The Nation Newspaper

Tag: All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN)

  • AFAN: Gross enhancement scheme ’ll boost agric productivity

    The All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has appealed to the Federal Government to re-introduce the Gross Enhancement Scheme (GES), saying it will not only benefit peasant farmers, but also boost agricultural productivity.

    Making this appeal in Zaria, Kaduna State, during the week, the AFAN Chairman in the state, Alhaji Nuhu Aminu, said it became imperative in view of the importance of GES not only to peasant farmers at the grassroots, but to the overall agricultural productivity.

    He lamented that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN’s) Anchor Borrowers’ Loan Scheme was not yielding the desired benefits because most of the beneficiaries did not use the input-package supplied.

    Aminu said instead, the beneficiaries disposed such items instantly and collected cash. Apart from this, the input-package, he said, usually arrived very late. According to him, the package was usually supplied in the middle of the rainy season when crops cultivation had already gone far.

    Read Also: AFAN assures of rice availability

    He noted that the best way to assist peasant farmers is to re-introduce the GES to enable small holder farmers get fertilisers, seeds and chemicals at highly-subsidised rates.

    “We are not against the Anchor Borrowers’ programme, but the best way to assist Nigerians is through GES where a peasant farmer gets two bags of fertilisers, improved seeds and chemicals at half the market value,” he said.

    Aminu reminded the authorities that large scale farmers were not the ones feeding Nigerians, but small holder farmers, who farm and sell to feed Nigerians.

    He, therefore, called on the government to accord special attention to such segment of farmers, noting that large scale farmers sell their produce in bulk to food processing industries.

    “We are appealing to the President to ensure that he appoints a Minister of Agriculture, who will genuinely take the agricultural sector to next level of development.

    “There are many problems in the sector and we have actually written to the Vice President explaining some of these issues.

    “We are insisting that the best way to assist peasant farmers is to supply fertilisers to them through GES,’’ Aminu said.

    According to him, peasant farmers have no other means of getting the commodity at subsidised rates except through government policies and programmes.

    He appealed to the Federal Government to consider the possibility of re-introducing the GES programme for the benefit of grassroots farmers and the agricultural sector.

  • 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.

     

  • AFAN lauds Plateau on tractor scheme

    AFAN lauds Plateau on tractor scheme

    The Plateau Chapter of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria ( AFAN ), has lauded the State Government for introducing tractor ownership scheme for farmers.

    AFAN Plateau Chairman, Mr Philip Azi, made the commendation in an interview with our reporter on Friday in Jos.

    According to him, the initiative would boost agricultural activities in the state, as farmers would cultivate their farms with ease.

    “The arrangement will be of immense help to farmers in the state.

    “Farmers have over the years found it difficult to access tractors for usage on their farms, which often make them cultivate late and in turn grossly affect the level of production.

    “But with the coming of the tractors such anomalies will be naturally addressed.
    “So, it is a very good thing that is happening to farmers in the state,” Azi said.

    He called on AFAN members, particularly the beneficiaries of the scheme to abide by the terms and conditions of the programme.

    Azi also urged all farmers to take advantage of the scheme to maximise their outputs and boost agricultural production in the state.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had inaugurated 100 out of the 400 units of tractors under the scheme as part of his official visit to the state.

    The scheme has a tripartite arrangement, in which the beneficiaries would pay 60 per cent of the total cost, while state and local governments would pay 30 and 10 per cent balance respectively.

    The tractors were supplied at the cost of N1.4 million each.

    NAN

  • Importation of rice: Farmers laud CBN

    Importation of rice: Farmers laud CBN

    The All Farmers Association of Nigeria ( AFAN ) has extolled the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN ) for drastically reducing the importation of rice, wheat and fish, thereby boosting local production of rice and other agricultural commodities.

    AFAN spoke at their Northeast zone meeting held in Gombe under the chairmanship of the National Vice President, Arable Crops, Auwal Tukur.

    They however called for the timely release of loans and other agricultural inputs to farmers at the inception of farming activates (April to May) to make for more effective utilization of the facilities and facilitate timely repayment.

