EMBRACE YAM CULTIVATION IN SACKS — AGRIC MINISTER ADMONISHES FARMERS

Reporter : AMECHI ODO

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has called on farmers to embrace the use of sack as a new method of yam production to ensure food security and address insecurity in the country.

The Minister, Alhaji Sabo Nanono, stated this in Abakaliki at the sensitization of selected yam farmers to the new method of cultivating the crop.

Available records from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development indicate that Nigeria accounts for forty-seven million metric tonnes of global yam production valued at over fifty-seven billion Naira annually.

However, incessant clashes between farmers and herders over grazing spaces across the country has become a debilitating factor towards sustaining  increase in the production of the crop, hence the introduction of sack for its cultivation.

Alhaji Nanono represented by the Coordinator of the Ministry in Ebonyi State, Dr. William Obasi, noted that apart from addressing security challenges facing yam farmers, the new method would also expose them to yam value chain as a business.

The Director Federal Department of Agriculture, Mrs. Karim Babangida, represented by the Desk Officer incharge of yam in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Pepertua Usiahon, said efforts were on to upgrade some yam processing centres as part of measures to tackle food scarcity in the country.

Two of the farmers, Mr. Chikaodili Nkwuda and Mr. Romanus Nweke, described yam as the king of all crops being celebrated in igbo land.

He pointed out that farmers would be curious to see the viability of the use of sack for its cultivation.

The farmers were later given bags of improved varieties of yam seedlings for cultivation inline with the new method.