The Imminent Famine, What Should Be Our Priorities?

Credit: NDTV

Two days ago, our Honorable Minister for Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh met with the 36 states governor at the International Conference Centre, Abuja and without mincing words, the Minister reiterated the opportunities available to farmers, if they could invest in 11 exportable cash crops, since they were in high demand in, Europe and America.

The Minister who announced emphatically during the meeting said "about 11 cash crops that are much sought after globally and which are in abundance in Nigeria could comfortably take this country out of recession. The crops are cocoa, cashew nuts, pulses (Pidgeon pea), palm oil, yam, cassava starch, ginger. Sesame seeds, gum Arabic, rice, grains, goats, cattle.

Although he divulged that he wasn't naming the crops in any particular order, Ogbeh disclosed that yams which now sell for $16 a tuber in the United states is also in high demand in foreign markets. Other much sought after crops according to the minster include cassava starch, maize, millet, palm oil, cashew nuts and Pidgeon tree".

I am a bit baffled at the Minister's comments. This is coming at a time, when the presidency warned that Nigeria, Africa’s largest producer of cereals and grains, risks famine from early next year (January, 2017) following a huge demand in the global market targeting the country’s surplus production.

Giving the grim forecast in a radio interview in Kano on Monday, a spokesman for the President, Garba Shehu, told Pyramid radio that the “huge demand for our grains in the global market is creating an excellent environment for the mindless export of Nigerian food across our borders and unless this is curtailed, Nigerian markets will be bereft of grains by January next year.” Check Premium Times of November 15, 2016 (Presidency warns of impending famine in Nigeria).

There are warnings of impending farming in some Northern Nigeria states, with over 400,000 children at risk of famine. This is not a case for the minister to consider. Unlike what the Spokesman of was critical about, putting an end or reducing the exportation of our grains, the minister is going about advocating for export of our limited agricultural produce.

I naturally would expect that all efforts by the Minister and his technical team would be to stem the tide and address this imminent famine and hunger, which is being stimulated by low production, due to lack of irrigation, storage facilities, improved crop varieties and animal breeds; and aggravated by the influx of foreign agric produce merchants.

Don't get me wrong, food export is fantastic. It is much better, when we have added value to it. But one of the reasons for the depletion of our foreign reserve, is due to the high demand for Naira for agric products/produce being imported, to cushion the effect of the shortfall in our local production. Do we not have the capacity to produce what we import? It is wrong to assume that Nigeria cannot feed itself.

In terms of land, people, water, dams, lakes and beautiful weather to rear all kinds of animals and cultivate all varieties of plants, we are abundantly blessed. Despite this, we continue to live in both physical and mental poverty.

Of all the produce mentioned by the Minister, cocoa, cashew nuts, pulses (Pidgeon pea), palm oil, yam, cassava starch, ginger. Sesame seeds, gum Arabic, rice, grains, goats, cattle; more than half are stable foods of Nigerians and they are currently lacking in Nigeria.

Garri: Formerly a food for the common man, is not very scarce with demand outweighing supply, thereby forcing the price to shot-up. Gone are the days when we hid our garri from people. Today, we "soak" garri with pride.

Palm oil: An alternative to groundnut oil which was considered a premium commodity in the past, is an essential cooking condiment. Palm oil is now unreachable to the ordinary Nigerians. Less than one litre bottle average N800 in the open market today. We now import palm oil from neighboring countries.

Rice: This used to be the most commonly consumed staple food of Nigerians. It was the best food for Nigerians, especially those from humble background. Today, it is exclusively for those who can afford it, as it shots up, to over 120% in 6 months. It is likely to increase as we approach Christmas and the new year. This Christmas, many families may seek for an alternative to rice, a tradition they were used to.

Grains: Maize is an essential ingredient in poultry feeds. Today, the cost has increased astronomically, forcing many poultry farmers out of business. Don't be surprised to hear that we now import eggs, oranges, etc from neighboring Cotonou, Benin Republic.

Goats: Research has shown that goat milk is more nutritious than cow milk. It has also been proven that many Nigerians suffer from inadequate protein in their meals. A recent research by the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) says "12 million children under the age of five are stunted due to malnutrition from protein deficiency" check Daily Times of August 12, 2016.

With the above worrisome developments, one would expect that the Minister will "lobby" Mr. President to increase the Ministry's budget in line with the 2003 Maputo declaration of 10% of total national budget to agriculture, and also activate his advocacy skills to promote local production and consumption, rather than continue to promote export, at the expense of the ordinary Nigerians, who are at the risk of survival due to poverty and hunger in the year 2017.

I am Adeniyi Philip Ayoola

@ayo116

@adeniyi.ayoola

Agriculture Can Banish Recession From Nigeria If...

The Minister for Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, yesterday enumerated eleven cash crops that can drive the current recession out of Nigeria, if they are given serious attention by the agriculture sector personnel as well as farmers and appropriately cultivated in the country.

Ogbeh said many of these cash crops that are in very high demand on the global market can be found in surplus in Nigeria, and wonders why Nigerian farmers are still wallowing in poverty despite the huge potentials on their farmlands.

