USAID, Nestle train farmers, agro workers.

USAID, Nestle train farmers, agro workers.The United States Agency for International Development and three other organisations will henceforth train farmers, workers and small agricultural businesses in Kaduna State by leveraging the expertise of volunteers. The three other organisations that are working with USAID in the project are Nestlé Nigeria Plc, Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance, and VEGA Member Cultivating New Frontiers in Agriculture. A correspondent learnt that they would be working under a new partnership programme titled, ‘Feed the Future Nigeria and Nestlé Maize Quality Improvement Partnership’. According to them, the training is necessary being that post-harvest losses and contaminants are some of the challenges of staple crops such as maize and soybean, making it difficult for smallholder farmers to earn a decent income. “Crop contaminants like mycotoxins threaten the health and lives of humans and animals, leading to cancer, fatal kidney and liver failure. In children, aflatoxin – which is a type of mycotoxin – causes growth retardation and other serious health problems,” a joint statement from the groups said. “Farmers will learn how to reduce crop contaminants, to help sustainably increase the safety and quality of maize and soybeans, which will lead to improve the health, nutrition and livelihoods in their communities,” it added.