The National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT) has successfully trained 104 farmers in Oyo town on the production and processing of its improved tomato varieties HORTITOM 1, HORTITOM 2, and HORTITOM 3.

The three-day training, conducted by NIHORT scientists and technologists, covered both theoretical and practical aspects of tomato farming. Participants including men, women, and youth drawn from across the tomato value chain were instructed on:

Cultivation techniques

Pest and disease management

Value addition and processing

Production economics

Record keeping

Marketing strategies

According to NIHORT Executive Director Prof. Mohammed Lawal Attanda, represented at the event by Dr. Iyabo Adeoye, the programme is in line with national efforts to boost tomato production, reduce post-harvest losses, and improve food security and farmer incomes.

The three HORTITOM varieties are noted for their high yields, enhanced nutritional content, and resilience with resistance to fusarium wilt and root-knot nematodes. They also have a longer shelf life and are adaptable to all of Nigeria’s agro-ecological zones.

At the end of the training, each farmer received a certificate of participation, a training manual, and seeds of the three HORTITOM varieties.

Stakeholders, including community groups and farmer associations, praised the initiative, emphasizing its potential to strengthen tomato productivity and processing capacity in the region.

NIHORT’s move reflects its broader mission to accelerate the adoption of improved vegetable varieties, in line with its mandate to support “genetic improvement, production technologies, processing, storage, utilisation, and marketing” of horticultural crops. Visit www.jocomms.com for more news.