Category: Agriculture

Catfish farmers have decried the high cost of feeds, saying it is the reason for the rise in the cost of catfish,The Nation  has learnt.

The Chief Executive, Eny Ken Multinationational Limited, Eniola Abiodun, said the price of  aller aqua floating feed had risen. Skretting is sold for N9,370 per 2milimetres(mm) feed size.

Because of the cost,  Abiodun said farmers were using eco float which sells for N4,350 for 3mm feed size and blue crown, which sells for N6,200 for 3mm feed size.

He said blue crown and eco float feed are much cheaper and reliable substitutes.

He  explained  that  feed  composition is affected by the cost of ingredients, which include fish meal (Senegal), N400/N500per kilogramme; fish concentrate, N1,100;  poultry meal, N380; bone meal, N75;  bern-seed, N100.

Others are soya meal, N165;  dough, N80; maize, N80; garri (high quality/koko garri), N75;  biscuit waste; N90 and molasses, N100.

Abiodun said the cost of feeds was stable in  the early part of the growing season, but has skyrocketed in the last few days because a lot of farmers did not stock their ponds due to lack of water.

As a result of this, catfish production has decreased, leading to price increases. However, production has begun to rise.

In most markets, catfish sells for N470-tiny size;N560-smallest size; N600-small size ;N650 for Clarias medium size; N700 for Hybrid, per  kilogramme.

Meanwhile, fish farmers in East Africa are set to begin using more insect meal in their fish feeds.

A project led by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) has concluded that inclusion of insect meal improves  growth rates and food safety. It also reduces production costs, the body added.

Also, studies in catfish fingerlings revealed a 37 per cent  higher weight gain from Black Soldier Fly (BSF)-based feed. Nile tilapia fish fed with BSF-based feed were 23 per cent heavier.

The project developed and tested insect-based feeds for the sustainable, safe, and cost-effective production of fish and poultry.

Researchers identified suitable insect species and tested insect rearing and harvesting techniques that are suitable for local, small-scale farming systems.

Working with private sector companies, the research team assessed the market potential for insect meal and insect-based feeds and analysed the feeds’ performance in poultry and fish production.

The project worked with the Kenya and Uganda Bureaux of Standards to develop regulations and standards for the use of insects in animal feeds.

The study found that 92 per cent of the 28 profiled insect species have higher crude protein dry matter (DM) than fishmeal available in Kenya and Uganda.

All of the species reared by the project were superior, including the African moth (Gonimbrasia zambesia), which has up to 73.3 percent crude protein (DM basis), field cricket (67.21 percent), house cricket (62.57 percent), and black soldier fly (BSF) (49.5 percent).

Insects are also high in poly unsaturated fatty acids, flavonoids, vitamins and minerals.

The demand for wheat has been growing over the years, leading to increased importation. To reduce the dependence on imports and conserve forex, a firm, Crown Flour Mills, a subsidiary of Olam Grains, says it is determined to increase production, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

DESPITE the high demand, wheat production is low and facing challenges, such as poor seedlings, prolonged droughts, pests and diseases.

Nigeria still depends on imports. This is affecting its foreign exchange reserves.

According to reports, Africa spends about $12 billion on 40 million tons of wheat yearly. In Nigeria, the demand for wheat stands at 4.2 million tons yearly.

Eighty per cent of the wheat produced  in the country is cultivated by small-scale farmers in Kebbi and Sokoto states. What is produced locally from this two states, analysts say, is too small.

Wheat production is said to have dropped from 600,000 tons to less than 400,000 tonnes.

Besides, one of the major challenges of wheat production, according to experts, is the type grown. The unfavourable local climate requires expensive irrigation and makes Nigeria unsuitable for growing hard red winter wheat. The variety used for making bread and flour is mostly found in the United States and Canada.

Hard wheat is found only in the tropics. It is heat tolerant and can be found mainly in the North. Hard wheat has lower gluten content, making it unsuitable for bread making; also, it has a low yield.

 

Farmers struggle

for improved seeds

 

The National Chairman of Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria (WFAN), Salim Muhammad, said certified high-yielding wheat seeds were not readily accessible to farmers. This, he said, was a major constraint facing his members who want to cultivate.

Muhammad said for several years wheat farmers had been facing problems, especially that of improved seeds, price and viable market for the grain. The President said farmers were supposed to be provided with improved seeds every two years, adding that for years Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI) that has the mandate on wheat hasn’t been providing the seeds to farmers.

Muhammed said wheat seeds  used in the producing states were foundation seeds and that no company  produces certified wheat seeds.

The Federal Government and the African Development Bank launched the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) compact programme for the wheat value chain.

At  the workshop held at the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria in Abuja, the Executive Director, Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI), Dr Kaleson Gwadi, said the programme focused on the country’s commitment to self-sufficiency in wheat production.

