Fish farming in Nigeria is a very lucrative and fast growing business. And many fish farmers in the country are making big money every month from sales of fish and fingerlings. Catfish farming is one of the fast selling breeds of fish that has a high market demands as well as market value too.
Due to this, a lot of Nigerians are trooping into the business to invest in it and make a mouthwatering profit on every market harvest. But as much as the fish business can be profitable it can also put one in a big doom if invested in at the wrong period/wrong time.
As a starter who wants to get into fish farming business here are some of the key important things you must have made available or have already arranged before you embark on the business journey, and they are:
A.A locally dug pond (not a concrete/cemented pond).
B. Make sure you have made findings about the best fingerlings seller
C.Make sure you can provide at least 60% of fish feeds that can feed them for the first 8 weeks of stocking them.
D.Do not overstock fish in the pond (even if you think you have the resources that it takes).
E.As a starter do not start a fish business during the dry season most especially if your mud pond cannot independently produce water without rainfall.
F.Make sure the pond is well constructed with at least one inlet, one outlet, and one overflow (in case of flooding).
All the above mentioned factors are very essential to be put in place before a starter hops on the train of the fish business. You might have enough money and even materials to start up with but without the basic knowledge about; What to stock?, When to stock?, Where to stock?, and How to stock?, will leave you on a very loose end of losing all that you have invested in the business. Answering these questions will give more insight to what the writer have been giving explanations about.
A.What to stock: This regards to the breed of fish you might like to stock as they are varieties of options you can go for but to the best of my knowledge I would recommend the ‘Clarias’ breed for a starter because they tend to have rapid growth and they’re beginner friendly.
B.When to stock: This is said to be the most important factor that determine the future of your investment, it makes or mark the end results of the harvest. The raining season is the best recommended time to dwell into the business as the provision of adequate water supply won’t be a problem, because the most important thing for fishes to survive is to live in a good water condition, the feeding comes second.
C.Where to stock: Selection of the right farm settlement and the type of pond used has a great effect on the growth and developments of your fish stocks. The mud ponds has greater advantages over the concrete ponds most especially for starters. Research has it that fishes like to live in a natural environment and the habitats of these species indicates that a mud setting is more advisable and would be best to begin with.
D.How to stock: As a starter never embrace the idea to overstock a pond regardless of how financially fit you think you are. Having money to buy enough feeds for fishes is a separate thing and knowing and maintaining the pond capacity standards is another thing entirely. Pond size varies depending on the taste of the farmer but the quantity to stock is not only determined by the largeness but also the depth of it and how independently the pond can produce its own water in the absence of rainfall in the case of mud ponds.
Being able to critically review and evaluate these contributing factors means that you are good to go as a starter in the fish business. Although I would advise that you engage in your personal research and seek help from experts if you encounter any strange experience in the course. You have every right to become a successful fish farmer if you master the best approach to the business.
Olaiya, a 200 level student of Mass Communication Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, wrote via abdullahiadebiyi6411@gmail.com.
AgroEknor, a driven agro-tech company, has restated its commitment to pioneering sustainable agriculture for a better future.
The firm, through a range of initiatives and products, is boosting domestic food production, enhancing food security, generating employment opportunities, and increasing export revenue.
Speaking on the firm’s commitment to innovation and sustainability, the CEO of AgroEknor, Timi Oke said: “One of AgroEknor’s significant programs is the Farmers Education and Empowerment Program (FEEP). Through FEEP, AgroEknor seeks to increase farmer productivity by providing them with comprehensive support systems.”
These include farmer extension services, access to technological tools and machinery to reduce labor time and increase yield, provision of farm inputs, farm monitoring, and a sales infrastructure that connects farmers to markets.
“A crucial component in achieving higher yield for Farmers is the innovative Yield Pro database software. Yield Pro serves as a centralized repository for essential data from farmers under AgroEknor’s extension services. This data is collected first-hand by agents in the field during various farming stages. By leveraging this data, AgroEknor’s agronomists analyze trends, identify challenges, and provide targeted interventions to help farmers improve their yield over time.”
Project Intensity is yet another vital aspect of AgroEknor’s commitment to impact and sustainability. The project aims to create a more robust farmer-producer framework, domestically and regionally. This is done by identifying areas where hibiscus is traditionally grown on a subsistence basis and working with the community to transform these places intoto commercial agri-hubs hubs.
The Green Code project underscores AgroEknor’s dedication to empowering farmers with tools to increase efficiency and reduce labor time. By providing essential agricultural tools and equipment to farmers, their productivity is enhanced while minimizing strain.
FEEP’s impressive achievements include empowering over 13,000 smallholder farmers, by providing essential resources such as fertilizers, phones, solar machines, and farmers’ kit bags. As a result, FEEP recorded an astounding 75% increase in yield per hectare during harvests.
Furthermore, the program introduced an alert tool that offers targeted farmers precision farming advisory, reducing post-harvest waste and spoilage significantly.
The impact of FEEP also goes beyond just increasing yields, as AgroEknor’s sales infrastructure has facilitated direct sourcing, of over 10,000 tons of produce, delivering a total trade value of over $7 million dollars since Inception.
