HABDEIC to train 1,000 organic pineapple farmers in 2018

The management of Highhill Agribusiness Development and Incubation Centre  (HABDEIC) has concluded plans to train over 1,000 organic farmers across Southwest Nigeria in this year 2018.
The purpose of the training was to empower Nigerian farmers in the production and the value chain of pineapple in order to explore its many by-products some of which Nigeria expends millions of naira, annually to import.
The project would also aid to maximise the benefit derivable from pineapple production in the international market, as world production of pineapple is in excess of $2 billion.
The Rector/Managing Director of HABDEIC Adeniyi Sola Bunmi said there is need to boost the capacity of Nigeria’s farmers all across the country through training, practical empowerment programmes.
Speaking on the pineapple project, he said the programme would be a 5-day online practical agronomy and marketing training in pineapple production and its value chain.
According to him, the project comes with offtakers agreement, meaning the farmers produce is as good as sold even before planting.
He explained: “We are doing a 5-day practical step by step video and pictures based training on whatapps. The training is 100 per cent practical and it will be conducted as if you are on the farm. You will get free feasibility study. Plus 100 per cent access to the trainer for 1 year Including visit to our farm in Wasimi Town, Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State.”
Daily Sun learnt that HABDEIC has trained over 500 youth and women through its periodical free on the farm agribusiness empowerment programs/bootcamps.
However, investigation by Daily Sun revealed that pineapple cultivation has now become a thriving means of earning good income as a result of the demand for the fruit by the public and the fruit processing units of flourishing in the country has increased greatly.