The Nation Newspaper

Category: Agriculture

  • Stallion Group forges ahead in local rice production

    Stallion Group forges ahead in local rice production

    Determined to ensure food security in the country, the Federal Government, through the Agriculture Transformation Agenda, prioritised domestic rice production. Stallion Group has taken bold initiatives in this direction to promote local rice production across the country. This development will not only save the nation the yearly foreign exchange spent on rice importation into the country, it will also boost farmers’ earnings from its production. LUCAS AJANAKU reports.

    Over the last few years, the Federal Government has been focusing on and strengthening its Agriculture Transformation Agenda (ATA) under the  Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina.

    Rice is cultivated in Nigeria’s agro-ecological zones – from mangroves to the swamp ecologies of the Niger Delta to the dry Sahel zones in the north. Nigeria produces paddy rice mainly in the rainy season but with a renewed focus and energy,  it is also been produced in huge quantities during dry season.

    In the past, most of the produce  were consumed at subsistence levels, however, with the impetus provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, large-scale private sector investments have fuelled growth in local production commercially.

    Stallion Group, the local multi-business conglomerate, is one private sector organisation that has made rapid strides in the development of a fully-integrated rice value chain in the country. The initiatives of the firm is a reflection of the group’s vision of developing large scale local industries in the country.

    Stallion owns and operates the country’s largest integrated rice milling facility. It has formed the   Popular Progressive Farmers Association (PPFA) that is working tirelessly to improve farm yields and bring in sustainable and scalable growth to farmers. The Group has a fully backward integrated its rice value chain, namely production, procurement through collection centre, association with co-operatives and farmers, logistic and post-harvest services, marketing and acting as a catalyst toward sustainable growth.

    But with the efforts of the PPFA that is working with the co-operative farmer association to convert subsistence farming into commercial farming by providing technical input for land preparation, crop care, weed management, moisture management and post-harvest care, the fortunes of the industry has since been trasnformed. The group is also assisting in improving storage methods resulting in acceptable levels of moisture in the paddy which in turn results in higher milling recovery.

    Stallion’s foray into agri business started in 2007. Under the guidelines of the Federal Government’s ATA and with the assistance of a team of agricultural experts from around the world, they started deliberating on various Agricultural Extension & Training Programmes among the farmers’ groups at strategically located rice farms. Furthermore, the challenge of milling and processing the rice paddy has taken its importance This made the company to start its commercial production (made-in- Nigeria rice) from locally procured paddy by putting a state-of- the-art rice miller in Kano, the Kano State capital.

    The company is operating a fully integrated state-of-the-art rice mill in the country with an aggregate capacity of 360,000 metric tonnes per year and is producing a premium variety of rice from local paddy being marketed by the company under the names “Royal Stallion Shinkafa” and “Super Champion’’ which are the most popular locally produced indigenous brands of rice.

    Stallion’s focus is to strengthen the local farming community and their know-how of rice farming so that it could be snowball  to rice revolution into the country. It is a multi-levelled approach not only to increase the area under cultivation but also to transform the rice farming and rice business sector through the quality produce and farm productivity.

    Stallion is implementing a comprehensive strategy to positively impact a vast geographical area under rice farming and thousands of progressive farmers are being targeted under the initiative to PPFA.

    As a pioneer in the rice value chain, the deteriorating plight of the farmer and the impending threat of global competition have been  the concerns for the company. This concern is not driven only by a sense of social responsibility, but Stallion also recognises that the company’s fortunes are strongly tied to the well-being of the farmer.

    To better the farmer compensation requires providing the farmer with the know-how and resources to raise production and supply better quality input and access to markets.

    Stallion effectively uses its expertise and technology. It believes in the capacity to bring the power of scale to the farmer.

    Stallion’s vision is to preserve and enrich  rice production by ensuring genetic integrity of the seed, encouraging farmers to adopt scientific agricultural practices and leveraging world-class rice processing technologies and emerge as the industry benchmark for product quality and customer service.

    Over the past years, the firm  has been actively involved in various programmes such as out growers and crop health programme; seminar cum technical sessions; demonstration through extension programme; rural youth programme; paddy quality awareness programme; farmers cooperatives training programme; distribution of extension materials, such as technical bulletin, leaflets and video CDs, model farm demonstrations under its corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities.

