We Will Have Sufficient Food In The Next Harvest Season – Min. Of State Agriculture

The Minister of State for Agriculture, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, on Monday gave an assurance that the country would have sufficient food in the next harvest season.

Lokpobiri gave the assurance while speaking with State House correspondents after he led a foreign agro-investor, Wells –San Carlos Agro Farms Ltd., on a courtesy visit to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The attributed the current high cost of foodstuff due to the lack of investment in agriculture in 2015 due to the change in government.

He gave an instance with the scarcity of rice and the price hike to about N25,000 a bag.

“But this year, the President (Buhari) has given us all the support we have requested to see how we can support farmers the little way we can.

“So that we can give people access to credit, fertiliser and seed to grow sufficiently for our own consumption and export.” Said.

The minister also noted that the dependence of other West African countries on Nigeria had also contributed to the high cost of foodstuff in the country.

On the nation’s rice programme, the minister said that the ambition of the administration was to be self-sufficient in rice production by 2018/2019.

According to him many programmes have been put in place including the `Anchor Growers’ Scheme’ in Kebbi State.

Lokpkobiri added that the Federal Government had set up a task force headed by the Kebbi governor to multiply rice and wheat production.

He said the Ministry is also trying to create some funds to implement the borrowing system of Kebbi to see how people can borrow to cultivate over 1,000 hectares.

“This is so that we can produce as much as we can and satisfy our local needs by 2018/2019.’’ He added.

On the visit of the Mexican investors, he said it was to further encourage the company which has plans to cultivate about 9,000 hectares.

He said the firm was one of the leading farmers in the world and had come to Nigeria to partner the government to see how it could create commercial farms in Nigeria.

“It is not only to satisfy our local market but also to export, so that we can also substitute in agro dollars the petro dollars and also to create jobs.

“This farm alone is going to create about 85,000 jobs.

Lokpkobiri said that this is done to ensure that the government achieve its objectives in agriculture and food sufficiency in the shortest time possible.

Also speaking, the Executive Director, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Mr Olusegun Awolowo, described the investment as “the kinds of transformational export projects that the country is looking for now”.

He said that the country was shopping for large-scale commercial farms such as the Wells –San Carlos group, adding that its 9,000 hectares would be the first export farm for the NEPC.

Awolowo invited the private sector to embrace commercial agriculture because of its high revenue yield through export.

The Chairman, Wells – San Carlos Agro Farms Ltd., Capt. Idahosa Okunbo, told correspondents that the first 9,000-hectare farm was being cultivated in Edo with another 20,000 green house project already in operation.

He said that this is a veritable project that will employ youths and also create the relevant foreign exchange that the country needs.

“It is a double edged advantage for the country and something that we can encourage as a legacy project,’’ Okunbo said.

Credit: NTA

FG to create Special Force within NSCDC to deal with violent herdsmen, farmers

As part of measures to stave off further attacks on farmlands as well as reduce incidences of cattle-rustling in some parts of the country, the federal government has concluded arrangements to create a ‘Special Force’ within the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, to tackle the menace.

Minister of Interior, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd) announced this in Abuja on Thursday when he received a delegation from the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC) led by its Executive Secretary, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas (retd).

He said he was already working with his counterpart in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbe in that direction.

“It is necessary to partner with the CCC in the area of strategic communication because this ministry is the hub of public safety and internal security and basically what we do here is to enhance the ease of doing business in Nigeria,” Dambaazau noted.

“We are working with the Ministry of Agriculture to create a special force in the Civil Defence that will protect agricultural investments and products”, he stated.

On the situation in the North-East, Dambazau said government is doing a lot of training for the police and the NSCDC in order to deploy them in all liberated areas, charging the CCC to assist the government in her peace-building efforts.

He said: “the issue of crisis communication is fundamental towards not only resolving crisis but also in peace-building. So, you have a lot of role to play particularly now that we are experiencing all forms of crisis in addition to the one in thee North-East.

“For people who are abroad, their major source of information is the media. If they keep reading negative reports about crisis in any part of the country, they will not come and invest because the impression they would have is that Nigeria as a whole is not safe.

Earlier, Air Commodore Anas (retd) thanked the minister for accepting to be part of the centre’s forthcoming seminar on crisis communication in Port Harcourt.

He said the interior ministry has a strategic role in the security architecture of the country, considering that it superintends over the police, immigration, fire service, civil defence, prison service and other paramilitary services.

“The Centre has been synergizing with the agencies under the ministry and we want to assure you of closer partnership in the area of managing crisis communication.