Ogbeh made this declaration when he addressed the 36 governors yesterday (Wednesday) at their Nigeria Governors' Forum meeting at the International Conference Centre in Garki, Abuja.

Specifically, the Minister announced that about 11 cash crops that are much sought after globally and which are in abundance in Nigeria could comfortably take this country out of recession. The crops are cocoa, cashew nuts, pulses (Pidgeon pea), palm oil, yam, cassava starch, ginger. Sesame seeds, gum Arabic, rice, grains, goats, cattle.

The minister said Cocoa which Nigeria used to be the leading exporter has remained a hot cake in the international market but regretted that Nigeria has since fallen to the seventh position among its exporting countries, exporting only 27.5 million tonnes while Cote de Voire has climbed to first position with an annual volume of 1.75 billion tonnes in cocoa exports annually.

Although he divulged that he wasn't naming the crops in any particular order, Ogbeh disclosed that yams which now sell for $16 a tuber in the United states is also in high demand in foreign markets. Other much sought after crops according to the minster include cassava starch, maize, millet, palm oil, cashew nuts and Pidgeon tree.

On Pidgeon pea in particular, Chief Audu Ogbeh said that the demand for the commodity has reached more than a billion dollars annually, most of which come from Africa, particularly our East African brothers who saturate the Indian market with the commodity. "I do not see any reason why Nigeria would not take 25 per cent of that market," he enthused.

The minister also made a case for value addition and standardisation of the produce that are grown in Nigeria and processed for exports, regretting that most of Nigeria's agricultural produce are being declined on the global market because of their inability to meet global market standards, arguing that hands are on deck to rectify the situation.The minister also identified areas that have been inimical to agricultural growth in the country like the use of unsuitable fertilizer. Do not use 151515 because it is not suitable for the crops and it is not suitable for the soil aa well."

The meeting agreed that almost all the states have fertilizer blending plants which should be deployed to use nationwide so as to have the right blend of fertilizer "for better yield and greater value from crops all over the country."

The minister began by addressing the issue of CAMACO which is lending Nigeria $4.5bn worth of farm implements and machinery with a counterpart funding quota of 15%. The minister however argued that the counterpart fund was "tidy".

This agreement on which an MOU had been signed is expected to supply equipment to all the 36 states and Abuja agricultural equipment according the need of each state for an equal amount of the money.

In response, several state governors suggested ways of meeting the counterpart amount beginning with the chairman of the forum Governor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar of Zamfara State who suggested that the Federal Government should offset the amount as a loan to the states.

The governor of Kebbi state on his part asked that the agreement include a front-runner arrangement as an agric-diplomacy where the beneficiaries of the $4.5bn loan would pay back using produce from their farms. He said Nigeria should barter the machinery with china and export sesame, cassava starch and soya as compensation for the equipment.

While Governor Abdullahi Abubakar of Bauchi State was more concerned about the intrusion of foreign produce traders into our local markets, the Ebonyi state governor talked about raising the standards of our produce to comparative cropping advantage to the agriculture sector.

Source: Thisday

Nigeria: Bird Flu Confirmed in Kano

The Kano State Government on Wednesday announced the resurfacing of bird flu in the state.

Shehu Bawa, the Director Veterinary Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria in Kano.

Mr. Bawa said the outbreak was recorded in one of the poultry farms in the state.

He said the affected farm had been depopulated while stringent measures were taken to prevent the spread of the disease.

"The state government has taken proactive measures to contain the spread of the disease to other farms within the state," Mr. Bawa said.

He said part of the measures taken to check the spread of the disease include disinfection of the affected farm and routine surveillance of other farms.

Mr. Bawa called on farmers to immediately report to the appropriate authority outbreak of the disease in their respective farms to enable government take prompt action.

"I am using this opportunity to advise farmers to immediately report any outbreak of the disease to enable government take prompt response."

On inadequate number of veterinarians, the director urged the government to employ more for effective supervision of abattoirs in the state.

He said most of the abattoirs lacked veterinarians to inspect animals before being slaughtered.

"With the exception of the two abattoirs at Kofar Mazugal and Bachirawa, others have no meat inspectors.

"So, there is need to have veterinarians to supervise abattoirs in each of the 44 Local Government Areas of the state," he said.

(NAN)

LIVESTOCK FARMING: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO GET STARTED WITH PIG FARMING

Do you want to start pig farming?

This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of setting up a pig farm. Learn about which pig breeds are the best for your location and the type of business you want to run. Expenses can make or break a business, find out what expenses you need to be aware of when you start pig farming.

1. WHY START PIG FARMING?

Pig farming only needs a small investment in buildings and equipment. Pig farming also offers quick returns because the marketable weight of fatteners (piglets you’re raising for the freezer) can be reached within six to eight months.

Pigs have the highest feed conversion efficiency. This means pigs produce more live weight from a given weight of feed than any other class of meat producing animals with the exception of broilers chickens. Wide variety of feeds, such as:

* 'Grains
* Forages
* Damaged feeds
* Garbage.

All of which pigs convert into valuable nutritious meat.
Top tip: Feeding your pigs damaged grains, garbage and other unbalanced rations can result in lower feed efficiency.

