The Nation Newspaper

Category: Agriculture

  • Farmers embrace biogas for electricity

    Some farmers are now looking up to biogas technology to transform animal and other wastes into power plants. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    Hope for biogas power generation is high among farmers and innovators as it potentially solves the twin challenges of disposal of livestock waste and provision of energy to offset the rising cost of electricity.

    Biogas is a type of biofuel  produced from the decomposition of organic waste. Animal manure, food scraps, wastewater and sewage are examples of organic matter that can produce biogas.

    Mr.Adewale Zacchaeus, a small- scale farmer in Ibulesoro community in Ondo State, has every reason to smile. Two years ago, he had no light on his farm. Hence, he only sold his produce as he couldn’t  process because there was  no electricity: the village is not connected to the national grid. But his story is different today. He now generates renewable electricity from cow dung. All thanks to the Federal College of Agriculture (FECA), Akure, Ondo State and the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP-Nigeria).

    While FECA used his place to demonstrate how to use cow dung to generate power with a modest biogas plant, WAAPP funded the project. So now, thanks to cow manure and biogas technology, he and his family not only have free, but sustainable power all year round.

    Ibulesoro community now uses animal wastes for electricity generation and cooking gas, courtesy of FECA and WAAPP.

    Cow dung is sourced from various farms close by. One cow can produce over 30 gallons of manure a day. Zacchaeus is happy he can enjoy electricity.

    Before the project, each day, Mrs Zacchaeus spent several hours collecting wood for cooking and heating water. The construction of a biogas plant at their home has transformed their lives. She has been freed from the daily drudgery and now has more time to spend on activities that generate income for the family. Her husband has become skilled at installing and maintaining the biogas plant, making him crucial for the development of other plants in the area.

    For FECA, turning cow manure into biogas is a boon to agriculture.

    By implementing the cow dung energy project for farmers, FECA Provost Dr  Samson Odedina said the school envisages a transformed agricultural industry that meets the needs of the rural and urban poor, small holder farmers, and provides transition to modernising agriculture.

    Odedina said energy is needed in all aspects of agricultural and food production, including processing, service provision, among others adding that such sustainable solutions, provide the key to improving energy ana reducing poverty among the rural poor.

    According to him, the college trains farmers and students to use biogas technology to generate methane gas from cow dung and transfers it into cooking fuel.

    In this regard, Zacchaeus, a beneficiary, is able to collect cow manure to power his home.

    The Provost is looking forward to a new revenue source and jobs to be created through the initiative. The construction cost of biogas power generation facility is N500,000.

    Despite biogas being more expensive than other forms of renewable energy, the farmers chose it because it provides them with a way to dispose of waste while generating power. Liquid biogas residues left after the fermentation process are also utilised as fertiliser.

    The Akure municipality ferments so much tonnes of cattle waste per day from the abattoir that can be collected by farmers.

    Another success story is in Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. There, an agricultural firm, Ajima Farms, has powered Rije Village in Kuje Area Council, with 20 kilowatts of biogas from generators. The project, called Ajima Farms Biogas Digester Off-Grid, was inaugurated by the United States African Development Foundation (USADF), led by its Regional Director, Tom Coogan, along with project coordinator, Ajima Farms, Fatima Ademoh, and Reji Village Head, Ibrahim Kuyagwa.

    Ajima Farms is the inaugural winner of the United States African Development Foundation (USADF) Off-Grid Energy Challenge, which was also conducted in eight other African countries. USADF gave a grant of $100,000 to Ajima Farms, and later expanded the funding with $50,000 for a second biogas project in Kuwizhi Village in the same area council of the FCT. Since 2013, USADF has funded over 70 entrepreneurs in nine countries, and has invested over $7.5 million in their enterprises.

