The Nation Newspaper

Category: Agriculture

  • ARMTI empowers youth, rural women

    The Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute(ARMTI) is poised to boost rural development and reduce poverty through initiatives focused on empowering rural women and youth in agriculture.

    ARMTI’s Public  Relations Officer Mr. Mayowa Gidado said the institute was building the capacities of the rural poor to benefit from rural economies, with particular emphasis on ensuring that women and youth are engaged and empowered in food security.

    A statement by the institute  said it held a  training workshop for men, women and youth on agricultural produce management and marketing last month.

    The objectives of the workshop according to the statement, included sensitising farmers on agricultural commodity value chain development, formation and management of formidable commodity-based cooperative societies and possible ways to profitably market agricultural commodities.

    The two-day programme, which had a component of field practical, also held in all the geo-political zones. Each state was represented by a number of farmers nominated by the state Fadama office and the Agricultural Development Programme (ADP).

    To ensure a proper dissemination of the message of the workshop to large number of  farmers,  ARMTI decided to mount the programme on state-by-state level where participants  were drawn from all the local government areas (LGA).

    Last year, the programme  was implemented in Oyo and Ogun states on August 29 and 30, and 106 farmers were trained. It was also organised for Kwara and Kogi states on August 31 and September 1 and 93 farmers were trained.

    Eighty-eight farmers, including  54 from Imo State and 34 from Abia, were also trained between November 15 and 16, in Owerri, Imo State.

    This year, the programme was organised on April 6 and 7 for Gombe and Bauchi State farmers.

  • Lagos boosts farming with input

    Lagos State is living up to its mandate of modernising its agricultural and agribusiness base, boost employment and lay the groundwork for improved productivity for export and import substitution of a select range of crops.

    The Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Oluwatoyin Suarau,  said this in Lagos.

    He said the government aimed at boosting farm growth and improving the lives of the rural poor.

    He said the ministry has supported farmers and fishers in the Lagos State Agricultural Input Supply Company (LAISA) with input at affordable prices.

    These include the distribution of over 6,500 bags of fertiliser, hybrid maize and agro-chemicals to vegetable farmers.

    Over 45,705 bags of  fish feeds were made available to farmers. Also inputs such as knapsack sprayers, water pumps and feed ingredients were supplied to them, too.

    Over 3,000 farmers and fishing folk were serviced last year. According to him, cage culture for fishing is being implemented to empower youths. The project is located along the lagoon network at Ikosi Beach, Ikosi-Ejirin Local Council Development Area.

    Sixty youths from the community were selected as beneficiaries and trained in fish cage construction and fish production and fish farm management activities.

  • FAO urges urgent support to Northeast Nigeria, others

    The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has restated its call for urgent support to Northeast Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia and Yemen, which have been ravaged by years of violent conflicts.

    The organisation’s Directory-General, José da Silva, emphasised this at the opening of the 165th session of FAO Council in Rome on Monday,

    He said starvation loomed for 20 million people in the four affected areas.

    Da Silva cautioned that famine, which was threatening those countries as a result of drought and ongoing conflict, would leave many dead and rip apart societies.

    He added that”if nothing is done soon, 20 million people will starve to death over the next six months in South Sudan, Somalia, north-eastern Nigera and Yemen.

    “Famine does not just kill people, it contributes to social instability and perpetuates a cycle of poverty and aids dependency that endures for decades.”

    The FAO boss advised farming families and rural communities in the Lake Chad Basin, where people struggled with the impacts of climate change and related droughts.

    According to him, there is need for public investment and opportunities for youth in the Northeast Nigeria.

    “If we do not support these people, they will have no option other than to join local militias or movements of distress migration,” the Director-General said.

    He challenged the FAO Council to approve FAO’s Programme of Work and Budget for the years 2018 and 2019.

    He noted that the budget prioritised areas where FAO could deliver ‘the greatest impact to member Countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

    “This includes climate change mitigation and adaptation, sustainable agriculture production, water scarcity management, and building the resilience of poor family farmers.

    “Food and agriculture are central to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and FAO’s work is projected to contribute to the achievement of 15 of the 17 Goals.

    “This full alignment has been possible because of the centrality of food and agriculture to the sustainable development agenda 2030,” Da Silva said.

    “Council will also discuss a new scale of assessed contributions, which are the annual payments made by member countries to FAO, according to him.