“This is especially necessary because information dissemination is a very vital component of the change agenda as timely and careful release of information is crucial to avoiding destructive rumours”, he stated.

Present at the occasion were the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Bassey Okon Akpayung, Executive members of the CCC, Navy Commodore Kabir Aliyu (retd), Chidi Omeje, Abdulazeez Nurudeen and a public relations consultant, Yushau Shuaib.

Source: Daily Post

UN, Sahara Group, Kaduna unveil food security project

As Nigeria embraces a challenging economic diversification process, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Fund (SDG-F) is working in Kaduna to pilot an innovative approach aimed at revamping the food sector to create new jobs for young people.

The project, officials said, will also increase farmers’ revenues, improve productivity, enhance nutrition and reduce food loss through more sustainable production practices.

The project was formally launched Thursday (today) at the Kaduna State House by the Deputy Governor of the State, Bala Bantex, who represented the governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

UN Goodwill Ambassadors, brothers Joan, Josep and Jordi Roca of restaurant, El Celler can Roca, ranked among the best chefs of the world, UN Agencies, the Sahara Group and Nigerian government authorities are partnering on the Food Africa project.

Launched in Jere, Kaduna, the initiative is set to revolutionize the food industry in Kaduna and beyond, officials said.

For the project kick-off, Josep Roca met with young women and men that will be the driving force of this programme.

A Center of Excellence, specializing on agriculture and agro-processing training, will contribute to expand it to other regions in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa through regional exchange of best practices.

Unique collaboration

UN Goodwill Ambassadors Master Chefs Roca Brothers will contribute their valuable knowledge in sustainable conservation, food preparation and distribution techniques.

The Rocas will provide skills training for young women and men as well as providing technical oversight and sharing best practices.

The renowned chefs will play a key role in showcasing how local food production can be cultivated for new markets and consumers.

“It is an honor for us to be part of this vibrant,promising and collective project and contribute with our cooking, our imagination and our passion to advance the sustainable development goals,” Josep Roca said during the launch of the project.

He added “we are doing this on behalf of all chefs, not only ourselves.”

Several specialized UN Agencies will provide expertise on food production (FAO), labour and employment (ILO) and international trade (ITC). An early warning Geographical Information System (GIS) will also be available to connect farmers with agricultural extension services and provide real time market data.

Sahara Group, a leading African energy conglomerate and member of the SDG Fund Private Sector Advisory Group and major co-financer of the project, will bring its business perspective to the programme to ensure the viability of the facility’s operations.

“We are excited to showcase this new project which will go a long way to shine the spotlight on the links between agricultural training, food security and improving nutritional livelihoods in our communities” said Tonye Cole, Executive Director and co-founder of the Sahara Group.

The Kaduna State Government will provide the land for the constructed facility as well as farmland and personnel. The state government will collaborate with other state-level stakeholders to improve local infrastructure including rural roads to allow greater access to the facility and farmland.

“The commitment of the state government to this project is unwavering. We are expecting nothing but the best from this collaborative effort which resonates with the aspirations of the government with regards to empowering our people and ultimately achieving the SDGs in Kaduna State,” said the Deputy Governor Bantex.

It is expected that 5,000 women and men of Kaduna will be directly impacted with new job prospects, increased income and additional skills to compete in the thriving food industry.

In addition, an estimated 500,000 residents will indirectly benefit from the Food Africa Project which is designed to be scaled-up in the region and eventually replicated in other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa.

Food for SDGs

Nigeria has been an avid proponent and early adopter of the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which were approved at the United Nations in September.

Under the leadership of Victoria Orelope-Adefulire, Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, plans and policies are now underway to achieve these goals by 2030.

In Africa, agriculture remains a vital source of employment and income generation. In Nigeria the sector contributes to an estimated 70% of employment in Nigeria, but only 22% of GDP, thus indicating a significant potential for productivity gains.

Despite a strong reliance on farming and agriculture, malnutrition is often prevalent in many regions and invariably an estimated 50-70% of harvests can be lost due to the lack of appropriate storage facilities and limited market information.

On top of that, climate change, could result in falls in output of up to 30%, according to the World Bank estimates. The recent state of emergency declared in Kaduna over tomato shortages and soaring prices caused by the moth tuta absoluta exemplifies climate and environmental pressures to agricultural production to come.

Revolutionizing the food industry

In order to tackle these pressing challenges, the SDG Fund, a mechanism established by the UN to advance the new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is engaging governments, UN Agencies, civil society and the private sector on issues critical to enhancing food security and nutrition.

