By IROYIN YORUBA TELEVISION
Agricultural researchers have taken newly improved TELA maize varieties directly to farmers in Kano State for field demonstrations, opening another stage in efforts to increase maize productivity, reduce crop losses and strengthen Nigeria’s ability to produce food under increasingly difficult farming conditions.
The Institute for Agricultural Research of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, working with the African Agricultural Technology Foundation, organised a Farmers’ Field Day in Karaye Local Government Area of Kano State on September 24 to allow farmers and other agricultural stakeholders to observe the performance of the improved maize varieties under field conditions.
The programme represents a shift from presenting agricultural innovations mainly through research institutions to allowing farmers to see and assess the technology in actual farming environments.
Researchers said the TELA maize varieties have been developed to address some of the major constraints affecting maize production, particularly fall armyworm, stem borers and moderate drought.
The varieties are also being promoted as part of a wider effort to increase the productivity of Nigerian farmers through improved planting materials rather than relying exclusively on expanding cultivated land.
The Executive Director of the Institute for Agricultural Research, Professor Ado A. Yusuf, encouraged farmers to consider agricultural technologies that have undergone research and testing before deciding what varieties to use on their farms.
The field demonstration in Karaye was designed to give farmers an opportunity to examine the crop directly, discuss its characteristics with researchers and understand the recommended production practices.
A separate sensitisation programme conducted by the institute in Giwa, Kaduna State, the previous day focused on the safety, performance and potential benefits of TELA maize.
The institute said farmers participating in earlier demonstrations had reported yields of about 60 to 90 bags per hectare with TELA maize, compared with fewer than 50 bags from some conventional varieties. Such figures are reported field experiences rather than a guarantee that every farmer will obtain the same result, because yields depend on factors including soil quality, rainfall, planting practices, seed quality, pest pressure and farm management.
The latest field demonstrations are therefore important because they provide a way for farmers to observe the varieties under local conditions rather than relying only on research-farm results.
Kano is one of Nigeria’s major agricultural states and has a substantial population of maize farmers. The crop is used for food, livestock feed and industrial purposes, meaning changes in maize production can affect several parts of the agricultural value chain.
Higher yields can potentially increase the amount of grain available for consumption and processing, while reductions in crop damage can lower some of the costs associated with pest control.
Fall armyworm remains one of the major threats to maize production across Africa.
The insect attacks maize plants at different stages and can cause substantial damage when infestations are severe. Farmers have traditionally relied on insecticides and other management practices to control the pest.
TELA maize incorporates insect-protection traits intended to reduce damage from fall armyworm and stem borers.
Researchers say this characteristic can reduce farmers’ dependence on repeated insecticide applications in situations where the protected traits are effective against the targeted pests.
That potential reduction has implications beyond production costs.
Frequent application of agricultural chemicals requires money, labour and appropriate protective measures. Reducing the number of applications can potentially lower costs and reduce farmers’ exposure to pesticides, although farmers still need to follow recommended crop-management and safety practices.
The second major challenge targeted by TELA maize is drought.
Rainfall patterns have become increasingly difficult for farmers to predict in many parts of Nigeria. Periods of inadequate rainfall during critical stages of crop development can reduce yields, particularly where farmers depend primarily on rain-fed agriculture.
TELA maize was developed to provide tolerance to moderate drought, meaning the technology is intended to help plants withstand certain levels of water stress.
It does not mean that the crop can grow without adequate water or that it is immune to severe drought.
Farmers still need appropriate planting dates, soil management, moisture conservation and other agronomic practices to maximise production.
The importance of these measures has been highlighted by agricultural experts in other parts of northern Nigeria.
Recent agricultural sensitisation programmes have encouraged farmers to use soil testing, weather information, improved seeds and climate-smart farming practices when planning each season.
The combination of improved varieties and better farm management is increasingly being presented as necessary for agricultural productivity because no single technology can eliminate all the risks associated with farming.
The TELA programme itself has developed over several years.
The Institute for Agricultural Research began working with partners on the technology before its eventual approval for open cultivation in Nigeria.
