Based on its determination to strengthen the horticultural value chain in Nigeria, HortiNigeria has empowered no fewer than 36 agro-dealers with advance knowledge on best agribusiness management in Kaduna State.
The empowerment was carried out during a two-day capacity building held at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, essentially designed to broaden skills of the participants selected from Zaria, Sabon Gari, Soba, Kudan, Kubau and Ikara Council of the state.
Speaking at the opening of the training, Agribusiness Coordinator, HortiNigeria, Danjuma Makama, disclosed that building capacity of agro-dealers is also targeted at creating ripple effect on the entire agribusiness clusters being established across the nodes of value in the state.
Makama emphasised that with the upscaling of the dealers knowledge in business management, and general applications, HortiNigeria is strengthening the key players with basic requirements for agricultural productivity, sustainability and resilience in the country.
The Agribusiness Coordinator, represented by the Project Business Support Service, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, Abdul Wahab Abubakar, added that HortiNigeria is enabling veritable environment that ensure mass production of food and ensuring sustainable value chain of agro-chemicals, from production to the end users.
He said the initiative was part of the firm’s commitment to support Nigeria’s agricultural sector through capacity building and sustainable development practice.
“For any sustainable and successful agric production, agro-chemicals are pivotal. Now the right use and application of these chemicals are even more important. This is why the training of the dealers of these products is very important for themselves and the farmers, because after making sure they improve themselves in the proper handling of chemicals, they will also educated the farmers on best application practices on the farm.
“Agro dealers are the first contacts of the chemicals and the farmers on field, they have the responsibility to ensure safe exposure to the chemicals and transfer of property agronomy practice to farmers, basically on the proper method of application,” he said.
A participant, Abubakar Aminu applauded the support of HortiNigeria on agricultural productivity and empowerment of dealers, adding that the two-day training will further expose them to the best agribusiness practices and safety on the job.
HortiNigeria, a four years initiative (2021-2025 project) being funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria, is being implemented by a consortium that includes International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC), among others.
The programme, with pilot projects in Kano, Kaduna, Ogun and Oyo states, is aimed at enhancing food security in horticultural value chain, which include cabbage, cucumber, okra, onions, pepper, sweet corn, tomatoes, and water melon.