AgroEknor’s holistic approach to data-driven agribusiness is transforming the hibiscus value chain, and as the company expands its global footprint, its dedication to impact and sustainability remains at the core of its endeavors.
A statement by the ministry said the media reports are the direct works of fifth columnists seeking to undermine its efforts to sanitise the subsidy input distribution situation in the country.
It stated the reports are malicious and aimed at subverting the efforts of the current administration.
“They are the work of 5th columnists hellbent on triggering a regime of disaffection against the work of the FMARD and project a general feeling of disillusion among our populace.
‘’The unintended fallout of this spate of fabricated reports is that at a time like this, when the country is grappling with one of the worst level of food price hikes and our citizens are experiencing compellingly hard times, they (fake tales) make certain to distract from the profound response of the agricultural Ministry to the urgent mandate of Mr. President. There could be no worse evil, desperately requiring countermanding.’’
The statement added: “You can rest assure that the National Agricultural Growth Scheme is not in any way in a crisis, nor is its leadership involved in any corruption activity, let alone at the scale being reported.
‘’The content of those reports in the media space are, at best, the concocted extensions of the workings of a perverted mind’s musings” says Richard-Mark Mbaram, Focal Person (Stakeholder Engagement and Partnerships) of the NAGS-AP, the National Emergency Food Production project being implemented in response to the Presidential Declaration of a State of Emergency in food security.
The challenge of achieving food security in Africa has long been hindered by fragmented agricultural value chains, inefficient resource allocation, and a lack of coordinated efforts among key stakeholders.
One of the most critical yet underperforming sectors is the fertilizer value chain, which plays a pivotal role in enhancing agricultural productivity.
Persistent issues such as inadequate stakeholder engagement, resource constraints, and market inefficiencies have stifled progress.
Addressing these challenges requires a transformative approach that unites all stakeholders in a structured, collaborative, and impactful manner. But how can such a system be effectively designed and implemented? The answer lies in cutting-edge research that bridges the gap between theory and practice, offering a roadmap for sustainable agricultural development.
Toyib Aremu, a distinguished researcher in sustainable development, has dedicated his career to tackling complex challenges in agricultural value chains. His latest work presents an innovative approach to structuring a multi-stakeholder platform for Africa’s fertilizer sector.
Through rigorous stakeholder analysis and social network analysis, Aremu and his team have meticulously identified the key players in the fertilizer value chain, assessing their power, influence, and interests.
This research provides a scientifically backed framework for fostering collaboration, ensuring inclusive decision-making, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
By engaging diverse actors including government bodies, private sector stakeholders, development agencies, and research institutions, the study sheds light on the intricate dynamics shaping agricultural policies and market interactions.
The implications of this research are profound. Aremu’s findings reveal significant disparities in influence and resource access among different stakeholder groups, offering concrete recommendations to address these imbalances.
The study underscores the importance of strategic coordination, trust-building, and continuous dialogue to unlock the full potential of the fertilizer sector.
These insights provide policymakers with actionable strategies to optimize decision-making processes and enhance the efficiency of agricultural supply chains, directly impacting food security and economic stability across the continent.
Insight from his research is influencing the creation of a national fertilizer platform in Ghana “to promote discussion and align the actions of stakeholders in the fertilizer and food value chain for smooth operations and improved access to fertilizers and other agronomic interventions for farmers,” underscoring the extraordinary importance and policy relevance of the work.
Beyond its immediate applications, Aremu’s work has far-reaching implications for global agricultural development. The multi-stakeholder approach outlined in this research serves as a blueprint for other regions grappling with similar challenges in their agricultural value chains.
By demonstrating how scientific analysis can inform real-world policy implementation, this study offers a visionary path toward building resilient food systems worldwide.
It highlights the critical role of collaboration, innovation, and data-driven decision-making in addressing the pressing challenges of food security, climate resilience, and equitable resource distribution.
The significance of this research cannot be overstated. As Africa and the world face the dual challenges of feeding a growing population and mitigating the effects of climate change, the need for sustainable agricultural systems has never been more urgent.
Aremu’s work exemplifies the power of rigorous academic inquiry to drive tangible change. By pioneering innovative approaches to understanding and organizing agricultural systems, he is helping to shape a future where food security is not just an aspiration but a reality.
His contributions reaffirm the vital role of research in crafting the policies and frameworks that will define the next era of global agricultural development. Through his work, we are reminded that the path to sustainable food security lies in collaboration, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of knowledge.
There is under-investment in the agricultural sector, especially in livestock, over the past two decades. Stakeholders believe a well-funded industry has a major role to play in the economy. To increase investments, they called on policymakers to embark on reforms focused on sustainable development. DANIEL ESSIET writes.
Founder, Hastom Nigeria, an agricultural firm based in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Debo Thomas, is a young farmer who is changing the narrative of farming.
A cattle farmer, he was motivated to go into agriculture when he identified an opportunity in the supply chain of cashew nuts. It was from there he veered into cattle rearing.
