The Nation Newspaper

Category: Agriculture

  • Group seeks private sector-driven extension service

    To ensure farmers and food  processors produce crops and livestock that meet export standard, the Country Representative, Young Professionals for Agricultural Development (YPARD) Nigeria, Eric Nyikwagh, has called for private sector-driven extension service.

    At the Agribusiness  Summit held in Abuja, Nyikwagh said in view of the fact that many Nigerians derived their livelihood from farming, and the criticism of government-led agricultural research, dissemination of seeds and other input required capable private sector hands to reach farmers.

    He stressed that the private sector is seen as an alternative to constrained and largely-ineffective public systems, urging companies, which can provide experts, to assist in galvanising value chains and improving agriculture.

    According to him, most agro companies are well-resourced to bring cutting-edge research and development, improved seeds and input, and modern information communication technologies to agriculture.

    He urged the government to invest to attract youths to agriculture.

    Nyikwagh said there should be efforts to create opportunities for youths, to explore employment in the sector.

    To him, the industry is strong and growing. He canvassed a campaign to allow more youths to explore the potential in the industry, while helping producers and processors meet their labour needs.

  • How to achieve food security

    Experts at the just-concluded Feed Nigeria Summit in Abuja said the country has the resources to execute a green revolution to get a strong and innovative agri-food sector, DANIEL ESSIET reports

    Boosting productivity, fostering competitiveness and ensuring that farmers have more access to markets are key to  realising Nigeria’s agricultural potential.

    Also, Nigeria needs to realise and capitalise on the advantages of each agricultural product to boost production and consumption, said experts at the just-concluded Feed Nigeria Summit, organised by Agro Nigeria, in Abuja.

    They agreed that agriculture was still in a relatively small-scale and, as such, yet to meet international markets’ mass production requirements and high quality standards.

    Noting the challenges from the impacts of climate change and plant and animal diseases, they  urged the government and the private sector to re-organise agricultural production with a focus on key products, scale expansion, and quality improvement to meet importers’ requirements.

    The Chief of Staff and Special Advisor to the President on Industrialisation, African Development Bank(AfDB), Prof Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, said Nigeria and, indeed, Africa was lagging behind in industrial agriculture because the productivity of farmers was low, compared to other developing countries. This is because human and technological capabilities, including advanced knowledge and mechanisation, are disturbingly in short supply, Oyelaran-Oyeyinka said.

    He  observed that despite the enormous opportunities, the sector was less attractive to private sector investors due to an array of constraints, including low volumes and inconsistent quality of produce, among others.

    One way to address this, according to him, is through the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) initiative, an important tool for the structural transformation of the economy given its multiplier effect.

    To make it work, he said the focus  should be on the development of agro-pastures and agro-industrial integrated platforms, including strengthening and building infrastructure in the rural areas and secondary towns to boost production and national competitiveness.

    The Managing Director, Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk-Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), Mr. Aliyu Abdulhameed,  said agribusiness and agro-industry development  were critical in ensuring the development of a sustainable and resilient food system needed to deliver healthy diets to all, and to support sustainable poverty eradication.

    In view of this, Abdulhameed said there must be an improvement in  access to finance  for  farmers and agro businesses to expand their operations.

    He noted, however, that investments in the agricultural sector was  perceived as a high risk venture, stressing  the need to deploy de-risking instruments for agricultural lending.

    He reiterated that NIRSAL was determined to an play a critical role in jump-starting the nation’s transformation through the development of agro-based industries that would help boost development, reduce rural poverty, and offer nutritious food and much-needed jobs and income.

    In line with this, he said NIRSAL has launched various initiatives to promote private sector investment in agriculture, adding that apart from guaranteeing loans, it has undertaken programmes to ensure the sector attracts the required investment, skills and technical know-how that will help to modernise agriculture and deliver benefits that can contribute towards sustainable and inclusive  development.

    He said the organisation was  creating new approaches to building a de-risked ecosystem to optimise agricultural value chain financing.

    He stated that this unique approach to agribusiness creates value for farmers and financiers.

