From Abdullahi Idris, Dutse
Jigawa State Government, is seeking a strategic agricultural partnership with Egyptian biotechnology firm, EFC Plants, to introduce advanced plant tissue culture technology for mass production of date palm and Irish potato.
The initiative is part of Governor Umar Namadi’s plan to transform agriculture in the state, through biotechnology, improve access to disease-free planting materials, and attract private investment into priority value chains.
Governor Namadi led a technical delegation to Cairo to inspect EFC Plants’ facilities and initiate discussions on the proposed collaboration.
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During the visit, the delegation toured EFC’s climate-controlled greenhouses, cold storage facilities with capacity for 6 million plantlets, plant pathology laboratory, sterilization units, and specialized growth and incubation rooms.
They also received technical briefings on the full tissue culture process — from selection and testing of mother plants, to micropropagation, incubation, rooting, acclimatization, and commercial disdistribution.
Under the proposed deal, Jigawa and EFC Plants will explore establishing a commercial tissue culture facility in the state. The first phase will focus on date palm and Irish potato.
The partnership is expected to deliver technology transfer, specialist training, research collaboration, and local production of certified, disease-free, high-yielding planting materials.
Speaking after the inspection, Governor Namadi said the goal goes beyond importing seedlseedlings. “Our proposed partnership with EFC Plants will go beyond the purchase of planting materials. We are seeking a comprehensive relationship that will deliver technology transfer, local capacity development, research collaboration, private investment and commercial production of clean planting materials in Jigawa State,” he said.
The governor noted that adopting plant tissue culture will address farmers’ challenges in accessing quality inputs, while positioning Jigawa as a national hub for biotechnology-driven agriculture.
“By investing in plant tissue culture and agricultural biotechnology, we will improve farmers’ access to high-quality date palm and potato planting materials, increase productivity, reduce dependence on imported materials and position Jigawa State as a national hub for biotechnology-supported agriculture,” he added.
Jigawa has comparative advantages in date palm production due to its dry climate, vast irrigable land, and access to major markets. The state also has huge potential to expand certified seed potato production with clean planting materials and modern techniques.
Immediate steps under the arrangement include a technical assessment, feasibility study, site selection, development of a bankable business plan, and negotiation of a partnership framework.
The project will involve Jigawa State Government, EFC Plants, relevant state institutions, Nigerian private sector players and other investors.
Governor Namadi was accompanied by Dr. Suleiman Babura, DG Jigawa Research Institute; Dr. Saifullahi Umar, DG Jigawa Agricultural Transformation Agency; and Dr. AbubakarBamai, CEO Natay Agro Limited.
The Cairo mission aligns with the state’s broader drive to integrate science, technology and private investment into agriculture to boost productivity, strengthen food security, and create jobs in agro-processing and exports.
“This is about bringing innovation to our farms so that Jigawa farmers can compete nationally and internationally,” a senior official on the delegation said.