    Comprised of 49 elected countries, the FAO Council convenes between sessions to provide advice and oversight related to programmes and the budget.

    As part of the week-long Council, members will be briefed on the extent of the conditions in the countries facing famine and in the case of South Sudan where famine has already been declared in parts of the country.

  • Kaduna: CADP distributes input worth N811m to farmers

    The Kaduna State Commercial Agricultural Development Projects (CADP) has disbursed N811.6 million to 3,401 farmers’ groups to finance their agribusinesses.

    Aliyu Saidu, Communication Officer of the CADP disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Kaduna.

    Saidu explained that 2,960 male and 441 female farmers received the amount in commodity and farm inputs under the CADP Commodity Interest Groups (CIG) programme.

    Farmers are expected to use the farm inputs to enhance their value-chain in Maize, fruits and diary production in the state.

    NAN reports that the CADP is a World Bank assisted programme, implemented in five pilot states of the federation.

    The programme began in 2010 with 150 million U.S. dollar funding from the World Bank with seven years implementation timeline.

    The bank introduced the programme to expose farmers to modern skills in agribusinesses.

    It was implemented through value-chain scheme in different crops, livestock and aquaculture.

    It also provided infrastructure and services to ease farmers’ challenges of evacuating produce from their farms.

    NAN further reports that Kaduna, Kano, Enugu, Osun and Lagos states participated in the pilot programme according to their areas of comparative advantage.

    The programme also focused on skills acquisition, agribusiness development plans as well as technology-based farming methods.

    It aimed to expose farmers to application of modern technologies and skills in production processing and market of commodities that could compete in the global market.

    The programme was implemented in Kaduna state across five value-chain items including crops, livestock, Diary, Aqua/fishery and fruits production.

    Saidu said 85km paved and unpaved access roads were also provided to some 13 local government areas, where the value-chain programmes were executed.

    “CADP also established milk collection centres in three major grazing reserves in Kachia, Birnin Gwari and Kubau local areas in the state.

    “It equally provided skills to 1,176 women and youth groups in diary, Aqua/Fishery, poultry, maize and fruits production and processing,“ he said.

    According him, 76 youths and women groups benefitted in the first batch of training in the CADP five value-chain programmes in the state in 2014.

    He said N3 million funding had been provided to each of the beneficiaries, who had established poultry, Fish farms and fruit processing businesses.

    The training took place at the College of Agriculture and the National Animal Production Research Institute, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.

    He said that some 1,100 women and youth groups also benefitted from poultry, fisheries and diary Value-chain training during the period of the programme.

    According to him, 250 investment plans had so far been approved by the World Bank, while procurement process for the finance is expected to commence next week.

    Saidu noted that, another batch of 200 beneficiaries under Diary development within and outside the grazing reserves would soon receive support after counterpart funding from the state government.

    The official said the State Government had already established three Maize Aggregation Centres that would serve as one-stop market for high-grade, germ-free maize.

    Saidu said that the pilot programme, which was successful, had brought lots of value addition the production, processing and marketing of the crops livestock and fruits in the state.

    “The programme had empowered thousands of women and youths with agribusiness skills.

    “Also, Under the Demonstration and technology adoption, the CADP project introduced the Artificial animal insemination (AI) and Afla-safe production of maize,“ Saidu said.

    The communication officer said Maize farmers are now linked to better market collaboration with their counterparts in other states.

    “Sunchin Farms in Enugu and Lagos State Poultry Farmers’ Association now patronise maize from Kaduna farmers for their feed production because of its quality.

    To him, the programme had exposed farmers to global best practices in terms of maintaining farm record books and the establishment of farmers’ cooperative groups for easy financing by commercial banks.

  • ‘How logistics firms can boost agric’

    ‘How logistics firms can boost agric’

    There are vast business opportunities for players in the logistics industry in the agricultural sector, the Technical Adviser to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs. Cynthia Umoru, has said.

    She stated this at the Strategic Management Retreat of Red Star Express Plc in Ogun State.

    The retreat entitled: “Living the big dream,” was attended by top management staff of the company.

    In her presentation titled: Agriculture as a catalyst for economic recovery, she noted that the ministry was aware of the important role of the logistics industry in the agricultural sector, adding that it has opened up the landscape for major players to participate in.