    Agro-Allied, Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN) Deputy Chief Operating Officer Sadiq Usman said through the organisation’s integrated farm-to-table value chain, has provided direct employment for over 12,000.

    On backward integration, he said FMN has invested more than $420 million over the past 10 years to execute its core business strategy to aid the agricultural sector; ensure maximisation of local content in our final products and has consistently remained committed to the policy of being involved in all stages of the food value chain.

    He reiterated that agriculture is a vital part of the economy of a country and its optimisation critical to rural development.

    At the event, technical experts from key institutions, including development agencies, financial institutions and private sector stakeholders  shared their good practices and innovations.These included successful models and policies, products and services, and their design and delivery mechanisms, including their replicability and scalability.

    Moving forward, better coordination, sharing of resources, documenting and disseminating good practices among actors were found to be of significant importance.

    Another key recommendation was to hold similar dialogues at the policy level, to promote an enabling policy framework for access to agricultural finance, in addition to de-risking financing for agribusiness development and reducing transaction costs for farmers in rural areas.

    Given the critical importance of exports to the economy, the participants  were unanimous in their support of international trade. They emphasised the importance of finding solutions to helping farmers address risks, such as natural disasters, weather events, severe loss or market volatility.

    They said the agriculture and agri-food industry was promising.

  • Transforming rice sector for higher productivity

    For many years, the country has not been able to meet the increasing demand for rice, which is augmented with high imports. To turn the tide, an agricultural firm, Olam Nigeria, is training and empowering rice farmers in some states to boost their productivity and income, DAN ESSIET reports.

    Olam Nigeria is working   with some partners to boost the country’s rice industry through its agricultural transformation project, its Vice President, Corporate and Government Relations, Ade Adefeko, has said.

    The partnership has seen local rice farmers given access to high-yielding  seeds and rice varieties that, in the long run, will help make production more sustainable and profitable for producers.

    Adefeko said the organisation  was deploying rice varieties bred in higher yield, superior grain quality, improved pest and disease resistance, resilience to climate change-induced stresses, and higher seed production, traits that could help farmers increase their yields.

    He said Olam aimed to improve rice production and productivity in a safe and sustainable manner and enhance the value of rice products to meet consumer standards and market demands.

    According to him, Olam is working with public and private partners to transfer agricultural technologies to farmers.

    He said Olam’s objective was to promote sustainable rice production, strengthen value chains, raise farmers’ income, develop capacity, and contribute to improved nutrition.

    He said rice-growing communities in Nasarawa, Benue, Taraba and Kaduna states were supported by Olam with training and agri-input to improve their paddy yields and revenue with assured buy-back at prevailing market prices.

    He said the company has developed a 13,500-hectare irrigated paddy farm on a greenfield site in Ondorie, Nasarawa State. The  multi-million dollar integrated rice mill in the state has the capacity to produce 36,000 metric tonnes of rice  yearly.

    In the middle of the rice farm is a mechanised mill with milling and Italian parboiling technologies.

    He said the Nasarawa plant has a capacity to mill 105,000 mts yearly.

    Since 2011, he said the organisation has invested $120 million in the rice project and 1044 employees were working on the farm.

    According to him, 4451 of 13,500 hectares, are under cultivation, with plan to add 3,000 hectares.

    The yield, he  said, is about 10 mts per hectare, over two yearly crop cycles, based on four varieties, which include Faro44, Faro61, C-19, and C-20. They have been tested by the West African Rice Development Association.

    He said the company has 6,967 outgrowers, adding that it is targeting 16,000.

    Since October 2017, he said, the company has achieved additional milling capacity of 90,000 mts yearly at its Kano plant.

    He said the company was ready to assist the Federal Government in its plan to advance the nation’s rice self-sufficiency goals through development projects.

    According to analysts, the rice sector has been challenged by climate change, stagnated yields, high production and labour costs, low private sector investment, and poor mechanisation and technology adoption by its farmers.

    Experts said the country’s rice productivity level was less than half of its potential. The plan, according to them, should be focused on developing high-yielding and climate resilient varieties with tolerance for biotic and abiotic stresses, nutritious and value-added rice, capacity building and mechanisation, among others.