The pig is prolific and has a shorter generational interval. As an example a sow can be bred from the age of eight to nine months and can farrow (give birth to a litter of piglets) twice in a year.
Six to 12 piglets can be produced in each farrowing. Pigs are usually known for their meat production: Their dressing percentage which is the percent of the live animal that ends up as carcass can range from 65-80% whereas other livestock usually don’t exceed 65%.
Pork is the most nutritious when it has high fat and low water content. It has a better energy value than any other meat. It is also rich with vitamins such as: Thiamine, niacin and riboflavin and is the most consumed meat globally.
Pig manure is commonly used for fertilizer in agricultural farms and fish ponds. Also, pig fat, which is stored rapidly by pigs, has an increasing demand from poultry feed, soap, paints and other chemical industries. There is a good demand from the domestic and international market for pig products.

2. KNOW YOUR MARKET

The most key question you should ask yourself before you start pig farming is:
Is there a demand for pork in my area? Is there someone who will buy my pigs
You should ask this question before you buy your first pig. If the answer is “yes” then decide which pig breeds are the best fit for you and your land. Then decide if you’re going to sell weaners, porkers or baconers. Baconers can be sold for more, but on the other hand it costs more to get the pig to 85 to 90 kg.
When you start pig farming it is often a better idea to sell weaners because pigs that have just been weaned and weighs less than 40 kg are faster to produce and more cost effective. You should be able to pay all your expenses until your first pig can be sold. You’ll need to be prepared for your profit margin fluctuating from year to year.
The market price of pigs can go up when pork is limited and can drop when there is an oversupply of pork. The same can happen with feed prices, specifically with maize which makes up 60% of pig feed. Pig feed will also take up between 60% and 80% of your total production costs. Keep in mind pork farmers go through a hard time when feed prices are high and pork prices are low, when planning your finances.

3. PIG PRODUCTS

Suggestions:

Most of the pig meat can be used as fresh meat for re-sale. A whole suckling pig can be used and are usually sold between the ages of two to six weeks.  Pork is the most common ingredient in many kinds of sausages. Ham and bacon are made from fresh pork which has been salted and/or smoked. The pigs’ shoulders and legs are most commonly cured for picnic shoulder and ham. Bacon is taken from the sides of the pig.
Additionally, pigs can be used for an array of products, such as:

1. Pig skin: Pig skin can be used for safety gloves, collagen in energy bars and plastic surgery, low-fat butter, chewing gum, x-ray films, drug capsules, bread (the flour improver is made from their hair). The skin can also be used for practising of tattoo art as well as used to simulate human flesh when testing bullets.
2. Internal organs: The pig’s internal organs are used for pet food, tambourine skin (bladder), heart valves (surgery), surgical anticoagulant (stomach mucus) as well as insulin (pancreas).
3. Pig Bones: Can be used for: Refining cadmium, bone china, inexpensive wine corks, stabilising the propellant in bullet making, inkjet paper, fabric softener, concrete, match heads, train brakes, yogurt, beer, wine and don’t forget ice-cream.
4. Pig fat: The fat from pigs bodies are used for biodiesel, soap, shampoos and crayons
5. Pig blood: Can be used for: cigarette filters, colourants in some types of ham, aluminium ingot moulds, fish foods as well as toothpaste.
6. Bristles and ears: Some paint brushes are made from pig bristles and pig ears are used for chemical weapons testing.

4. BUYING YOUR FIRST PIG

Pigs bought from a farm that has good quality animals and a high standard of management and hygiene are a good investment. The boar you’re buying should come with complete records. From these you will be able to see the boars’ performance as well as his parents’ performances.
You should probably take someone with experience and knowledge in this field with when buying pigs for the first time. There are also regulations for moving pigs that you’ll need to comply with.

5. SOME ADVICE

Rather pay more for a good pig than less for a lesser pig that might die or doesn’t perform well. Examine the pig carefully to ensure you’re purchasing a good quality animal.
Asking the seller questions such as:
* How old is the pig?
* Has it ever been sick?
* Has it received vaccinations? If yes, for which diseases?
* Has it received treatment for parasites?
* If it’s an adult pig, has it ever bred?
* Why is the seller selling the pig?
You should study the animal when it’s lying down:
* Does the pig look comfortable and relaxed?
* Is it breathing regularly? It should not be wheezing or gasping. If the belly of the pig contracts when it breathes this means it is battling to breath. Only the chest should be rising and falling.
* Observe the pigs’ reactions. When you clap your hands, shout or whistle loudly a healthy pig should react by looking at you.
Study the animal when it’s standing up:
* Is it too fat or too thin? If you can see the hips, shoulders, ribs or backbone under the skin, the pig is too thin.  If it has rolls of fat around its neck it’s too fat.
* If the pig is too fat this can cause it to develop leg and foot problems as well as the possibility of not breeding well.
From the overall appearance:
* Is the back straight?
* Is the coat glossy?
* Does the pigs’ skin look healthy and clean?
* Does the pig have any swellings on the head, body or limbs?
* Are their legs strong and straight?
* Does the pig walk normally?
You should specifically watch for:
* Coughing
* Sneezing
* Itching – This you can see if the animal rubs against objects for prolonged periods of time.
* Diarrhoea – This can be seen by soft or watery dung
* Constipation – This you can see if there are small, dry and hard droppings.
The South African Pork Producers’ Association (Sappa) gives us three basic steps to consider when purchasing pigs:

1. What breed will best suit your farm
2. Don’t buy other people’s problems
3. Plan a breeding program which will match your resources.

