A major challenge with the cultivation of Sesame in South-Western Nigeria is the inadequacy of the non-rainy drying period offered by nature in a year for the post-harvest processing of sesame pods.
Groupfarma has once again set the pace by developing its own sesame seeds drying machine. This feat was achieved with the help of a Nigerian Agricultural Engineer, Engineer Dr. Babatunde Oduntan of the University of Ibadan. Dr. Oduntan took the specifications of the sesame seeds into consideration in designing and creating the machine, such that the quality of the seeds is retained through the artificial drying process without denaturing the produce.
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With this drying machine, Groupfarma is able to maintain the quality of its sesame seeds, produce more seeds in a year as they can now plant all year round, increase its returns due to more production, enhance time management as more seeds can now be dried faster, curb deforestation by maximizing limited plots of land to plant and replant the seeds.
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The visit to the Groupfarma Lanlate farm is captured in the videos linked below:
Green Nigeria radio show would like an interview on this sesame update