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Tag: AFAN

  • AFAN Jigawa hosts peace dialogue to strengthen farmer–herder relations

    AFAN Jigawa hosts peace dialogue to strengthen farmer–herder relations

    The Jigawa State chapter of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has convened a high-level peace dialogue between farmers and Fulani herders in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Peace Initiative.

    The engagement brought together stakeholders from the farming and livestock sectors, traditional institutions, academia, and government agencies to address recurring disputes, deepen understanding of government policies, and improve collaboration for rural security and agricultural growth.

    Speaking after the technical session, AFAN Chairman in Jigawa State, Engineer Auwalu Garba, praised President Tinubu for placing peace and security at the centre of the Renewed Hope Agenda. He also commended Governor Umar Namadi for translating the national vision into actionable programmes.

    Garba cited the recent Memorandum of Understanding between the state government and the National Institute for Dairy Development (NIDDA) to strengthen dairy value chains, including brachylla and lap-lap production, as a significant step for livestock development in the state.

    He said AFAN organised the forum to promote awareness and enhance harmony between farmers and herders, noting that peaceful coexistence is essential for sustainable agriculture.

    Garba welcomed the creation of the Ministry of Livestock Development by both the federal and Jigawa governments, describing it as a milestone capable of modernising the sector, increasing revenue, and improving livelihoods.

    While acknowledging persistent challenges, especially limited access to credit facilities and grants, Garba said the dialogue also aimed to enlighten farmers and herders on available interventions and the need to comply with regulations to benefit from them.

    Addressing the role of politics in farmer–herder conflicts, he attributed most crises to ignorance rather than intentional provocation and urged sustained sensitisation, education, and community engagement.

    He added that communication gaps remain a major concern, as many farmers and herders have limited access to radio or digital platforms. This, he said, reinforces the need for consistent grassroots outreach.

    Stakeholders at the forum affirmed that the AFAN-led initiative demonstrates the Renewed Hope Agenda in action through dialogue, inclusion, and awareness to foster lasting peace, strengthen food security, and support sustainable development in Jigawa State and beyond.

  • Appeal Court affirms Kabir Ibrahim’s sack as Nigerian farmers’ association’s president

    Appeal Court affirms Kabir Ibrahim’s sack as Nigerian farmers’ association’s president

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed a judgment of the Federal High Court, sacking Kabir Ibrahim as the President of the All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN).

    Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court (now retired) had, in the judgment, on the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/322/2020 delivered on March 24, 2022 restrained Ibrahim from further parading himself as AFAN’s President.

    Justice Taiwo also declared the election held in Kano on April 10, 2021 by AFAN General Assembly, which produced Farouk Mudi (as the National President) and other members of the group’s National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Council (NEC) is lawful and valid.

    The judge ordered Ibrahim, whose tenure, he held, had expired since June 14, 2019, to hand over the assets and property of the association in his possession and custody.

    In its judgment on Thursday, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal was unanimous in affirming Justice Taiwo’s judgment.

    in the lead judgment, in the appeal marked: CA/ABJ/CV/554/2022, filed by Ibrahim, Justice Mohammed Danjuma resolved the two issues, identified for determination, against the appellant.

    Justice Danjuma added: “This appeal is devoid of merit and, it is hereby, dismissed.

    “The judgment of the lower court (Federal High Court), delivered on the 24th day of March, 2022, is hereby affirmed.

    “A cost of N200,000 is hereby awarded against the appellant and in favour of the respondent (the Mudi-led AFAN).”

    Justice Ali Gumel, who presided and Justice Anthony Ogakwu, who was also on the panel, agreed with the lead judgment.

    In his 2022 judgment, Justice Taiwo held among others that Ibrahim was no longer the President of the association.

    Read Also: Leadership crisis: Court stops Kabir Ibrahim from parading himself as AFAN president

    He said: “I have read the constitution of the association, which says the tenure of its elected officers shall be for five years tenure.

    “I find that the first defendant (Ibrahim) and the EXCO were inaugurated on 14th of June 2014.” 

    Justice Taiwo noted that although claimed to have been inaugurated as the group’s President on June 15. 2014 in the affidavit he deposed to, there was evidence before the court that he was actually inaugurated on June 14, 2014.

    He said the tenure of Ibrahim and his led EXCO’s tenure ought to have expired on June 14, 2019, declaring that “at that point, the first defendant and his EXCO ceased to be in office.” 

  • 2027 campaign poster: AFAN denies endorsing Atiku’s presidential bid

    2027 campaign poster: AFAN denies endorsing Atiku’s presidential bid

    The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has disassociated itself from a viral statement made by one of its members claiming the association endorsed Atiku Abubakar for the 2027 presidential election.

    In a joint statement signed by Dr. Rabiu Farouk Mudi, the National President, and Dr. Mambila, the National Secretary, AFAN clarified that the endorsement claim did not originate from the association and does not reflect its stance.

    The statement reads; “This post is made by an authorized member,   Ado A Ado Kano. 

