The Nation Newspaper

Category: Agriculture

  • Firm to produce 44 million chicks in Ibadan

    Firm to produce 44 million chicks in Ibadan

    By Chinyere Okoroafor

    Chi Farms Limited is expanding its hatchery production capacity located at Ajanla Farms, Ibadan, Oyo state capital from 36 million chicks to 44 million per year.

    Its Managing Director Dr. Tunji Olaitan, the firm plans further expansions in the future.

    “By next year, we will have additional compliment of eight setters, thus increasing the operational capacity from 44 million day-old chicks per year to 52 million chicks.

    This, he said, was to deliver quality offerings to the poultry industry.”

    READ ALSO: Chi Farms trains 1000 fish farmers

    “These strategic investments ensure that Chi Farms remains the market leader with premium quality products and pacesetting in new technologies integration in the industry,” he said.

    Business Head, Poultry Marketing and Sales, Dr. Ananda Raj, added that the expansion was to meet increasing production demands.

    Raj said: “Expanding our operations will enable us have better control, supervision and most importantly sustain our quality standards while we meet the continuously growing demands from customers,” he said.

  • Raising the value of cashew nuts for exports

    Raising the value of cashew nuts for exports

    There are moves to boost cashew production and local processing, writes DANIEL ESSIET.

     

    Founder Hastom Nigeria, an agricultural firm based in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Depo Thomas, is a successful cashew nut farmer. He does not only growing the crop, but also a promoter of cashew nuts. His dream is for Nigeria to become one of the leading cashew nut producers.

    Thomas has over 1,100 acres earmarked for cashew production.  But his target is 10,000 acres. Last year, he planted 80,000 trees. Thomas, also a cattle farmer, was motivated to go into farming, when he identified an opportunity in the supply chain of cashew nuts.

    Today, he has achieved so much. He is a model farmer and also an inspiration to many cashew farmers.

    At present, the capacity of smallholder producers to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the cashew market is of his utmost concern.

    He said cashew nuts should receive the desired attention like  other crops from the government.

    Generally, the global demand  for cashew is growing.This year, analysts expect cashew to take over   29 per cent of the global nut market. As cheering  as the news might  be, South Korea-based Tridge Market Intelligence’s report expressed fear  that  producers would not be able to meet world demand.

    At present, Europe is the largest importer of cashew kernels in the world, accouting for about 40 per cent global imports.

    The Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries (CBI) noted that between  2015 and 2019, European imports of cashew nuts grew yearly by seven per cent.

    While India and other Asian producers are dominating the competitive global cashew market, the President, National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN), Mr Ojo Ajanaku, is determined to see Nigeria increase its 120,000 metric tonnes yearly prodction to  take a sizable portion of the world’s 2.2 million tonnes.

    “Nigeria is the sixth largest producer of cashew in the world with an annual production of about 120,000 tonnes and a total annual trade worth of N24 billion,” Ajanaku said.

    He told The Nation that the association is targeting 500,000 metric tonnes yearly.

    The cashew value chain, he continued, offers an important potential for employment and wealth creation, and the empowerment of women and youth.

    To this end, the association is exploring various partnerships to boost the growth of the sub-sector.

    One such innovative approach, he stressed, relates to the establishment of linkages among farmers, producers and markets.

    In collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Federal Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investments, Ajanaku said the association has established programmes on cashew production. These  include the massive distribution of high-yielding planting materials to farmers in expansion areas and conduct research, development and extension activities focused on the improvement of management practices.

    “The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development gave us seedlings, which we distributed  to farmers nationwide. They were encouraged. We brought in philanthropists who were once agriculturists, but divert to other businesses to support the farmers.

    “During the workshops we held for farmers, the philanthropists gave farmers some stipends. Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) and private sector were involved in the training,” Ajanaku said

    The workshop focused on value-added products from cashew nuts, packaging requirements, cashew apple juice, regulatory and safety issues.

    For him, though cashew presents an opportunity for the government to diversify the economy. However, to realise its potential, Ajanaku  stressed that farmers must learn to process and add value to raw cashew nuts.

    He noted that there was relatively insignificant value-adding activities to the cashew nuts in most production areas.

    On the other hand, he said the potential of the cashew apple was taken for granted by farmers.

    The apple juice, he added, could be processed into high valued products such as wines, vinegar, beverages or syrup, jams and candies, juice and juice blends.

    For farmers to make money, the association is encouraging them to cultivate trees for the nuts and its pseudo fruit – the cashew apple. Both the nut and apple, he emphasised, have economic value as food and for industrial use.

    The NCAN national president urged cashew farmers to be serious with cashew business to get cash from cashew.

     

     

  • In pursuit of agric development

    In pursuit of agric development

    The greatest challenge of Lagos State Government is how to feed its large population expected to hit 22 million  in  few years.  The most effective way to feed and  improve the lives  of millions in the state is to encourage  them to support  technology-led agriculture.To transform the sector, create jobs, raise income, reduce malnutrition, and kick-start the economy, the government has launched a five–year development road map amid high stakeholders’expectations, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

     

    As Nigeria looks to curb its imports, in the face of declining state revenues, speeding up agricultural development has become imperative, given that the country seeks to diversify from oil.

    In most parts of Nigeria, agricultural transformation has not advanced as planned because their plans lacked key elements of translate the goals into reality.

    But that is not so in Lagos State which wants to capitalise on agricultural growth opportunities. Hence, the  launch of a Five-Year Agricultural and Food Systems Roadmap (2021-2025) to chart a path for growth and sustainability last Thursday. Venue was the Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island.

    The launch was attended by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, commissioners, other officials and private sector operators.

    Sanwo-Olu said though agriculture represented one of the state’s lowest Gross Domestic Products (GDP) contributors, however, it is responsible for thousands of jobs. The sector has long been a major driver for export revenues, job creation and rural development. It is now also increasingly serving as a platform for value creation, manufacturing and social development.

    He projected that the total investments in the sector in the state would run to $10 billion in the next five years with the launch of  the roadmap.

    He noted that Lagos could no longer afford to rely exclusively on other states for its food, adding that it was time for the state to unlock its immeasurable agricultural potential through the implementation of the roadmap.

    According to him, the roadmap focuses on three pillars which are the growth of the upstream sector, growth of the midstream and downstream sectors as well as improvement of private sector participation.