Since then, the young entrepreneur’s business has expanded. He has over 350 herds of cattle. The key to this is determination. He had studied the success stories of Fulani pastoralists; how the cattle business supports Fulani households’ wealth. He tried a business model using his free pasture. It worked. He has recorded success with cow breeds for pure grass fed beef.
The success is attributed to the fact that the cows feed on free grass. In addition, they have been able to adapt to changing climates and are robust and resilient to many diseases.
He told The Nation that he had not been able to adopt feedlot cattle ranching because it is expensive for him.
Despite this, he is proud of his farming.
He believes that with adequate funds, the youths can run successful livestock businesses capable of providing products for domestic and foreign markets.
He is ready to help any prospective beef breeders to venture into the business.
For him, the livestock industry has the potential to help the country overcome food shortage and hunger, alleviate poverty and positively impact growth; though there are challenges for newcomers. This is due to high input costs.
While the Managing Director, Chanan Elo’a Integrated Farm Limited, Udeme Etuk, is taming the economic turmoil by building a livestock business in Ogun State, he has expressed concerns about the threats to farmers’ ability to feed their animals.
As fodder is essential to profitable production, Etuk indicated that farmers face challenges of grazing far exceeding the availability of land.
He sees livestock’s immense potential not only to alleviate poverty, but also to boost the living standards of the people. He noted: “The livestock industry has the potential to create jobs.”
According to him, the industry still has a lot of room for development to meet the demand for livestock products, in terms of quality, food safety and hygiene.
So far, the strength of the national livestock sector has not been beef production.
Therefore, he wants the government to work with the private sector on international sanitation and compliance standards in the meat sector.
He listed the vital components of the livestock sector to include livestock information managment, breeding, genetics and production development.
However, when it comes to processing and cold storage, Etuk considers Botswana ahead of Nigeria in terms of processing plants for production of processed beefproducts.
Also, the ranch system practised in Botswana using modern technologies and improved practices on farms records high calving and low mortality rate.
He believes so much has to be done to help in value-adding to livestock products, including milk and meat.
In Nigeria, beef producers have been under tremendous pressure because of issues such as security and ever decreasing profit margins.
Etuk lamented: “Insecurity on the farms is a major problem. The government has to address it. In the process of visiting cows in your farm you may be kidnapped. And the business dies immediately.”
One area, he believes, should be upgraded to power the industry to improve the country’s status among the community of milk-producing nations is animals’ genetics.
He has seen a few farmers receive new breed of cattle brought from abroad to improve the national genetic pool.
To address low productivity and poor genetics, he said the industry needs investors and farmers that can bring in genetically improved breeds to attain high milk yields.
He said: “If you are sourcing good cows to give you quality milk, you need American bred cattle. They don’t come cheap. So, forex must be accessible. You must acquire quality dairy and milking equipment. Water is a key component of the dairy industry. The cows must drink fresh water. Boreholes cost a lot to dig. It will be helpful if the government can support farmers in this regard.”
Etuk highlighted the need for investment in livestock technologies and management.
His words: “If you are doing beef livestock practice, you need to move cows to your farm regularly. If you are doing a feedlot business for cows, you should release them in 90 days; it is 60 days for goats. They should weigh a particular size for you to sell. If after 90 days, you don’t achieve that size, you will be running at a loss.
“Also, you should get good species within a particular weight category. This is the goal of the feedlot system. You should feed the cattle well. The feedlot should have access to fresh water sources; as well as a nice and clean place for the cattle to stay. The cow must have access to fresh air. Putting these entire things together means the farmer has access to good funding. To feed a cow in 90 days is a lot of money. Same with sheep and goals.”
While milk and dairy products hold huge potential to improve nutrition and livelihoods for millions of Nigeria, foreign-invested enterprises are gradually occupying the domestic market share of the livestock sector.
With the ambitious programme to produce positive outcomes with milk production, Etuk urged the government to support more local investors to run cattle and dairy as a highly profitable businesses.
To this end, he wants the government to encourage banks and financial institutions to offer interest-free loans to farmers so that they would purchase animals and prepare cattle-pen on as per latest trends.
In recent years, the industry has been marred with viability issues such as rising feed prices while the milk price has not moved up proportionately.
He and other stakeholders want the government to conduct research and analysis of the livestock value chain to see areas that needed to be strengthened through investments, trade and collaborations.
He has been an advocate of documented livestock management practice with elements such as cattle traceability, adding that this helps to strengthen countrywide surveillance including disease monitoring and identification of contagion risks on specific farms.
On the balance, Nigeria has great possibilities for livestock farming, according to a former Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Prof Abiodun Adeloye.
To speed up the development of the livestock sector, he advocated that much work be put into building infrastructure and the needed service related to dairy farming.
He also canvassed an improved system to detect infectious animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, African swine fever, and rabies.
With farmers taking bigger steps towards growing the livestock sector, Adeloye wants the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Directorate of Veterinary Services as well as other animal health authorities to be eqipped and well-prepared to detect and contain outbreaks of diseases critical to the sector’s ability to contribute positively to the economy.
The don believes the industry would grow if there are attempts to identify health challenges in the growth and transformation of the sector and ensure that businesses along the livestock value chains adopt biosecurity and other good practices.
