Canola growers get Sh23 million boost
An expert explains the various uses of canola. The crop has health benefits and is also the main ingredient in making margarines. FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Initiative is a Producer Public Private Partnership and would help in alleviating hunger and effects of climate change.
- Canola is used in manufacture of Blue Band.
- Unilever East Africa Ltd set to purchase the farmers' produce.
Canola growers have a reason to smile after three major organisations signed a deal to boost farming of the crop.
Unilever East Africa, Agventure Ltd and SNV Netherlands Development Organisation signed a deal worth Sh23 million this week to promote growing of the crop.
Unilever CEO Justin Apsey said the initiative is a Producer Public Private Partnership and would help in alleviating hunger and effects of climate change.
“We are looking for at least 6,000 metric tonnes of canola (rapeseed) from growers, especially for manufacture of Blue Band margarine, and in the second phase of our programme in 2018, the uptake will increase to 7,000 tonnes,” said Apsey, adding that the project targets to train at least 500 farmers on cultivation of the crop.
SNV through its initiative, HortIMPACT, will use the expertise of the private sector to build a sustainable and competitive agriculture market.
Under the agreement, SNV will also work with Agventure to train smallholder farmers on approaches of conservation agriculture.