    Ademoh said: “We own Ajima Farms and we were presented with two problems, which were agricultural wastes and surrounded by villages that are not connected to the national grid and could not access electricity. We looked on how we can solve these problems. “The wastes, as we looked at them, were not good for the health of the community, and the gas released by these wastes into the atmosphere is 24 times dangerous more than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. The project has three components, which are energy generation, clean gas cooking solution and energy efficiency. We have similar project at Kuwizhi with 10 kilowatts. “That gave birth to the biogas project here in Rije village of Kuje Area Council.

    This is to power the community. Currently, we gather waste from commercial farms around here and also get waste from the community, and the youth bring them on site. They secure and operate biogas generators. “There is a meter that regulates the consumption of power from the source of power supplied to consumers in the village through the pre-paid metering system we have, and is not the same with the power Distribution Companies.”

    According to her, currently 45 per cent of Nigerians are not connected to the national grid, which makes them to have concern with communities that do not have access to electricity, and added that biogas remains a clean form of energy, whereby the government could come up with Public Private Partnership (PPP), to deploy this energy at a larger scale.

    Team Lead, Zeta Prime Alternative Technologies, Miss Uzoma Eleke is developing innovative renewable energy technologies.

    In 2016, TOTAL Plc launched a competition called the Africa Startupper Challenge 2016 where some Nigerian innovators competed by showcasing their projects. 1,943 projects were submitted and evaluated out of which 3 were selected.The first runner up of Total Nigeria 2016 Startupper Challenge was Uzoma Eleke.  Her organisation is working on a prototype biogas project   that can used by farmers who are off grid.

    She has   successfully tested the first lab-scale prototype across major off grid communities in Kuje and Bwari Area Councils of Abuja.

    Uzoma explained that the pilot anaerobic digester will produce methane (biogas) from fermented organic waste (biomass). She sees an opportunity for the construction of a centralised biogas plant that will utilise available waste to produce energy and bio-fertiliser. She is determined to become an electricity producer powered by biogas.

    While most farmers would   embrace biogas as a way of cutting on the cost of fuel for domestic consumption, she noted that it is still expensive toacquire biogas digesters.

    Overhead costs although many of them still find the Sh100, 000 needed to install the units to be steep; they contend that what accrues from this renewable energy source is worth it in the long run.

    Across Africa, the biogas business is booming. Biogas is produced from large fermenting tank for corn, liquid manure and glycerin.

    Experts believe if well harnessed, Nigeria can realise at least N4.54 trillion yearly from biogas produced from organic waste processing.

    One of them is the Chief Executive Officer, Avenam Links International Limited, Mrs. Nina Ani.

    Mrs Ani said yearly agricultural, municipal, plant, sewage, green, food, and livestock wastes, among others, across the country, is estimated at 542.5 million tons and worth N4.54 trillion (or $29.29 billion).

    She said aside the monetary value, biogas as a renewable source of energy and cooking gas has positive long-term implications on human beings and their environment unlike the traditional fossil fuels.

    She identified governmental policy and funding as two major challenges inhibiting the right investments in biogas production.

  • Fed Govt to boost food production

    Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development  Audu Ogbeh has said the government is taking steps to ensure food security for Nigerians.

    Speaking during the yearly lecture of the Catholic Brothers League in Lagos, Ogbeh explained that guaranteeing food security was a top priority issue for the government.

    He said the government was working to improve quality and competitiveness of the farm produce, and promoting value chain development.

    He said, however, the government had recorded great strides in boosting agricultural development in terms of production value and exports.

    Ogeh said plant varieties and cultivation techniques have been improved to enhance the quality of crops, while   productivity and quality of major products, including rice, have increased.

    Ogbeh lamented that Nigeria spent $6 million  daily on rice import.

    Following this, he said the Customs closed the land borders  to encourage Nigerians to eat local rice.

    The strategy, he observed, is yielding results.

    He said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has boosted rice production in Nigeria through its ’s Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP), adding that the efforts made in local production of rice has saved the country about $800 million in foreign exchange.

