The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is working with Nigeria and other producing countries in Africa to promote Gum Arabic due to its potential to generate foreign exchange, ensure food security and combat desertification and climate change, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is spotlighting the huge potential of revenue growth that lies in transforming Gum Arabic into processed export goods. This brings a better deal for producers of Gum Arabic, a natural and versatile ingredient used in food, drinks and chemical products.

UNCTAD believes transformation of Gum Arabic into more income-generating activities cannot only promote economic development through higher incomes, but also secure rural livelihoods, empower vulnerable groups, including women, and promote synergies with natural resource management and climate change mitigation.

Globally, Gum Arabic is used as a stabiliser, a binder, an emulsifier or a viscosity-increasing agent, not only in confectionery, soft drinks, wine, liquor, and dietary fibre, but also for non-food products such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, printing, ceramics, photosensitive chemicals, textiles, paper, ink, paints and adhesives. The three largest exporters of crude gum Arabic, according to UNCTAD, are Sudan, which accounts for 66per cent of the total, Chad with 13 per cent, and Nigeria with 8.5 per cent, in 2014- 2016.

Since the 2000s, however, Nigeria, Senegal and Sudan have produced high-grade Gum Arabic at local processing facilities. Nigeria has been hindered by quality inconsistency, poor market organisation and production disruptions due to the Boko Haram insurgency.

Gum Arabic, a staple in the food and pharmaceutical industries, as well as a stabiliser in the foods, beverages and medicines sector.

The President, Federation of Agricultural Commodity Associations of Nigeria (FACAN), Dr Victor Iyama said Nigeria could make  a lot of  money from  expanding  cultivation and exports of Gum Arabic.

From maintaining strategic stocks to increasing local food productions, Iyama said the government must be ready to explore ways to diversify agro export sources and maintain a sustainable flow of essential items.

He said Nigeria needs to deal with the current crisis as an opportunity to build a stronger and more flexible system of food supply chain.

Last year, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mustapha Shehuri, said the Federal Government would continue to encourage the production of improved seedlings for growth of the Gum Arabic.

Speaking at the stakeholder’s forum and review of the Gum Arabic transformational road map meeting in Abuja, Shehuri also said the Federal Government would also fund its research and development, conduct safety needs assessment of the gum Arabic as well as support farmers.

The theme of the forum was entitled: “Gum Arabic Development Strategy and Sustainability Plan 2021- 2030”.

The minister said the gum was obtained as dry exudates from the stem and branches of acacia Senegal or acacia Sahel when the plant is injured.

Shehuri said Gum Arabic is a unique multi-functional food addictive used to enhance flavour in confectionery products as well as emulsifier, stabiliser and clouding agent in beer and soft drinks.

He said the gum in pharmaceutical industries is used as a stabiliser for emulsions and as binder and coating for tablets.

The minister said the gum is used in cosmetics as adhesive or facial masks and powder to give smooth feel to lotions, textile, paint and lithographic industries.

“The production of Gum Arabic plantations has the potentials to act as shelter belt, thereby reducing the problems of desert encroachment, environmental degradation and poor soil nutrition, particularly in the Sudan-Sahellian ecological zones, which are around the Northeastern and Northwestern.

He noted that the production of Gum Arabic was on a decline mainly due to insurgency in its area of production.

“As at today, Nigeria is the fifth world producer instead of the second largest producer, which it was previously, after Sudan.The population of the now top four producers, is less than half of the population of Nigeria and the available land area of all four is about 60 per cent of Nigeria, so why is Nigeria leading from behind?

“Nigeria exports over 95 per cent of its Gum Arabic in raw form to Europe, Asia and United States, only five per cent  is utilised locally. Not processing this commodity locally is causing Nigeria huge losses in form of revenue and employment opportunities,” he said.

Shehuri said increasing Nigeria’s Gum Arabic production from its current status of about 23,040 metric tons by 20 per cent would create about 500,000 new jobs estimated at $43 million.

