In a bid aimed at boosting crop production for increased food production in the South South , South East and South West states of Nigeria , the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development inconjuction with a private outfit, AJ- RUJAL International Services Ltd, and in partnership with Bayelsa state government
Have embarked on massive three tranch training programmes for farmers on Cassava, Yam and Tomato production and packaging .
Declaring open the training on Cassava production, Dr. David Alagoa, the Bayelsa state Commissioner for Agriculture and.Natural Resources , represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry , Dr. Wisdom Sawyer , urged the trainees to take the training as an opportunity to acquire new knowledge .
He added that the governor Douye Diri-led administration’s passion for the development of agriculture informed the intensive training, and challenged them to make better use of the training to boost food production in the state .
In his remarks , Dr. Jackson Diegbegha, the Programme Manager state Agric Development Programme (ADP) , noted that cassava which is a major staple food in various homes , a lot can be derived from it as it has no waste .
” Every home eats cassava , all parts of cassava are important , it has no waste.
“All the parts including the leaves , Stem and roots are useful ” noted Diegbegha, stressing that the trainees have known the various processes of cassava production and processessing .
Some beneficiaries of the training programme spoke on their gains in the programme that had over 50 farmers in attendance .
Comrd Kelvin Oputa , a beneficiary who commended the federal and state governments for the training noted that it has enabled them to know more on cassava production and processing.
Mrs Mercy Wilberforce , another beneficiary also noted that ” with this training , I now know that cassava can be used for a lot of things ”
The two days intensive training programme had the theme :
“Emergency training of youths and women on cassava processing, packaging, value addition and utilisation in the south east, South South and south west regions”
Similar training also took place for yam growers and Tomato producers in Bayelsa State.
Speaking at the two days intensive training programme for yam growers which was also organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and natural resources in conjunction with Assaffa High Tech Training
through the Bayelsa state ADP for yam growers in the state, Dr Jackson Diegbegha, the Programme Manager of ADP, commended the federal government and the minister for agriculture for the trainings which he however noted , has been going on before now .
The training , he added, would go a long way to boost food production in the state .
With the theme : “Emergency Trainig of youths and women on Yam processing, packaging, value addition and utility in the South Sourh , South East and South West regions, was aimed at preparing farmers for a better, effective and efficient yam production ahead, had over sixty farmers in attendance.
In his remarks at a similar programme organised for Tomato producers ,the Programme Manager of ADP, Dr. Jackson Diegbegha who unveiled the programme, commended the federal government and the minister for agriculture.
He urged the trainees to use the opportunity to know more on the production and final processing of tomato which is also an important food stuff in most homes .
The two days intensive training on Tomato production and processing was organised by Hanasons Nigeria Ltd in Collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and partnered with the Bayelsa State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural resources, through the Agric Development Programme, (ADP).
With the theme:. Emergency Training on ALL-Season Tomato production for youth s and Women in the South East, South South and South West regions took place at the ADP center in Yenagoa .
Speaking on the impact of the programme , one of the trainees, James Joshua , says with the training most of them can now produce and process tomato even in commercial quantity .
Joshua noted that the lack of knowledge in the production of tomato led to the scanty farming in tomato by indigenes of the state .
” In Bayelsa state most of us are naive in the production of tomato, that is why the crop is not produced here .But with this training we can now go into the production of tomato” , he added .
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