The Federal Government has facilitated the training of youths and women on plantain sucker multiplication and value addition in Ogun East Senatorial District of Ogun State.

The training, through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, in conjunction with National Horticulture Research Institute (NIHORT), was targeted at 200 beneficiaries, who were also empowered during the programme.

The training covered rapid multiplication techniques for plantain sucker production, plantain production and orchard establishment, as well as management, plantain value addition, economics of plantain sucker production and value addition. It further dwelt on record keeping and marketing of plantain and its value-added products.

The training was aimed at building the capacity of youth and women on production and value addition of plantain, as a viable means of wealth creation and employment generation.

The CEO/Executive Director of NIHORT, Prof. Attanda Mohammed Lawal, represented by the Director of Research/Horti-consultancy Ventures Limited, NIHORT, Dr. S.O.S. Akinyemi in his welcome address stated that training is crucial in enhancing the productivity and efficiency of stakeholders on specific commodity value chains.

He said such activities help stakeholders incorporate recent scientific advances and technologies into their operations, adding that plantain is an important food security crop that serves as a source of income for stakeholders involved, which also has attractive export potentials.

Attanda further stated that wealth creation is possible from the various aspects of the plantain value chain, from plantain sucker multiplication, plantain fruits production, to a myriad of value-added products-plantain chips, flour, bread, biscuits, and wine.

He implored the participants to pay attention and make good use of the golden opportunity brought to them by the Federal Government as the training was set up to boost efforts on agriculture on as a veritable means of diversifying the country’s economy.

Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel, who was present at the opening ceremony, congratulated the participants. He stated that the participants should make use of the knowledge gained for wealth creation.

He further mentioned that the participants should use the starter kits given to them for any aspect of the plantain value chain that was taught.