The Kano State Agro-Pastoral Development Project (KSADP), in collaboration with Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), had trained 275 farmers on crop protection and spraying techniques.
The KSADP Project Coordinator, Mr Ibrahim Garba-Muhammad, made the announcement at the closing of a 5-day training programme for young farmers in Kano, on Thursday
Garba-Muhammad said that the 275 youths were trained on crop protection, product knowledge, spraying techniques, safe handling and enterprise management in rice, maize, sorghum and millet value chain.
He said 25 persons each were selected from 11 Local Government Areas across the state.
“We all know what is happening now in Nigeria, the country has been stopped from exporting beans because of the wrong use of pesticides, which affects the kidney, liver and heart”, he added.
The training, he said, aimed at teaching them the safe use of pesticides or chemicals, so as not to harm themselves and the environment.
“The training will give the youths a business orientation on how they can put it into a perspective that would increase their income.
“We will keep on giving them different guidance and mentoring in order to increase their means of livelihood,” he added.
Garba-Muhammad urged the participants to use the knowledge they acquired in their farming activities.
The Project Coordinator of Sasakawa, Mr Abdulrashid Kofar-Mata, said the training was funded under the leadership of Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje and the Islamic Development Bank, to improve farmers’ businesses.
Kofar-Mata urged the beneficiaries to return to their communities and apply the knowledge they acquired, because they were not new in the business and that they were selected to improve their knowledge.
“The training will reduce poverty especially among small farmers”, he noted.
In his remarks, the Managing Director, Kano Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KNARDA), Dr Junaidu Yakubu, urged the participants to use the knowledge and train others in their local governments.
Yakubu was represented by KNARDA’s Director of Admin and General Service, Hajiya Aisha Abdullahi.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, Ilyasu Muhammad, commended the state government for the training and for empowering them, saying that they would make use of the knowledge to impact positively the lives of other youths in their communities by mentoring them.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that each participant was empowered with a sprayer and personal protective equipment that included a rain coat, hand glove, boot, nose mask, and face mask. (NAN)
Culled from https://www.sunnewsonline.com/ksadp-sasakawa-train-275-farmers-on-crop-protection-spraying-techniques/
