The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has conducted a capacity building training for ginger farmers in the South-East geo-political zone.
The training is to boost the production of ginger to meet the domestic and commercial needs of Nigerians.
The one-day training, which held at the National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, Abia, had participants from the states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo.
The resource persons made presentations on the current international practices on ginger production.
Speaking on the “Challenges and Prospects of Ginger Production in Nigeria,” Dr Emeka Ohaeri, said that ginger had a great potential which the country was had yet to maximise.
Ohaeri, who is the Coordinator of Ginger at NRCRI, said that Nigeria was among the world’s largest and best producers of ginger.
Ohaeri said that the sector was, however, faced with climatic, agronomic, technical, institutional, socio-economic and policy challenges among others.
He called on the Federal Government to improve the livelihoods of farmers, as well as make loan facilities available, accessible and affordable for them.
Also, Dr Rachael Omodamiro, who made a presentation on “Ginger Processing Techniques,” urged participants to adopt the best practice for quality production.
She sensitised them on the nine techniques of its processing.
“Quality products from ginger processing starts with harvesting the crop at full maturity aged nine to 10 months after planting,” she said.
In her keynote address, the Director of Agriculture, FMARD, Mrs Karima Babangida, re-iterated government’s commitment to promote and develop ginger to achieve its potential.
Babangida, who was represented by Mrs Victoria Agema, the ministry’s Desk Officer, Ginger Value Change, said that Nigeria produces 523 metric tonnes of ginger annually.
She said that the country was among the world’s largest producers and accounted for 14 per cent share of the total global production.
“About 90 per cent of our production is exported and over a million dollar is generated as foreign exchange earnings annually,” she said.
Earlier, the Abia State Director of FMARD, Victor Ihediwa, said that the programme was to train farmers on how to use their resources efficiently, improve their production and processing skills toward improving food security.
“This will facilitate increase in production of ginger through promotion of small, medium and large-scale commercial production,” Ihediwa said.
A participant, Eze Chris Ajuzie, who is the President of Abia State Ginger Growers Cooperative Limited, expressed gratitude to the government for the workshop.
Ajuzie, who is the traditional ruler of Mbaso Amasaa Autonomous Community in Ugwunabo council area, said that there were about 6,000 registered farmers in Abia.
