Nigeria: Buhari Vows to Revamp Agriculture in Niger Delta

By Emmanuel Addeh and Sylvester Idowu

President Muhammadu Buhari at the weekend in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, vowed to revamp the economy of the Niger Delta to ensure that in the next few years, agriculture would coexist and compete favourably with proceeds from the export of oil and gas resources.

The president who blamed successive governments for missing several opportunities to steer the Nigerian economy away from its sole dependence on oil and place it on a solid footing, pledged that his administration would pursue the diversification of the Nigerian economy with vigour.

Buhari who spoke during the Green River Project (GRP) Farmers' day, jointly organised by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and supported by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Oando Plc, stated that if the current momentum is sustained, Nigeria would be self-sufficient in a couple of years from now.

The GRP is dedicated to the celebration of achievements of farmers in Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers and Imo States and according to the organisers, has enabled Agip and its joint venture partners to assist the states in agricultural production towards achieving food sufficiency and economic empowerment.

While calling for the support of everyone, the Nigerian leader reiterated that he had already begun plugging the loopholes which led to the degeneration of the economy, noting that with the feedback at his disposal, Nigeria was on the path of recovery.

"As well as plug gaps and shortcomings, I am pleased to let you know that the results have started to take shape

"There is no doubt that these are difficult times for us as a nation. Having squandered most of the opportunities we had to lay a solid foundation in the past, we have seen our oil-dependent economy slide into recession largely on account of falling oil prices as well as militancy and vandalism of oil infrastructure in the Niger Delta.

"But even as these economic difficulties have unfolded over the last two years, we have gone ahead to lay our vision for restoring the economy and placing it on a diversified footing largely on agriculture and solid minerals.

"The result has been heart-warming. The most recent GDP figures for the second quarter of 2016, rose in two major areas; agriculture and solid minerals," he said.

In the audio-visual message he specifically sent for the occasion and a separate message read on his behalf by the Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, who represented him, Buhari also begged Niger Delta militants to halt the harm being inflicted on the economy and the Niger Delta ecosystem by the bombing of oil and gas facilities in the region.

"I appeal to the people of the Niger Delta to embrace peace and focus on agriculture for sustainable economic development and wealth creation. I urge you to take advantage of the huge potential in agriculture and stop the destruction of oil and gas pipelines which only serves to destroy our ecosystem and economy," the president added.

He said that with the agricultural policies and programmes currently being put in place and the kind of partnership shown by Agip in revamping agriculture in the Niger Delta, the people of Nigeria would soon have a cause to smile.

In the message, the president said the Niger Delta possesses one of the best wetlands in the world and advised its people to embrace peace so that genuine development could take place.

Buhari stated: "Let me use this opportunity to reiterate our uttermost commitment to our farmers across the country. This government is championing several schemes aimed at supporting farmers and agriculture.

"Let me list a few of them. The anchor borrowers programme of the Central Bank of Nigeria which has already impacted positively in rice production levels in several states."

He said twith the good harvest coming in from parts of the country, there was no doubt that such partnerships initiated by NAOC and its owners would go a long way in adding value to farmers.

Describing the GRP in the Niger Delta as " one of its kind and worthy of commendation and emulation by all oil companies, Buhari stated that apart from the huge oil and gas deposits, the Niger Delta region is blessed with one of the world's largest wetlands with arable land for agriculture and has the capacity to become a domestic and international provider of agricultural produce.

The president disclosed that $9 billion dollars was currently being lost to lack of facilities for prompt processing of agricultural produce annually and $22 billion used in the importation of a few agricultural products.

He said the federal government was repositioning the bank of industry, BOA and has created the Nigeria Incentive-based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending NIRSAL, to enable farmers access to credit facilities.

The President stated that the provision made by Agip in supporting beneficiaries with processing facilities would go a long way in ameliorating the huge losses.While commending the 'unrelenting' efforts of the company", he urged them to sustain the initiative as oil production and agriculture can coexist and pave the way for sustainable prosperity.

He urged the governors to collaborate with the federal government to make agriculture a key business in Nigeria as it will help curb restiveness and increase revenues in the states.

Chairman of the company, Uberto Cararra, in his speech said the programme has been helping the youths as well as women and expressed joy that the GRP was receiving attention from the right quarters.

The MD, Oando, Pade Durotoye, who was represented by Anthony Sawyer, General Manager Operations, noted that the programme currently has 35,000 farmers within 120 communities in its fold, but called for a " more aggressive and varied implementation strategy".

Also, the General Manager District, Marco Rotondi, said the GRP was changing the perception that the Niger Delta was "all about insecurity and militancy".