    They said improved access to financing, affordable agricultural insurance, technical advisory services for developing farmers and access to markets are some of the priorities that could create a more- friendly environment for rice farming.

    Meanwhile, the President, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Alhaji Aminu Goronyo, said Nigeria had hit a yearly production of eight million metric tonnes of rice, with a target of 18 million metric tonnes by 2023.

    He said: “The production as of today by RIFAN and other relevant agencies’ record is eight million metric tonnes, even Kebbi has hit almost two million metric tonnes, if not for the last flood that devastated the farms.

    “It has been established by relevant agencies that Nigeria is the largest producer of rice in Africa as the population of rice farmers in the country has also risen.

    “With the ever-increasing population and the ban on rice importation, RIFAN is targeting 18 million tonnes by 2023.’’

  • Amarava Rice Mill to increase capacity

    Amarava Rice Mill based in Kano is poised to double its rice production capacity this month.

    Amarava, the first end-to-end made-in-Nigeria rice mill,  was  inaugurated in the fall of 2017 by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The mill is to boost its production capacity by over 100 percent, to the tune of 500 metric tonnes daily even as it is heavily investing in the expansion of its mills.

    The  Chairman, Fullmark Group (parent company of Amarava Agro Processors Limited), Sriram Venkateswaran, in an interview,  said the drive to boost capacity was geared towards promoting government diversification effort,to  reduce independence on the importation of rice and improve food security.

    “Currently, we produce 250 metric tonnes of rice per day, and with the coming expansion of our millers, we are set to double this capacity. This serves as positive reinforcement for our local rice farmers because they will increase hectares used for rice cultivation. Not only that, we are engaging more farmers who will be directly involved in the cultivation process thereby boosting the agricultural productivity of the Nigerian economy”, he noted.

    He noted that the expansion of the millers beyond its current capacity is bound to generate more jobs both directly and indirectly across the country, assuring that Nigeria is on the journey to attain its true status of the ‘food basket of Africa’.

    Venkateswaran urged the government at all levels, particularly the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to continue in its support for the agricultural revolution underway, by committing more funding for agricultural investors and instituting enabling policies for local farming.

  • Zamfara partners Russia on agric, health, others

    Zamfara  State Government is to partner the Russian Government to develop critical sectors of its economy.

    This was discussed at a meeting between the Zamfara State Governor, Dr. Bello Matawalle, and the Ambassador of the Russian Federation, Mr Alexey Shebarshin, at the Russian Embassy in Abuja.

    The meeting focused on improving the agriculture, education and health sectors as well as solid minerals development and exploration.

    Shebarshin said Russia was ready to work with Zamfara to improve its economy.

    He added that his country, which specialised in minerals exploration and excavation, will provide Zamfara State with expertise to enhance its economy for global marketing .

    He also extended an invitation to the governor for the upcoming first Russia/African Union  Summit on October 24 and 25, which will focus on fostering economic, political and cultural cooperations

    He further said during the summit, the governor would be invited to visit one of the biggest Russian gold mining companies transformed by high technology mining equipment.

    Earlier in his address, Matawalle said he was at the Russian Federation Embassy to seek for a partnership on how best to develop his state’s critical sectors of the economy and to have foreign investors, especially in agriculture and solid minerals.

    Matawalle said his decision to visit the Russian embassy is to make Zamfara benefit from the expertise of Russia which it is known for in developing countries by extending same to Zamfara through transfer of technology.

    This according to the governor has made Russia a formidable ally of all nations that desire true and meaningful development.

    Matawalle solicited the partnership of the Russian government in transforming Zamfara State Agricultural sector to make it an all year round activity, with greater benefit to the farmers through the deployment of modern farming technology.

     

    On the solid minerals, the Governor informed the Russian Ambassador that various minerals are available in the State in a commercial quantities which include gold, uranium, manganese, kaolin, granite, tantalite and Zinc and requested the Russian Government to come and invest in the State solid minerals Exploration.

