A Professor of Plant Ecology and Environmental Management at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike (MOUAU), Abia State, Dr. Emmanuel Nzegbule has recommended regular sensitisation of farmers on cultivation systems as antidote to tackling declining soil productivity in the Southeast.

He said Extension officers and agencies responsible for environmental monitoring should collaborate to guide and correct farmers on the use of Agro-pesticides to address build-up of pollutants within the production system.

Nzegbule, who disclosed this while delivering the 34th inaugural lecture of the university titled: “Many Parts, Yet One Earth: Agricultural System Cannot Be An Island” urged policy makers to appreciate that climate change is real, hence rural farming households should be encouraged to adopt climate change adaptation practices and build resilience that will support poverty alleviation and food security in the country.

Nzegbule said: “In our agricultural system, it is possible to avoid degradation of soils by integrating a robust biogeochemical nutrient cycles through litter production and decomposition using agroforestry and Silvio pastoral systems.”

Heineken Lokpobiri

Unveiling of the two state-of-the art vessels, last Thursday, forms the largest investment of the company in terms of fisheries in the West African sub region in the last 28 years.It also reflects the company’s confidence and belief in the country’s fishing industry, internationally recognised as one of the best-managed and sustainable fisheries in the world.

Managing Director of the company, Kamlesh Kabra said consistency, both in terms of quantity and quality, remains the driving force for the expansion of ASL fleet and also the intrinsic value of the Prim7Stars brand.

“Prim7Stars is a seafood brand known for a high quality range of wild caught products. Approximately 3,500 metric tons of tropical shrimps are caught annually and distributed worldwide. This is why we as a company are proud of the investment in the new trawlers, which are set to improve various aspects of our business, including consistency in the quality of our produce, personnel safety and overall efficiency.

“ASL remains committed to the continuous supply of high quality frozen seafood products caught by our fleet in a responsible and sustainable manner to the Nigerian market, providing affordable fish protein to Nigerians,” Kamlesh said.

While unveiling the trawlers, Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, who congratulated ASL on the feat, said the company’s investment in the new vessels will not only support existing jobs, replace aging vessels and processing technology, but will also usher in new opportunities.

“Our ultimate goal is to attain self-sufficiency in fish and aquaculture production and the ministry is striving to create an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive and fill in the missing gap, as the ministry has placed fisheries and aquaculture top among its value chains development programmes.

In his remarks, Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr. Olusegun Awolowo appreciates ASL in contributing towards the success of zero oil economy in Nigeria.

According to him, “we have emphasised over 22 sectors where Nigeria can make money in the international market by selling our products and 19 of these sectors is the agricultural sector. I believe this will showcase what we can do and produce outside oil.”

ASL has been active in shrimp trawling since the 1990s as the largest fishing company in West Africa, having a fleet of over 70 ultra-modern trawlers fishing in Nigerian waters and the addition of Seven Stars I and Seven Stars II, reinforces sustained commitment to top notch quality.

Cashew

This development has not only caused distractions for local farmers, it has also led to low quality of the produce, trade distortion, reduced value at the international market and most importantly, it has lowered the purchasing power of Nigerian local middlemen and farmers.

National President of the body, Mr. Tola Faseru, who raised the alarm, underscored the importance of cashew crop as one of the National Strategic Export Products to diversify the economy from oil. He urged stakeholders to pay adequate attention to the growth and development of the crop.

“Nigeria is rated fourth largest producer of cashew nuts in Africa and seventh in the world. Today, the annual earnings from cashew has risen to $402,050,000 (N145b) and we see it growing year in year out with the private sector efforts and growing government interventions in the sector.”

According to Faseru, the cashew trade has become a global industry, which employs about 300,000 people across the country, adding that farmers and indeed every player in the value chain should be allowed to get a fair return for their efforts.

“The encroachment into the farm gate by foreigners is inimical to the value chain system and cuts off our locals from participating in the trade. Expatriates position themselves in the bushes to buy directly from farmers thereby taking away the much-needed jobs from our people.

