Nigeria’s Ministry of Trade and Investment in collaboration with Poise Resource Centre have trained no fewer than 60 farmers in organic agriculture.
Speaking at the one-day workshop on capacity-building for castor and ginger chain development for export in Kaduna State, North-west Nigeria, the Deputy Director of Commodity, Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, Jerry Kaura, disclosed that the world is shifting towards the organic aspect of farming production.
The Deputy Director who represented the Trade and Investment Minister, Adeniyi Adebayo, advised the participants to take the training serious, saying the Nigerian government will give all the neccessary financial support to the farmers in order to improve on the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Speaking to newsmen at the workshop, the National President of the National Ginger Association, Squadron leader, Nuhu Bagani Daudu, explained that the export of organic products is at its climax because of their value and benefits to consumers.
Daudu mentioned that the workshop was also to project the members in the ginger value chain.
According to the National President, their association is about to get registered with the ‘Trade Key’, a US organization, through the value chain so that ginger producers can have a soft landing, where middle men would not pose a problem in exporting ginger.
On accessing loan for members, he said there is the need to have the farmers in clusters to ease accessibility of loan from the government.
“Presently, we are working seriously with a Nigerian bank on how to get loan for our members.
“Now, the bank is doing geo-refrence for our farmers. The bank is also trying to lift our products to a platform called ‘Easy Club Platform’ so that our farmers can have access to loans,” Daudu disclosed.
Aisha Yusuf, who was the resource person, emphasized the need for particpants to take the training serious, as it would help them to improve on their productivity.