The pilot Food Africa project in Kaduna will provide a backward and forward integration approach for food supply chain management.

The programme will introduce more sustainable practices in the value chain, reduce crop waste and improve smallholder farmers’ profitability.

Recognizing the link between the gaps in skills and structural unemployment in the region, the project will promote income generating opportunities and technical support to promote trade of local goods and services.

The programme will feature an agro processing facility and serve as a Centre of Excellence to increase farmers’ receipts and reduce food loss.

The centre will provide training in the food industry on issues linked to food safety, business planning and product diversification.

Designed as a hybrid public-private facility, the programme will eventually be sustained and managed by local farmers.

Credit: Premium Times

35,000 Kano farmers to benefit from CBN’s borrower scheme

The Kano State Chairman of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu, said about 35,000 registered rice farmers would benefit from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) anchor borrower programme.

The Federal Government introduced the programme to boost rice and wheat production.

The CBN has earmarked N40 billion from the N220 billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund for farmers in 12 states participating in the programme at a single-digit interest rate of nine per cent.

Aliyu said 35,000 fell short of the100,000 farmers initially targeted for the programme.

“One of the prerequisites for obtaining the loan is that one must register with the association. Secondly, one must open an account with one of the commercial banks,” he explained.

He said most of the farmers, especially local ones, have no account with any bank, and that this was one of the challenges preventing many farmers from  registering.

Aliyu said of the 35,000 farmers that had scaled the CBN’s hurdles, 30 per cent are women, 40 per cent youths, while the remaining 30 per cent are elderly persons.

He said under the programme, each farmer is expected to receive seeds, fertiliser, chemicals and water pump, which represent a total package of N220, 855.

He explained that after paying for the inputs, the balance of the money would be given to each farmer to enable him or her pay for the labour.

Aliyu added that each farmer was expected to cultivate one hectare and repay the loan after harvesting the commodity.

The chairman also said farmers were expected to receive training from extension workers on modern techniques of rice production.

He said a technical committee on the programme had been constituted with a view to ensuring effective implementation of the programme in the state.

The committee, which comprised farmers, agro-chemical dealers, state government and CBN officials, had already swung into action to ensure the success of the programme.

Aliyu said the association had purchased six computer sets and scanners to speed up the registration process.

Credit: The Nation

Nigeria spends $11 bln annually to import 4 wheat, rice, sugar and fish

Nigeria spends $11billion (N3.1trillion) annually to import wheat, rice, sugar and fish, the Lagos State Government has said.

The government disclosed this yesterday at a capacity building workshop for Heads of Agriculture, HODs of the 57 Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs in Lagos State, held at the State Government Secretariat, Alausa in Ikeja, Lagos.

At the event organised by the Lagos Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Olayiwole Onasanya said Nigeria’s importation rate had become worrisome.

Quoting from a Central Bank of Nigeria report, Onasanya over $11 billion was spent to import four consumable commodities – rice, wheat, fish and sugar annually, lamenting that the nation’s food import was growing at an unsustainable rate of 11 percent per annum.

He said relying on import of expensive food on global markets fuelled domestic inflation, adding that excessive imports putting high pressure on the naira is hurting the economy while import dependency is hurting the Nigerian farmers, displacing local production and creating rising unemployment.

Onasanya stated that the Lagos State Government had taken the bull by the horns to boost food production at the grassroots, saying that one way of doing that was to organize capacity building and empowerment for LG staff, increase farm size and productivity, among others.

He said local governments should be involved in the sensitisation and awareness creation for state and donor funded projects through existing structures, such as council of obas, among others as well as be involved in the mobilisation and formation of farmers into groups for participation in state and donor funded projects.

Source: naija247news.com

Meet The 35 Year-Old Entrepreneur Who Owns Nigeria's 2nd Largest Rice Farm

Nigerians consume more than 5 million metric tons of rice every year, with a significant portion of its consumption needs sourced from imports. Rotimi Williams, an ambitious 35 year-old Nigerian entrepreneur and rice farmer, is on a quest to change that.

Williams, a former journalist, is the owner of Kereksuk Rice Farm, the second largest commercial rice farm in Nigeria by land size. His farm, which is situated in Nasarawa state in northern Nigeria, currently sits on 45,000 hectares and employs more than 600 natives of Nasarawa.

I recently caught up with the budding entrepreneur in Lagos, and had a brief chat with him where he recounted his journey and mused on how Nigeria can attain self-sufficiency in rice production in the near future.

What’s your educational and professional background?

