The Nigeria Institute for Oil-Palm Research (NIFOR), Benin City, Edo State, has entered into a collaborative effort with the Chinese research institute, Coconut Research Institute-Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Science (CRI-CATAS), on an exchange programme between the two research institutes in the areas of oil-palm and coconut biology, and academic personnel and materials.

The collaboration was sealed when officials of CRI-CATAS, visited NIFOR on Monday.

Welcoming the visiting researchers the Acting Executive Director, NIFOR, Dr. Isona Gold, said that the main objectives of collaboration were for the two institutes to exchange ideas, materials, personnel and knowledge in joint research activities in the areas of Oil Palm and Coconut biology and exchange academic personnel and materials.

NIFOR is Nigeria’s warehouse for all the available oil palm genetic materials globally. The institute is reputed to have contributed tremendously to the advancement of generic palm produce not only in Africa but globally.

According to Dr Gold, “The threat of climate change to the future fats and oils supply chain has become elaborated in recent times and no one needs further explanation of the implications for food production, sustainability and security.”

The NIFOR Executive Director added that “Drought and its negative effects on food production are the major fears of the scientific community globally and hence the concerted efforts at improving germplasms in different countries to mitigate this threat.

“NIFOR is strategically positioned to provide the germplasm materials for developing drought resilient planting materials with capacity for 150 -250kg fresh fruit bunches per palm per year in an environment of 1000m-1500mm of total rainfall distributed within six months of the year.

“It is expected that the collaboration in the nearest future will enhance the Nigerian Coconut value chain with technologies for higher Coconut yield per hectare year.

“We are aware the coconut value chain is very well developed in China, and we hope that Nigeria can frog-leap in the value chain as a result of this collaboration.” Dr Gold hoped.

In her brief remarks, the leader of the delegation of scientists from Coconut Research Institute- Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Science, Dr Cao Hongxing, thanked the Ag. Executive Director for the warm welcome to NIFOR and expressed optimism about the outcomes of the collaboration.

Hongxing also commended NIFOR for its grand achievements in the oil Palm and coconut research and development, adding that the Chinese institute looked forward to a mutually beneficial collaboration that would see both institutes bridging the existing gaps in the realisation of their research and development objectives.

The event was attended by other management staff of NIFOR

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