In a bid to restore Nigeria’s ginger industry, the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) and the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, have launched the Ginger Value Chain Recovery and Sustainability Programme (GVCRSP).

The programme, unveiled at the headquarters of NRCRI in Umudike, Abia State, follows the devastating ginger blight epidemic that crippled production across major ginger-growing areas of the country.

Stakeholders from government agencies, research institutions, development organisations, commodity associations and the private sector gathered at the event to chart a sustainable path for the recovery and transformation of Nigeria’s ginger value chain.

Speaking on behalf of the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, the General Manager, Technical Services, Ernest Ihedigbo, explained that the Ginger Value Chain Recovery and Sustainability Programme is a key component of the NADF Ginger Roadmap developed in response to the ginger blight epidemic.

He described the initiative as a landmark demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning agriculture as a driver of economic diversification, food security, industrial development and export competitiveness under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

According to him, the unveiling of the programme and the formalisation of the partnership with NRCRI reaffirm NADF’s mandate as the Federal Government’s catalytic financing institution dedicated to translating agricultural policies into sustainable investments that strengthen research, innovation and national food sovereignty.

Ihedigbo noted that agricultural transformation cannot be achieved without strong research institutions, modern technologies and strategic investments that connect scientific discoveries with production and markets.

He disclosed that NADF is implementing two flagship interventions to support the agricultural sector, including the strengthening of selected agricultural research institutes as Centres of Excellence through investments in modern laboratories, biotechnology facilities, renewable energy systems, irrigation infrastructure, digital platforms and innovation hubs.

He revealed that NRCRI had been selected as the South-East beneficiary in the first phase of the programme and would receive support for energy and digital infrastructure, as well as the installation and maintenance of laboratory equipment.

According to him, the intervention is expected to strengthen research infrastructure, improve the capacity of scientists and researchers, promote demand-driven research, deepen linkages between research institutions and farmers, facilitate the commercialisation of agricultural technologies and foster partnerships with leading international research organisations.

The second intervention, he explained, is the Ginger Value Chain Recovery and Sustainability Programme, designed to rebuild the ginger industry following the 2023 ginger blight epidemic, which severely disrupted production, affected thousands of farmers, reduced export earnings and exposed structural weaknesses within the value chain.

Under the programme, NADF will provide six metric tonnes of ginger rhizomes alongside infrastructure for germplasm conservation, disease-free seed multiplication, tissue culture propagation, adaptive field preservation and sustainable seed system development.

Ihedigbo further disclosed that NADF played a key role in the Federal Government’s Ginger Blight Epidemic Control Taskforce through the implementation of the Ginger Recovery Advancement and Transformation for Economic Empowerment (GRATE) Programme.

Through the intervention, about 6,000 farmers in Kaduna, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory received improved seeds, production inputs for alternative crops and support for integrated pest management strategies aimed at containing the disease outbreak and restoring livelihoods.

“Moving beyond social impact interventions, the Ginger Value Chain Recovery and Sustainability Programme is designed to drive recovery, resilience and long-term transformation of the ginger sub-sector,” he said.

Representing the Abia State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. Cliff Agbeze, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Ijeoma Adamma Agoha, described the partnership between NADF and NRCRI as evidence of the power of strategic collaboration in addressing challenges within Nigeria’s agricultural value chains.

She commended NADF for selecting NRCRI as a beneficiary of the intervention, noting that the decision recognised the institute’s research capacity and Abia State’s growing role as a hub for agricultural innovation in the South-East.

Agoha observed that the ginger blight epidemic disrupted the livelihoods of thousands of farmers, reduced the availability of quality planting materials and exposed vulnerabilities within the sector.

“The response we are launching today goes beyond recovery. It is about rebuilding stronger systems, restoring farmers’ confidence and ensuring long-term sustainability through science, technology and innovation,” she said.

Welcoming participants on behalf of the Executive Director of NRCRI, Professor Chiedozie Ngozi Egesi, the Director of Root Crops Research, Dr. Adeyemi Olojede, described the programme as a timely intervention capable of addressing critical challenges confronting Nigeria’s ginger industry.

He stressed the need for stakeholders to work together in developing practical solutions that would restore production and strengthen resilience within the value chain, regardless of uncertainties surrounding the causes of the disease outbreak.

Olojede added that the collaboration would provide the financial and institutional support needed to translate scientific ideas into practical solutions that directly benefit farmers and the wider economy.

Also speaking, the representative of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Morrison Udo, described ginger as one of Nigeria’s priority non-oil export commodities and expressed confidence that the initiative would help tackle challenges related to funding, infrastructure, disease management and policy support.

Similarly, Professor Ikechukwu Dallas Chima, representing the National President of the National Ginger Association of Nigeria (NGAN), described the programme as a significant national assignment with far-reaching economic implications.

He noted that the global ginger market is projected to exceed $3 billion in the coming years and warned that Nigeria cannot afford to lose its competitive position in the international market.

Chima commended NADF for supporting NRCRI’s scientific and research efforts and urged stakeholders to work collectively towards building a sustainable foundation for the industry’s growth.

As part of the event, participants received presentations on NRCRI’s history, mandate and recent innovations in crop improvement, disease management and biotechnology.

They also toured the institute’s ginger, cassava and yam facilities, tissue culture laboratories and screenhouses, where ongoing research aimed at accelerating agricultural transformation was showcased.