6.  PIG BREEDS TO CONSIDER

There are four pig breeds in Southern Africa namely the:
1. Large White: This is a particularly large animal. It is lean and active. It can adapt to most climates. This type of pig has a long, productive life in the breeding pen. It produces good quality bacon and pork. It also has the ability to cross with and improve other pig breeds which has made it quite popular.
2. SA Landrace: An indigenous and locally produced breed. This means it can survive on both marginal and high potential grazing also that it is disease and heat tolerant. It is popular among non-commercial producers who slaughter mainly for domestic consumption.
3. Duroc: Originated form the eastern U.S, one of the recognising characteristic is its drooping ears. Because it has a high ratio of marbling fat to carcass fat, its meat is juicy and tender.
4. Kolbroek: Is an indigenous breed that’s smaller than most modern pig breeds. This type of breed has sturdier legs, stronger feet and is extremely hardy. The Kolbroek is known as a good forager and efficient converter of high-roughage rations

5. RAISING PIGS

Your boars need to be raised differently to your sows. They have different healthy weight requirements as well as different age groups of productivity. Their health and the success of the breeding program will have a lot to do you. How well you’ve planned along with how well you’ve keep records of previous partnerships and pervious serving dates.

6. BOARS
A heathy boar should weigh 90kgs before he is 140 days old. He will require a maximum of 3kg of feed to gain 1kg in weight. Buy boars at least four weeks before putting them to the sow for the first time. This will allow you to keep them quarantined and will give the boar a chance to adapt to his new environment and become comfortable.

7. BREEDING
 There are a few tips to prevent boars from hurting themselves or the sow the first time they serve. The boar should be at least eight months old and the same size as the sow. A smaller sow and not a gilt (a young female) should be used for “training”. The boar should serve the sow in his own pen. By removing any obstructions from the pen and ensuring that the floor is not slippery, you can save both your boar and sow from potential injury.
With 20 breeding sows you should have at the very least two boars. The younger boar will be to serve the gilts that come on heat for the first time and a mature boar to serve the older, heavier sows.  If at all possible it is advisable to have a spare boar available.
Keeping a record of when which boar served which sow as well as how many sows have been served can be very beneficial. By doing this you can cull boars that are infertile or produce small litters. On average boars have a working life of a maximum 18 to 24 months old. This means they ought to be replaced when they are 30 to 36 months old.

a) Sows
Healthy gilts should have legs which are strong and straight as well as even-sized claws. They should have a well-formed vulva and six well-shaped, noticeable teats on either side of their belly. The teats should start well forward and be evenly spaced to allow for piglets to have adequate suckling space.
Always have enough gilts to keep your breeding programme going. If you need to you can always buy extra animals, when doing this try to buy from the same farm your boars came from so that the owner can give you some advice on your breeding programme.

b) Breeding
Gilts should be between five to six months old before breeding. Pigs that are not chosen can be sold as baconers at a live weight of around 90kg. You should nurture your breeding gilts until they weigh between 120kg and 130 kg, which should be between seven and eight months. Then they are ready to be served by the boar for the first time. In order to produce large litters (8 – 10 or more healthy piglets) the gilts have to be in good condition.
Reasons to remove sows from your herd:
* Failure to conceive
* Not coming on heat
* Abortions
* Lameness
* Small litters
* Old age
* Lack of milk.
Once you’ve removed the sow, don’t try to make them larger by feeding them more. The sows’ udders need to return to normal after weaning before sending her to the abattoir. You can then bring in a replacement gilt.
With successful sows that farrow regularly, rear large litters and are problem and disease free, they should be allowed to rear six to more litters before culling.

8. Pig feed
9.
If your pigs are fed properly they’ll be heathy, grow well and produce good quality pork. This will increase your profits. The various groups of pigs should be fed differently and in different quantities. These groups include:
1. Boars and pregnant sows
2. Sows with piglets
3. Pigs three to ten weeks old
4. Pigs weighing 60kg to 90 kg, who are up to slaughter.
The digestible energy, protein and vitamins and minerals should be at the right quantities for each group to ensure proper health. Feed mixture can be bought or mixed on your farm. It is cost-effective to mix the feed yourself but please consult an expert before attempting this yourself. Consult an expert in pig nutrition before altering the feed or the quantities used in a mix.
There should always be fresh and clean water available. Also feed and water should be kept as far apart as possible in order to keep the feed dry.