    “Our strategies for sustainable Agricultural Development shall focus on three pillars. Firstly, we will grow the upstream sector through interventions by leveraging technologies that are capable of lowering the cost of production of value chains such as fisheries, poultry, piggery, rice, vegetables and coconut with support from donor agencies.

    “We will also focus on growing the midstream and downstream sectors that is value addition involving processing, handling, storage, cold chain, packaging, utilisation and commercialisation which are all important agricultural value chains by leveraging on the huge market with support from donor agencies.

    “Lastly, we will improve on private sector participation by developing and initiating policies that will encourage more private investments in agriculture. This will include linking the private sector with business-friendly credits.

    “The projection is that the total investment in the agricultural Sector from the government, private sector, donor agencies and development partners will run into over $10billion in the next five years. While we expect most of the investment to be private sector-driven, government will continue to provide the needed infrastructure while the private sector will be encouraged to lead the key projects,” Sanwo-Olu said.

    He assured that the state would formulate policies that would encourage private sector investment in agriculture while providing robust market information systems for agricultural value chain actors for adequate planning and the circumvention of risks and uncertainties.

    The governor pointed out that the state had started the revamping of its Agricultural Land Holding Authority (ALHA) to support investments, adding that the coconut belt would also be strengthened with increased private sector involvement.

    Sanwo-Olu listed some landmark investments that the state had begun, which he noted would help with the smooth delivery of the roadmap, to include the Lagos State Aquatic Centre of Excellence (LACE) that would boost fish production from 20 to 80 per cent; the Imota Rice Mill; the Lagos Food Production Centre Avia, Igborosu-Badagry as well as other state-wide agriculture focused initiatives.

    “I am excited about the wealth we will generate from our fecund land and coastal resources. The next five years will be productive, competitive, and transformational as Lagos State implements its agricultural roadmap. We are set to become the nation’s agricultural powerhouse, and I invite you to join us to make history.

    “I am greatly encouraged by the interest already generated in the 5-Year Agricultural Roadmap and I hope it will be sustained and backed with concrete action on the part of our development partners and the international community. I assure you that the Lagos State Government is putting in place deliberate incentives to make your investment safe, secure, and profitable,” he averred.

    Sanwo-Olu, therefore, urged potential and established stakeholders to partner with the state to transform the sector for food security, wealth generation, poverty eradication, economic diversification, rapid industrialisation, and accelerated socio-economic growth.

    The roadmap aims to boost productivity and sector profitability, while looking to improve smallholders’ earnings.

    Already, the government has launched a number of large-scale projects, with the objective of modernising production methods through efficient irrigation and enhanced mechanisation, as well as raising value addition, particularly through the development of high-potential crops and agribusinesses.

    In Lagos, Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisola Olusanya, said the state has set ambitious goals to enable it to be recognised for high-quality agri-food products and value-added products.

    She noted that the roadmap focuses on the development of agricultural value chains where the state has competitive and comparative advantages to ensure that the state’s self-sufficiency in food production moves from 18 to 40 per cent in the next five years.

    To increase farm-productivity and yield, she noted that there would be consistent adoption of better crops, seed quality, irrigation techniques, crop diversification and value chains.

    In the future, hi-tech agriculture will gain more traction as one of the key drivers of economic growth. In an attempt to accomplish that goal, she said a series of incentive solutions and supportive policies had been released by the government to entice more domestic and foreign investment into hi-tech agriculture.

    Generally, the roadmap is focused on enhancing institutional linkages at the implementation level.

    Speaking on this, the Special Adviser for Works and Infrastructure, Aramide Adeyoye, an engineer, said it emphasises provision of infrastructure linkages as a basis for the development of agriculture across the state. She noted that the agriculture industry still has opportunities.

    Chairman, Chapel Hill Denham Group, Mr. Wale Edun, said the plan was capable of helping agri-businesses innovate and expand, enhancing rural economic development and increasing food security.

    He noted, however, that the sector needed investments to position it for accelerated business growth, stressing the need for the right mix of agri-finance services for the sector to be successful.

    He said there should be financial programmes to help producers manage significant risks that threaten the viability of their farms and are beyond their capacity to manage.

    Services, according to him, include credit lines, input financing, and other financing services across the agribusiness value chain. The Chairman emphasised the need for the government to carry out the agricultural transformation plans to garner private investment.

    According to Edun, transformation plans with an investor mind-set anticipate changes in the enabling environment that will be necessary as the transformation progresses to support increasing private-sector engagement. He reiterated that the success of the roadmap relied on the commitment of the government and the stakeholders to a long-term vision and an appreciation for the economic imperative for supporting and maintaining the primary and value-added agriculture sectors.

    At the forum, experts and managers proposed mechanisms, policies and solutions to promote a sustainable agricultural system.

    Group Chief Executive, Tropical General Investments Ltd (TGI Group)’s  Agribusiness Investments,  Ramesh M D urged  the government to  support the implementation of the road map  in  such a way that Lagos should serve as an example to the rest of the world for the ways in which private and public investment can transform a state  into an agricultural powerhouse.

    He said the average age of farmers is increasing – which represents a risk to food security, unless young people take action.

    He stressed that connecting youth with the farming and agri-food industry is more important than ever during these times as they continue to learn about the innovative agricultural sector.

    With the road map, Ramesh noted that Lagos has a golden opportunity to lead the march and set benchmarks for how the nation should reshape the economy   and prepare the agriculture industry to focus on local production and serve to generate precious foreign exchange.

    He said the State needs to participate in the supply of essential input products for processing to ensure a stable, adequate and quality supply.

    Small  in size like  Netherland which  has  success story, the Chairman, Access Bank Plc, Dr Ajoritsedere Awosika  said Lagos   has   the potential  to  increase  current level of food production efficiency,  and become a global food hub. Though Netherlands might be a small country, she noted that it was today the second-largest exporter of agriculture in the world, after the United States.

    Despite its limited land for farming, the Netherlands is now the world’s second largest agricultural producer due to large investment poured into infrastructure and technology, which has considerably enhanced its productivity.

    The Commissioner for Economic Planning & Budget, Mr. Sam Egube, said the agri/food industry in the Netherlands was one of the most booming in Europe. He said the Lagos Government was taking lessons to enable it revolutionise food production.

    According to him, the vision is for a vibrant and progressive agriculture and agri-food sector that is sustainable and growing, reiterating that the government was ready to work closely with industry partners to ensure  the  food system remained strong, resilient, and productive.

