The National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), has recorded a major milestone with th...
The National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), has recorded a major milestone with the registration of eight newly developed pasture seed varieties by the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB). This followed formal approval by the National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds and Fisheries.
According to a statement from the Public Affairs Directorate, Office of the Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, the development was facilitated by the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and is expected to significantly boost livestock production in the country.
The newly registered pasture varieties include Shika legume 1 (Mucuna), Shika legume 2 (White Lablab), Shika grass 1 (Ruzi grass), Shika grass 2 (Chloris gayana), Shika grass 3 (Sorghum almum), Shika grass 4 (Gamba grass), Shika grass 5 (Mumbasa grass) and Shika grass 6 (Hybrid Napier).
The statement noted that the varieties were developed by NAPRI in collaboration with plant breeders at the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), ABU, and were approved at a meeting held at NACGRAB headquarters in Ibadan on Thursday, 17th April 2025.
The Executive Director of NAPRI, Prof. Muhammad Rabiu Hassan, who briefed the Vice-Chancellor of ABU, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, described the registration as “a major step in improving livestock production,” adding that the varieties represent “a powerful combination of nutrition and resilience.”
The statement further disclosed that this is the second time NAPRI has successfully registered its pasture varieties, the first being in 2000, as recorded in Crop Varieties, a 2009 publication by NACGRAB.
It added that the development would enable livestock farmers to access high-quality pasture seed, reduce dependence on imports, enhance productivity, and create employment opportunities across rural communities.
The meeting that endorsed the varieties brought together stakeholders in the livestock sector, including Prof. E.A. Iyayi, Special Adviser to the Honourable Minister of Livestock Development. NAPRI was represented by Dr. Sabo Abdullahi Abubakar, Principal Investigator of its Feed and Nutrition Research Programme, while Dr. W.M. Abdullahi and Dr. H. Abubakar from IAR also attended.
The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and the National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds and Fisheries jointly issued a statement shortly after the meeting, describing the development as “a game changer that will not only safeguard farmers’ investments but also enhance national food security and drive economic empowerment in rural communities.”
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