Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, well known for the construction of roads in the country, has announced a diversification into the agricultural sector with the production of cashew.

The company revealed that it would soon commission a cashew processing plant in Epe, Lagos State.

The latest diversification of the company into agricultural sector was made known by the Cashew Project’s Commodity and Marketing Manager, Oyindamola Asaaju, while speaking at the pioneer Agricultural Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) conference held recently in Abuja.

Oyindamola, who represented Julius Berger at the conference discussion panel, stated that clear national occupational standard and demand-driven international product quality would define and drive the company’s operations and productivity in the cashew processing industry in Nigeria, where only 5% of the country’s cashew production is currently locally processed.

According to a statement made available to The Star, the conference, which was dedicated to fill the observed skills gaps within Nigeria’s cashew farming and processing sector, attracted both local and international corporate and research organizations in the cashew production and processing value chain.

The statement added that the conference gave room for the discussion of the status of Nigeria’s food and nutrition security, employment opportunities along the agricultural value chain, access to finance for innovation, agropreneurs and smallholder farmers, quality assurance, requirements and standards, and opportunities and challenges of international trade (including German Supply Chain Law, EU-Import Regulations, and opportunities of AfCFTA).

It noted that the conference also helped to canvass for the benefits of bringing together stakeholders across the entire cashew value chain, matching producers with potential off-takers, promoting investments in the cashew sector, identifying skill gaps in the cashew value chain, and introducing innovative training delivery and competency based training approaches

Dignitaries present at the event included the permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe, who was represented by M.T. Usman, Head of Cashew Value Chain Programme in the Ministry.

Others are Executive Director of Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, Dr Patrick O. Adebola; Issaka Mohamed Salifou of ComCashew Initiative, Anthony Lewis of Fairfood, Olorunfemi Oloruntoyin, Country Director, USDA West Africa PRO-Cashew, amongst others.

TheStar