By Oluwaseyi Otitoju, Lilian Enyi
The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), has expressed the Council’s readiness to collaborate with the National Banana and Plantain Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NABPAN) in the areas of capacity building and advocacy.
This was made known recently during a courtesy visit by a delegation from NABPAN to the Director-General, RMRDC, Prof. Nnanyelugo M. Ike-Muonso in Abuja to share a planned programme of action (PPA) with the D. G. and members of his senior management team.
The D.G. said that, “the Council is ready to partner with NABPAN on enlightenment and sensitization programs which are aimed to create awareness in the public space, about the immense financial and employment opportunities inherent in the cultivation and value addition of bananas and plantains. He said that he will constitute a team consisting of senior staff of the Council and members of NABPAN to modify the entire NABPAN plan to ensure that it fits into RMRDC’s plans for the year.
Professor Ike-Muonso observed that if farming is practiced as a business, farmers will produce a higher yield of agricultural products. This will adequately meet local consumption and export needs. He also added that it is disappointing to note some neighbouring countries like Cameroon, are thriving on banana and plantain exports while Nigeria is yet to exploit the full potentials of both crops.
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The DG said that the Council and members from the association will work in a group that will draw up the details of a memorandum of understanding that will spell out the modalities for both parties to develop and implement an actionable plan aimed at the sensitization and capacity building on bananas and plantains.
The President of NABPAN, Mr. Adjarho Oghenekaro, expressed gratitude to RMRDC for its efforts to promote the high financial value that bananas and plantains can add to the nation’s GDP. He emphasised that bananas and plantains should be one of the major raw materials that can enrich every Nigerian and turn the economic landscape of the country around.
He said that, “Nigeria can earn more revenue from the cultivation of bananas and plantains than it currently does”, he said.
The NABPAN President noted that every part of banana and plantain is useful. Apart from employment generation and wealth creation, bananas and plantains also have other industrial uses beyond mere consumption as food items. Both crops have applications in the pharmaceutical, the personal care as well as other industries. He said that if both crops are well harnessed, the country can earn over a billion dollars annually from them. He said there is already an indication that both crops can thrive across the country. If the right skills are given to interested individuals, not just farmers in each community, they can become money spinners for both the individuals and the communities. This will result in increased financial empowerment not just for the nation or the communities, but for the individuals’ wellbeing.
Mrs. Gertrude Basorun, a member of NABPAN said that the potentials of both crops are not just limited to cultivating them alone for consumption, rather the potentials lie in adding value to both crops before they’re exported. She further said that there is a need for more processing hubs in strategic locations across the country because currently, the country only has nine institutions which are actively involved in exploring their potentials.
She challenged the Council to get universities across the nation involved in training more farmers and individuals to cultivate both crops to achieve the best yields targeted at meeting certain industry and market needs.
Also speaking at the occasion, the RMRDC Director of Planning, Statistics and Policy Department, Mrs. Rachel Kotso, said that there are a lot of benefits that can be derived from bananas and plantains because no part of each crop is a waste. She suggested that further research should be carried out to explore the various ways to properly store both crops during peak production periods. She said that this will prevent any post-harvest waste and loss. It will also ensure that bananas and plantains are both available to meet local and export demands off season.
Other RMRDC management team at the event also suggested more awareness be created and capacities be built so that they can effectively mitigate the disease that affects the crops, and have quality banana plantation.