    “Our role’in this government is to push for what the government should be, to create an enabling environment for the private sector to play a major role, to create access to land, maintain fertility of the soil and make sure farm produce are easily accessible,” she said, noting that  this could only be done by encouraging major logistic players to be involved.

    She identified investment in food  chain logistics as a vital component in making agriculture and the food supply more sustainable.

    She said the sector needs logistics operators to support the government’s target of increasing food production and improving farmers’ income. This, according to her, would  help break geographical boundaries and would allow farmers to  access markets.

    Earlier, Group Managing Director of Red Star Express Plc, Sola Obabori, said if both the government and the private sector could give half of the attention they give to the oil sector to agriculture and other sectors, there would be significant improvements in the economy and stability of the fluctuating of the naira can be achieved.

    He continued: “Just like we treat our oil with seriousness, we need to treat the agricultural sector that same way. The opportunity and potential are really huge. We should be able to over produce our agricultural produce and still have ready market for them even outside the shores of this country. And we have to be on hand to facilitate the export in such a way that perishable goods can be in Europe within 14 hours after harvest, while the non-perishables can get there within three to four days,” he said.

    He said Red Star Express Group is a premium logistics solution provider in the country with unrivalled local network coverage and a large market share in the domestic and international market.

  • Don seeks price control

    Don seeks price control

    Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife,  Vice Chancellor Prof Anthony Elujoba has called for tighter regulation of food commodity prices to help entrepreneurs.

    He gave the advice at the Annual In-House Review Exercise of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training(IAR&T), Moor Plantation, Ibadan, Oyo State.

    The yearly review is done to appraise the institute’s challenges, achievements and prospects.

    Represented by the Provost, Post-Graduate College, Prof. David Alebiowu, Elujoba said farmers were taking many risks in marketing their products, urging the government  to  take a hard look at its potential impact on food prices volatility.

    He said: “The government must also standardise price control because local market volatility is the biggest threat to entrepreneurs in agriculture. The farmers are taking a lot of risks in marketing their products due to  unstable prices.”

    IAR&T Executive Director Professor James Adediran said that no fewer than 4,000

    farmers have benefited from the institute’s training programmes during the review.

    “During the year under review, some achievements apart from areas of research have been recorded in areas of infrastructure and human resources developments.

    “Over 4,000 farmers, intending farmers, non-governmental organisation, women and unemployed youths benefited from training programmes conducted by the institute. The objective was to carry out training that will lead to poverty reduction, job and wealth creation. The farmers in turn were mandated and empowered to train other  farmers in their various  locations.

    In staff development, Adediran said: “This year, four scientists and technical staff attended both international and local conferences where they presented their research findings.”

  • A push for commercial agric

    A push for commercial agric

     A team of researchers from the Agricultural Policy Research in Africa (APRA), which is funded by the United Kingdom Department of International Development (DFID), is studying how policies can make commercial agriculture work for Nigerians. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    Chief Executive, Niji Group, Adeniji Kolawole, has proven that he is a valuable stakeholder in the agriculture sector. His is one of the success stories of an agripreneur, who specialises in the fabrication of machines.

    In the last 16 years, Niji Group, founded in 1991, has grown into a successful and award-winning supplier of metal-fabricated machines and services. Many farmers patronise his farm implements that process produce, such as cassava, maize and groundnuts.

    But his rise in his profession took a lot of hard work and years of dedication.

    He loves the land and loves seeing the rewards of what he sows.

    Around the country, governments and communities are adopting innovations that are improving the lives of millions. There are success stories across the agricultural sector involving individuals and cooperative farmers.

    These kind of stories  interest  APRA, a five-year research project,  which  run from 2016 to 2021

    The aim of the project is to produce new information and insights into different pathways to agricultural commercialisation in order to assess their impacts and outcomes on rural poverty, empowerment of women and girls, and food and nutrition security in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    APRA, which operates in Ghana, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania, hopes to find the best forms of commercialisation that are most effective in empowering women and girls, reducing rural poverty and improving food and nutrition security in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    It  held a workshop in Lagos with stakeholders in the agric sector to generate inputs for an upcoming research into commercialisation.

    Research Coordinator of the project for Ghana and Nigeria, Prof Joseph Yaro, said the programme would focus on four main objectives- generating high-quality evidence on pathways to agricultural commercialisation in Africa; using a rigorous mix of quantitative and qualitative methods; undertaking policy research on agricultural commercialisation to fill key evidence gaps and define policy options.

