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USAID, PIND advocate agric gender-friendly policy 

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USAID


It’ll Reduce Hunger By 17%, Says Akeredolu  

Towards improving agricultural development, the United State Agency for International Development (USAID) and Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) have advocated the need to embrace gender friendly agric policies in the country.  

The USAID/Strengthening Advocacy and Civic Engagement (SACE) Chief of Party, Civil Society Project, Mr. Charles Ubani, who spoke during the cluster start-up and inauguration of gender friendly agric policy development Technical Working Group (TWG) for over 100 farmers, in Akure, Ondo State, said the organisations are supporting Life And Peace Development Organisation (LAPDO) in the implementation of a project titled: “Enhancing Inclusive Agricultural Sector In Ondo State.”

The TWG representatives were drawn from the state Ministry, Department and Agencies (MDAs), financial institutions, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and other critical stakeholders like women farmers associations.He identified agriculture as a major aspect of any economy, stressing that women should be empowered to engage with government to promote women friendly policy in the sector.This, he revealed, had resulted into the creation of a line item-agro women initiatives in the 2018 agriculture Budget to support smallholder women farmers in the state.  

“When we talk of great Nigeria, it is all about the people and not the assets. The TWG is meant to remove barriers that discourage women from agriculture and disallow the male counterpart to take undue advantages over them.”

Ubani, said the bodies would continue to work with the smallholder women farmers to enhance agricultural development, especially in the provision of land.“There are roles for people across the agricultural value chain, not just as producers, but also as processors. We will support them to get higher yields and profits instead of just labouring on the field.”

Wife of Ondo State Governor, Mrs. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, who was decorated as the Cluster Advocacy Change Champion, stated that the TWG would facilitate agricultural development.She lamented the significant inequalities between the male and female gender, saying the global-gender pay gap indicates that women consistently earn 24 per cent income less than men.  

Aside creating the agro-women initiative, she added that the state government had also allocated about 150,000 hectares of land to boost cocoa, oil palm and cassava production.
 


Flour Mills to commission N50b sunti Golden Sugar estate Thursday

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With regards to the Federal Government’s Nigerian Sugar Master Plan (NSMP), with an ambitious backward integration programme aimed at setting Nigeria on the path of self-sufficiency in sugar production, the Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc (FMN Group), will on Thursday commission a N50b Sunti Golden Sugar Estate in Niger State.

The sugar estate, located on the banks of River Niger, in Mokwa, featuring 17, 000 hectares of irrigable farmland and a sugar mill that process 4,500 metric tons of sugarcane per day, considered as the company’s biggest agricultural investment in Nigeria, will be commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to a statement made available to The Guardian, the sugar estate, owned by Sunti Golden Sugar Estates (SGSE) Ltd., a subsidiary of Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc., will at full capacity, produce one million tons of sugarcane, which roughly translates into 100,000 metric tons of sugar yearly.

Enclosed within a 35-kilometer dyke, the production facility area is 15,100 hectares, with cane area that features a maximum output of 10, 000 hectares. The dyke provides flood protection from the River Niger. Over N1b was invested in the state-of-the-art irrigation system that will ensure efficient cultivation of sugarcane, with infrastructure that includes drain pumps, pump stations, and a power grid.

The statement said the farm at the peak of production will provide direct employment for about 10,000 people yearly, and impact up to 50,000 people indirectly, including 3,000 small-scale out growers who will be cultivating sugarcane to feed the mill.

“The estate has brought infrastructure benefits to the surrounding community, with 28 communities in total taking advantage of a new 30-kilometer road, plus expansive road networks that provide a variety of access routes to the homes of the indigenes. Drains, culverts, and flood-protection walls have also been constructed. The project illustrates the desire to reduce sugar importation, save billions in foreign exchange, boost local capacity, and reduce unemployment by putting thousands of Nigerians to work.

“The FMN Group’s mantra-Feeding the Nation, Everyday, is at the heart of the company’s strategic decisions on what they produce, how and where factories are set up, the level of care that is put into products, and how they interact with host communities and the wider environment,” the statement read.It added that the commissioning would be the first step towards a collective dream of agricultural progress for all in Nigeria.

At BASICS cassava workshop, farmers list challenges

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Commercial Cassava farmers, commonly called Basics Village Seed Entrepreneurs (VSEs) have identified lack of access to needed land; inability to get loans, farming inputs, chemicals, mechanicals and timely technical information as impediments to massive cassava production in their states.

The VSEs, numbering 50 and drawn from Abia, Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Imo States, which falls under the South East and South South ecological zone, who disclosed this after a one-day workshop, held under the auspices of the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) Umudike, Abia State, facilitated by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) under the Building an Economically, Integrated Seed System for Cassava in Nigeria (BASICS), added that bad roads, and insecurity due to herders threats, among others are affecting their productivity.

They pleaded with appropriate authorities to address the challenges, to pave way for massive production of cassava, which they stressed, has multiple positive implications on the growth of the country.

While declaring the workshop open at Kolping Conference Center, Umuahia, NRCRI Acting Executive Director, Prof. Ukpabi Joe Ukpabi, represented by Director- Farming Systems Research and Extension, Dr. Godwin Asomugha said BASICS project purpose was to develop a sustainable cassava seed value chain in Nigeria, characterised by the commercial production and dissemination of cassava planting materials, adding that the project envisages benefits to farmers and the industry through higher returns from the use of clean planting materials of superior quality that are made accessible to farmers at the right time and at appropriate price.
 
“BASICS project was initiated and funded by BMGF to develop a sustainable seed syste via commercial sale of cassava planting material that is produced with high quality standard that are certified by the National Seed Council.”

Team Leader of the BMGF project in NRCRI, Dr. Joseph Onyeka said the workshop was one of the activities used to equip selected lead farmers at the village level with capacity to become VSEs, sourcing early-generation cassava seeds from Foundation Seed Producers and selling them to farmers in their vicinity.

