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Tag: agriculture

  • Edo, Paxherbal Clinic to collaborate on agriculture

    Edo, Paxherbal Clinic to collaborate on agriculture

    Edo State Government is set to partner PaxHerbal Clinic and Research Laboratory, Ewu to create agricpreneurs.

    The deal will include the modalities for putting resources together for farmers to take advantages of. The two parties described the partnership as a rare opportunity for farmers.

    The areas of interest will include cultivating ginger, lemon grass, tomato and other herbal plants.

    Governor Godwin Obaseki made this known while receiving a delegation of the clinic, led by its Director, Rev. Fr. Anselm Adodo at the Government House in Benin City, the Edo State capital.

    Obaseki said although the state had come up with various agricbusiness models, his administration was interested in the PaxHerbal Clinic and Research Laboratory’s initiative because, “they seem to have adopted a different and appealing model.”

    Obaseki: “Our administration has taken another view, departing from treating agriculture like a social course, but like a business, assisting people to ensure they participate meaningfully and make profit from it. We go into business for profitability; otherwise, we can’t sustain it.”

    The governor said the state wants to employ other models that have worked in other parts of the world, including leaning towards large-scale commercial farming.

    Obaseki said his administration was examining the PaxHerbal Clinic and Research ‘s method of using organic materials for cultivation, and that his administration would like to collaborate with the group in human capacity development.

    Rev. Fr. Adodo said the group was ready to work with the government in strategic poverty and unemployment eradication policies, adding that his organisation is capable of assisting the government to create job opportunities in the state.

    According to him, it is a shame that Nigerians import and consume tons of ginger tea, lemon grass tea, and other herbal teas when Edo state alone can cultivate enough ginger and tomato to feed the world.

    “With your support, the first approved herbal malaria drugs can come from Edo State. We invite you to visit our facility and see what we are doing,” he said.

    Obaseki praised the group for its progress over the years in herbal medicine, saying that he was impressed with the achievements made so far, and promising to visit them to see things for himself.

    “I will come and visit. I promise and I will do it within the next few weeks so that we can come and see for ourselves what you are doing,” he said.

    Rev. Fr. Adodo said the centre was founded over 20 years ago as a Catholic Church centre for scientific cultivation, identification, utilisation and promotion of the country’s medicinal plants.

    He said the clinic is one of the few herbal manufacturing companies left in Nigeria that i s producing its herbal medicine, despite the harsh economic climate, which supports the importer more than the manufacturer.

    He, however, noted that the company cultivates its herbs using the indigenous and community farmers.

  • Borno billionaire commends Shettima…promises support in agriculture, infrastructure

    Borno born billionaire and owner of Oriental Energy  Alhaji Mohammed Indimi is surprised at the magic wand Gov. Kashim Shettima is using to develop Borno State despite the Boko Haram challenges facing the state.

    According to Alhaji Indimi, the governor’s records of achievement are unbelievable considering  the manner the governor has changed the face of Maiduguri and other parts of the state with very meager resources and the Boko Haram crisis.

    Gov. Shettima who visited the billionaire at his  residence in Maiduguri on Thursday is a follow-up to Mr. Indimi’s pledge to support the state’s recovery plans in agriculture and infrastructure as part of his contribution to the rehabilitations and resettlement of communities destroyed by the Boko Haram insurgents in the state.

    Indimi said, “What you are doing in Borno State despite small resources is unbelievable. I don’t know how you are doing it. You have completely changed the face of Maiduguri. I have been to many states and I can say that many leaders do not come close to what you are doing in Borno State.

    “In the past, whenever I had foreign visitors coming to visit me in Maiduguri, I made sure they arrived Maiduguri at night so that they wouldn’t see horrible sights but today, I make sure my visitors come in the day time because I am proud of what they will see on entering Maiduguri. If you arrive Maiduguri today, you will know there is government in place. The city is becoming more and more beautiful and I am very proud because today my State (Borno) can compete with any state in this country.

    “Sometimes I feel as if I am the one telling you what to do and the reason is that most of your developmental projects are things I always wish for Borno. I don’t know how your mind works, maybe from your background, but really you are doing so many things and we have to support you,” Indimi said.