Amano Obolia of Ancient  Kingdom, Ahiaza Mbaise Local Government in Imo, Eze Chidume Okoro, said the plan was to restore the glory of the Gum Arabic sector in the country.

Okoro, who is also the National President of Gum Arabic Producers, Processors and Exporters of Nigeria (NAGAPPEN), called on the Ministry of Agriculture to seek the collaboration of ministries and National agencies working in gum Arabic sector to ensure a coordinated development of the sector.

Agra Innovate, an agricultural research firm in a report, developed by Contact Consulting Nigeria Limited, sees agricultural and fish production grow by 21 per cent in the next 10 years, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

The agriculture system, which explores new technologies, will impact the industry over the next decade.  The West Africa Agribusiness Outlook, A focus on Nigeria, published by Agra Innovate, in collaboration with Contact Consulting Nigeria Limited, sees key trends driving the future of agriculture that will improve diversity, quality, and sustainability of food sources.

The report pointed out that increased investment in fisheries would stimulate a mass entrepreneurship movement around agricultural technologies and deliver tremendous growth in the next decade.

According to the outlook, the past year was filled with a lot of uncertainty in the agricultural markets.

It said: “A lingering trade war, weather issues, and the COVID-19 pandemic impacted prices and brought change to all parts of the agricultural value chain. These issues continue to impact the markets now and likely in the first quarter of 2021.

“However, one of the key lessons of 2020 is that many expectations could go unrealised, and that unprecedented economic shocks are real.Conditions can change quickly.The high degree of economic uncertainty will likely remain as long as the global community and our economy struggle with COVID-19.”

The report noted that Sub-Saharan Africa is an agro-ecologically large region, accounting for 14 per cent of global cropland and 21 per cent of pasture. Nonetheless, the sector in many countries face land shortages given high population density in rural areas. Compared to other regions, the report said Sub-Saharan Africa’s consumption of sugar and vegetable oil also remained low, at only seven per cent of global use.

Overall, Sub-Saharan Africa’s self-sufficiency for major food commodities is decreasing, as the region’s population is expanding quickly, beyond the pace of growth in domestic supply.

Agricultural and fish production in the region is expected to grow by 21 per cent over the next 10 years in net value-added terms, implying that per capita production in the region will continue the decline that started over five years ago.

Food and feed staples, namely, coarse grains, pulses, roots and tubers, the report emphasised, would be the main sources of growth for the region.

By 2029, the outlook predicted that the SSA region may account for over 40 per cent of global roots and tubers output. Support to the cotton sector, paired with area expansion in West Africa will sustain cotton production, which is projected to grow by nearly 40 per cent by 2029 at regional level.

The expansion of rice cultivation in the region, notably in Nigeria, is expected to be based upon multiple harvests yearly.

Average cereal yields across the region are projected to grow 16 per cent over the outlook period, about the same rate as the last 10 years. Yields for major crops in the region will continue to increase.

Rapid growth in yields will help narrow the region’s gap with yields achieved in the rest of the world, which on average are more than twice those achieved in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although productivity improvements will be central to output growth in the medium term, fully closing the yield gap is challenged by the limited use of input, irrigation and farm infrastructure.

Livestock production is projected to expand by 25 per cent over the next 10 years, with the fastest increases coming from poultry and milk production.

Consumption 

Population growth, according to it, will remain by far the main driver of total consumption growth for major food commodities.

An increasing share of calories will come from cereals, vegetable oils and sugar, while meat and fish consumption will not rise in per capita terms over the next decade, thus limiting gains in vital nutrients.

The region’s trade deficit in major food items is anticipated to widen. Evaluated at constant (2004-06) global reference prices, the deficit is anticipated to grow from about $18 billion to $31 billion by 2029.

Agric outlook for Nigeria 

The agricultural sector has the potential to grow the economy this year.

COVID-19 

The discovery of vaccine for the virus, coupled with improved consumer demand, will speed up recovery this year.