    To strengthen the economy,  the Chairman, Lagos House Committee on Agriculture and Cooperatives, Hon. Kehinde Joseph, said the legislature was  ready  to make laws to remove  impediments  to investment in  the state,

    He said the House would enact laws to introduce incentives to encourage foreign investment,  and boost  growth

    While the nation’s economy has been shaken in recent years by the fall in oil prices and their subsequent impact on government revenue, the agriculture sector has registered steady growth.

     

     

    With a population of over 22 million, stakeholders believe expansion in domestic production and value added are  key to strengthening the economy and achieving food self-sufficiency.

    With foreign investors eyeing the sector, the President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mrs. Toki Mabogunje urged the government to create the environment to increase market competitiveness and agricultural productivity, and improve risk management practices.

    This, according to her, will set the direction for the future of the sector to help it continue to innovate, grow and prosper, and position Lagos as a leader in the agric economy. The move towards large-scale farming in partnership with foreign investors, stakeholders  were  of the opinion will  help to  potentially drive up the quality and exports of locally produced goods.

    With imports on the rise, she posited that the agriculture and agri-food sector must rise to the challenge.

    In his contribution, the Director, Development Finance, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Yusuf Yila said the apex banking institution was ready to work with Lagos Government to support agriculture and agri-food projects to grow farm and food-processing businesses.

    He identified Lagos’ agri-food sector as having great potential to be a driver of economic growth for the nation.

    He urged the government to explore the Anchors Borrowers Programme which holds a promise for the agriculture sector.

     

     

  • Wanted: Professionals for new fertiliser plants

    Wanted: Professionals for new fertiliser plants

    For analysts, Nigeria’s fertiliser industry holds huge potential. A boom in fertiliser production is expected to create thousands of jobs. DANIEL ESSIET examines the plethora of professionals in the value chain that will be in high demand.

    Globally, fertiliser is, by far, the largest sector of the input market. The International Fertiliser Association (IFA) estimates that between 2015 and 2019, the industry has invested between $86 and $91 billion in new mines and fertiliser producing facilities.

    The industry, IFA says, has made a major contribution to employment, and is responsible for almost a million jobs in production around the world.

    While fertiliser producers have achieved many milestones in the last decade, more investors are establishing new ammonia and urea plants.

    Significantly, the Nigerian  fertiliser industry has seen encouraging growth in the number of  plants and blending units. This is a result of policy makers and businesses beginning to see the broad socio-economic opportunities that fertiliser can bring.

    Speaking with The Nation, the Executive Secretary, Fertiliser Producers Society of Nigeria (FEPSAN), Mr. Gideon Negedu, said there were 42 functioning fertiliser blending plants across the country. The plants are Notore Chemical Industries, Rivers State, Indorama Eleme Petro Chemicals Company in Port Harcourt and West Africa Fertiliser Company Okpella, Edo State.

    Others are Superphosphate Fertiliser and Chemicals Limited, Kaduna; Crystalier Nigeria Limited, Niger; Flour Mills of Nigeria, Apapa, Lagos; Golden Fertiliser Company Flour Mills, Kaduna.

    Also, there are Fertiliser and Chemicals Limited, Kaduna; Fertiliser Blending Plant Niger; Funtua Fertiliser and Chemicals Company, Katsina; MFB Fertiliser and Chemicals Company Limited, Kaduna; Kano Agricultural Supply Company Limited; Savannah Fertiliser Services Limited, Niger, Kaduna OCP Africa blender, Ogun OCP Africa blender and Abuja OCP Africa blender.

    Of these, Notre Chemicals Industries Limited and Indorama Eleme fertiliser & Chemicals Limited (River State are the only plants producing urea in Nigeria and sub-Sahara Africa (SSA). Dangote Group and Brass Fertiliser are working on boosting urea production.

    Other plants are producing nitrogen-based fertiliser.

    Experts say an abundant supply of natural gas and minerals has enabled fertiliser producers to play a major role in the supply of nitrogen-based and phosphate-based fertiliser such as urea, ammonia and di-ammonium phosphate (DAP).

    While some industries may be cutting cost and slimming-and-trimming to stay competitive after the COVID-19, fertiliser is providing some of the most lucrative opportunities in the market.

    Negedu sees the industry jobs growing rapidly in aspect, from manufacturing to installation to maintenance.

    For him, workers with the right skills in the right location have a chance to not only find work but grow along with an emerging industry.

    He is not alone.  Vice President, West African Fertiliser Association (WAFA), Dr. Innocent Okuku, agrees with him.

    The growth of fertiliser industry, according to him, ticks the right boxes for the government, meeting its goals of diversifying the economy and supporting job creation.

    As the industry grows, Okuku contends that it will snowball to lowering the cost of fertiliser and creating more jobs.

     

    Companies looking for new workers

    The Indorama Eleme Fertiliser project is  one of the largest single-train urea plant in the country. It  has created over 50,000 jobs across the agriculture value-chain, while its affordable fertiliser is boosting farm yields and putting smiles on farmers’ faces.

    Co-funded by the African Development Bank, the Indorama Eleme Fertiliser project is a success story of public-private partnership (PPP). The project has created tens of thousands of jobs and, above all, has brought hope to youths.

    One of the key benefits of  large  fertiliser production establishment, Okuku stressed, is  the creation of thousands of jobs directly and indirectly during the construction and operation of the complexes. This  in turn supports the development of the private sector, particularly, small and medium enterprises, through outsourcing services.

    The $2.5 billion Dangote Fertiliser Plant is set to start operation this year. The  plant is expected to manufacture three million metric tonnes of urea per annum, with core focus on the reduction of fertiliser imports, and $400 million yearly foreign exchange from export to African countries.

    The management of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals has disclosed that the 650,000 barrels per day project will create jobs for at least 250,000 Nigerians when completed and fully operational next year.

    Group Executive Director, Strategy and Capital Projects, Dangote Industries Limited, Mr. Devakumar Edwin, said the refinery has the potential to turn around Nigeria’s economy with the creation of thousands of direct and indirect jobs.

    He said the huge youth unemployment rate and the need to make the country self-reliant in fuel consumption were the major reasons that motivated the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, to venture into manufacturing.

    He said he was very optimistic that the refinery would be a “game-changer” for Nigeria and the rest of Africa.

