By; SANI ALIYU, Zaria
Value Seeds Nigeria Ltd has target to reach 10 million smallholder farmers by 2035 to venture them into agribusiness to realize economic empowerment and to create more decent work for women and youth.
Mr. George Kabutha, Head of Finance and Administration of the company stated this during an interview with journalists in Zaria yesterday.
He said, their objectives is to increase productivity for women and youth smallholder farmers in Kaduna and Niger states.
Also, they have increased capacity of smallholder farming households and value chain to better prepare, adopt to shocks and stress.
While they strengthen young women access to output markets at scale.
According to him, 40.378 women farmers were trained on farming as an enterprise and cooperative entrepreneurship.
Mr. George Kabutha added that two agro processing centres were established, with one in Kaduna and another in Niger State.
He said Value Seeds is committed to ensuring all stakeholders in the seed industry in Nigeria have access to quality seeds which will in turn, ensure farmers meet their aspirations of high yield and increased income.
While expressing concerns over lack of sustainability of government policies on agriculture, he said it is the major problem of agricultural development in Nigeria.
According to him, for any nation to achieve its goals in agricultural production, it must have long term plans with sustainable approach.
Mr. Kabutha said, in their efforts to ensuring that agriculture value chain is highly mechanized to realize the sustainable development goals number two, Zero hunger, Value Seeds Company has collaborate with other partners in the agricultural sector.
He tasked government on financing agriculture with a long term finance package.
“Despite low budget on agriculture, yet the sector is contributing 40 per cent of the Nigerian GDP”. He pointed out.
He advised farmers to always purchase their seeds from recognized companies, such as Value Seeds.
While cautioning farmers against patronising rogue seeds suppliers with counterfeit seeds.
