By Mu’azu Abubakar Albarkawa, Kaduna
Horti Nigeria, a Dutch-funded program has targeted 60,000 vegetable farmers in Kaduna and Kano states for gender and youth inclusive horticulture development to contribute to the food and nutrition security in the country.
The Agripreneur is also to end waste of perishable farm produce thorough linkage between farmers and marketers.
Feyikemi Adurogbangha, the communication coordinator of the program said out of the number, 50 percent of youths and 40 percent of women will be introduced to eco-efficient agronomic practices.
He said the aim was to increase acreage under sustainable cultivation by 15,000 hectares and reduce seasonal risks by promoting innovations and crop diversification to 2,000 entrepreneurial farmers.
“The program will also increase access to finance for 50 small and medium agricultural enterprises and enhance sector coordination, which will facilitate 200 business-to-bussiness linkage in all four states of Nigeria.” He said.
The Coordinator explained that the program is implemented in Kaduna, Kano, Ogun and Oyo states, targeting four crops including Tomotoes, Onion, Cabbage, Cucumber, Okra, pepper and watermelon value chains.
He said the 3-day vegetable-sourcing mission hosted several participants across the vegetable chain, focused some of the program’s agribusiness clusters centred around the Tomoto Jos processing plant with proximity to Igabi in Kaduna state.
According to one of the Horti Nigeria’s component Leads on Sector Coordination and Business to Business linkages, Abdullahi Umar said “Not only do we want to achieve increased productivity as a program, but we also want to build a viable horticulture value chain where various participants work together to harness it’s potential.
“Also, with urban living becoming more popular, dietary tastes are changing, resulting in a rising number of vegetable consumers.
Umar who welcomed the ban on importation of fertilizer by the federal government however advocated the lifting of ban on soluble fertilizer use by green house farmers, since it is not produce in the country.
