The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Farmers

  • Court remands three farmers

    Court remands three farmers

    A Pantami Chief Magistrates’ Court in Gombe State has remanded three farmers accused of robbery.

    The Chief Magistrate, Alhaji Bello Sheriff, ordered the remand of Hamisu Adamu, 30; Sambo Haruna, 25 and Yunusa Audu, 27,  residents of Tashan Leko, Yamaltu/Deba Local Government.

    Sheriff, who did not take their pleas, adjourned the matter till October 18.

    Prosecutor Dahiru Abdullahi said the suspects allegedly committed the offences on August 9, at 8:30 pm.

    He said they used cutlasses, cudgels and dane gun to rob Babangida Badamasi, Ibrahim Aminu and Usman Abubakar, dispossessing them of Tecno and Gionee phones; costing N8,000, N5,000, and N137,000.

    He said the offences contravened sections 97 (1) and 298 of the Penal Code.

    Abdullahi applied for adjournment to enable the police complete investigation.

  • ARMTI trains 766 farmers

    ARMTI trains 766 farmers

    The Executive Director, Agricultural and Rural Management Training Institute (ARMTI), Dr. Olufemi Oladunni, has reiterated the determination of the institute to reduce youth mobility caused by poverty, through training that will create jobs and business opportunities for them in the agricultural sector and in the rural areas.

    Declaring open a workshop for farmers in Kaduna and Katsina states in Abuja, Oladunni said the institute’s programmes  aimed to promote adoption of improved production practices by targetting farmers, with gradual roll out of farmer-centric agricultural services and systems across the country.

    According to him, the institute   helps farmers use new methods and systems making farming  a more viable livelihood option.

    In addition to the technical skills taught, the training is an opportunity for local farmers to come together, discuss best practices, and share their experiences.

    So far, he said 766 farmers had benefited from the programme.

    Another 114 were being expected, bringing the number of participants to 880..

    He commended Kaduna and Katsina states’ agricultural development programme (ADP) for their assistance to the programme.

  • Farmers decry imported maize glut

    Farmers decry imported maize glut

    Farmers  have urged the government to come up with  a mechanism for monitoring maize imports to avoid a glut.

    In an interview, the Lagos Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Otunba Femi Oke, warned that millers and cartels were likely to take advantage of the import window, which has resulted in a drop in local maize prices.

    According to him, unchecked maize import remains a threat to local production. As much as the government wants to support producers by making available the grain, it is important to protect local farmers, he added.

    His worry is that the glut in the market may continue, which will result in millers and poultry producers buying the grain at a throw-away price to the detriment of local maize farmers.

    The imported one will create problems for maize producers, many of whom have high stocks, he said. Oke added that farmers would incur huge losses with the continued importation of cheap maize.

    According to him, if the Federal Government does not act fast, the   maize  market will be lost to importers, whose activities may affect local producers, jobs and the economy.

    He was optimistic that the cost of local maize would fall, if the governments offered incentives to farmers to augment their production costs.

    Some stakeholders agreed with Oke, saying the price of imported maize was lower because the government of the importing countries provided support to their farmers.

    But poultry farmers have blamed farmers for the scarcity of maize in the market.

    The Group Head, Policy and Strategy, Amo Farm Sieberer Hatchery Limited, Mr. Toromade Francis, said local farmers didn’t have the desire to produce more as there was no market for their produce.

    He said this had pushed poultry farmers to import grains, such as soya beans and maize for feed production.

    “Since 2011, the least we have imported (maize) is 200,000 metric tonnes. Even this year, about 300,000MT was projected for importation because of the gap between demand and local production.”

    He noted that imported grains were cheaper at N104,000 per tonne than the local grains which went for N130,000 per tonne, because of the yield.

    “The yield per hectare in Nigeria is about three or four tonnes while the imported ones yield up to 10 tonnes per hectare. In addition to this, cost of funds is low outside Nigeria,” he said.

    The General Manager, Operations, Amo Farms, Mr. Emmanuel Olorun-toba, decried maize and soya beans export to other countries after every harvest season, amid increased demand and high prices of grains .

    At a briefing on the NatnuPreneur Broiler Out-grower scheme in Lagos, Oloruntoba said: “We are in a situation where we don’t have enough maize and yet during the harvest season, maize is exported.

    “I remember vividly last harvest season, an average of 500,000 tonnes of maize left Nigeria to neighbouring countries while we barely had enough to take care of our needs.”

    Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) Chairman Dr. Ayoola Oduntan said the scarcity of grains in the local market, has escalated the price of feed. Feed constitutes over 70 per cent of operations’ cost.

    He said the high cost contributed to the high prices of eggs and chicken in the local market.