9. COSTS INVOLVED IN A PIG BUSINESS

The amount of piglets your sows produce will affect the amount of profit you make. To ensure they produce the maximum number of piglets and that the piglets are marketed as soon as possible you will need:
* Housing which allows your pigs to be reared efficiently and comfortably. Preferably well-maintained clean housing
*  Simplify disease control as much as possible by making sure conditions on your farm are clean and precautionary measures are in place.
* Pigs which are highly productive breeding animals, grow well and use their feed efficiently are more likely to produce carcasses with low fat and can produce 20 or more piglets yearly.
*
Assets you will need when starting your pig farm:
* Land
* A room where the feed can be mixed and stored. Equipment can also be stored there.
* Housing for the farmer and workers, if this is needed.
* Pig housing
* Water facilities which includes: pumps, pipes, taps, drinking nipples, reservoirs and boreholes if this is needed.
* Self-feeders
* Feed scale
* Fencing and gate
* Roads.
Key movable assets you will need for your pig farm:
* Trucks for transportation of pigs and feed
* Ten to twenty pregnant gilts between ten and twelve months
* Two to three boars between eight and twelve months.
Remember that your first pig will only be sold eleven months after you’ve bought your first pigs. You should have enough savings to cover all your costs until you can start selling your pigs.
Feed is the biggest cost for a pig farm. Keeping the costs as low as possible is imperative to survival. You will need to:
* All your feed  mixtures should be well-balanced for the different groups
* Try not to waste any feed
* Mixing your own feed is cheaper
* Choose cost-effective ingredients for the feed.
Other costs involved in pig farming are:
* Labour
* Transport
* Fuel
* Veterinary Bills
* Medication
* Slaughter fees
* Repairs and maintenance of fences, buildings and vehicles
* Additional animals.

Culled from https://bizconnect.standardbank.co.za

Al-Makura flags off graduate farmers project

Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu (2nd L) inaugurates graduands of the 7th Graduate/Farmers’ Pilot Scheme at Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority in Doma, Nasarawa State on Wednesday (23/11/16). With him is Gov. Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State.

From left: Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu; Managing Director, Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority, Mr Ovey Angbazo; and Gov. Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State, during inspection of Doma Dam in Nasarawa State on Wednesday.

7A cross-section of Traditional Leaders at the inauguration of graduands of the 7th Graduate/ Farmers’ Pilot Scheme at Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority in Doma,

. Gov. Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State (R) and the Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu’ during the latter’ visit to Lafia on Wednesday.

Traditional leaders on Wednesday joined Governor Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa state to inaugurate 7th Graduate/Farmers’ projects.

The Pilot Scheme was inaugurated at Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority in Doma, irrigation dam project that has not been into used for over three decades.

The scheme which is in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority is aimed at turning graduates into entrepreneurs so as to improve food production in the country.

Flagging off the scheme, the Minister of Water Resources,  Suleiman Adamu says the government will provide the graduates with finance and technological know how to get the Programme going.

Credit: NAN

Nigeria lacks agric research support, say nematologists

While the Federal Government is encouraging Nigerians to see the positives in agriculture, the president of Nigerian Society of Nematologists (NISON), Professor Dele Fawole, has said many corporate and private organisations are not showing interest in agricultural research in the country.

Fawole stated this at the just-concluded third biennial conference of NISON with the theme, ‘Nematodes and the Ecosystem,’ held at Augustine University, Ilara Epe, Lagos.

He said: “While the government is encouraging agriculture and tilting Nigerians towards it, many organizations are not showing support in agricultural research. If researches are conducted across the country, many farmers and even people coming into the agric business will be well enlightened, knowing what it takes to excel and be successful.”

On the threat nematodes pose on agricultural produce, Fawole stated: “They reduce farmers yields to different levels which result in low productivity, quality and low return on investment. Though not all nematodes have negative effects on the soil. There are some that help in revitalizing the soil by decomposing organic matter in the soil. The other is plant parasitic nematode which is harmful to agricultural produce. It is difficult to get total control, but what we are striving for, is keeping them (plant nematodes) at a population where they don’t have significant level of damage,” he stated.

Speaking on the enlightenment of Nigerian farmers on nematodes, the vice chancellor, who is also the vice president of NISON, Professor Steve Afolami, said: “We have done a lot of research, published papers but most of them are not being used for the purposes for which the research were meant. Every time Nigeria reaches a point where it (the research) is going to benefit scientifically (especially) from produce and the effort of the researcher, something always happen that prevent it (the research) from being implemented.

“In the case of weeds, we almost got to a point where farmers were to become routine users of herbicides to control weeds in such a manner that the intensive labour needed for managing weeds in farms would be reduced. Suddenly the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) came and there wasn’t money to manage that programme. That prevents agriculture from taking off in a commercial manner.

“Nematodes are not (really) visible, you need a very organized group for extension. First to train farmers and then to demonstrate the effect of controlling nematodes from the crops themselves, so that farmers can save themselves from loss managed by the scientist of the extension person. When these are done, other farmers who pass by are likely to ask question on what are you doing that we are not doing.”

He added: “Generally, the effect of nematodes are not known. Tree crops like cocoa are being affected by nematodes. Usually the effects are not felt immediately because farmers could think it’s a soil problem.

Credit; Guardian NG

How Kano Women Move From Kitchen to Agro-Business

By Ibrahim Musa Giginyu

Sixty-four-year-old Hajiya Hinde Maishinkafa has been a farmer for over two decades. When she decided to venture into agriculture business, particularly rice farming, people thought she was unserious. "They kept telling me I have no business in men's dominated trade and I shouldn't dare try, but I knew I could do it," she recalled.