    He further said that on Education his Government wishes to partner with the Russian Government to provide scholarship for the indigenes of the State considering Russia’s reputation of academic excellence globally.

  • Improving access to fertiliser key to food security, enterprise development

    Achieving sustainable agricultural growth in Nigeria will depend on more farmers getting timely access to affordable fertilisers and improved farming methods. This was the view of stakeholders and experts at the just-concluded African Farming Second Edition Agribusiness Summit in Abuja. DANIEL ESSIET writes.

    Farmers in Nigeria are confronted with the continuous challenges of raising their productivity to boost food security due to limited access and low use of fertiliser.

    This was the view of experts at the just-concluded African Farming Second Edition Agribusiness Summit in Abuja.

    To them, the neglected but critical input can double yields in a single cropping season. They agreed that Nigeria’s enormous agricultural potential, if tapped, could feed the country and spur socio-economic growth. That means strengthening small-scale farmers and giving them access to improved soil that will increase yields, fertiliser and markets to enhance their incomes and well-being.

    They advised the government to empower smallholder farmers to sustainably and profitably produce more food and achieve a food-secure Nigeria.

    One of them, the Country Manager, OCP Africa, Caleb Usoh said in addition to inputs, such as better seed, and farming practices, fertiliser could be a game changer in food security among smallholder farmers battling falling harvests and unproductive soils.

    Usoh said the government should pay attention to the fertiliser industry to raise the level of “ease of doing business, as the future growth of agriculture lay in efficient utilisation of plant nutrients.

    For Nigeria to grow more food from shrinking agriculture land, Usoh said fertiliser was one of the key inputs to increase per hectare productivity.

    He said OCP plays a major part in assisting Nigeria and other countries on the continent to feed themselves, by ensuring that smallholder farmers are able to use fertiliser optimally to boost their yields.

    By using more fertiliser correctly, he said farmers could grow more nutritious food, achieve household food security, create jobs, increase incomes and boost rural development.

    Through its Agribooster Offer, aimed at boosting food production in the country, Usoh said the company provides farmers with support for every aspect of the agricultural value chain.

    He said farmers are connected to financing, working with extension agents on proper fertiliser use, collaborating with other providers to ensure they have the right fertiliser and other inputs.

    He said his organisation was working with the Federal Government to build fertiliser plants in Southsouth and Southwest areas of the country, which will use local raw materials.

    While the industry imports phosphate, he said OCP fertiliser plant in Nigeria will utilise the ammonia found locally to produce fertiliser.

    With the availability of natural gas in the southern part of the country, Usoh said the company intended to take advantage of it to power the plant which will be located in a free zone  He said his organisation has developed international capacities for running plants in the most cost-effective and timely manner, adding that it is working with other African governments to empower manpower in fertiliser production.

    Usoh said the company is supporting the Federal Government’s efforts to increase food security and improve nutrition across the country.

    According to him, there is a need to expose farmers to fast-changing agricultural and food systems and inputs to help them not only in terms of productivity enhancement, but also in enabling them to be excellent stewards of their land.

    He said OCP welcomed an enhanced partnership with the industry to further close still existing yield gaps and promote efficient fertiliser use.

    He said the organisation supports greater outreach to farmers and innovation in the field of plant nutrition solutions and engaging in dialogue and partnerships with stakeholders.

    He said his organisation supported the summit to ensure food security and drive economic growth.

    In addition to developing specialty fertiliser, the company is looking at digital agriculture and how the industry can use data-driven information to provide better fertiliser recommendations.

    The Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Federal University of Technology, Akure(FUTA),Ondo State, Prof Samuel Agele said increasing food production to meet the challenge of the growing population requires using new technology and intensifying production.

    He said smallholder farmers were applying fertiliser randomly because they lack knowledge on their correct usage.

    Professor of plant protection and improvement, Department of Crop Science and Biotechnology, Imo State University, Onuachumba Martin noted that issue of soil health is critical in view of ever-declining arable land soil. Hence, there was a need for utmost attention to be paid to improvement of soil health by all stakeholders including governments, farmers, input suppliers and all those involved in the development of agriculture .