    He said the cost of feed increased by over 100 per cent from about N60,000 per tonne to about N130,000 between 2014 and 2017, resulting in increase in the price of eggs from N20 to N50 and chicken from N450 per kilogramme to about N1, 200 per kg.

  • Edo, Delta, Cross River fish farmers get equipment

    The British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF), in partnership  with the United States  Agency for International Development (USAID), yesterday empowered eight fish farmers cooperative groups with fish smoking equipment.

    The farmers were drawn from Cross River, Delta, Ondo and Edo.

    Speaking at the presentation in Ibadan, Mrs Abimbola Okoya, executive director of BATNF, said foundation seek to support small holder farmers in venturing into  commercial farming.

    Okoya said the fish farmers were trained on how to use the equipment, adding that this  will add value to their business in preservation and  packaging.

    She said there were many unhealthy smoked fish in the market as a result of poor preservation and the use of unconsumable chemicals.

    “I encourage you to make effective use of this equipment and train other members of your community.

    “We would continue to monitor everyone to ensure that you make use of the equipment effectively,’’ she said.

    Also speaking, Mr Kayode Faleti, the southern coordinator of  USAID, urged beneficiaries to be diligent in carrying out their farming business.

    Faleti said the foundation would reduce the  post-harvest losses  of farmers  and increase  their income through value addition.

    “With this smoking equipment,  you can determine when to sell your product and when to keep them instead of hurrying to sell at a loss for fear of the fish getting spoilt.

  • No major crisis in Osun between herdsmen, farmers, says Aregbesola

    No major crisis in Osun between herdsmen, farmers, says Aregbesola

    Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola said yesterday that the relative peace between farmers and herdsmen in the state is due to the activities of the committee on peaceful co-existence between herdsmen and farmers he set up in 2014.

    Aregbesola spoke at the National Conference on the Transformation of Nigeria Livestock Industry at the International Conference Centre in Abuja.

    Accordin to him, ý his administration had successfully made agriculture a special vehicle to drive the economy of the state as an alternative to relying on oil revenue for development.

    Represented ýby Commissioner for Special Duties Mudashir Toogun, Aregbesola said the need to promote and enhance communal peace and progress among the citizenry informed the decision to constitute a committee on peaceful co-existence between Fulani/Bororo and crop farmers, an initiative which according to him made the state to have zero case of infractions between farmers and herders.

    Aregbesola said the committee’s mandate to mediate between the herdsmen and crop farmers whenever there was crisis.

    He said Osun is today regarded as a model of harmonious relationship between herdsmen and farmers because of the successes recorded by the peaceful coexistence and conflict reconciliatory committee.

    He said: “This committee was given the mandate to mediate between the herdsmen and crop farmers whenever there is crisis within the State of Osun.

    “This has contributed immensely to the relative peace being witnessed in the state and which has been attested to by local and international agencies such as UNDP and other states of the federation have been coming either directly or indirectly to replicate the committee in their various states.”

    “Over 5000 cases had been resolved amicably between the two parties with compensation paid to the affected farmers as unanimously agreed; this has greatly reduced the risks of conflicts and enhanced harmonious relationship among the citizens”, Aregbesola told the gathering.

    Speaking on the theme of the conference “Transformation of the Nigeria Livestock Industry”, Aregbesola described the conference as timely particularly when the focus is fully set on having a transition from oil dependence to other areas of the economy.

    He noted that his administration invested hugely in beef, piggery, fishery and poultry productions.

    “Our poultry production has been tremendously transformed through the Osun Broiler Outgrowers Production Scheme (OBOPS).”

  • Presidency: farmers to get four million bags of fertiliser before Dec

    •Fed Govt saves $150m from local production
    •’Ecological Fund will be timely released’

    The Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI) will deliver four million bags of 50 kilogrammes (kg) Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium (NPK) fertiliser to farmers at an affordable price before the end of the year.

    Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity) Mallam Garba Shehu made this known on Hannu Ya Dawa, an audience participation programme on FRCN Kaduna.

    According to a statement by a Deputy Director (Information), State House, Attah Esah, the presidential aide added that 11 fertiliser blending plants will be increased to 18 by the end of the year.

    He said the new plants will in turn provide direct employment to no fewer than 50,000 Nigerians.

    Shehu said the projected delivery of the bags of fertilisers by December is in addition to the six million bags of 50kg fertilisers already sold to farmers since the initiative commenced early this year.

    He said: “The problem of the shortage of fertilisers and its attendant high cost plaguing the nation’s agricultural production, seemingly intractable for decades, have been resolved following the successful execution of the mandate of the PFI.

    “Since the implementation of the initiative, the six million 50kg bags of NPK fertilisers were purchased by state governments and agro-dealers across the country,” he said.

    The presidential spokesman noted that the production of locally-blended fertiliser had saved the Federal Government about $150 million this year, hitherto spent on foreign exchange; and N60 billion in budgetary provisions for fertiliser subsidy.

