The Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) is intensifying efforts to translate agricultural research into practical technologies, improved crop varieties and commercially viable opportunities to boost productivity and improve farmers’ livelihoods.
The initiative, under the leadership of the Council’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Adamu Abubakar Dabban, is aimed at strengthening the link between agricultural research institutions, farmers, extension services, communities and private-sector investors.
A new ARCN Country Snapshot on Research Commercialisation in Nigeria, presented by Dabban at the Scaling Innovation for the CAADP Kampala Agenda session in Dakar, Senegal, places Nigeria at Stage 2, described as “Building Capacity,” on the research commercialisation journey.
The snapshot highlights the Council’s growing impact, including more than 400 agricultural innovations and improved technologies, 578 adopted villages and schools, and outreach to over 3,200 farmers through six Agricultural Research Outreach Centres (AROCs) in the Federal Capital Territory. It also reports that more than 100,000 farming families have been reached nationally.
These achievements reflect growing efforts to connect research institutions with farmers and other stakeholders to ensure that innovations developed through agricultural research translate into tangible benefits for farming communities and the wider agricultural sector.
However, the Council has identified critical gaps that must be addressed to maximise the commercial value of research outputs. These include weaknesses in intellectual property management, technology transfer, industry engagement, investment, licensing and funding for commercialisation.
To address these challenges, ARCN is advocating stronger Technology Transfer and Commercialisation Offices, improved intellectual property and licensing frameworks, proof-of-concept funding, enhanced links with investors and agribusinesses, and the establishment of spin-off companies by research institutes.
The measures are expected to strengthen the pathway from research and innovation to market-ready products, while creating opportunities for private-sector investment and expanding the economic value of agricultural research.
Dabban reiterated that Nigeria’s agricultural research must go beyond laboratories and stored research findings to deliver practical solutions that reach farmers, create value and respond to market needs.
The Council’s commercialisation agenda is therefore focused on ensuring that agricultural innovations are not only developed but also adopted, scaled and transformed into sustainable economic opportunities.
ARCN said the broader objective is to turn agricultural research into measurable impact for farmers, agribusinesses and the Nigerian economy.