    According to him, Dangote Industries has succeeded in substantially reducing the high rate of unemployment in the country, with the conglomerate already recruiting youths in for various agricultural schemes and other subsidiaries.

    He said Dangote Industries is the highest employer of labour outside the Federal Government.

    Okuku noted that the proposed Akwa Ibom Ammonia plant will require hundreds of construction workers and permanent ones after the plant has been built.

    The ammonia plant, to be established by OCP Fertilizer,  in partnership with  Akwa Ibom  State Government, is capable of providing thousands of jobs and fits with Federal Government’s strategy for economic recovery, which looks more prospective in locations where the raw material is less costly to produce. The project will involve several upgrade contracts, including providing the management support, coordination and supply of hot-work resources to undertake off-site prefabrication and on-site welding maintenance work.

    It is one of the multi-million dollar downstream projects that will help expand the value chain of the fertiliser industry.

    Analysts see it providing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) opportunities in supporting construction, maintenance, transport, logistics, catering and accommodation for the project.

    The project is expected to provide opportunities for local contractors and service providers.

     

    Where the jobs are

    New plants provide ample opportunities to recruit new workers.

    This is going to result in thousands of jobs on completion.

    Fertiliser production involves manufacturing and service activities, including mining, processing, liquids treatment and production services.

    Okuku told The Nation that the activities taking place within the industry would create a lot of jobs.

    Already, the states and private sector organisations involved have concurred on creating a world-class, well-developed  fertiliser production  infrastructure, including industrial training institutes, residential compounds and commercial activities.

    This will result in thousands of direct and indirect jobs, and establishment of an industrial base that facilitates innovation, development, and competition.

    According to Okuku: “There will be different types of service providers around the ammonia plant; transporters, suppliers, caterers and so forth. My expectation is that Morocco will be accessing ammonia from Nigeria for their nitrogen, phosphate and phosphorus (NPK) fertiliser production. The existence of ammonia in Nigeria provides raw material to explore phosphate. We have phosphate deposits in Nigeria that have not been used to produce fertiliser today. We have abundant ammonia which is a key requirement in converting the phosphate into fertiliser. If we explore those phosphate deposits, much industry will spring up. There will be a lot of employment creation as well as qualities of highly balanced fertiliser products locally. It will reduce importation of the phosphate component of our fertiliser and fertiliser products prices will go down.”

    When in full stream, OCP blending plants, Dangote Fertiliser and Akwa Ibom Ammonia complexes  will try to identify, attract, hire, and on-board mid-career professionals.

    At the top level, there will be openings for professionals in business development, strategy planning, Leadership development, plant operation & maintenance.

    Most players in the industry read chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, project management, accounting/auditing and economics.  There will be openings, ranging from lesser requirements of qualification to those needing higher degrees. Fertiliser firms also look for people with a background in chemistry, agronomy, geology and mining, mechanical and industrial engineering, environmental engineering and analytics.

    Like other industries, fertiliser manufacturing has typically followed a traditional talent-acquisition model, where firms recruit at a few select schools and target students with degrees in chemical engineering.

    One thing common among fertiliser firms is that they maintain a strong talent culture built and maintained through implementation of sound human resources(HR) practices.

    At the moment, there are few Nigerians with degrees in fertiliser management .These include Mr. Nnaemeka Odionye and Toyin Aremu, graduates of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Morocco.

    Others are graduates of Indian and foreign institutions, which offer specialised courses in fertiliser production.

    In an earlier interview with The Nation, the Coordinator/Director, School of Agriculture (ESAFE), UM6P, Prof Abdelaziz Yasri, explained that the UM6P’s Master programme in Fertiliser Science and Technology prepares graduates for broad knowledge of fertiliser and soil fertility to become experts. The graduates of the programme have several career options in working in process engineering related to fertiliser manufacturing.

    To make it globally accepted, the Master’s Programme in Fertiliser Science and Technology was developed in collaboration with the International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC), alongside contributions from the International Plant Nutrition Institute, the University of Georgia and Morocco’s OCP. OCP will be partnering the Federal Government to enhance the skills of young graduates in vital areas, including the chemical industries, operating skills in advanced industrial environments, and optimal handling of industrial tools and processes. The trainees will go through an on-the-job training (OJT) programme that will continue for periods ranging from six months to one year.

    He said there was the need for African countries to figure out how to grow more food faster, with fewer resources, by developing new technologies to scale up the planet’s food production mechanisms on a sustainable basis.

     

  • ITA, NEPC launch first E-Lab Innova training for agribusinesses

    ITA, NEPC launch first E-Lab Innova training for agribusinesses

    The Italian Trade Agency (ITA), a governmental agency that supports business development, partnerships and collaborations between Italian companies and their local counterparts, has launched the first E-Lab Innova in Nigeria.

    The E-Lab Innova is an educational training program for the agri-food sector in Nigeria, which will be implemented in collaboration with the Nigerian Export Promotion Commission (NEPC) alongside other Italian partners, such as MACFRUT, a leading exhibition for the agribusiness industry.

    The training is aimed at increasing the technical and managerial skills of Nigeria agri-food companies to support their access to EU markets and foster business partnerships with Italian companies.

    Participants selected with the support of NEPC are CEOs of high-potential companies active in the production of foods such as mango, pineapple, shea nuts and groundnuts.

    The programme is scheduled to hold for the duration of five weeks and will be implemented in three phases: a preliminary assessment to analyse the technical and management training requirements, company potential and profile design; 2-week webinar training classes focused on key internalisation topics and a 5-days study tour in Italy, which will include Macfrut exhibition.

    Italian Trade Agency Director for West Africa, Dr. Alessandro Gerbino, at the opening ceremony to flag off the training said: “Nigeria remains a strategic point for engagement between the agency and other countries across West Africa.

    “The E-Lab Innova holds prospects for Nigerian companies to be imparted on the knowledge and technicalities of their counterparts abroad whilst also paving the way for collaborations between Italian and Nigerian agribusinesses.”

    Director, International Export Offices, Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Uduak Etokowoh said: “The council constantly seeks out collaborations like this to strengthen trade relations across the world.

    “The European Union (EU) is one of the largest markets for agribusiness, however, challenges such as logistics and inability to meet market needs pose a threat to growth opportunities. In adjusting to the new normal of virtual engagements, we are extremely delighted to partner the ITA to deliver this virtual training in support of wealth creation for the economy and to enhance seamless penetration to the EU markets for Nigerian agribusinesses”.