The economy of SSA is expected to expand by 3.1 per cent this year after a contraction of -3 per cent in 2020. This suggests a V-shaped recovery as the impact of COVID-19 wanes. Some downside risks to recovery include the strength of health systems, the path of COVID-19 and availability of financing.

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), more urgent than the problem with the economy is beyond COVID-19; it is more of a structurally-weak economy affected by externally-induced shocks. However, the 2020 recession is unique and more severe on household & businesses.

The report said Nigeria’s growth this year could recover to 1.7 percent and over the medium term gradually converge with population. The economy is projected to recover gradually, followed by agricultural growth as supply-chains normalise.

Experts and stakeholders have met in an online forum to chart a path for the growth of the cocoa industry, DANIEL ESSIET reports

For cocoa to become more sustainable, governments at all levels must be at the centre of a revitalisation programme. These were the words of industry leaders who participated in an online cocoa festival conference organised to design a blueprint for enhancing production to explore the opportunities provided by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement signed by Nigeria last year has created the largest free trade area in the world measured by participating countries.The pact connects 1.3 billion people across 55 countries with a combined gross domestic product (GDP) worth $3.4 trillion. It has the potential to lift 30 million people out of extreme poverty, experts said.

The scope of the AfCFTA is large. Its full implementation, according to participants during a virtual cocoa festival conference, would reshape the cocoa market and economies across the region. But achieving its full potential would depend on putting in place significant policy reforms and trade facilitation measures.

With the help of an improved infrastructure, transportation, and logistics system linking the farms, they said, cocoa food products could enjoy many potential benefits and growth.

One of them was the Oloni of Eti-Oni, Osun State, Oba Dokun Thompson.

According to him, cocoa can reach its full economic potential if its strengths are properly harnessed.

Thompson, who is the promoter, Cocoa Renaissance Initiative, said AfCFTA has the potential to increase business opportunities and incomes for cocoa farmers but a lot needed to be done to build a stronger system of production.

Through improved knowledge on best agricultural practices, he said small scale farmers would be better equipped to derive optimal returns from their farms and become key contributors to the economy.

He said the conference – The Africa Cocoa and Chocolate Forum – with the Theme: Transforming the cocoa industry for impact with focus on African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), was aimed at bringing stakeholders together to design a roadmap for translating production from subsistence to a market-oriented venture.

He said the Cocoa Renaissance Initiative, also aimed to promote the revitalisation of the industry, was launched in 2016 during the Annual Cocoa Festival in at Eti-Oni, Osun State, home to Nigeria’s oldest cocoa plantation and the birthplace of cocoa in Southwest by Eti-Oni Development Group (EDG).

The Global Coordinator for Friends of Eti-Oni, a registered United Kingdom Charity promoting Nigerian cocoa and raising awareness on the plight of cocoa farmers in Nigeria and Africa, Oluwayemisi Jenkins, said in April 2019 that the initiative launched the Eko Chocolate Show to boost chocolate and confectionery production in Africa.

This maiden edition themed: The making of the Nigerian chocolate, showcased the spectrum of the value chain and value-added strategies from cocoa production to consumption.

Since the launch of the Initiative, she said the self-esteem and dignity of cocoa farmers was being restored as several of them had gone through farmers’ field school to work on improving the quality of cocoa produced. Also, the farmers’ business school helped them see farming as a business and not as a vocation.

A member of the Advisory Board of Eti-Oni Development Group, Rear Admiral Peter Shola Adeniyi (rtd) said the agricultural sector in Africa stands to gain the most if cocoa is properly harnessed. His words: “It is sad to note that the cocoa industry in Africa has only a meagre annual market share of about $5 billion out of over $200 billion income from the global output; despite that Africa produces about 75 per cent of the total world’s cocoa. We, at EDG, have been promoting the Cocoa Renaissance Initiative since 2014. The aim of which is to create the cocoa culture; by building the bridge between production and consumption, optimise the value proposition that cocoa offers and to create wealth equitably for all, within the cocoa value-chain.This is envisaged to pull farmers out of poverty and transform our society for better by creating the necessary input for sustainable development and progress for the good of all. It is noteworthy, that cocoa production in 2019 from Nigeria was about 240,000 tonnes which accounted for about five per cent of global production.