Over the last few years, he has been part of studies to identify actionable changes that ensure adoption of biosecurity practices by livestock producers.
He has been working with livestock producers to improve productivity and take greater advantage of market opportunities.
He urged for dialogue with public and private livestock value-chain actors with the objective to improve compliance to best practices required by existing laws and legislations while promoting safe food access and profitability.
Early this year, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the National Dairy Policy to enhance livestock farming by ensuring a stable and sustainable dairy sector, reducing protracted conflicts between farmers and herders as well as driving massive investments in the industry.
The National President, Commercial Dairy Ranchers Association of Nigeria(CODARAN), Dianabasi Akpainyang, applauded the Federal Government over the approval of the National Dairy Policy.
He urged dairy ranchers to support the government’s effort to have a competitive and productive dairy subsector.
He is not alone.The Managing Partner, Sahel Consulting Agriculture and Nutrition, Temi Adegoroye, similarly pledged continuous technical support of its organisation to the development of the dairy subsector.
Indeed, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said the demand for livestock products, including beef, milk and poultry, would triple on the African continent by 2050.
Furthermore that about 70 percent of the demand for livestock products will be in urban areas, where the majority of Africans will reside.
To this end, the UN agency has been pushing for African countries, including Nigeria, to recognise the livestock sector as a pillar of the national food system and a major contributor to poverty reduction, food security and agricultural development.
FAO, in collaboration with the Federal Government, launched the report on African Sustainable Livestock (ASL) 2050. The ASL 2050 initiative is funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAIDin six African countries, namely, Burkina Faso, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda.
ASL 2050 has generated evidence on Nigeria’s livestock future through securing the livelihoods of livestock value chain stakeholders and policies for the next three decades.
The project dubbed, ASL, aims to facilitate dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and consultation among livestock, health, and environment stakeholders in order to identify opportunities and threats associated with the long-term development of livestock. It also aims to agree upon priority reforms and investments to create the capacity needed to ensure sustainable development of the livestock sector in the next three or four decades.
FAO’s Future of Livestock reports advise governments and local institutions to put in place regulations and ensure compliance with on proper handling of livestock products.
The FAO Representative in Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Fred Kafeero said following the pilot implementation of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP), Kaduna and Niger states have pledged to sustain the model ranches established by the organisation in the two selected reserves.
FAO’s NLTP National Project Coordinator, Jazuli Bichi said the initiative was designed to emulate an evolutionary process of livestock development. “This is through the utilisation of modern technologies to enhance the value chains, taking into cognisance the traditional processes of animal breeding and milk production and processing,” he said.
At the Damau grazing reserve in Kaduna the nine hectares of land allocated for the model ranch are equipped with the necessary infrastructure such as solar powered boreholes to support the already existing water sources in the demarcated area.“This water source enables pasture development, where different varieties of forage are planted. There is also a functional drip irrigation installed within a fenced portion of land to keep stray livestock from eating up the seedlings and young plants,”Jazuli explained.
To round up the project, he added, the 200 beneficiaries drawn from community-based animal health workers, pastoralists and farmers in the two states, 20 percent of whom are women, were trained on safety measures and artificial insemination.
To reduce competition for natural resources, livestock watering troughs are built within the ranches to provide sufficient water for the animals, while humans have points with multiple faucets to get water for their domestic needs.
Olam Food Ingredients (OFI) has said it will not relent in improving the well-being of cashew farmers in Kwara and Nigeria.
OFI, which has cashew giant plant in Kwara state, also pledged its continued relationship with all partnering communities for improved cashew yields.
General Manager, OFI Rajeesh Neelanjeri, said this in Ilorin, the state capital during the 2023 annual cashew farmers meeting organized by the company.
He said that farmers are the backbone of any agriculture sector, adding that the organization had always strived to bring succour to farmers.
The meeting had in attendance 15 cashew farmers’ groups, drawn across communities in Kwara and Oyo states, involving sensitization on improved cashew production and harvesting practices.
Neelanjeri said that efforts of the company included training of farmers on good agriculture
practices (GAP), providing pre-season finance, distribution of farming equipment, social and community programmes etc.
He also said that sustainability philosophy of the organization centres around five main pillars such as prosperous farmers, thriving communities, sustainable choices, climate positive and regenerating the living world.
“We want to partner our stakeholders with a sense of responsibility towards the society and the external environment and leave a sustainably positive impact through our activities”, he said.
Director, Kwara Ministry of Agriculture, Mallam Kabiru Mohammed said that improved cashew production could only be achieved through implementation of modern cashew cultivation practices.
He talked on “improvement in cashew farming system in Nigeria.”
“Cashew is a commodity crop of international recognition and it is important in foreign exchange earnings. It has turned out to be a oil well given to us by divinity. But this can only be achieved through implementation of modern cashew cultivation. Thus, there’s need to move from subsistence to mechanized farming system most especially where there is vast land usage,” he said.
Represented by Mr. Amole Nathaniel of the Nigeria Produce and Inspection Service in the ministry, the Director commended the company for its participatory efforts in rural Agrarian Infrastructural development programmes, saying that the efforts had encouraged well-being of the people and cashew industry at large.
