Senator Neda Imasuen, representing Edo South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has decried the deteriorating condition of the Nigerian Institute of Oil Palm Research (NIFOR).
Imasuen, who spoke during an assessment visit to NIFOR in Benin, described the institute as a “shadow of its former self.”
He said that his visit was aimed at identifying the challenges facing NIFOR and fashioning solutions for its revitalisation.
While comparing the current state of the institute with what it used to be several years ago, the senator said: “It is disheartening to witness the dilapidation of facilities that once thrived.
“As another budget cycle approaches, I am here to understand the institute’s challenges and to advocate for necessary support.
“Driving into NIFOR today, I saw that it has become a shadow of itself when compared to the memories I had of the institute several years ago.
“It is a shame and so sad to see how dilapidated the facilities in this institute have become.
“I have listened to you (the Executive Director) and I want to urge you to put all these challenges you have listed in writing.
“I will speak with my colleagues to see how we can revamp the institute. From what I have seen, if given adequate resources, the institute will do well,” he said.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Executive Director, Dr Isona Gold, said that the institute was established in 1939, with a mandate to research oil palm, coconut palm, date palm and raphia palm, among others.
Gold told the senator that the current funding to the institute was grossly inadequate for research, leading to its dilapidated state.
Speaking on the challenges being faced by the institute, the executive director said that it lacked roads, water, laboratories, power, housing and personnel.
He added that NIFOR had genetically improved the oil palm, coconut and date palms to achieve high-yield hectares per year.
Gold urged the senate to grant the request for oil palm outreach centres and experimental stations to bring nurseries closer to farmers, adding that transportation was currently a constraint to the off-taking of seedlings.
If given adequate funding, he said that the institute was targeting 14 million supplies of planting materials to small-holder farmers in 2025.
The executive director appealed to stakeholders and farmers to come to NIFOR and purchase genuine sprouted seeds for planting.
According to him, NIFOR has genetically improved oil palm from a gestation period of 10 years to two years and five months and oil palm yield from one ton to four tonnes per hectare.
READ MORE FROM: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Get real-time news updates from Tribune Online! Follow us on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive stories and interviews, and much more.
Join our WhatsApp Channel now