“If our people cannot buy commodities what else can they do? The livelihood of our people should be protected. The practice of foreigners bombarding our farm gates to buy cashew should stop. The activities of these foreign nationals could also compromise the security of our dear country,” he said.

Faseru recalled huge inputs of the association and government agencies like the Nigerian Export promotion Council (NEPC), the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, and Industry, trade and investment made in revitalising the sector and globally rebranding the country’s cashew to become the toast of the world from the low ebb where it was some seven years ago.

“It took us time and efforts to get here and we would not want go back to the era where we had unsold stocks and our farmers were improvised because of bad quality of the nuts, which narrowed the marketability of our crop and its attendant heavy price discount in the international market.”

Faseru announced that the body is collaborating with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), with the aim of maintaining effective surveillance, checking influx of foreign nationals, and putting a stop to their activities at farm gates across the country.

The collaboration will see both companies working together on key aspects of the maize value chain, with a focus on promoting modern farming techniques and practices, capacity development and knowledge transfer for local production and use of improved and quality inputs, including seeds and crop protection.

According to the company’s Chairman, John Coumantaros, FMN is excited at the prospects of the partnership, and what the company can achieve from it. “Corteva AgriscienceTM is a globally renowned company with wealth of experience in crop protection and biotechnology solutions, and will introduce new and exciting seed production techniques that will help develop the maize hybrid seed market in Nigeria.

“Over the years, FMN has invested heavily in the primary processing, aggregation and distribution of locally grown grains such as maize, soybean, rice, sorghum and wheat, and are passionate about strengthening the capabilities of small-scale farmers, even as we continue to seek out newer ways of deepening our supply chain.”

On his part, Group Managing Director, FMN, Paul Gbededo said; “We are currently in the sustainability testing phase for the most viable varieties suitable for this environment and envisage that the next step will be to establish in Nigeria, a world-class hybrid maize production plant.

“Our business is ultimately about providing for the livelihood of millions of Nigerian families, by ensuring that they have access to great food, and as such, we are focused on building a business that caters for not just their nutritional needs but enriches their lives.”

Commercial Unit Director, Africa Middle East, Corteva AgriscienceTM, Prabdeep Bajwa, said the partnership endorses its company’s commitment to collaboration across the food chain to transform the role of agriculture in society and enhance the livelihood of farmers in the country.

“Our company is investing in innovation, drawing on our knowledge of genetics, chemistry and digital to give farmers in Africa more and better products and ensuring their success.”

The Guardian learnt that both companies have already started work on demonstration farm plots to showcase high-performing hybrid maize varieties with additional test sites expected to commence soon in Kwara, Niger, Kaduna, Kano, Oyo, Nassarawa, Bauchi, Plateau States and the Federal Capital Territory.

Nigeria currently has a national average maize yield of about 1.5 metric tonnes per hectare, which is significantly below the average two tons per hectare of maize yields in Africa and 10 tonnes per hectare in the U.S. Early projections indicate that the adoption of hybrid seed and use of improved farming inputs and techniques will increase maize yields by about 100 per cent in the next five years.

Livestock

The initiative, called “PorkMoney”, considers the health benefits of pork and the financial benefits related to its sales as a lucrative source that will in the long term contribute immensely to the growth of agriculture in Nigeria, as well as, creating jobs in the process.

The PorkMoney initiative will be launched on the June 4, 2018.

Muyiwa, said it is an agribusiness subscription plan where partners can yield profits with a commitment sum of just N250, 000.

According to him, PorkMoney, with its partners, led by Ghanaian actor and businessman John Dumelo, said to be Africa’s largest pig farm have proposed a collaborative plan to grow the agricultural sector through pig farming in Nigeria.

He stressed that over the years, Nigeria’s dependence on crude oil has led to a massive decline in agriculture, and the negative impact of this decline has been evident in food production, food importation, and an overall economic food crises.

Satelite

The satellite, that is codenamed EDUSAT-2, would be launched in collaboration with Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State.

Head, Media and Corporate Communications of the agency, Dr. Felix Ale, disclosed this in a statement yesterday.

