NATIONAL HORTICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE INSTITUTE:   The National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), Ibadan started as the “The National Fruit and Vegetable Research and Development Centre (NFVRDC)” with the assistance of UNDP/FAO Project NIR/72/007 in 1975.  The Federal Government through Agricultural Research Institutes Establishment Decree Order No. 35 of June 1976, established the “National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT)” along with other Agricultural Research Institutes in the country.

The Institute’s headquarters is situated on a 310 ha of land at Jericho Reservation Area here in Idi-Ishin, Ibadan in the rain forest zone of South Western Nigeria.  The Institute also has five established outstations located at;

  1.  Mbato – Okigwe Imo State on an 810-hectare land in the humid zoneof South Eastern Nigeria.
  2.  Bagauda in Kano, Kano State on 110 hectares of land in the semi-arid zone of Northern Nigeria.
  3. Otukpa in Benue State in North Central zone of Nigeria with current land area of 15.6 hectares.
  4. Riyom near Jos, Plateau State.
  5. Dadinkowa, Gombe, Gombe State. 

MISSION

To develop sustainable production and utilization of horticultural crops in order to achieve excellence in fruits, vegetables, spices, ornamentals as well as aromatic plant research in Nigeria. 

VISION

To develop horticultural produce and products for local and export markets with attendant health, industrial raw materials and employment generation benefits.

MANDATE

The institute has the mandate to conduct research into Genetic Improvement, Production technologies, Processing, Storage, Utilization and Marketing of Tropical Fruits, Vegetables, Ornamentals, Spices, other Medicinal and Aromatic plants of nutritional and economic importance.

Technical Departments

The Technical Departments in the Institutes are:

  1. Fruits and Spices
  2. Citrus and Product Development
  3. Vegetable and Floriculture
  4. Farming Systems and Extension
  5. Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation
  6. Information and Documentation

Service Departments

  1. Human Resources
  2. Finance and Accounts

The Research Programmes are:

  • Vegetable 
  • Floriculture
  • Fruits
  • Spices
  • Citrus
  • Product Development
  • Farming Systems
  • Extension Research

Research Units

  • Mushroom
  • Genetic Resource Unit
  • Seed Technology
  • Biotechnology

Key Achievements

  1. Produced Improved varieties of Citrus, Pineapple, Mango, Pawpaw, Banana, Irvingia gabonensis (African Bush Mango), Persea americana (Avocado), Native pear (Dacryodes edulis), Walnut (Tetracarpidium conophorum), African locust bean (Parkia biglobosa), African star apple (Chrysophyllum albidum) among others.
  2.  Protocol for improved production of planting material of fruits such as Plantain/Banana, and Pineapple developed through Biotechnology.
  3. High yielding varieties of Tomato (Lycopersicum lycopersicum), Grain amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus), Leaf amaranth (Amaranth caudatus), Jute mallow (Corchorus olitorius), Egusi melon (Citrulus lanatus) Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), Pepper (Capsicum annum), Fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) produced.
  4. Different value-added products developed from vegetables, spices and fruit juices/ drinks from citrus, mango, pineapple among others.
  5. Plantain composite flour produced for confectioneries such as Cakes, biscuits.
  6. Developed Tuta Trap Tray to curtail Tuta absoluta infestation on Tomato and Aphid bait trap.
  7. Biological insecticides (NIHORT LYPTOL, MINTY AND RAKTIN) developed. NIHORT has patency for the organic biopesticide developed.
  8. Developed extractor for production of organic insecticides.
  9. Mushroom produced from agricultural and horticultural waste
  10. Mechanical shredder for horticultural waste developed
  11. Irvingia decorticator for Irvingia kernel processing developed.
  12. Developed citrus intercropping models for farming systems.
  13. Natural soap made from plantain and banana waste
  14. Perfume (essential oils) made from ornamental plants.
  15.  Innovation platforms for Tomato, Onion, Pineapple, and Irvingia established across agro ecological zones.
  16. Capacity building and empowerment programs conducted across the six geopolitical zones of the country on horticultural commodity value chains such as Plantain, Banana, Tomato, Irvingia, Leafy Vegetables, Mushroom, Ginger, Turmeric, Okra, Citrus, Mango, Pineapple.
  17. NIHORT Packaged Herbal Teas (7 No) developed (Cymbocitral tea, Oleifera tea, Sabdarifa tea, Telfairia tea, Ginger tea, Turmeric tea, Bitter leaf tea).
  18. Vegetables and Fruits flavoured honey produced by NIHORT in the Fruits orchard and vegetable plots.
  19. Availability of improved planting materials such as:
  20. Citrus, 
  21. Mango, 
  22. Pineapple, 
  23. Plantain/Banana, 
  24. Avocado pear,
  25. Guava,
  26. Passion fruit
  27. Sour sop
  28. Fruit vegetables such as tomato, pepper, okra etc.
  29. Leafy vegetables such as amaranthus, celosia, Corchorus, etc

Website address:   www.nihort.gov.ng

Contact:   08022255504

Email:  info@nihort.gov.ng