“Meanwhile, export of cocoa (as beans, raw or roasted, whole or broken) in 2017 was valued $8.6 billion globally.”

Central to the success of the government‘s  plan to use AfCFTA to increase agricultural production, according  to the Chairman & Chief Executive, Lead Advisory, Prince Bimbo Olashore,  is the adoption of sustainable cocoa farming.

With the increasing incorporation of technology in agriculture, Olashore’s hope was that cocoa would one day be able to produce high-yields with minimal resources.

To explore AfCFTA, he wants to see ambitious programmes to help develop the national cocoa value chain, adding that regional market calls for transformative action that can increase productivity and link farmers to sustainable markets.

The way forward, in his view, is a diversification of production systems.

The Secretary, National Action Committee on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA-NG), Mr. Francis Anatogu, said the mandate of the Committee is to coordinate the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), private sector and other stakeholders to execute the AfCFTA’s readiness and prepare Nigeria to take full advantage of AfCFTA’s opportunities while safeguarding her economy from the potential negative impact.

He noted that Nigeria is the third largest producer of cocoa beans behind Ivory Coast and Ghana. His words: “Nigeria has sustained 11per cent growth in export of cocoa beans to the world over the last five years 79 per cent of cocoa beans are exported to Europe for grinding and further processing.”

In optimistic scenario, he said Nigeria could gain extra $100 million worth of cocoa bean exports to Africa. If Nigeria increases its exports to Africa to be only 10 per cent of the total exports, it would generate $80million to 100 million of value. The real $5 billion opportunity for Nigeria is in intermediate and final products. The African markets have the least or no imports of raw cocoa beans, despite the presence of local production for related industries, which is shown in their export values. But a 10 per cent market share in trade of intermediate and final products could lead to $5 billion gains annually.

A Development Finance Policy Executive/Researcher with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Olambintan Adebowale, noted that despite accounting for about 5.2 per cent of global cocoa beans production, the industry in Nigeria continues to be constrained by many challenges, of which access to affordable and long-term finance is major. The CBN, according to him, has introduced several development finance interventions to support the domestic agricultural value chain development, by exploring the farm-to-table linkages.

Specifically, the bank is supporting the development of 10 high-impact commodities’ value chains, of which cocoa is one, through its Commodity Development Initiative (CDI).

The Managing Director, and Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), Abubakar Abba Bello, said a lot needed to be done with cocoa in Africa.

He said: ”Specifically, for cocoa, it is the largest non-oil product that we export out of Nigeria and we need to grow in volume as well as value we can add to that. So, for us at NEXIM, we had those facilities in place even before the AFREXIM support facility. From our own position, about 30 per cent of our portfolio is lending to cocoa but unfortunately, most of it is in trading in raw cocoa beans and for us to be competitive, we need to move up the value chain. What we are doing with AFREXIM with the $1 billion fund is to facilitate everything that is required within the value chain that will make Africa more competitive in the global value chain for cocoa.

“Seventy per cent of global cocoa is produced in Africa specifically West Africa and less than 10 per cent of the annual global cocoa revenue comes to Africa and it is estimated that over $130 billion worth of chocolate trade is done globally and Africa does less than $10 billion.”

The Group Managing Director, Daddo Group of Companies, Hon Awwal Tukur, said cocoa is grown in 14 states. They are Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Kogi, Kwara, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo and Taraba. He  explained: “In terms of production output, data available to me from top producer to bottom is as follows: Ondo, Cross River, Osun, Ekiti, Ogun, Edo, Oyo, Kogi, Abia, Kwara, Akwa Ibom, Taraba, Delta, Adamawa. From the above list, it is clear that Adamawa State is ranked the least in terms of production within Nigeria.”

