The Maize Farmers Association of Nigeria has said production of the commodity increased from eight million tonnes to 20 million tonnes in Nigeria between 2015 and 2018.
The president of the association, Bello Abubakar, said this at the Nigeria Maize Conference on Wednesday in Abuja.
The event, which has as its theme, “Integrated Pest Management: Key to Profitable Maize Farming,” was organised by a company, Bayer Middle Africa.
“As at 2015, we had eight million tones while in 2018 it increased to 20 million tonnes,” Mr Abubakar said.
He attributed the increase to the introduction of technology into farming and the researches made by the association.
“Everyday, we are making research on how to improve maize production in the country,” he said
“Now we have seed companies that came with varieties that will give from eight to 12 tonnes per acre,” he said.
He applauded Bayer Middle Africa for its interest in maize production.
He said one of the biggest challenges facing the association is Agronomic practice.
Agronomic practices are a vital part of farming systems. These are practices that farmers incorporate to improve soil quality, enhance water usage, manage crops and improve the environment.
Agronomic practices focus on better fertilizer management as a way of improving agricultural practices.
Bayer’s Commitment to Maize Production.
Bayer said it took two approaches to improve the productivity of maize in West and Central Africa.
The approaches are Intergrated Pest Management (IPM) and Intergrated Weed Management (IPM).
Speaking on their efforts to improve crop production, the Regulatory and Development Manager of Bayer Middle Africa, Ahmed Bello, said IPM is the combination of different approaches to controlling pesticide on maize feed.
Mr Bello said the aim of IPM is to reduce pest pressure and keep them at low levels.
