News in brief:
– Nigeria has trained 400 youths and women in Kaduna State on tomato and pepper production, aiming to enhance food security and empower rural communities.
– The training covered essential skills in cultivation, processing, and value addition, aligning with the government’s focus on agriculture to diversify the economy and create sustainable livelihoods in rural areas.
The federal government of Nigeria, through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the National Horticulture Research Institute (NIHORT), has trained 400 youths and women in Lere Federal Constituency, Kaduna State, on tomato and pepper production.
This move is aimed at boosting food security in the country, while empowering especially rural, pastoral communities. The training covered nursery practices, transplanting, field management, disease control, harvesting, value addition, and record-keeping, according to a news report.
Participants learned necessary skills and knowledge on cultivating and processing the commercially viable crops.
Explaining further, the Executive Director of NIHORT, Atanda Mohammed Lawal, revealed that the crops are ‘money-spinners’ for those who understand the value chain. Thus, he stressed the importance of capacity building and stakeholder engagement in maximising the potential of the commodities.
Also, highlighting the diverse uses of tomatoes and peppers, Lawal stated that they are raw materials for the canning industry and useful in producing paste, ketchup, sauce, puree, juice, and more. The fact that they are a low-capital agribusinesses is an added advantage and he encouraged participants to leverage the opportunity.
Community leader Alhaji Abbas Sigau commended the government and facilitator, Honourable Ahmed Munir, for empowering the youth and women, while some participants expressed their gratitude for the training, stating it will enable them to launch their own tomato and pepper farms.
This initiative aligns with the federal government’s focus on agriculture as a means to diversify the economy and create sustainable livelihoods, particularly for young people and women in rural communities.