    He disclosed that he had also carried out some independent evaluation of the projects embarked upon by  Shettima outside Maiduguri, stressing that the reports he received were impressive.

  • Women breaking barriers in agriculture

    Women breaking barriers in agriculture

    Amidst challenges, women are making successes in agriculture and food production,  DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    A Women are breakimg barriers in agriculture despite the challenges they are facing. Amon them is Madam Yemisi Iranloye  who lives in Alayide Village, Ado-Awaye, Iseyin Local Government, Oyo State. But it doesn’t take too long to discover that she has a remarkable story to tell.

    A cassava farmer,  she started cultivating  on about 10,000 hectares of land and expanded to cassava processing and established a starch factory at Alayide Village.

    The factory has a capacity to process over 50 tonnes of cassava daily.

    For starters, as well as small farmers, Madam Iranloye, the chief executive, Psaltry International, is one of the women playing in the cassava big league.

    She has on her company’s payroll over 200 workers, contract staff and labourers engaged in tending the cassava farms as well as many farmers engaged in her out-grower scheme. Madam Iranloye is making wealthy, farmers that had  been consigned to the backwaters of poverty because they planted cassava.

    From the beginning, her business was established with farmers’ welfare at heart. She produces high quality cassava and runs an efficient business. She earns a decent guaranteed income for her produce, and participates in the way the produce is brought to the market and in educating others.

    She is involved in administering the money flowing back into the cassava communities from farming –money that pays for clean water well, and new farming equipment. There is an infectious confidence about her today. Her story showed the difference farming can make to communities.

    She is focused on improving agriculture with modern innovations and involvement of women. Her goal is to educate and empower women. She also empowers women to make decisions in agricultural activities and educate them about the various government programmes and schemes that are beneficial to them. If given financial support, she believes that small-scale growers could transform into major farmers with high incomes.

    Women face many challenges that preclude them from owning or managing land and other assets. But she overcame such challenges as erratic weather, poor seeds, expensive fertiliser and a lack of advice  and others.

    Cynthia Mosunmola Umoru is another trailblazer. Currently, Technical Adviser, Youth & Gender, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), a lot of  corporate women farmers look up to her.  She has spent the last 10 years building her entrepreneurial career in agriculture. She started Honeysuckles PTL Ventures straight out of college, and today the business is engaged in farming, food processing and distribution. The company runs its flagship retail outlet Farmshoppe in Ikeja, Lagos offering a wide range of farm produce, including poultry products, eggs, snails, cat fish and vegetables.

    She is very hard working and is determined to help change the fortunes of others as well.

    Her leadership qualities and ability to quickly grasp new knowledge encourage other farmers to seek her advice. She understands the importance of education and knowledge, and is thus very enthusiastic about learning and practising any new developments in crop cultivation. Not only does she teach them improved methods of farming but also shows them how to address their financial challenges. She is always eager to learn innovative ways of doing things. She actively participates in agriculture-related meetings, and interacts to clarify her doubts.

    But despite her own challenges, she is concerned not many women want to enter farming and agribusiness, adding that the sector holds so much potential as everyone needs to eat. However, outside  crop cultivation, there are also other opportunities women and young entrepreneurs and university graduates should look into such as distribution and food processing.

    Founder, Britts Fresh Foods Limited, Belema Alagun is a lawyer. She is one of a growing number of young women into farming and food business. She decided to establish an agro business to promote healthy lifestyle and eating.

    Founded in 2015, Britts Foods pride itself in using locally-sourced ingredients not just because it supports their communities, but because their fresh, healthy ingredients straight from the farms taste great.

    Currently, she makes salads for customers to be delivered to their offices. She  does home deliveries, helping people in Lagos to  enjoy salads from the comfort of  their  own home without having to go out to do a pick up. The majority of our customers’ orders are done via whatsapp.

    Agribusiness Specialist, Agribusiness  Supplier Development Programme (ASDP), Inclusive Growth Unit,United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Dr  Nelson Abila  said the efforts of  women in agriculture and food production  is a bold step amidst obstacles and in the face of the most unfavourable business environment.

