IITA, NRCRI release 3 new cassava varieties

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the Nigerian National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) have released three new Vitamin ‘A’-rich yellow varieties of cassava. This was contained in a statement issued in Lagos on Thursday by Mr Godwin Atser, the IITA Corporate Communications Officer. It said that the new varieties would provide more Vitamins ‘A’ for more than 70 million Nigerians that eat cassava. According to the statement, the yellow colour has the high Vitamin ‘A’ content, saying that the intake would assist to improve Vitamin ‘A’ nutrient. It said that the new yellow varieties were bred using traditional (non-transgenic) methods, adding that many farmers had adopted it. The statement, which listed the major benefits of the varieties, said that they were drought tolerant and required limited land preparation and would grow well in poor soils.