    It also in the same vane called on the CBN to consider removing bank guaranty to frustrate the various state governments’ officials’ total control of the funds.

    AFAN said the difficulty in accessing insurance cover due to bureaucratic bottlenecks and procedural requirements is worrying, and therefore called on NAIC to enlighten farmers on the processes involved.

    The northeast meeting also reinforced the appeals to Federal Government to the recapitalise the Bank of Agriculture in order to reflect CBN current efforts and also aid the funding of agricultural activities and diversification of the nations’ economy.

    The meeting commended the introduction of Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme ( AADS ), saying it would reduce youths’ restiveness, create jobs and reduce poverty.

    Farmers however agreed on the need to sensitise members to always payback their loans to facilitate the sustainability of the programme and the loans are revolving in nature.

    The meeting also agreed on the need to have a comprehensive database for all its members for proper identification.

    While urging the Federal Government to buy up excess grains from farmers at harvest season to increase their income, members called on AFAN to monitor inputs sold to farmers and report adulteration as AFAN must protect its members in all ramifications.

  • High yield of maize in 2017 excite Oyo farmers

    High yield of maize in 2017 excite Oyo farmers

    Farmers in Oyo State on Thursday expressed happiness following better yield experienced during their second set of maize harvesting in 2017.

    Mr Olumide Ayinla, the state Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria ( AFAN ), made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan.

    He said the high yield was due to adequate rainfall and the sensitisation programme held for farmers on prevention of armyworm pest by research institute.

    “We have better maize yield this year than last year because of the improvement in the rains, rice farmers also started planting about four weeks ago and the rice is germinating well.

    “We hope the rain continues till November.

    “Also the sensitisation on how to plant maize, prevent/reduce the armyworm pest invading maize farms, by research institute, especially Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T) helped us to get the good yield.

    “The herbicide sold to us at a subsidised rate at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture supported us too,” he said.

    According to the chairman, the best time to plant cassava and water melon is between September and November as the two don’t require much water to germinate.

    He, therefore, urged farmers to start planting the crops as soon as possible and hope for a good yield during the time of harvest.

    Ayinla urged the Federal Government through the CBN to look into the loan issue the farmers applied for in 2016.

    “We applied for loan from CBN since last year September but till now we have not seen anything, they promised it will be given to us within 31 days but now is getting to 13 months.

    “Lack of fund is seriously affecting our farming, also lack of good roads to our farms; Fulani herdsmen invading our farms are really giving us concern and limiting our production,” he said.

    He further appealed to the state government to provide storage facilities for farmers to store and preserve produce to avoid scarcity in dry season.

    “They can divide us into three zones in Oyo state for example and create the facilities in the zones, that will still be better for us,” Ayinla said.

  • AFAN decries high cost of farming inputs

    AFAN decries high cost of farming inputs

    Mr Moses Oladipupo, Vice-Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria ( AFAN ), Osun chapter has decried the high cost of farming inputs, ago-chemicals and lack of market for farm produce.

    Oladipupo, who said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Osogbo, expressed concern that farmers in the state were facing numerous challenges.

    He enumerated other challenges facing framers in the state to include, operating at a huge loss, high cost of land cultivation, lack of farming implements

    The vice-chairman said that the high cost of land cultivation, if juxtaposed with the selling prices of produce after harvest always leave farmers at a loss.

    Oladipupo said: “Farmers are not happy. We are selling our produce at a loss because we don’t have a choice than to sell them.

    “The cost we buy chemicals and fertiliser is getting more expensive, when we harvest our produce, what we sell don’t cover the cost of money we used to cultivate the crops.

    “Farmers are really suffering; we don’t have means of preserving our crops.

    “The market women that come to the farms to buy our produce always cheat us because they serve as intermediaries.

    “They will buy cheap from us and sell three times the price to the people.

    “We are just toiling and sweating to produce food while intermediaries rip-off on our sweat and profit because we don’t have the platform to market our produce.

