Diversification into agriculture as a substantive revenue yielding sector has receive a boost with the maiden launch of agricultural the E-Marketing Platform, an online market place where farmers and buyers can meet for exchange of Agricultural produce. At the launch of the platform at the weekend in Abuja, the Executive Director, Farmers Online Market, Mr Steven Maduko, said that 40 per cent of agricultural produce got wasted due to post-harvest losses resulting from insufficient market for farm produce and lack of information available on varieties of farm goods available, amongst other factors. He explained that the company decided to create a platform to bridge the technological gap which will not only boost productivity for farmers but would also boost direct investment to the country. “This platform will reduce the stress of this present administration, it’s all about expanding the Nigerian farming market all over the world creating employment, increase income base of those who are already working through involving them on agricultural marketing; it hopes to create two million jobs and over 20 million indirect jobs for men and women… it has worked in Ghana, India London and If all stake holders collectively work together, it will work in Nigeria.” he said. On the issue of quality of produce, Maduko said that the forum is working with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that agents who would serve as middle men between farmers and buyers are properly trained on international standard of planting and in turn train the farmers to ensure that products meets international standard. In his good-will message, Director General, Consumers Protection Council, CPC, Mrs Dupe Atoki, who was represented by Assistant Director Quality Assurance, Mr. Kelechi Kenneth, noted that on-line business is an emerging business in Nigeria and faces challenges ranging from quality of service and products delivered through the online forum to the direct mechanism you put in place to properly resolved such complaint.
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