Agro firm to introduce commodity control market


The Women in Agriculture Advancement Sustainability in Africa (WAASA) on Tuesday said it was set to introduce a weekly WAASA Control Market across the country.
Ms Chi Tola, the Founder of WAASA, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the market would open weekly for farmers to exhibit commodities to be sold at controlled prices.
Tola said that the WAASA Control Market was to also promote the initiative of the organisation, to help rural women farmers get their produce to factories, processors and the end users.
``We are trying to introduce WASSA Control Market where maybe once a week, we will bring farm produce from different parts of the country to sell at controlled prices.
``Let us say for instance, women farmers in Lagos will bring their produce to Berger Market every Friday to sell at a controlled price.
``That way, post-harvest losses would be eradicated, and women farmers would have a ready market to sell their products,’’ Tola said.
She said that this step would help to give women farmers a sense of security and so need government’s partnership and support.
``The organisation is going to introduce a virtual platform that will enable agro processors to place demands for a particular commodity, while the company sources for it.
``For example, if Erisco Foods on a monthly basis says it needs like 10 tonnes of tomatoes, we can get these women to produce and we will transport it to the factory.
``We have a platform for companies to make demands for a particular produce like carrot, while we will source the carrot from women farmers across the country.
``There is a community in Abeokuta where they produce a lot of Coco-yam; but half of it is wasted because they cannot move it to where it will be sold,’’ Tola said.
She said that the organisation was supporting women in agriculture to close both gender and economic gaps, and to encourage more women to go into farming.

NAN reports that WAASA is an NGO that advocates government and seek for private sector support for women in agriculture.  

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