    “If we don’t sell because we feel we are being cheated, the harvested crops will spoil due to lack of preservation.

    “If we still don’t sell because we don’t want to incur losses, we can’t survive because we will go hungry.”

    Oladipupo called on the state government to fulfill its promises to farmers, adding that farmers were operating and surviving on their own.

    He said members of the chapter needed government assistance; especially the provision of farmers’ markets to sell produce and reduce post harvest losses.

    Oladipupo also urged the state government to provide farmers with modern structures to preserve their harvested crops to enable them sell at reasonable price later.

    On behalf of AFAN, he also called on the government to subsidise prices of farming chemicals and fertiliser to boost the operation of farmers and for them to make good returns on their investments.

  • AFAN partners CBN on cassava cultivation in Auchi

    AFAN partners CBN on cassava cultivation in Auchi

    Dr Mohammed Abdullahi, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN),, 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 the 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 an 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.

  • Yam growers bemoan non-inclusion in FG’s yam export drive

    Yam growers bemoan non-inclusion in FG’s yam export drive

    The Yam Growers Association of Nigeria (YAGAN) has accused the Federal Government of neglecting the country’s yam farmers in its nascent yam export drive.

    Alhaji Shuaibu Idris, the President of the association, expressed the viewpoint on Tuesday in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

    He said that the government had failed to carry the association along in its yam export initiative.

    He underscored the need to involve YAGAN in all the processes of the yam export programme, saying that its contribution to the success of the initiative should not be underestimated.

    “We are the growers and the producers, we know where it pinches and what to do to fill the gaps; everything is not about research alone, we should be considered relevant to the project,’’ he said.

    Idris noted that the Technical Committee on Nigeria Yam Export Programme (TCNYEP), in its assignment, liaised with the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) and other relevant stakeholders.

    He then wondered why the committee failed to obtain the input of YAGAN in working out a framework.

    He described the yam export drive as a laudable policy which should be embraced as the yam exportation would boost the country’s economy.

    He, nonetheless, stressed that the association ought to have been contacted for its input and support to ensure adequate yam supplies for both exports and local consumption.

    “YAGAN is not against the government’s policy but since we are the yam producers; it is, therefore, not out of place for the government to call us for discussions on the processes of yam production and exports.

    “Does government farm? We are the farmers and our contribution will go a long way to sustain the venture,’’ he said.

    Idris, however, said that the venture would be successful if the government could support the development of commercial yam farms across the country.

    He said that government’s intervention was somewhat imperative, considering the huge investments involved in initiating successful commercial farming ventures.

    “Nigerian farmers are ageing, they are not strong enough to feed the nation; what they produce now is in small quantity, which is not enough to facilitate the development of commercial agriculture in the country and sustain produce exports.’’

    Idris noted that the country farmers were facing myriad challenges, even in producing the food for domestic consumption and particularly now when the food export was involved.

    He called on the government to provide the necessary incentives to attract more young men and women into agriculture, saying that farming should be considered as a means of livelihood.

    “The challenges cannot be shouldered by farmers or farmers’ associations alone; there is a need for government intervention; government should provide basic infrastructure such as irrigation systems and electricity to boost food security and internal security.

    “Government ought to develop access roads to farms, reduce tariffs on imported farm machinery, provide competitive agro-financial loans, while awakening Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Company to its responsibilities against disasters,’’ he said.

    Idris, however, said that even though farmers associations were striving to shoulder many responsibilities in order to contribute to the nation’s food security and development; yet the huge costs involved was weighing down their efforts.

    Also, Prince Uke Ubaka, a farmer and top official of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), described the yam export initiative as a worthwhile policy that would boost the country’s foreign exchange earnings but warned about its sustainability.

    He said that that this was not the first time that Nigeria would be exporting yam to UK.

    “The first time was in 2003 when AFAN, in conjunction with the Nasarawa State Government, exported some tubers of yam to Britain after understudying Ghana.

    “The export led to the promotion of so many Nigerian foods at the farmers’ markets in UK and the Americas,’’ he said.

