Food Security: GAIN Trains Agric Extension Farmers on Nutrition Crops in Kaduna

From Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), a non-governmental organization, has trained agricultural extension workers in Kaduna State on promoting nutrition-rich crops and diets.

The one-day training, which had 69 participants from the 23 local government areas, aimed to support the government with technical assistance in processing and preserving nutrition-rich food using vitamin A maize, cassava, and orange potatoes.

Mr. Godwin Ehiabhi, Senior Project Manager, Supply Chains for Commercialization, said the training aimed to equip extension agents with knowledge on processing and value addition of nutrition-rich products.

He noted that the community would benefit from the program, as the extension agents would cascade their knowledge to the communities.

According to Mr. Ehiabhi, GAIN has been working in Kaduna State for the past five years to implement projects that promote the consumption of safe and nutritious food in Nigeria.

He emphasized the importance of consuming nutrient-rich foods, citing the benefits of biofortification, which can enhance nutrition without significantly increasing costs.

The project manager explained that the overall goal of the training is to ensure that extension agents have the knowledge and skills to process and preserve nutrition-rich foods, and to promote their adoption in farming systems.

He expressed his expectation that the extension agents would share their knowledge with farmers and communities, leading to improved nutrition and health outcomes.

Participants at the training included Aisha Gidado, an extension worker from Kauru local government area, who said, “We learned more about nutritional food and different ways to promote youth and old people’s participation in farming systems in Nigeria, especially in Kaduna State.” She expressed her satisfaction with the training and urged her fellow participants to apply what they had learned.

Another participant, Hauwa’u Gambo from KADA, thanked GAIN for the opportunity to attend the training, saying, “It has benefited us a lot, especially females, in knowing the overall techniques for developing our farming activities.”