    At present, Stallion has a dedicated team of agric professionals spread across various centres and regional agric offices. The company has extended these activities to various states with the objective of increasing the area under rice cultivation, increasing the production per unit area by implementing “Low Cost No Cost Technology” to the farmers.

    Simultaneously, the firm assure consistent supply of certified quality seeds under seed multiplication programmes in various rice producing states. As part of these initiatives, the company is also extending assured buy back of harvested paddy from the farmers for its processing facilities.

    Under its flagship Out Growers Scheme, the organisation has devised and demonstrated focused approach, which is to make the rice farming more Productive & Sustainable,  Scale Up the Out Growers, Farming/Communities on a sustainable basis, bring in latest and modern rice farming techniques on the farm; assist farmers with farming inputs availability and advising on dry season irrigation management. Others are developing the farmers group/farmers communities in terms of  knowledge and self-sufficiency for higher farm production and increased per unit earnings and to provide buy back mechanism to the rice produce on fare and prevailing market prices.

    The company has established several collection centres spread across rice producing states of Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Niger, Jigawa, Sokoto and Kano, which not only assist farmers in understanding modern rice farming techniques but also focuses on forming associations with various farmers cooperatives and progressive farmers to lead the rice revolution.

    Fertiliser distribution

    Under its Rice Backwards Integration Scheme, the firm has a direct approach to more than 5,000 farmers and almost 20 various cooperatives, which ensure that farmers become scalable into their approach and farm income becomes lucrative.

    Understanding the local irrigation system and source of irrigation and further scaling up this has been a crucial part of farmers success. Dry rice farming with sustainable rice productivity has been the key factor where the company’s efforts have been yielding good results.

    Stallion has been pioneering in providing easy and quality input through its centres.

    Farm fertiliser, certified seeds, modern farming bulletins have been distributed among thousands of farmers. Their on-farm demonstrations on modern rice farming techniques have been a successful endeavour which started giving a positive results and increased productivity upto additional 50 per cent rice farm productivity have been reported.

  • 200 widows in Rivers get cash for farming

    200 widows in Rivers get cash for farming

    Over 200 widows of Okori in Eleme, River States have received funds from HRH Appolus Chu Foundation to hire farmlands for cultivation in the season.

    The event was one of the programmes of the Foundation to assist the less-privileged, particularly orphans and widows.

    The widows sang praise songs and  danced as they collected the funds.

    Encomiums were poured on the founder of the Foundation, who is also the paramount ruler of Okori in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State, Chief Appolus Chu Okori, by the widows for the gesture.

    The Coordinator of the foundation, Mr. Ngbala Okpabi, noted that  a piece of farmland in the community costs N5, 000 to rent, adding that each beneficiary will get N20, 000 to enable them to acquire two pieces of farmlands and use the balance for cultivating.

    Okpabi also said the funds were part of the second phase of the foundation’s programme where over 500 youths, women and men were billed to benefit from its various skills and community development schemes.

    He said: “This is a farming season and we want to give them some funds with which they would use in hiring farmlands on which they would engage in farming.

    “It is believed that by so doing, the foundation is not only providing food to Eleme, but also to the entire state and the nation as a whole.”

    About 215 widows  received N20, 000 each to hire and cultivate farmlands.

    The coordinator advised the widows not to misuse the funds nor put it into any other use apart from that which it was given.

    “We expect that beneficiaries of this scheme would involve in farming, produce food crops and enhance food security for not just their immediate families, but also for Eleme people at large and even the neighbouring communities,” he said.

    He called on those who are in the position to help but have not, to reconsider their stand and imbibe the spirit of compassion and love for the less-privileged.

    An elated widow and a women leader in Alode, a community in Okori-Eleme, Mrs. Comfort Saka, said: “Today is a wonderful day for the widows in the Okori community and we are most grateful to the founder of HRH Chief Appolus Chu Foundation, who has done so many things for us. First, he gave me the opportunity to be the women leader in OkoriAlode and then he gave me a power bike. This is apart from so many other things he has done for the entire community and me.  And now he has made me to feel free to carry out my farming business this season without bothering myself with so much thoughts and anxiety,”Saka said.