    Ubaka stressed that now that the programme had been revived, government should carry out market feasibility studies so as to ascertain the requirements of the consumers and ensure steady supply.

    He, however, warned against undue bureaucracy, insisting that the government should not drive the programme.

    “It is okay for the government to champion the programme but I suggest that government should refrain from driving it so that bureaucracy will not kill the laudable programme.

    “It is left for government to sustain the creation of markets internationally and adequately monitor the transactions so as to earn more revenue via tariffs,’’ he said.

    Ubaka also advised government to sanitise and improve the markets, so that they would not be saturated to become open markets and dumping grounds for all sorts of produce.

    NAN recalls that in fulfilment of the economic diversification policy of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, Nigeria officially kick-started the yam export initiative by exporting 72 tonnes of yam to Europe on June 29.

    The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, launched the yam export at Lillypond Container Terminal in Ijora, Lagos.

  • NAFDAC advises exporters to stop embarrassing Nigeria

    NAFDAC advises exporters to stop embarrassing Nigeria

    The National Agency for Food And Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has advised Nigerian exporters to stop embarrassing the country by obtaining the agency’s certification of products.

    The Spokesman of NAFDAC, Dr Abubakar Jimoh, gave the advice while fielding questions from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja on the rejection of about 25 Nigerian produce by the European Union (EU) between 2015 and 2016.

    Jimoh explained that the EU had rejected the 25 exported food products from Nigeria for lack of standard.

    NAN reports that some of the food products on the EU rejection list from Nigeria include beans, sesame seeds, melon seeds, dried fish and meat, peanut chips and palm oil, among others.

    He therefore urged exporters to subject their products to NAFDAC’s standard and internationally accredited laboratories for proper certification.

    He said that the screening and certification of any product for export by NAFDAC was free of charge in spite of facilities, personnel and chemical reagents being used to conduct such tests.

    “The Federal Government is doing this as a deliberate policy to encourage our exporters and to satisfy international standards for exports.

    “We are now appealing to our exporters not to run away from product certification of NAFDAC, it is free and we don’t charge anything for such service.

    “We have adequate personnel and equipment to carry out such responsibility in the country,’’ Jimoh said.

    The spokesman lamented that the action of exporters has put the country’s image in bad light and also cause a huge loss to the exporters themselves which had implication to the economy of the country.

    According to him, NAFDAC had six functional laboratories that conduct various types of products test across the country.

    He also decried exporters’ penchant for bypassing NAFDAC and smuggling of their products at the detriment of the country’s economy and their income.

    Jimoh said that the agency had two functional laboratories in Lagos, one each in Kaduna, Agolo in Anambra, Maiduguri and Port Hacourt, while the one in Calabar had not been completed.

    He disclosed plans to establish another laboratory in Benue to serve exporters in the North Central part of the country.

    Jimoh, who is also the NAFDAC Director Special Duty, noted that the laboratory in Lagos had been accredited internationally and any product that gets approval from such lab would be recognised globally.

    He confirmed that the EU had certified the laboratory in Lagos and considered it as meeting the world standard.

    He disclosed that Kaduna laboratory was inherited by NAFDAC from the Federal Ministry of Health and later gutted by fire, but that the agency had built a new lab.

    The spokesman added that the Kaduna laboratory was built to serve all agricultural farm produce coming from the north for screening and certification and exportation.

    He added that the laboratory has required facilities and equipment and was now awaiting international accreditation.

    According to him, Agolo, a regional laboratory built by NAFDAC and inaugurated sometime in 2010 by former president Goodluck Jonathan, also has the capacity to serve exporters from the South East region.

    “The EU team that visited our lab in Lagos about a year and half ago were happy with what they met on ground.

    “We have two laboratories in Lagos, the one in Oshodi deals with food products, micro toxic, High Liquid Performance Chromatography and pesticide residues, while the one in Yaba deals mainly on drugs.

    “Laboratory is capital intensive and we cannot have it in every state; therefore those we have now serve states close to them.

