Jigawa partners Egyptian firm on date palm and potato tissue culture technology

Jigawa State is exploring a significant agricultural partnership with an Egyptian-based plant research and development company, EFC Plants, focusing on advanced plant tissue culture technology.

This is while Governor Malam Umar Namadi headed a state government’s technical delegation to Cairo to initiate discussions on this collaboration, which aims to boost the production of date palms and Irish potatoes within Jigawa State.

The technical and investment mission is part of the State Government’s efforts to transform the agricultural sector through biotechnology, improve access to disease-free planting materials, raise productivity and attract private investment into priority agricultural value chains.

During the visit, Governor Namadi and members of the delegation inspected EFC’s plant tissue-culture and biotechnology facilities, including climate-controlled greenhouses, cold-storage facilities capable of handling up to six million plantlets, a plant pathology laboratory, sterilisation and preparation facilities, as well as specialised growth and incubation rooms.

The delegation also received technical briefings on the complete tissue-culture production process, from the selection and laboratory testing of mother plants through micropropagation, incubation, rooting, acclimatisation and greenhouse management to storage and preparation for commercial distribution.

The proposed collaboration would explore the establishment and commercialisation of plant tissue-culture technology in Jigawa State, initially focusing on date palm and Irish potato, and is expected to provide opportunities for technology transfer, specialist training, research collaboration and the production of certified, disease-free and high-yielding planting materials locally.

Speaking on the proposed partnership, Governor Namadi said it was intended to establish a broader technological and investment relationship rather than simply provide planting materials.

“Our proposed partnership with EFC Plants will go beyond the purchase of planting materials. We are seeking a comprehensive relationship that will deliver technology transfer, local capacity development, research collaboration, private investment and the commercial production of clean planting materials in Jigawa State,” the governor said.

He further said the adoption of plant tissue culture and agricultural biotechnology would help address some of the constraints affecting farmers’ access to quality planting materials while strengthening Jigawa’s position in technology-driven agriculture.

“By investing in plant tissue culture and agricultural biotechnology, we will improve farmers’ access to high-quality date palm and potato planting materials, increase productivity, reduce dependence on imported materials and position Jigawa State as a national hub for biotechnology-supported agriculture.”

Jigawa has comparative advantages in date palm production, including a suitable dry climate, extensive irrigable land, an established farming tradition and access to major domestic markets.

The State also has the potential to expand quality seed-potato production through the introduction of clean planting materials and modern production technologies.

Under the proposed arrangement, the Jigawa State Government would work with EFC Plants, relevant State institutions, Nigerian private-sector partners and other interested investors, while the immediate steps include a detailed technical assessment, feasibility study, site selection, preparation of a bankable business and implementation plan, and negotiation of an appropriate partnership framework.

Governor Namadi was accompanied on the mission by Dr. Suleiman Rufai Babura, Director-General of the Jigawa Research Institute; Dr. Saifullahi Umar, Director-General of the Jigawa Agricultural Transformation Agency; and Dr. Abubakar Isa Bamai, Chief Executive Officer of Natay Agro Limited.

The Cairo mission forms part of the State Government’s broader effort to bring science, technology and private investment into agricultural production, with the aim of improving productivity, strengthening food security and creating opportunities for commercial agriculture, agro-processing, employment and exports in Jigawa State.