Prof Humphrey Ogoni, Vice Chancellor of the Niger Delta University, in his address said attention should be paid to mechanised farming, integrated farming system and more collaboration with research institutions like the NDU.

Meanwhile, ex-militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias "Tompolo" yesterday broke his silence on recent spate of bombings in the Niger Delta, alleging that his cousin, Michael Johnny, was behind series of recent attacks on national assets.

He said confidently that the security agencies were aware of the involvement of the said Chieftain of All Progressive Congress (APC) in Delta State, Chief Johhny, in the recent attacks on oil facilities in the region.

Tompolo maintained that information at the disposal of security agencies indicated that a suspect in their custody had allegedly confessed that Michael Johnny sent him (the suspect) to bomb oil facilities.

Tompolo in a statement signed by his Media Consultant, Paul Bebenimibo, was reacting to an online publication that militants are plotting to attack more facilities unless the federal government stalls Tompolo's trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He expressed surprise that the publication was coming up two days after his cousin, Chief Michael Johnny appeared on a national television accusing him of being the mastermind of attacks on oil facilities.

Reacting to the publication, Ekpemupolo again dissociated himself from the threat by the group noting that he did not and will not send anyone to attack oil facilities in the Niger Delta Region.

"The attention of my client, Tompolo has been drawn to an online publication by a faceless person or persons, that militants have vowed to attack more oil facilities over Tompolo, if Federal Government of Nigeria refused to drop the criminal charges against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

"Ekpemupolo (Tompolo) unequivocally dissociates himself from this threat as he did not send anyone to attack oil facilities in the Niger Delta region because of his case with the EFCC. Tompolo has consistently denied involvement in the resurgence and bombing of oil facilities in the Niger Delta region.

"This online publication is coming two days after one Michael Johnny has accused Tompolo on Channels Television programme," State of the Nation" of been behind the bombing of oil facilities in the Niger Delta region."

"Tompolo watched the programme with great disbelief as Michael Johnny accused him of being the brain behind the bombings of oil facilities, whereas information at the disposal of security agencies indicates that a suspect in their custody had confessed that Michael Johnny sent him (the suspect) to bomb oil facilities.

"That means that Michael Johnny is the one behind the bombings of oil facilities in the Niger Delta. Tompolo has instructed his lawyers to sue Michael Johnny for malicious damage.

"Tompolo has said in many occasions that he will not resort to violence and bombing of oil facilities because of his case with the EFCC. Tompolo sued the EFCC for illegally placing non-debit order on his company account in Warri before he was hurriedly dragged to court by the EFCC in Lagos. And after a year, the court has refused to hear his case for frivolous excuses. And he has vowed to patiently pursue his case rather than resorting to violence and bombing of oil facilities which is greatly affecting our economy", the statement signed by Bebenimibo read.

Finally, Chief Ekpemupolo we wish to warn that no one should u warned against the use of his name to seek relevance in the present administration noting that such moves would be resisted by any legitimate means.

Source: Allafrica

Nigerians Need Not Panic Over Famine Reports - Ogbeh

By Ruth Tene

The minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has assured Nigerians that the federal government is working round the clock to avert any imminent famine in 2017.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja at the weekend, Chief Ogbeh lamented that the Nigerian elite had distanced themselves from agriculture in the last five decades, since the discovery of oil, a development he blamed for the current food insufficiency in the country.

The minister also blamed urban migration for neglect of agriculture among Nigerians, especially the youth, adding that it was high time the youth engaged in agriculture aggressively.

According to him, the Ministry of Agriculture had, in the last one year, ensured food sufficiency and security through a religious implementation of government policies and programmes.

"We came in a year ago; precisely on 15 November, 2015. And ever since then, we have continued the push for food sufficiency. The first step we took was to inform the world that there would be no policy summersault. And we have kept to that!

"So we decided to widen and deepen existing policies and programmes for sustainable development," he said.

He further noted that the demand for grains by neighbouring countries has resulted in the current shortfall in food supply, adding that this has shot up the population demanding grains by additional 180 million.

"It is a bit of difficulty for us here, because we are not yet producing as much grains as is required to meet the feeding needs of the country. But we cannot ban exports because of ECOWAS Treaty that goods produced in Africa can move freely," he added.

Source: Allafrica

‘Farmers can reap N2.5bn from plantain farming

Over the years, farming in Nigeria has taken a dramatic turn for the better by creating jobs and opportunities for entrepreneurs who have the passion to go into farming business.

