The TAMASA project launched in May this year is expected to reach more than 600,000 households in the target countries, even as it’s also expected to boost the productivity of maize through the application of tools that will be co-developed with partners to support agronomic decision making in maize-based system at varying scales.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja yesterday at the annual review and planning meeting of stakeholders in the maize production sector, the Director for Central Africa Hub and Natural Resources Management, Dr Bernard Vanlauwe, said that the project would adapt modern technologies and promote evidence-based maize agronomy and maize value-chain strategies in three pilot countries mentioned above.
According to him, the project is expected to build the capacity for small holder farmers and support stakeholders in maize- based systems by generating and collecting data from field trials, which would be used to co-develop tools to increase maize productivity regionally and nationally.
In his contribution, the Country Co-coordinator, TAMASA Nigeria Project,Dr Ibrahim Mohammed, said that currently, TAMASA is at a stage of conducting trials, partnering with other partners so that the vision of the project can be attained.
Vanlauwe said:’’ Maize is very important crop in Nigeria. It has very high potential yields. It is replacing sorghum and others, there are lots of reasons for this. One is that it has a very high potential yield in comparison with sorghum, millet and other cereals. But you also know that the current yields are still very low. We know a lot of how to improve maize yields. We know, probably how to use fertilisers, and that there are better varieties.”