    “The opinion and views expressed here are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the group, its administrators, or other members. 

     For official statements, please refer to AFAN official contact or platform  

    According to AFAN, the  unofficial posters flying around, do not represent the The All farmer Association of Nigeria (AFAN).

    Read Also: Oxfam, AFAN urge Fed govt to support women farmers

    AFAN, noted that the said post by one Ado  A Ado Kano, was not authorized by the  All farmer Association of Nigeria (AFAN),  or its officials  but those of the author. 

    The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) is the umbrella organization for all farmers’ commodity associations in Nigeria.  

    The organization’s vision and mission are to assemble all Nigerian producers into one organization. 

    It also provides a single interlocutor for the government to address agricultural issues with the farming community. 

    AFAN was formed by the merger of the All-Farmers Association of Nigeria (ALFA) and the National Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (NAFAN). Whilst the merger was recommended by Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo.

  • AFAN assures of rice availability

    The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Lagos Chapter, has promised that local rice in 50 kg, 25kg, and 10 kgs will soon be in the market.

    Speaking in Lagos, AFAN Lagos chapter Chairman Mr. Femi Oke said consumers could be getting impatient with the fact that local rice was not yet readily available in the market in commercial quantity.

    He urged consumers of local rice to be patient with farmers and millers for local rice not having saturated the market to displace imported rice.

    According to the AFAN chair, rice farmers will soon have a breakthrough in providing rice paddy to millers.

    He said rice millers were ready to produce polished rice, but the problem had been shortage paddy rice which could not meet their plants’ capacity.

    Oke said with the expected World Bank financial support for rice farmers at five per cent interest rate, the farmers hoped to increase planting and harvesting of paddy.

    He added that planting and harvesting of paddy would also increase, if the kind of support the farmers were getting from government was sustained.

    “We are sorry that local rice is yet to saturate the market to displace imported ones. However, this gap will soon be filled as time goes on and as the support to rice farmers is sustained.

    “Most rice farmers just started farming rice about two years ago. Many states can now boast of increase in paddy rice production unlike what it used to be before farmers started getting support from the government.

    Oke said what farmers need from consumers was patience as there would soon be breakthrough in the rice value chain.

    He said local rice cottage millers had been sustaining the market with rice being sold with the big tomato tin measure called “Derica cup’’ at the rate of N350, N450, or N500 per cup, depending on the area.

    He said big-time rice producers also had bags of rice in the markets, but not enough to go round yet.

     

  • Farmers call for peaceful 2019 elections

    The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has appealed to various stakeholders saddled with the responsibility of ensuring peaceful elections to increase their efforts to guarantee peace during and after the 2019 elections.

    The Vice President of AFAN, Chief Daniel Okafor made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.

    He said that without peace during and after the elections, farmers would not be able to go to their farms.

    Okafor, who was speaking on Farmers’ 2019 expectations in the agriculture sector, noted that agriculture budget and inputs should be timely distributed to farmers to boost food production in 2019.

    The vice president, who said that agriculture was time-bound, suggested the approval and release of agriculture budget between January and February to aid the implementation of agriculture projects.

    He said that timely implementation of agriculture projects and activities would guarantee food security in the country in 2019.

    “What we have noticed is that without peace and harmony, human beings cannot exist and farmers cannot go to the farms.

    “We want peaceful elections as our first expectation from the government this year.

    “The second is the farmers-herdsmen crisis. Government should look into it because it is going to the extreme and government can do more than they are doing.

    “Inputs should be given to farmers and distributed on time and not when the farming season is over.

    “Agriculture budget should be timely. It should be approved by January or February to enable the timely implementation of agricultural projects.

    “I wish the government well this year but they should not joke with agriculture,’’ Okafor said.

  • Kogi to evolve Cassava Value Chain Policy

    Kogi to evolve Cassava Value Chain Policy

    The Kogi Government has partnered with Synergos Nigeria to evolve a Cassava Value Chain policy as part of efforts to reposition the agriculture sector in line with the Federal Government’s policy.

    Mr Victor Adejoh, Synergos Nigeria’s Field Manager for Kogi, Benue and Kaduna states, implementing the State Partnership for Agriculture (SPA), disclosed this in an interview on Monday in Lokoja.

    Adejoh said the government has also concluded arrangements to organise a Mini Summit on Cassava from where the policy would evolve.

    He said that aside evolving a policy on cassava value chain, the summit was also aimed at promoting the Agriculture sector towards eventual diversification of the economy.

    Read also: Kogi ’s IGR hits N1b monthly

    According to him, the summit, a brainchild of the Agricultural Vision Group ( AVG ) and Agricultural Innovation Group ( AIG ) of the SPA, will also help reposition the state on the world map in Cassava Value Chain.

    “The mini-summit will through a participatory and inclusive panelist engagement, elicit inclusive steps to evolve a Cassava Value Chain Policy to position Kogi on the world map in the Cassava Value Chain”, he said.