He said the programme would scale up wheat technologies and deploy best practices that would ensure farmers increase yields from the current 3.0t/hectare(ha) to 5-6 t/ha.

Gwadi said LCRI will provide farmers with technical assistance to help the Federal Government save foreign exchange from reduced imports.

He  said the institute  has improved its research into wheat by coming up with a strain that can survive in high temperature and a marginal areas.

Funding for the project came from theAfrican Development Bank (AfDB), aiming at ensuring Africa is self-sufficient in wheat production.

Thirteen states are expected to take part in the programme to cultivate the product. They are Kano, Kebbi Jigawa, Bauchi, Zamfara, Sokoto, Adamawa, Borno, Katsina, Yobe, Gombe, Kaduna and Plateau.

The institute is targeting 300,000 hectares – an average yield of four tons per hectare.

 

Private sector response

 

But some firms are determined to promote wheat farming. One of them is Crown Flour Mills, a subsidiary of Olam Grains Nigeria.

The company plans to cultivate wheat as part of its backward integration drive.This will involve   planting improved wheat varieties yearly.

Olam Grains Managing Director Anurag Shukla said the company was  partnering farmers’association and the Federal Government to boost wheat production of the commodity.

“We are working actively with the wheat famers association and the Presidency to ensure that famers can grow wheat effectively and efficiently.

“It is one of our core focus areas because we believe that Nigeria can grow wheat, especially in the northern region,” he said at a forum in Abuja.

He said the company has been expanding its footprint in the flour milling industry since 2010 when it first acquired Crown Flour Mills.

He added that with its recent plan to acquire Dangote Flour, the company will emerge the biggest flour miller in the country.

Shukla highlighted opportunities in the wheat-milling industry, saying it has the potential to create 10 million jobs across the entire value chains.

“We strongly believe that in Nigeria, the flour milling industry is one business that can provide employment. This is something that is close to our heart since we started 30 years ago,” he said.

The Vice-President Commercial Crown Flour Mills Bolaji Anifowose, said there is need to support  dealers in different capacity. Anifowose said.

He added that Crown Flour is a  customer centric compliance firm and that it will be launching a loyalty club for its customers across the country.

“We would ensure that we support our customers individually to ensure that they keep growing  more than their competitors,”  he said.

The Chairman, Association of Master Bakers & Caterers of Nigeria Abuja chapter, Ishaq Abdul Raheem, said the company’s excellent marketing strategy has continued to drive sales for its products more than that of other competitors.

“There is high acceptance of the product in the market and the management have a listening ear to our queries and complaints by ensuring they are resolved quickly,” she said.

Corteva Agriscience, a leader in seed technologies, crop protection and digital agriculture, has  launched its brand in Nigeria. It says it is committed to support the realisation of the  government’s Agriculture Promotion Policy 2016-2020.

The Agriculture Promotion Policy 2016-2020, also known as the Green Alternative, was  aimed at achieving food security goals, import substitution, job creation, and economic diversification.

Corteva Agriscience is the result of the merger between DuPont Crop Protection, DuPont Pioneer and Dow AgroSciences.

President, Corteva Agriscience, Africa Middle East, Prabdeep Bajwa, said the launch in Nigeria highlighted the company’s continued footprint expansion across African markets, supporting its commitment to serving agricultural sector optimisation by providing the best insights, products, and technology to farmers and a market that is under-served.

“Nigeria’s abundant resources are a great foundation on which to build a sustainable agricultural sector. I believe the utilisation of technological innovations can help overcome local challenges. We are committed to ensuring that Corteva Agriscience is an enabling collaborator for the Nigerian agricultural sector,” Bajwa said.

Commercial Director, Corteva Agriscience, North West, West, and Central Africa commercial area, Alain Pescay said the company is committed to supporting the Nigerian government in advancing its agriculture sector—the critical foundation of any successful economy and country.

“We can’t do this alone and collaboration is central to what we do in Nigeria. We bring our vast diversity of resources, knowledge, and experience to support our mutual goals,” Pescay said.

The agricultural sector in Nigeria is vital to the overall economy, as it is only second to oil as the leading contributor to the GDP. The Nigerian farming sector employs around 70 per cent of the population and the country’s small farms produce 80 per cent of the total food, while 33 per cent of Nigerian land is under cultivation for this purpose. Nigeria is one of the leading African countries in farming based on levels of productivity and profitability.

Experts said with the commitment of Corteva Agriscience, the country will  achieve more in agriculture. The brand was introduced to farmers in Nigeria at the Seed Connect Conference and Expo, 2019, hosted by the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) in Abuja.

Corteva Agriscience already has presence in Nigeria through its Pioneer brandseeds, crop protection solutions as well as collaboration with Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC to develop maize hybrid seed in Nigeria.