Though, she was ill-equipped and had little knowledge of practical aspect of farming, she was determined to succeed, no matter the odds. And, today, with the assistance she got from an association, she is a proud successful farmer.

A visit to her village revealed that Hajiya Hinde Maishinkafa is among the biggest rice farmers in Bunkure. Employing more than 15 people, her farm produced over 120 bags of rice this year.

It was also discovered that, with the intervention of SAA, Hinde's farming practices got the push it needed as she was connected to where she can get hybrid seeds, trained on modern farming techniques and modern preservation process.

"I was operating on trial and error bases, but when Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) came, they asked us to form associations of maximum number of 25 women each, which we did, and they linked us with seed companies and fertiliser dealers where we can obtain good seeds and fertiliser at affordable price."

Continuing, she said: "The interesting part of all this is when SAA gave us a complete milling machine as a form of loan. The good news here is that, the association paid half of the price of the milling machine. We now cultivate and mill our rice and also mill for others. We now mill 30 bags of rice, daily, at N1, 000 per bag. Poverty among women in our community is a thing of the past. Virtually all the women are engaged, one way or the other, no one wants to be left behind."

During an assessment visit of Sasakawa projects with a media team to Bunkure Local Government Area as part of activities to mark Sasakawa's 30th anniversary in Nigeria, Dr Esther Ibrahim of Sasakawa stated that the SG2000-Nigeria country programme began in March 1992, under an agreement signed with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The initiative targeted federal and state agencies to raise agricultural productivity and improve food crop marketing among Nigerian farmers.

She said that the project has recorded many successes in creating market for products produced by small-scale farmers and improved their knowledge on new agricultural techniques through which Hajiya Hinde's association benefited.

"We are promoting women engagement in agriculture in virtually all the northern states in Nigeria, and the good news here is that most of these women have formed groups and are presently fully engaged in full time agricultural practices," she said.

"This is a clear indication that, what our women need is just the motivational assistance to move from the kitchen to the field and become more productive and self-dependant," Dr Ibrahim said.

Credit: Daily Trust

Nigeria, Israel and Argentina to train Niger Delta ex-agitators on agriculture

By Grace Udofia 

The Federal Government on Wednesday said it was going into a partnership with the Israeli and Argentine governments to train Niger Delta ex-agitators in agriculture so as to boost food production and boost the nation’s economy. The special adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, General Paul Boroh, disclosed this in a meeting with representatives from the two foreign countries in Abuja. Boroh explained that the major objective of the partnership was to tap from the expertise of the two countries and enable the ex-agitators to earn a sustainable means of livelihood. According to Boroh, the two countries have what it takes to make agriculture in Nigeria a big business and provide food security for the nation. Boroh said, “I have been to Israel severally and seen the huge fortune recorded in farming there. 

There are a lot of big farms there and I want my people under this programme to maximise the window of opportunity in agriculture to earn a living. ‘’Currently as Nigeria shifts its dependence from oil to agriculture, it is important to key into it and train people to be able to catch up with the times’’. Also speaking, Argentina’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Gustavo Alejandro Dzugala, said the partnership with Nigeria would bring about a major benefit in agriculture given the vast knowledge and expertise of his country in the area. “Argentina has a long experience in the agricultural scheme and is also willing to map out strategies and approach which will give ex agitators the necessary tools for capacity development’’. ‘’We are here today because there is an interest by the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs to train ex-agitators on the expansion and diversification of the Nigerian economy through rugged drive of agriculture’’. 

‘’We are done with the first stage of approval as we evolve we hope that the project will get approval to be implemented, which will mean that we will commence next year in full scale, there are plans for it to be included in the 2017 budget’’. ‘’Our economy is based on agriculture and Nigeria economy can grow to be like that, we have involved experts from both sides for strategic planning, the process will determine the financial commitment of Argentina’’. In the same vein, Yaron Aharon from Israel said the essence of the collaboration was to address the authorities of PAP on how to use the knowledge and skills of Israeli farmers to better the lives of Nigerian youths and improve the economy of the country.

 ‘’ It is essential to use the vast resources and human capacity Nigerians are blessed with to be self reliant. I choose Amnesty because they have shown their intention to tap from the great experience we have come with’’. ‘’We are not limited by numbers or time; it is a programme that can take months or even years and we are ready to ride you all the way as long as you give us the resources to carry that out, our major target now is to train the trainers then they in turn will train others which will give room for local expansion’’.

Credit: Vanguard NG

Abia farmers cooperative floats N500m share for subscription

Gov. Okozie Ikpeazu

Umuahia – The Abia State Farmers and Institution Micro-Finance Cooperative Union Limited (AFIMCUL ) on Tuesday floated a N500m share capital for public subscription.

Inaugurating the public offer in Umuahia, Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu    commended the initiative, describing it as supportive of government’s efforts to diversify the state economy.

“My joy is based on the fact that this union has taken up the challenge of the present administration for Abia citizens to join hands to boost the state economy through agriculture.”

Ikpeazu, represented by Deputy Gov. Ude Chukwu, described the low agricultural  financing as “the bane of food production in Nigeria.”

He said that farmers, although highly resourceful, were hardly able to finance production beyond subsistence farming.

