Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, the Executive Director/CEO of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), has pointed out the fact that there is a lack of trust in ginger farming among farmers and exporters. She projected the potential recovery time of 2-3 years to reach previous Export levels. Ayeni said it is crucial to find solutions to restore confidence in the sector and prevent future disease outbreaks, especially with the president task force on Ginger now established. This was mentioned during the Field Trials workshop held in Kaduna State University, Kafanchan Campus, Kaduna State, designed for the development of policy framework for farm inputs support scheme program in the agri-food export sector.
The commodities chosen for the support program have shown to be areas where Nigeria excels in production and has a high demand for exports. This will focus on assisting small-scale farmers in rural areas, specifically targeting vulnerable groups such as women and youth to ensure everyone is included. It is designed to concentrate on farmers working in primary production who often face losses after harvests due to various factors like floods, unfavourable weather, pests, and diseases affecting crops. The program has chosen ginger as one of the crops to focus on, with Kaduna state being the top producer in Nigeria, which is why the field trials workshop is taking place in southern Kaduna.
Outbreak of ginger fungal wilt disease had a devastating impact.
Last year, in Southern Kaduna, the outbreak of the ginger fungal wilt disease had a devastating impact on the ginger crop in 2023. The region, which is a key ginger production center in Nigeria, experienced a significant decrease in harvest, with estimates suggesting losses of 50-80% compared to the previous year. In order to revive the Nigeria ginger export industry, it is crucial for farmers to understand how to prevent and treat the fungal and bacterial wilt disease, as well as implement effective agricultural practices overall, she said.
To improve their operations, exporting companies are encouraged to engage directly with farmers groups and cooperatives. The NEPC is suggesting two key initiatives to achieve this goal one being the creation of a ginger demonstration farm in southern Kaduna, in partnership with donor organizations such as CBI, the Dutch Embassy in Nigeria, and COLEAD Ginger exporting Companies. It also suggested implementing training programs on best practices in agriculture, specifically focused on small-scale farmers in primary production. This is aimed at not only preventing the disease from happening again but also enhancing overall ginger yield.
Farmers are provided with necessary resources and inputs.
Moreover, the Council has implemented intervention programs to assist small-holder farmers who are major producers of our Agro export commodity. These programs provide farmers with necessary resources and inputs to enhance their farming techniques and adhere to good agricultural practices (GAP), thereby promoting compliance with production standards. Providing small-scale farmers with essential resources for their farms and helping them develop their skills in key areas can lead to higher crop yields, increased productivity, greater opportunities for exporting goods, and a rise in household earnings.
Participants at the workshop were assured of the councils’ commitment to collaborating with smallholder farmers and commodity processors in Nigeria. They emphasized providing necessary assistance such as capacity building, Agro-farm inputs, quality certification, grants, and other support to enhance productivity. Ayeni expressed gratitude to all attendees for accepting the invitation, and emphasized the Council’s dedication to fostering ongoing partnerships with stakeholders to support the inclusive and sustainable involvement of the country’s SMEs in the export industry.
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Prof. Ibrahim Abba Sodangi from the Crop Science Department at Kaduna State University emphasized Kaduna’s prominent role in ginger production in Nigeria. He highlighted various factors leading to losses in the ginger value chain, such as soil fertility issues, lack of improved cultivars, inadequate agronomic practices, pest and disease impacts, as well as subpar post-harvest handling and processing methods. Commenting on the purpose of the workshop, Prof. Sodangi explained that the workshop aimed to increase understanding of the social and economic consequences of ginger depletion, especially in terms of how it affects the income, livelihoods, and market opportunities for ginger farmers.