National Root Crops Research Institute

The National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) serves as Nigeria’s primary research engine for the genetic improvement and production of root and tuber crops of high economic importance. Beyond its national mandate for root crops, NRCRI holds a specific zonal responsibility for the South-East agro-ecological zone of Nigeria, where it designs integrated farming systems and provides technical extension services to millions of smallholder farmers.

The mission of NRCRI focuses on spearheading the development of value-added root and tuber crop technologies to catalyze the transition toward a food-secure and industrially advanced Nigeria. This mandate involves executing priority research into crops such as cassava, yam, sweet potato, Irish potato, cocoyam, and ginger to ensure they are high-yielding and resilient to climate stress. Additionally, the institute provides authoritative technical guidance on crop processing and storage to reduce post-harvest losses and acts as the primary national interface for training middle-level agricultural manpower through its specialized diploma programs.