He commended the union for pulling resources together to help its members to access the needed capital to boost their productive capacity.

“This will reduce the drudgery associated with farming activities through mechanisation and enable farming to acquire  business status and be able to generate wealth and employment,” he said.

In his speech, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Chief Uzo Azubuike, also commended the union for the initiative, saying that the ministry had supported the growth of cooperatives.

Azubuike said that the ministry had commenced the registration of farmers in the state, adding that Abia North and Central Senatorial Districts had already been covered.

In a goodwill message, a Director in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Akinloye Akintola, assured the union of the support of the ministry through capacity building for its members.

Akintola described the cooperative sector as “a veritable tool for development”, saying that since Abia is an agrarian state, cooperatives would help farmers to achieve optimal success.

Alhaji Mohammed Yusuf, the Secretary-General of the Apex of Farmers Cooperative Societies Limited (AFCOSOL), described the initiative as laudable.

Yusuf, who challenged farmers in the state to expand their scope of product to include cereal, said that his state, Niger, would engage in exchange of agricultural products with Abia.

In his  welcome,  address, the state President of the union, Chief Uzoma Nwogwugwu, said that the union established AFIMCUL as part of its contribution to transform agriculture in Abia.

Nwogwugwu said that the initiative would help to address the challenges “associated with the delivery of credit to farmers and cooperatives in Abia and Nigeria as a whole.”

News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN ) reports that farmers from 17 local government areas of the state used the event to showcase their agricultural produce.

NUC accredits Sasakawa programme for varsities

NUC

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved the accreditation of Sasakawa Agricultural Extension Programme in Nigerian universities.

From empirical studies, one of the major challenges of agricultural development in most African countries, including Nigeria, has been found to be that of a weak agricultural extension system. This is exacerbated by lack of opportunities for in-service training for field extension staff; and the lack of relevant and appropriate training and orientation of the extension personnel, who even have the opportunity of in-service “qualification” training at tertiary institutions.

It was in recognition of these deficiencies and to boost field experience in the top echelon of extension service, that the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), funded by the Nippon Foundation launched the Sasakawa Africa Fund for Extension Education (SAFE) programme in1993, with a special innovative curriculum, and its pilot programme was implemented in Ghana, in collaboration with Winrock International Institute for Agricultural Development, a United States-based non-profit NGO.The curriculum includes sufficient pragmatic and hands-on experiential methods.

With the NUC’s nod, the programme, initiated would now be mainstreamed into universities’ curricula to facilitate the production of graduates and postgraduates in science and agricultural extension.

Before the NUC endorsement, the SAFE extension programme had been running in five universities, including Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria; Bayero University, Kano; University of Ilorin; Adamawa State University, Mubi, and Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto.

Sasakawa takes full responsibility of funding and providing logistic to universities to run the programme for the initial four years, after which the institutions take ownership of the programme.

Speaking at press conference in Kano, the Country director of SAA, Prof. Sani Miko, said with this development, Nigeria has now joined eight countries where the practical agricultural extension programme is being run in 20 universities.

“Recently our agricultural extension programme scaled through NUC accreditation to run officially in the universities. Our agitation and consistent efforts to get the programme mainstream into regular university programme finally yielded positive result. We hope with this approval the programme will be properly sustained and adequately funded by the university because we realised funding and other logistics for running the programme are becoming difficult. That was after the provision of Sasakawa Africa Funds for Extension Education (SAFE) ended.

“We envisaged this situation right from the beginning and that was why we approached Federal Ministry of Education; we visited the minister to see the need to mainstream the programme so as to sustain it. Today we are pleased to inform you that the programme has been accredited,” he said.

Miko posited that the mainstreaming of the programme, henceforth will compel universities to take full responsibility of funding and sustaining the programme.

The country director who regretted that the challenges of funding and insufficient resources were frustrating the sustainability of the programme noted that the mainstreaming it into regular programmes in the universities would strengthen and enhance the quality of the products.

At the briefing, which was part of activities marking the 30th anniversary of Sasakawa in Nigeria, Miko restated the organisation’s commitment to strengthen the agricultural extension system.

This he said would be achieve by building the capacity of extension professionals and small-holder farmers to accelerate agricultural productivity and competitive value chain in the country.

“The training has not only equipped students with modern technical knowledge on agricultural extension but also accelerate promotion of many who could not cross the bar due to lack of qualification in extension training,” Miko stated

Source: Guardian
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The alarm over famine

Since the news broke of a possible nationwide famine next year, Audu Ogbeh, the Agriculture Minister, has reportedly denied it. Government’s equivocation on the possibility of a famine is completely unnecessary. Given our long history of government tardiness and lack of proper planning, chances are that this prediction will come to pass,  if things are not done differently to avert it.

For a country in recession, the looming food crisis compounds the problem of hunger and poverty which is already hitting the people  very hard. The  fact is that our country should have no business  with this unfortunate prediction, given our huge endowments in agriculture.

