Cashew will reduce poverty in Nigeria, says NCAN

Financial Secretary of the National Cashew Association of Nigeria(NCAN), Mohammed Kabir, has disclosed that the body is on the path of reducing poverty in Nigeria by making Cashew a veritable source of income for farmers in the country. 

He made the disclosure while supervising the nursing of 40,000 cashew seedlings 20,000 each in Auchi and Omuora in Etsako West and Owan West Local Government Areas of Edo State recently. 

He stated that the exercise which is the brainchild of the President of the association, Dr. Ojo Joseph Ajanaku is a way of empowering farmers and moving them out of poverty into prosperity. 

“This exercise can boost the Nigerian economy, by way of job creation. It can curb anti social behaviours. We want to meet our target in the next five years to ensure that Nigeria is the highest producer of cashew in the world. 

“We are doing 300,000 seedlings straight away. I am in Edo State supervising the nursery. I was in Kogi State three weeks ago; in Benue States two weeks ago and I will be in Kwara State next week,” he stated. 

He hinted that the exercise will be replicated in all the 32 states of the federation where cashew is the major cash crop. 

Kabir appealed for the support of the government or development partners that want to key into the ideology behind the project which is to reduce poverty tremendously while disclosing that Kogi State is the highest producer of cashew followed by Edo State and Nigeria cashew has the best quality. He also appealed to residents to make good use of available land space to grow cashew as it will be a huge source of income. 

Osas Ojeikere, the Chairman Edo State Chapter of the NCAN affirmed Kabir’s assertion that the National President of the association is a moorale booster who works round the clock to ensure that things are in order. 

Isaac Ikharo, a cashew farmer cum entrepreneur in Omuora, heaped praises on President Bola Tinubu whose Renewed Hope Agenda he said has been of essence. He called on farmers to seize the opportunity to make hay to multiply their cashew yields.