In its efforts to enhance organic farming especially in castor and ginger production, the Federal Government of Nigeria have trained 60 farmers in organic agriculture in Kaduna state.
The training was organised in collaboration with the state Ministry of Trade and Investment and Poise Resource Center.
Speaking at the one day event on capacity building for Castor and Ginger chain development for export in Kaduna on Friday , the Deputy Director of Commodity, Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, Jerry Kaura disclosed that the world is shifting towards organic aspect of farming production.
The Deputy Director who represented the Minister, Adeniyi Adebayo advised the participants to take the training workshop serious, adding that the Federal Government will give all the necessary financial support to the farmers in order to improve on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Also speaking, the National President of the National Ginger Association, Squadron leader, Nuhu Bagani Daudu, said that organic product has reached a climate whereby the organic products are better priced because of it benefits to the consumers.
Daudu further explained that the workshop was also to project the members in the Ginger value chain.
The National President further explained that, “we are about to get registered with the ‘Trade Key’; US organisation through the value chain so that our Ginger producers can have a soft landing where middle man would not become a problem in exporting their Ginger”.
Answering questions on accessing loan for members, he said, hence 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-reference for our farmers. The bank is also trying to lift our product to a platform called easy club platform so that our farmers can have access to loan,” Daudu disclosed.
Aisha Yusuf who was the resource person at the training, also emphasised on the need for the participants to take the training workshop seriously, as it would help them to improved on their productivity.
Speaking at the event, the State Chairman of National Ginger Association, Kaduna Chapter, Joseph Danboyi, said that the workshop was to refresh and educate the members for better productivity. According to him, farming has graduated from normal production to a level where the products can be accepted globally.
” To face the reality in the farming business, being the reason why we have invited professionals to this workshop to give us ideas on what to do most especially now that we are talking about the organic side of farming produce that can be accepted at the international market,” Danboyi explained.