    He explained that inadequate and imbalanced use of fertiliser has resulted in deterioration of soilhealth,adding that a massive awareness campaign is needed to enlighten farmers on the importance of soils for healthy life.

    According to him, scaling up improved soil analysis and nutrient best management practices,will help farmers to increase the efficiency and productivity of their farms.

    He noted that increasing fertiliser use must go hand-in-hand with more soil and crop specific plant nutrition and be framed in a broader set of efforts promoting soil health.

    The Head of Events, Alain Charles Publishing, Martyn Diamond Black, said the summit was to provide a platform for agri trade and investment opportunities.

  • Flood sacks FADAMA rice farms in Ondo

    Over 100 hectares of rice farms belonging to FADAMA farmers have been swept away by severe flooding at Asolo-Uso in Owo local government area of Ondo State.

    The rice farms cultivated in Ogbese river axis were submerged after long hour heavy downpour across the state on Monday.

    The farmers in Ogbese under the auspices of Federated FADAMA Farmers Association (FFFA) have cried out for help as the water continued to increase in volume several hours after the rain had stopped.

    Sources hinted that the rice plantation was covered with water that overflowed from Ogbese River.

    According to one of the farmers, Olu Labiran, the last flooding experienced on the farms that was not as severe as the current one brought strange weeds seeds to the farms which posed serious challenges engaging extra labour to weed the farms manually.

    He said: “This recent flooding has dealt a fierce blow on us as some of the rice is already fruiting.

    READ ALSO: Niger rice cuts imports, says FADAMA

    “When the rain started falling, we didn’t know it would take a long time to subside.

    “The Ogbese River has filled up and spilled over its bank and flowed to our farm so much that it covered our rice farms.

    “We are afraid because the water is increasing in volume since yesterday that the rain had stopped.

    “By the time the water drains, the pebbles watched off from the racks of the river would cover the farms and this would require extra labour and extra cost.

    “This occurrence no doubt would undermine our harvest as most of the grains would be destroyed by the flooding because some of them have started fruiting.”

    However, the farmers said they insured the farms and have informed the insurance company to look into their plights.

  • Boosting Osun’s cocoa potential

    Cocoa has become the country’s agriculture’s fourth engine, rivaling other major industries in export receipts. Osu in Atakumosa West Local Government Area, Osun State, is one of the production bases. Postgraduates of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Ibadan, under the auspices of Agricultural Policy Research in Africa (APRA), undertook a survey, Daniel ESSIET reports.

    Mrs. Olaitan Olabanke is a cocoa farmer in Atakumosa West Local Government Area of Osun State. Her farm is at Ibodi area. Cocoa farming has enabled her and her family to build a home and educate their children.

    Cocoa is a big business supporting households in Osu, in Osun State. Currently, the industry contributes about 70 per cent to the gross domestic product of the area. The area has been known for the production of cocoa, and kola nut. For them, the value and volume of cocoa per unit of cultivation is higher than arable crops. Its value chain encompasses many activities that can  benefit Nigerian and drive socio-economic growth.

    The Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Atakumosa West Local Government Area, Chief Otemuyiwa Olusoji, is one of the major cocoa famers in Osu. He has been in the business for more than 25 years. He farms on more than 20 hectares.

    Speaking during a rapid rural appraisal survey conducted by postgraduates of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Ibadan, under the auspices of the Agricultural Policy Research in Africa (APRA) in the area, Olusoji said cocoa farming was  important and constituted the main stay of the area. Income from cocoa, he noted, enables families to pay for their basic commodities, medicines and schooling for their children.

    He said there are opportunities that farmers could take advantage of, adding that the key to the success of cocoa, in domestic and international markets, is in the quality of the beans and the workers who produce them.

     

    Challenges

     

    One of the farmers, Olaitan Muyiwa, said there is much profit in cocoa farming, adding that cocoa plays an important role in generating employment and improving livelihood of farmers and exporters. He said the industry’s potential is immense.

    He said the cost of seedlings and labour determined the profitability of the business. The other challenge is that a few of the farmers don’t have access to improved cocoa hybrid. The improved variety matures in 22 months and produces good yields.