Millionaires are currently being made every year through farming in Nigeria and there is no end to the prospects of creating more wealth through farming. One of the lucrative farming segments in Nigeria today is plantain farming, from which it has been estimated that farmers could earn N2.5 billion annualHowever, millions of naira is being generated through plantain farming as individual farmers, both young and old, are making nothing less than N2 million to N3 million and above annually depending on the plantain suckers planted, hectares of land and how the farm is being managed.
Despite Nigeria being regarded as one of the largest plantain producing countries in the world, it has not been featuring among plantain exporting countries because it produces more for local consumption than for export.
National per capita consumption figures show its importance relative to other starch staples. On the other hand, these figures do not show regional reliance, which is often very important for highly perishable crops that are usually consumed in or near areas of production.

However, the consumption and exportation of plantain has risen tremendously in Nigeria in recent years because of rapidly increasing urbanisation and increased demand for easy and convenient foods by the non-farming urban populations.
Besides being the staple for many people in more humid regions, plantain is a delicacy and favoured snack for people even in other ecologies. A growing industry, mainly plantain chips, is believed to be responsible for the high demand being experienced now in Nigeria. Apart from that, the Southwest also converts it to plantain flour, which the people of the region call ‘Amala dudu’. It is more nutritious and expensive than yam and cassava flour.
Today, the number of farms producing plantain in Nigeria is very few and this makes the demand for it high and profitable and the plantain market is young and not crowded.

On how to make millions from plantain, an expert from Eminence PlantainVille who spoke with Daily Sun explained that plantain farming is a very lucrative business as a bunch of plantain sells between N500 and N1,500. Take this calculation for example: if a farmer planted 1000 plantain suckers with an average of 12.5kg per bunch yield, if one kg is sold at N100 then the farmer will have N1,250 a bunch totaling N1,250,000 at the end of a year. After deducting expenses of about N500,000 (without irrigation), the farmer will have N750,000 in first year. With proper farm management, the farmer will harvest every nine months and have suckers to sell and expand the farm, which will generate more income.
Just of recent, a youth group under the auspices of Concerned Youth Empowerment Association of Nigeria launched the first ever ‘plantain bread’ in Nigeria to support the diversification efforts of the Federal Government and to boost the economy.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, at the launch said developing noble products from crops grown locally such as plantain is very important because apart from the health benefits to be derived, it also has the potential of creating jobs along the value chain and by extension, eliminating poverty in the country.
He added: “The present administration has identified agriculture as single most critical sector that has the potential for mass job creation needed to tackle the issue of youth unemployment. Likewise, agriculture needs youth participation to change the labour composition and replace the aging farming population while modernising the processes through innovation and creativity just like the plantain bread.”

The National President of the association, Mr. Noble Adelu, said: “the initiative was driven by patriotic concern to cut down the rate of food importation into the country. We went into research and we discovered that we could make use of plantain flour in place of wheat flour, which we import to make bread. The flour can be used to bake bread, cake, make ‘fufu’ and other pastries.”

The Managing Director of Eminence PlantainVille and KutanVille, Racham Victor, said that plantain occupies a strategic position for rapid food production in Nigeria and is ranked third among starchy staples.
According to him, the country’s output doubled in the last 20 years while contributions of plantain to the income of rural households in major producing areas in Nigeria continue to increase in the last few years.

He added: “Unlike some other starchy staples whose demand tend to fall with rising income, demand for plantain increases with increasing income and the potential for industrial processing of plantain has recently been adopted. Plantain farming should be an avenue for the government to create wealth and employment for Nigerians, especially the youths because it is a staple food that commands high price with high demand and ready market.”
Speaking on how he made wine from plantain, he said that plantain wine may be new in Nigeria but not to the world. He said right now India is already in commercial production of plantain wine and making millions, adding that Uganda is also doing fine in that area.
He explained that research shows that the procedures in producing plantain/banana wine and juice is simple and can be done anywhere.

On the acceptability of the wine in the Nigerian market, he was optimistic that it would be accepted because it has the same benefit and nutritional value with any other form in which plantain can be taken, saying all lovers of wine will love it.
He argued that if plantain and banana industry is taken seriously, government could generate revenue through opening of international trade for plantain and banana, adding that despite being one of the highest producers of plantain in the world, Nigeria has never exported plantain. He said that government could make more money from registered commercial plantain and banana farms as plantain-processing companies will also pay tax.
As part of efforts to start exporting plantain, he said there is already a crowd-funding plantain and banana village project in Ekiti State, which will enable farmers who may wish to invest in plantain farming to do so easily and make profits.
While advising intending plantain farmers, he said they should consider irrigation before planting, saying the reason Nigeria usually has temporary plantain glut in the market in on-season and scarcity in off-season is because majority of existing and intending plantain farmers are rain dependent.
Said he: “At the onset of rain, they all start planting, which makes the produce to be out at once resulting to glut. If an intending farmer cannot afford to irrigate his/her plantain farm alone, he can do it in partnership or join crowd-funded plantain village project. Intending farmers should also equip themselves with adequate knowledge of plantain cultivation.”