I attended King’s College in Lagos. After attending secondary school at King’s College I proceeded to obtain my first degree at University of Aberdeen where I graduated with a degree in Economics. I also obtained a Master’s Degree in Economics from the same institution. My quest for more knowledge led me to enroll for yet another Master’s Degree at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London where I gained an MSc. in Finance and Development Studies.

Upon graduation, I landed a role as an analyst at the European Economics and Financial Centre in London. Afterwards, Euromoney Magazine employed me, where I covered the African space.

I would say that this is where my journey truly started.

Rotimi Williams on his farm

Given your background as a journalist, what informed your decision to venture into rice farming?

While at Euromoney, I had the opportunity to travel around a few African countries. These trips exposed me to countries like Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, South Africa, Zambia and Ghana. A common thread amongst the aforementioned nations is agriculture. Agriculture is at the very core of these countries and this got me thinking. After a few more trips, I decided to move back to Nigeria and sink my teeth into the agricultural space. Nigeria remains the largest economy in Africa from both a GDP perspective and also the strength of the size of our population.

Upon my arrival back in Nigeria, I got a job at a premier bank where I was promised to sit on the agriculture desk – my hope was that I would gain enough knowledge of the Nigerian agricultural industry and develop myself from there.

Unfortunately, the agricultural desk at the bank never quite achieved its set goals. I pushed hard for the bank to adopt policies and gain inroads into the agricultural industry, but my attempts were somewhat frustrated. I sincerely feel that the bank wasn’t quite ready to launch fully into the agricultural space.

As my frustration grew, I decided to quit banking and planned to go it alone into agriculture. Frankly, my decision led to a challenging sojourn as attempts to raise funding with my partner proved difficult. We started a Structured Trade and Commodity Finance company. After a while I started consulting for small agriculture companies seeking to raise capital both locally and internationally.

You currently own the second largest rice farm in Nigeria with 45,000 hectares in Nasarawa, Nigeria. What’s the story behind your acquisition of such vast land, and what are some of the challenges you’ve encountered in farming in the volatile northern region?

Two years had past and we still had no funds, so I made an offer to the farm owner, that with a 50-50 split, I would develop the farm with both personal funds and external funding. He agreed and that’s how I became part owner of 17,296 hectares of farmland. Knowing that agriculture would become the integral area of focus in Nigeria, I was bullish and ramped up the land to 55,000 hectares. I later parted with my partner as a result of unaligned views and strategy. I maintained 45,000 hectares for myself and today we have started producing, with our quality paddy being sold to major milling companies in Nigeria. However, I must add the following, I often have people ask how I learned abut farming, as everyone thinks you need a special degree in agriculture to be a farmer, but I always tell them the truth, I learnt it all on Google GOOGL +0.14%.  I downloaded every article I could find on rice production, consumed it and then practiced it in the fields.

Frankly, my experience working alongside indigenes [natives] of Nasarawa state has been exceptional. I have learnt over the years that if you approach people with respect even more so while one seeks to set up a business venture. Having a healthy sense of community makes all the difference in attaining one’s set objectives. I lean heavily on the wisdom and cultural approach of the indigenes to carry out farming on such a scale here in Nasarawa.

Credit: www.forbes.com

Firm to launch TV programme

Verdure Vision Limited, publisher of AgroNigeria Magazine, is set to launch its television programme – Agro On TV.

According to the Chief Executive/Editor-in-Chief of AgroNigeria, Richard-Mark Mbaram,  Agro On TV will be campaigning for increased provision of water, energy and road linkage for agricultural use, especially for smallholder farmers.

If these were achieved, he  said, there would be higher returns on agricultural investment, and an attendant positive ripple effect on the Nigerian economy will be felt within a few months.

He said Agro On TV would feature four segments: “The Pulse”; which chronicles news in the agricultural sector, “Talk Time”; which hosts stakeholders in the agric sector to discuss issues in the sector; “Street Vibes”, which highlights the experiences, opinions and expectations of people on issues relating to agriculture and “Agro Style”; which features entertainment gist in agriculture.

Of importance is Agro Style, a media strategy deployed to appeal to the younger generation and sustain their attention in agro-practice.

He said attempts had been made in the past to involve the youth in agriculture, but to no avail, hence the introduction of the entertainment segment, which will draw the attention of youths to the sector.

Mbaram added: “Agro On TV is fully funded by internal resources. It is our contribution to Nigeria; to let everybody know that the time to act on full participation in agriculture is now. The younger generation and the employers of labour should see agriculture as a necessity. Agriculture is a must. If practiced right, it would solve the social and economic problems facing the country.”

