The Kano State coordination office of Agro-Processing, Productive Enhancement And Livelihood Improvement Support Protect (APPEALS), in collaboration with Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI) has trained one hundred and twenty tomato growers, processors and marketers in the state.
The training was part of the APPEALS’ effort to reduce post-harvest loss of tomato in the state.
Speaking on the programme held in Kano Tuesday, the APPEALS’ Coordinator, Hassan Ibrahim said the training was organized to help the farmers save their investment through preserving wet tomato.
According to Ibrahim, who was represented by Agro-Processing Specialist of APPEALS, Mukhtar Umar, there is dire need to check growing loss of tomato annually in the state, which is the leading producer of the commodity in the whole northern Nigeria.
He noted that while Kano is the leading producer of tomato in the north, the farmers also suffer 40% loss of their harvest annually, situation that calls for measures to check the tide.
He added that lack of technological means of preserving the wet tomato, such as small factories that process the commodity to become paste, was the main cause of the post-harvest loss.
“That is why APPEALS intervene, in collaboration with NSPRI to train the tomato growers, processors and marketers in order to check loss of the commodity that constitutes 40% annually.
“Research had indicated that Kano is the leading state in tomato production in northern Nigeria but research has shown that 40% of the commodity is wasted annually.
“That is why we intervened in order to reduce the ppst harvestloss to save the economic well-being of the farmers and marketers,” he said
The coordinator expressed hope that the training, which was one of the many to be held in future would go a long way in decimating the tide of post-harvest loss in the state and country at large,” he added
In her remarks, the Zonal Director of NSPRI, Eunice Bamishaye said the organization jade partnered with APPEALS in order to empower tomato growers and help them save the money they lose after harvest.
“Farmers are investing their money on tomato farming but it is wasted annually NY over 40%. That is why we sensitize them on preservation of perishable tomato, especially wet tomato in a bid to reduce the loss,” she said.