     

     

  • Experts advocate passage of Right to Food Bill

     

    President,  Farm and Infrastructure Foundation, Prof Gbolagade Ayoola, has urged the National Assembly to pass the Right to Food Bill.

    Speaking as a panelist at a two-day summit, tagged: “Feeding futures Africa”, organised by the Human and Environmental Development Agenda in Lagos, Ayoola urged the Senate to pass the Bill without delay as it recognises  the right of every Nigerian to access food.

    He added that the bill, if passed, will take care of almost 80 per cent of the concerns surrounding food security.

    He said because the government only saw food as human need or as something provided to favour the citizens,  “they failed to respect the right of citizens by putting in place policies that promote food security.”

    Ayoola pointed out that in advanced nations, the situation was different.

    He said this implied that about three-quarters of its population (about 150 million people) suffer from acute adult malnutrition, child stunting, child wasting and child mortality, all linked to food insecurity of the country.

    He added that some countries have adopted the concept of food as a right or passed a right to food bill as the basis for implementing food policies.

    “Civilised nations have elevated food from a mere human need to fundamental human right.  In advanced countries, governments recognised that a child is entitled to be well fed and that it is mandatory for the government to ensure that it is done,” he added.

    The Head, Influencing and Public Engagement, OXFAM, Dr Saratu Abiola, observed that only three per cent of Nigeria’s budget was dedicated to agriculture whereas the Malabo Treaty, which Nigeria is a signatory to, stipulated 10 per cent.

    She said, “Looking closely at the budget, only one per cent is for irrigation and it is said that in Nigeria, there is one extension worker to 10,000 farmers.

    “Two per cent of the agriculture budget is dedicated to extension workers, two per cent to access to quality seeds and inputs, while a whopping 35 per cent is dedicated to payment of salaries.

    “What this means is that the thing that makes agriculture work for the smallholder farmers who constitute 80 per cent of the sector, is not getting the attention it needs. We are not acting like agriculture is important and there is no improvement in the quality of agriculture.”

    HEDA Resource Centre Executive Secretary, Mr. Sulaimon Arigbabu, said the summit was organised in collaboration with the National Orientation Agency, Voices for Food Security, OXFAM and other stakeholders to inspire, facilitate, enable and support 500 young entrepreneurs to join the agriculture revolution.

    He noted that youths and women  were taking advantage of opportunities in agriculture with results.

    He said: “This is even more instructive in view of this year’s theme of the International Youths Day, which is ‘Safe Spaces for Youth’. Agriculture definitely provides safe spaces for young people to make impact and create wealth.”

    The two-day event featured discussions on policy bottlenecks that hinder the full participation of women and young people in agriculture and agribusiness, climate change and challenges, ease of doing business for those who seek to add value, and the right to food.

  • EU ban: expert pushes for restricted pesticides use

    A mid tightening food safety regulations overseas, Agriculture and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI) Executive Director (ED) Dr. Olufemi Oladunni  has called for extension workers’ empowerment to educate  farmers on responsible use of pesticides.

    He said this would help the country improve compliance with global pesticide residue norms and reduce rejection of farm produce in the international market.

    European Union (EU) rejected 24 exported food products from Nigeria in 2016 for failing to meet minimum pesticide usage standards.

    The EU insisted that Nigeria must implement appropriate risk management measures and provide required guarantees before it could export dried beans to Europe.

    It said Nigeria must meet specified conditions before the ban will be lifted, but stated that it was supporting the country in the process that would ensure  the lifting of the ban, stating that there was need to provide farmers with training in the application of pesticides and fungicides.

    Oladunni stressed the need for improvement and the regulation of the ways that pesticides are used and marketed, as well as the ban of certain  chemicals to reduce rejection of Nigeria’s agri exports abroad.

    He said the wrong application  of pesticides threatens food production, as well as the environment and the health of farmers and consumers.

    The ED wants extension workers to be encouraged on the use of pesticide as urged pesticide dealers and farmers to not use pesticides and fungicides that can leave higher residue.