    13 agribusinesses across Nigeria took part in the first training session including United Agro Cooperative Society Limited, Cobrend Trading and more.

    The programme will involve nearly 40 Nigerian companies in total.

    Since the launch of Lab Innova in Africa, over 140 companies across Ghana, Angola, Mozambique, Uganda and Ethiopia have successfully gone through the training programme with study tours and exhibitions in Italy.

  • Dry season farming: Anchor Borrower Scheme (ABS) to the rescue

    Dry season farming: Anchor Borrower Scheme (ABS) to the rescue

    Dry season farming in the past was a mere subsistence farming until of recent when it was turned to means of livelihood through CBN intervention fund writes SINA FADARE

    Climate change all over the world has a lot of influence on the agricultural value chain either in a positive or negative way. This has to do with the rainfall which to a larger extent determine agricultural yield at the end of the year. Though this type of dependency on rainfall is peculiar to Africa method of farming for many years until recently when there is a paradigm shift to irrigation farming particularly during the dry season.

    In other clime this situation has always been in check as a lot of mechanisms and new innovations in farming are put in place to check these excesses if need be and to have a technological driven agricultural base that will guaranteed adequate wetting of agricultural field throughout the year.

    Perhaps thinking along this line of a paradigm shift, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) through its Anchor Borrower Scheme (ABS) decided to assist dry season farmers in order to utilize this period for a productive venture on their farm thereby increasing food production in the county. However, in the last year of the coronavirus crisis, this program was halted and now picking up where it hanged.

    During the fifth anniversary of the programme, the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, explained the ABS programme is a Federal Government Initiative with the objective of bridging the gap between small scale farmers and the financial sector in the country.

    dry-season-farming-anchor-borrower-scheme-abs-to-the-rescue

    He emphasised that the programme was targeted towards the diversification of the economy by improving the output of rural farmers adding that about 2,923,937 farmers have benefitted from the Programme, while 3,647,643 hectares been cultivated by farmers with 21 commodity sectors as a pilot scheme.

    According to the apex bank, in the 2020 wet season Banks under the CBN-RIFAN partnership financed 221,450 farmers for the cultivation of 221,450 hectares in 32 States.

    On the overall success of the Anchor Programme, the CBN Governor stated that the popular rhetoric of agriculture being a neglected sector in the Nigerian economy is now a thing of the past. He stressed the need for Nigeria to start building up its agricultural reserves so as to be in a strong position when the rainy days arrive.

    Coming from the background of the effect of a pandemic on the agricultural sector in general, Emefiele pointed out that “Covid-19 and the associated lockdowns globally have shown that nations only export out of their reserves. Let us start building our own reserves now.

    “The rhetoric around neglect of previous years will remain part of our history and the best time to correct those mistakes is now and every stakeholder must contribute their quota to guarantee the realization of these national targets.

    dry-season-farming-anchor-borrower-scheme-abs-to-the-rescue

    Explaining the journey so far, as of January this year, the apex bank disclosed that lt has disbursed N554.61 billion to 2, 849,490 farmers to boost food security under its Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) beginning from 2015. Emefiele emphasized that out of the amount, N61.02 billion was disbursed to 353,370 dry season farmers.

    With this step according to a vegetable farmer, Mallam Abubakar Musa who has been involved in dry season farming in the last three years said the gap to provide food and vegetable throughout the year is filled.

    Musa who was introduced to dry season farming through another farmer explained that they formed a vegetable association in order to benefit from the largess from the CBN noted that it has assisted him to plant vegetables throughout the year-round not minding if there is rain or not particularly during the dry season.

    He explained that most of their members scattered along the riverbank in Lagos to do dry season farming and along the line, it has been a huge success since funds could be accessed from the CBN through the association.

    Speaking in the same vein, Alhaji Nuhu Gidado, member of the Maize Growers, Farmers and Manufacturers Association ((MAGFAMAN) explained that the CBN intervention particularly on dry season farming was the right decision at the right time

    Gidado who has his maize plantation through irrigation in Niger state said there is a need for the CBN to expand the scope of their funding adding that if this is done, dry season farmers will be encouraged to put more efforts in order to get bountiful production within the stipulated time.

    He explained that since the weather cannot be predictable this day, it is better to concentrate all energies towards dry season farming where the farmers have absolute control, adding that all things been equal maize could be planted three times within a year and it will increase food production at the long run.

    He argued that local farmers can meet the demand of the local consumption of maize if there is consistency in CBN intervention fund, noting that the period of pandemic really shook the association to its foundation because local farmers cannot just meet up in its production capacity.

    “But the situation is now better and we are hoping for a better planting season as soon as the rain is around, to fill this gap all the maize produced during the dry season will be an advantage in the maize value chain”

    While speaking to the Nation on the impact of dry season farming, Dr. Olumuyiwa Daniel an agriculturist explained that the recent intervention of the CBN on dry farming project has been long overdue noting that it was a right decision at the right time.

    Daniel explained that in advanced countries a comprehensive agricultural scheme are put in place to the extent that there are planting and harvesting of grains throughout the year. According to him this is done through mechanized irrigation farming system and the farmers are at the centre of it all.

    He pointed out that since the weather is so unpredictable in this part of the globe and to make matter worst, agriculture has been neglected for so long,” this has created a big vacuum in the agricultural chain value to the extent that it threatens our food security”

    “But with this intervention fund here and there, which has been consistent in the last three years, it’s obvious that things are improving in terms of food security in Nigeria This tempo should be sustained especially in the area of prompt release of the money as at when needed because farming is a game of time.”

    While admonishing the general role of the apex bank in rolling out intervention funds towards agriculture, Mr. Olorode Taiwo cautioned that the fund should be carefully monitored and makes sure the peasant farmers and those who actually needed it to get it at the long run

    The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) OF Ejire Agro-Allied Company in Lagos explained that there is nothing wrong if the country can go back to the drawing board by making agriculture her topmost priority as it was done in the past.

    dry-season-farming-anchor-borrower-scheme-abs-to-the-rescue

    According to him “Available statistics indicated that crude oil exports fetched Nigeria only N8.8 million at independence in 1960 and this constituted just about 2.7 per cent of total export earnings, while non-oil exports amounted to N321.2 million, constituting 97.3 percent of total exports in the same period. But by 1976, the table turned and the value of oil exports increased astronomically to N6, 321.6 million, constituting 93.6 per cent of total exports”

    He lamented that if the tempo had been maintained till now, the country would have been a food basket for all the other African states. “The hope is not lost with the current impetus given to agriculture particularly the direct intervention funds from the CBN, this will go a long way to reposition our farmers and encourage them to be a major player in the agricultural value chain.”

