quality Meeting on Thursday in Zaria, Kaduna State.
He said the cotton industry has witnessed successive interventions, but the desired transformation that would put the nation in the competitive position among the producing countries has not been fully achieved, in spite of the nation’s potential.
The executive director described poor quality seed, unorganised marketing system, quality assurance and certification, inputs supply and credit, collapse of cotton industry and ambivalent government policy and support collapse of cotton industry as some of the major challenges bedeviling the sector.
“I want to beat my chest and said it loud that if not for the dodged effort of our research institute, IAR, cotton production will have been far away behind what it is today.
“However, in order to meet International standard, a modern cotton grading laboratory is desirable while provision of ginning machine will permit timely supply of pure breeder and foundation seed that are needed for next level of value chain by the institute,” he said.
Ishiyaku said the institute was in the process of purchasing modern equipment, such as Fibro Graph, Torsion balance, Ginning Machine and Comb Sorter, for measuring fibre length with a view to enhance quality research orientation and output in cotton sector.
The executive director stated that in order to enhance quality research orientation and output in cotton, the institute was also focusing on high level of cotton generic recombinance through increased hybridisation and selection.
He said deliberate effort was also being made to bring the institute closer to industry players, cotton seed companies, lint utilisers, textile mills and environment related issues to support cotton production and utilisation.
While declaring open the annual meeting, Prof. Kabir Bala, the Vice-Chancellor, ABU Zaria, tasked participants to explore ways of reviving cotton from an orphan crop to its rightful position in the olden days.
Bala, who was reoresented by Prof. Mohammed Shuaib, the Dean, Faculty of Life Science, stressed the significance of massive production of raw materials to sustain growing demand of the commodity worldwide.
