ICRISAT to re-establish centre in Nigeria

Hyderabad, Sep 25 (UNI) The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) will soon re-establish its centre in Nigeria.

ICRISAT Director General William Dar and Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) Executive Director B Y Abubakar signed a MoU in this regard recently.

Under the MOU, ARCN and ICRISAT will implement joint research programmes in Nigeria, ensure mutual cooperation and collaboration among scientists, facilitate exchange of germplasm, breeding material, scientific information and techniques, and also focus on capacity development, a press release here said.

ICRISAT will initiate a regional research and training programme on its mandate crops (mainly sorghum and millet) and natural resource management in West and Central Africa from a central base in Nigeria.

ICRISAT has research collaboration with the Nigerian Government since 1987, with a research centre at Kano, which was later closed down.

UNI VA GM SP RN1813