    According to him, women are key agents for achieving the transformational economic, environmental and social changes required for sustainable development. But limited access to credit, healthcare and education are among the many challenges they face, which are further aggravated by the economic crises and climate change.

    Abila said: “The obstacles to women involvement in agriculture value chain in Nigeria are many, and I must confess quite daunting. The reality of the overwhelming nature of these obstacles is a barrier to getting many more women involved in agriculture.

    “Finance is on top of this list. From land acquisition to putting infrastructure in place, the need for huge financial commitment cannot be overstated. Perhaps, it is now time to put to practice a more inclusive affirmative strategy that will allow our women agripreneurs to have access to finance at the lowest possible interest rate.

    “The policy must ensure that 35 percent of all the agric financing scheme go to women. In spite of the obstacles, I must tell you, opportunities abound to make profit and contribute to nation building through agriculture for women.”

    He explained that empowering them is not only to the well-being

  • Umahi seeks U.S. assistance to develop agriculture

    Umahi seeks U.S. assistance to develop agriculture

    Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has appealed to the U.S. government to assist the state in developing its agriculture and solid minerals sectors.
    He spoke in Abakaliki when he received the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Stuart Symington.
    Umahi said Ebonyi had huge agricultural potential and mineral resources, such as limestone, salt and lead, which were yet to be developed.
    “We are reputed for rice production in West Africa and our salt and limestone deposits are among the best in the world.
    “We seek U. S. assistance in technological enhancement to develop these sectors, as we are using our three technical colleges to develop indigenous technology,” the governor said.
    He thanked the U.S. government for its interventions in Nigeria, which had benefitted Ebonyi.
    “We solicit your cooperation to attract investment, as we have provided an enabling environment for economic investments to thrive.
    “Security provision in Ebonyi is one of the best in the country, as we have invested in infrastructural development to attract investment opportunities.
    “Our allocation from the Federation Account is meagre and this makes us insist on quality in our construction, such as roads due to our soil texture.
    “We place this emphasis on infrastructural development to solve our under-development challenges occasioned by years of neglect by the states we hitherto belonged,” Umahi said.
    Symington said he was in the state to deepen the relationship between the U.S. and Ebonyi.
    He added: “We are determined to ensure a more robust relationship built on trust, which will assist the state in the development of its economic and social sectors.”
    The envoy hailed the governor for his achievements in agriculture, infrastructure and social sector and promised that the U.S. would assist the state in realising its development objectives.
    “We will ensure effective integration of your economic potential and enhance opportunities to attract economic investment.”

  • Umahi seeks U.S. assistance to develop agriculture

    Umahi seeks U.S. assistance to develop agriculture

    Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has appealed to the U.S. government to assist the state in developing its agriculture and solid minerals sectors.

    He spoke in Abakaliki when he received the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Stuart Symington.

    Umahi said Ebonyi had huge agricultural potential and mineral resources, such as limestone, salt and lead, which were yet to be developed.

    “We are reputed for rice production in West Africa and our salt and limestone deposits are among the best in the world.

    “We seek U. S. assistance in technological enhancement to develop these sectors, as we are using our three technical colleges to develop indigenous technology,” the governor said.

    He thanked the U.S. government for its interventions in Nigeria, which had benefitted Ebonyi.

    “We solicit your cooperation to attract investment, as we have provided an enabling environment for economic investments to thrive.

    “Security provision in Ebonyi is one of the best in the country, as we have invested in infrastructural development to attract investment opportunities.

    “Our allocation from the Federation Account is meagre and this makes us insist on quality in our construction, such as roads due to our soil texture.

    “We place this emphasis on infrastructural development to solve our under-development challenges occasioned by years of neglect by the states we hitherto belonged,” Umahi said.

    Symington said he was in the state to deepen the relationship between the U.S. and Ebonyi.

    He added: “We are determined to ensure a more robust relationship built on trust, which will assist the state in the development of its economic and social sectors.”

    The envoy hailed the governor for his achievements in agriculture, infrastructure and social sector and promised that the U.S. would assist the state in realising its development objectives.

    “We will ensure effective integration of your economic potential and enhance opportunities to attract economic investment.”

