Despite being a major producer of the crop, Nigeria is not listed among the nations that export yam, the Federal Government stated on Tuesday.
However, it emphasized that this needed to be addressed and that it was working with the necessary parties to revive the export of yam from Nigeria in order to increase wealth creation and food security.
This information was revealed at a stakeholders’ workshop in Abuja by Ernest Umakhihe, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The meeting’s goal, according to the permanent secretary, who was represented by the Director of the Federal Department of Agriculture, Abdullahi Abubakar, was to revive public awareness of yam exports.
According to him, “Nigeria is the leading producer of fresh yams, yet it is unfortunate to note that despite the huge production, Nigeria is nowhere in the map of countries that export yams.
“If we must have sustainable food security for our teeming population of over 200 million people and have enough to export to other countries, there is a need to critically examine the factors working against the quality production and export of our major commodities, of which yam is one of them.
“It therefore becomes imperative to put Nigeria in its right position by considering its contribution to global production.”
While addressing the particioants of the workshop, Umakhihe revealed that Ghana produced 10% of the world’s yams in 2020, compared to Nigeria’s 67%.
According ro him, “However, Ghana remains the second highest world exporter of yam for over 10 years and the highest in West Africa with 94 per cent to annual export contribution.”
Based on Nigeria’s manufacturing capacity, the permanent secretary opined that Nigeria could earn six times as much as Ghana.
Umakhihe emphasized that intentional action must be made to advance yam production, processing, and marketing to the next level in accordance with worldwide best practices if the massive task of repositioning yam as an export crop is to be accomplished.
Abdullahi Abubakar, the Director of the Federal Department of Agriculture, who was present in person through Oyeleke Oshadiya, the Deputy Director of the Nutrition Division, said in his remarks that the workshop offered an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss the best course of action for increasing the income of yam farmers and bringing prosperity to all participants in the value chain.
Simon Irtwange, the national president of the Yam Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria, praised the ministry for setting up the session and outlined some of the difficulties yam farmers face, including lack of finance and difficulty becoming certified, among other things.
