Punch||The Federal Government on Monday inaugurated the Nigeria Groundnut Value Chain, which is expected to produce 120,000 metric tonnes of groundnut grains valued at N24bn ($155m). It said the inauguration was to revive the already abandoned groundnut production system in the country as well as restore the groundnut pyramids in the northern part of the country.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, said the groundnut value chain was new and received budgetary provision for the first time in 2013.
He said,
The main objective of the value chain is to drive the development of the groundnut sub-sector in conjunction with stakeholders along the value chain to improve production, processing, marketing and export of the produce.
The groundnut value chain will produce an additional 120,000 metric tonnes of groundnut grains valued at N24bn ($155m) and supplied to small, medium and large scale processors.
Adesina said the project would be implemented directly in 15 states, including Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Bauchi, Benue, Borno and Gombe.
Others are Kebbi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara states.