How Asian rice importers sabotage Nigeria’s policy

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Smuggled rice

Nigeria's Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, must by now have understood what it means to fight the rice mafia in Nigeria.

For about a week now, he has been in the eye of the storm over comments reportedly credited to him, relating to the fact that seven rice mills had closed shop in Thailand on account of the drop in the importation of rice by Nigeria.

Apart from the response of Thailand Ambassador to Nigeria, Wattana Kunwongse, denying remarks that rice mills are collapsing in the Asian country; many people had gone to town, particularly on the social media to castigate the minister for telling lies.

This was done rather than viewing the statement credited to the minister in the context that Nigeria is involved in a trade war that dates back many decades.

Kunwongse, in a statement, said: “The report is not only misleading but a distortion of the actual conversation between myself and the honourable minister of agriculture at the federal ministry of agriculture and rural development.”

He narrated how he “praised President Buhari’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), the essence of which is the endeavour to move the country to a self-sufficiency and export-oriented economy, and to that worthy cause, Thailand stands ready to work closely with the Nigerian government in the field of technological transfer and agricultural machineries.”

It seems relevant and necessary to ask how the exporting country hopes to benefit from assisting an importing country in technological transfer and agricultural machineries that will end up stopping the latter from continuing to depend on the former. Some issues raise questions of correlation and causation.

What the ambassador did not explain is how his country imported 1,647,387 metric tonnes of rice to Republic of Benin in 2017 alone.

Mr Kunwogse also did not mention that Thailand’s import of rice to Benin has been steadily on the increase, 805,765MT in 2015, and 1,427,098MT in 2016, while official import from Thailand into Nigeria was steadily declining.

Nigeria has an estimated 180 million people while the population of Republic of Benin is about 11 million people. In 2014, 1,239,810MT was imported into Nigeria.

It declined to 644,131MT in 2015, and to 58,260MT in 2016, reaching an all-time low of 23,197MT in 2017, and if this trajectory remains on a downward path, Nigeria may not be importing rice by 2020.

The flow of rice imported from major Asian origins to Benin for onward shipment to Nigeria is a factor that should not be ignored in the regional rice trade in West Africa.

ECOWAS data indicate that over half of the rice Benin imports is sold into the Nigerian market. Port of Cotonou statistics show about 2.4 million metric tons (MMT) of cereals arriving at the port in 2014, over half of which is rice.

USDA data show about 700,000 MT of net rice and wheat imports, coming under lower duties, another reason for the large volumes of cereals transited through Benin, and made easier than in Nigerian corridors out of Lagos. Rice is by far the most important commodity for the Benin Food Importers Association.

This should be a cause for concern as Nigeria consumes parboiled rice exclusively, but Benin prefers white rice. Rice consumption in Nigeria is almost entirely of parboiled rice.

In West Africa only Nigeria consumes parboiled rice. Other West African countries including all the neighboring countries to Nigeria (Niger, Benin, Cameroon, Chad) are not consumers of parboiled rice. In Africa only South Africa is the other major country that consumes parboiled rice.

The shipments of parboiled rice from India and Thailand into Lome, Cotonou and Douala ports is a very fair estimate of smuggled rice into Nigeria as none of these countries have internal consumption of parboiled rice. All the imports of parboiled rice into these countries finally find their way into Nigeria.

Consumption of parboiled rice by Nigeria’s neighbours like Togo, Sierra-Leone, and Niger Republic is not significant as parboiled rice is not part of their staple food. So where is this humongous rice import meant for?

Smuggling of parboiled rice from across the borders (mainly Benin Republic) is creating a major disaster for the rice industry in Nigeria and is upsetting the country’s economy.

Will it then be correct that the exporting country is involved in the smuggling by proxy? These neighboring countries don’t consume parboiled rice! Details on this argument can be found on: https://www.proshareng.com/ news/Agriculture/Smuggling-of- Parboiled-Rice-from-Across- the-Borders/37718 .

In a few weeks, Nigerians will celebrate Easter, a very important festival for Christians in Nigeria, which celebrates the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the other season apart from Christmas that the demand for parboiled rice will reach its peak.

Why is it now that the attack on the minister over importation of rice loudest? Much of the rice imports to Republic of Benin are expected to find their way into Nigeria at all cost, particularly through smuggling.

Investigations reveal that the rice gang has become so ruthless and sophisticated that they will stop at nothing to ensure that these imported goods get into the country.

The smugglers, who move in convoys of not less than 50 vehicles, are always battle ready and well equipped to kill anyone, including custom any official, who dares to stop them. A case in point is January 17 this 2018, when smugglers engaged custom officers in a gun battle at Abule-Egba, Lagos State, where the smugglers incited the people into a riot, claiming one of them was killed.

The attack on Chief Ogbeh therefore seems part of a ruthless campaign that has been going for years to ensure that Nigeria never reached a self –sufficiency in rice production planned by successive governments for the Nigerian people. His predecessor in office, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, now President, African Development Bank (AfDB) was also fought to a standstill.

In July 2015, the government of Thailand announced that it has struck preliminary deals to export a total of 760,000 tonnes from its huge stockpiles to several countries in Africa. This announcement was made by the Thai Rice Exporters Association, which said the said rice would be supplied to Nigeria, Mozambique, and South Africa.

This was despite the restriction placed on importers of rice, and other items from the official foreign exchange market by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Mr. Godwin Emefiele, the CBN Governor, had at that time bemoaned the high bill on rice importation which had resulted in huge unsold stock of rice cultivated by indigenous farmers as well as low operating capacities of the many integrated rice mills in the country.

But Reuters quoted Chukiat Opaswong, honorary president of the Thai association, in a phone interview from Johannesburg, saying most of the rice going to Africa is parboiled and shipments will start in September. The rice would be sold at around $430 a tonne netting the government more than $325 million, that is roughly N117 billion. Nigeria is one of the major importers of the commodity from Thailand, importing about one million tonnes of rice valued at about $700 million every year.