He said the Director General of the Space Agency, Prof. Seidu Mohammed announced the plan during a courtesy visit by the management of Landmark University to NASRDA’s Headquarters in Abuja.

Mohammed explained that the collaboration was due to the genuine interest and commitment shown by the university’s management to an existing memorandum of understanding.

He said the proposed project is in fulfillment of its mandate, which includes the development of satellites and provision of necessary technology and information for universities, to develop capabilities in satellite technology.

Mohammed explained that the Nano satellite, which would be for agricultural purposes will have on board, an infrared camera for detecting diseased crops and monitoring of large agricultural areas.

It would also include the monitoring and understanding of crop characteristics and other agricultural purposes.

The NASRDA boss reaffirmed the commitment of the agency towards collaborations that will contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth.

Cassava

The high-level meeting, convened by government of Benin Republic in partnership with the West African Virus Epidemiology (WAVE) Program, with support from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will include representatives from WAVE partners in the UK Department for International Development, and national, regional and international cassava stakeholders. 

Coordinator of the WAVE program in Benin Republic, Prof. Corneille Ahanhanzo said there is an urgent need to develop a joint regional emergency response plan to the impending threats by Cassava Brown Streak Virus Disease (CBSD).

According to Ahanhanzo: “given the important role of cassava for food security in Africa and the impending threats posed by CBSD that is currently devastating the crop in Eastern and Central Africa and making its way to West Africa, there is an urgent need to develop a joint regional emergency response plan.”

He indicated that the conclusions of the meeting would serve as success driver for sustainable food security in Africa, adding that the three-day meeting will on start on Thursday June 7, 2018 with Ministerial Advocacy. 

GMO maize. PHOTO: euobserver.com

This was the submission of stakeholders at the South West Zonal Sensitisation Workshop on Biotechnology and Biosafety, held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, with the theme: “Agricultural Biotechnology: A Tool For Economic Growth And Development.”

The workshop, organised by the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB), was in collaboration with the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) Programme for Biosafety Systems, and Ogun State Government, among others.

The Overseeing Director General of NABDA, Mr. Oguntunde Abayomi disclosed that through the workshop, it has become possible for Nigerians to identify their need for improved agricultural technologies and recognise where they stand in the scheme of things in terms of efforts to achieve global food security through sustainable agricultural practice, describing the event as timely and pertinent, especially at this period when the country and other African countries are adopting improved agricultural technologies for food security.
 
“It is also commendable that OFAB has earned a reputation for committing itself to a painstaking dissemination of information and correction of misconceptions around agricultural biotechnology through organising sensitisation events similar to this all over Nigeria.”

The OFAB Country Coordinator, Dr. Rose Gidado, in her paper, stressed why biotechnology has kept the promise of achieving food security across the world.
 
She noted that the sensitisation programme was aimed at enlightening the public within the zone on the benefits of biotechnology and promoting an understanding of the potentials of agricultural biotechnology and biosafety.

In his keynote address, former President, Olusegun Obasanjo said deliberate efforts should be made on the part of government to encourage scientific incursions into agriculture by encouraging research and adoption of new technologies.
 
According to him, the challenges of today’s world have brought many pressures to bear on agriculture: population growth, insects and pests infestation of crops, weed invasiveness, soil infertility, salinity, the impact of climate change (drought and rise in temperature), greenhouse gas emissions, and water and energy shortages.

“Biotechnology is taking mankind beyond depths of understanding of chemical and physical possibilities.

It has the potential to increase agricultural productivity, enhance food security, and develop better health care delivery system, boost efficient industrial development process for transforming raw materials and detoxification of hazardous wastes, and reduction in mortality rates and move agriculture away from a dependence on chemical inputs, helping to reduce environmental problems,” he said.

In her goodwill message, Ogun State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs. Adepeju Adebajo noted that it is an undisputable fact that there is a symbiotic relationship between agriculture and economic development, given the role of agriculture in the provision of food, raw materials for industries and employment opportunities for the teeming population.

“However, we still experience a major problem of social acceptability of many Nigerians about biotechnology and Genetically Modified products.

