Horticulture is a sector which most people tend to neglect and undermine its potentials.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP Weekend, the chief executive of Wale horticulture in Lagos, Mr Wale Solomon, expressed the displeasure over the way some people tend to undervalue horticulturalists because its things they see and enjoy on daily basis without paying for them.
Requirements
Solomom said: “People think that horticulture is a meager job. I am happy to tell you that we have young men and women undergoing training. People have to learn it. It is like normal school training. Another requirement is the ability to grasp the training because most of them are practical. The training is three months.
“They must know how to handle flowers because each one is in class of its own. They must be identified by their own names. The trainees need to pay N50,000 or N100, 000 either at once or in installment within the three months as training fees.
“After training, they go into the field for proper handling of flowers. They will need to know how to trim them properly. After on the field practical, then we give them freedom. Three of my trainees did their freedom two months ago. Right now, I have four boys who have gone to field for practical.”
Profitability
Responding to how they make their money from this trade, Solomon said, the business is profitable through direct purchase, or through excursions from various schools. For example, some students came here before Easter vacation for excursions and the management of those schools pay for such service.
On the space he is using at Allen area of Lagos, he said, they paid to concerned arm of Lagos state government before he is allocated the piece of land and allowed to operate.
Another man, Mr Asela Saidi while speaking with this medium said horticulture has deeper impact on human beings because all plants, whether vegetables or fruits, fall under horticulture.
Similarly, Mrs Agnes Chukwu, one of the CEOs of horticulture field, corroborated the two previous horticulturists.
To her, Europeans seem to understand and value horticulture more than Nigerians.
Horticulture is the name but many Nigerians who do not know them by that name treat them as ordinary plants.
“Among these flowers were medicinal plants but Nigerians see them as ordinary plants which God has freely blessed us with. We should be grateful to God for all these natural endowment,” he stressed.
LEADERSHIP learnt that horticulture is practice of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants for various purposes.
In Nigeria, horticulture is one business that a lot of people undermined its potential. As little as the horticulture business may seem, it can boost the nation’s economy due to its potentiality in diverse areas.
Benefits of Horticulture business
As little as the horticulture business may seem, it can boost the nation’s economy due to its potentiality in diverse areas.
Horticulture is not only based on beautification, there are other benefits from the growing and extractions of plants.
Nigerians that indulge in horticultural business have realised some benefits like the fruits, vegetables and the medication derivable from plants which are not common to people that are not knowledgeable in the business.
Though it add to beautification, Horticulture business could make our environment appear serene and beautiful through planting of flowers or ornamental crops.
It has already been in practice in some places in Lagos like Ikeja for ages.
For example- Ginger, which is also part of horticulture, has antioxidants that help prevent stress. It can also prevent high blood pressure, heart disease, and diseases of the lungs, plus promote healthy aging.
Similarly, Moringa, which contains a handful of vitamins and minerals that enhances the functionality of the body is also treated as horticulture.
