Olam moves to accelerate ginger value chain in Kaduna

Ginger farmers in Southern Kaduna are to benefit from improve value chain in Ginger production initiated by Olam Nigeria to enable bumper harvest and enhance their financial status.

Besides, the Ginger production scheme is also geared at providing a platform for dissemination of knowledge and resolving all queries regarding fertilizer and herbicide application, in addition to equipping the farmers with the best harvest and post-harvest handling practices.

Regional manager of Olam, Mr. Dip Sinha, who spoke during skills and knowledge transfer workshop for 500 Ginger farmers in Kaduna, hinted that the initiative was an avenue to empower the farmers to produce world-class ginger.

Sinha said such collaborative effort would lead to increase in the value of Ginger crop being produced in the state, adding that the primary objective of the initiative was to stimulate quality control and testing procedure.

He noted that Olam is committed to ensuring sustainable crop production, handling and storage practices from the farm gate in Nigeria to the doorstep of our customers globally and that the firm is collaborating with National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) and Kaduna Agricultural Development Project (KADP) for effective execution of the objective.

Representative of state Ministry of Agriculture in Kaduna, Mr. James B. Dutse, who described Ginger farming as an economic activity deep rooted Southern Kaduna, commended Olam for the initiative, which he said would add more value to the commodity being produced in the area.

State Chairman of National Ginger Farmers Association, Mr. Ben Kure, noted that the initiative has succeeded in bringing farmers together and would enhance the quality of the commodity they produce.