The organic food market is expected to hit $437.36 billion by 2026, with a compounded annual growth rate of 14 per cent, according to global business intelligent firm, ReportLinker. In addition, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) studies have found that organic food production is applied in 181 countries. To this end, the government and the private sector are seeking ways to expand the volume of organic farm produce export as global demand is anticipated to increase rapidly as consumers pay more attention to health, DANIEL ESSIET reports.
Organic products have become the food of choice for many health-conscious individuals across the world. This has boosted its market, which is predicted to hit $437.6 billion by 2026, as demands continue to rise.
The United States, United Kingdom European Union (EU) and Japan are the largest markets for organic products.
Against this backdrop, a forum on certification of products, Nigeria Sustainable Agriculture conference, has been held in Lagos to enlighten farmers anf food processors on the proper certification for organic foods to meet internation stands.
The organisers of the forum, FutuX Agri–consult Limited, which has certification arrangements with many bodies across the world, assists farmers, produce exporters, processors and others in the agri-business value chain to acquire certification to enable them export their produce.
Generally, sustainable certifications apply to agricultural and processed products of plant origin, livestock and livestock products, and aquaculture products.
One of the panelists at the just-concluded conference, the Chief Operations Officer, Limlim Foods Production Company Limited, which processes some produce, such as banana, agbalumo, cabbage, egg, and others, into powder and freeze dried fruit snacks, Mrs. Adeola Balogun, was there to follow up on developments on organic foods production, as the European Union (EU) has outlined plans to reduce the use of chemicals and pesticides by 50 per cent, mineral fertiliser by 25 per cent, and increase the share of organic farming in the regional agricultural structure to 25 per cent by 2030.
She has been exploring the possibility of entering the international organic foods markets given the high demand as more consumers seek organic foods with traceability, safety credentials and and hygienically produced for healthy living.
Like many entrepreneurs, she grabs every opportunity to make her processed foods better. Determined to explore fortunes in organic farming, she is focused on acquring a good knowledge of the system, best practices, and international standards.
According to her, the knowledge gained from the forum has helped to make significant improvements in her food processing practices, and to navigate the industry successfully.
The company is seeking cerifification in international standards such as GLOBALG.A.P. (Good Agricultural Practices). Rainforest Alliance Certification, Union of Ethical Biotrade certification (UEBT), Fairtrade Certification, Organic Certification (E.U. and NOP), Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), Halal, ISO 22000 Food Safety Management System amongst others.
For Mrs. Adeola Balogun, the forum has helped pave the way for the expansion of her processed food products, and provided new market access opportunities for organic trade.
While organic food production could promise a way out of poverty for many small farmers, the founder, Ope Farms, Mrs. Olusola Sowemimo, maintained that the market has strict requirements on the quality of agricultural products, including appearance, size, aroma, sweetness, newness, certificate of origin, production plan, environmental protection labels, among others.
According to her, organic farming reduces health risks posed by the use of toxic chemicals.
Countries are increasing the standards for sustainability and product labeling processes with the aim to protect public health and the environment.
She said focus should be placed on developing policies to encourage enterprises to establish organic value chains together with enhancing quality control measures.
Mrs. Sowemimo said that the most important thing for enterprises in organic agriculture was to fulfill their commitments to quality and maintain their reputation. She added that enterprises would face a lot of difficulties during the process.
However, she said effort in that regard was paying off, with hotels, organic shops and restaurants patronising her produce.
She said she had provided job opportunities in Ogun State where she runs a model organic farm. In the meantime, she enjoys the challenges of organic farming and passing the knowledge to farmers to improve soil health, increase yields, improve safety, and ultimately boost incomes.
Her story is an example of how agro-producers have transformed their practices, benefitted from training committed to sustainable farming practices and well being of consumers.
As Lead Strategist, FutuX Agri-consult Limited, Babatunde Olarewaju, continues on this path, which has become clear to him. To him, farming and processing practices of Nigerians have to evolve to meet organic agricultural requirements in line with EU standards.
Olarewaju said “by fostering sustainable certification for Nigerian agribusinesses, the conference seeks to propel the country’s agricultural sector towards improved productivity, enhanced quality, and increased competitiveness in the global marketplace.
“Through knowledge sharing and collaboration, it endeavours to facilitate the growth of sustainable agriculture and contribute to the overall development of Nigeria’s agricultural landscape.”
His went further: “There are a number of opportunities for sustainable agriculture in Nigeria since there is a growing demand for sustainable products both domestically and internationally.”
According to him, organic food products with sustainable certifications get premium consideration and are sold in the markets at higher prices than conventional products.
He explained that his organisation was focused on issues related to the needs of growers and processors who need organic certifications in local and international markets.
A recurring theme during the forum was the need for a sustainability blueprint.
He called on the government to pay special attention to boosting the agricultural sector and enhancing food security and environmental sustainability through a large variety of initiatives, measures and incentives.
Her curiosity and prospect of organic farming drove Chief Executive, Farm Republic, Ms. Oyindamola, to explore opportunities in sustainable certifications.