  • Tackling youth unemployment with agriculture

    Tackling youth unemployment with agriculture

    To  experts,  agriculture will really create jobs when the youth are involved, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    Founder of Agrihub Ronke Aderinoye is an ex-banker and agro-entrepreneur. Her expertise is in agriculture and rural services. She works with farmers in Ogun State.  She has seen the image of  poor, ragged and weather-beaten farmers which puts off many young people. She is determined to change  the picture of the business to encourage  young  people  to have  a second thought about agriculture as the source of jobs.

    For her, the sector has huge potential. She has seen the future around agriculture as the main force in social and economic transformation of the economy.

    She said there was a need for a vibrant agribusiness private sector that would work alongside the government to link farmers with consumers.

    Her solutions include boosting rural development through a chain of activities that add value to agricultural products, and empowering youths to run small businesses.

    She started Young Farmer’s Incubator Programme (YFIP), in collaboration with Eweko Concept and Epe Agribusiness Cluster, to train youths to start up a farm. The goal of the programme is to grow the next generation of agribusiness professionals. The programme is designed to train youths between the ages of 18 and 26, who aspire to start up a farm but neither have the capital nor the knowledge of farming, through a 100 per cent hands-on farm training for  four months.

    The programme, according to her,  is a 16-month intensive course on technical and non-technical aspects of agribusiness.

    The trainees will undergo full- time farm training in Epe, Lagos State. The first stream of YFIP, she  explained, will focus on vegetables  such as tomatoes, pepper, cucumber and cabbage. The curriculum will cover pre-planting and post planting operations, post-harvest management practices, business planning, farm records and book keeping, agricultural marketing, as well as legal, finance and tax matters.

    The facilitators are credible, competent and have proven track record of successes in their respective businesses and fields, and have a cumulative experience of over 35. This programme is divided into five stages and each participant is expected to successfully complete each stage before moving up to the next stage.

    At incubation stage, successful candidates will get three months’   training when they will be allotted mini-plots. Mentors will help and answers.

    The incubation stage will cover key drivers of agribusinesses namely, business planning, agricultural marketing, laws, farm management, pre- and post-harvest handling, pre-and post-planting management and opportunities across the agriculture value chain. After this, successful candidates will be move to the next stage.

    At  the accelerator, successful candidates will be provided with land for farming. Seeds and other required tools will be provided. Production at this stage will be supervised by the AgriHub Nigeria and will continue for four  planting cycles. Candidates will be better exposed to the realities of farming at this stage as they will be doing most of the farm work and also the marketing work.

    One major benefit participants will get at the end of this stage is that they will have farm records of over 12 months, which will put them in a better stead to access finance to set up their own farm. Participants in YFIP must be willing to stay in Epe throughout the programme.

    Accommodation would be provided for participants. One area, she sees huge potential is in rice production. The rice sector alone has the potential to employ many of the 17 million young people who enter the job market in sub-Saharan Africa each year.

    With Agropreneur Nigeria, her organisation is holding bi-monthly Green Table sessions to  assist middle and upper class workers, entrepreneurs, and investors to understand the rice value chain and to tap into the opportunities.

    She has support from the Chief Executive Officer, Kereksuk Rice Farm, Rotimi Williams, whose 50,000 hectares rice farm in Nasarawa State provides enough food and jobs. For him, increased focus on agriculture could enhance productivity, reduce food prices, increase incomes and create employment. To achieve this, he said young people’s involvement in this process is crucial.

    Kereksuk Rice Farm has become a successful agribusiness enterprise. Williams believes the future is bright for agribusiness in Nigeria.

     

  • Agriculture beyond lip service

    A buzzword is a word or expression that is fashionable to use at a certain time or place after which its usage diminishes. Buzzwords can be used to simplify concepts and ease understanding. But many people use buzzwords without knowing their meaning. For instance, many public officials use buzzwords not to convey factual meaning but to show-off their new knowledge, make their audiences feel on the same page and attract attention. If used in appropriate context and with knowledge of their meaning, buzzwords enrich presentations and help users connect with their audience.