What  is important to note, he continued, however, was that Adamawa is already on the cocoa map and “it is surprising the number of people and organisations who have no idea of this”.

Even people within Adamawa State have no idea we are a cocoa- producing state let alone the majority of Nigerians. Within Adamawa, cocoa grows in three local government areas of Jada, Ganye and Toungo – located in the southern part of the state towards the border of Cameroon. In Summary, many cocoa farmers in Adamawa State abandoned the cultivation of cocoa due to the capital intensive nature, the long gestation period to harvest and lack of access to market.

He said the federal and state governments were combining efforts to revamp cocoa cultivation in the state with the provision of land for cocoa production, improved seedlings to the farmers and other agricultural input to ease the several challenges encountered by them.  “Adamawa may not be a major producer but is on course to maximising the possible output from the producing regions within the state,” he said.

To spearhead an agrarian revolution, universities are establishing specialised farms.Experts say such farms may contribute to food production, DANIEL ESSIET  reports.

 

 

Rotimi Williams, a third-generation farmer, has the largest rice farm in Nassarawa State. He encourages consumers to buy domestic rice to support farmers and boost the economy.

For him, buying local grown rice also helps consumers reduce their expenses on food. But rice farming is not easy as the farmer faces the challenges of wind, rain, and temperature each planting season.

As he records success so has his urge to travel to rice-producing areas to see how others do it and to  learn their best practices to their farming operations. He has drummed it into  farmers that to be successful, they must hold on to the highest standards, and consumers must  know that they can depend on them to produce a quality product they can feel good about feeding their families.

Through his work, Williams has been leading the advocacy on letting decision makers know how their policies propose affect farmers. He realised that being a farmer meant more than just planting and harvesting a crop. He needed to devote time to keeping track of the many rules and regulations farmers must abide with to operate. He takes a lot of pride in what he produces and how he produces it. He is aware his rice is being eaten across the country.  He’s willing to take risks and try new practices believing growth never comes to an operation with a stagnant mindset.

But he did not study agriculture. His first degree at the University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom was in Economics. He also obtained a Master’s in Economics from the same institution. His quest for more knowledge led him to enroll for another Master’s at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London where he studied Finance and Development Studies. So far, the farming community has welcomed Williams with open arms. Those veterans, who are mainly average farmers are nearly 55 years old, know a career in agriculture is a hard sell not only because of the high costs of land and equipment but also because of the demanding lifestyle.

As a beginner, he had to search for information and courses on the internet to learn production practices. To keep business going, he has relied on the ingenuity of research scientists to meet the strong demand for varieties suited to today’s popular ethnic cuisines.

Despite his success, he shares his farm dwelling with migratory birds, fish, and other species as flooded rice fields create habitat for animals to feed on throughout the year.

Whether it is the management of farmlands or raising livestock, Willams told The Nation, universities establishing specialised training farms will play a key role in raising future farmers.

Aspiring farmers, he noted, could learn the ins and outs of farming through their exposure to practise farms. Such farms, according to him, give them a first-hand look at farm life.

One of the most important pieces of equipment for rice harvest is the equipment that drives through the field separating the rice grain from the plants’stalk before it’s loaded into trucks. The rice is then transported to a nearby rice mill for milling.

He said Nigeria needs more university farms for people who have the passion to farm to have the opportunity of experiential learning. One university that has keyed into establishing a specialised farm is University of Ibadan (UI), Oyo State. UI is using its research farm to increase food production in the sub region.

A faculty member of the varsity, Dr Thomas Adesina, said the farm is training Nigerians on adding value to agricultural products to improve food production.

According to him, one of the varsity’s objectives is to provide a solution to the nation’s lingering problems, among which are food insecurity and wild life preservation.

He explained that the  farm since its establishment in 1949 has been an effective centre for the practising classroom instruction and research with the objectives ranging from enhancing research capacity building for a more holistic institutional development, developing strategies for proactive sourcing of research grants, scholarships and fellowship, engaging in and maintain collaboration and strategic partnership with public and private institution with similar goal and vision, promoting and bringing a desired change within and outside the university community and the society at large.

