The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) and the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, have launched the Ginger Value Chain Recovery and Sustainability Programme (GVCRSP), a major initiative aimed at revitalising Nigeria’s ginger industry following the devastating ginger blight epidemic that severely impacted production across major growing regions.
The programme was unveiled at the headquarters of NRCRI in Umudike, where government officials, researchers, development partners, commodity associations and private sector stakeholders gathered to discuss strategies for rebuilding and transforming the country’s ginger value chain.
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The initiative forms a key component of the NADF Ginger Roadmap developed in response to the ginger blight epidemic that disrupted production, affected thousands of farmers and exposed critical weaknesses within the sector.
Speaking on behalf of the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, the Fund’s General Manager, Technical Services, Ernest Ihedigbo, described the programme as a demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning agriculture as a catalyst for economic diversification, food security, industrial development and export growth under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
According to him, the launch of the programme and the formalisation of the partnership with NRCRI underscore NADF’s role as the Federal Government’s catalytic financing institution dedicated to translating agricultural policies into sustainable investments that promote research, innovation and national food sovereignty.
He stressed that meaningful agricultural transformation requires strong research institutions, modern technologies and strategic investments capable of linking scientific discoveries to production and market opportunities.
Ihedigbo disclosed that NADF is implementing two flagship interventions to strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural sector.
The first intervention focuses on transforming selected agricultural research institutes into Centres of Excellence through investments in modern laboratories, biotechnology facilities, renewable energy systems, irrigation infrastructure, digital platforms and innovation hubs.
He announced that NRCRI had been selected as the South-East beneficiary in the first phase of the programme and would receive support for energy and digital infrastructure as well as laboratory equipment installation and maintenance.
The intervention is expected to improve research infrastructure, enhance scientists’ capacity, promote demand-driven research, strengthen linkages between researchers and farmers, facilitate the commercialisation of agricultural technologies and deepen collaboration with international research institutions.
The second intervention, the Ginger Value Chain Recovery and Sustainability Programme, is specifically designed to restore the ginger industry after the 2023 ginger blight outbreak.
Under the programme, NADF will provide six metric tonnes of ginger rhizomes and support infrastructure for germplasm conservation, disease-free seed multiplication, tissue culture propagation, adaptive field preservation and sustainable seed system development.
Ihedigbo also highlighted NADF’s previous involvement in the Federal Government’s Ginger Blight Epidemic Control Taskforce through the implementation of the Ginger Recovery Advancement and Transformation for Economic Empowerment (GRATE) Programme.
He said the intervention supported about 6,000 farmers in Kaduna, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory with improved seeds, alternative crop production inputs and integrated pest management strategies aimed at containing the disease and restoring livelihoods.
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“Moving beyond social impact interventions, the Ginger Value Chain Recovery and Sustainability Programme is designed to drive recovery, resilience and long-term transformation of the ginger sub-sector,” he said.
Representing the Abia State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. Cliff Agbeze, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Ijeoma Adamma Agoha, described the partnership between NADF and NRCRI as a model of strategic collaboration in addressing challenges facing Nigeria’s agricultural value chains.
She commended NADF for selecting NRCRI as a beneficiary of the intervention, noting that the decision recognised both the institute’s research capacity and Abia State’s growing importance as a hub for agricultural innovation in the South-East.
Agoha observed that the ginger blight epidemic had disrupted the livelihoods of thousands of farmers, reduced access to quality planting materials and exposed vulnerabilities within the industry.
“The response we are launching today goes beyond recovery. It is about rebuilding stronger systems, restoring farmers’ confidence and ensuring long-term sustainability through science, technology and innovation,” she said.
Welcoming participants on behalf of the Executive Director of NRCRI, Professor Chiedozie Ngozi Egesi, the Director of Root Crops Research, Dr. Adeyemi Olojede, described the programme as a timely intervention capable of addressing critical challenges confronting Nigeria’s ginger industry.
He said stakeholders must work collectively to develop practical solutions that will restore production and strengthen resilience across the value chain.
Olojede added that the partnership would provide the financial and institutional support needed to transform scientific research into practical solutions that directly benefit farmers and contribute to national economic growth.
Also speaking, the representative of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Morrison Udo, described ginger as one of Nigeria’s priority non-oil export commodities and expressed optimism that the initiative would help address challenges related to funding, infrastructure, disease management and policy support.
Similarly, Professor Ikechukwu Dallas Chima, representing the National President of the National Ginger Association of Nigeria (NGAN), described the programme as a significant intervention with far-reaching economic benefits.
He noted that the global ginger market is projected to exceed three billion dollars in the coming years and cautioned that Nigeria must take deliberate steps to maintain its competitiveness in the international market.
Chima commended NADF for supporting NRCRI’s research efforts and called on stakeholders to work together to build a sustainable foundation for the growth of the ginger industry.
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As part of the event, participants received presentations on NRCRI’s mandate, history and recent innovations in crop improvement, disease management and biotechnology.
They also toured the institute’s ginger, cassava and yam research facilities, tissue culture laboratories and screenhouses, where ongoing scientific efforts aimed at accelerating agricultural transformation were showcased.Suggested headline: NADF, NRCRI Launch Ginger Recovery Programme to Restore Nigeria’s Multi-Billion Naira Ginger Industry