    Oladunni advised farmers to seek clearance for scientific use of chemicals on crops, cut overuse dosage and ensure adherence to latest global maximum residue level norms.

    At the moment, export of agricultural commodities is facing hurdles due to rampant overuse of pesticides, unscientific practices in dealing with toxic chemicals, and use of fungicides that have been banned in foreign markets.

    Agro exporters are worried about Europe’s stringent norms on pesticide residue levels, and the likelihood of similar standards being adopted by other countries.

     

  • Group to commission veterinary laboratory

    Chi Farms Limited, a subsidiary of TGI Group, in partnership with ZOETIS, is set to commission an ultra-modern animal care veterinary centre in Ibadan, Oyo State.

    The commissioning is scheduled to take place on September 12.

    The project which was executed under ZOETIS’s African Livestock Productivity and Health Advancement initiative (A.L.P.H.A.) aims at establishing sustainable veterinary diagnostic networks and animal health infrastructure in Nigeria and other parts of Africa. It   will  also execute scientific research programmes, deliver quality diagnostic products, medicines and vaccines as well as carry out genetic tests, bio devices and a range of other animal care services.

    According to the Country Lead of Zoetis/ALPHA Initiative, Mr. Joshua Olorungbemi, the technical capacity of ZOETIS as the world leader inanimal health endeared them to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,who are co-funders of the ALPHA initiative.”We are committed to supporting similar laboratory network acrossNigeria to enable Farmers get access to veterinary diagnostic services,”he said.

    The General Manager of Chi Farms Limited, Dr. Tunji Olaitan said despite Chi Farms’ standing at the pinnacle of the Nigerian poultry industry as the most viable and successful grand parent integrator both for meat and layer lines, the organisation has progressively evolved to consistently offer Nigeria livestock farmers premium products and services.

    According to him, CHI Farms’ selection as one of the two executors of Project A.L.P.H.A by ZOETIS is a welcome development. The organisation is always willing to form alliances with like minds in order to create value for our farmers and ultimately the nation.

    He further stated that “with ZOETIS providing technical expertise as well as materials and equipment needed for education and training, coupled with our own experience, facility and reach, the impact of this project will be fulfilling”.

     

  • Cooperative holds training

    A Cross River State-based cooperative society, Crystal Model MPCS Limited, is organising a one-day training for farmers.

    A statement by its Secretary, Mr Abel Udoh, said  the event is scheduled for tomorrow at Institute of Basic Studies, Akamkpa, Cross River State.

    The objective of the training, according to him, is to equip participants with information on how to access agric finance business.

    He said the society’s long-term goal is to ensure new farmers access high-quality information,  and proven tactics essential to starting and scaling viable farms.

    According to him, representatives of Bank of Agriculture, Bank of Industry, Union Bank Plc and Sterling Bank will make presentations at the event.

     

  • Collapsible Mobile Fish Pond

    Fish farming, no doubt, is a lucrative venture with ever growing market within Nigeria and a greatly untapped market internationally.

    I have been in the business of raising fishes for some time now, and I would like to share my little knowledge on the easiest way someone with little capital can engage in profitable fish farming without having to  break the bank.

    Running a highly profitable fish farm involves good thinking and the ability to make smart decisions that can help to save you costs. It starts with the choice of fish pond, which I am going to dwell on in this article.

    Over the years (hundreds of years I guess), various types of fish ponds have evolved with newer types having improvements over their predecessors.

    Earthen pond used to be the main deal, but it had limitations that needed to be done away with.

    It easily got flooded from rains or from river overflow (for those sited at river banks).

    Also, since earthen ponds are difficult to site in enclosed locations, owners suffered losses from poachers and thieves.

    Concrete ponds came on-board and became quite popular for use in rearing fishes.

    They could be constructed within the owners living compound, thereby reducing the risk of losses due to theft and poaching.

    Since most of them are constructed above the ground, they don’t get easily flooded from rains.

