Over 100 women and youth smallholder farmers in Edo State, On Tuesday, benefited from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security’s training on environmentally sustainable agroecological practices.
Conducted as part of the Agroecology program in collaboration with the Nigerian Institute of Oil Palm Research (NIFOR), the three-day training commenced on Monday, March 25, at NIFOR Benin and is slated to conclude on Wednesday, March 27.
During the opening ceremony, Minister of Agriculture, Sen. Abubakar Kyari emphasized that the training aimed to support smallholder farmers in enhancing productivity to ensure food sufficiency across the country.
The minister, represented by the National Correspondent for Agroecology Nigeria, Yerima Saidu, highlighted the program’s particular focus on women and youth in the South-South agroecological zone of Nigeria.
“It is expected that the knowledge gained by the participants will have a trickle down effect on production practices across the zone.
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“This should be evident in the output of food crops in the coming years and in the conservation of our ecology including soil, vegetation, air and water bodies.
“It is important to emphasize that at the crux of the Agroecology programme and practices is the conservation of our natural environment.
According to him, trainees of this programme should apply the skills and practice acquired on their everyday agricultural activities to mitigate the negative implication of climate change.
Also speaking, Dr Isona Gold, the Acting Executive Director/CEO NIFOR welcomed participants to the institute.
Gold, represented by the Director of Extension Services, Dr Solomon Olusegun said NIFOR was a research institute established in 1939 with the mandate to research into genetic improvement of Oil palm, Raphia, Date, Coconut and Shea tree.
Gold urged the farmers to take advantage of the training to learn how to conserve the environment while performing agricultural activities.
“It now very important that we take cognisant of the environment and maintain it by adopting best ecological best practices for the next generation,” Gold said.
Also, Dr Solomon Olusegun, the Director of Extension Services, NIFOR and Mr Edwin Oko-Oboh took the farmers through the overview of the Environmentally Friendly Agroecological practices and soil management.
Mrs Patience Okuahesuyi, the Secretary, Small Scale Women Farmers Organization of Nigeria (SSOFON), Edo chapter thanked the ministry and NIFOR for the training.
Okuahesuyi promised to step down the training in their various communities.
TheWitness