Source: Sun News

Govt’s N52b debt stalls farm inputs distribution

The N52 billion owed  agro dealers by the Federal Government under its Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme has stalled the distribution of farm inputs to farmers across the country, Chairman, Fertiliser Producer and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN), Thomas Etuh, has said.

The GES scheme is a model where farm inputs are delivered to farmers at a subsidised rate.

Etuh spoke during a stakeholder’s workshop to review the “Draft Fertiliser Quality Control Bill and the National Agriculture Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (NAGESS) Bill,” in Abuja yesterday.

The programme was organised by FEPSAN in partnership with the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) under the Micro-Reforms for African Agribusiness in Nigeria project.

According to him, the inability of the government to pay agro dealers has resulted in farmers using poor seeds and adulterated fertilisers for farming.

These, he lamented, had resulted in poor harvest across the country for farmers leading to food shortage.

Credit: Nation

Foreigners have invaded Nigerian farms

- Dr. Nebude

FILE PHOTO: A group of women working on a ginger farm in Jere, Kaduna State.

Foreigners from India, China and Lebanon among others have invaded farms especially in the northern part of Nigeria, the Principal of Premier Agribusiness School in Abuja, Dr. Bode Nebude has said.

He said this in an interview at the end of the North Agriculture Stakeholders Summit/Expo which held in Kaduna on Wednesday.

According to him, the foreigners take advantage of the poor status of the farmers to buy off their agricultural products very cheaply; thereby pauperizing the farmers, as they continue to farm without making huge profits.

“Foreigners buy our ginger and benne seed among others for export. No Nigerian is exporting benne seed and we are one of the biggest producers of benne seed. The foreigners have enough money because they have their companies and they have done businesses as well as contracts in Nigeria, so they repatriate their money by using their money to buy all our agricultural produce cheaply and use them to siphon their money back home. So they are not helping us,”

Dr. Nebude who is also the President of Cluster Farmers Association of Nigeria stressed the need to bring cluster farmers together so that they can have a voice, make money for themselves and be sustainable.

He noted that most farming now are not sustainable. “The essence of the summit therefore was to take agriculture relevance to the grassroot,” he said.

He pointed out further: “Our focus is on small holder farmers because they do not know how to get assistance or access to loans. So the programme is aimed at educating them on how they can get assistance from government and from people. We are also building their confidence to know that they don’t have to beg to sell their products. We are educating them on how to process and get financial backing because if they have money, they will be able to produce and wait to sell at the right time but if they don’t, the foreigners will bring in money and buy half price from them.”

“This platform will help farmers who cannot speak English and who do not have the financial muscle to face the banks. So many farmers don’t know where to get things that could be of help to them. 90 percent of people obtaining agricultural loans are not farmers but they access these funds because they are closer to workers or management of the banks. It is unfortunate that bankers themselves invite non-farmers to pick up agricultural loans; leaving the farmers to fail by scaring them away with conditions they cannot meet,” he lamented.

He therefore advised the small holder farmers to pull their resources together to procure locally fabricated machines to aid their agricultural works.

“We are giving the farmers practical training. We have fabricated machines that can prepare feeds, give them up to four tons daily and the machine cost less than N100,000. We have cassava; so fabricated machines for cassava should be from Nigeria because it is endemic produce; so also ginger and palm oil among others,” he stressed.

He further stressed that there must be permanent ban on importation for agriculture to succeed in Nigeria.

“For years now, poultry farmers have been suffering because of importation but the short term ban on importation has increased their productivity,” he noted.

Credit: Daily Trust

CBN pledges more support for rice farming

By Babajide Komolafe 

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has pledged to increase its support for rice farming across the country.

CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele made this promise while inspecting rice farms in Itane, Ketar Fulani and Gwadan Gwaji villages in Kebbi State. Mr. Emefiele, who expressed satisfaction with the yield of farmers that hearkened to the clarion call to embrace farming as a business venture rather than mere subsistence, stated that major objectives of the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) had been largely achieved. According to him, the objectives of the ABP include assisting rural small holder farmers to grow from subsistence to commercial production level, increase capacity utilization, creating jobs, reduce poverty, and increase banks’ finance to agricultural sector among others. 