The National Biosafety Management Agency granted the relevant approval in 2021 for the general commercial release of TELA maize genetically modified for drought tolerance and resistance to stem borer and fall armyworm.
That regulatory process was significant because genetically modified crops require specific biosafety assessments and regulatory oversight before they can be commercially cultivated.
The current farmer demonstrations therefore represent a later stage in the development and dissemination of a technology that has already passed through research and regulatory processes.
The technology was developed through a partnership involving African agricultural research organisations and international partners.
The broader TELA programme has sought to combine drought tolerance with protection against important insect pests in order to address two major risks affecting maize farmers.
The African Agricultural Technology Foundation has said that TELA hybrids released in Nigeria and South Africa provide protection against stem borers and fall armyworm.
The foundation has also reported that TELA hybrids in Nigeria have demonstrated significant yield advantages over older non-Bt varieties under relevant field conditions.
Those results help explain why researchers are now placing greater emphasis on farmer-level demonstrations.
For agricultural technology to have a meaningful impact on food production, farmers must be able to access suitable seed, understand how to use it and have confidence that the technology is compatible with their production conditions.
Research institutions can develop varieties, but farmers ultimately determine adoption through their planting decisions.
The field day in Karaye therefore serves an educational and market-development function as well as a research function.
Farmers can ask questions about planting, crop management, harvesting and expected performance. Researchers can also receive feedback about issues that may not be fully apparent in controlled research environments.
The participation of the Kano State chapter of the Maize Farmers Association is another important part of the process.
Farmer organisations can help communicate the experiences of producers and identify barriers affecting the adoption of improved varieties.
One farmer whose field was used for the demonstration, Saidu Idris Karaye, reportedly has about two decades of experience growing maize.
Farmers with long-term experience can provide useful comparisons between traditional varieties and newer technologies because they have observed changes in rainfall, pest pressures, production costs and yields over multiple farming seasons.
The adoption of improved seed, however, is not determined by the performance of the crop alone.
Seed availability and affordability are equally important.
If farmers are unable to obtain certified seed at the right time, even a high-performing variety cannot achieve widespread impact.
The seed distribution system therefore becomes a critical part of agricultural technology adoption.
Research institutions, seed companies, extension workers and farmer organisations all have roles to play in ensuring that improved varieties reach farmers with accurate information.
Extension services are particularly important because improved varieties often require farmers to understand recommended planting density, fertiliser application, weed control and harvesting practices.
The Institute for Agricultural Research has emphasised the importance of using technologies developed and tested by research institutions.
This connection between research and farming is particularly relevant as Nigeria attempts to improve food production without depending solely on expansion of cultivated land.
Nigeria has large areas of agricultural land, but access to land alone does not guarantee high productivity.
Yield per hectare is an important factor because increasing productivity on existing farmland can help increase production while reducing pressure to expand cultivation into environmentally sensitive areas.
Improved maize varieties can contribute to this objective if farmers are able to achieve higher yields consistently.
Maize is also important because of its role beyond direct human consumption.
The crop is a major component of animal feed, particularly poultry and livestock feed. Changes in maize availability and prices can therefore influence the cost of producing eggs, poultry meat and other animal products.
Processors also use maize in various industrial applications.
An increase in domestic maize production could consequently have effects across the agricultural economy.
However, increased production must be accompanied by adequate storage, processing and market access.
Farmers can produce more grain but still face financial difficulties if post-harvest losses are high or market infrastructure is weak.
Storage facilities can reduce the pressure to sell immediately after harvest, while roads and transportation systems can help move agricultural products to areas where demand is strongest.
The Federal Government has identified storage, processing, irrigation and transport infrastructure as important components of its broader agricultural strategy.
The TELA field demonstrations should therefore be viewed as one component of a much larger food-security system.
Seed technology can address production constraints, but farmers also need access to finance, fertiliser, land, machinery, extension services and reliable markets.
Climate conditions remain another major variable.
