Nigeria has been ranked as one of the world’s largest producer of yam. The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) estimates that it is responsible for 60% of global production of the produce.
However, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Mohammed Umar Bello has organized a National Awareness Workshop on Yam to shed light on how to improve the quality of the produce as despite being a large producer, Nigeria doesn’t belong to the Comity of Yam Exporting Nations due to lack of quality seeds.
The Permanent Secretary also pointed out that, the current practice in Yam Seed production is at a Ratio of 1.1 within 12 Months but that with the new technology, he hopes to achieve a 1.300 Ratio within six Months. He also appreciated the activities of (YIIFSWA) in Benue, Niger, Nasarawa, Oyo, Enugu States and FCT which he said has led to the use of clean planting materials by some farmers in those areas.
In his remark, the Commissioner of Agriculture, Enugu State, Hon. Idu Mathew, who was represented by Director, Technical Resources, Mr Onuze Benjamin, said that “every country that exports its raw commodity, exports it’s Labour and every other thing that is good to the country”.
He further stated that the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service(NAQS), making effort to ensure that all export products undergo the normal necessary value chain in addition to processing before export, adding that all farmers should take the opportunity of the workshop to add value to what we have in the country.
