The project coordinator, Plateau State Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACreSAL), Garba Gowon Gonkol, has assured that its technology driven initiative, “ The Greenhouse Farming”, in no distant time, will enhance food security in the country, as it aims to reduce post-harvest losses.
Gonkol, who explained to our Correspondent that
their vision is to revolutionise agriculture through the ACReSAL project, by harnessing greenhouse technology to double crop yields and promote sustainable practices , said the initiative empowers local farmers and combats climate change, setting a blueprint for agricultural success in the region
Describing the greenhouse initiative as one in which crops are cultivated in an under-protected and enclosed environment, Gonkol said the technology-driven farming enables farmers to cultivate effectively despite climate conditions.
He said the project empowers local farmers with the knowledge and tools to create controlled environments that manage water, sunlight, wind, and disease.
According to him, this cutting-edge technology allows for crops to be harvested within just eight weeks and twice a year, significantly increasing food production and contributing to a greener environment
Speaking on the long-term goal of the ACReSAL project which he said aims to deploy technology to farmers across the Northern region, ensuring improved food yield and security, the Plateau State coordinator described Greenhouse farming as a major player in the global agriculture market.
Reeling out it’s benefits to include not only playing a safe role in food security but ensuring sufficiency in food production, boosting sufficiency in crop farming, and allowing crops to grow under a conducive space that regulates temperature and cooling systems.h
The greenhouse farming initiative, according to him, enables the farmer to experience prolonged and multiple harvest within a planting cycle , saying, “simply put, it helps to reduce post-harvest losses.
He said, “Built by the Plateau State ACReSAL Project in Vom, this ground-breaking harvest experiment includes a first-of-its-kind hybrid cucumber cultivated in Greenhouse. This has not only proven to be successful , but also marks a pivotal game-changer in agricultural practices, yielding exceptional harvest.
The state ACReSAL coordinator , further explained that the World Bank institutionalised programme designed to reactivate semi-arid landscapes in Northern Nigeria utilises a combination of advanced breeding techniques and drip technology, a cheaper and smart method of farming capable of giving high yield that will improve the living conditions of the farmers and end users.
He said , under the greenhouse initiative, plants are grown in controlled environments/ structures, designed specifically to optimise growth conditions like temperature, humidity and light exposure. It does not only increase their crop yields but also foster a more sustainable and eco-friendly approach to agriculture.
He pointed out that greenhouse farming is very profitable and has become a major employer of labour.
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