The principal activities of the  teaching and research farms, according to him, also covers agricultural research and practical education specifically, and add value to socio-economic development through increasing productivity or agricultural yield per hectare through the dissemination of relevant information about new discoveries in the field of pest control, rainfall optimisation, breed/species upgrades, and soil nutrition enhancements.

The others are driving efficiency in the agricultural value chain, improving the conditions of living of small leasehold farmers who rely on agricultural extension services to achieve effectiveness and efficiency of resources, and in all promote national food security.

A very vibrant unit of the farm, he added, is the oil palm section,  established in 1955. The oil produced is sold commercially and is of very high quality and is in high demand, due to the standard method of processing and growing innovations of product developments and improvements.

The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State has a farm on 15 hectares and it involves crop farming, hatchery, fishery and livestock production. The project is under the watch of the university’s Teaching and Research Farm to meet its expectations and other stakeholders.

The School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology (SAAT) has been boosting the university’s training and research capabilities through the Teaching and Research Farm (TRF) and also generating income for the system.

Apart from vegetable, corn, palm oil and other farm produce, FUTA Teaching and Research Farm has perfected the cultivation and production of the F. 1. Eva tomatoes, a special specie with longer shelf life developed by FUTA researchers.

Recently, a team of experts from Aerial drones Technology Limited, United Kingdom (U. K.) organised training on the use and benefits of drone in agricultural production for staff and students of SAAT.

Leading the team, SAAT Chief Executive Officer Chukwu Emeka Onyejili, a product of FUTA, said the objectives of the training  include plant count and analysis of crop losses, ability to detect parasites and fungi, business intelligence, tracking of livestock and grazing stock, planning for drainage and irrigation, Speed of Prediction and Prescription.

Onyejili said FUTA should be at the forefront of producing algorithms in Nigeria and Africa. He said drone technology is not all about flying a miniature device, but understanding the concept behind the innovation.

He said each plant has its Normalised Differences Vegetation Index (NDVI), which shows how healthy a crop is. According to him, the use of drones can detect the NDVI of a plant.

He assured the Management of the reliability of drones in developing agricultural technology.

Landmark University, Kwara State has a farm. In addition, the university organises regularly agripreneurship talks featuring accomplished mechanised farmers and notable agripreneurs. The event is organised to inspire the community towards attaining new frontiers in driving the agrarian vision of the university.

A Professor of Agricultural Extension, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo-State, Abel Babalola Ogunwale said many farmers grow enough food to feed their families due to limited fertiliser and high-yield seeds, coupled with poor soil quality and lack of irrigation.

Ogunwale said university farms are critical in empowering students and farmers to expand operations and through innovation. He added  that  universities  farms expose  students  to  technologies that they can use to start their own businesses, but we will also be building model farms that they can incorporate into their curriculums to grow clean food.

According to him, such units to support new farm businesses during their riskiest start-up years: testing business plans, honing products and branding, establishing accounts, building capital, and fine-tuning their skills so that they can one day farm.

He, therefore, suggested creation of a farm estate that will serve as a practical ground for integrated farming methods in the university.

 

 

Poultry farmers have lamented the shortage of maize and soya beans which is affecting poultry and egg business in Nigeria. Stakeholders suggest the way out, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

 

Increased maize and soybeans production are among the most urgently needed work in Nigeria, as livestock producers face feed crisis.

Livestock farmers under the auspices of the Poultry Association of Nigerian (PAN) have requested the Federal Government to save the poultry industry from imminent collapse which the industry faces as a result of an unabated rise in the prices of birds feeds and concentrates used to feed chickens.

PAN President, Ezekiel Ibrahim, said producers were still battling shortage of maize to meet feed requirements.

He explained that the feed input such as soya beans were going out of reach of an average poultry farmer with the price of the commodity now increased from N115,000 to N215,000.