    To Olasunkanmi Biola, Osu is one of the nation’s producers of cocoa beans. He farms on his five acres.

    He said most farmers owned a few hectares and that he had not been able to expand his acreage.

    The challenge is capital to purchase improved varieties. He said they were  working against a trend where young people were abandoning the farms for jobs in the city.

    He said the farmers wanted the Federal Government to provide them with  material input, such as seeds, fertiliser, tools and technical assistance to grow cocoa profitably. He said the farmers should be educated on standard on cocoa preparation to prevent rejection at the international market.

    He said lack of land, due to the tenure system and land grabbing, caused by illegal gold mining, was making it difficult for people to make a living from the farm.

    He explained that cocoa farming was being hampered by non-availability of facilities for processing. Food processing reduces losses.

    He urged the government to invest money, especially to improve storage, and support entrepreneurs with loans to acquire equipment. This will discourage the export of raw materials without adding value.

     

    The role of APRA Team

     

    Beyond helping cocoa growers get a better deal, the team pushed for dialogue between farmers and the community.

    By walking farmers through every step of the supply chain, the team attempted to demysyify the industry for farmers.

    The Principal Investigator/Country lead, APRA, Dr Adeola Olajide, said the study intended to highlight the potential of cocoa farming and sought the government’s support to improve income and household food security, through farming.

    She said Osu was an example of a cocoa community with potential to help the Federal Government earn foreign exchange. According to her, the industry needs to be revitalised through policy interventions, noting that the aim of the survey was to canvass policy reform to rejuvenate the slumping industry.

    This hs become necessary because the crisis in the sector has made most farmers almost hopeless about the future of the industry.

    Dr. Olajide said there must be a consistent policy to ensure farmers improved agronomical practices, disease and pest control and value addition to sustain the cocoa industry.

    She said the survey was designed to stimulate new ideas and opportunities in the industry as well. To her, the links between cocoa production and processing offer potential for multiplier effects on the economy.

    To boost cocoa production, she said the community needs to be supported with services, seeds, marketing, training, extension and assistance for monitoring and evaluation.

    She sees the big potential of the industry in Osu and other parts of the country and wants, through the study, to encourage local producers to expand their production.

    She said the goal of APRA is to use scientific evidence to inform policy decision making, adding it was crucial to speed up agricultural transformation.

    A member of the Research team, Dr Kehinde Adesina Thomas, said  farmers’ experiences highlighted the need to support them in the area.

    According to him, severe economic crisis is opening space for agriculture as new opportunity, adding the government needs to work with farmers to encourage those seeking to build a decent future on the land.

    He said the purpose of the survey is to connect with the rural people, find market opportunities and work with the government through policy advocacy to drive cocoa farming based on sustainable production.

    He said the farmers need support to purchase insecticides and carry out mass spraying of the farms as a measure to increased output.

     

    Illegal gold mining

    as a threat

     

     

    The industry in Atakumosa West Local Government Area is under threat. The area is facing a crisis around illegal mining, which experts warn could derail the agriculture sector. The Nation learnt that the activities of illegal gold miners is affecting cocoa farmers in the area.

    Water coming from the excavation site is taking toll on many small holder farmers.This is because the contaminated water flows through the farms  and depletes soil productivity. Farmers are abandoning their farms as miners excavate and pump contaminated waters and chemicals into the soil.

    Some of the farms are spoiled due to the claim by miners that gold is underneath the soil. Some farmers lost some of their cocoa trees. They were destroyed when an excavator on the hunt for gold left dangerous and piles of deep pits and clay throughout the once fertile land. He has seen the land he worked to harvest mine illegally, a practice called “galamsey” and experts say it could lead to a decline in cocoa supply.

    Many farmers have lost their yields to the chemical impact of excavation which causes water to flow unchecked into farms. According to them, illegal mining has poisoned farms with heavy metals and chemicals.

    Olusoji said the local government area was of significant historical importance to cocoa production, as such, the government must do everything possible to protect farm lands from herders and illegal mining operations which leaves massive pits where cocoa trees stood. Such activities pollute water bodies which the communities rely on.

