The Maize Farmers Association of Nigeria (MAAN) is targeting 22 million tons of corn production this year.
Its President, Bello Abubakar, told The Nation that maize farmers set a target of increasing production by two million tonnes yearly.
Last year, he said maize production stood at 20 million metric tons.
Since 2015, maize production has increased tremendously from eight to 20 million metric tons.
MAAN, according to him, it has been able to create 100,000 on-farm and off-farm jobs in 19 states through the implementation of the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP).
According to him, the processing capacity of maize in Nigeria is eight million tonnes and the farmers produced 15 million.
Maize is one of the most important crops in Nigeria, and provides important economic opportunities to smallholder farmers.
The importance of maize in the cropping systems has grown rapidly in recent years, with several countries registering impressive growth rates in maize production and productivity.
Despite the achievements of increased maize, experts said there was the need to keep up with ever-increasing and competing demands for food, feed and industry needs.
The demand for maize in the country is expected to double by 2050. However, the magnitude and dynamics of abiotic and biotic stresses are rapidly increasing due to changing climates, placing constraints on maize production.
Existing constraints to maize production and productivity exacerbates the pressure to meet demand, further emphasising the need for improved technologies and management practices.
Tremendous opportunities exist for innovations in maize breeding, precision agriculture, seed systems, and value chains, offering exciting prospects for future growth and development of maize.