Source: The Nation

32 Nigerian Social Innovators and Entrepreneurs, Inducted As Ashoka Changemakers Scholars

Lagos, Nigeria: Inducted Ashoka Changemakers Scholars

July 2^nd, 2016 was a happy day to remember at the NECA House, BDA Secretariat, Ikeja, Lagos-Nigeria as 32 indigenous social innovators and entrepreneurs were inducted as Ashoka Changemakers Scholars, a Future Forward initiative, in partnership with the Ashoka and MasterCard Foundation, after they underwent an extensive online course and video sessions on the Future of Work in Africa: Innovations in Youth Employment.

Future Forward initiative Changemakers course is targeted at self-motivated leaders, social innovators and entrepreneurs in Africa, who are using their skills to solve social problems, with a view to broaden their horizons, with regards to global best practices, providing them with networking opportunities and further equip them with the requisite skills, needed to leapfrog their chosen passion and careers.

According to the Ashoka Changemakers Scholars Coordinator in Nigeria and CEO of Business without Boundaries (BwB), Olutope Olatilewa Egbetokun popularly known as Topsie, “the Ashoka Changemakers are social innovators and entrepreneurs who are working vigorously to reduce unemployment in all sectors of the Nigerian economy. Their aim is to change the landscape of policies, leadership, governance and youth engagement in creating a better Nigeria project and Africa enterprise”. She further revealed “32 Nigerian Ashoka Changemakers scholars were among a total of 175 selected for the course, from nearly 400 applications representing over 45 countries in Africa.” With a welcome and orientation session which began on Monday, April 25^th, scholars from across the continent regularly interacted with themselves and were interfaced with invited guest experts during live video sessions, who shared their experiences using innovative solutions to solve Africa’s growing unemployment challenges.

During a panel discussion, on the topic “Holistic and Sustainable Project for the Nigerian Youth: Opportunities, Solutions and Tools, panelist Adekoya Rasak a “thisabled” visually impaired web solution provider, on-air personality, writer of an award winning book “Brand Your Blindness” and CEO of 360 Connect Communication opined that life is not a bed of roses. People must display their ability and value proposition, to get what they want from other people. He said “people are more likely to listen to you based on your demonstrated ability, over your professed ability”.

Another panelist, Belema Ogbuige, Executive Director, Centre for Information and Development added that “life is an exchange of value, whereby to receive, you have to be ready to give”. Other members of the panel shared their thoughts and how they have been using their skills and social enterprises to solve social problems in Nigeria.

Amongst the distinguished invited guests to the Future Forward initiative Ecosystem Nigeria, was an Ashoka Fellow Mogaji aka African Farmer, CEO of X-ray Farms who shared his good and bad experiences as a farmer and how he was able to weather the storm to become a profitable and inspiring farmer. He seized the opportunity to encourage Nigerian youth, to see a future in agriculture, as it is one of the critical means of unlocking the economic potentials of Nigeria and its ability to create jobs for the teeming unemployed youth population. He advised the youth, to see agriculture as a business and not a dirty profession.

Although, many of the scholars had not met prior to the induction ceremony, except for the virtual interactions and exchange of ideas on the possible solution to youth “waithood” and unemployment in Africa, through the Ashoka Changemakers course online platform, scholars bonded and interacted like they have known each other for decades. This is how people of like-minds and passion can easily work together, regardless of race, color or socioeconomic status, to solve common problems.

Scholars who made it to the grand style ceremony includes the CEO of Yada Inc., Oludare Akinlaja; Director of Youth Arise Network Inc (YANI), Olanrewaju O Lewis; Team Lead of Euidem I.T Solutions, Temitayo Adegoke; CEO/Psychiatrist-in-Chief of Pinnacle Medical Services Limited, Dr. Maymunah Kadiri;  Olaleru Ibikunle Funso of the National Roots Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Abia State; CEO of Stell-Row Ventures, Stella Ozemoya; the Founder of Intuivar Limited/Africa, Henry Akwubu; National Coordinator of Youth As Gender Initiative (YAGI), Alabi Moses and a host of other spectacular social innovators. Also present at the Lagos event was Gabila Franklin Neba, an Ashoka Changemakers Scholar from Cameroon.

Other highlights of the event include but not limited to networking, partnership development, group photograph, red carpet shoot etc. 

Written by Adeniyi Philip Ayoola, an Ashoka Changemakers Scholar.