    He sees cocoa as the wellspring of life in the area that must be look after forever.

    According to him, mining around the farms add injury to an already- volatile industry. Farmers grapple with unstable weather patterns, crop diseases and aging less productive trees.

    While The Nation could not get the actual number of farms affected by illegal mining, experts believe there are a significant number.

    At a stakeholders engagement forum held at the local government secretariat, the Head of the Department of Agriculture, Atakumosa West Local Government Area, Ajayi Ademola, said illegal gold mining had exposed Osu community to exploitation, pollution and encroachment on farms.

    According to him, herders and illegal miners are making farming unhealthy while the area was becoming improverished.

    The Chairman, Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Atakumosa West Local Government Area, Mr Elijah Ogunmleye, said the fight against the illegal practice was important. Due to the complicated land ownership issues, stakeholders believe cocoa farmers do not have the ability to stop mining.

    Although there is a lot of profits from illegal mining, Thomas called for a stop to it.

    According to him, if the cocoa farms are not left alone, it may have severe consequences on the foreign exchange earning capacity and further reduce the contribution of agriculture to the GDP.

    Thomas said there was a need to create a peaceful environment for cocoa farmers and license gold miners. He urged the government to balance the economic boon of small-scale mining with environmental and safety protections to ensure the survival of the cocoa farmers.

    The Divisional Police Officer, Atakumosa West Local Government Area, Chief Superintendent, Afolalaranmi Omotayo, said the command would ensure a peaceful co-existence between citizens and licensed firms.

     

    Prospects

     

    Stakeholders are counting on the robust industry to help improve Nigeria’s foreign exchange earning, saying the sector has the potential to help diversify the country’s exports and boost its self-reliance drive the challenge in the sector.

    For Olajide, the prospect of the industry is the promise given by the government to curb illegal miners.

    She emphasised that there must be a comprehensive industrial strategy to enable agri-business, manufacturing and service firms to upgrade, thrive, and become catalysts and engines for sustained and inclusive growth.

    Thomas said the sector needs a research-oriented sustainable cocoa production, including the use of mechanisation and hi-tech applications in production.

    He said the study aims to make cocoa farming a more profitable and sustainable livelihood for many dependent communities. The plan, according to him, is to create for farmers viable incomes that will help maintain farming as a thriving industry, creating and sustaining jobs in rural areas.

    APRA Project involves Michigan State University, University of Ibadan and the Institute of Development Studies, United Kingdom. The project, which started in 2016, is expected to be concluded in 2021.

    APRA is a five-year research programme, which builds on more than a decade of research and policy, engagement work by Future Agricultures Consortium.

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

     

  • Supporting vegetable, fruit production

    Fruits and vegetables are important components of healthy diets. Their consumption reduces the risk of contracting chronic, non-communicable diseases, particularly cardiovascular diseases and cancer. A forum was organised in Lagos to promote the cultivation and processing of vegetables and fruits, writes DANIEL ESSIET.

    Though fruit and vegetable production has risen  in the country, there are still many untapped areas.

    There are reasons for this. Post-harvest losses have kept many farmers producing more for local and international markets.

    But how to increase fruit and vegetable production topped discussions at the AgriQuest Africa Network (AQAN) in Lagos.

    The immediate past Dean, Post- Graduate School, Bell University of Technology, Ota, Prof Olugbenga Ogunmoyela, said fruits and vegetables are not only rich in nutrients, they are veritable sources of income for farmers.

    He noted, however, that the sector  is beset with many challenges.  He listed these as lack of know-how in modern production techniques, and fragmentation of production.

    According to him,  many producers lack the finance to upgrade their operations and struggle to supply  retailers with a reliable high-quality produce.

    Prof Ogunmoyela said the solution lies in more investment and  compliance with market requirements.

    He added that dealing with issues in the entire value chain could enable farmers to harness the potential in the sub-sector.

    He called for efforts to transform the  industry, especially among the youth,  to ensure they delivered.