 

Two Nigerian agric tech firms are eyeing about N6 billion returns annually on a partnership that is expected to support new discoveries in livestock and forage industries. This partnership will benefit farmers, producers and agribusinesses across the country.

The firms are Farmgate Africa, Nigeria’s agro-commodity aggregator platform and Livestock247.com, an online livestock market.

The returns are based on annually production of 24,000 healthy bulls, which each would be sold for N250, 000.

The partnership followed the recent launch of Farmgate Africa by Farmcrowdy Group, the umbrella company established to build agritech solutions that would help to achieve food security, food sustainability and growth in agriculture.

Co-Founder and Managing Director, Farmgate Africa Kenneth Obiajulu, said the two organisations have entered in a pact to support the growth of an innovative, competitive, and market-oriented livestock sector, saying Farmgate Africa has partnered Livestock247.com in piloting its first ever cattle feedlot in Adamawa State.

He said the  first phase has been quite successful and this has seen the businesses scaling production to over 24,000 bulls with about 1,200 feedlot clusters in the Northeast, Northwest and Southern parts, operating through feedlot systems.

The  partnership, Obiajulu said,  is geared towards attracting investments to develop the country’s livestock sector.

He said both organisations will work in consultation with livestock experts and stakeholders to come up with relevant and realistic interventions to address the livestock financial and infrastructural  challenges the  industry is facing and to take advantage of available opportunities.

Obiajulu said the livestock industry has the potential to reduce poverty and promote food security.

He said the firms have identified opportunities for improvement, which include processing facility and feedlots that would improve the efficiency and environmental sustainability of its meat production.

Without a reliable supply of high-quality livestock, he said meat processors are unable to process sufficient volumes of high-value meat.

Notably, he said, the partnership is working to promote  the modern feedlots to  secure a sufficient and consistent supply of quality meat for production.

Slaughterhouse workers, according to him,  would also be trained to operate the facilities correctly under standardised procedures.

He believed the partnership’s   business model would help develop more reliable supply and an innovative scheme for helping  smallholder farmers in  the  supply chain,  improve productivity, incomes and livelihoods.

He said his organisation wants to build upon the industry’s competitiveness by advancing beef and forage production methods through research and innovations.

According to Livestock247.com Co-Founder and CEO, Ibrahim Maigari Ahmadu, Lagos slaughters over 6,000 cows a day, being the largest consuming livestock market in sub-Saharan Africa.

 

 

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With its population projected to hit 250 million by 2030, experts say Nigeria needs good seeds to boost food production as climate change is likely to result in extreme weather, altering agricultural conditions. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

Nigeria has had mixed experience in its quest to achieve food security. One of the factors constraining the country’s efforts at achieving food security has been lack of good quality seeds.

This has adversely affected efforts at increasing agricultural productivity and improving rural livelihoods in a sustainable manner.

Access to Seeds Foundation Executive Director, Ido Verhagen said  poor quality of seed is reflected in the use of almost twice the normal quantity of seed per unit area by farmers to grow staples.

Verhagen, who spoke in Lagos  at the launch of  “Access to Seeds Index 2019 Western and Central Africa”, observed  that if production of quality seed is improved, farmers will be able  to  economise  on seeding  rates.

He, however, noted that  to increase food production, more efforts will  be required to enhance production of varieties of seed hybrid, which have perfect crop-weather modelling.

He said focusing on affordable seeds for smallholder farmers was key. He urged for greater support for pro-poor policies on agriculture, stressing that when farmers have access to hybrid seeds they enjoy bumper harvest and have higher economic returns from their little effort.

Verhagen expressed hope that the National Agricultural Seeds Council will promote a seed system that is market-driven and capable of producing and distributing high quality and improved planting materials that are available, accessible and affordable to all farmers.

Its Access to Seeds Index 2019 – Western and Central Africa, he said, identified Nigeria as a leading seed hub in Western and Central Africa, stating that Value Seeds, a Nigerian seed producing company, came tops in rankings of new research on seed companies operating in Western and Central Africa

Like most other companies from the region, it operates exclusively in its home country, Nigeria, being outstanding for its maize and rice ‘value kits’, all-in-one input packages tailored for smallholders. Also, it provides capacity building activities, which specifically targets women and next-generation farmers. Other Nigerian companies also dominate the top half, such as Maslaha Seeds, Premier Seed and Da-Allgreen Seeds, thus showing the relative strength of the seed industry from Nigeria.

Another official, Tim Pasqualini, of Seeds Foundation Data Analyst,  advised farmers to use high-quality seeds of a recommended variety as this can increase their yield.

He said farmers need to use recommended inbred varieties that are appropriate to the environment and resistant to pests and diseases in the locality.

According to him, the seed sector is a vital pillar in  the nation’s agricultural development and investment in agricultural research stations and seed multiplication enterprises, will  benefit farmers across the country.