A research by Bloomberg then revealed that Thailand Government held around 17.8 million tonnes in stockpiles and was keen on selling 10 million tons of stockpiled rice in 2015 and around seven million in 2016 through tenders. (“Thailand’s rice export to the world in 20 January-December 2017 reached 11.48 million tons equalising $5.1 billion (USD), a 15.54 per cent increase compared to previous years, which is one of the highest figures on the history Thailand’s rice exportation).

The stockpiling means the rice exported is not necessarily fresh as it is kept for years in store and only drawn upon during the time of export.

In 2015, Dr Adesina fought the “Rice Cabal,” a group of exporters of parboiled rice from Thailand and India, to a standstill. In 2014, he warned that “Nigerian government will not allow any company to undermine its policy of food self - sufficiency”, and then added “Nigeria is not for sale”.

For over a decade, a cabal of foreign rice importers has held Nigeria by the jugular, determining the quantity of rice to be imported into the country from Asian countries such as Thailand, and India. So much was their influence that they have no regard for government’s quota of rice importation.

These companies are so powerful to the extent of owing government N35.6 billion on duties from imported rice in 2014 alone, according to the former Minister. It is not clear whether these companies paid the tariff after the Buhari administration took over government.

In recent times, Nigerians have begun to patronise their own local rice, which they have turned into delicacies, attracting higher prices than imported rice. Virtually all eateries across the country now serve local rice, one popularly called “ofada”. Across the cities, women with coolers take the rice to offices and sell to ready customers who pay higher price.

Nigerians are also beginning to appreciate the nutritional value and taste of their own local rice as against parboiled rice that has been laced with preservatives and warehoused for years before getting to their destinations.

Nigerians living in the city of Lagos woke up in December 2017 to the cheery news of sale of local polished rice by Lagos State government. The product, christened LAKE RICE, was a product of partnership between Lagos and Kebbi states to ensure food security and showcase the ability of Nigeria to become a food-producing nation.

Over a million bags was sold. It went a long way to reduce the price of rice during the festive period. Since then many state governments have formed joint partnership in the production of rice and other staple foods.

Foreign rice importer companies are therefore experiencing serious competition from patriotic Nigerian rice growers, farmers, and even state governments who have embraced government’s rice policy and have become major investors in the local rice sector.

Nigerians are taking the gauntlet and freeing themselves from shackles of dependency. Nigerians are feeding Nigerians.

The fear or competition by these Asian companies and their unwillingness to pay billions of naira to the treasury is what is driving a devious campaign against the rice quota allocations. For once, Nigeria is winning the rice rice war, and after Chief Ogbeh spoke to put this in context, hell was let loose.

Government’s rice policy is geared towards encouraging investment in local rice production and milling as government has announced the plan to distribute more small mills across the rice production zones.

As Easter festivities approach, the Nigerian authorities will have their hands full in controlling imported rice from finding their way into Nigeria through smuggling.

Nigerian rice producers and the entire value chain will also need to make sure local polished rice reaches the nooks and cranny of the country.

States like Lagos are also expected to control the huge Lagos market by selling at subsidised rate the way they did last December.

Then the words of Audu Ogbeh will be understood that the Asian Tigers are at war with Nigeria and West Africa on rice war, a war Nigeria and the West African sub region must win very quickly and permanently.

Climate change: Biologists proffer solution to threat on agric 

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Agriculture

Nigeria can achieve agricultural sustainability despite the threat posed by the climate change challenges, if farmers embrace new and smarter ways of adequately feeding the populace. 
 
This was the position of Head of the Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, University of Lagos, Prof. Bola Oboh, during the annual lecture of the department, with the theme: “Agriculture and food sustainability in Nigeria: The role of Biologists”
 
She said farmers could manipulate the DNA of the country’s indigenous crops to withstand the vagaries of climate change, by breeding crops that have high resistance, hold back erosion, with the cooperation from government and private companies to achieve the goal.
 
Oboh said biologists have essential roles to play in this area, by informing investors on climate-resilient agricultural production systems, minimising greenhouse gas emissions and developing a global knowledge system for sustainability.
 
“Apart from the age long selection and improvement of food crops via conventional breeding tools, modern biotechnological tools are central in combating the ills of climate change on global food security,” She said.
 
Oboh regretted that issues of poor governance, out-dated agricultural practices, poverty, infrastructure deficit, soil degradation and non-availability of resilient elite crop plants have negatively impacted the Nigeria food security indices.
 
“This clear and present threat to global food security, affects Nigeria’s changing scenarios arising from climate change, unplanned urbanisation, shrinking arable land and water resources have exacerbated an already challenged food system.”
 
Oboh noted that modern biotechnology provides opportunities for mindful developing countries to fight hunger and diseases within their bounds, saying the country could achieve agricultural sustainability despite the climate change.
 
The Guest Lecturer, Prof. Gordian Obute said the issue of global warming is currently affecting both plants and animals, noting that farmers are also adapting ways to ensure their survival.

‘Sunti Golden Sugar will save Nigeria $100m foreign exchange yearly’

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Mr. Paul Gbededo, Group Managing Director, Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, FMN, (Right); Governor Sani Bello, Niger State Governor; Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Mr. John Coumantaros, Chairman, FMN Group at the inspection of the multi-billion naira new Sugar Mill at Sunti Golden Sugar Estate in Mokwa LGA, Niger State

The newly commissioned Sunti Golden Sugar Estates, Mokwa, Niger State would save Nigeria $100m in foreign exchange every year, with the production of one million tons of Sugarcane, which roughly translates to 100,000 metric tons of sugar yearly. 
 
This was disclosed by Chairman, Flour Mills Nigeria Plc, Mr. John Coumantaros, during the official commissioning of the factory on Thursday, noting that the company has again exhibited its commitment to the Nigerian economy, and indeed Africa, by unveiling what is yet another important project, considered as the single most substantial investments made by the organisation in Nigeria.
 