    It also include ensuring the sharing and uptake of research by a diverse range of stakeholders and strengthening the capacity of the research team, and associated partner institutions, to deliver policy-relevant research and advice.

    Yaro said the project seeks the  identify structures needed for development,which include, programmes for food security and the alleviation of poverty. The study, which will span at least five years, will seek to understand the different types of agric commercialisation pathways that can secure for the country and farmers optimal benefits.It will also look into the impact of the commercialisation methods in Nigeria on the livelihoods of farmers and also suggest to policy-makers the best methods to support.

    Country lead, APRA research team, Nigeria, Dr. Oluwafunmiso Olajide, said the APRA Consortium is focusing on five key outcomes of commercialisation including empowerment of women and girls; income and consumption poverty; inequality; employment rates and conditions; and food and nutrition security – across three complementary work streams. Work Stream 1 is examining the outcomes of different types of commercialisation and analysing people’s selection choices and their outcomes. Work Stream 2, she explained, is exploring longitudinal change over time and identifying various pathways of agricultural commercialisation and their outcomes.

    Work Stream 3, she  added,  is analysing key policy issues associated with changing patterns of agricultural commercialisation through six focused, multi-country, policy studies.

    In all, Olajide, who specialised in farming and rural systems economics, said the study  explore  pathways to agricultural commercialisation that are most effective in empowering women and girls, reducing rural poverty and improving food and nutrition security in Sub-Saharan Africa.

    A member  of the Research team, Dr  Kehinde Adesina Thomas, said  the project would focus on production of crops such as cocoa in Ogun and Osun states.

    He said the study hoped to make public its findings to ensure that all stakeholders in the agric production value chain understand the situation on the ground. The research, according to him, will use panel discussions with various agriculture stakeholders, longitudinal studies of different pathways of commercialisation and policy studies to assess outcomes such as employment rate and conditions, empowerment of women and children, among others.

    CommunityDevelopment Specialist, National Fadama Coordination Office, Abuja, Dr. Gbenga Arokoyo said  policy  should be designed  to use  commercialisation  to promote sustained growth in the agriculture sector. The policy, he added,  should  facilitate transition from subsistence production to high-value agricultural value chains that result in wealth creation.

    Collectively, he said policies should  transform the agriculture sector into a high performing one to improve food security and the fortunes of farmers and the economy as a whole.

    Looking back, Arokoyo said Nigeria has done  well through fadama to  contribute to national agricultural production and trade. While there are significant differences from state  to state, he said Nigeria is a bigger player at a national level.

    He identified some key constraints to reach its full potential, most notably,  weak infrastructure. General Manager, Shonga Farms Limited, Bayo Sangobiyi said the future of any food system and economy depends on the viability and sustainability of its farm businesses and workforce.

    He said  much of the increase in the productivity and competitiveness of the farm and food sectors  in Kwara State is the result of the entrepreneurship, hard work, and resilience of farms, farm laborers, and managers and employees.   The one-day workshop brought together stakeholders from the public and private sector.

  • Farmers urge FG to review cassava bread fund repayment policy

    Farmers urge FG to review cassava bread fund repayment policy

    The Nigeria Cassava Growers Association (NCGA) has appealed to Federal Government to review the repayment plan of cassava bread development funds given to farmers.

    Mr Segun Adewumi, the National President of the Association, made the appeal while speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday.

    He said that although part of the money was given to cassava farmers across the country to help boost cassava production, the assistance was marred as a result of farmers-herdsmen clashes.

    Adewumi, who expressed regret that some farmers had yet to recoup the losses they incurred when their produce was destroyed by ravaging herdsmen, suggested the extension of loan repayment period.

    “Government released money for us to plant but we couldn’t get a market for our produce and the cassava processors who are meant to buy them did not do so, some of our produce rot away.

    “Secondly, herdsmen also destroyed the farms of most of our members who took the loan and this has affected the loan repayment.

    “We are recovering from the losses gradually but we are pleading with the government to review the loan payment because most farmers lost a lot due to clashes.

    “We learned that the Federal Government is trying to revive the Cassava Bread Development Fund.

    “Government should take its time to study how the fund worked to see how they can improve on it.

    “There were a lot of hitches and start-up problems that need to be amended in the policy,’’ he said.