As every new idea have both advantages and disadvantages, there is ethical concern about the morality of the various practices employed inn research and development of cloning, xenotransplantation, stem cell research, fetal tissue use and GMOs.”

Dr. Rufus Ebegba

Director General of the Agency, Dr. Rufus Ebegba disclosed this when he led the management team of the agency on a courtesy visit to the office of the commissioner of police and head of Interpol National Centre Bureau (NCB), Olushola Subair, who is also head of the Interpol committee delegate representing Africa.

The DG said the essence of the collaboration is to synergise with the Interpol and to make sure that the agency is promptly alerted whenever GM seed or grain comes into the country without Biosafety permit and to also ascertain country of origin and those involved.

Rufus said NBMA has signed memorandum of understanding with other sister agencies, in a bid to ensure its mandate is achieved, noting that collaboration with the centre will help the agency to deliver on its mandate.

Responding, head of the Interpol NCB, Subair said the Interpol is ready and very willing to collaborate with the agency to ensure that the mandate of the NBMA is achieved, noting that there are very key areas Interpol can collaborate with the Agency.

The CP assured of the Interpol’s collaboration with the agency in terms of training, provision of protective kits and equipment for staff of the NBMA, among others.

Subair later led the NBMA’s delegation to the centre’s cybercrime unit and the digital resource centre.

breadfruit

Nwabueze, who made the call while delivering MOUAU’s 31st inaugural lecture titled: “Bread On The Tree: Process Optimisation In Food Extrusion Technology,” said the synergy will save African breadfruit from extinction and encourage varietal seed sales, to complement research efforts as public or private sector initiatives.

He noted that if Malaysia could identify the unexploited potentials of Oil Palm tree in Nigeria in the 1960s, tapped into it, and has today made palm oil industry a major driving force in her economy, then the breadfruit tree is “not too tall a tree” that Nigeria cannot fully harness its abundant supply to boost the country’s economy.

“It may interest us to note that the volatile constituents of raw African breadfruit seed oil possesses components with prospects of use in manufacturing drugs with nutritional background, otherwise known as nutraceuticals.

This will not only play the role of drugs in alleviating symptoms and illnesses, but also provide the body with nutritional benefits,” he said. He called attention to the challenge of low yield varieties, irregular and seasonal supply of stocks.

Newly Harvest Maize

Manned by trained personnel, it offers farmers on-site soil testing, to determine the peculiar needs of the soil and fertiliser recommendations.

It also advises farmers on the right kind of fertiliser to use and the best time for its application. 

Bauchi State governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, while launching the initiative in the state at the weekend, noted that the school was the first of its kind launched by a fertiliser producer in Africa.
 
At Nabordo, Toro Local Government Area of the state, where the flag-off held, Abubakar commended OCP for choosing Bauchi State as its centre of operation.

Dizengoff Nigeria

The two CASE IH tractors, regarded as “monster” tractors or “king of the fields” have a massive combined 305 Horse Power (HP) capacity.

According to information made available by Great Northern Agric, the company took delivery of the tractors to begin operations with the cultivation of an initial 300 hectares of sugarcane farm.

General Manager of Great Northern Agric, Mr. Wang said the company is beginning operations with the cultivation of 300 hectares using sub-surface irrigation system, which it hopes to increase to 12,000 hectares within two years.

According to him, his company went for the “monster” CASE IH tractors distributed and serviced with genuine spare parts in Nigeria by Dizengoff because of its desire for performance.

“Our vision is a very ambitious one. The terrain here like most parts of the north could be very challenging. The soil is hard and the conditions are tough.

“And so we knew we need the right kind of equipment to achieve our goals. From all indications, we saw that the CASE IH tractors fits perfectly into the kind of equipment we need to get things done quickly and in the most efficient and cost effective manner,” he said.

The CASE IH tractor range was voted the “Machine of the Year 2017.” According to volume and market share.

The CASE IH tractor brand manufactured by Case Holland, are “built to meet the power, durability, comfort and productivity needs of farmers, bringing reliable technology to their business. The engines are designed to deliver maximum horsepower with efficient power.”