    Buzzwords are relished by the media and politicians. Michael Loughlin in his 2002 article ”On the buzzword approach to policy formation”, argues that buzzwords are used in contexts which “privileges rhetoric over reality, producing policies that are ‘operationalized’ first and only ‘conceptualized’ later” and the resulting political speech is always “eschewing reasoned debate and instead employing language exclusively for the purposes of control and manipulation”.Now how buzzwords are related to value chains?

    Value chains refer to activities that bring a product from conception through the phases of production, delivery to final consumers and, disposal after use. Agrofood value chain development (VCD) engages stakeholders in promoting chain improvement. Successful VCD requires positive mindsets of stakeholders, creates a platform for activities’ co-ordination with a goal to create shared benefit. VCD is presently a trending buzzword because evidence suggests VCD alleviates poverty and improves food security. VCD is spearheaded by governments, private sector and non-profits. But, how is VCD connected to lip service?

    Lip service is the verbal expression of agreement to something unsupported by real conviction or action. It is hypocritical, insincere support expressed for something without action. Since Nigeria realised that one day oil will stop being the backbone of her economy, politicians became fond of verbally expressing their support for agriculture as the route to avoiding impending financial Armageddon. However, this insincere support has never been backed by conviction or action. Now that the trending issue in agriculture is value chains, in their usual manner, politicians have started perfunctory use of value chains with intention to impress, not improve agriculture.

    Some instances may help to buttress this point. In August 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari, while receiving the President of IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development) who was on a visit, urged Nigerians to stop paying lip service to agriculture and invest in the sector. He admitted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaigned heavily with agriculture and promised to use agriculture as alternative to dwindling oil revenue.

    The question is:  Is it the first time such a statement would be made and no action taken? Certainly not! In November 2016, the House of Representatives in plenary warned the Federal Government of Nigeria to stop paying lip service to agriculture by theorising that agriculture is the way to diversify the nation’s economy. This happened as Rep Emmanuel Akpan of Akwa Ibom moved a motion for the revival of large-scale production of oil palm in the country. Other members hailed the motion as a wake-up call to the executive to implement aspects of the motion.

    Celebrating the World Food Day in Port Harcourt in October 2016, the Rivers State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs.Onimim Jack, a law graduate, said the event was aimed at bringing together stakeholders in agriculture value chain to showcase and educate farmers and the public on agricultural procedures, technologies and best practices. I began to wonder what best practices can be taught to farmers in a single day’s event. Situations where politicians in the executive and the legislature advise the public to stop paying lip service to value chain development or just passing the buck are alarming. It means they are showing off a trending buzzword or lack ideas on what to do. The cost of their ignorance is huge to the economy.

    In November 2016, Dr Sanginga, the DG of International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, while addressing the IITA Board said Africa should stop paying lip service to agriculture because it will cost Africa $110 billion in food imports by 2025. Nigeria has the largest population in Africa and is the continent’s top food importer. So, the warning applies to Nigeria more than any other African country.

    Agriculture Minister, Mr. AuduOgbe, a French graduate, in July 2016 lamented Nigeria’s expenditure (I would say ‘waste’) of $20 billion USD annually on importing food items like rice, wheat, sugar, fish and others. At the present exchange rate of N500 to a USD, it means Nigeria wastes TEN TRILLION NAIRA. Besides high food import bills,  other effects of  lip service across the agriculture chain include poor consumer protection, poor support for agriculture research and uptake; no loans or loans with difficult hurdles for farmers; inconsistent agriculture sector policies; poor electricity supply, transportation system, storage facilities; weak market access and the like. We need solutions to problems.

    The solution is multidimensional. First, we need agricultural professionals to oversee agriculture ministries. The good work of Dr Akinwumi Adesina an Agricultural Economics graduate, as the Minister of Agriculture under Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is self-evident. Ministerial advisers can only advise; but when the Minister is clueless, the wrong advice will be used.

    We need a functional agrologistics system. Netherlands, one of the top countries in agrofood value chains development is also the top in agrologistics in the world. Nigeria needs serious upgrade of roads, rail, water, air transport and internet infrastructure, the backbone of logistics. Agricultural value chains cannot develop with underdeveloped agrologistics.