Twitter @Ayo116

Nigeria: Farmers to establish bank worth N60bn

Vegetable farmers

Mr Femi Coker, National President, National Farmers Association of Nigeria said on Tuesday in Abuja that the association would soon establish Farmers’ Bank worth N60 billion to boost agriculture.

Coker, who was represented by NAFAN Special Adviser, Mr Dapo Adesola, made this known at the ongoing National Insurance Conference (NIC) in Abuja.

He said that the proposed bank will be the first of its kind in the country.

Coker said that inadequate funding on agriculture appears to have aggravated and deepened poverty in the country.“Despite the fact that the country has spent billions of Naira on agricultural development without corresponding development.

“An assessment of the plans and budgets revealed there was no corresponding evidence that huge sums were spent on agriculture.

“Even with the two per cent budgetary allocation, the fund was used in servicing the numerous agricultural bureaucracies at the Federal and state levels,” he said.

The AFAN President said that the bank would be owned by registered farmers in the country as a remedy to the failure of government and financial institutions support for farmers.

Coker said that bank would partner Rabo Bank in Netherlands to enhance the country’s farmers with mechanisation.

He said that the association would train and empower 100,000 Nigerian youths to become farming entrepreneurs.

Speaking on insurance as a vehicle for Agricultural development, Coker said the insurance industry is not giving farmers the necessary support for agricultural development.

He urged the insurance practitioners to partner with farmers so that more farmers could purchase agricultural insurance policies.

“There are over 50,000 farmers in the country, but less than one per cent are insurance compliance,’’ Coker said.

However, he pleaded with insurance companies to support farmers with Insurance Bond guarantee to enable the farmers access quick and cheap loans.

The theme of the conference is: “Expanding National Resources and Infrastructure in Challenging Times.

NAN

80 killed: Herdsmen killing farmers in Benue state, season film continua By Adeniyi Philip Ayoola

Photo Credit: Google

80 killed: Herdsmen killing farmers in Benue state, season film continua?

By Adeniyi Philip Ayoola

Over 80 Benue state farmers and villagers were attacked and killed in their prime by herdsmen over grazing rights, in the last two weeks.
In February 2016 alone, hundreds of people were said to have been killed and about 1,000 homes destroyed in the Agatu area of Benue in a wave of attacks blamed on the herdsmen.

Amongst those slaughtered like cows were pregnant women, children, young and the old. To many Nigerians, this is not a news, as the nefarious activities of these assailants have continued unabated, with somewhat approval from government at all levels.

To many, it has become like a carnival, or season film, depending on the angle you are. Unfortunately, no government media aid has made a public statement over this and no assurances of the farmers safety. The voices of civil society organizations, media outfits and human rights activists have suddenly gone cold, making it look like your life does not matter, so long you're "just" a village farmer.

Aside the fear of post-harvest losses by farmers and unfavorable weather condition attributed to climate change, the extra cost on security in a country where cost of production continues to rise, is not the best for a new business, seeking to survive, let alone break-even.

As a farmer, you're contended with the choice and fear of what, how, where, when and for whom to plant or breed, your fears are "biscuits" like (meagre) compared to what you feel when you hear these evil nomads are coming your way. They have successfully attacked Ogun state, Kogi State, Oyo State, Enugu state, Plateau State to mention just a few, leaving marks of sorrows, tears and blood, according to Fela Anikulapo Kuti. They have threatened to attack more villages and towns, as they continue to grow wings, with some moral supports from their "ogas at the top".

Recently, a former presidential aspirant and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) was kidnapped on his farm by the herdsmen, like an action movie, state's apparatus was set in motion to ensure his timely release. Of course, he was rescued, and not without apprehending the culprits. Why did he enjoy such a swift intervention? Your guess is as good as mine.

For a growing population like that of Nigeria, which according to United Nations is estimated to surpass United States 300 million population by 2050, meeting the needs of the about 200 million current population has been a herculean task for passionate farmers and agribusiness owners, as more than 45% of our locally produced foods gets spoilt before they hit the markets. Some of the reasons for this huge loss include, lack of storage facilities, inaccessible rural roads, among others. Our inability to meet our local food demands, in the right shape and quality, has contributed to the over 70% of our foods, including toothpicks being imported from Asia, Europe and America, making our food import bill compete with Mount Kilimanjaro.

Food insecurity remains a big threat as the few who have remained in the rural communities are constantly slained like the Biblical Abel and their innocent blood used to appease the earth. How long shall this continue in a country governed by law and order? Apart from the stress (like other professions) attributed to the farming profession, the fear of being killed has discouraged agribusiness investments and the youth, from patronizing our villages where the land resource is in abundance.

