Edo govt. to partner herbal institute in ginger, sesame production


Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo says his administration is ready to collaborate with the Pax Herbal Clinic and Research Laboratories to produce and package ginger and sesame for export.
The governor gave this assurance when he received a delegation from the herbal research centre at the Government House in Benin on Wednesday.
He expressed delight over the agribusiness initiative of the centre which was producing herbal drugs and crops like as ginger and sesame.
“I am interested in your agriculture and agribusiness initiative because we are considering different models of ventures that can work for us.
“We want to treat agriculture as a business; we are looking at how people can make money out of it and how government can assist the citizens to enable them to participate meaningfully and profitably in agriculture.

“We will like to partner you on ginger and sesame production because this is one area which the Nigerian Export Promotion Council has been seeking increased production for exports,’’ he said.
Obaseki said that the creation of “agro-preneurs’’ was the hallmark of his agribusiness initiative, aimed at ensuring gainful employment for all.
He said that his administration would also collaborate with the centre in the area of human capacity development.
Earlier, the Director of the centre, Rev. Amslem Adodo, said that the centre, which had 120 workers, was involved in the scientific cultivation, identification, utilisation and promotion of African herbal medicines.
Adodo said that the centre, which was established about 20 years ago, cultivated its own herbs directly with the help of more than 200 farmers in its host community.
He said that the centre was ready to partner with the state government in poverty and unemployment eradication efforts.
He solicited the government’s support in speeding up the process of obtaining regulatory clearance for the herbal malaria drug which the research centre had produced.


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