Business
Tigernuts, Walnut Effective For Economic Development – RMRDC
The Director-General, Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Peter Onwualu, has said the effective utilisation of walnut and tigernut would pave way for economic development of Nigeria.
Speaking at a sensitisation workshop on the socio-economic uses of Tigernut and Walnut, Onwualu described the crops as “an untapped goldmine, which the nation should harness.
He said tigernut is used as food, especially in western Africa, while walnut is another edible food found in Nigeria.
“This workshop is hosted to alert the general populace of the investment potential, market and employment opportunities, which will emanate from the development and production of tigernut and walnuts.
“These crops are only a few out of the numerous economic trees that this country is endowed with.
“This conference is expected to address production challenges of the crops, identify and sensitise investors on their potential and encourage cluster formation for planting, handling, processing and marketing.
“We are sitting on a goldmine and not tapping into it,” he said.
He said that if relevant attention was given to the crops, there should be a good value chain for their processing and marketing within the next six months.
The Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, said the lack of value addition to the available agricultural produce was the bane of the sector’s development.
Adesina said the conference should serve as an eye- opener as the nation had a lot of other cash crops that could be harnessed for the development of agriculture sector in the country.
The Chairman of Abuja Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Mr Solomon Nyagba, said the over-dependence of oil had spoilt the nation’s economy, while agriculture was completely relegated.
He said that because of the high income from oil, the nation had made it the main stay of the economy, ignoring every other income source.
He called for the immediate utilisation of the crops and other agricultural produce, adding, “we must go back to the days when agriculture was the main stay of the nation’s economy.’’
The Chairman, Nigerian Association of Small Industries (NASI), Chukwu Nwachukwu, said the utilisation of the crops could lead to the growth and development of industries in Nigeria.
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