    Private sector contribution to agrofood chains development cannot be ignored. In serious countries, agrofood chains are powered by private sector encouraged by government-enabled business environment like strong security; functional public infrastructure; strong legal system, currency and favourable ease of doing business.

    The mentality that agrofood development means exposing unemployed youth and women to one-week training and providing them with double- digit thousands of naira to start agro-allied businesses in the name of empowering them for value chain development must change. To create high impact, big and tested entrepreneurs must be encouraged to invest in agriculture.

    The rush for primary agricultural products’ export when local food demand is not yet satisfied is not in our best interest. A case in point is the recently celebrated demand by the Chinese for Nigeria’s yam. Nigeria should first develop value chains to provide food and income for Nigerians before going global. What is happening in the oil sector where crude oil is cheaply sold and value-added petroleum products are imported exorbitantly must be avoided in agriculture. Applying these solutions in sincerity and commitment would develop our agrofood value chains sector.

     

    • Dr. Ingweye, an Agrofood Value Chains Development consultant, is a lecturer in the Department of Animal Science, University of Port Harcourt.

  • Agriculture: Osun’s example

    With recession ravaging the country after petro-dollar dipped last year, not a few analysts believe that the way out of the crisis is agriculture.

    Thus, the Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, believes that now is the time to turn to massive agricultural practices or else millions of Nigerians would be at risk.

    Against this backdrop, between the 17th and 29th of January 2017, Aregbesola led a high-level delegation that included the Speaker, State of Osun House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Salaam, Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, Director General Office of Economic Development and Partnerships, Dr. Charles Diji Akinola, and the Director Livestock Services, Mrs. Ajibike  Fagbemi, to the  State of Saxon Anhalt, Germany.

    This was in furtherance of the established cooperation in the area of agricultural development and in support of the Osun Rural Enterprise and Agriculture Programme (O-REAP).

    The expected gains of the trip include engagement of relevant investors and partners with interest in agricultural investment and partnership opportunities in the State of Osun, and expansion of the scope of existing Development Cooperation between the governments of Osun and Saxon Anhalt.

    Besides, the trip was also to design the next phase of collaborative partnerships between Osun and Saxon Anhalt.

    This trip allowed the delegation to discuss agricultural potential, investments and partnership opportunities in the State of Osun with German farmers.

    This is to build on the previous partnership, which was activated in 2012 and involved the training of 40 young farmers from Osun over a period of four years. The beneficiaries of the training were   exposed to knowledge, skills and technologies in practical modern agriculture.

    The Osun delegation also met with the umbrella Farmers Association of the State of Saxon Anhalt. At the meeting, a number of farmers in Germany expressed their interest in the proposed farmer-technology transfer programme that is being planned in collaboration with the State Government of Saxon Anhalt.

    One of the key highlights of the visit concerned the planned cooperation between the governments of Osun and Saxon Anhalt in setting up ‘Best Practices Demonstration, Training and Production Farm’ in the State of Osun.

    The Farm is to target the youth and other farmers and will provide the platform for the acquisition of knowledge, skills and techniques in modern agriculture with a focus on land development and management, new technologies in crops, livestock, fisheries, post-harvest handling, processing and packaging.

    In view of the above, the government of Osun has established a Land Bank in the state where those who have fallow land can entrust it to the government.

    Government will reach an agreement with these land owners on the terms and duration of usage, and when the parcel of land will revert to the owner.

    With this innovative land bank system, land would be available for farming on a commercial scale. In addition, there won’t be shortage of land once government has information on the quantity of land available in its land bank.

    This is one of the strategies by the Aregbesola administration to make farming in the state easy for whoever wants to practise agriculture.

    Expectedly as well, the establishment of the Best Practice Demonstration, Training and Production Farm in the State of Osun will build on these initial efforts and create an even more cost-effective and sustainable model of cooperation that will achieve broader impact.

    State of Osun stands the opportunity to extend benefits to many hundreds of equally motivated and needy young farmers who would not have the opportunity of being attached to host farmers or institutions in Germany.

    Accordingly, it is expected that the Best Practice Demonstration, Training and Production Farm will equally serve as a veritable platform to anchor a well-designed farmer exchange programme that will provide the opportunity for German agricultural experts and farmers to provide technological transfer and capacity building to farmers in Osun.