    She continued: “ In Eleme, if you do not have a husband, nobody gives you a farmland and even when you struggle to get one, you get a fresh farm where you have to look for someone to clear the bush before you could plant your crops and as a widow, this takes a lot of struggles.  But today, I can do my farming confidently, without bothering my head so much on how the work will be carried out. Appolus Chu has made things easy for us and so we have made up our minds not to disappoint him.”

    The President, Widows’ Association of Eleme, Mrs. Elizabeth Mba-Ngei, thanked Chief Appolus for the gesture. “We give God the glory for what He has done through our son, Chief Appolus Chu,”she said.

    She added: “Wealth is from God and it is not a sin, but failure to assist others with your wealth is a sin. Let us show concern and love to everybody that needs our help just like Chief Appolus Chu is doing with his wealth.

    “While alive, let us love and care for one another because we would no longer be able to amend our ways when we are dead. We should learn to render assistance to others no matter how little it may be as long as it is within our reach. This is what our brother and son, Chief Chu, has done with his wealth.

    “I want to assure our brother that what he is doing in this land of Eleme has gone a long way to bring sunshine to the lives of many who would have been dead and gone by now.  He is not the only wealthy man in Eleme but out of love, compassion he did this.”

  • ‘Why Nigeria cannot export cassava’

    ‘Why Nigeria cannot export cassava’

    Nigeria cannot export cassava because of the high cost of production, Country Manager, Harvest Plus, Paul Ilona, has said.

    He said it is not profitable for farmers to export cassava at $220 (about N36,520) per tonne when locally the farmers spend more than N40,000  per tonne.

    Besides, he said the sector still employs unimproved methods in the production of the crop, passing through the ordeal of producing small quantities for nearby markets.

    Ilona said cassava crops face increasing competition through increased imports of competitively priced products because most farmers are yet to apply new biotechnology to improve their yields.

    There are barriers to entry owing to the large scale of some of the market, quality requirements, variability in price, and the established contacts between European and North American importers and major exporters such as Thailand and Indonesia.

    He said the Thailand cartel  were dominating the  market, making the export market highly competitive for new entrants.

    Ilona said the local market for  cassava  is large and constitutes some products.

    Thus for the markets to grow, there is need to expand the consumer base.

    While there are indications that the wider North American and European populations are interested in new “exotic” foods, the expert stressed the need on the part of producers, processors and distributors to package, price and promote cassava foods locally.

    According to him, if the country must play its leading role in the cassava production area, the increasing difficulties associated with commercial farming  should be  looked at.

    He urged the government and stakeholders to adopt new technologies that would maximise the emerging opportunities for better nutrition.

    “To revolutionise and boost agriculture, the country must also place premium on biotechnology in view of its vast potentials to multiply yields and nutrient capacity,“ he said.

    Other experts  agreed that the country cannot export the crop to foreign markets in commercial quantities for greater financial gains both to the country and the farmers due to consistent application of old-fashioned methods by farmers.

  • Illegal fishing causing job losses, say expert, report

    Illegal fishing causing job losses, say expert, report

    Illegal fishing is causing the nation job losses  considering the number of households depending on the industry for their livelihood, a fisheries expert, Prof Martins Anetekhai, has said.

    Anetekhai, who is the former Dean ,Faculty of Science,Lagos State University (LASU), said  illegal fishing undercuts honest fishermen and seafood businesses that play by the rules.

    West African nations lose about CFA 170 billion to ‘pirate fishing’ by North Korea every year, according to a Sub- Regional Fisheries Commission’s report released to the African Press Agency.

    West African exports of fish products to the world market has declined from $500 million in the early 80s to $250 million the study reveals.

    Though they are renewable resources, they are becoming scarce and expensive due to harsh realities of the market and overfishing by foreign vessels, especially North Koreans, whose 200 trawlers illegally fish in African waters yearly, the report claims.

    The commission said big North Korean fishing vessels use, among other things, cables, levelling ropes and dynamites, flouting international regulations which prohibit the use of such types of fishing tools.

    It explains that illegal fishing activities are costing the West African region about three million jobs or 10 per cent of the workforce, considering the number of households depending on the fisheries industry for their livelihood.

    The study, which resulted from a fisheries summit in Dakar, Senegal last month, further showed that due to such activities, local fishermen are unable to make a living from their economic activity, forcing youths to make desperate and sometimes deadly measures to seek greener pastures outside Africa.