Located on the bank of the River Niger, the Sunti Golden Sugar Estates comprise of 16,000 hectares of irrigable farmland and a Sugar mill that process 4,500 metric tons of sugarcane per day. 
 
He noted that the investment, unveiled by President Muhammadu Buhari, totaling over N50b, directly demonstrates its confidence in the governments’ vision to overhaul the agricultural sector and particularly for the attainment of the National Sugar Master Plan (NSMP) target of achieving self-sufficiency in the production of sugar locally. 
   
Coumantaros said the farm at its production peak would provide direct employment for about 10,000 people yearly, and impact up to 50,000 people indirectly, including 3,000 small-scale out growers who will be cultivating sugarcane to feed the mill. 
 
“Like most of our investments in the agricultural sector, the Sunti Sugar Estates will serve to raise the living standards of people particularly those in the rural areas, strengthen the capabilities of small-scale farmers and provide them a route to the market.
 
“At FMN, we believe that the importance of integrating industry with agriculture cannot be over-emphasised. A farm, without a factory, will have no place for its produce, and a factory without a farm will have no raw materials. Here in Niger State, we have successfully united both industry and agriculture and in doing so have created jobs, developed capacities, and enriched livelihoods which opens the road to a greater future.”
 
In his speech, President Buhari said the project could not have come at a better time, as the country makes her journey out of recession and the economy continues to show considerable progress, “we are reminded of one of the cardinal objectives of this administration, which is to look inwards as we focus on our national endowments in agriculture, and other non-oil sectors for machine growth and development.
 
“The level of work and magnitude of investment that we are witnessing here today is a clear demonstration that our policies on economic diversification are on the right path.”
 
He said the world over; sugar has been identified as a key commodity that is critical to national food security, other than the development of local commitment, saying the investment of such magnitude will not only stem the tide of importation of sugar, but will also save foreign exchange. 
 
“While we have had some challenges in the implementation of the National Sugar Master plan (NSMP) in the past, I believe that our vision of attaining self-sufficiency in sugar in Nigeria, is well within sight with the kind of investment that has been made here.”

FUNAI, IITA to partner on research, agriculture development

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FUNAI

The Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo (FUNAI), Ebonyi State, is set to partner the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Oyo State, in the areas of research, agriculture, staff and students’ training and agricultural research proposal development. 
 
This was disclosed by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chinedum Nwajiuba, during his visit to the institute, to discuss possible areas of mutual beneficial partnership.
 
Welcoming the FUNAI delegation, the Deputy Director-General of the institute, Dr. Kenton Dashiell noted that there were many possible areas the two organisations could collaborate. 
 
He stressed that the vision of IITA was to transform agriculture in Africa, adding, that without any staff of the institute in Ebonyi State, IITA can only impact farmers in the state through partnerships, thus emphasising the importance of a possible partnership with the university. 
 
The Deputy Director-General pledged to partner with the university in different areas of mutual interests, especially in moving agriculture and agricultural research forward in the southeastern part, especially in Ebonyi State. 
 
Given the low level of improved cassava adoption in the southeast, he also expressed the commitment of IITA towards making FUNAI its partner in extending cassava technologies (under TAAT) in the region, adding that the institute would participate in the upcoming international conference on hidden hunger to be held in the university this year.
 
Dashiell further promised to link the university’s Directorate of Research and Development with IITA Project Development Unit and equally give the university access to its e-library, urging the university to also set up units in charge of technical, legal, and financial services in proposal development and project implementation, if not yet on ground, for easy collaboration. 

Niger seeks economic turnaround through shea butter production

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SHEA BUTTER. PHOTO CREDIT: https://i.ytimg.com

Niger State is on the verge of becoming the main hub for Shea Butter in Nigeria.
 
Currently, the state boasts of having the largest collection of Shea trees in the world, controlling about 54 per cent of all the trees in Nigeria and of the vaunted 325,000 metric tonnes of Shea nut and butter exported from Nigeria.
 
To tap fully into the economic potentials of the Shea tree, the state has appointed a consultant, First Heritage Global Investments Limited, leading a team of experts, to come up with the Niger State Shea Sector Development Programme (NSSSDP). 
 
One of its assignments is to draw a Master plan for the expansion of the Shea sector value chain and structuring of a Shea sector economy. The consultants insist that this requires a new value chain matrix for the Shea sector, which their experts have now produced to guide the development of the Master plan.
 
That new matrix, showing all the opportunities available to Nigerians in the Shea sector has been published already in NSSSDP publications, including its “better life from Shea butter” sensitisation flyers.
 
The NSSSDP has developed an advocacy concerning the work that needs to be done and the paradigm shift that it would entail. This advocacy has already been delivered to the local communities around the Shea trees, the women who constitute the “primary growers” who harvest from the snake infested forests during the season with nothing but their basins and bare hands.
 
Under current supply chain structures used by middlemen, traders and some producers, thousands of women are formed into cooperatives to secure supply of nuts for butter extraction, refining and fractionating facilities mainly established outside Nigeria.
 
The advocacy has also been shared with International Institutions, non-governmental organisations, relevant Civil Society organisations and government parastatals.
 
The NSSSDP has been on the road around the Shea tree zone since last year, training, educating and sensitizing the local populace.
 
Consultants are now available to guide farmers on how to comply with these important standards that would open the international market to them and Ecocert through Nicert is now able to conduct the inspection and auditing work that certification requires.

AgroChemical sector loses $180m to multiple regulations yearly

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Over$180m is lost yearly by Nigeria’s Agro-chemicals industry to multiple tariffs, paid to various regulating agencies, contrary to what obtains in other countries.
   
Consequently, stakeholders have warned that if the Federal Government does not urgently address the issue, it is capable of plunging the country into food crisis, as the multiple levies would lead to high cost of food. 
 