According to her, growing organic is challenging with lots of production requirements, including opposition to the use of chemical herbicides and pesticides.
This notwithstanding, she posited that there was increasing demand for organic food.
Under its key objective, the Managing Director, AFEX Commodities Exchange, Kamaldeen Mobolaji Raji, said the organisation supported farmers to embrace climate-smart and sustainable practices that help soil quality and increase productivity.
The standards, according to him, also assure buyers of agricultural commodities that the products in their supply chains are environmentally sustainable. The approach, he said, have been replicated across AFEX Commodities Exchange’s operations in Africa.
He expressed the belief that sustainable farming could be a driver for sustainability, with increasing focus on growing local, pesticide-free food.
With increasing demand for food in the world, Junior Project Officer, Netherlands-African Business Council (NABC), Fauziyya Sadiq, said Nigeria has to boost production as consumption continues to increase.
Sadiq said the council had supported agribusinesseses to accelerate the nation’s agricultural transformation, including empowerment programmes, to drive increased use of technologies.
She said farmers had been exposed to better ways of increasing yields and income through good seeds and training.
The United States Agency for International Development(USAID) has affirmed its commitment to working with the government on issues of shared importance, such as proritisation of climate change and sustainable agriculture.
Chief of Party, Feed the Future Nigeria Agribusiness Activity (USAID), Olumide Ojo, said the programme aimed at promoting private sector investment in agriculture, and expanding commercialisation and empowering farmers.
The $15.7 million Activity, he continued, connects and integrates thousands of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME ) and producer organisations with high performing commercial actors in the rice, maize, soyabeans and aquaculture in seven target states of Ebonyi, Benue, Kaduna,Niger, Kebbi, Delta and Cross River.
To meet European standards, Team Lead for Eupepsia Place Limited (Soilless Farm lab), Ogbole Samson, said much was needed, if the sector was to grow organic products
He said: “A lot to be done around creating a standard.This is not just for the export market but for the farmer. We need the farmers to earn a living not just barely survive. If they know there is a standard and a guaranteed amount they can earn, it will be an incentive for them . We need the farmers to grow for a standard, once this is done, we also need a unified certification board .Various private institutes and government parastatals are working in isolation.
“While Futux is doing a lot, there is still more needed, and this conversation requires everyone to be on the table, even the consumer so they understand organic is not the only sustainable way for growing, it is just one of such ways.”
Stakeholders in the agricultural sector on Tuesday met in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital over the strategic implementation of the Bio-ethanol Project.
The project, according to the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Nebeolisa Anako, is one of the aspirations of the government to bring about higher GDP growth and significantly reduce unemployment by creating meaningful
opportunities for the youth.
Speaking at the event at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, (IITA), Ibadan, Anako, who was represented by the Director of Economy Growth, Budget and National Planning Department, Mrs Elizabeth Eghareuba, stated that the Bio-economy Policy is aimed at promoting sustainable economic growth and development by creating Bio-based economy that will contribute to job creation, poverty reduction and increased access to food and energy.
She noted the framework will employ Triple-Helix Knowledge Transfer Partnership in its implementation, which includes academia, research and development Institutes, farmers, private sector and government MDAS as well as Civil Society, development partners and development finance Institutions.
She maintained that there is a need to look at the Bio-economy response and how it can contribute to the deceleration of rising food insecurity, saying Nigeria presently needs an approach that will increase food production, youth employment, and increased growth through the provision of industrial feedstock and exportable products to boost economy.
She said, “To achieve this, one strategic pathway is to develop the Cassava Bio-ethanol Value Chain. This becomes even more imperative, given the recent removal of subsidy on Petroleum
products, re-evaluation of the Naira through the merging of official
and non-official exchange windows.”
“Development of the Cassava Bio-ethanol value chain is a veritable pathway to assuage the economic
impacts on citizens and for sustained development.
“Another objective of the Cassava Bio-ethanol Value Chain is to demonstrate the efficacy of the private sector-led approach in promoting investment in renewable Biomass, creating wealth, providing jobs, reducing poverty, improve food security and nutrition.”
“The intention of this sensitization workshop is to develop the modalities for the implementation of the Cassava
The bio-ethanol project as well as identifying the key stakeholders required
for the implementation of the entire value chain.”
The TA AT Programme Coordinator, IITA, Dr. Chrysantus Akem, said IITA is strongly committed to working with stakeholders on the project and other projects that will be identified, adding that the institute is to make sure it serves everybody being a leader in agriculture in Africa.
He said: “We are ready to link you with any institution doing research on commodity, the aim of this project is a big focus for us and we are really concerned with the youths across Africa because a project of this nature will be a big benefit to many of them.”
Mr HA Bello, who represented the Permanent Secretary of the Oyo Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning commended the choice of Oyo State for the sensitisation program, saying it is not a misplaced priority because the state is the mother of Southwest states.
He however said the Ministry is optimistic that there would be follow-up action to ensure successful implementation of the project.
The National President, Association of Water Well Drilling Rig Owners Practitioners (AWDROP) Engr. Michael Ale has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consider declaring a state of emergency on water resources like he did on food security.
He said it was high time water got priority in national development strategies to forestall imminent scarcity of the resources.
