On Thursday, HortiNigeria’s Director, Muhammed Idris, announced that the organization had trained around 60,000 smallholder farmers and 2,000 entrepreneurs across Nigeria to enhance agricultural techniques. Abdullahi Umar, representing Idris at a workshop in Abeokuta, Ogun State, noted this effort resulted in a 92% yield increase for cabbage, onions, and tomatoes.
Funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and implemented by a consortium including the International Fertilizer Development Centre (IFDC), the initiative aims to boost productivity and income for farmers in pilot states like Kaduna, Kano, Ogun, and Oyo. Idris stressed the importance of developing a sustainable, inclusive horticulture sector to improve food and nutrition security in Nigeria.
Since its launch in November 2021, HortiNigeria has rolled out various projects across ten value chains, including cabbage, cucumber, okra, onions, pepper, sweet corn, tomatoes, and watermelon. As the program heads into its final year in 2025, efforts will focus on scaling innovations, increasing access to finance, and building strong systems for sustainable agricultural development.
Digital platforms and social media have been crucial in spreading essential agricultural knowledge to over 70,000 farmers. Recently, the team donated a waste-to-wealth bin to Soiless Farm Lab and provided Eco-Efficient Solutions to the FUNAAB Hub during their visit.