    He said the successful implementation of the PFI had made fertiliser available to Nigerian farmers at affordable prices and in time for the 2017 wet season farming.

    “Last year, Daily Trust newspaper reported that a bag of 50kg NPK fertiliser was sold at N10,900 in Benue State. Today, the same commodity is being sold at about N6,500 in different locations across the country, while the government-approved price is N5,500.

    Quoting the same newspaper report, Shehu noted that a bag of maize, which was sold at N21,000 last year, is being sold at an average of N10,000.

    “This is an indication that the initiative has enhanced food security as a result of the increase in food production. There is also a reduction in food-induced inflation while economic activities across the agriculture value chain are very impressive,” he said.

    Shehu added that Buhari’s administration will ensure the timely release of the Ecological Fund to states to address pressing ecological challenges in their localities.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President pledged that the administration would continue to assist flood victims across the country.

    Shehu said: “The Buhari administration will under no circumstance abandon its humanitarian obligations to alleviate the distress of flood victims.

    “In spite of Nigeria’s technological limitations and the paucity of funds to handle or manage large scale and complex emergencies, the APC administration will leave no stone unturned in offering succour to victims of natural disasters across the country,” he said.

    On the Ecological Fund, Shehu said it is the right of citizens to demand the judicious use of the Fund, which is distributed among the three tiers of government from the Federation Account.

    “The largest chunk of the Fund goes to the states and local governments. Every month, States and Local governments receive 1.4 per cent from the Federation account as Ecological Fund, compared to the Federal government’s share of 1 per cent.

    “From the 1 per cent the FG gets, NEMA takes 20 per cent for its operation,” he said.

    The Presidential aide noted that lately, disaster management in the country is gradually being ceded to the Federal Government by other tiers of government.

    Shehu said the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation has also been mandated to step up the provision of relief infrastructure to those in need.

  • National conference on farmers/herdsmen crisis holds tomorrow

    The Federal Government has said it will hold a national conference tomorrow as part of efforts to provide sustainable solution to the lingering crisis between farmers and the herdsmen.

    Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Chief Audu Ogbeh at a news briefing at the weekend in Abuja said the planned stakeholders’ conference was to transform the nation’s livestock industry.

    He said the crisis has led to loss of lives, destruction of properties as well as crops, adding that there was need for pastoralists to embrace modern cattle breeding methods to foster better productivity, increase profit and put a stop to the reoccurring conflicts.

    Ogbeh said: “Nasty articles and hate speeches won’t solve our problems. There is no point spoiling the atmosphere with toxic thought and violent opinions. We will all pay for it down the road. It’s about talking sensibly what did we do? How did we get here and why was livestock neglected? That’s what we will be discussing on Tuesday.

    “We are going to discuss issues that affect livestock and about 450 grazing reserves that existed before, which have vanished and grazing routes that existed. Abuja was a route before. Meat preservation and availability will be discussed and at the end of the programme, I am assuring you that all the problems will have been solved such that our neighbouring countries will tap from the success achieved.”

  • Recession exit: FG commends farmers, urges reduction in food prices

    Recession exit: FG commends farmers, urges reduction in food prices

    The Federal Government has commended farmers across the country for their contribution toward exiting the country from recession.

    The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the National Bureau of Statistics released a report indicating the exit of the country from recession with agriculture being one of the contributing factors.

    Chief Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, while briefing newsmen in Abuja on Friday, said that both small holders and big time farmers contributed immensely to the exit.

    Ogbeh, however, appealed to farmers, middlemen and traders to avoid indiscriminate increase in the price of food items.

    He said that Federal Government would not impose price control on food prices, noting that the only option was to improve food production.

    According to him, agriculture is contributory and we will continue to contribute but government is not falling asleep.

    Related: End of recession sparks row between APC, PDP

    “I also want to thank Nigerians, especially the farmers (big and small), who have yielded the call of Mr President to return to the farms. They have done amazing things.

    Recession
    Recession slide

    “And if there are any new zeros in this country, they are the ones who contributed. I am also happy for them because they are now making money. For a long time, they didn’t make money which is why many of us ran away from agriculture.

    “Few days ago, I appealed to middlemen and transporters to try and help us out because I have seen tactical examples of why food prices are so high.

    “I am sorry that the food prices are still high but I am appealing to farmers and middlemen, let all of us enjoy the surplus so that no sector will put pressure on the other.

    “We have tried in two years but we have to work even harder and keep moving because the danger is still ahead.

    “We have to increase agriculture, export, processing and value addition and reduce imports,’’ the minister said.

    On the high cost of locally produced rice, Ogbeh said the government was negotiating an arrangement with rice farmers to bring down the price of paddy from one N150, 000 to N120, 000 per tonne.