    It  makes reference to the thousands of young men and women from Africa who drown yearly when their boats capsize while trying to cross the treacherous waters of the Mediterranean into Europe.

  • ‘Inflation, interest rate stifle poultry growth’

    ‘Inflation, interest rate stifle poultry growth’

    The troubled poultry industry is not poised for a turnaround, the Vice-President (Agriculture) Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON), Mr Stephen Oladipupo,  has said.

    According to him, progress in the industry is stifled by inflation and high interest rate.

    Oladipupo said the sector has seen  difficult years, weighed by soaring feed costs and weak consumer demand.

    He noted that the big run-up in corn and soybean prices has brought the   industry to its kneels. The reason, he said, is  the cost of raising animals, adding that  feeds made mostly from corn and soybeans are now very expensive.

    Besides, he said there were too many variables which are beyond the control of industry players.

    Lagos Chapter Chairman, Poultry Association of Nigeria, Adedotun Agbojo, said the industry may collapse because of high cost of feeds, adding that this has reduced returns on investment.

    Because of the shortage of grains, by-products, oil cakes, prices of animal feeds have been on the rise, necessitating an increase in the cost of animal feeds to where most farmers are not able to sustain their products.

    Farmers, he said, were managing their farms at a loss and as a result, many have already started  reducing numbers, especially in poultry. Poultry feeds by their quality and price are some of  the major factors in determining the cost of poultry products, such as eggs, broilers and profitability of the poultry farm, he added.

    Farmers, he noted, have had to absorb the increases without being able to increase the price of a crate of eggs or chicken.

    He warned that if the trend persists, most poultry farms would have to reduce operations or close shop.

    Poultry feeds produced by commercial feed mills, he said, were handicapped by inadequate raw materials.

    He added that the increase in diesel cost by about 70 per cent has added to the problem.

    The Director-General Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Mr. Onallo Akpa,  said though the industry contributes over 25 per cent  to the gross domestic product (GDP), many farmers were being  forced out of the business. He said: “Poultry producers who are still in business are operating below installed capacities and at a loss because of the high cost of basic raw materials for feeds.”

    He lamented  the electricity tariff, multiple taxation, high interest rate on lending and dumping of poultry products through smuggling which, he said is responsible for all kinds of diseases with attendant depreciating life expectancy.

  • Wanted: Legislation on improved animal welfare

    Stakeholders have called for a new legislation to improve  animal welfare in the country.

    Speaking at a workshop to mark the World Veterinary Day, they also called for the education and enlightenment of the public on the importance of animals, adding that good animal welfare reduces the risk of disease transmissible to human and improves food safety.

    A United States expert from the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), Dr Lora Davis, said compassion should be extended to animals because of their human-animal bond which has therapeutic effects.

    She said responsible animal management affects land use, climate change, pollution, water supplies, and habitual conversation.

    She urged veterinarians to be involved where animals are at risk or are about to be placed at risk and should not be complacent.

    According to her, looking after animals improve their productivity, help to feed the population as well as reduce poverty in the society, adding that legislations, training and adequate financial and human resources are needed to improve animal welfare in the country.

    She said: “In Nigeria, there is a weak animal welfare legislation and enforcement even as there are entrenched negative attitudes towards animal, inadequate political participation, declining cultural, and value system.”

    The Registrar, Veterinary Council of Nigeria, Dr. Markus Abong, said the council was working to ensure that animal welfare issues were properly captured in the curriculum of institutions in the country.”

    Also, the former Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria, Dr. Junaid Maina, said the welfare of animal was as important as that of humans since contaminated beef could cause serious harm to human.

    He called for the proper enforcement of the Animal Disease Act of 1988 that provides for the loading and off-loading of animals.

    He added: “If we emphasise on this, we should be able to curtail this menace of cattle rustling. In Nigeria, 30 per cent of animal slaughtered are from the neighbouring countries and these stolen animals are actually ending up in our abattoirs.”

  • ‘Nigeria needs more agro cargo ports’

    The construction of new private ports for agro exports is vital to attracting foreign investors to the sector.

    President, National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN), Mr Tola Faseru, said global agribusinesses eyeing the international markets were concerned with inadequate numbers of ports to assist them move their produce, adding that this is a major reason for the country’s decreased ability to compete in the international market

    Despite being one of the continent’s largest agriculture exporters, the country has made little investment in the agro export logistics over the years, resulting in inefficiency and increased food export costs.

