A Kano-based agribusiness, Seed Project Company Limited, now operating as SeedPro Africa, has launched a vegetable seed processing facility aimed at increasing local production of tomato and pepper seeds and reducing reliance on imports.
The announcement was made by SeedPro Africa Chief Executive Officer Dr Zainab Gwadabe during the company's 20th anniversary event in Kano. The company also introduced a home gardening kit intended to support household food production.
According to Gwadabe, the processing facility will handle locally produced vegetable seeds and support packaging for distribution. The company stated that the facility will assist farmers in managing the impact of foreign exchange volatility on agricultural inputs.
SeedPro Africa also plans to release six new vegetable seed varieties. "Out of the six varieties, four are tomatoes, and two are peppers. Two of the tomato varieties are heat-tolerant and can be produced during the wet season, while the other two are bio-fortified with beta carotene. The pepper varieties are also heat-tolerant," she said.
The company plans further additions to its product portfolio before year-end as part of efforts to reduce seed imports and limit exposure to currency movements. Gwadabe said SeedPro Africa was among the first five registered seed companies in Nigeria and has been operating for 20 years. She noted that Nigeria now has more than 600 registered seed companies.
Also speaking at the event, Michael Adibe, Senior Portfolio Officer at the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund, said AECF is partnering with SeedPro Africa through its Investing in Women Nigeria project, in collaboration with Kano State Ministries of Agriculture and Commerce. He said AECF supports seven small and medium-scale agribusinesses in Kano State across groundnut, vegetables, and seeds.
"SeedPro Africa has been our partner since 2024. We funded seed multiplication and seed processing, and the processing machines and greenhouse launched today were sponsored by AECF," he said.
Adibe said SeedPro Africa works with about 5,000 farmers involved in seed multiplication, providing tools, fertilisers, inputs, and technical training, with a focus on women farmers. He added that the partnership will run from December 2024 to November 2027, with a target of supporting 5,000 women farmers and producing up to 10 metric tons of seeds annually through the greenhouse and processing facility.
"Our goal is to economically empower women farmers so that each can earn between US$500 and US$1,000 in net benefits annually," he said.
Source: Punch
