In its bid to ensure a food-secured Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, through the National Horticulture Research Institute (NIHORT), has trained 300 youths and women on tomato, okra production, value addition and seed in Lere Federal Constituency, Kaduna State.
The training covered nursery practices, transplanting techniques, field establishment and management, harvesting techniques, management of post-harvest losses in tomato supply chain, value addition, economics of tomato and okra production, economics of tomato and okra value addition, as well as record keeping in agribusiness.
The empowerment was aimed at building the capacity of the beneficiaries on tomato and okra production, as well as value addition for creating wealth and generating means of sustainable livelihood.
The Executive Director of NIHORT, Dr. Attanda Mohammed Lawal, represented by the General Manager, Horticonsultancy Ventures Limited, NIHORT and training coordinator, Dr. Joel Akindele Akinfasoye, said the training would boost the Federal government’s efforts and focus on agriculture, as a veritable means of diversifying Nigeria’s economy.
According to him, tomato and okra are commercially viable and a money-spinner for those who understand the value chain.The Executive Director noted that to maximise the potential of the commodities, capacity building and stakeholders’ engagement is crucial among other efforts to scale up the cultivation and processing of the crops.
“Tomato and okra serve as an industrial raw material for the canning industry for making paste, ketchup/sauce, puree, juice, dry slices, powder, whole peel tomato and okra powder. It is a low capital agribusiness. I appeal to all the beneficiaries to make best use of the knowledge and skills acquired in this training.”
The facilitator of the programme and member, representing Lere Federal constituency at the House of Representatives, Ahmed Munir, while admonishing the participants on the prospect of the event, urged them to make use of the opportunity by making a good living for themselves through establishing tomato and okra farms, which he said will bring them quick income within three months.
Two of the participants, Mr. Sabiu Musa and Mrs. Mary Michael, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government and NIHORT, adding that the skill acquired would help them in starting their own tomato and okra production.