Long convoys of trucks  are said to leave the country almost daily for neighbouring countries,  bearing food items. Our farmers  sell their products to anyone and anywhere, whereever  they get the best prices.
That should not be the reason for a shortage of food to feed our citizens. What the looming food crisis simply means is that we are not producing enough food. Government should be more proactive in its food security policies and programmes. Food production efforts should be intensified and expanded. The present administration has rightly prioritised agriculture as a means of diversifying the economy. What the country needs to see  is the  result of the food production efforts. Crops like cereals and grains which are in high demand, for example, can be planted and harvested in a matter of months.
With good harvests, government should ensure that enough food products  are bought from the farmers at competitive prices and stored in our numerous silos for the rainy day. Natural disasters and other unforeseen occurrences could  happen when least expected, but a nation that  has put its house in order would be shielded from the adverse effects of famine.
Whatever measure we take to avert next year’s predicted famine would only be  short-term. Going forward, government needs to put an  accent  on agriculture. This can be done when we stop paying lip-service to agriculture. We cannot have a better incentive now than the present economic challenge facing the nation.
The budgets of successive administrations in the country have not indicated  the importance of agriculture as a vehicle for food security and  national development. The Muhammadu Buhari administration has to do more on agriculture. After security, agriculture should come next on the priority list of our national budgets.  Unfortunately, given the poor current federal earnings, that would not amount to much. That is why all stakeholders, including state and local governments,  need to move aggressively now on the food production front.
Farmers would be encouraged to produce more if they get good returns on their investments. This is not the case now, and government needs to note this sore point. In nations where agriculture is taken seriously, subsidies and incentives are given to farmers to  motivate them and ensure optimal productivity. The farm-gate price for agricultural products is largely competitive and uniform.
Extension workers and other support agencies are on the field with the farmers from day to day, to ensure the best yields. The farmers know from day one what price government will pay for their products, and when they have a surplus, they know government will be there to mop it up.
These are important and practical assurances that farmers need to embark on the task of food production. Our government should emulate good agricultural practices in other countries. While the recent revised policy document on agriculture by government is good, collaborative efforts like the on-going one between the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and rice farmers in different states of the country should be sustained and intensified to avoid the impending famine. The country is too endowed in agricultural resources to envisage a food crisis next year or at  any time in the future.

Credit: Nigeria Today

Nigeria: That Famine Alarm

EDITORIAL

While this country was basking in the euphoria of a bumper harvest this year, Nigerians were surprised, shocked, annoyed and distressed that the Presidency issued a famine alert. Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity Malam Garba Shehu raised the alarm in an interview in Kano. He said on Pyramid Radio that the enormous demand for Nigeria's grains in the global market was creating an environment for the mindless export of Nigerian food across the borders and unless this is curtailed, Nigerian markets would run out of grains by January next year.

Shehu also said the Federal Ministry of Agriculture advised the president to call the attention of Nigerians to the issue which if not addressed promptly, could lead to a shortage of food in the country. The Agriculture Ministry, he said, estimates that 500 trucks loaded with grain leaves Nigeria every week. Shehu however said the country had a bountiful grains harvest, more than enough to feed the country and export to other countries but that there was a high demand of Nigeria's grains from countries as far as Libya, Algeria and Brazil. He said, "President Muhammadu Buhari is not in any way opposed to or intent on tampering with [free market system]. On the other hand, exporters also have a moral obligation to make their produce available to Nigerians who live within the country's borders, to ensure that our citizens have access to food."

Coming from a government that has made agriculture its main agent in ending dependence on oil, this alarm is frankly unnecessary. Now there is panic in the markets, which could cause the hoarding of grain by disaster profiteers. Government took a bold step this year in assisting rice farmers with loans under the Central Bank of Nigeria's Anchor Borrower Programme. There was a lot of optimism that bumper harvest, especially of rice, will emerge from Kebbi, Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Niger, Ebonyi and Anambra states. Bumper harvest of maize, sorghum and millet was also expected. Government's efforts and farmers' enthusiasm plus the restriction on food imports all gladdened Nigerians. That is, until Garba Shehu dropped his bombshell.

This country has been exporting large quantities of grain to our neighbours since pre-colonial times. There are many markets all across the country that specialise in loading truckloads of grains and tubers for export to neighbouring countries. Borno State for example was the route through which hundreds of food-bearing trucks regularly left for Cameroon, Chad and Central African Republic. The Boko Haram insurgency shut that route for many years but it is slowly resuming now. Rather than cause alarm, we should see that as a positive development. Exporting agricultural or any other products has never killed any country. Instead of raising an alarm, government should cash in on it and find ways to expand and cultivate our abundant arable land both in rainy and dry seasons.

As for possible shortage of food during the dry season, that is why government has Strategic Grain Reserves. It buys excess grain from the markets and stocks it in silos, and releases it for sale during the dry season in order to moderate prices and ensure supply. Government's fear is that farmers sell their entire harvest and leave nothing for their families to eat during the dry season. This is an unfounded fear because farmers are not that foolish. They must however sell part of their harvest in order to obtain the money to attend to some social and other obligations.

We suspect that Malam Garba Shehu's warning was not intended to convey the alarmist message that it conveyed. In future we advise government officials to choose their words more carefully. A famine is not a one day's event. It is caused by many years' accumulated crises due to drought, war or other dislocation. Nigeria is nowhere near a famine situation.

Credit: Daily Trust