    Adewumi moaned that the Federal Government had yet to commence the distribution of farm inputs to boost cassava cultivation during the wet season farming.

    He, however, appealed to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to accommodate cassava farmers in its Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) so as to boost cassava production, especially in the forthcoming planting season.

    “We have written to CBN and we have been appealing to our members to see how they can meet up with the conditions,’’ he said.

    Recall that the Federal Government, under former President Goodluck Jonathan, in 2013 launched the N10 billion Cassava Bread Development Fund to boost cassava bread production.

    The Cassava Bread Development Fund was funded through the tariff on wheat flour.

    The Fund was also used to support research and development efforts on cassava bread, as well as training and support for master bakers in the acquisition of new equipment for cassava bread production.

  • Financing farmers through warehouse receipts

    Financing farmers through warehouse receipts

     Experts are pushing for use of  Warehouse Receipt Financing(WRS) to improve farmers’ access to finance and lower trade costs, reports DANIEL ESSIET.

    For Innocent Mokidi,  Chief Executive of  BROTE Urban Vegetable Farm and Processing Limited in Abuja, agribusiness can be profitable for youths with the right capital and skills.

    However, like other young farmers, Mokidi faces some hurdles in trying to earn a living from agriculture. One of his challenges is crop failure.

    Crop failure is caused by heavy or unseasonal rain, deterioration of stored food grains due to poor warehousing, and crash in prices.  He finds it difficult to address these problems because of funding.

    Pelumi Aribisala, a farmer in Osun State, sometimes faces the challenge of lack of facilities to store his produce. He is forced, just like his colleagues to sell his surplus produce during the harvest season when farm gate prices are low. These farmers cannot tackle this problem because of the difficulty in obtaining funds to address inadequate storage facilities.

    Regrettably, produce buyers take advantage of them by offering very low prices for the  produce  and sell them during the most profitable market conditions.

    However, farmers, such as Mokidi, are unattractive customers to banks, especially in getting credits from them. This because of the unpredictable nature of their farming business. Banks require collateral that they cannot provide and  farm produce cannot be used as safe collateral to obtain loans. This situation has demoralised many a farmers, who are constantly thinking of abandoning  farming  altogether.

    To Kebbi State Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) Chairman, Alhaji Sahabi Muhammad, such a challenge could be addressed by the warehouse receipt system.

    He said farmers would deliver their goods to a warehouse, which in turn issues them a receipt.  They can use the receipt as collateral to access loans from banks.

    Under Warehouse Receipt System (WRS), according to Muhammad, small-scale farmers are able to store their produce in warehouses during harvest when prices are relatively low and later release them to the market at better prices during the periods of low supply.

     

     Warehouse Receipt financing

    Warehouse receipt financing is a form of secured lending, where the bank advances funds against inventory  that are being stored in a warehouse and that have been assigned to the lender. A warehouse receipt is a document provided by the warehouse operator, acknowledging the receipt of produce or goods in the stated quality, quantity and other parameters. It also states the name of the depositor of the produce and the location of the warehouse.

     

    How warehouse receipt works

    After harvesting, a farmer like Mokodi  would deliver his produce to a warehouse that has been approved by a bank. The warehouse then issues a receipt vouching the quantity and quality of produce being stored. The bank then takes the receipt and provides financing to the farmer, typically up to 70 per cent of the produces’ market value – against it. The receipt acts as collateral for the bank, giving it the right to take ownership of the stored produce if the loan is not repaid.

    For Mokidi, the warehouse receipts system is essential.  With the credit he would get, thanks to warehouse receipts, he could buy certified seeds and fertiliser in time for planting season.

    The warehouse receipts system allows him to better organise his work and earn more money to take care of his  family.  In addition, it reduces the pressure on him to sell immediately after harvest when prices are low.

    While the commodity is in the warehouse, he can monitor the prices and sell when it is favorable, often resulting in a 35-40 per cent increase in price. It also allows sales to continue over time from one harvest to another, thus stabilising prices.

     

    Banks and Warehouse Receipts

    The bank that  accept  the warehouse receipt can discounted for up to 70 per cent of the value of the commodity. The bank then recovers the advance plus the interest when the commodity is sold. The farmer can then use the money to finance the next planting or other projects.