Recent agricultural assessments indicate that Nigeria's 2026 cereal production prospects vary by region. While many areas have experienced generally favourable conditions, some parts of the south and central regions have experienced dry spells that have affected crops.
Such variations demonstrate why drought-tolerant and climate-resilient technologies are receiving increasing attention.
Northern Nigeria in particular has large areas where rainfall is concentrated within a relatively short growing season. A prolonged dry spell at a critical point in the maize production cycle can have significant consequences for yields.
A variety capable of tolerating moderate drought may therefore provide an additional layer of resilience.
It should not, however, be treated as a substitute for irrigation and proper water management.
Where irrigation infrastructure is available, farmers can reduce dependence on rainfall and potentially increase the number of production cycles.
Where irrigation is not available, improved seed and moisture-conservation techniques can become more important.
The current field demonstrations also come at a time when stakeholders are calling for greater investment in agricultural research and plant breeding.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has recently emphasised the importance of breeding innovations and institutional partnerships in addressing food-security challenges.
Plant breeding can take many years because new varieties have to be developed, tested and evaluated for different conditions before farmers can use them widely.
The TELA experience illustrates that process.
The technology was developed over years of research before moving through regulatory evaluation, seed development and farmer-level demonstrations.
The current stage is therefore part of a longer process of agricultural innovation.
For Kano farmers, the immediate question is whether the varieties perform reliably on their own farms and whether the benefits justify the cost and management requirements associated with adoption.
For researchers, farmer feedback will be important in determining how the technology should be promoted and what additional support farmers may require.
For government, the broader question is how innovations such as TELA maize can be incorporated into national food-security programmes without leaving smallholder farmers behind.
The answer will depend partly on seed availability, extension support and the ability of farmers to access the necessary inputs.
The government has repeatedly identified improved seeds as one of the agricultural interventions being used to raise production.
Recent statements from federal officials have linked improved access to farmland, fertiliser and improved seeds with increased agricultural activity in areas where insecurity had previously restricted farming.
This makes the availability of resilient seed technologies particularly relevant as farmers return to cultivation.
Food security ultimately depends on reliable production across multiple crops and regions.
Maize is only one component of Nigeria’s food system, alongside rice, wheat, sorghum, millet, cassava, yam, beans, vegetables, livestock and fisheries.
Nevertheless, improving maize productivity can have a substantial effect because the crop serves both food and industrial markets.
The latest TELA demonstrations in Kano therefore represent more than the introduction of another maize variety.
They illustrate the continuing effort to connect agricultural research with farmers and to develop production systems capable of dealing with pests and climate-related challenges.
The involvement of farmers in field demonstrations is also important for building practical knowledge.
Rather than relying exclusively on promotional claims, farmers can observe the crop, compare it with varieties they already know and discuss performance directly with researchers and other producers.
Such interaction can help make agricultural technology adoption more informed.
The next challenge will be ensuring that successful demonstrations translate into reliable access to quality seed and appropriate extension support.
If farmers adopt the technology but cannot obtain certified seed in subsequent seasons, the impact will be limited.
Likewise, if farmers do not receive adequate guidance on agronomic practices, the potential advantages of improved varieties may not be fully realised.
The field demonstration in Karaye has consequently opened another stage in the effort to bring climate-resilient maize technology closer to Nigerian farmers.
Researchers have presented the TELA varieties as tools for addressing insect pests and moderate drought, while farmers have been given an opportunity to observe their performance in local conditions.
The results from these demonstrations will be important as Nigeria continues its search for practical ways to increase food production.
For the country’s food-security strategy, the larger objective is clear: more productive farms, lower avoidable crop losses, better resilience to changing weather conditions and stronger connections between agricultural research and the people who cultivate the land.
Whether TELA maize can achieve that impact at scale will depend on continued field performance, farmer adoption, seed availability, extension services, market conditions and the wider support provided to maize producers.
For now, the latest demonstrations in Kano mark another step in moving agricultural research from laboratories and research plots into farmers’ fields, where its practical value can be tested under the conditions that Nigerian producers face every growing season.