Tomato Production Gets a Boost as Kaduna and FAO Sign Cooperation Agreement
In a statement on Thursday, the technical cooperation agreement between the Food And Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the state government seeks to support smallholder farmers so as to address hunger and malnutrition and to stimulate an inclusive socio-economic growth in the state.
Titled, ‘Smart Tomato Value Chain Enhancement Through Sustainable Practices for Livelihood Improvement in Kaduna State’, it is expected to play a crucial role in Nigeria’s food security, Kaduna State being a top producer of various agricultural products such as ginger, maize, soybean, tomato, and sorghum.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, Governor Uba Sani emphasized that agriculture accounts for more than 51 percent of the state GDP with more than 70 percent of the over 10 million population, mostly youth, engaged in agriculture he said.
He revealed that “Kaduna State is one of the leading tomato-producing states in the country. It is our hope that this new partnership will catalyze our rapid progression toward attaining and maintaining the coveted top spot as a major producer in Nigeria and West Africa.”
The governor reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to food security and sustainable livelihood, disclosing that Kaduna has allocated N74 billion, 9.3 percent of its 2025 budget, to the sector in line with the 2014 Malabo Declaration, which recommends a minimum of 10 percent budgetary allocation to agriculture.
Thus the partnership with the FAO to strengthen the tomato production value chain the through sustainable practices, he concluded.
In his remarks, Koffy Kouacou, FAO country representative, expressed the organisation’s commitment to strengthening the entire tomato value chain, addressing challenges in production, post-harvest, and strengthening cooperative development.
He said the FAO would focus on improving production techniques to boost yields and quality while also enhancing storage, processing, and infrastructure to minimise post-harvest losses.