Obinna Odogwu, Abakaliki

The National Horticulture Research Institute (NAHORT) has trained farmers drawn from various communities in Ohaozara, Onicha and Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State on three key areas of food crop production based on horticulture value chain.

The training programme, which lasted for three days, was held at Osborne La Palm Hotels, Uburu in Ohaozara Local Government Area of the state and was facilitated by the representative of the council areas in the House of Representatives, Hon. Linus Okorie.

Acting Executive Director of the institute, Dr Abayomi Olaniyan, in his speech, said that the aim of the training was to revamp the economy through agriculture which he said that the President Muhammadu Buhari was passionate about.

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He disclosed that the federal government through its Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has set up an initiative called Green Alternative, as a machinery to drive the course.

“After the training, the farmers will be empowered with farming materials such as the seeds; teach them preservative methods, and provide them with some amount of money so that they can take off. We carefully selected three horticultural courses for this training. They are: Telfaria (Ugu), Irvingia (Ogbono), and Occimum Graticinum (Scent Leaves).

“All these crops have domestic and international market value. We also want to train them on how they can generate money from engaging in that area of farming and possibly graduate to exporting their produce”, he explained.

Meanwhile, the beneficiaries where also given some seedlings and other agric chemicals to assist them their farming activities and boost productivity.