This alarm was raised at the weekend by Croplife Nigeria, the umbrella body of agro-chemical industries in the country, at a briefing in Lagos. The body said its members are subjected to strenuous registration process, as well as, heavy payment to get licence and other documentations. 
   
President, Croplife Nigeria, Mahmood Tauhid, said FG’s resolve to tackle food insecurity, which has started yielding results, may not be sustained due to multiple problems facing the agric sector.
 
He said: “It is unfortunate that by the time we finish a process, another agency shows up. As critical as agriculture is in the food processing sector, all these levies lead to high prices of food.”

He, therefore, appealed to the Federal Government to ensure that the issue is addressed.
 
The General Secretary, Dr. Abdullahi Ndarubu, who disclosed that Croplife’s business is worth $600m yearly, said multiple regulations have resulted in the industry recording more than 30 per cent losses yearly.

He noted that as more youth and women are gradually returning to the sector, if the constraint is not addressed, the potential of getting a reasonable population of this category of Nigerians might be destroyed.

Why poultry farmers are leaving

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Toromade

Francis Toromade is the former Group Head, Strategy and Policy, Amo Byng Nigeria Limited, with over 30 years experience in the poultry industry. He spoke on why operators are leaving the industry and what should be done to reposition the business. 

What is the situation of the poultry sector?

I don’t have the statistics because I don’t want to quote wrong figures. The best way to confirm this fact is the reduction in the patronage of day-old chickens. Every farmer, either those producing egg or those producing meat must buy day-old chicks, either broiler or pullet.

The way to know poultries are closing down is when you go to the factories and you discover that their sales have come down.

Nearly every hatchery suffered last year, many stopped setting eggs, those are the signals. I don’t have the statistics, but taking a cursory look, I can tell you that most farms have closed down and when there is reduction in the volume of feed sales, then you’ll know farms have closed down, those are the indices.

What are the challenges?

The critical issues in the poultry industry cuts across the value chain from the feed milling, hatchery, manufacturers of animal medicament, processing and even the packaging of eggs. The issues are in every stage, but the most critical of all that affects other subsectors across the value chain is raw materials needed by the feed mills.

The raw material macro ingredients are the major issue and this is majorly maize and soybeans, which constitute 75 per cent of the rations of raw materials. Maize and soybeans are grown locally, but it is still a major challenge to the poultry industry.

The yield per hectare of maize and soybean in Nigeria is still low compared to other countries; the improved seeds varieties for farmers to boost production are lacking and the finance to increase production areas by farmers are not there. All these factors have made our cost of maize and soybean production higher and unable to compete with imported varieties.    

Micro ingredients such as the amino acid, vitamins and minerals, enzymes are affected by the volatility of the exchange rates, and are not easily available because they are all imported. This put producers of feeds at a disadvantage because they cannot compete at the international market.

The cost of feeds has a multiplier effect across the entire poultry value chain because it is what determines the cost of day-old chicks, frozen chicken and the cost of egg.  

The high rate of smuggling of frozen chicken into the country is another major challenge to the industry. A lot of farms have shutdown because of smuggling.

Government and the Customs Service have tried, but there is still room for improvement. Over one million tons of chicken is smuggled into the country yearly, if these smuggled products were produced here, it will create jobs. But now these jobs are exported to these countries.

The issue of yearly egg gluts has also become problem. What is responsible for this?

I will approach it in two ways- the industrial and consumer. Egg is a unique product because it is consumed by all. In Nigeria, there is low usage of eggs because the food and beverage industries use egg powder and this is not being produced in the country, but imported.

Egg powder is not being manufactured in Nigeria because of the inputs. If maize import including tariffs costs N80, 000 per ton and the one produced in Nigeria goes for N140, 000 per ton and the chickens that would lay these eggs are consuming these maize, there is no way egg powder produced in Nigeria will not be more expensive than the imported ones.

On the consumer aspect, there is a challenge also. Per capital income of Nigerians is low and people are not consuming eggs as expected. Nigeria per capital egg consumption is 65 eggs per person a year. In Spain its 340 eggs person in a year and in U.S. it is 305 eggs per year. This shows that Nigerians are not consuming eggs.  

The northerners eat more eggs than the Southerners. The channel of egg distribution in the country is also faulty. Many of the channels sell egg are not certain and there are close substitutes to egg.

Also there is no serious advertisement on the importance of egg consumption in the country by farmers. Farmers must find a central way of promoting egg.

Minister of state for Agriculture Heiken Lokpobiri said investors are scared of coming into the sector because it lacks accurate data, how true is this?

He is very correct. You’ll discover that about three, four years ago, the rate at which the eateries, Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) sprang up was very sporadic. Go and check them today, many have closed down their outlets because reliable data and statistics are not available. Everybody comes into the country, which has 190 million as the total market, but is 190 million the available market?

Then, talk of demography, how many people are between 0 and six years, how many are between seven and 10 years, how many people are dependent, the family size, occupation, family life cycle, all these information are key.

No respite as more poultry farmers close shop

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Poultry farmers are currently facing extinction as a result of challenges.

Though actual number of farms and hatchery that have folded up is still vague, investigations showed that many farmers left the business hurriedly after incurring serious losses, while those still operating are either struggling to remain in business at zero profit or incurring huge debts to stay afloat.

Some of the challenges include; high cost of feed, sourcing of raw materials, high foreign exchange rate, unending smuggling of poultry products, and cost of production. But the issue of high cost of feed appears to be most pressing.

The Guardian learnt that those still in business are adopting different means of survival.

A poultry farmer, Prince Olanipekun Fagbemi Valentine Abiodun, who confirmed the development to The Guardian, said though he incurred losses due to the challenges, it was manageable because he had envisaged the problem was likely to happen and was able to formulate survival strategies.

He listed the challenges to include-scarcity of feed raw materials; low level technical know-how; and egg glut.

“At a point in time, quality feed raw materials became so scarce and the little found in the market were so expensive, which in turn led to high cost of feed.