    “We have the capacity and we are well prepared to ensure all our exported products from the country get NAFDAC’s clean bill of health as an agency charged with responsibility of quality control,” he said.

    Jimoh also urged the Nigerian Customs Service to continue to cooperate with NAFDAC in ensuring that such products were not smuggled out of the country.

    Meanwhile, the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Kano says it will convene a meeting with producers of agricultural products affected by the EU rejection policy to reverse the development.

    The state AFAN Secretary, Alhaji Garba Bichi, told NAN in Kano that the meeting would draw all stakeholders from across the state in order to find a lasting solution to the problem.

    “We have decided to convene a meeting with all those affected by the EU rejection on some agricultural products in order to address the issue.

    “The rejection is as a result of the failure of producers to meet standards due to incorrect application of pesticides and other agrochemical substances.

    “So we feel it is necessary to meet with affected farmers and other stakeholders to find a way out,” Bichi said.

    He assured that even though some of the affected products were not produced in the state, but the association would meet with the affected producers with a view to taking a collective decision on the issue.

    The scribe said the meeting was expected to come up with useful recommendations for immediate implementation and if possible seek technical advices from experts.

    An official of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) in the Kano State told NAN on condition of anonymity that the council last year trained some farmers of a particular product, following the development.

    The official, who, works at the Enquiry Desk, said the training which was held in Kaduna, was conducted on melon and ginger where farmers were given technical advices on how to add value to their products and ease acceptability in the international markets.

  • Low pricing: Wheat farmers warn of potential drop in output

    Low pricing: Wheat farmers warn of potential drop in output

    Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria has raised alarm over likely decrease in wheat production due to inadequate government support and low pricing of the produce nationwide.

    The National President of the association, Alhaji Salim Muhammad, raised the alarm while speaking with newsmen in Kano on Wednesday.

    Muhammad, a member of the National Taskforce on Rice and Wheat, therefore appealed to the Federal Government to intervene in the matter especially as it concerned the cost of the produce as charged by millers.

    According to Muhammad, “There was a target by the government that by 2017, 2018, it would stop importation of rice.

    “By then, we are expected to have become self-sufficient in terms of production.

    “On the issue of wheat, we have taken some few years because it has been a neglected crop over the years.

    “I  can tell you that we lost not less than N42 billion to import wheat into this country annually, when this country has the potential to produce enough wheat to feed the country and even have excess for exportation to other countries.

    “This year, we covered 300,000 hectares for wheat production in the country, but nothing came from the Federal Government as support during the production process on these 300,000 hectares of land.

    “We want the Federal Government to call us for a meeting so that we can review the MoU we signed last season so that we can agree on a new price because last year, we bought each bag of wheat seed at N40,000 per 100kg and now the millers are going behind us to buy a bag at N18,000.

    “So our production level has not reached the expected (target)?.’’

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria and Flour Millers Association of Nigeria in 2016 fixed the price of wheat at N140, 000 per tonne.

    The associations also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to ensure that the millers bought all the wheat produced by farmers, hence creating the much needed ready market for the farmers.

    He appealed to the Federal Government to assist farmers through the provision of inputs such as improved wheat seeds and mechanised farming implements.

    Alhaji Farouk Rabiu, the Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Kano State, who described the current price of wheat as “oppressing’’, said as such, many farmers had been forced out of the wheat production business.

    According to him, if remedial steps are not taken, more and more farmers will stop producing wheat, which is capable of attracting huge foreign exchange for the country.

    “We are saying that wheat production is going to fail if care is not taken because I can give you the names of a lot of farmers that will tell you that they will not produce wheat because this price is  oppressive.’’ he said.

    Meanwhile, Dr Nasiru Gawuna, the Kano State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, has appealed to Nigerian stakeholders in the pricing of wheat to address the issue in order to encourage more farmers in the country to produce wheat.

    “There is no way a farmer will produce and not make profit. We should be realistic in our decisions.

    “The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development should urgently look into this pricing matter,’’ the commissioner said.