    Adejoh said that the summit would be chaired and co-chaired by the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Kehinde Oloruntoba and the All Farmers Association of Nigeria ( AFAN ) President in the state, Mrs Rabi Emaiku respectively.

    He said that the Ministry of Agriculture in partnership with key ministries, departments and Agencies of government and non-state actors in the Cassava value chain were promoters of the mini Cassava summit billed for Jan.24.

    The Synergos Field Manager said Kogi Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Development Project ( ADP ), Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the State Bureau for Public Private Partnership ( BPPP ) would be participating in the summit.

    Other participants, he said, included Kogi Chapter of AFAN, FADAMA, Nigerian Cassava Growers Association, CrestAgro Farms Ltd., Unicane Ltd, Bank of Agriculture and NIRSAL.

    Also listed are Kogi Network of NGOs, Kogi Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agricultural ( KOCIMMA ), Federal Ministry of Environment and Small-Scale Women Farmers Organization of Nigeria ( SWOFON )

    NAN

  • Youths to cultivate cassava in Auchi – AFAN chairman

    Youths to cultivate cassava in Auchi – AFAN chairman

    Dr Mohammed Abdullahi, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Edo North Senatorial District, on Monday said that youths in the area would cultivate 500 hectares of cassava next year.

    Abdullahi disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Auchi, the headquarters of Etsako-West Local Government Area of the state.

    He said that the cassava project would be under the Edo Government/Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrowers’ Programme.

    He said that no fewer than 200 youths would be registered under cooperative societies and each of the farmers would cultivate one hectare of land.

    Abdullahi said the Auchi community had provided land for the project while government would provide funds for land preparation which would commence in Dec. as well as input.

    The chairman said the state government’s Cluster Farming Scheme, was initiated to empower the youths to become self-reliant.

    He said that the state government had approved the Ozemhoya Multipurpose Cooperative Society as the off-taker of the produce.

    “The state government has directed that we register 200 youths for the project and we are appealing to the youths in the senatorial district to key into the project.

    “This is a forum for them to be empowered; this government is showing very serious interest in agriculture.

    NAN reports that the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme is a CBN’s initiative which is aimed at creating economic linkage between small scale farmers (out growers) and reputable large scale processors.

    It also has the objective of increasing agricultural output and improving capacity utilization of integrated mills.

  • Edo farmers seek allocation of farm settlements

    Edo farmers seek allocation of farm settlements

    Farmers in Edo State under the auspices of All Farmers Association of Nigeria, (AFAN), have appealed the Edo State government to begin allotment of prepared farm slots from farm settlements to its members across the state.

    Chairman of AFAN, Chief Emmanuel Odigie, who made the appeal in Benin, when the group paid a courtesy call on the Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Monday Osaigbovo, said the group has acquired 20,000 hectares of farmland in Edo South Senatorial district.

    Chief Odigie said the farmland would be used for commercial and cluster farming.

    Odigie urged the state government to give agricultural loans to farmers in fulfillment of Governor Obaseki’s promise during his governorship campaign in 2016.

    He called for the building of new farm settlements as well as reviving all old farms settlement.

    His words, “We are not oblivious of the investment the Edo State government have put in revamping agriculture, such as the Anchor Borrowers Programme, Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme, and many others which include in no small measure are very important in this new agricultural revolution.

    “The governor really try in his plans to construct earth roads in our rural areas, I must commend him because it will create employment, check rural areas for development, do not forget it will provide enough food even at a very cheaper rate,” he said.

    The Commissioner assured them that the state government would do its best to uplift the farmers in the state.

  • ‘Uncompleted Fed Govt silos programme hinders agriculture’

    ‘Uncompleted Fed Govt silos programme hinders agriculture’

    With less than three months to the end of the raining season, the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), has raised the alarm over a looming loss that may befall farmers in the current farming season.

    Its Technical Adviser, Dr Tunde Arosanyin, who spoke in Lokoja, Kogi State, yesterday, said the 800 silos to be located across all the local government areas of the country are not near completion and will greatly affect the output of farmers in the country.

    He said: “This call becomes imperative in view of the fact that there is less than three months to the end of the raining season and the silos are still not near-completion.

    “This means that farmers will still continue to experience the same loss like previous years because inspite of their efforts, and the good nature of the country’s weather, there will be no storage for their crops.”

    While lauding the silos policy, he however raised concerns that until the silos are completed, and the crop processing zones across the country become functional, the government’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda will remain a mirage.

    He also frowned at government’s over dependence on oil, saying it was detrimental to the development of the agricultural sector

    His words: “Nigeria is paying lip service to agriculture. Nigeria has failed to honour its signature to the 2002 Maputo Declaration that African countries should budget 10 per cent of their annual budget to agriculture. This year’s budget was just 3.2 per cent for agriculture, which is a far cry from the Moputo declaration.”

    He warned that until the country sees the need to make agriculture one of the vibrant sectors of the economy, a step he reckons would move the country away from the mono-economic dependence on oil, to a multi-economic drive, the Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government will remain wishful thinking.