A statement by the AWDROP President called on government at all levels to pay attention to issue of water resources mismanagement and treat it as part of current national emergency.
He called for government attention to the dire need to address water scarcity and water resource management in the country.
He warned that water level was receding on earth and there was urgent need to pay attention to its accessibility, affordability and management as critical part of livelihood for all Nigerians, especially the rural dwellers who may be badly affected.
According to him: “In less than 20 years from now, I am afraid water may become too scarce for human use or consumption if we do not do something now”.
“Water is very critical to daily human existence but unfortunately, our government at all levels do not pay attention to the issue of water in terms of it’s availability, affordability and management”.
“Water leadership and governance system as well as synergy between government, the media and non-governmental organisations to join hands so as to ensure that water issues are addressed through policies and effective implementation.”
Reacting to steps by Federal government to give States palliative to cushion effect of fuel subsidy removal, Ale expressed commitment of his organisation, Global Initiative for Nigeria Development (GIND) to monitor the disbursement to poor Nigerians to ensure that the process adhere to principles of transparency and accountability.
He noted that his organisation’s resolve to monitor the disbursement was meant to ensure that the palliatives promised poor Nigerians by the federal government in order to cushion the effect of economic hardship brought by the fuel subsidy removal, is creditably implemented.
He however said GIND would deploy its Track and Trace technology in monitoring the disbursement.
In Nigeria, as in many African countries, agricultural extension and advisory services are not available to smallholder farmers.This has denied them the opportunity to learn and apply efficient agronomic practices to improve productivity and increase food security. But now, there is a private sector response. DANIEL ESSIET reports.
Chief Executive, Brote Urban Vegetable Farm & Processing Limited, Innocent Mokidi is a successful agribusinessman. His farm in Nasarrawa State has maize and soya bean.
He is among the progressive farmers working to increase productivity and enhance market access for smallholder farmers. One of his secrets is analysing after planting crops on a few plots at various intervals during the year.
Mokidi has been cultivating high-yielding varieties of soya bean and maize for years without access to proper extension support. It takes 120 days for these crops to mature, and he can grow them twice yearly.
One component of his success story is the drive to search for high quality seeds and receive training on how to properly grow them.
What he found out from his trial and error strategy is that seeds performance is specifics.
As he reflects on his achievements, Mokidi found examples of lack of extension services. For him, a lot of the failing farmers would have been successful, if they had access to extension officers or rural extensive service to train them on how to cultivate soya bean, maize and bean profitably.
Some of the farmers, he explained, use poor quality seeds, leading to low productivity.
According to him, agriculture extension staff members are expected to provide timely, custom support to farmers such as crop advisory and market information, pest and disease management.
A proactive agric extensive service, he said, would boost the development potential of the agriculture industry, which accounts for 75 per cent of the country’s total output and is also a major contributor to export earnings.
His success is an exception to the mostly subsistence-level of farming across the Middle Belt.
In Africa, there are countries with well-developed public extension systems with high staff members. Ethiopia and Nigeria smallholders face challenges getting information to produce food better and maintain livelihoods.
Nigeria has the lowest ratio of agricultural extension workers to farmers in Africa, according to African Seed Access Index (TASAI) 2020 Report.
Though effective public extension and advisory services have the potential to improve agricultural productivity, net farm income; and food security among resource-poor farmers, several studies have confirmed that farmers have continued to lag behind their peers in terms of yield per hectare.This is attributed to the country’s inefficient and ineffective agricultural extension service delivery system.
According to experts, there is one extension agent to either 2,500 to 10,000 farm families, a very wide ratio.
This was one of the concerns of participants at the Regional Policy Dialogue on Integration of Climate Smart Agricultural (CSA) Cross-Border Trade & Market, and Foresight in Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services (AEAS) Policy in Abuja last year.
The dialogue, which brought together directors of extension from across 11 African countries, among others, was organised by the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS), in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Nigerian Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (NIFAAS) with financial support from the European Union (EU) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
They canvassed improved agricultural extension service if Nigeria and the other parts of Africa is to see food insecurity, malnutrition, and poverty reduced and farmers’livelihoods improved.
One of them was the Executive Director, AFAAS, Dr Silim Nahdy, who said the need for innovative and resilient extension systems could not be over emphasised.
“With Africa’s rising food insecurity concrete actions are urgently needed, to reverse the trends and work towards meeting the commitments under the Malabo Declaration and the Sustainable Development Goals. Extension and research are engines in changing this narrative. We need to rebrand agricultural extension so as to attract the youth into agriculture,” he said.
Also, the Research, Policy and Investment Cluster Lead, Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Dr. Kwaku Antwi, observed that the extension and advisory services are important element to the array of market and non-market entities and agents that provide human capital – enhancing input as well as flows of information.
He said: “Recognising that AEAS’ policies are an integral part of national agricultural policies is very important and thus AEAS policies need to be grounded at National level in all African countries.”
Furthermore, he said the major problem of organising agricultural extension and advisory services in developing countries has been the absence of a legal and policy framework extension services.
