No fewer than 2,000 cassava farmers are set to be trained by the Federal Government across nine states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to boost cassava production.

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) recently disclosed this through the Director of the Federal Department of Agriculture, Hajiya Karima Babangida, in Illorin, Kwara State.

The initiative targets the improvement of cassava value chain activities and the creation of innovations in cassava cultivation, the ministry noted.

Babangida revealed that over 60,000 cassava planting materials are being distributed to farmers in the nine benefiting States which include Ogun, Oyo, Kwara, Kogi, Nasarawa, Edo, Rivers, Kano and Katsina with the FCT receiving 10,000 planting materials.

She further stated that the cassava planting materials being distributed are of high improved quality, high yielding, early maturing, pest and disease resistant, and would respond better to agronomic management practices.

“Nigeria remains the largest producer of cassava in the world and the present government is desirous to improve and strengthen the cultivation of the commodity so that Nigerian farmers can get a sustainable yield of over 25 tonnes per hectare.”

“With the improved cultivar of cassava been distributed to farmers, yields per hectare will be increased and hence an increase in the revenue to farmer and ultimately a better livelihood for the farm family,” she said.

According to her, the training of over 2,000 farmers seeks to improve farmers’ capacity with the latest technologies of cassava farming, processing and marketing.

On his part, the Kwara State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Yisa Aliu, lauded the initiative, describing it as a monumental intervention from the Federal Government.

“This is the first time Kwara State cassava farmers are benefiting from such monumental intervention from the Federal Government.

“I believe the training and the planting materials supplied to farmers will produce huge results to the farmers in terms of revenue and enhanced standard of living,” Aliu said.