    But again, concrete ponds still had some challenges associated with them.

    One is that they are expensive to construct.

    Second is that a little mistake in the construction can easily lead to cracks and leakages that will jeopardize the high capital investment. Maintenance of such leakages can be a bit costly.

    Concrete ponds, by nature, involves some construction that should last long-term, so this makes them out of reach of tenants who live in rented apartments (as only very few landlords, if any, would entertain such kind of structures).

    Another issue has to do with immovability of concrete ponds. If for any reason the owner wants to move, there is not much option left that breaking down the structure (thereby losing the investment).

    To tackle some of the challenges with concrete ponds, plastic ponds evolved and were soon followed by the tarpaulin ponds.

    Though simply referred to as “tarpaulin ponds” in the industry, the tarpaulin ponds in this case are not made of the normal tarpaulins (like those used in making rental canopies or tents).

    The tarpaulins for fish pond are actually reinforced (light but very tough to tear), so a prospective buyer (online or offline) must be careful enough to search for “reinforced tarpaulin fish ponds” rather than “tarpaulin ponds” in order to avoid fake.

    One major difference between plastic and tarpaulin ponds is in the price.

    Tarpaulin ponds are a lot cheaper than plastic ponds. For example, while N75,000 can only get you a 4000 litre capacity plastic pond as at present (August 30, 2018), you can set up a tarpaulin pond of about 11,326 litres from Benuwatts Tarpaulin Ponds with same amount.

    Another difference or area where tarpaulin ponds have an edge over plastic ponds is in their portability (comparative ease of collapsing and moving them around) and also in the surface area available for oxygen exchange (which greatly enhances the growth of the fishes).

    You can collapse the components of a tarpaulin pond, move and easily set them up in a desired location – be it your free farm land (they are very suitable for large scale fish farming), backyard or any space in the compound, living room or even in your bedroom (as far as you have enough ventilation there for the fishes).

    However, there is a little twist to using tarpaulin pond, which I have highlighted in a separate article title “Disadvantage of using Collapsible Mobile Tarpaulin Fish Pond” (you can quickly search that up on Google).

    You can also search up for “costly mistakes to avoid when using mobile tarpaulin fish pond”.

    Like is typical of Nigeria, any good product soon gets overrun by imitations peddled by desperate and unruly individuals.

    The pioneer of the tarpaulin fish pond technology is Benuwatts Company Limited (to the best of my knowledge). I knew about their reinforced tarpaulin ponds since year 2012.

    But of recent (from around late 2016), lots of people have been flooding the market with fake tarpaulin ponds and with that have come lots of complaints about tarpaulin ponds.

    So to solve this problem of counterfeit, Benuwatts created online presence for their tarpaulins products so that customers all over Nigeria can simply go to their website, place order and have the genuine reinforced tarpaulin way-billed to customers’ location.

    In conclusion, it is no doubt that mobile tarpaulin fish pond is the way to go if you want to run a profitable fish farm. But that is only if you buy the genuine tarpaulins.

  • Expert seeks measures to curb food fraud

    The Country Manager, HarvestPlus, Dr Paul Ilona has renewed calls for collaboration to help tackle food fraud.

    PricewaterhouseCoopers, a multinational professional services  firm based in London,(PwC) estimates that food fraud costs the global food industry up to $40 billion yearly.

    In an interview, Ilona stressed the need for agencies to respond to consumer concerns about food products most susceptible to adulteration.

    Besides, he observed also that millionsof Nigerians still remain malnourished through lack of adequate micronutrients in their diet.

    He noted: “Micronutrient deficiencies are also known as ‘hidden hunger’ – a form of malnourishment that often goes unnoticed.”

    He  lamented that the high prevalence rate of micronutrient deficiencies in the country has  profoundly negative implications for child and maternal health. He however noted that opportunities do exist to combat the effects of malnutrition on public health and development through large scale fortification and bio-fortification of the staple foods.

