By; Mohammad Ibrahim, Kaduna.
Fadama National Project Coordinator Taiwo Adewumi at the
weekend lauded women and Youth involvement in tomato farming describing it as a solution to poverty in the country.
He lauded the groups in Kaduna State Northwest Nigeria for their involvement in tomato farming, particularly in rural areas .
He disclosed this when he toured some communities under fadama project and Ikara food processing company in the state.
Taiwo expressed satisfaction with what he saw in the
communities visited particularly Mezare Danwata village in
Soba where he promised to provide market to
the tomato farmers.
“Women and Youth involvement is impressive and we
appreciate that. We appeal to Imams and traditional
leaders to always encourage youth and women to get
involve in farming because it is the solution to poverty.
“We are going to support you with the market because we are not going to allow our farmers to lose their tomatoes. For Maizere danwata village in Soba we will find a way to
make your road accessible so as to make it easier for you to
transport your farm produce to market.
“The good thing is that the two Local Government Areas we
visited have imbibed the culture of improve seedlings and
that was what they have planted based on their experienced
in 2016 tuta absoluta and the training they have gotten and
the technical assistance, “.
On their target hectares for farmers before end of the year he added that “Dry season tomatoes farming started few years ago from 200-350 hectares. This year it was about 800 hectares and we have given a mandate that by next year we want to get to 2000 hectares of land to be cultivated in the state of which the state coordinator has assured us it will happen.
“I know with the support of state Commissioner of agriculture it will be achieved. The fruit seeds they have planted is resistant to tuta absoluta and I know that
scientists have profer lot of research and said tomatoes
planted in dry season are tuta absoluta free which mean tuta absoluta will be free not only in Kaduna but Nigeria.
In her remarks, representative of the Minister of
Agriculture Heather Akanni expressed happiness to see that
the local farmers are happy with the new improved
seeds.
“We are impressed the farmers have improved varieties of
seeds that are resistant to pests and disease like tuta absoluta. We know what we went through last year
when the disease broke out.
Daudu Isiyaku Kaduna State Coordinator Fadama
Said the state is one of the largest producers of tomatoes
in the country.
According to him, the National Coordinator came to the state to see how far the state has gone in terms of tomatoes
production. The Fadama team also paid a courtesy call to the state newly appointed Commissioner for Agriculture Dr Kabir Mato.
