Yam export: FG to train farmers on best agronomy practices

The Technical Committee on Nigeria Yam Export
Programme, says it will train farmers on best
agronomic practices for yam farming to avoid
rejection of the produce at the international
markets.
Prof. Simon Irtwange, the Chairman of the
committee, disclosed this plan in an interview
with the Newsmen in Abuja on Monday.
The chairman said that poor agronomic
practices during farming contributed to the
rejection of the country’s produce at the
international market, hence the need for the
training.
NAN recalls that the Federal Government had
announced that the country would commence
exportation of about 74 tonnes of yam to Europe
and United States of America (USA) by June 29.
Irtwange said the committee was partnering with
the Yam Farmers, Processors and Marketers
Association of Nigeria to carry out the training.
He noted that the training would help sensitise
farmers on the use of pesticides as well as other
requirements for the produce.
According to him, we are also in collaboration
with the International Institute of Tropical
Agriculture (IITA) to provide improved yam
seedlings to the farmers.
“The committee is supposed to provide
technical guidance for anybody who wants to go
into yam export.
“The exporter must be conversant with the
standards for yam export and it the job of the
committee to take exporters through the
standards so that they will know what the
requirements are.
“The committee will also make sure that farmers
under the Yam Farmers, Processors and
Marketers Association of Nigeria, are trained on
farming, processing and marketing.
“IITA has told us that seedlings will be made
available and we want to promote businesses
around the yam seedlings value chain,’’ he said.
Irtwange said that the Nigeria Export Promotion
Council (NEPC) had made its yam conditioning
centre in Zaki Biam, Benue State, available to
exporters for the cleaning, wrapping and
packaging of the produce before export.
“The first requirement for any intending yam
exporter is to get your exporters registration
certificate from the Nigeria Export Promotion
Council, then you come to the technical
committee and we show you what to do.
“What we are trying to have is a Nigerian yam
pack house in Lagos and all regulatory agencies
will be there to certify the produce.
“The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) will be
there to make sure that it is truly yams that are
in the cartons, SON will be there to make sure
that the yams are exportable varieties and
conform to standard weighing about 2kg with a
net weight of 20kg per carton.
“The Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service
(NAQS) will also be there to make sure we do
not export diseases to other countries.’’ the
chairman said.
Recall that Chief Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of
Agriculture and Rural Development, inaugurated
the committee in February to sensitise farmers
and exporters on required international
standards of yam before exportation.
The committee which is private sector led, has
representatives from the Standards Organisation
of Nigeria (SON) and Nigeria Agricultural
Quarantine Service (NAQS) as its members.
Other members of the committee include the
Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), NEPC, Nigeria
Ports Authority (NPA) and Nigerian Shippers’
Council (NSC, among others.