     

    Stakeholders’ reactions

    For the receipts to work effectively, Muhammad maintained  that  it  is essential to ensure infrastructure, grading and collateral management systems, which guarantee the quality and quantity of stored commodities are in place. This will provide comfort to farmers  to store their produce, as well as to banks to accept warehouse receipts as secure collateral to finance farmers.

    Muhammad stressed the need for the government to establish a mechanism to oversee and promote  the operations of the system, the development of standardised and certified storage facilities of commodities and promotion of structured financing for commodities.

    According to him, the absence of  certified  warehouses in critical  farm locations have seen middlemen fill the vacuum at the expense of grain farmers’ fortune.

    He  called  for a system  that  will  promote physical storage infrastructure development, license warehouses, warehouse keepers and inspectors and issue negotiable and non-negotiable receipts to promote the system across various commodities.

    Adebayo noted that rural road infrastructure was very poor, and contributed to high transport costs in many rural communities.

    He observed that the sector was suffering for  inadequate  storage capacity to make the system work. Within the sector, there are a few   silos and warehouses  across  the farm  areas  in the rural areas with total capacity of over 900,000 tonnes. In rural areas also,  most grain storage facilities are in a state of disrepair and substantial investment would be required for remedial works.

    According  to him, grain storage activities are concentrated in urban locations, where millers and processors want to assure regular supply of raw materials. He  added that warehouses needed to be located in rural areas where  farmers  could be  as close as possible to major buyers.

    Pushing for warehouse receipt, Project Director, Cassava Adding to Africa (CAVA), Prof Kola Adebayo said Nigeria needed  to  establish a workable warehouse receipt system because  it has helped to change  the fortunes of farmers in Ghana.

    According to him, warehouse receipt finance involves storing the grain in a warehouse that issues a receipt as proof of ownership. The receipt, he explained, becomes a transferable instrument that would be used by farmers to sell the grain or use it as collateral in a bank for short-term loans.

    Using a warehouse receipt, he noted, enables farmers to store their products in a warehouse and defer the sale of their goods until the lean season when prices traditionally rise, allowing them to earn more.

    An effective warehouse receipts system, he added, would expand farmers marketing options.

    To Programme Co-ordinator, Farmers’ Development Union (FADU), Mr Victor Olowe, agriculture is a game changer for the country if the sector receives the desired level of commitment by both the private and public sectors.

    He called on the government to institute structures that will help farmers  access market channels.

  • Stallion to produce 1.5m tonnes of rice yearly

    Stallion Popular Farms and Mills Limited has assured Nigerians of an annual increase in locally cultivated rice from 450, 000 metric tonnes to 1.5million tonnes, using integrated rice value chain and enhanced milling activities.

    Its Group Director, Hapreet Singh, made the pledge in Abuja while receiving an award –  Outstanding Projects and Business Leader of the Year – given to the group by Inside Business Commendation Award (IBCA) for its role in integrated rice value chain and enhanced local rice production.

    He said the company decided to increase its rice yield to complimentPresident Muhammadu Buhari’s agri-business agenda to make Nigeria self-sufficient in food production.

    He praised the Agriculture Minister, Chief Audu Ogbeh’s agrarian backward integration initiative. “Our vision has always been to preserve and enhance rice production in Nigeria by ensuring genetic integrity of seeds, encourage scientific agricultural practices and promote world-class processing techniques to emerge as industry benchmark for product quality,” he said.

    Singh thanked IBCA for creating a platform to acknowledge real positive change makers in the agric sector, where Popular Farms & Mills was distinguished as outstanding projects and business leaders of the year.

    “We owe this accomplishment to President Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership aptitudes and agri-business agenda,” the Stallion Farms & Mills director said.

    He said the farm would leverage the impulse provided by the Federal Government through its transformation agenda, saying that Stallion has already established integrated agricultural operations, such as world-class rice mills at strategic locations to promote milling and paddy rice cultivation in captive areas to make Nigeria self-sufficient in rice production.

    A farm division of Stallion Conglomerate, Popular Farms and Mills Limited, produces premium varieties of rice from locally farmed paddy, currently branded and marketed nationwide as Royal Stallion Shinkafa, Tomato Aroso and Super Champion.

    The company has established collection centres across rice producing states in Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Niger, Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi to not only help farmers embrace modern farming techniques, but focus on distributing farm inputs through farmers co-operatives and associations to ensure rice revolution in Nigeria.