Accompanied by the Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Atiku Abubakar Bagudu and the representative of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, Emefiele said that the ABP was yielding result due to farmers’ access to the correct seedlings, pesticides and fertilizer as well as the support from the State government. He also expressed confidence that the target of ensuring that Nigeria feeds herself would be achieved. 

He therefore called on the farmers in the state to always forward their challenges to the Bank and other authorities for quick solution, even as he assured them of the continued support of the CBN. He thereafter enjoined members of the media to inspect the rice farms and report objectively. While noting that the refusal of some farmers to register for the Bank Verification Number (BVN) had militated against their getting access to the ABP facility, the CBN Governor urged all farmers in the country to register for their BVN. He also assured that the ABP facility would be spread to many people as far as they got registered for the BVN, which he noted was on-going.

 Also speaking, the Governor of the State, Senator Bagudu, who doubles as the Chairman of the National Task Force on Rice and Wheat, said the objective of the tour was to see how farmers and processors in the country were responding to the call by President Muhammadu Buhari as well as the impact of funds provided under the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP). While attributing the bumper harvest being recorded in all the 31 rice-producing states across the country to the political motivation by President Buhari as well as intervention efforts of the CBN and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, he said the goal of making Nigeria self-sufficient was on course. 

Gov. Bagudu hinted that the state government was ready to provide paddies to millers on credit but urged the Federal Government to provide more silos in the state as many farmers were still holding paddies at their homes. He commended the CBN for its intervention and assured the Bank that his government would continue to collaborate with the CBN to ensure the objectives of ABP are met. Equally speaking, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, represented by the Director in the Ministry, Alhaji Azeez Musibau Olumuyiwa, assured of the Ministry’s commitment to work with the CBN to ensure the success of the agricultural intervention programmes, in line with the aspirations of the Federal Government. 

Responding, the Chairman, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Kalgo Local Government chapter, Alhaji Aliyu Itane, denied the allegations that politicians were the ones benefitting from the programme. He clarified that only genuine farmers, who were screened and met all the necessary requirements of accessing the ABP facility, were benefitting from the programme. 

While fielding questions from journalists, other farmers expressed their appreciation to the CBN Governor, and said that the ABP had increased their output and created jobs in the area. They also called on the state government to construct roads to the farms that would enable them repatriate the farm produce to the markets easily. “The Itane farm has a coverage land area of 89 kilometres and to rice farmers in the area there is no economic recession. What is recession?” Alhaji Aliyu, one of the farmers, queried. Meanwhile, farmers in the Zuru Emirate council have embraced soya bean production at commercial level as a way of diversifying agricultural activity in the state. The soya production, which is presently being anchored by a private firm, ICMG, in partnership with Kebbi State Government, has leveraged on the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme and BVN platform to register and capture over 5,000 farmers across three districts. The ICM group, which will also serve as the off-taker, provides the farmers with improved seedlings, fertilizer and extension services.

Source: Vanguard

No Land Hijack in Agric City, Ogbeh Assures

By Gabriel Ewepu

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has assured Nigerians that no will be land hijack by big farmers or politicians in the 15, 000 Agriculture City initiated by the Federal Government.

Ogbeh cleared the doubt while answering questions from journalists about the protection of young people who wants to subscribe land for agribusiness in the area mapped out for the project.

He said: "We will be equitable in allocating the land and we are talking about 15, 000 hectares, and I don't like the idea of give one person 10, 000 hectares which is unfair. I know that the youth is the key, and the big timers are very few and they can't take everything.

"So there is no need for Nigerians to fear about that, and we promised to ensure everybody get land there and become a big time player in the sector."

He also explained that those young farmers who get farming plots there will engage in fish production, poultry, livestock management and grains production.

Adding that the Ministry will subsidise land acquisition for the youths and also engage in buy back clause of the farm products produced from the farms, thereby creating market for the products.

Meanwhile, to continue agricultural policies in the country and for sustainability the Minister proposed farm laws that will not allow incoming administrations to jettison good policies for the interest of the people and sector.

"For sustainability and continuity of the project; we may do what is done in the United States of America, USA, they call it the farm laws. No regime can throw away the policies of the last regime, and can't jettison what they have done. We have not gotten to that point but we may do it.

"Like this administration we did not throw away what my predecessor started and left rather we continued with it and also deepened some policies and projects in order to avoid policy somersault", he stated.

Source: Allafrica