The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ernest Aubee

  • ECOWAS to make self-sufficiency in rice a reality by 2025 – Official

    The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says its rice offensive programme would make self-sufficiency in rice a reality in the sub-region by 2025.

    Mr Ernest Aubee, Principal Programme Officer and ECOWAS Head of Agriculture Division, made the disclosure in an interview with our reporters in Abuja on Monday.

    Aubee said that the programme had been designed to enhance rice production in all member states

    ‘‘The programme will basically look at how the region can increase its production so as to meet consumption needs and reduce import.

    ‘‘It will also create job opportunities for our own farmers especially youths and women.

    ‘‘It will also improve the value chain so that it could be of high quality and nutritionally suitable for us as ECOWAS citizens to consume.’’

    He said that rice has become a highly strategic commodity in West Africa and is the largest source of food calories on the African continent.

    ‘‘ECOWAS countries imported around nine million tonnes of milled rice in 2014, representing a cost of 4 billion Euros.

    ‘‘To avoid risks of civil unrest and the scenarios of increased global food prices, there is an urgent need to increase rice production, processing, value-addition, and marketing in West Africa to achieve self-sufficiency.

    ‘‘Currently, the region depends on imports from Asia to fulfil about half of its consumption needs.

    “ECOWAS has initiated a regional offensive to reach rice self-sufficiency by 2025.’’

    The regional offensive for sustained recovery of rice production in West Africa Programme was approved by the ECOWAS Council of Ministers in June 2014.

    Aubee said that this offensive was aimed at reducing imports to zero level by 2025.

    He said the joint collaborative spirit aimed at supporting the rice offensive would energise rice production in the sub-region.

    ‘‘It will also bolster a regional public-private partnership which makes self-sufficiency in rice and economic prosperity a reality in West Africa.

    ‘‘The fact book is a briefing document on key rice parameters in the ECOWAS region, opportunities and business cases aimed at attracting anchor investors.’’

    He added that the commission has been in partnership with CARI in four countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Burkina Faso and Tanzania to promote rice production in Africa.

    ‘‘We are member of steering committee for CARI for the whole of Africa and also a very active member in Nigeria Rice Advocacy Platform, helping to support rice cultivation in all rice production states.’’

    He said CARI Phase I has been successful in the four countries in the efforts to make Africa self-sufficient in rice.

    NAN

  • ECOWAS urges FG to invest more in agriculture

    ECOWAS urges FG to invest more in agriculture

    The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has urged the Federal Government to increase its investment in agriculture to enable Nigeria regain its place in the sector.

    The regional body Principal Programme Officer on Agriculture, Mr. Ernest Aubee, made the call in Abuja on Monday.

    The programme officer said more investment in agriculture would attract and encourage more youths and women into the venture.

    He said technology that would ensure quality seeds, fertiliser, good storage and packaging facilities, good transportation and marketing facilities should also be encouraged.

    Aubee commended the federal government for its “Green Alternative” initiative, saying improved investment in the sector would help to translate the plan into reality.

    He said, “Nigeria has been a leader in agriculture in the past but it went down at some point and oil and gas took over.

    “Nigeria needs more investment in the agriculture sector now. All that is needed is more investment to transform agricultural plans into practical reality.

    “They also need to modernize and mechanise where possible.

    “The government needs to develop the markets; a lot of production is going on but they need to address some value chain issues like storage.

    “For some agricultural commodities like fruits and vegetables, if you do not have proper storage, their shelf life is very short and they get spoilt.”

    NAN

     

     

  • Addressing climate change issues will end farmers/herdsmen clashes – ECOWAS

    The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has appealed to the governments of member states, especially Nigeria to address climate change issues to end farmers/herdsmen clashes in the region.

    Mr Ernest Aubee, the ECOWAS Principal Programme Officer, Agriculture, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday.

    Aubee said that the issues could be addressed through planting of more trees, grasses and fodders, adding that this would encourage herdsmen to reside in one place and discourage encroachment into farmlands.

    “Farmers and herdsmen have lived together for many years, they have co-habited.

    “If you look at farmers and herdsmen, they are after the same objective which is to provide food. You sell and make money.

    “What is important is to create an understanding, a dialogue process because the clashes benefit no-one.

    “The farmer wants the land to cultivate and sell, the herdsmen are looking for grazing land and water, so it is a question of resources.

    “The current climate change issues have to a great extent resulted in the clashes.

    “We must also address the issues of climate change in looking at the issues of movement of animals.

    “The government must do everything possible to plant more trees, more grasses, fodders so that the herdsmen can benefit and do not go into other people’s farms,” he said.

    The ECOWAS official said the commission was also working assiduously to tackle the problem at the regional level.

    He said that the ECOWAS was engaging the two groups to talk at the regional level, because the problem of herdsmen and farmers was not just a Nigerian problem.

    “You have it in other parts of the region, although on different scales,”

    “The issue has become a security issue in the region.

    “However, the commission is currently implementing the directives of Heads of States and Governments on how to address the challenges,” Aubee said.

     

  • ECOWAS advices against substandard agric produce

    ECOWAS advices against substandard agric produce

    Mr Ernest Aubee, the ECOWAS Principal Programme Officer, Agriculture, has advised against the smuggling and importation of substandard agricultural produce into member states.

    Aubee told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday, that the development was totally `unacceptable.’’

    Aubee was reacting to complaints by seafood dealers on the activities of fish smugglers hiding under the guise of the ECOWAS protocol on free movement of people, goods and services.

    “No one should trade in commodities that are going to be detrimental to a fellow member state.

    “You cannot take something that is sub-standard or something that is bad and move it from country A to country B to make money.

    “It is unacceptable for anybody to try to dump substandard food in any ECOWAs member states.

    “It is also unacceptable if you decide to violate not just the regional but also the national laws of a country when it comes to food quality, food safety issues.

    “My appeal to all business people in fisheries or in other agricultural commodities is to respect the regulations, the protocols on free movement of peoples, goods and services.

    “Also respect other protocols dealing with the marketing products from one place to another,’’ he said.

    According to him, the protocol on free movement of people, goods and services does not promote illegality among member countries.

    Aubee commended the Agricultural Promotion Policy of the Federal Government known as the Green Alternative.

    He said the policy was building on the successes of previous agricultural policies aimed at improving the sector.

    The official also lauded the efforts of the government in rice production, saying it would guarantee export to other ECOWAS member states.

    NAN recalled that the Association of Indigenous Sea Food Stakeholders led by its National Chairman, Mr Lamina Rasheed, had complained about the continuous smuggling of fish through the land borders.

    Following this complain, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, set up a task force to clamp down on offenders.

    The minister also announced a fine of 250,000 dollar or five years’ imprisonment or both as punishment for offenders, in addition to the forfeiture and destruction of the product.