    Taiwo argued that this is the time when all hands should be on deck to make sure that the country exploits all its agricultural potentials in order to generate employment opportunity for most of the youths who were roaming about on the street.

    “The CBN should take a step further by directly engaging the youths through the dedicated fund to take agriculture to the next level especially in the area of commercial and dry season farming which will make a lot of them an employer of labour in a matter of months.”

    One of the beneficiaries under the Agric Business Small and Medium Enterprises investment Scheme, Mrs. Olaore Badmus said the experience has given her the opportunity to expand the scope of her business.

    “l was into cassava processing and when l got the opportunity to access the CBN fund, l decided to have my own cassava farm in order to enlarge my scope. Apart from the fact that most of my products are being exported, l can tell you that the experience was very good.

    “My last year harvest was encouraging and l hopes to double it as soon as l am able to sort out the issue of land. Land is a major challenge and the issue of herdsmen who are using their cows to destroy our farm, some of my colleagues did not have a good story to tell on the account of this. This is the area we want the government to assist us,” she explained.

  • Making farmers ICT-complaint

    Making farmers ICT-complaint

    There are efforts by the government at all levels to train farmers on the use of appropriate technologies for the production and processing of produce to make them better, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

     

    One dream of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Mohammed Sabo Nanono, is to help farmers explore opportunities in domestic and international markets.This requires teaching them how to use high-yielding seeds, irrigation, harvest, packaging and storage.

    To this end, the Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs) were set up to share best practices and train farmers. While the ADPs are driving this, the government said modern agricultural extension services are about designing and communicating better technology packages to farmers, and encouraging innovation and creativity.

    Consequently, the federal and state governments are creating platforms to put farmers in touch with other actors in the agri-food system, and facilitating learning and innovation. To further this cause, the government is enhancing the public-private partnership in agricultural extension and advisory services.

    This has opened the door to a deal between the Kwara State Government and Bayer Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Bayer AG, Germany, which emphasises the importance of using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in agricultural extension.

    This year, the state government has unveiled a 10-year agricultural plan to make the state self-sufficient by 2030. The plan will address the agricultural value chain, create job opportunities, and alleviate poverty.

    The government has prioritised mechanisation and the adoption of innovative technologies.

    On the other hand, Bayer has underlined the sector’s important role in reducing food imports and increasing self-sufficiency, which are necessary for food security.

    For several decades, the company  has funded   research and innovation initiatives in teaching the next generation of farmers and sector officials modernised methods, with the hope that these technologies will in time trickle down to the small-scale farmers.

    Kwara State Agricultural Development Project (Kwara ADP) and Bayer have  trained 75 agric extension officers and 75 neutral farms in the state.

    The training was on rice, maize, cassava and pesticide use. Although many farmers use agric chemicals to control pest and diseases, these days, many haven’t been properly trained on application practices. As a result, these chemicals have a high chance of contaminating water supplies.

    Yahaya Bello, a smallholder farmer from Oke-Oyi in Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State was one of those benefited from the ADP programme in Ilorin. He said he cultivates maize, guinea corn and rice on his farm at Gamiki, Zango area in Ilorin.

    Like other farmers, Bello had looked forward to learning a new technology  that will help him prepare and cultivate the soil, and  increase yields at the same time.

    Bello, who got money for his business from his cooperative, added that his farming is carried out manually as he does not have a machine or have the technical know-how to do it. “This training has helped me a lot in my farming business,” he said.

    Ahmed Idowu, an extension officer, Kwara ADP, who was part of the training, said the use of various products of Bayer was demonstrated to them and the compatibility of the product on each crop. He said: “We were shown pictures where Bayer’s products have been used and actually, the result was very good.”

    He said they had gone on outreach and had visited many farmers on their farms.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Hajia Maryam Nurudeen; representative of Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing system for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), directors of Agriculture and Rural Development ministry attended.

    Southwest Sales Manager, Bayer, Mr Adeyemi Adeyemo, said the training,, which held  in various electoral districts, has been divided into two batches because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    On whether there is a further action to embark, he said a contract would be considered to enable them to become the sole distributor of Bayer products in the state.

    “We are going to do a contract with them so they will become a distributor in Kwara State for Bayer Nigeria.”

     

  • How to save tilapia industry

    How to save tilapia industry

    Stakeholders believe tilapia can play an important role in food sufficiency. But there are challenges, writes DANIEL ESSIET.

     

    The global tilapia industry is booming. In 2018, the market volume reached 6.4 million tonnes. Looking forward, Tilapia Market: Global Industry Trends, Share, Size, Growth, Opportunity and Forecast 2019-2024 report published by the ResearchAndMarkets.com , a United States-based research firm, said the market was expected to hit 7.9 million tonnes by 2024.

    According to the report, the industry has become the second most cultured species after crabs. In addition, the growing health consciousness among people and demand for protein-rich diet also drive the demand for tilapia since it contains vitamin B, iron, vitamin D, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids.

    Moreover, the improvements in genetic technology, selective breeding and government initiatives to support aquaculture business are also stimulating the growth of the tilapia market.

    A fishing publication, seafoodsource.com, estimates the yearly tilapia harvest at about six million metric tons, with a value in excess of USD9.8 billion (EUR 8 billion).

    However, the global tilapia industry has expanded in the past few decades, changing from a small-scale rural concern feeding local populations, to one of the largest and most productive in the world.

    The Vice-President, Tilapia Aquaculture Developers Association Nigeria (TADAN), Mr. Nurudeen Tiamiu, lamented that fish, the second-most significant farmed species in the world and one of aquaculture’s greatest success stories, is not getting attention in Nigeria.

    Despite its recognition for providing a nutritious and inexpensive protein,Tiamiu said farmers were not getting the support to increase tilapia production significantly.

    However, for this to be achieved, he maintained that production systems needed to be improved and greater emphasis placed on establishing best-practices.