Depending on the spec, he says, “Their ingenious hi-tech designs are crafted with inbuilt high efficiency catalytic selective reduction technology, which delivers the highest power needed with the lowest fuel consumption and emissions. The engine power management is capable of boosting engine power to give additional horsepower to deal with difficult conditions.”

Giving further insight, the Commercial Manager, Damisa Enahoro further says that typical of the Dizengoff tradition, “we are not just supplying these machines.

Dizengoff is fully on ground as partners to provide full technical support and training to Great Northern Agric in terms of maintenance, including replacement parts and service. So we are fully on ground with them.”

Dizengoff’s Chief Executive Officer Mr. Antti Ritvonen said: “It is at the heart of our strategy. We don’t just sell tractors.

We have the genuine 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.”

He expressed excitement about the bold move by Great Northern Agric. “I think this is really a welcome development for Nigeria’s agriculture. I congratulate Nigeria that a lot of investors including governments across the country are beginning to see the light.”

International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan. (IITA)

This programme is part of efforts aimed at sharing to a wider audience proven research findings generated from the IITA-Cassava Weed Management Project that have helped farmers to record 20-32 tons per hectare of cassava.

Titled, “Novel techniques for Weed Management in Cassava Farming Systems,” the training, scheduled for July 2-3, 2018, in IITA Ibadan, seeks to enhance participants’ skill in weed management in cassava farming systems.

According to a statement, the specific objectives of the course are to: teach participants how to carry out good land preparation and control weeds; building the capacity of participants to understand what to look out for when selecting a site for cassava cultivation; identify different types of herbicides and how they work; demonstrate the steps involved in calibration; create awareness on the importance of safe use of herbicides; and to teach participants the business side of weed management in cassava.

The training course, according to the statement has four modules covering land preparation and best bet agronomic practices in cassava, herbicides use and safety, calibration, and the business side of weed management.

It added that the training course is designed for heads of departments, extension agents, agricultural officers, heads of crop protection, extension advisory service providers, farm managers, and spray service providers.

“There will be both theoretical and practical sessions. It is expected that the interested organisations will nominate participants in their organisations.

Gardening tools<br />Photo: Homelife

The project, expected to run for a period of three years, from January 2018 to December 2020, was aimed at bringing attention to the importance of good and nutrition, as well as physical fitness to the schools and communities.

At the official groundbreaking ceremony, held at Agidingbi Primary School on Friday, with the full presence of Cadbury Nigeria Plc, a subsidiary of Mondelez International Foundation, school pupils, and government officials, among others, the organisers disclosed that the gardening activities will provide a platform for children to participate in school gardening thereby, helping them plant, weed and harvest nutritious crops.

HKI’s Country Director, Philomena Orji said a school gardening and health club would be established, thereafter, to help maintain gardens, promote nutrition and fitness activities and ongoing student participation.

“The new programme is building on our commitment to help communities thrive and improve the well-being of school-age children and their families.

“The Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyle project aims to bring nutrition education, active play and fresh foods to undeserved children and their families in Ikeja council area.

The project is part of the Mondelez International Foundation’s multi-year $50m commitment to promote healthy lifestyle and address obesity in nine countries, including Nigeria.”

The organisers disclosed that aside the 6,000 children in the schools, an estimated indirect reach of about 48,000 children and their families across the Community Development Areas (CDAs), would be achieved.
 
In his remarks, Director, Corporate and Government Affairs, Cadbury Nigeria Plc, Bala Yesufu, said the Mondelez International Foundation, which owns 74.99 per cent of Cadbury Nigeria, is passionate about creating positive impact on people on the planet. 

“The Foundation is focused on three pillars namely: investing in community programmes that promote active, healthy lifestyles to help improve the lives of children and their families around the world; providing humanitarian aid through cash and product when disaster strikes; and inspiring our colleagues to contribute their time and talent to charitable causes. These community partnerships are transforming the lives of more than a million children in 14 nations spanning five continents.

In line with its commitment to assist communities and improve the health of school-age children and their families, the foundation recently added new programmes to the existing ones.

