The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has trained farmers on production and management of onion on Tuesday 25th to Wednesday 26th May 2021 in Kano.
This was an effort of the Ministry under the leadership of the Honourable Minister, Alh. Mohammed Sabo Nanono position towards developing technical skills of the agricultural officers at both Federal and State levels for adoption of possible strategies in tackling one of the major constraints affecting agricultural production in Nigeria.
The two days workshop was organized by the Federal Department of Agriculture to tackle the menace of onion purple blotch fungal disease popularly known as 'Dah Zazzalau' affecting the onion industry in Nigeria.
The participants ranging from farmers to marketers as major stakeholders in the onion value chain, were taught strategies on best to production and storage practices and were also given a post training kit.
Welcoming the participants at the workshop, the Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe represented by Mrs. Adeshola Theresa J. Assistant Chief Agric Officer, Horticulture Division, said the workshop was borne out of the need for the Government's continous upgrade of the technical know-how of relevant stakeholders of Agricultural Development Projects on coordinated approach required for management of purple blotch disease.
He added that ADPs will be able to guide farmers on how best to manage and overcome the disease as capacity building is a key component activity towards achieving the goal for security and import substitution of the agricultural policy document.
The Permanent Secretary decried on how little Nigeria contribute to the export market largely due to produce quality resulting from pour management of pests and diseases despite the country's potential to lead in the production and trade in the world.
Noting the 1.4 million metric tonnes National output of onion with demand of 2.5 million tonnes as at 2018/2019, Umakhihe stressed the need to surpress the enormous pressure on the country's foreign exchange by improving production and boycotting importation.
On another note, the State Director Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Kano State office, Alhaji Abba Gana Yamani has described the stewardship of Alhaji Sabo Nanono in the last two years as quite eventful, despite the great challenge of COVID-19.
He further urged the participants to take advantage of this opportunity and make judicious use of the knowledge and input they received.
The technical session of the workshop was conducted by Prof. Aminu Umar Aliyu of Usman Danfodio University. Representing the ministry, Mrs. Adeshola Theresa J. was in company of Okoh Margaret Alache and Bulus Bachi both from Horticulture Division of FDA.
Source :FMARD
