THE federal government has said it will continue to encourage commodity associations to unify in order to make them more sustainable and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s economic growth.
Director, Export Commodities Department, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Suleiman Audu stated this at a meeting with stakeholders in moringa value chain.
During the meeting, the Director who was represented by the Deputy Director, Commodities, Mr Kaura Irimiya, said the essence of the meeting was to work out ways of forming a sustainable national commodity association for the moringa value chain in Nigeria.
According to him, “Our entry point to the world or anywhere we are going, for that matter, is commodity associations. We have 160
different commodities that have viable export potential, including moringa, that we are developing.
“We cannot achieve much if you are not together as a group. If you are united, it would be easier for you to have access to support in terms
of funding and even exposure to trainings that would help you attain best practices in production, processing and even marketing.
So I will plead with you to collaborate with the ministry so we can form an association for you in spite of your different groupings.”
The Director observed that moringa is a very important commodity that cannot be toyed with because of its vast application in different segments of the economy especially pharmaceutical and food processing industries.
President of Eden Moringa Multi-purpose Cooperative Society, Mr Michael Ashimashigha, while conforming with the director that there was need to have a strong national association for moringa value chain actors, said that his group, Eden Moringa, has done a lot of work already promoting moringa business in Nigeria.
He said Eden Moringa has coordinators in all the states of the federation including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
He, however, advised other groups to join hands so that they can form one united front.
Also speaking, National President, Moringa Association of Nigeria, Mr, Abba Yusuf Dutse, thanked the director for the initiative.
“I have always said that it is important we all come together to form a national association of moringa in Nigeria,” he said.
He advised all stakeholders to drop their individual differences and work together for the good of all.
