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Nigeria. Agronomy annual report 2013

This report reviews objective 2 activities of the Reaching Agents of Change (RAC) project in Nigeria for year 2 (June 2012 to May 30th 2013). Farmer participatory on-farm trials were established in 28 locations in 4 states (Benue, Nasarawa/FCT, Kaduna and Kwara) as a first step in the official release of orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP). At the inception of RAC in Nigeria, there was no officially released OFSP variety. Farmers fully participated in assessment of proven varieties and field days were conducted in 3 locations each in the 4 states. The results culminated in the nomination of two Orange-fleshed sweetpotato(OFSP) genotypes (NRSP/05/022 and CIP440293)to the National variety release committee. These varieties, by far surpasses all sweetpotato varieties available to the Nigeria farmers in terms of fresh root yield and quality. Two varieties NRSP/05/022 and CIP440293 were officially released in 7th December 2012 on the 20th of June 2013 respectively. The foundation stock of the new varieties were cleaned up at KEPHIS, Nairobi Kenya and through positive selection, multiplied in 2.9 hectares at NRCRI Umudike (0.5ha), Nyanya station (2.0ha), vine multipliers in Taraba (0.2) and Kwara (0.2) states. A total of 1.45 million cuttings were generated and are presently undergoing distribution to the identified vine multipliers in the target states. Two Decentralized vine multipliers each from FCT, Abuja and Kwara state has established 0.25 hectares of 2 target OFSP varieties.