As a people with blood flowing in our veins, we all have the same needs, though our wants differ. A common need between the rich, poor, young and old, is food. How we want it, where we want it, from whom we want it, is what makes the difference.

With a human necessity like food being threatened daily by uncontrolled elements in our society, who continues to act like "zombies", without an iota of respect for the sanctity of human lives, the government, civil society organizations, human rights activities and other stakeholders, including security forces must speak against these evil men and increase their intelligence surveillance, to nip their threats before it becomes a global emergency.

From experience, the impact of one well planned single invasion by the herdsmen, literarily turns the community into a shadow of itself, leaving a teary and sorrowful taste on the faces and tongues of the children who are orphaned due to the untimely death of their parents and breadwinners. The future of these kids and widows remain bleak, as no social security is provided for them, though the responsibility of protecting their lives and properties was that of the government.

#BenueLivesMatter
#BenueLivesMatter
#BenueLivesMatter

Twitter: @ayo116 @IGAfrica
Email: Ayoola116@gmail.com
See more: http://adeniyiayoola.blogspot.com/2016/07/80-killed-herdsmen-killing-farmers-in.html?m=1

80 killed: Herdsmen killing farmers in Benue state, season film continua By Adeniyi Philip Ayoola

Photo Credit: Google

Over 80 Benue state farmers and villagers were attacked and killed in their prime by herdsmen over grazing rights, in the last two weeks.
In February 2016 alone, hundreds of people were said to have been killed and about 1,000 homes destroyed in the Agatu area of Benue in a wave of attacks blamed on the herdsmen.

Amongst those slaughtered like cows were pregnant women, children, young and the old. To many Nigerians, this is not a news, as the nefarious activities of these assailants have continued unabated, with somewhat approval from government at all levels.

To many, it has become like a carnival, or season film, depending on the angle you are. Unfortunately, no government media aid has made a public statement over this and no assurances of the farmers safety. The voices of civil society organizations, media outfits and human rights activists have suddenly gone cold, making it look like your life does not matter, so long you're "just" a village farmer.

Aside the fear of post-harvest losses by farmers and unfavorable weather condition attributed to climate change, the extra cost on security in a country where cost of production continues to rise, is not the best for a new business, seeking to survive, let alone break-even.

As a farmer, you're contended with the choice and fear of what, how, where, when and for whom to plant, your fears are "biscuits" like (meagre) compared to what you feel when you hear these evil nomads are coming your way. They have successfully attacked Ogun state, Kogi State, Oyo State, Enugu state, Plateau State to mention just a few, leaving a mark of sorrows, tears and blood, according to Fela Anikulapo. They have threatened to attack more villages and towns, as they continue to grow wings, with some moral supports from their "ogas at the top".

Recently, a former presidential aspirant and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) was kidnapped on his farm by the herdsmen, like an action movie, state's apparatus was set in motion to ensure his timely release. Of course, he was rescued, and not without apprehending the culprits. Why did he enjoy such a swift intervention? Your guess is as good as mine.

For a growing population like that of Nigeria, which according to United Nations is estimated to surpass United States 300 million population by 2050, meeting the needs of the about 200 million current population has been a herculean task for passionate farmers and agribusiness owners, as more than 45% of our locally produced foods gets spoilt before they hit the markets. Some of the reasons for this huge loss includes, lack of storage facilities, inaccessible rural roads, among others. Our inability to meet our local food demands, in the right shape and quality, has contributed to the over 70% of our foods, including toothpicks being imported from Asia, Europe and America, making our food import bill compete with Mount Kilimanjaro.

Food insecurity remains a big threat as the few who have remained in the rural communities are constantly slayed like the Biblical Abel and their innocent blood used to appease the earth. How long shall this continue in a country governed by law and order? Apart from the stress (like other professions) attributed to the farming profession, the fear of being killed has discouraged agribusiness investments and the youth, from patronizing our villages where the land resource is in abundance.

As a people with blood flowing in our veins, we all have the same needs, though our wants differ. A common need between the rich, poor, young and old, is food. How we want it, where we want it, from whom we want it, is what makes the difference.

With a necessity like food being threatened daily by uncontrolled elements in our society, who continues to act like "zombies", without an iota of respect for the sanctity of human lives, the government, civil society organizations, human rights activities and other stakeholders, including security forces must speak against these evil men and increase their intelligence, to nip the threats of the herdsmen before it becomes a global emergency.