“African economies are in the process of transformation with changing food patterns. Under these conditions, extension needs to shift its focus towards increasing farm household income and improving rural livelihoods,” he added.
Though the government has made efforts to tackle food insecurity, analysts said the agricultural extension systems had been enlarged to offer maximum services to bolster productivity and food security.
President Nigerian Agribusiness Group (NABG), Dr Emmanuel Ijewere, said public extension services had been less effective. He has on several fora described the nation’s agricultural system as bad and needed to be rejigged.
He also said timely access to essential agricultural information was key to empowering farmers’ needs to implement best practices on agronomic and post-harvest methodologies for crops, livestock and husbandry operations. Regettably, the few agriculture extension staff in the public service are overstretched.
In line with this, private organisations have started taking steps towards providing extension services to farmers. An example is the OCP Fertiliser Nigeria’s work with farmers.
Its agribusiness-based advisory services take various approaches and are built around lots of models. One of them is the Farm & Fortune Hub, a one-stop shop service that enables farmers to find solutions for their challenges. It also connects farmers to information, resources, markets, and financial services.
It is part of the organisation’s specialised strategy to ensure that the practice of integrating scientific research and new knowledge into agricultural practices through farmer education. The hubs are placed in major farming belts in the country, where farmers can obtain input as well as receive technical training and advice, access services such as credit and benefit from help with marketing. To ensure that farmers in underserved markets have access to fertiliser and other quality input, OCP Fertiliser Nigeria has established one-stop-shop Farm & Fortune Hubs across 30 states.
In addition, the company has intensified its flagship Agribooster Programme to provide extension service. The programme is deploying digital, in person and hybrid extension services to help small scale farmers.
Several thousands of farmers have received training on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP).
The Deputy Managing Director, Project Incubation West Africa, OCP Africa, Mr. Caleb Usoh, explained that the company has built on its existing programmes, including a portal, which provides information on how to adapt farming practices.
Already, the company has strengthened its extension service outreach with television and radio programmes to increase the reach of agricultural information, and improve the adoption of good farming practices.
Agro promoters operating the hubs are equipped with computer tablets to reach more farmers with a bundle of agribusiness services and personalised mentoring.
His words: “We have provided a platform that offers well-managed farmer and farm data and insights into the nature of farmers’ challenges and their solutions. Each shop is licensed to educate farmers and promote better agricultural practices.The hubs retail seeds, fertiliser and pesticides and are well-stocked with/farm implements, and veterinary supplements. He explained that the group was ready to support agricultural producers to make businesses more competitive.
Significant changes are afoot in the space as many tech companies are working to support digitisation of agricultural services in innovative ways. One of them is Extension Africa (EXAF). EXAF is a research-based ag-tech platform. The startup’s target is to increase the farm output through critical solutions in smart agriculture and farmers empowerment, using e-agricultural advisory agents.
Its Chief Executive, Tajudeen Yahaya, indicated that the organisation has developed plans for transmitting modern farming techniques to farmers via extension tools.
He said the organisation identified the huge gap in connecting smallholder farmers with climate-smart agricultural practices. Hence the need to pioneer a sustainable private extension solution for smallholder farmers.
His thinking has been to provide a harmonised system that is integrated ,where farmers can receive climate-smart advisory, through a platform.
So far, the company is working with over 180,000 farmers.
In terms of expansion, the startup is working on many colloborations to boost its reach across the country.
Right now, the private agri-extension service space is picking up with companies such as Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, throwing their hats into the ring. The landscape is striving, given the introduction of digitalised services, including mobile technology and e-providers. Under the auspices of Flour Milling Association of Nigeria(FMAN) in partnership with Lake Chad Research Institute, farmers are set to receive four wheat varieties to boost local production. The varieties are bread wheat (Borlaug-FMAN) and Neloki-FMAN), which can produce yield of up to seven tonnes per hectare within maturity of 90 days and Durum wheat(Bayoreca-FMAN and Cirno-FMAN) within yield potential of six tonnes per hectare within a maturity period of about 95 days.
In 2020, the United States’ Agency for International Development (USAID) and federal Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development launched a five-year $16.6 million Feed the Future Nigeria Agricultural Extension and Advisory Services Activity to facilitate learning, replication, and scale in agriculture through private sector-embedded extension models.
Through the partnership, USAID provided a template for agribusiness firms to access the latest science-based agricultural products and services, as well as private sector agribusiness firms.
The USAID activity, which focuses on the value chains for maize, rice, soybean, cowpea, and aquaculture, works through existing micro, small, and medium enterprises to meet the information and service needs of smallholder farmers.
Managed by Winrock International and its team of international partners, the activity is implemented in seven states: Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Kebbi, and Niger.
Early this year, the immediate past Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Abubakar, said the Federal Government had approved a new policy on Agricultural Extension Service, to make agriculture technology-driven and aid food and nutrition security.
Last year, he also said the ministry recruited over 100,000 extension service agents.
The minister said there was no food shortage in the country, assuring that the ministry would, continue to support the small holder farmers, whom he said, produce about 70 per cent of the nation’s food production.
He said: “We presented a memo on agricultural extension service in the country and the purpose is really to have a good working extension service policy.”