    According to him, the drop will help millers sell a 50kg bag of rice at N13, 000 which would be affordable to citizens.

    “In 2015, one tonne of rice was sold for N65, 000 but in 2016, it was sold for N150, 000.

    “The millers said that as long as they were buying a tonne of paddy for N150, 000, they could not sell a bag of rice for less than N17, 000 after milling.

    “I am begging the farmers to be reasonable. I can’t force them,’’ he said.

    NAN recalls that agriculture continued its strong and positive growth which it had maintained throughout the recession, growing by 3.01 per cent in second quarter of 2017 from 3.39 per cent in Q1 2017 and 4.53 per cent in Q2 2016.

  • Council promises to empower women farmers

    The Director General, National Centre for Women Development (NCWD), Mary Ekpere-Eta has pledged the cooperation of the Centre towards ensuring the empowerment of women farmers of cocoa, rice and cassava.

     She made this known while speaking at the opening ceremony of the first International Cocoa Summit held at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja.

    The Director, who is also a cocoa farmer, was among the participants at the summit.

    Speaking on the topic: “Attracting New Generation of Cocoa Farmers and Gender Issues”, Mrs Ekpere – Eta observed that females have not been active in mainstream commercial agriculture especially in cocoa farming.

     In her words: “The participation ratio of female cocoa farmers in the country currently stands at 20%.

    “This low index is particularly caused by factors like traditional landholding systems which does not allow females to own large tracts in most rural parts of Nigeria, as well as the disadvantaged position of female farmers when they seek loans to fund their farms”

    According to her, the Centre is modelling a framework to expand the production capacities of female farmers.

    She said, “we are developing an agro-focused framework at the National Centre for Women Development which will be rolled out and implemented in the next one year.

    “The first phase of this one year programme is targeted at effectively empowering women who cultivate cocoa, rice and cassava”she added

    “In the next phase of the agro empowerment programme for the second year, our focus will be on female farmers of crops like groundnut, millet and soybeans. I believe that this effort will go a long way to boost the non-oil economy as well as significantly increase the nation’s GDP”she added.

    At the summit were stakeholders from the Cocoa Association of Nigeria, Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria,  African Export and Import Bank, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and others from the cocoa industry generally.

     

  • Northern Elders Forum decries FG’s silence over herdsmen, farmers’ clashes

    Northern Elders Forum decries FG’s silence over herdsmen, farmers’ clashes

    •Seeks solution to growing agitation for restructuring

    The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) is not happy with the federal government for its alleged silence on intermittent clashes between herdsmen and farmers in different parts of the country.

    It blamed the federal government for failing to evolve a nationwide transition programme for herdsmen to embrace ranching as a solution to the persistent clashes.

    It therefore wants government to step in immediately and address the problem for peace to reign.

    The group, at an extraordinary session with Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State in Markurdi, also advised government  to accept the socio-economic advocacy from southern Nigeria as a solution to the growing agitation for restructuring.

    The Southern Leaders Forum (SLF) at its last meeting in Lagos last week disagreed with President Muhammadu Buhari’s position on agitations for restructuring insisting that only restructuring will ensure the unity, peace and development of the country.

    Buhari in his last Monday’s national broadcast had said Nigeria’s unity is settled and non-negotiable.

    Emerging from the NEF’s session with Ortom yesterday, its spokesperson, Mr. Mustapha Wali, told reporters that the federal government “has failed in intervening in sorting out these matters nationwide, all you hear are conferences and seminars of academics but the practical applicable and interventionist stage as it is happening now, is what should have been the case.

    “Now that Benue has taken the bull by the horn as they say, we have to put a proposition for capital intensive possibilities for this transitional situations where the herdsmen are taught to ranch and to know that they are bitter times during transition and therefore, the federal government cannot avoid the responsibility of coming in to assist all the states and harmonize all these problems.

    “It is in this respect as the convener (Dr. Paul Unongo) has stated, that we now intend to set-up a special intervention committee for the purposes of intervening in these kinds of situations, the transitional and legal situations to ensure there are no problems that will arise which are fully avoidable”.

    Governor Ortom in an attempt to mobilize support for the open grazing prohibition and ranches establishment bill 2017, urged leaders in the region to speak up and find solution to the raging herdsmen/farmers conflict.

    He said: “Our leaders have chosen to keep quiet and it is something that is to me a keg of gun-powder and we need to arise to our responsibilities as leaders to check this problem, the problem of herdsmen and farmers.

    “Benue State in particular, was under siege since 2012, 13 local governments were completely displaced out of 23 local government, including my own local government.

    “While serving as minister, my ancestral home was attacked and destroyed and that day alone, 53 of my people were murdered in cold blood, my farm was razed and destroyed.”