The federal government through the National Horticulture Research Institute (NHRI), has trained about 150 youth in Telfairia (Ugu) and tomato production in Delta state to ensure food security in the country.
The trainees cut across three local governments that make up Ndokwa/Ukwuani federal constituency, which include, Ndokwa west, Ndokwa east and Ukwuani local government area of the state.
The trainees who were trained for a week were given N52,000 each and given planting inputs to start the farming business in their various locality
NHRI executive director, Dr. Abayomi Olaniyan, at the event said the training covered production, processing, storage of Telfairia and tomato.
Dr. Olaniyan added that Tomato, being one of the most important as well as the major vegetables grown in the country, is an essential cooking product such as juice, puree, paste, ketchup/sauce, dry slice and others.
He noted that tomato remains “a profitable horticultural crop that provides income to farmers and agents involved in its production and marketing.”
He said, “Telfairia is also an important leaf and seed vegetables, with high demand, adding that the leaf is of high nutritional, medicinal and industrial values, rich in protein, fat, mineral and vitamins.
Chairman, governing board of NHRI, Major General Mohammed Garba (rtd) urged the youth to use the training for maximum production to achieve the desired food security in the country.
General Garba said that the capacity building is necessary for the youth as it affords them the opportunity to be competent in horticultural value chains of various crops to improve their income.