This factor forced many farmers out of the business because the return on investment was nothing to write home about. But we thank God that we are overcoming this problem gradually as the price of feed is becoming affordable to poultry producers as we speak.

“Lack of technical know-how by some poultry farmers equally contributed to reasons why farmers abandoned poultry. They tend to do things in the old way and shun innovations. I have encountered so many farmers on the field who do not have Animal Scientist to guard them in their operations.

On the egg glut, he said the problem arises when there are eggs in excess in the market, which will force down the price. Egg is highly perishable, just like other proteinous sources of food such as milk and meat. The shelf life is short and therefore must be disposed freshly before it starts to deteriorate,” he said.

Another farmer, John Olofintuyi, who operates from Igoba, Akure, Ondo State, said hike in price of poultry feed and medications, coupled with the economic recession causes of farms folding up on daily basis.

“Majorly, egg and meat production are the main aspects of poultry business. These challenges led to increase in price of egg and unfortunately, due to economic recession, Nigerians couldn’t afford to buy eggs anymore. And because egg is highly perishable, farmers are forced to sell below cost of production and gradually went bankrupt.

“On the other hand, the meat production aspect is surviving the challenges due to the ban on importation of frozen poultry products.

In its submission, the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) claimed sourcing of feed materials, is the most pressing of the challenges confronting the sector.

The body claimed that despite the opportunity to plant maize twice a year, the opportunity was not utilised.

The immediate National President of the association, Dr. Ayoola Oduntan, once suggested the need to encourage soya bean and maize farmers to increase their level of production, to meet local demand. “We have opportunity of planting maize twice a year in this country, so I want to encourage maize and soya producers to increase production from the present two tonnes to about 10 tonnes.”

The invasion of farms diseases and pests, especially armyworm caterpillar, stem borers, and corn earworms threatens the $6b annual maize turnover after 22 states were affected.

The former Group Head, Strategy and Policy, Amo Byng Nigeria Limited, Francis Toromade, told The Guardian, recently that generally, there is scarcity of maize because Nigerians have never relied solely on locally produced maize, but always substituting with importation, noting that due to the devaluation of naira and scarcity of dollar, it has been difficult to cope. 

He noted that since 2011 there has been importation of a minimum of 100,000 metric tons of maize, noting that since 2015, 300,000 tons was imported and there was a projection for 300,000 again in 2016, of which only 90,000 tons entered the country in 2017.

“So, there is a shortfall of 410,000 tons. The truth is that local production has not satisfied the needs of the consumers locally, prompting us to look for the way out, to find alternative to maize.” 

As a way of addressing the perennial challenges, Olanipekun suggested that farmers must ensure they buy quality feed materials if they are toll milling by themselves.

“They must insist on quality raw materials. Don’t buy water instead of maize. Don’t buy cotton seed cake instead of GNC. They must ensure adulterated raw materials are not supplied to them.
The cheapest feed may not likely be the best for your investment. Do feeding trial experiment with few birds to determine what branded feed to go for.”

To Olofintuyi, government needs to subsidise farm inputs to encourage farmers to grow more of feed ingredients to bring down prices of feed materials and to also intensify efforts on the ban on importation of frozen poultry products.

Dizengoff Case IH tractor emerges number one in Nigeria

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Dizengoff Nigeria

Case IH, distributed by Dizengoff has out-performed other brands, emerging as the number one brand of tractor in the country.
 
According to figures released for agricultural machines and tools sold in 2017, it led with the best market share, in terms of customer preference and purchase.
 
It also wins the best market share award from CASE IH. This was announced during the company’s annual Distributors’ Conference, where the company led other CASE distributors in the African market to cart away the prestigious “Best Market Share Award, 2018.”
 
Case IH is the tractor brand manufactured by Case International Harvesters, acclaimed as a leading agricultural machine tools manufacturer in the world. Case brands are shipped to different countries across the world. In Nigeria, the brand is marketed by Dizengoff as the company’s exclusive distributor.
   
While speaking about the accomplishments, Dizengoff Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Antti Ritvonen said he is excited as the achievements are coming so quickly. “We brought Case IH into the Nigerian market just barely a year ago. For us to be so recognised means we have done well so far and I believe, this rating and award is something to be happy about.  
 
“It shows that Case IH is well received in the market. It is also a testimony to its tested superior technology, as well as its overall superiority in performance, reliability and efficiency, including several other parameters that I believe demonstrates its overall suitability for the Nigerian environment.” 
 
Also, the Commercial Manager for Tractor & Implements, Mr. Damisa Enahoro revealed that, beyond the tractor, a key part of Dizengoff’s winning edge with Case IH in the market so far is its “second to none” after sales service support, which is integral to its overall customer service delivery. 
 
“It is at the heart of our strategy. We don’t just sell tractors. We have the parts and we back this up with maintenance service. In addition to providing expert advice and technical support services such that the customer is never alone.“
 
Beyond the present, looking ahead Ritvonen disclosed, “our achievements so far are just like a tonic to do more. Clearly there is huge opportunity in the Nigerian agric sector, but there are a lot of challenges as well.”

Foundation, farmers’ association hold cassava festival in Akwa Ibom

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Cassava

People, Environment and Sustainability Foundation, in collaboration with All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN), recently held a maiden Cassava Festival also known as Usoro Iwa in Akwa Ibom State.

Sponsored by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and Champion Breweries, the festival aimed at sharing culinary skills and ideas, and showcasing cassava as a food source with high nutritional values.

Themed: ‘The nutritive wonders of cassava’, participants used the platform to showcase talents in different categories of cassava production. 

Agricultural stakeholders in Akwa Ibom State and over 300 farmers participated. There was free distribution of improved variety cassava stems to far
the convener, Rita Robert Otu, in her keynote address, reminded participants that the cassava that was celebrated was Vitamin A fortified.

She also launched her first project tagged: ‘It all starts with one stem,’ which aims at strengthening communities and institutions to produce and consume bio-fortified crops.