    He said the ports and railways would  need to double capacities to match the rate of growth in agro commodities produce across the country.

    He said transport costs from the farm to the port, are higher and can be returned if the logistics system is improved.

    The National President, Federation of Agricultural Commodity Associations of Nigeria (FACAN), Dr Victor Inyama, urged operators to improve facilities at the seaports. He said the bulk of agricultural produce are exported through the ports.

    According to him, the ports lack sufficient capacity and infrastructure to handle the increasing quantities of agribulk exports. There are breakdowns of facilities during the peak periods, with queues of trucks building up outside the main ports’ gates, while vessels, too, struggle to find berths, he added.

    Also, the spokesman for the Cocoa Association of Nigeria, RoboAdhuze, called on the government to be serious about declining transportation infrastructure to avoid significant short and long-term damage to the  sector.

    He said agro-industrialists have more reasons to lament, adding that the ports system and its logistics counterpart are letting them down. In parallel, significant efforts need to be made to finally build new railways and also to pave roads, to provide suitable connection between the production areas and the selected northeast ports.

  • Imo to revive Avutu Poultry Farm

    The Imo State government has pledged to revive the multi-billion naira Avutu Modern Poultry farm, Obowo, established by late Governor Sam Mbakwe, but was later abandoned by successive administrations in the state.

    Governor Rochas Okorocha made the promise during a tour of the Obowo Local Government Area.

    He said the government had engaged some foreign and local agricultural experts comprising a South African-based firm and Crux Industries (Nig.) Limited to resuscitate the farm.

    The Managing Director, Crux Industries Nig Limited, Sir Frank Ibeziem, said the firm’s premises is a shadow of itself with dilapidated, decayed and ramshackled infrastructure, adding that arrangement had been concluded to  restore the firm.

    This entails feasibility studies, installation of a one million water tank, administrative and residential blocks and at least, two poultry beds which would stock above 30,000 birds, he said.

    His words: “Imo Poultry capacity is 2.5 million birds a year, 40 million eggs a year, 13,000 birds a year, processing plant with cold room, hatchery, feed mill, 45 poultry houses in nine plots.”

    Ibeziem, an industrial chemist, who was accompanied on the visit by other members of his management and Emma Anyanwu, had earlier called on the traditional ruler of Avutu autonomous community, Eze Abel Chukwuocha, in his place where Eze Edwin Iheanyichukwu  Onubuogu and Eze Rufus Adndu also received him.

    He pleaded for the cooperation of the Avutu community to enable his team to realise its mission.

    Responding, the royal fathers through Eze Abel Chukwuocha noted that the revival of the poultry had become a challenge to the government, commending it for taking the bull by the horns to bring it back to life. The monarchs pledged their support for their project.

  • Tackling rural poverty through adopted villages

    Tackling rural poverty through adopted villages

    Farmers from rural communities have been the  focus of the adopted villages project undertaken  by the Federal Government designed to institutionalise sustainable livelihoods for the rural poor. Stakeholders see the project as having the potential to end rural poverty. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    Aikali Musa (not real name) is a farmer in the North.For years, he has been a subsistent farmer, planting maize and beans. Often times, he had experienced low yields or total crop failure due to poor rainfall.This is because his farm is situated within a dry land and susceptible to drought. Added to this, he has not been benefiting from new agricultural techniques.

    Musa is not alone in this predicament. There are thousands of rural subsistence farmers who have no access to farming techniques and input.

    For these farners however, there is a light at the  end of the tunnel. The adopted village model of agriculture initiated by the Federal Government is beginning to turn the fortunes of these farmers around.

    Under the scheme, Musa and others will be trained on modern farming methods and cultivation of drought tolerant crops (DTCs). This will inevitably translate to  improved yields and transform their lives from subsistence to commercial farmers.

    Under the initiative, government and private organisations are increasingly adopting villages across the country.

    The adopted villages’ project, which is akin to the extension worker’s scheme introduced in the defunct Western Region by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, is designed not only to make farmers aware of the latest technologies but also demonstrate these on their farms.

    At the end of the year, the village is expected to turn into a model for farmers from other villages to emulate.

