NEPC trains soybeans farmers on modern techniques

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has trained smallholder soybeans farmers in Adamawa State on modern techniques to boost production for export. Speaking at a one-day workshop on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for smallholder farmers in soybeans value-chain, held in Yola, North-East Regional Coordinator of NEPC, Mr Anani Ben Egon, said the workshop was designed […]

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has trained smallholder soybeans farmers in Adamawa State on modern techniques to boost production for export.

Speaking at a one-day workshop on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for smallholder farmers in soybeans value-chain, held in Yola, North-East Regional Coordinator of NEPC, Mr Anani Ben Egon, said the workshop was designed to build the capacity of the small-holder farmers.

He explained that the farmers have been profiled and organized into clusters for the training, to help them to adopt modern good agricultural practices.

He stated that as soybeans is the alternate product selected for adaptation and development in Adamawa state, under the One State One Product Initiative, (OSOP) of the NEPC, it became imperative to build the capacity of the stakeholders for improved production and yield.

According to him, the GAP enhances productivity, ensures sustainability and improves compliance with export quality requirements of final markets.

Mr Egon told the participants that the workshop is not a one-off initiative, “it forms part of a sustained and structured engagement by the NEPC to strengthen the soybeans value chain in Adamawa state and beyond.

“The training also aligns with NEPC’s broader mandate of ensuring that Nigeria’s agricultural products including soybeans meet good agricultural and manufacturing practices benchmarks, thereby reducing cases of export rejections and enhancing global competitiveness.”

The coordinator said the NEPC is working closely with the Soybeans Association of Nigeria (SBFMAN), to organise and develop farmers into well-coordinated clusters.

“Through these ongoing collaborations, we aim to build the productive capacity of these clusters, improve access to export markets and ensure that farmers are fully equipped to meet international standards in both quality and quantity demand,” Mr Egon said.

He reiterated that the approach reflects the Council’s long-term commitment to creating sustainable value chains that contribute to Nigeria’s non-oil export growth and sustainable development.

Also speaking, Adamawa Commissioner for Commerce, Trade and Industry, Ishaya John Dabari represented by Mrs Sosa Bison Permanent Secretary of the Ministry , revealed that Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri had approved and sponsored the registration of 150 prospective exporters across the three senatorial zones of the state.

“His Excellency, Governor Fintiri, has graciously paid for the registration of 150 people, 50 from each senatorial zone to encourage participation in export business.

“We urge farmers and traders to take advantage of the free registration offered through the NEPC, as export certification does not require complex procedures.

“It doesn’t take much to export. The process is free. All you need is to form a cluster of about 10 people, clean and package your soya beans properly, and link up with marketers,” Danari said.

He warned farmers against selling their produce cheaply to middlemen from other states, stressing that such practices deprive them of profit and economic value.

Earlier, the National President of SBFMAN, Dr Dahiru Waziri, said soybean is a strategic commodity in Nigeria, whose value is reflected in nutrition, livestock feed, oil production and industrial processing among others.

He, however, stated that the benefit of the value-chain can only be realised when the quality is assured from cultivation to final packaging.

“As such, this training will focus on strengthening farmers’ capacity to produce, process, mould, and package soybean that meets both national and international quality standards.

“It would help us mitigate inconsistent post-harvest handling; moisture control issues, grain contamination and non-standard moulding and packaging practices, mechanisms that will reposition our production system to meet global expectations,” Dr Waziri said.

He added that the association is also committed to promoting good agricultural and processing practices among its members.

“We would strengthen farmer’s training and extension support, encourage investments in cleaning, sorting, moulding, and packaging facilities.

“And work closely with NEPC and relevant institutions to align with export-ready standards, thereby ⁠move our industry from production for volume to production for quality and competitiveness,” he added.