IITA-CWMP puts smiles on farmers’ faces

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Dashiell Kenton

Resources-poor farmers who are participating in the demonstration farms organised by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)-led Cassava Weed Management Project (CWMP) said the project intervention is making life easier for them.

According to them, the project is a “burden lifter,” as they claimed to have suffered over the years, seeking solutions to weed management in cassava farming systems.

For Fortunatus Okeke, the IITA-CWMP is perhaps the best thing to have happened to farmers in recent times. “It was a ‘new normal’ to hand weed and face drudgery. But now, IITA has brought solutions to control weeds. We are glad for this,” he said.

Another farmer, Abu Ogundapo who is based in Abadapo village, said the yields from the demonstration farm were unprecedented. “We have never had it so good like this,” he said, while admiring his cassava harvest.

Esther Ayangbade from Otuu village said, “This project has made cassava farming easier. I am glad to be part of this.”

Responsible for between 50 and 80 per cent of yield losses in cassava farming systems, weeds rank high among the constraints to cassava production in Africa, limiting the yield of the root crop to less than 10 tons per hectare in Nigeria.

Farmers plant cassava to the extent to which they can control weeds, notes Dr Alfred Dixon, Project Leader of the IITA CWMP. For women, who contribute up to 90 per cent to weeding labour, it is a “nightmare” imagining the emergence of weeds and having to clear them.

In some cases, children of school age are withdrawn from schools to support weeding operations, a practice that undermines the future of this vulnerable group.”

With the interventions of the IITA-CWMP using integrated weed control, farmers are heaving a sigh of relief from the ‘yoke’ of weed infestation in cassava.

The integrated weed management package comprises the use of best-bet agronomic practices plus the use of safe and environmentally friendly herbicides.

Using this approach, Prof Friday Ekeleme, Project Investigator for the IITA-CWMP, has reported that farmers are now doubling the national yield average of cassava—crossing the 20 tons per hectare mark to 32 tons per hectare in some cases.

Participating farmers in the demo farms interviewed said they were willing to adopt the weed management practices, a signpost that the intervention is relevant.

IITA-CWMP, BASICS set to share results in cassava farming system

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IITA executive, Dashiell Kenton

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Cassava Weed Management Project and the Building an Economically Sustainable Integrated Seed System for Cassava (BASICS) project, will share results of research in weed management and seeds systems in cassava this month.
   
Unveiling of the scientific results is part of the plans for the meeting-taking place in Ibadan for BASICS, between March 14 and 16, and IITA-CWMP, for March 19 and 20.
 
The results from the two projects will be presented to policymakers, researchers and other partners for possible scaling out to other states. 
 
Already, 12 commissioners of agriculture have confirmed participation at the meeting. The invited commissioners are drawn from the major cassava producing regions of Nigeria.
 
“What we are going to share is more or less game changers for cassava production,” the Project Leader, IITA-CWMP, Dr. Alfred Dixon said.
 
Inaugurated in 2014, the IITA-CWMP is a five-year project with the key objective of addressing weed constraints in cassava farming systems, courtesy of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for funding support.
 
In the last four years, the project has developed weed control options drawing from the use of best bet agronomic practices, use of motorised weeders, and the use of safe and environmentally friendly herbicides.
 
Dixon said the meeting holding in March 19 and 20 will give details of what has been achieved in the last four years.
 
Like IITA-CWMP, the BASICS project will also be sharing findings and the progress made from its work on cassava seed systems in Nigeria.
 
The BASICS project will share with researchers and policymakers the latest findings from cassava seeds system, including activities from the semi-autotrophic hydroponics and the village seed entrepreneur model of seed multiplication and multiplication.
 
Generally, seeds are the bedrock for the quest to increase agricultural productivity. In cassava, the seed system is weak, yet with great potential. The combination of improved seeds and weed management can bring benefits to farmers by raising productivity while at the same time reducing the drudgery of hoe weeding.
 
Grown by more than four million people, cassava is a major source of livelihood and food security to millions of people in Nigeria. Unfortunately, the productivity of cassava has been stymied over the years by poor weed control, a weak or nonexistent seed system, and poor understanding of the agronomy of the crop.
 
Hemant Nitturkar, Project Director of BASICS, noted that the knowledge generated by the IITA-CWMP and BASICS would redefine the narrative of cassava in Africa by impacting positively on yields at farm level.

Dickson partners NIRSAL to achieve agro revolution

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Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa.

The Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson has appealed to the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending Plc(NIRSAL) to partner his government to expand the frontiers of the agricultural investments of his administration.

He said through that his government could conveniently create wealth and employ the teeming youths to bring about optimal return to the political economy of the state.

Dickson said NIRSAL by law and operation, is best positioned to help drive government’s agricultural investments, reduce credit risks, increase lending and provide off takers on such investments.

According to a statement signed by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Francis Ottah Agbo, Dickson, who disclosed this during preliminary discussions with NIRSAL Managing Director, Aliyu Abdulhameed in Abuja, commended the Federal Government, particularly the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the initiative of establishing NIRSAL.

He said there has been a silent people-oriented revolution in the state in the last six years. “In Bayelsa, there is a silent revolution in all critical sectors such as the agricultural sector for public good. We now have the best public schools and health institutions.

Now, I want to create wealth using Poultry, Commercial Cassava Plant Farm, Agriculture, and others, for we must create wealth and gainfully employ our teeming population and what best way to achieve that than through Agro-business.

That is why we are building Aquaculture villages: now we have already completed one in Igbogene with 500-Fish Ponds.

The whole idea is to use Agriculture to make our youths become skilled and empowered. We want to replicate the aquaculture village in the eight Local Council Areas of Bayelsa.”

Lawmaker tasks farmers, stakeholders on best practices in produce export

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Farmers at work.

The Chairman, House Committee on Agric Production and Services, Mohammed Tahir Monguno has re-echoed the importance of adhering to best practices in the export of agricultural produce.