    According to him, the cost-effective way to support advancement of the sector is to provide a consistent supply of high-quality fish feed products, along with technical support to the industry. He called on the government to intervene with fish feed to enable them to meet increasing demand of tilapia fish of the local market.

    Operators have emphasised the importance of the link between foreign exchange stability and stable prices of input, and expressed the hope that the economy will avoid the currency devaluations which caused prices of imported ingredients to appreciate. Imported ingredients are crucial to the work of feed input manufacturers and the efficiency of fish farm operations.

    Tiamiu said the government should collaborate with stakeholders in the sector to fashion out a roadmap to develop farmed fish.

    He noted that tilapia farming has emerged as a significant component of global fish supplies.

    Tiamiu said the aquaculture sector had been besieged by people who were not known fish farmers, making and taking decisions on behalf of the real time producers.

    A fisheries expert, Prof. Anetekhai Martin, said Nigeria needs infrastructure to take advantage of the global aquaculture tilapia set to hit $ 25 billion in 2029.

    Martin noted that while there is a great demand for tilapia, many challenges exist. These included expensive transportation, lack of credit, limited display space and generally poor market infrastructure. He stressed that limited transportation infrastructure impedes greater production.

    He pointed out that Nigeria is lagging behind in tilapia production as most cage farms, reservoirs, ponds grow tilapia mostly.

    At a forum in Lagos, the National President, TADAN, Mr. Remi Ahmed noted, however, that cost of power and others are serious challenges, so this is not encouraging. Ahmed canvassed ban on imported tilapia to protect local aquaculture producers. He said the potential exists to increase tilapia production significantly. However, for this to be achieved the local production system needs to be improved and greater emphasis placed on establishing best-practices.

    He noted that local farmers are struggling to cope with vast quantities of frozen tilapia imported from China. For him, this is not good news for the fragile industry, which is seeking to close the gap in the nation’s fish production. Like other stakeholders, illegal tilapia imports have become a matter of concern to him. To boost local capacity, the Lagos State Agro-Processing, Productivity, Engagement, and Livelihood Support (APPEALS) project has empowered farmers on tilapia production, using the Cage Culture Rearing Method; Control of Water Hyacinth and Production of Organic Fertiliser from Water Hyacinth.

    The State Project Coordinator (SPC), Mrs. Oluranti Oviebo, said the cage culture is for naturally growing fish in open water but confined in a cage; noting that the earthen pond is the aquaculture, where there are pond and water seepage.

    “It is not enough to say you are going into tilapia farming and then you go in search of any water body to start using. We took the samples of the water bodies and the soils so that it doesn’t look like a mere experiment. We have to be sure of the composition of these sites to ascertain their suitability to culture Tilapia,’’ she said.

    The APPEALS, a fallout of the Commercial Agriculture Development Project (CADP) by the World Bank, is focused on three crops – Rice, Aquaculture and

    Similarly, the African Union report expressed concerns that the growth of the aquaculture sector is being challenged by key input, notably feed, seed, human resources, appropriate technology and finance.

    Meanwhile, there are efforts to attract more investors to the African tilapia aquaculture sector. Experts say Sub-Saharan Africa presents an opportunity for tilapia producers, processers and traders to boost their business.

    According to the United Nations, the population of Sub-Saharan Africa is predicted to hit 2.1 billion by 2050. The population growth, according to them, is a major encouragement for market expansion for food, including seafood and other related commodities.

  • The many headaches of rice processing

    The many headaches of rice processing

    Nigeria consumes almost seven million tonnes of rice yearly. To keep up with demand, the country imports huge quantities of grain. To boost food security, the Federal Government has curbed imports and is encouraging more local rice production. Many states and private sector organisations are making efforts to strengthen the sector by helping to add value to the supply chain, with key interventions at the milling stages, DANIEL ESSIET reports

     

    Over the past five years, the federal and state governments have been distributing high-yielding rice varieties to farmers — those that are tolerant of climate change — to boost farmers’ rice yields and food security. Fertiliser and other input are part of an integrated approach to help the rice farmers cope with low soil fertility and changing weather patterns.

    The President, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Aminu Goronyo, noted that farmers had been planting more rice and also getting more income. For Goronyo, rice production has, for long, played a pivotal role in the country’s socio-economic development.

    As the economy develops, he noted, the significance of rice as an enabler increases. Goronyo attributed the increase in rice production to the Anchor Borrower’s Programme (ABP), ban on forex for food import, and land border closure.

    ”That alone is a sign, an indication and a true testimony that this administration has achieved self-sufficiency in rice production for Nigerians,” he said.

    With the ABP, the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) aggregator scheme, the Nigeria Incentive-based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), a $500 million non-bank financial institution, owned by the CBN, among non-governmental interventions, Goronyo is hopeful of the sector achieving more than an average production volume of eight million metric tonnes.

    He has support in the Chairman, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) in Kebbi, Alhaji Muhammed Sahabi-Augie, a successful farmer. Muhammed believes Nigeria is on track to be self-sufficient in rice production, after stocks jumped following better weather and increased support for farmers. He has been targeting rice self-sufficiency and the Kebbi Government, according to him, gives incentives to farmers to meet this objective.  But a mix of poor maintenance and investment in infrastructure for growing rice has hit production across the country.  

    A recent report by PricewaterhouseCoopers, an international auditing firm, noted that Nigeria’s rice statistics suggests there is an enormous potential to raise productivity and increase production but this has to come with a deliberate act towards mechanisation. Therefore, stakeholders, such as Augie, support the government and the private sector’s efforts of opening the milling and warehouse sector.

    Modern rice mills and warehouses are better positioned to increase private stocks, which, in turn, would buffer price fluctuations. More efficient mills, he believes, would trigger higher productivity and usher in quality improvements at the farm level.

    There are increasing efforts to ramp up  paddy production so that the country will be more self-sufficient in the supply of the grain.

    In Lagos, rice farmers need all the help they can get. A model, Lagos State is enhancing rice production by identifying the right fertiliser and varieties to use,  as well as  examining the irrigation systems and conducting soil profiling.

    The Lagos Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms. Abisoye Olusanya, said the state had the potential to improve its rice production capabilities. The Imota Rice Mill, touted by the government, as one of the largest mills of its kind in the world, is expected to be ready before the end of the year.

