Training
By Muhammad Nasir Bashir
Dutse, July 25, 2018 (NAN) The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has organised a five-day capacity building training for farmers and exporters of hibiscus in Jigawa.
Mr Olusegun Awolowo, the Executive Secretary of the council, said this at the inauguation of Hibiscus Export Expansion Programme (HEEP) in Dutse on Wednesday.
Awolowo, represented by the Director of Policy and Strategy in the Council, Alhaji Sidi Aliyu, said the exercise was organised in collaboration with Jigawa Government and IYA FOODs. LLC USA.
He said the objectives of the capacity building programme were to provide farmers and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with the knowledge, skills and abilities required to support the overall goals for the growth in revenue from value added hibiscus exports.
“Others are to ensure that all stakeholders are up to date on global best practices for dried hibiscus export, implementation of full spectrum export process to ensure maximum market share for Nigerian farmers in the current/potential U.S dried hibiscus flower market.
“Others are to educate stakeholders on the importance of quality assurance and quality control measures crucial to exporting the commodity to USA market and provide training for hibiscus growers on best planting methods to increase yield and harvesting process,” he said.
The executive secretary said that while Jigawa Government was prominent in the development of agriculture and agri-business in Nigeria, IYA Foods was a leading African-inspired food business offering savory simmer sauces, gluten-free flours, dried hibiscus flowers and petals, spices and seasonings.
According to him, the training will complement efforts of the current administration toward diversification of the nation’s economy.
“I am delighted that this capacity building programme will not only help improve the quality and standards of hibiscus exports, but also complement the efforts of the present administration toward diversifying of the nation’s economy.
“Indeed, the dwindling revenues from oil as a result of the sharp drop in the global oil prices has more than ever before created an urgent need for accelerating the country’s economic diversification,” the executive director said.
Awolowo said that to develop and promote Nigerian products, the NEPC had put in place strategic initiatives that would help build the capacity of local exporters in the area of exporting products that would meet the requisite quality and standards in the international market.
“It may interest you to know that the potential for export growth for the commodity is huge as statistics show that Nigeria generated total of $35 million worth of hibiscus export in 2017,” he said.
Awolowo said that hibiscus, popularly called “Zobo”, had high commercial value that other state governments could key into, stressing that Jigawa state was the largest producer of the plant, followed by Katsina, Kano, Zamfara, Kebbi, Borno and Yobe.
The executive secretary said that the collaboration to expand the export of the commodity was in line with the Council’s Zero Oil Policy (ZOP) and the One-state-One Product (OSOP) programme which targeted at developing non-oil export products across the states.
In his remarks, Gov. Muhammad Badaru of Jigawa State, said that as a government, the state was keying into several Federal Government’s policies and initiatives that supported diversification, real sector growth and the promotion of non-oil export.
Badaru, represented by the state Commissioner of Finance, Alhaji Abubakar Namadi, said his administration remained resolute in its commitment to support the growth of agricultural value chain development.
“We are open to partnership with the private sector to provide premium opportunities for our farmers in the export markets, create jobs and grow the local economy.
“Our partnership with WACOT in 2016, led to an improvement in the Sesame value chain in the state.
“We will support every initiative that will develop the hibiscus value chain alike,” the governor said. (NAN)
MNB/OIF/TÁ
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Tajudeen Atitebi