Edo to train youths on rubber cultivation

As part of efforts to boost rubber production, the Edo State government is planning to train youths in the art of rubber plantation.

BusinessDay reports that the strategy is part of plans to produce extension personnel geared towards the cultivations of about 15,000 new hectares annually for the next 10 years.

Abdul Oroh, the state commissioner of agriculture and natural resources, gave the hint in an exclusive interview in Benin City.

Oroh, who notes that the private sector has enormous role to play to ensure that the state maintained its number one position – as the highest producer of rubber in the country, disclosed that investors had indicated interest to invest between N1 billion to N1.5 billion in replanting at the Urhonigbe Rubber Plantation.

According to him, almost 99 percent of all those tapping rubber in Urhonigbe rubber estate now are not from the state. Some are from the neighbouring Delta State and other states such as Cross River. So, this is the new area we have to develop new skills to train some people to be able to develop the skill in rubber production.

“We are trying to see if we can open up 15,000 new hectares per annual at least for the next 10 years, and once this is done I think it will secure and also promote processing and downstream investment to support the existing estates through provision or granting of more land. And then promote research, which is already being done at Rubber Research Institute at Iyanomoh, and to support nurseries production of modern seedlings of high yielding clones.

“Clearly, the benefit will be enormous if we are able to follow that. It will provide employment, provide industrial raw materials, increase government’s revenue, improve the nation’s trade balance and it will also encourage introduction of high yielding clones that are not at present locally available.

By: IDRIS UMAR MOMOH