    On completion, in line with the estimated installed infrastructure of the facility, the mill will have the capacity to process more than 2.5 million, 50  kilo gramme(Kg) rice bags yearly. It is also expected to create close to 250,000 jobs.

    The Integrated Rice Mill is a 22-hectare facility, with the mill taking about 8.5 hectares, consisting of a set of new mills, two warehouses, 16 silos with a capacity of 40 metric tonnes each, water treatment plant, effluent processing plant, staff quarters, administrative block, car park, and fire-fighting facility.

    With many states ramping up plans to increase self-sufficiency in rice production, Ms. Olusanya sees the industry offering a high level of automation.

    She stressed that Lagos was determined to be at the forefront of innovation for the rice processing industry, having acquired process automation technology and harnessed the full potential of modern milling.

    Integrated rice mills are driven by artificial intelligence and machine learning technology which helps to reduce waste, save energy, and provide a quality product.

    All over the world, Swiss multinational plant equipment manufacturer, Buhler, has been involved in the rollout of integrated rice mills. It is providing technical assistance in the 32 metric tonnes (MT) per hour rice mill established by Lagos State Government in Imota, Epe, Lagos.

    Deputy National President, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Lagos, Mr. Segun Atho, said: ”We have almost 114,000 hectares of land earmarked for agriculture in Lago. If at least 10 to 15 per cent is open to rice cultivation, I believe that the sky is our limit.”

    In Achalla in Awka North Local Government Area, Anambra State, a rice processing facility has been inaugurateed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)/Federal Government of Nigeria-Value Chain Development Programme (FGN/VCDP) Technical Implementation Support Mission Team, led by Hajia Fatima Mukhtar-Buhari.

    Speaking with rice cluster beneficiaries, during a visit to the state, Hajia Mukhtar-Buhari, who is the IFAD/VCDP National Office Advisor, Market Enterprise Development, urged them to make the best use of incentives given to them.

    According to her, the Federal Government will continue to look into their needs to meet them, lamenting the delay in agricultural activities occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic.

    But this is not all. The National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) has stated its readiness to install three rice mills in Adamawa State. Its Executive Secretary, Prince Paul Ikonne, said with the mills, it would be easy and more profitable for farmers in Adamawa State.

    “We were made to understand that Adamawa produces a lot of paddy that is  processed somewhere else, so NALDA is bringing processing mills that will be in three different locations in order to process and give value to their produce,” he said.

    Moveover, the Edo State Government is preparing for a major role in the rice industry.   The state has taken delivery of a rice mill worth over N26 million, donated by  the Japanese Government. The Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Yutaka Kikuta, said his government-funded project would further enhance farmers’ income and foster socio-economic development of communities.

    Kikuta said the project would provide rice parboiling equipment, hauler, de-husker, de-stoner machine, soaking tanks, steaming tanks, a generator and a bagging machine.

    “The facilities will enhance the quality and marketability of milled rice in this community and nearby communities, thereby enhancing the income of rice farmers as well as fostering the socio and economic development of these communities in particular and Edo State,” he stated.

        Coming of integrated rice mills

    Today, smart technology holds the ace for farmers struggling to grow and process rice. Among the benefits are lower production costs and higher income for processors.

    The  Competitive African Rice Initiative (CARI II), inaugurated by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and co-funded by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is driving massive processing of paddy rice.

    The project is running in Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Ghana and Tanzania. Small farmers in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria and Tanzania are being supported in boosting their rice harvests, improving product quality and raising their income.

    Through CARI, rice cultivation in sub-Saharan Africa is being future-proofed by leveraging new technologies and climate-friendly approaches. To date, more than 190,000 farmers have been able to increase their income by up to 700 per cent, thus, improving the nutritional status of some 820,000 people. So far, 30,000 CARI farmers have been trained to SRP standard. The aim is to reach more than 100,000 people by the end of the year.

     Challenges

    Despite the  efforts and  government support that go into rice farming, little or no attention is paid to the processing of the crop. This, by implication, increases the time, power and money spent on milling the raw produce to edible grains.

    Specifically, the rice milling sector is facing  hurdles on how to grow rice, and ways in which to increase rice productivity through the optimal use of chemicals, fertiliser, agriculture machinery, and oil. In addition to this, analysts said investments in industrial milling are undertaken by actors who lack experience in managing new technologies. Furthermore, unavailability and lack of local markets for spare parts of imported milling equipment are hampering proper maintenance and provoke milling breakdowns.

    So far, rice milling is one of the smallest agro processing industries. Paddy grain is milled either in raw condition or after par-boiling. Rice milling systems range from small -scale to the large, complex modern rice-processing installations.Rice production is dominated by the smallholder farmers, not by big private or state-owned enterprises.

    Smallholder farmers account for around 70 percent of the nation’s rice production, each farmer holding an average land area of less than 0.8 hectares. Further value addition, such as preparation of brown rice, puffed rice, flaked rice; ready-to-eat foods and extruded foods will increase the income.

     

  • ‘How we plan to expand production of catfish’

    ‘How we plan to expand production of catfish’

    By Chinyere Okoroafor 

    Chi Farms Ltd, a member of TGI Group, is planning to expand its catfish capacity to 600MT per month.

    This expansion is to satisfy the demand for catfish.

    The company’s Managing Director, Dr, Tunji Olaitan, said that the farm was increasing its aquaculture production capacity in strategic manner.

    Read Also: Chi Farms trains 1000 fish farmers

    “We are currently operating on a 400MT per month capacity but to actualise our commitment to food production and support in the reduction of food importation, these investments have to be made. We should complete this expansion and see significant changes in our production before the end of Q2 2021”, he said.

    Head of Aquaculture Department, Mr. Lawrence Wiiliams, said: “the expansion will also provide job opportunities for Nigerians.”

    About Chi Farms Ltd.

    Chi Farms Limited is a leading agribusiness company in Nigeria and a member of the Tropical General Investments (TGI) Group, a global conglomerate with a majority of its investments based in emerging markets.

    CHI Farms has been in business for close to three decades and has grown steadily, offering products and services in the Nigerian Agricultural sector, while employing innovative approaches and technologies.

    Over the years, CHI Farms has strengthened and diversified its product ranges and services in poultry, aquaculture, fish feed, cattle breeding and fattening, meat and meat processing. It also offers a range of other services including technical support services, laboratory services and training institute for capacity building and
    manpower development.