    The latest collaborative efforts will involve building on the initial outcomes of the cooperation with the State of Saxon Anhalt under which 40 budding young farmers from Osun had been hosted in Germany for advanced practical training in different aspects of agriculture over the past four years.

    This training no doubt resulted in greater opportunities for the young farmers in Osun as they launched promising careers in modern and productive agriculture practices such as piggery, fishery and animal feed production.

    They are also involved in different aspects of agriculture including cattle and small ruminants’ production, horticulture and greenhouse farming in different parts of the State.

    Other highlights of the trip included planning meetings with the top officials of the Ministry of Agriculture of the State of Saxon Anhalt and members of the State of Saxon-Anhalt Parliament

    This meeting was hinged on consolidating as well as expanding the current cooperation between Osun and Saxon Anhalt.

    Considering the successes recorded from the cooperation with the State of Saxon Anhalt in the last four years in the area of agriculture, the cooperation is now being expanded to the area of healthcare delivery.

    On healthcare delivery, it is important to note  the recent  visit of a team of seasoned German oncologists from the Institute for Operative Medicine of the Otto-yon, Magdeburg, Germany.

    They were in the state for three days to train some health workers on detection, control, treatment and management of various classes of cancer in the State.

    To make the state self-sufficient in food production, over 17, 000 farmers in the state had benefitted from the QUIIP I and II loan programmes.

    Under the Osun State Agricultural Development Corporation (OSSADEC) in 2010, the government had also given out N250 million loans to farmers and N500 million in 2012.

    For Rural Accessibility Mobility Programme (RAMP), the state constructed 662km rural roads for easy access to farm settlements. This is to make mobility easy between rural and urban areas, as well as facilitate smooth and fluid movement of farm produce from the farms to the final markets.

    According to Aregbesola, agricultural development is the direction to go in order to get out of the economic crisis. As the Yoruba saying goes, when food is available, the pang of poverty is less felt. Massive production of food locally is the answer to the nation’s economic downturn.

     

    • Owolabi wrote in from Osogbo, Osun State

    kunleowolabi17@gmail.com

  • Agriculture as driver of economic growth

    Agriculture, from time immemorial, has been associated with the production of basic food crops. Agriculture and farming are synonymous terms used long before farming became commercialised. But as the process of economic development accelerated, many other allied occupations in farming came to be recognised as a part of agriculture.

    Presently, agriculture includes forestry, fruit cultivation, dairy, poultry, mushroom farming and bee keeping, etc. Today, processing, marketing and distribution of agricultural products are all accepted as a part of modern agricultural business.

    Thus, agriculture may be defined as the production, processing, marketing and distribution of crops and livestock products. According to Webster’s Dictionary, agriculture is the art or science of production of crops and livestock on farm. It means cultivation and breeding of animals, plants and fungi for food, fiber, biofuel, medicinal plants and other products used to sustain and enhance human life.

    Agriculture was the key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured development.

    The history of agriculture dates back thousands of years, and its development has been driven and defined greatly by climates, cultures, and technologies. Industrial agriculture, which is based on large-scale monoculture farming, has become the dominant agricultural methodology.

    It is safe to say agriculture plays a crucial role in the growth of any country’s economy. It is the backbone of the economy. Agriculture does not only provide food and raw material, but also employment opportunities.

    Agriculture as a source of livelihood in India provides countless jobs for the country’s working population. In Nigeria, significant percentage of our population engages in agriculture. In advanced countries, this percentage is small compared to Nigeria. This is because non-agricultural sector has not been harnessed to create source of income to the country.

    Before crude oil was discovered, agriculture was the main source of our national income. According to a report on national income, it was said 52 per cent of Nigeria’s earning in 1960 and 1961was contributed by agriculture and allied occupations. Between 1976 and 1977, agriculture sector alone contributed 42.2 per cent, while in 1981 and 1982, agriculture’s contribution was to the tune of 41.8 per cent.