    Sakadadi is a quiet agrarian community in Sabon Gari Local  Government Area of Kaduna State. It is noted for growing maize but things have since changed for the communtiy after the National Agricultural Extension Research and Liasion Service (NAERLS), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria decided to adopt the village to impart technologies available in maize production.

    A team from NAERLS are usually deployed in the village to enlighten farmers on how to plant, and dress the seeds, apply herbicides and fertiliser for improved crop yields.

    The project has been making tangible impact on the quality of life and incomes of members of this community as the quantity and quality of agricultural output has increased.

    As a strategy, research institutes are using the adopted village scheme to change the fortunes of local farmers. A farmer who identified himself simply as Abdulrahman said the scheme has changed the fortunes of his community. “We not only produce to feed ourselves and families now, we also have excess which we sell to get income to send our kids to school,” he said through an interpreter.

    Determined to address the poverty challenge among rural farmers, the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) has directed the National Agricultural Research Institutes (NARIs) to revisit and revive the concept of adopted villages. ARCN asked research institutes to adopt villages to facilitate the trial of new research findings and dissemination of information technologies to farm families in the adopted villages.

    Subsequently, successful researches from the adopted villages are adapted and replicated in new locations to benefit farmers.

    In support of this initiative, the World Bank has approved a major funding forARCN to implement a project known as the West African Agricultural Productivity Project (WAAPP) to promote value chain innovation platforms in the adopted villages.

    NAERLS, in collaboration with  WAAPP-Nigeria conduct activities in seven adopted villages located in five agro-ecological zones across the country. These include Sakadadi,Kaduna;Nasarawan-Buhari, Kaduna; Tudun-Iya, Katsina; Shuwari, Borno; Nwogi, Niger State; Okolo, Oyo State, and Lodu-Imenyi, Abia.

    The Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Ibadan, has two adopted villages.They are Oniyo village in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State. It is about 21kms Northwest of Ogbomoso town. The second is Moloko-Ashipa, located in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State. Some of the activities carried out in adopted villages include evaluation of organic-base fertiliser for cassava/maize/melon, on-farm testing of high yieldng and pest resistant varieties of rice and dissemination of ethno-veterinary technologies and improved management practices to sheep and goat farmers.

    Agricultural colleges are adopting nearby villages to help farmers improve their methods and increase yields.

    In Oda village, Ondo State, the Federal College of Agriculture (FECA), Akure has  a   success story to tell with educating  farmers in modern poultry management.  The  result is better eggs production and  daily sales. The maize/cassava inter-cropping system chosen by Eleyewo village  farmers was used as a training resource for improving productivity in the system.

    The Coordinator, WAAPP /ARCN adopted village programme, FECA, Dr Samson Odedina, said  the programme has  increased yields  for small cassava farmers at Eleyowo village in Akure South Local Government of the state. Though village level processing facility was  manual, farmers have been able  to identifiy opportunities within the cassava value chain.

    According to him, last year, the programme commissioned and trained Eleyowo farmer groups on cassava value addition with equipment support to enable them do business  profitably.

    FECA is one of the three colleges of agriculture adjudged qualified for second round funding.

    ARCN project of adopted villages and schools is based on  performance in spreading proven agricultural technologies to  schools and communities.

    WAAPP-Nigeria’s National Project Coordinator, Prof Damian Chikwendu, said the programme was designed to strengthen the  NARS to contribute to technology development, dissemination and adoption of new technologies to boost agricultural productivity through the adopted villages.

    He said the specific objectives of adopted villages and schools are to enhance food security and market competitiveness, empower resource-poor farmers, enhance job and self-employment opportunities for youths and women and augment sustainable natural resource management efforts of the communities.

    So far, beneficiaries’villages have increased from seven to 23, while groups in the villages have increased from 21 to 105. Direct farmer-beneficiaries have reached a total of 16,500.

    About 17 secondary schools nationwide are participating with over 18,500 pupils’ enrolments.

