Cassava value chain/Nigeria - Training for Youth on Cassava Production and Marketing
10 March 2015
The use of family labor is one of the common approach used by small farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa region at increasing agricultural production.
The use of family labor is one of the common approach used by small farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa region at increasing agricultural production. Youth can contribute in the household income once engaged in agriculture, especially cassava value chain. The youth corps are encouraged to produce Vitamin A bio-fortified staple crops (Vitamin A Cassava) in order to increase nutritional value thus fight against hidden hunger in the country. Areas of active entrepreneurial engagement that the youth corps members can invest in include: Vitamin A cassava stem multiplication; tuberous root production; service provision; and establishment of Point of Sale (POS) outlets in strategic locations. Furthermore, an online sales portal which connects the points of sale is being finalized. The portal will help to connect POS and allow market information flow within the value chain actors in the country (e.g. price information). In building youth capacity in cassava value chain, the youth corps will receive training and technical support from different private organization to enhance their growth in the chain sector. Over 450,000 farmers have received Vitamin A Cassava stems in 2014 and over 500,000 farmers are expected to receive stems for multiplication across the country this year.
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