Second from left, wife of Taraba State Governor and Founder, Hope Afresh Foundation, Anna Ishaku, receives a cheque for sesame processing on Wednesday in Abuja from Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, Mr Kikuta Yukata. Right is Mr. Hisao Yamamoto, General Manger, Toyota Tsusho Division while on the left is Taraba State Governor, Darius Ishaku.
By Dave Iyima
Sesame farmers in Taraba State will soon have high yielding seeds, modern methods and technical facilities to improve productivity with the provision of a $197,736 from the Japanese Government.
This was made possible through the Hope Afresh Foundation, a non-governmental organization (NGO) founded by the wife of the Taraba State Governor, Mrs Anna Darius Ishaku.
The Government of Japan through her Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Kikuta Yukata and Mrs Ishaku signed documents in Abuja Wednesday to access of the grant.
The grant will provide Japanese equipment for sesame seed processing as well as construct a processing facility.
According to its agreement, the project will be implemented in collaboration with Toyota Tsusho Corporation which will provide agricultural equipment from Japanese company, Satake Corporation.
Mrs. Ishaku and Ambassador Yukata exchange the signed documents
An elated Mrs. Ishaku noted that about 4000 farming families are expected to directly benefit from the project with many others along the value-chain.
She pointed out that the immediate community will enjoy about 60 per cent of the factory’s employees alongside other qualified Japanese-trained artisans.
The Taraba State First Lady noted that many communities in the state are predominantly farmers engaged in several cash crops production among which is sesame cultivated twice a year.
Mrs. Ishaku noted that the sanitization has greatly increased farmers’ interest hence expected increased productivity by at least 50 per cent.
She pointed out that in order to encourage sesame production, the state government and her NGO held sensitization programmes, distribution of improved seeds for farmers and identification of farmers into cooperative to create value chain.
The First Lady was accompanied to the ceremony by the Governor, Architect Darius Ishaku who presented brochures showing developments in Taraba State and gave samples of “Highland Tea” produced in the state.
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