During the lockdown, he maintained that scarce supplies and high prices on feed market affected thousands of poultry farmers as the COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult for them to go to their farms and for millers to distribute enough feed among poultry farms at a guaranteed price.

He noted that the importation of 262,000 metric tonnes of maize saved Nigeria from a food crisis.

He said PAN was in support of the maize import as part of the measures by the Federal Government to bridge the supply gap forced on farmers by several factors, including flooding, which has ravaged several farms and the COVID-19 pandemic.

A transformation from small-scale subsistence farms to mechanised, more commercially viable maize and soybeans farms is essential, say experts.

Currently, mechanisation levels on farms across Nigeria are very low. Without mechanised agriculture, experts say, productivity suffers drastically, lowering farmers’earnings.

This was the view of  the Managing Director of Niji Foods, Mr Kolawole Adeniji, a  cassava farmer, who went into maize production. He believes maize farming is lucrative. He planted a 100-acre of maize and the outcome was a disaster. He attributed this to irrigation challenges and high costs of production. Successful mechanisation, according to him, is key to tackling maize and soybeans shortage challenges.

While no machine can replace the human touch needed for crops to flourish, Adeniji said mechanisation will help to scale the existing workforce and ease the burden of labour shortages. Otherwise, he continued,  maize and soybeans farming would not be profitable.

He said maize and soybeans output could be increased if policy makers and other stakeholders take mechanisation serious. Increases in productivity, according to him, start from planting all the way to storage and processing.

He pointed out that soybeans produced were lost, mostly because of inefficient post-harvest handling and lack of processing equipment.

Mechanisation, he posits, was not only for tilling land, but also for planting, harvesting, processing and storage of produce.

With a tractor, he said, a field that might take 40 days to prepare for planting by hand could be prepared in eight hours.

He said farmers have had to innovate with a singular focus to maximising their return on investment (ROI) potential. Such efforts, replicated across the country, he added, could push the frontiers of agricultural productivity. But governments need to increase investments in the sector.

While the number of Nigerians devoting resources to growing maize is increasing dramatically, Adeniji noted, that it was impossible to make profit cultivating maize and soybeans looking at land, water, fertiliser and soil costs put together, except the process is mechanised.

With the high demand, he noted that a single disaster, disease, pest or economic downturn could cause a major disturbance in the corn system. He noted it was important that the government to help farmers recover their losses during a natural disaster, making them whole again if the government wants to reduce maize and soybeans shortage.

He noted that irrigation is a tool that growers can use to improve yield and quality, especially in dry season. Although some farmers have access to freshwater, Adeniji said the irrigation systems urgently need to be modernised as the availability of water resources varies considerably throughout the country.

Adeniji said it was high time the government retool the corn system. He added that corn is highly productive, flexible and successful.

For experts, profitable soybeans and maize farming becomes a reality for if farmers are ready to take up new technologies to help them to drastically improve yield.

One major challenge on the farm was pests, especially worm and fungal disease (rust) which should be contained by spraying the appropriate pesticides and fungicides.

Against a backdrop of severe climate events, Adeniji said the government intervention in maize and soybeans farming would play an important role in maintaining and improving the country’s output.

A Professor of Plant Pathology in the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maiduguri, Daniel Gwary noted that buoyant demand is supporting increased prices of soybeans and corn.

Gwary noted that the growing demand for livestock is increasing the need for soybeans to feed the animals.

According to him, the growing poultry industry is increasing the country’s demand for feed. His words: “There’s a competing demand for these commodities for human and livestock consumption. Increased production is the best option to achieve the shortage of supply. Guaranteed market and prices are also key to this success. The government will have a role to play here.”

The Managing Director, Chanan Elo’a Integrated, Mr Udeme Etuk’s  concern was  that the Federal Government’s desire to ramp up agriculture, including boosting maize and soybeans production, is facing a great threat from widespread rampant attacks by bandits and armed herdsmen, who kill, maim and sack people in farming communities.

