ABU Expert Backs Hybrid Crops, Says Modern Seeds Hold Key To Nigeria’s Food Security

By; AMOS EBUTE MATHEW, Kaduna

Nigeria’s quest for food security has received a major boost as a renowned agricultural researcher from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Professor Rabiu Adamu, affirmed that hybrid crops such as TELA maize are completely safe for human consumption and crucial to achieving sustainable agricultural growth in the country.

Speaking during a mega field demonstration of TELA high-yield seeds organized by ECOBasic Seed in Jaji, Kaduna State, Prof. Adamu said extensive research, laboratory tests, and scientific evaluations had confirmed the safety and nutritional value of hybrid crops.

He dismissed claims linking hybrid or improved seeds to health risks, explaining that such misinformation was hindering Nigeria’s progress toward agricultural modernization.

“Food sufficiency and security should be the top priority of all stakeholders in the agricultural value chain if Nigeria must be self-reliant,” he said.

“The surest way to achieve this is by embracing certified hybrid seeds such as TELA maize, sorghum, and millet.”

The ABU don emphasized that countries like the United States and others had attained long-term food security by adopting modern farming technologies and genetically improved seeds for over 25 years without health concerns.

He further noted that with Nigeria’s population projected to reach 400 million by 2050, adopting high-yield and pest-resistant seeds had become a necessity rather than an option.

Also speaking, the Managing Director of ECOBasic Seed, Mr. Brighton Karume, said achieving food security would require deliberate policy actions and stronger government support to help farmers transition from subsistence to mechanized farming.

Represented by Mr. Moses Atewogboye, ECOBasic’s West Africa Commercial Manager, Karume urged farmers to move away from Open Pollinated Varieties (OPV) and embrace hybrid seeds capable of producing bumper harvests.

“Hybrid crops are not only safe but are the foundation of large-scale, profitable farming. We need to scale up production with government incentives and access to certified seeds,” he said.

Similarly, Hon. Alhassan Ikara, a member of the Kaduna State House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources, commended Governor Uba Sani for complementing federal efforts through robust agricultural support programmes.

He highlighted the governor’s recent distribution of over 200 trucks of fertilizer free to farmers across the state, saying such interventions would enhance productivity and boost rural livelihoods.

“What we are seeing in Kaduna is clear proof of a government that is serious about food security,” Hon. Ikara said. “With continued support for innovation and hybrid seeds, the state will not only feed itself but contribute significantly to Nigeria’s food basket.”