This is one of such programmes and Cadbury Nigeria joins nine other countries in the Mondelez International family in this initiative, which seeks to promote healthy lifestyles and address obesity.

“Our partner, Helen Keller International, has so far trained 130 stakeholders, including teachers, nutritionists and agriculturists that will drive this project, which will run over a three-year period with a target of reaching about 6,000 children and families in nine schools within Ikeja Lagos, our host community.

“Let me reiterate that the primary objective of this programme is to teach children the importance of proper nutrition, physical activity and gardening through in-school and after-school activities,” he said.

Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh

AIMS, according to the minister, would involve the recruitment, training and support of three agricultural distributors in each local council, as they would be provided with certified seeds, fertilisers, farm equipment, such as tractors, and threshers, among others, for onward lending to farmers.

The new programme is a clear departure from the GES wherein farmers were able to access improved seeds and fertilisers at 50 per cent subsidised rate.

Ogbeh, who spoke during the Seed Connect Africa Conference organised by the National Agricultural Seed Council in Abuja yesterday, said the reason for the cancellation of the GES programme was because the government does not have enough funds to continue with the programme, adding that GES was fraught with a lot of fraudulent practices by agro dealers who wanted to claim money for the inputs not supplied.

Ananas comosus, edible pineapple –is a bromeliad

Olaniyan who spoke in Kwale, Ndokwa West Council Area of Delta State, at a training workshop for farmers, remarked that as the fifth largest plantain producing country in the world, the production of the crop must be considered at the national and global agricultural policy levels.

The director told the farmers; drawn from the council and the two Ika councils of South and North East that plantain is a low capital agribusiness, very lucrative and can be cultivated in almost all-Nigerian soil.He said: “Plantain is very easy to cultivate and maintain unlike other cash crops that requires so much time and money to maintain. Plantain fruits all year round, which makes the crop a more reliable all season staple food production. Additionally, the demand for plantain is high because it is consumed by different people and is also used as raw materials.”

As the leading plantain producer in Africa and the seventh in the world, Olaniyan told the farmers that as an economic crop, it has encouraging potential for foreign exchange earnings.

The director noted that if current production and marketing trends are encouraged, commercial production for export and local consumption will be enhanced.While listing the various uses of pineapple, he advised that in order to avoid the pitfalls of the past, it is important to create awareness among stakeholders and deliberately cultivate a widespread attitude of employing improved production techniques and adding value to horticultural commodities.

The British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) has reaffirmed commitment to promoting agriculture and food security in the country.Chairman of the foundation, Chief Kola Jamodu, who disclosed this at the launch of its 2018-2022 Country Programme, in Lagos, said welfare of the rural population, is tied to agriculture in view of the high potential for growth.

“Imagine if every smallholder farmer is prosperous, we would have significantly reduced poverty in rural communities and generated employment for thousands of unemployed youths in the labour market.
 
“We do not underestimate the importance of agriculture in wealth creation or the value of smallholder farmers in ensuring that a nation can feed itself and sell to other nations.”Jamodu who disclosed that BATNF has spent N1.5b on empowering rural farmers, with over 180 programmes across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), said since 18 years when the Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with government to promote socio-economic development in the country, no one knew how impactful the agreement would be until it was established in 2002.
   
“Today, 16 years later, we are witnesses to the evolution of a promise kept. The launch of the country programme confirms the passion and commitment that guides the foundation’s programmes and implementation of activities that are geared to empower rural Nigeria for a sustainable future. A sustainable future that starts with agriculture.“Why agriculture, I hear you ask? Agriculture is the largest employer of labour, it accounts for about 25 per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product and represents one of the fastest ways out of poverty for those living in rural areas....

