ABEOKUTA–Ogun State Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (OGUNCCIMA) has partner AHK, a German Agency in Africa to train about 80 local farmers in the cashew value chain industry.
The partnership which is aimed at training, empowering local farmers in Ogun State will declared open on Friday, 29th April, 2022 at the Continental Suite, Ibara in Abeokuta.
The pilot scheme, according to the organisers is to train farmers in skill gap analysis, while broadening their horizon on the profitability of the industry.
Speaking at the press conference to herald the opening, the President of OGUNCIMMA, Alhaji Wasiu Olaleye admonised beneficiaries to take the opportunity serious, saying that the second phase of the scheme is determined on the success recorded on the pilot scheme.
Olaleye, who also doubles as the President of Cooperative society of Nigeria, Ogun State branch lauded the German Agency for bringing the scheme to the State.
“We are here today because of this pilot scheme targeted around cashew value chain. The cashew sector seems to be a neglected sector.
“The Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) advised that cashew is more of an economic tree in Ogun State than cocoa.
“Most people believe that if you plant cocoa you make money, but the NEPC research stated that we should move towards growing cashew in Ogun”
The representative of the German Agency, Olayinka Makinwa in her remarks stated that the training and empowerment is expected to gulp about 100,000 Euros in funding from the European counterpart.
Makinwa who is also the head, Competence Centre Agribusiness of the agency, noted that the second phase of the scheme which has been approved will commence in August/September, 2022.
She added that cashew is a booming industry around the world, but noted that sadly,Nigeria losses about 56% of its value in cashew production, which therefore necessitated the training of farmer in the country.
She therefore added that the training is expected to focus about 25% percent in class, while the farmers are expected to spend about 75% on the farm, situated in Imala and Imasayi as practical.
Meanwhile, the Iyalode of yorubaland and former President of NACCIMMA, Iyalode Alaba Lawson in her remarks lauded the collaboration, adding that it has further put Ogun State in the front burner as an industry hub.
She however admonished beneficiaries to take the training serious, in order to get an up scale of the funding for the second phase.
The one month training is targeted at existing farmers, while intending farmers are also expected to form part of the beneficiaries which according to the organisers is to have 50% as women.