Monguno stated this in Ilorin in his keynote address, at the opening ceremony of a 3-day training programme, organised for the North Central geopolitical zone by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; and Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS), in collaboration with House Committee on Agric. Production and Services.

The programme with the theme: Training of Nigeria Farmers: Quarantine Perspective, held at the Intercontinental Harmony Hotel, Ilorin, Kwara State, ended last Friday.

Represented by Dr. Abubakar Amuda Kanike, he reminded participants that agriculture remains one of the basic employers of labour with chains of opportunities for the teeming populace to tap from.

He therefore urged participants to be receptive and focused, so as to be well equipped in meeting the required standard in exportation.

In his opening remarks, the Coordinating Director, Nigeria Agriculture Quarantine Services (NAQS), Dr. Vincent Isegbe acknowledged the fact that some farmers are unable to export their produce due to lack of knowledge of the expected requirements and standards.

Isegbe who was represented by Dr. Sakiru Kazeem pointed out that since all agricultural produce in the country cannot be meant for consumption, the need to export and make more money arises. He explained that farmers need to be well equipped in handling their produce for export so that their consignments will not be rejected.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Chairman and Group Managing Director of Degolex Merchants Limited, Dr. Omoleye Olabode represented by Mr. Lanre Babalola assured participants that quarantine specialists were on ground to teach them the nitty-gritty of exporting their produce, urging them to be attentive and ask probing questions.

IFAD stakes N2.7 billion to boost rice, cassava production in Benue State

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A Rice farm.

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has ploughed over N2.7 billion into Benue communities to boost rice, cassava production.

Indeed, Benue state local communities received over N2.7billion for the cultivation of rice and cassava between September to date through partnership with IFAD- Value Chain Development Programme.

The IFAD state programme co-ordinator, Emmanuel Igba who disclosed this, at its first quarter  meeting in Makurdi recently, appealed to the Benue state government to release its counterpart funding of N94,800,000 to enhance the production capacity of rice and cassava in the state.

Igba disclosed that under the 2017 cropping season, OLAM through IFAD-VCDP have supported 3,455 farmers to cultivate 5,387 hectares of rice which led to the  increase  of  over 3,198ha as against 2,189ha recorded in 2016.

Similarly, the coordinator disclosed that IFAD has supported 1,392 cassava farmers to step up production, where  3,166ha were cultivated, signifying an increase of 1,666ha above the 2000ha cultivated in 2016.

While appealing to the government to help extend the programme to other local government areas to engage the mind of youths and women to alleviate the hardship faced by the rural populace, the coordinator explained that within a short time, IFAD has created over 3500 jobs for youths and 502 for women in rice and cassava production in Benue.

gba lamented that the herdsmen/farmers crises has taken a negative toll on the programme, saying the attack on farmers started at the peak of harvesting rice which affected most of the famers, therefore called for a viable cassava off- takers.

He appealed to the government to adopt VCDP procedure in select LGEAs, upscale the land development provision and as well as support mechanisation to encourage youths’ participation in agriculture.

On his part, the Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources, James Abua said already, a memo for the payment of  N188 million as the counterpart fund for IFAD and FADAMA III programme to run for two years have been summited to the state EXCO.

He however commended the  activities of IFAD in the state, especially in the cultivation of rice and and cassava and  assured that its success would the replicated in other local government areas.

Agric institute decries dearth of tractor operators

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Tractor

The Acting Director of National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM), Ilorin, Dr Yomi Kasali has said that unless more Nigerians volunteered to train as tractor operators, the nation may within the next few years, begin to experience dearth of personnel in the field.

Kasali, who spoke recently in Ilorin at the opening ceremony of the training on women empowerment in operation, maintenance and management of agro processing machines and equipment, said government and private individuals in must tackle the increasing needs of the agriculture sector if the nation must avoid a major set back in mechanized farming.

Participants, who were majorly sponsored by states’ ministries of agriculture and Agricultural Development Programs (ADPS), came from Kwara, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Kano, Ekiti, Ondo, Ogun, Oyo and Enugu states.

He said: “There can never be processing without production, thus the need to train youths on how to operate tractors in order to enhance the current production level in the country.

At Agrofood fair, expert lauds economic diversification

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Managing Director of Agrofood and Plastprintpack, Paul Marz, has expressed optimism that Nigeria would soon become self-sufficient and an export nation given its drive towards economic diversification.

He said Nigeria was among the three largest importers of enabling technology with agricultural technology worth 50 million euro, as well as food processing and packaging technology worth 228 million euro.

Others, he said, are plastics technology worth 54 million euro and printing and paper processing technology worth 41 million euro, noting that trade would support the economy in its transition process.

He spoke at the opening ceremony of the fourth International Trade show on Agriculture, Food Processing, Packaging Technology and Hospitality in Lagos.

Marz, who expressed joy that the country’s economy was expanding called for more investments in the agricultural sector.

He said: “The Nigerian economy is expanding again. After the economic crisis, Nigeria now sees a lot of positive development resulting from a re-orientation. Nigeria is no longer solely relying on its oil business but is focusing more on diversification.

“Agricultural production used to be the backbone of the Nigerian economy and is now determined to regain this status. Government and the private sector are pushing for manufacturing of high quality made in Nigeria products.”

“Therefore, Nigeria needs investments in the agricultural industry, starting from the farms and covering the entire value chain through food and beverages processing and packaging towards the finished products available in supermarkets, restaurants and hotels throughout the country and abroad.”

He stated that the company is contributing to the challenge by bringing together technology leaders from around the world with Nigerian and West Africa producers; hence the event creates a unique opportunity to discuss and develop projects among industry professionals.

Marz added that the trade fair features 142 exhibitors from 22 countries and each of them is a leader in their respective field.

The exhibitors came from Algeria, Austria, Belgium, Benin, China, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Italy and Jordan.

Others are the Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Taiwan and the United Kingdom (UK).

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