By Saheed Ibrahim

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As parts of effort to diversify Nigeria’s economy from crude oil and improve other sectors for economic growth, oil palm farmers have been charged to adopt best farming practices to enhance their production.
Oil palm production and export experts, who gave this charge, said there was need for Nigeria to improve on her oil palm production in order to meet up with the global standards.

Speaking at a-2-day capacity building programme for oil farmers in Ondo State by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), the representative of the NEPC, Mr Olaniyi Ibrahim noted that Nigeria used to be a global leading oil palm producer but the story had changed over the years.
He noted that the COVID19 pandemic had negatively affected many sectors, including the oil farmers and to the oil palm sector was identified as one of the major sectors Nigeria had comparative advantage that could boost the nation’s economy.
He said that the capacity training programme tagged, “Oil/palm kernel production for global, market competitiveness would boost farmers’ skills and knowledge in order to enhance their capacity for global export.
“Years back, we have experienced rejection of our agricultural products being traded abroad. To avoid this rejection, there is need to train our farmers to have the best knowledge relating to planting, processing, packaging and other areas relating to oil palm production.

“This programme will help our farmers to know what to do at certain point in time so as to have improved breeds and also improve our economy”, he said, adding that there were about 20 other local products being promoted by the FG for exportation.
The lead facilitator and Managing Director of Sustainable Smallholders Oil Palm Services Company Limited, Udeme Edet attributed low palm oil production and substandard product to lack of required skills and knowledge to produce in line with global standards among the farmers.
He submitted that if farmers did not apply best farming practices to manage their farms, they would not get the best products and fall short of global standards.
Udet identified that the farmers were educated on farm maintenance techniques, sustainanable land use, pest control, fertiliser application, best production and pricing techniques, among other aspects.

Responding on behalf of the farmers, the State Chairman, National Palm Producers Association of Nigeria, Mr Bolarinwa Adetula said the programme had enhanced their capacity and give them the right knowledge to improve on their production.
The participant farmers used the avenue to share some of the issues faced in their farmlands and asked relevant questions relating to best pail oil farm practices