IAR hosts ‘Eating is Believing’ showcase to allay fears over TELA maize
A good number of dignitaries at the weekend in Zaria witnessed the safety and quality of TELA maize through a live tasting of dishes prepared from the hybrid crop.
It was at an ‘Eating is Believing’ showcase to demonstrate the safety, quality, and economic value of TELA maize varieties currently available to farmers in Nigeria.
It was organised by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) in collaboration with the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
The gathering brought together government officials, academics, seed firms, farmers and farmer bodies, research agencies, traditional rulers, and the media.
It took place at TELA Field, Department of Horticulture, Division of Agricultural Colleges at Samaru in Zaria on Saturday, 29th August, 2026.
The well-attended event highlighted how smallholder and commercial farmers could improve yields, reduce losses from pests and drought, and maximise profitability through the adoption of improved seed technology.
The Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Prof Adamu Ahmed, was the chairman of the occasion.
Prof Ahmed was ably represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Advancement, Research, and Innovation, Prof Sanusi Aliyu Rafindadi.
The Vice-Chancellor said one of the cardinal objectives of establishing ABU was to help farmers with technologies to improve farming for high yields.
He described as false and unfounded that the TELA maize varieties were harmful for human and animal consumption.
Ahmed also said the university was proud of IAR for the research being conducted and urged the researchers, particularly the Principal Investigator, TELA Hybrid Maize Research Program, Prof Rabi’u Adamu, to keep up the work.
TELA Maize Program Manager/National Coordinator, African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), Mr. Yarama Ndirpaya, gave an opening remark at the event.
He highlighted the ongoing efforts to expand farmer access to safe, climate-resilient, and high-yielding seed technology.
Mr. Ndirpaya, a plant scientist and an ABU alumnus, also spoke on the effort by AATF to strengthen public confidence in science based agricultural innovation across Nigeria.
According to him, AATF was operating in 24 countries in Africa with its headquarters in Nairobi in Kenya.
He stressed the need for African farmers to embrace TELA maize varieties given its safety and economic value.
Ndirpaya also shared the success story of South Africa where 25 metric tonnes of TELA maize per one hectare were being harvested.
The TELA maize program manager said the ‘Eating and Believing’ showcase was to explain the farming technology as part of measures to reduce hunger on the continent.
Executive Director, Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Prof Ado Yusuf, spoke on the TELA maize research program, stressing that Nigeria needed the technology to boost maize production.
Prof Yusuf, who was represented by the Principal Investigator, TELA Hybrid Maize Research Program, Prof Rabi’u Adamu, disclosed that IAR had in the last six years released four varieties of high-yield maize seeds.
He emphasised that the maize varieties were safe for both human and animal consumption as they had undergone strict testing by the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) of Nigeria since 2019.
Yusuf encouraged Nigerian farmers to go for the TELA maize varieties produced by IAR for its safety, quality, and economic value.
He said IAR was at the forefront of developing the technology to improve farming in Nigeria and that Nigerian farmers must transit from traditional to modern farming to ensure food security.
The Executive Director, NAERLS, Prof Yusuf A Sani, and his counterpart from Division of Agricultural Colleges, Prof Bashir Ahmed Babaji, as well as the Dean of Agriculture, Prof Salisu Bakura, presented goodwill messages, lending their valuable support towards expanding farmer access to farming technologies.
Dr Rose Gidado of the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA) and Alhaji Nuhu Aminu of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) also spoke at the occasion.
Equally, some big time farmers from neighbouring communities shared their success stories for embracing the new technologies.
The event was rounded off with the live tasting of dishes prepared from the TELA maize and conducting of dignitaries round the TELA maize farms.
……………………………………
Public Affairs Directorate,
Office of the Vice-Chancellor,
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (NEWS/NAM)
Sunday, 30th August, 2026
