RMRDC mobilises stakeholders on sesame value chain

By Usman Ibn A. Lapai

Kaduna

The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) said it is mobilising relevant stakeholders across the country to promote the development of sesame value chain in the country.
The council’s Director-General, Dr Hussaini Ibrahim, stated this in Kaduna during a consultative forum on the development of sesame value chain in Nigeria, with the theme: “Stakeholders Engagement: A Strategy for Sustainable Sesame Value Chain Development.”
Ibrahim was represented at the occasion by the council’s Director, Technical Development, Dr Muhammed Buga.
He explained that the effort was to tap from the potential of sesame in revenue generation, employment creation, self-reliance and poverty reduction among others, noting that engaging the stakeholders was necessary to boost sesame seed production and to ensure the competitiveness of its value added products.
According to him, the consultative forum was organised to strengthen and deepen collaboration that would facilitate sustainable development across the sesame value chain.
“As part of effort to boost sesame production, RMRDC has procured and distributed improved sesame seeds to farmers in different parts of the country.
“Also, the council, in collaboration with indigenous private company, is making plans to establish sesame processing plant for the production of sesame oil for domestic use and export.
Also speaking, National President, National Sesame Seed Association of Nigeria (NSSAN), Sheriff Balogun said that the current annual production of sesame seeds stands at 450,000 tonnes.
He said 80 per cent of the agricultural produce are exported, explaining that, if fully tapped, sesame seed production had the potential of providing huge employment opportunities along the value chain.
“Sesame seed contains 50.5 per cent oil and 25 per cent protein and in high demand by pharmaceutical industries for making soap, shampoo, lubricant, paints, cosmetics and oil among others.
“All one needs is N60, 000 to N70, 000 to cultivate a hectare of sesame seed, with guarantee of N200, 000 returns on investment.
“In 2016, the country earned $123.3 million from export of sesame seed, but the potential was between $500 million dollars to one billion dollars with value addition,’’ Balogun added.

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