Ag. HOD, Forestry and Wildlife Management (FWM), Dr. Adekunle Adetogun, addressing the participants at the Moringa Plantation while the Director, AMREC, Prof. (Mrs.) Carloyn Afolami (Right) listens.

Over 100 farmers in the Akintobi Village in Alabata community, Odeda local Government Area of Ogun State have been trained by the Agricultural Media Resources and Extension Centre (AMREC) in the skills of processing, production and use of Moringa Oleifera plant.

The Director of AMREC, Prof. (Mrs.) Carolyn Afolami, thanked the farmers for making themselves available for the training which aimed at educating farmers on the economic and nutritional potentials of Moringa. She reiterated the commitment of AMREC-FUNAAB in reaching out to the public with useful agricultural innovations, aimed at improving the socio-economic status of farmers and boosting agricultural production in Nigeria, which is in line with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture’s agenda on entrepreneurship development.

The participants, who were drawn from various villages such as Akintobi, Adao, Fami, Alabata, Abule-Oba, Ojoo, Isaga, Imala, Olorunda, Kango and Ilewo-Orile were exposed to the various methods of cultivating Moringa, its nutritional and medicinal values, uses and techniques involved in processing its leaves to powder form and other products.

Appreciating AMREC on behalf of the farmers, Mr. Michael Adelola, described the training as an eye opener, which will give the participants additional impetus to boost their nutritional and economic status.

In a related development, Nigerian peasant farmers have been encouraged to be more committed and step up their involvement from the subsistence level to full commercialisation. AMREC’s Director made this known at a capacity building training programme on Poultry Production for rural farmers at Ijemo-Fadipe. She observed that vocations in agriculture, especially in poultry production were capable of eradicating poverty, noting that it would also improve the socio-economic status of farmers, if diligently practiced.Professor Afolami enjoined farmers to demonstrate the passion for training and other programmes of the Centre because the knowledge gained would help to improve their skills and productivity. She added that this would invariably encourage the University to do more in improving the lots of rural farmers.