He, therefore, suggested that the only solution to the insecurity facing farmers is for the Federal Government to provide protection within maize and soybeans production belt affected by banditry activities. Otherwise, livestock farmers would continue to battle maize and soybeans shortages.

According to him, the plight of maize and soybeans farmers is no less heart-rending as herdsmen have prevented most of them from cultivating their farmlands. In some areas in the country, farmers employed hunters and adopted community policing to watch over their crops.

With vast fertile land, Etuk, a diary expert, believes Nigeria has the capacity to supply maize and soybeans needs of the nation.

He noted: “Farmers need to be encouraged and protected.The bandits and herdsmen are attacking, killing or demanding ransom from farmers. The government should provide good varieties for farmers to plant and give them incentives through the farming season before buying at a marginal profit.”

Soybean farmers such as the Chief Executive,  Abuja-based BROTE Urban Vegetable Farm and Processing Limited, Innocent Mokidi’s aim to get ahead in the market with  better soybean species that boost profitability for farmers. He farms 100 acres of soybeans and corn in Nassarawa and Plateau states. One thing that has helped him is early planting soybeans.

He applies fungicide in soybeans. He keeps his eyes on stinkbugs.

He advised farmers to manage input costs for soybean seeds and fertiliser.

He sees potential for a tremendous return on investment for soybean farmers domestically and internationally.

Mokidi believes soybeans are a profitable cash crop as well as a high-quality protein source.

He said poverty reduction and the transformation of livelihoods could only be achieved by a concerted effort of  stakeholders in the agricultural sector. Through soybeans, he has the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of Nigerians.

He believes higher soybean yield increases smallholder farmer productivity and, in turn, raises incomes, reduces malnutrition and promotes economic development.

He said agricultural producers have to fine-tune their irrigated corn and soybean production systems to maximise income. Growers such as Mokidi are becoming interested in producing earlier-maturing soybeans. He suggests that it is important to get soil tested before planting.

Currently, the formal soybean processing sector, analysts said, has an installed capacity exceeding 700,000 tonnes yearly with the main products being soybean oil and the high protein cake used as an ingredient in poultry feed.

Yearly, soybeans production, according to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, is 550,000 tonnes.

 

IITA-BIP’s response

The Business Incubation Platform (BIP) of International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has set a new production record for maize in Nigeria. BIP exceeded the previous record through its Youth Out-growers team in an outgrowers programme with Nestlé Nigeria.

Africa harvests 29 million hectares, and as the largest producer, Nigeria produced 1.69 tonnes per hectare in 2019, its highest production rate. However, the outgrowers team has achieved an average of 6 tonnes/hectares, a massive development compared to the achievable value across Nigeria.

 

 Forex

Last year, stakeholders raised  concern  on the foreign exchange restriction imposed on maize importation by the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN).

While farmers welcome the development, assuring that they have the capacity to produce enough to meet local demand, some experts believe the ban might not address the problems of maize production in Nigeria without a comprehensive national corn plan.

The national demand for maize is estimated at 18 million metric tonnes, 60 per cent of which is consumed by the poultry subsector alone while other users utilise the remaining 40 per cent.

PAN said they would need about two million metric tonnes, according to its National President, Ibrahim.

In  a letter to the Maize Association of Nigeria (MAAN), PAN  requested the supply of 1.5 million metric tonnes  till last December, which the farmers do not have.

Ibrahim told The Nation, poultry farmers then wrote to the president seeking waiver to imports. Following the move, he said the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Mohammed Sabo Nanono, intervened.

The National President, MAAN, Dr Bello Abubakar Funtua, said they could not meet the demand of poultry farmers because most of the grains had left their hands and are now in the hands of grain merchants, who are creating the artificial scarcity.   According to him, most farmers sold their grains to merchants who are currently hoarding the product to get more profit. He said maize is available in the country but in the hands of merchants who hoard the product, a situation he said leads to price increases across the country.

 

Growing market for soybeans export

Exporters are taking advantage of   soybeans markets in Vietnam and the Netherlands, according to the News & Analysis on the Global Animal Feed Industry