Innovative UK-Brazil-Nigeria partnership to revolutionise cassava farming in Nigeria

The project will focus on developing microbial biostimulants using native Nigerian soil microbes to enhance cassava yields, improve soil health, and increase crop resilience to environmental stressors such as drought and pests. These sustainable alternatives to synthetic agrochemicals not only support soil regeneration but also reduce environmental harm.

Coordinated by CPI, the initiative is funded by Innovate UK and delivered in partnership with the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI, Nigeria), Embrapa (Brazil), and Legume Technology Ltd (UK). Together, we aim to address Nigeria’s significant cassava yield gap. Although the country accounts for 20% of global cassava production, average yields remain just 6.4 tonnes per hectare – far below the 30 – 40 tonnes achieved in South America and Asia. 

“This Innovate UK funding has provided a unique opportunity for a diverse range of organisations from Nigeria, Brazil and the UK to collaborate on a solution that has the potential to transform the lives of smallholder farmers in Nigeria and beyond, through innovations that galvanise local discoveries with global know-how,” said Dr Deepan Shah, Head of Technology at CPI. 

By harnessing locally sourced microbes, the project will deliver benefits across Nigeria’s agricultural system. Higher cassava yields will boost food security, strengthen rural economies, and open new export opportunities, while reducing reliance on imported chemical inputs. Smallholder farmers – particularly women, who play a critical role in cassava production – will benefit from improved incomes and access to training in microbial technologies. 

“By leveraging locally sourced microbes, we can avoid the ecological and regulatory risks associated with non-native species while delivering a scalable, sustainable solution tailored to Nigeria’s unique agronomic conditions,” said Dr Chioma Harbor, Chief Research Officer and project lead at NRCRI. 

The consortium combines NRCRI’s expertise in cassava agronomy and soil microbiology, Embrapa’s leadership in microbial biotechnology, CPI’s capabilities in bioprocess scale-up, and Legume Technology’s commercial experience in microbial inoculants. Together, the partners will deliver proof-of-concept microbial solutions that can be scaled across Nigeria and West Africa. 

“This project represents an exceptional opportunity to share Brazilian know-how to facilitate the development of a uniquely Nigerian, climate-smart solution for local cassava farmers,” said Dr Rodrigo Mendes, Research Scientist at Embrapa. 

The 6‑month project will focus on isolating and testing microbial strains from cassava farming areas in Nigeria. The long-term goal is to scale the innovation for wider application, contributing to a more sustainable, profitable and climate-smart agricultural system for smallholder farmers. 

“We believe in delivering high-specification, biologically pure microbial inoculants that are reliable and deliver consistent results to farmers,” said Dr Michael Thomas, R&D Manager at Legume Technology Ltd. ​“This collaboration will allow us to address the yield gap in cassava and help drive innovation in African agriculture.”