NIHORT holds workshop on vegetable production, supply

National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), Ibadan, Oyo State has held a workshop in Ohaozara/Onitcha federal constituency, Ebonyi State to boost vegetable production and supply.

The workshop also provided an opportunity for NIHORT to introduce farmers to  better practices and minimum standards for the production and commercialisation of vegetable products.

Not fewer than 80 youths, women, farmers were trained on improved production and value addition techniques for telfairia occidentalis (ugwu), the fluted pumpkin, an important vegetable in Nigeria and other African nations as well as scent leaves.

NIHORT Executive Director Dr. Abayomi Akeem Olaniyan said the programme was part of the institute’s efforts to align the country’s quality and market standards, thereby enhance value-chain opportunities for vegetable producers.

According to him, better integration into the value chain would help them increase market opportunities and achieve higher prices for their produce.

Olaniyan highlighted the numerous nutritional and health benefits of the two horticultural vegetables ugwu and scent leaves that make them to be in high demand in and outside Nigeria.

He said: “Telfaria is an important leaf and seed vegetable that is of high demand and widely eaten in Nigeria and outside Nigeria. It is highly nutritional, medicinal and has industrial values, rich in protein, fat, minerals and vitamins.”

He added that the  commodity has a high production and marketing prospect within and outside Nigeria, as seeds are high in essential amino acids comparable to Soya bean meal.

The NIHORT boss also mentioned that the Telfaria leave contains about 30 percent protein and a high percentage of non–drying oil. While the Scent leaves & stems possess strong anti – viral , anti – microbial and antioxidant properties that are useful in the treatment of many ailments such as cold, fever, flatulence, impotence, diabetes, among others.

He noted that his organization NIHORT has the mandate to conduct research into genetic improvement, production, processing, utilization and marketing of fruits, vegetable, spices, ornamental plants, among others.

He then advised the trainees to take maximum benefits of the workshop to advance themselves economically.

He applauded the federal government for investing so much towards the training to empower people in the agriculture sector of the economy.

He further said that experts from the Institute has been assembled to give participants the best knowledge and hands on practical  to enable them stand on their own.

The  facilitator of the empowerment programme, and,representative Ohaozara/Onitcha federal constituency in the immediate past regime, Hon. Linus Okorie, said he believes in teaching the people how to catch fish rather than giving them fish all the time

Represented by Mr. Eanest Nwafor, Linus Okorie, said he  has provided numerous empowerment training facilities to his people among which are the participants, to enable them establish businesses which will take them out of poverty.

He assured the participants that empowerment kit and start up fund will be given  to them as back up to start or improve their business in ugwu and scents leaves production and marketing.

He advised them to share the knowledge with their colleagues that are not opportuned to be part of the training.

The Cchairman, Board, NIHORT, General Garba Mohammed (RTD) represented by a board member Princess Tonia Adol – Awam commended the federal government for fulfilling her promise toward developing agricultural sector of the economy by giving financial support to empowerment of the people.

He said Ugwu & Scent leaves are important vegetables and that the participants should take advantage of the training for to create income opportunities and improve their health situation.

The workshop was an opportunity for participants to learn on areas, such as food safety and quality standards, logistics management, production techniques, economics of production, value chain development, enterprise budgeting & accounting, improved processing, and the packaging and labelling of fresh produce.

SOURCE: THE NATION

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