“In Nigeria, more than 70 per cent of the total farming population are smallholder farmers in rural communities, that cultivate less than four hectares, but produce up to 90 per cent of the total national output. Yet, many of these farmers and others in their community account for over three quarter of the poor in Nigeria, who live below a dollar a day,” he said.    
General Manager of the foundation, Lolade Johnson-Agiri, said the programme would focus on five core areas and two enterprise developments.“The programme will specifically create market access through market-driven interventions and also encourage participation in out-grower schemes for rice, maize and cassava.“It will also propel value addition in crops or aquaculture, promote adoption of mechanisation and good agricultural practices, provide humanitarian aid to internally displaced persons, among others. The five core focus areas will be enterprise development, grants and government-led interventions, ABC of crop management, humanitarian aid and farmers for the future-youth entrepreneurship and empowerment.

“The component of the enterprise development will be capacity building, financial support/input supply, market and off-taker linkage, access to finance, fabrication; donation of equipment and women empowerment,’’ she said.In his remark, Managing Director, BAT Nigeria, Chris McAlister, encouraged government ministries, states, agencies and implanting partners that will be working with the foundation to leverage on the grant and opportunities made available to ensure the realisation of the set goal of empowering rural Nigerians for a sustainable future.

Managing Director/Chief Executive, Norsworthy Farms, Engr. Gabriel Ogbechie, with Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa and others, during the launch of Norsworthy’s 3,000-hectare oil palm plantation and processing plant, at Akwukwu-Igbo, Delta State.

Thus Norsworthy management has set the stage for the cultivation of a 3,000-ha plantation with a 10-tonnes per hour palm oil processing mill and a vegetable oil refinery for producing palm kernel and palm kernel cake for animal feeds.

Palm oil is a key ingredient in the production of several items, which include soap, cosmetics, biscuits, pharmaceuticals, margarine, detergent, lubricants, candles, feed stock and many more. 

In 2014, the global palm oil market demand was estimated at 74m mt and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) predicted that global demand for palm oil would double by 2020 and triple by 2050.Currently, about N700b worth of investment is required for the country to achieve self-sufficiency in palm oil production and according to available statistics, over two million hectare of the product is required to bridge the current supply deficit.

Dr. Rufus Ebegba

Director General of the Agency, Dr. Rufus Ebegba disclosed this when he led the management team of the agency on a courtesy visit to the office of the commissioner of police and head of Interpol National Centre Bureau (NCB), Olushola Subair, who is also head of the Interpol committee delegate representing Africa.

The DG said the essence of the collaboration is to synergise with the Interpol and to make sure that the agency is promptly alerted whenever GM seed or grain comes into the country without Biosafety permit and to also ascertain country of origin and those involved.

Rufus said NBMA has signed memorandum of understanding with other sister agencies, in a bid to ensure its mandate is achieved, noting that collaboration with the centre will help the agency to deliver on its mandate.

Responding, head of the Interpol NCB, Subair said the Interpol is ready and very willing to collaborate with the agency to ensure that the mandate of the NBMA is achieved, noting that there are very key areas Interpol can collaborate with the Agency.

The CP assured of the Interpol’s collaboration with the agency in terms of training, provision of protective kits and equipment for staff of the NBMA, among others. Subair later led the NBMA’s delegation to the centre’s cybercrime unit and the digital resource centre.

Audu Ogbeh, Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development

Three years after the cancellation of the Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development said plans are ongoing to replace the program with Agricultural Input and Mechanisation Services (AIMS).

AIMS according to the Minister would involve the recruitment, training and support of three agricultural distributors in each local government area and the distributors would be provided with certified seeds, fertilizers, farm equipment, such as tractors, threshers among others for onward lending to farmers.

The new program is a clear departure from the GES, wherein farmers were able to access improved seeds and fertilizer at 50 per cent subsidised rate, but the minister said the AIMS program would have a bit of subsidy.

The GES program was the high point of the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and was applauded by stakeholders, including farmers as an effective way of reaching farmers with improved seeds and fertilizer.

While explaining reasons for cancellation of the GES program, the minister said government does not have enough funds to continue the program, as it was fraught with fraudulent practices by agro dealers who want to claim money for the inputs not supplied.

He said: “When we resumed office we were confronted with the debt to the tune of N67b, which we could not pay because if we had paid we would not have been able to pay staff salaries, but AIMS would correct all the anomalies of GES and remove fraud practices.”