    He reaffirmed HarvestPlus’ continuous support to the government’s efforts to combat food insecurity and malnutrition by providing pragmatic and sustainable solutions.

    He said the organisation is organising nutritious food fair to showcasebio fortified crops and derivative products as well as associated local processing technologies. Ilona said fair is scheduled for November 7 and 9.

    The events will take place at Landmark Events Centre, Lagos.

    He said Nigerians would be able to access bio fortified crops that will improve their nutritional status and provide farmers with competitive yields.

    Among the highlights at the fair will be awards to the best farmers, processors, marketers and advocates of the bio fortified cassava and maize.

    Also, participants will have the chance to watch special screenings of award-winning movie Yellow Cassava, which features some of Nigeria’s top movie stars in a riveting plot centered on bio fortified cassava.

    The fair, which is in its fourth edition is expected to attract over 10,000 participants from within and outside the country.

  • AgroNigeria floats TV series to attract youths

    An Agro-business firm AgroNigeria says it has secured the services of Nollywood and the creative industry actors to produce movies and a television series to encourage the youth to take to farming.

    The Chief Executive Officer, Mr Richard-Mark Mbaram made the disclosure at a news conference on Wednesday in Lagos.

    Mbaram said there was need to demonstrate to the youth the attractiveness, benefits and wealth in the agriculture sector through movies and television series.
    Mbaram said the television series would showcase Nigeria’s agric potential as capable of driving Africa’s economic development if properly harnessed.

    “We want to use the screen to demystify the notion that agriculture is a complex sector; hence collaborating with some renowned figures in the Nollywood industry to showcase the agric sector.

    Read Also: Feg Agro boss emerges NFAN president

    “The first phase in Nigeria will gulp N350 million while the N350 million will be spent at the continental level.
    “The funds will be gotten from our supporting partners, which include the Africa Development Bank (ADB); OXFARM and International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT),” he said.

    Mbaram cited the Cock Crow at Dawn television series of the 1970s aired on Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) as one of the firm’s case study to pursue the Agro Nolly series.

    He said the rural areas where core farming activities were domiciled would be the major focal points for the series as well as highlighting implications of government’s actions and inactions  in the sector.

    “It is time the political class in Nigeria begins to look at the implications of their actions and inactions.

    Nigeria must get its acts together to systematically take on the opportunities in the sector.

    “We need to show and talk about issues as they occur like transportation and marketing. In other climes, transportation of farm produce is easy but in Nigeria, it is hard work because of the state of our roads,” he said.

    AgroNigeria is the organizer and driver of Feed Nigeria Summit, an annual gathering of stakeholders in the agribusiness space globally.

  • Firm to empower 500,000 rural women in Kwara

    No fewer than 500,000 women in rural communities will be empowered by Kaiama Shea Butter Company, a Kwara-based company proposing to plant one million Shea butter trees across the state.

    Its Chairman, Mr. Temitope Amujo, said this in an interview in Ilorin.

    According to him, the government, in collaboration with the National Orientation Agency (NOA),  provided the enabling environment for the take-off of the company.

    “We launched the Save-the-Shea campaign with the sole mandate of planting 100,000 Shea trees, empower 500,000 rural women in communities and achieve zero poverty in the state.

    “This is to ensure safe climate; and to achieve this, we have acquired land in Kaiama Local Government Area to establish the first commercial Shea plantation and develop the first Shea Hub, called Kaiama Shea Hub (KaSH).

    “We recently discovered that Shea tree is one of the endangered species that is seriously affected by deforestation because of its high quality for charcoal production.

    “Our major target now is to discourage cutting of Shea trees for charcoal production, plant new trees and establish another Shea hub.’’

    Amujo said the vision was to create a minimum of 300 local jobs and attract foreign investment in Shea value chain development in the state.

    He said about N30 million has been injected into the company — N12 million in grant, N10 million sourced from private investment and N8 million in liability