BY OLUSEGUN FOLARIN
There is need for large scale and small holder farmers engaged in the production of yam to pay greater attention to the values derivable from the farm produce.
The submission was made by a cross section of Trainers at a special training programme, organized in Abeokuta, Ogun State, by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, to empower the youths and women groups in ensuring sustainable yam processing, packaging, value addition and utilisation.
One of the facilitators, Mr Sanusi Olayinka said it was necessary to draw the stakeholders attention to the opportunities inherent in adding value to yam to reduce wastage and stabilize prices during the off – harvest season for yam production.
Also, the acting Programme Manager, Ogun State Agricultural Development Programme, OGADEP, Mrs Solape Awe said the continuous training of farmers would keep them up to date with new trends in the value chain process to further boost food security efforts of the government.
In separate reactions, some of the farmers, including Mr Ifeoluwa Bright and miss Binuyo Rasheedat acknowledged that the training had exposed them to more uses of yam without the challenge of transporting the unprocessed heavy tubers through long distances.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food security, Dr. Ernest Umakhihe, who declared the event opened through a representative, Mr Isaac Jegede said the training on yam processing would also assist in the creation of jobs and increasing the income of many households.
He appealed to the farmers to key into various initiatives of the federal government to eradicate poverty in the country.