Chris Ndide
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, says it is determined to ensure that Nigeria does not experience food crises due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mrs Karima Babangida, Director, Federal Department of Agriculture, gave the assurance while declaring open, a stakeholders’ workshop on adoption and utilisation of orange fleshed potato for North East farmers on Thursday in Yola.
Babangida said that the ministry was making efforts to ensure that the pandemic did not affect farmers’ production as well as its value chain actors.
“The Ministry is committed to ensuring that the nation does not experience any food crises in 2022, due to the effect of COVID-19 pandemic, particularly farmers and value chain actors.
“The primary objective of the workshop is to create a forum for key players in the sweet potato value chain, to chart a way forward in production, processing and marketing of the commodity.
“The gathering is also an avenue to strengthen the capacity of potato farmers especially in the North East,’’ she said.
According to her, the ministry is aware of the immense wealth creation in sweet potato production and nutritional benefits of its consumption, especially the orange fleshed sweet potato.
Bagangida urged agencies with mandates on sweet potato and its value chain to proffer solutions to the numerous challenges on production, processing and marketing of the commodity.
She charged the participants to embrace new innovations in production, processing and marketing of the commodity.