    Between 1999 and 2000, agriculture contributed 32.4 per cent to national income. This was further reduced to 28 per cent in 2001 and 2002. Contrary to this, agricultural incomes in the country of the West were smaller compared to Nigeria’s before the millennium. But the development we have had in the sector is not commensurate with the earning.

    Agriculture also provides fodder for livestock. Cow and buffalo provide protective food in the form of milk and they also provide draught power for farm operations. Moreover, it also meets the food requirements of the people. Import of food grains has been very small in recent years. Rather export avenues are being explored to open the market for the product.

    Agricultural products, such as rice, tobacco and spices constitute the main items of exports in India. If the development process of agriculture is smooth, export increases and imports are reduced considerably.

    Thus, it helps to reduce the adverse balance of payments and save our foreign exchange. This amount can be well utilised to import other necessary raw-material and machinery which are useful for the growth of the economy.

    The development of agricultural sector leads to marketable surplus. As country develops, more and more people are engaged in mining, manufacturing and other non-agricultural sector.

    As agriculture develops, output increases and marketable surplus expands. This can be sold to other countries. Here, it is worth mentioning that the development of Japan and other countries were made possible by the surplus of agriculture. There is no reason why this could not be done in Nigeria.

    Agriculture has been the source of raw materials to industries, such as cotton and textile, sugar, tobacco, edible and non-edible oils. Apart from these, many others, such as processing of fruits and vegetables, dal milling, rice husking and jaggery also depend on agriculture for their raw materials.

    According to United Nations (UN) survey, the industries with raw material from agriculture accounted for 50 per cent of value-added tax and 64 per cent of all jobs in industrial sector of developing countries. Besides, the finances of government, to the large extent, are augmented from the earnings of agricultural sector.

    As a contributor to foreign exchange resources, agriculture constitutes an important place in the country’s export trade. According to a report, agricultural commodities like oilseeds, raw cotton, and coffee accounted for about 18 per cent of the total value of exports in India. This shows that agriculture products still continue to be significant source of earning foreign exchange.

    Aside the vast employment opportunities agriculture provides in this age of mechanised farming, the sector has the potential to boost the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in this period when the demand for oil is dwindling.

    The rapid rate of growth in agriculture gives progressive outlook and further motivation for development. As a result, it helps to create proper atmosphere for general economic development in the country. This means economic development depends on the rate at which agriculture grows.

    The development of agriculture provides necessary capital for the development of other sectors, such as manufacturing industry, transport and foreign trade. In fact, a balanced development of agriculture and industry should be the focus of the government.

    From the foregoing, it can be concluded that agriculture plays an important role in the growth of the nation’s economy. It practised properly, it would be the needed sop for achieving irreversible economic development.

     

    • Salma is of the Department of Mass Communication, IBB University, Lapai, Niger State.

  • Lawmaker urges govts, individuals to invest in agriculture

    A lawmaker, Mr. Hilary Bisong, has urged governments to prioritise the agricultural sector, to ensure food security.

    Bisong, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member representing Boki II Constituency in the Cross River State House of Assembly, told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar that according priority to the sector would improve food production, food sufficiency, reduce unemployment and poverty and boost socio-economic development.

    He said if attention was given to the sector, the majority of unemployed graduates would venture into agriculture and become self-reliant.

    The legislator said for the country to overcome economic challenges, governments and individuals must increase investment in agriculture to improve the living standard of Nigerians.

    “Before the discovery of crude, agriculture was the main source of our national revenue, but with the discovery of oil, we relegated it to the background.

    “The three tiers of government must place premium on agriculture. Irrespective of our positions in the society, we must go back to agriculture to ensure food security.

    “If youths and other Nigerians embrace farming, it will not only reduce over dependence on oil, hardship and economic challenges facing the nation will become a thing of the past.

    “Prices of food items have sky-rocketed. There is need for the government to invest in agriculture.

    “The planting season is around the corner. As a stakeholder and politician, I will support my constituents who are into farming with yam seedlings and other grains to enhance their productivity,’’ he said.

    Bisong advised youths to shun idleness, embrace skill acquisition programmes and engage in other meaningful activities to make them self-reliant.

    He assured his constituents of his commitment to initiate people-oriented programmes that would improve their standard of living.