    The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Olayiwole Onasanya, said the government has introduced farmers to techniques that have not only increased the quality and value of the products, but also reduced post-harvest losses.

    He said it was part of the government’s vision to improve and modernise the country’s agro-based value chain, including basic production, processing, and marketing.

    He cited Epe and other parts of the state where many farmers, including youths, grow vegetables and fruits using greenhouses. By using the greenhouse technology, he said, they learnt to grow higher-quality crops, reduce losses and lengthen the season.

    He said the goal of the government was to help youths and farmers to develop the agro business to produce  for the regional markets in Africa, as well as for the international market.

    He said there were feelers that the government’s increased investments in agriculture was paying off.

    Onasanya also said there were opportunities for investors in the sub-sector.

  • Taking food exports to Dubai

    Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the country will soon export food to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), following an agreement with Crenov8, a consultancy firm with food importers in the UAE, writes DANIEL ESSIET.

    Promoting and diversifying agricultural exports to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a priority for Nigeria.

    For this reason, taking stock of the results achieved by institutions and programmes designed to diversify exports is vital.

    This was the outcome of discussions by experts at a forum organised by Crenov8 Consulting to announce its agro export gathering tagged, Meet the Farmers Conference (MTFC) in UAE, Dubai scheduled for November 27 and 28.

    Participants discussed best practices for developing export plans for UAE and the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC).

    Exporting agricultural and food products to Dubai, the experts noted, requires an analysis of the  requirements in the export markets, along with robust testing and certification procedures to ensure quality products.

    The   Project Supervisor, Crenov8 Consulting;  Mr. Babatunde Adenuga, said there was need to support the Federal Government’s efforts to accelerate development through agro trade, by strengthening the capacity of farmers to meet international standards for agro exports to the Middle East.

    He said various foods were exported from Dubai. They  include cashew nuts, ginger and fish.

    According to him, Dubai’s prime location and access to air and sea ports with the best technology makes it an ideal place for re-exporting foodstuffs.

    He said UAE has a strong international reputation for food safety, quality, and innovation and that it was critical to strengthen the capacity of farmers and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to better understand and implement food safety systems based on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), a systematic approach to food safety to  prevent export rejection.

    He said the group planned to bring together import partners and Nigerian exporters to demonstrate the value  agro exports could bring to Dubai end-users and assist in establishing a long-term, sustainable market. The overall strategy, according to him, is to provide growing, diversified demand for our exports.

    Director, Poverty Alleviation Department, Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mr Kehinde Ogunyinka said maximising the international trade opportunities for the agri-food sector could be an engine for driving strong, sustainable growth in the economy.

    He said the Lagos State Government was ready to encourage agri-food firms, particularly SMEs, to consider the benefits of exporting and building it into their business strategies.

    Working with the government and industry, he said the forum provides the opportunity for the country to unleash the export potential of agric sector.

    Consultant, Crenov8, Bola Oyedele said the firm had entered into agreement with some Dubai companies to export food exports to UAE.

    According to her, farmers and food producers from Ghana, Rwanda and Kenya working with the organisation have been able to export to UAE. Nigerians, she explained, had not been able to explore the opportunity.

    She said food and agricultural products were in demand within the region.

    She said exporters of agricultural products in Nigeria needs a helping hand, to overcome the many challenges they face in trying to develop new markets abroad and diversify their offering.

    A key strategy, according to her, is to boost the capacity to produce internationally competitive products by adding value and creating new value chains for others.

    According to Oyedele, “MTFC is targeted at both large and small small-scale farmers to tap into the $100billion market in Dubai- that’s why we are partnering with relevant stakeholders across both government with Bank of Agriculture, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Federal Ministry of Agriculture as well as the private sector with the likes of Farmcrowdy to help us aggregate farmers to export Agric produce to the UAE.”

    Co-founder, Farmcrowdy, Tope Omotolani, said Kenya, Ghana and Rwanda have benefitted immensely from the first conference held in Dubai.

    She said MTFC is a good initiative that must be sustained until it achieves its stated aims in linking Nigerian Agribusiness owners with the UAE market.