BY: Hassan Turaki.
Jigawa Partners Egyptian Firm to Boost Date Palm, Potato Production with Tissue Culture Technology.
Jigawa State Government is seeking a strategic agricultural partnership with Egyptian biotechnology company, EFC Plants, to introduce advanced plant tissue culture technology for date palm and Irish potato production in the state.
Governor Malam Umar Namadi led a technical delegation to Cairo this week to initiate talks aimed at improving access to disease-free planting materials, raising productivity, and attracting private investment into key agricultural value chains.
The delegation inspected EFC Plants’ facilities, which include climate-controlled greenhouses, cold-storage units with capacity for up to six million plantlets, plant pathology laboratories, sterilisation units, and specialised incubation rooms.
They also received briefings on the full tissue culture process, from selection and lab testing of mother plants to micropropagation, rooting, acclimatisation, and commercial distribution.
According to the state government, the proposed collaboration will go beyond importing planting materials.
It will focus on technology transfer, specialist training, research collaboration, and local commercial production of certified, high-yielding plantlets in Jigawa.
“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,” Governor Namadi said.
He added that adopting biotechnology would address farmers’ challenges in accessing quality inputs while positioning Jigawa as a national hub for technology-driven agriculture.
“By investing in plant tissue culture, we will improve farmers’ access to high-quality date palm and potato planting materials, increase productivity, reduce dependence on imported materials,” he stated.
Jigawa has strong potential in date palm farming due to its dry climate, irrigable land, and market access. The state also hopes to expand seed-potato production with clean planting materials and modern techniques.
Next steps under the proposed deal include a technical assessment, feasibility study, site selection, and development of a bankable business plan. The state government will work with EFC Plants, local research institutions, and Nigerian private investors to drive the project.
Governor Namadi was accompanied by Dr. Suleiman Rufai Babura, DG Jigawa Research Institute; Dr. Saifullahi Umar, DG Jigawa Agricultural Transformation Agency; and Dr. Abubakar Isa Bamai, CEO of Natay Agro Limited.
The Cairo mission is part of the administration’s wider push to integrate science, technology and private investment into agriculture to improve food security, create jobs, and boost agro-processing and exports in Jigawa.