From experience, the impact of one well planned single invasion by the herdsmen, literarily turns the community into a shadow of itself, leaving a teary and sorrowful taste on the faces and tongues of the children who are orphaned due to the untimely death of their parents and breadwinners. The future of these kids and widows remain bleak, as no social security is provided for them, though the responsibility of protecting their lives and properties was that of the government.

THIS YOUNG FARMER SHATTERS WHAT WE THINK OF AS SUSTAINABLE FARMING

Anita Molesworth

Despite farmers being the custodians of our land, we rarely seem to hear from them – so we asked Young Farmer of the Year Anika Molesworth to tell us what her world looks like, and what sustainable farming in Australia could entail. Be prepared to be blown away.

As soon as I left high school I caught three planes of decreasing size, and flew to a giant cattle station in northern Queensland. Unlike many 18 year old city girls, all I wanted was to be on the back of a horse trailing a few thousand cattle with a vast empty horizon ahead of me. I love the raw beauty of the extensive grazing systems. They are wild, challenging and isolated. You find great value in the most basic essentials of life – a clear stream to fill your water bottle, a smile from the only person you see that day, a gum tree to offer shade on a week-long muster. Jillarooing confirmed for me that I wanted a life in agriculture.

My parents bought our farm at the start of the decade long Millennium Drought. Not the best time to buy a farm. So our introduction to farming was a steep learning curve. It was immediately apparent how interconnected individual components of a farming system are. When the rain doesn’t come, less vegetation grows, livestock are sold at reduced weights, crop yields are not achieved, less money in the farmer’s pocket means off-farm employment is sought, and shops close in rural towns. As someone who dreams of owning my own farm one day, the drought was the impetus for me to pursue a career in how to build resilience in vulnerable farming systems to the challenges we face now, and the challenges of the future.

I find the natural world and the rhythms of life completely captivating. I am passionate about making sure that this intricate and fragile web is not jeopardised by careless human action. As the world faces unprecedented obstacles, we need people facing them head on. Not only can young bright minds help come up with the solutions, but it is the younger generation and the following generations that will be most greatly impacted by the trajectory we find ourselves on.

One of the defining challenges of our time is how to feed a growing global population while reducing our environmental footprint. By no means an easy task. Striving for sustainable agricultural systems is perhaps a broad and audacious goal, yet the need to redefine the way we produce food and fibre is undeniable. Farmers are being asked to produce more with less right now, and we cannot tackle these expectations with 20th century thinking and technology. We need to continually seek new information, new ideas, a better understanding of the world and human interaction with it.

The faces of youth in agriculture remind us we need a long-term plan. Working in agriculture is a worthwhile and rewarding career, as those involved in its improvement are making a meaningful contribution to food security, the protection of natural resources and the vibrancy of rural communities. We need to encourage young people to look past the Great Dividing Range and explore what opportunities lie in regional and rural Australia. We need those creative and critical perspectives to disrupt the status quo and find innovative pathways to feed this world.

One way in which farmers are taking climate action is through the adoption of renewable energy. Farmers have long fed the world – and now they are helping power it as well. Renewable energy uses natural resources that can be constantly replenished, and provides a winning situation for those on the land and all living beings. It provides farmers with an additional source of income and a stable source of income, a means for reducing costs, increasing self-reliance and enabling a greener production system.

The importance of renewable energy is well understood by farmers and has been used in food production systems for centuries. Using the sun to dry crops and grain is one of the oldest applications of solar energy, windmills have drawn water from depth, while harnessing the power of flowing water with waterwheels was a game-changer for early civilizations to advance.

Right across the world, communities – both rural and urban – are recognising the opportunity created by clean energy. The flourishing renewable energy sector includes:

• Solar energy
• Wind energy
• Bioenergy
• Hydropower
• Geothermal
• Tidal and wave energy

Although there is an extensive history of renewable energies used on farms, they still mainly play only a localised and modest role in energy production. For large-scale implementation of renewable energies, countries need to devise strategies to improve availability and affordability of suitable technologies – developed for local contexts and holding opportunity for scaling-up.

The great prospects for renewable energy to be embraced by agriculture are out there, and as a farmer, I am truly excited to see the expansion of clean, green production systems.

To make the most of these opportunities for farmers to do good, we need more eaters to realise the power of what’s on their plate. It’s heartening meeting farmers like Anika and our volunteers who get it. Now it’s time to start a conversation with those who haven’t. Yet.

Source: http://www.youthfoodmovement.org.au/this-young-farmer-shatters-what-we-think-of-as-sustainable-farming/