The Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI) on Wednesday, August 17, 2022, started training for rural women farmers in the Northern part of the country on post-harvest crops management.
Its Executive Director, Dr Patricia Pessu, who disclosed this at the opening ceremony of the training in Kano, said the programme would assist in reducing post-harvest grains losses.
Pessu, who was represented by the NSPRI Zonal Coordinator, Kano, Dr Olaleye Oladimeji, said the institute was mandated to maintain quality of food, safety and security in the country.
She said the objective of the training was to encourage self-reliance, self-employment, and productivity of rural women.
“Rural women are mostly engaged in agriculture; it is therefore expedient for them to garner knowledge that will make them engage and excel in agribusiness.
“Which is a critical asset to achieving sustainable food security,” Pessu said.
The executive director urged the trainees to step down what they have learnt to other women in their respective areas.
In his remarks, the Director, Agricultural Services, Kano State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Alhaji Abdulkadir Sanusi-Madobi, commended the institute for organising the training.
He said it would assist in reducing economic losses of crops after harvest,” because women are critical stakeholders in farming and food processing.”
According to him, that would assist to attain food security in the country in general.
Sanusi-Madobi said that the state government also supports rural women with farm inputs and trains them on various agricultural practices.
He said that would assist to enhance agricultural productivity and achieve food security in the state.
One of the trainees, Zainab Abdullahi, commended NSPRI for choosing them among the participants.
Abdullahi assured that they would make best use of what they have learnt and train other women in their respective communities.
By Zubairu Idris