    He said WAAPP and some universities are disseminating information on improved agricultural technologies through adopted villages to farmers.  The institutions include Bayero University, Kano; Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto; Abubakar TafawaBalewa University, Bauchi; Federal University of Technology, Yola; University of Agriculture, Makurdi, University of Ilorin, Federal University of Technology, Minna; University of Abuja, FUNNAB Abeaokuta, FUT Akure, University of Nigeria, Nsuka; University of Calabar and the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

    On the effective dissemination of agricultural technologies through the adopted villages and the Agricultural Research Outreach Centres (AROCs), he said the universities are expected to reach a minimum of 10,000 farming families in their vicinities.  They are, particularly, required to note the performance indicators as part of their success stories. Such indicators, he said, include the number of people that are adopting the technologies as well as those taking to farming as a result of the new technologies.

    The adopted villages and AROCs are located in the immediate localities and in the secondary schools in the neighbourhood of the research institutes, all within 20 kilometre radius.

    The components of the projects are designed for developing technology and transferring such technologies to farmers. At the moment, experts are seeing positive things coming up to farmers through the adopted village model scheme.

    Crop protection specialist, Prof Daniel Gwary, said helping farming families increase production in a sustainable way and selling more crops is the most effective way to reduce hunger and poverty over the long term.

    Gwary, who is of the Department of Crop Protection, University of Maiduguri, said  helping farmers improve their yields requires a comprehensive approach that include the use of seeds that are more resistant to disease, drought, and flooding; information from trusted local sources about more productive farming techniques and technologies and  greater access to markets.

    For this reason, he  said the ARCN has set up  AROC in adopted villages and schools to help researchers interact and develop technologies that meet the needs of farmers in various agro-climatic conditions in the country.

    He said the research centres will provide effective linkage between extension, research and farmers; and enable researchers to be aware of the social and economic environment in which their developed technologies will be applied.

    Speaking during the handover ceremony of an AROC in Bwari Area Council, ARCN Executive Secretary, Prof Baba Yusuf Abubakar, said the programme would engage 5,000 farmers yearly in the participating area councils.

    Represented by Director of Coordination and Technical Research of the council, Prof. Olusola Oni, he said the research centres would provide effective linkage between extension, research and farmers; and enable researchers to be aware of the social and economic environment in which their developed technologies will be applied.

    “The programme is impacting on the FCT through the dissemination of proven agricultural technologies and innovations from the NARS to farming communities and secondary schools in Abuja Municipal, Bwari and Kuje area councils,” Abubakar said.

    Handing over the centres to the community and the school, the Coordinator of the programme, Dr Ronke Alao, said the inclusion of secondary schools in the programme is to spur pupils’ interest in agriculture and  increase the application of improved technologies in their household farms.

    While appreciating the gesture on behalf of farmers in the area, the leader of the farmers, Sarkin Noma, Salisu Galadima, commended ARCN for considering Kawu village, adding that farmers in the community will take advantage of the centre to improve their farming activities.

    The programme is a collaboration with the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, the West African Productivity Programme in Nigeria (WAAP-Nigeria) and support from the World Bank.

    For watchers, the project has demonstrated the viability of poverty reduction through entrepreneurial capacity building. It could be repeated elsewhere.

  • How to combat diseases’spread, by expert

    How to combat diseases’spread, by expert

    The Federal Government has been urged to enhance the biosecurity and health of livestock to reduce the spread of diseases across the country.

    This, according to the Deputy Director and Head, General Management Division, Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI), Dr Ademola Adeyemo, is to ensure that diseases affecting pigs and other animals does not pose a risk to people or become a food safety concern.

    To achieve this, he advised that animal health authorities establish and enforce testing protocols, identify gaps in biosecurity and work together to stop the spread of such diseases and the damage caused to producers, industry and, ultimately, consumers.

    To boost surveillance efforts, Adeyemo implored the government to equip researchers looking into animal diseases, to make models of the disease transmission and testing feedstuffs.

    Such modelling work,would assistant institutions and practitoners undertaking some experimental vaccines to treat animals with diseases.

    Besides, he added that the government track movements of animals, vehicles, and other equipment leaving affected premises,urging industry operators to increase assistance to producers who have experienced outbreaks in other critical areas such as disease surveillance, herd monitoring and epidemiological and technical support.

    Futher on traceability, Adeyemo said it would give the livestock industry an advantage in terms of animal disease response, food safety and market access.

    He explained that when animals leave one facility to go to another both the buyer r and receiver of those animals should report key movement information, including the departure and destination locations, the date and time of loading and unloading, the number of animals, the vehicle’s licence plate number and any required animal identifiers.