The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Farmers

  • 18 farmers hacked to death in Taraba

    At least 18 farmers are believed to have been hacked to death by unknown assailants at Dan-anacha in Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba in the early hours of Sunday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the killings are one of the series of bloody attacks in the state.

    NAN reports that most of the farmers were killed on their farms.

    The State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr David Misal, who confirmed the incident, said that the police would soon release the casualty figure.

    “Actually, I cannot lie to you there are casualties, but we will release the figures later after we might have finish combing the area.

    “It was an undercover attack by some unidentified people in the area,” Misal said.

    He said the police would soon conduct a thorough search for the perpetrators of the wicked act through intelligence gathering.

    The acting Chairman of Concerned Taraba Tiv Youth Frontier, Mr Dooior Torkula, said a total of 18 persons were killed in separate attacks.

    Torkula said the frontier recovered 12 corpses in Dan-Anacha shortly after the attacks.

    According to him, four bodies were recovered from the Borno- Kruku road on the outskirts of Dan-Anacha, while two other corpses were recovered in their farms.

    He alleged that the attackers broke into most of the victims’ houses while they slept and murdered them.

    He further said that 18 other persons were left badly injured.

    The acting chairman said the bodies were recovered at about 3am on Sunday.

    Torkula said calm had returned to the area following the arrival of armed mobile policemen.

    The policemen are currently patrolling the area to ensure law and order. (NAN)

  • Farmers hail Ambode for free HIV testing

    Farmers hail Ambode for free HIV testing

    Farmers in Erikorodu Poultry Estate in Ikorodu, Lagos, have praised Governor Akinwumi Ambode for free HIV/AIDS testing and sensitisation programme for them and the residents.
    At a programme organised by the HIV/AIDS prevention unit of the Ministry of Agriculture, a farmer, Mr Olatunde Ajibolade, said it would enable farmers to know their status and take precautions.
    He encouraged #farmers and others to key into the project.
    Another farmer, Mr Adeosun Ayodeji, described the initiative as laudable, saying, knowing one’s HIV status does more good than harm. He added that early detection leads to early treatment and helps people live longer.
    A resident, Mrs Oyinkansola Adeleke, said she felt good about the test, adding that the farmers appreciated the government’s efforts.
    The Project Manager of HIV/AIDS in the ministry, Mrs Titilayo Onu-Abraham, said it was good for people to know their status.
    She said the project was being carried out to ensure that HIV/AIDS is prevented in the agriculture sector.armers in Erikorodu Poultry Estate in Ikorodu, Lagos, have praised Governor Akinwumi Ambode for free HIV/AIDS testing and sensitisation programme for them and the residents.
    At a programme organised by the HIV/AIDS prevention unit of the Ministry of Agriculture, a farmer, Mr Olatunde Ajibolade, said it would enable farmers to know their status and take precautions.
    He encouraged #farmers and others to key into the project.
    Another farmer, Mr Adeosun Ayodeji, described the initiative as laudable, saying, knowing one’s HIV status does more good than harm. He added that early detection leads to early treatment and helps people live longer.
    A resident, Mrs Oyinkansola Adeleke, said she felt good about the test, adding that the farmers appreciated the government’s efforts.
    The Project Manager of HIV/AIDS in the ministry, Mrs Titilayo Onu-Abraham, said it was good for people to know their status.
    She said the project was being carried out to ensure that HIV/AIDS is prevented in the agriculture sector.

  • Firm to fund 1m farmers by 2025

    Babban Gona, a social enterprise that  supports thousands of mini farmer cooperatives across Northern Nigeria to produce maize, rice and soybeans, is providing  loans to increase their production.

    Babban Gona Business Associate, Ladipo Akoni,  said: “To date we have provided 16,000 loans to smallholder farmers to sustainably cultivate 12,000  hectares of arable land. These low-cost loans, and our quality inputs and services have empowered our smallholder farmers to achieve yields 2.3 times the national average and increase their net incomes to 3.5 times the national average, thereby transitioning our farmers from lower-income earners to lower- middle income earners.

    “Beyond this, 90 per cent of our members surveyed have used their increased profits to send their children to school or send their children to a better school. Furthermore, over 40 per cent of Babban Gona members are below 35 years.”

    The enterprise is targeting 1,000,000 smallholder farmers by 2025. The organisation has encouraged farmers to form cooperatives for agricultural production.

    Akoni believed thousands of farming households have escaped poverty because of support to farmers. The Babban Gona model, according to him, was designed to address the root cause of insecurity and poverty through de-risking smallholder farmers and unlocking cost effect capital to them.

    He said Babban Gona, also a franchise model, provides small holder farmers access to required investment capital, in addition to providing a comprehensive suite of agricultural and marketing services along the entire agricultural value chain. “This subsequently results in a dramatic increase in profitability, incomes and eventually living standards,” he said.

    According to him, there is potential in farming.  “We can do better by giving farmers small loans so that they can be producing on larger scale and flood the country with food,” he said.

    The project works with farmers in the North to improve rural livelihoods. It provides agricultural services such as promoting new farming technologies to increase crop production.

  • Police/hunters clash: Farmers’ society disown attackers

    Nigeria’s farmers’ group, Agbekoya Farmers Society, has disowned the hoodlums who attacked policemen at Ogbere Onilanta in Ona-Ara Local Government of Oyo State.

    Rising from its National Executive Council, the group’s National Publicity Secretary, Olatunji Bandele, said it was sad miscreants could hide under the society to commit such a criminal act.

    He said the meeting, which was attended by the President-General, Kamorudeen Okikiola, Dr. Ogunlana Adegbenro, General Secretary Salawu Ajibola, treasurer and others frowned at the development.

    Bandele said these miscreants and hoodlums were not registered members of the society, “among them were some bad eggs dismissed from Agbekoya Farmers’ Society”.

    The statement reads: “These people are miscreants and hoodlums, who are not registered members of Agbekoya Farmers’ Society and who have teamed up with some bad eggs who were dismissed from our society.

    “These people were reported to the inspector general of Police through a petition dated September 30, 2015, and copied to the Director-General, Department of State Security, assistant inspector general of Police, Zone II, Osogbo, and commissioner of Police of Oyo State.

    “In view of this, any group of people or criminals impersonating and hiding under the name of Agbekoya to perpetuate crimes should be dealt with accordingly”.

  • Fertiliser, seeds coming for farmers, says Ogbeh

    Fertiliser, seeds coming for farmers, says Ogbeh

    The Federal Government said it will commence the distribution of subsidised seeds and fertilisers at ward level from next week.

    The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh disclosed this at the National Fertiliser Roadmap Stakeholders Consultation held yesterday in Abuja.

    He said the distribution of the farm input aimed at registered farmers would be used to support dry season farming through the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme.

    Ogbeh said: “Distribution of fertiliser seeds and other agrochemicals will commence next week to start dry season farming and these things are going to be given to them at the ward level.

    “Government is still interested in giving subsidy to farmers; there is no going back about that; we can only talk about how do we administer the subsidy which is very key, and for now, government is using the GES platform. For now, it may not be the best but there is no better alternative yet

    “This programme is necessary and essential to grow the fertiliser industry in the country. It is a dynamic one that we are always looking for improvement in the production, distribution and the cost of production; this is very germane for the development of the sector.”

    Represented by the ministry’s Director of Farm Input Support Services, Engr. Jatto Ohiare, the minister restated commitment of the Federal Government to the GES platform.

    Earlier, Senior Fertiliser Specialist, African Fertiliser and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP), Paul Makepeace advised the government to embrace the use of urea fertiliser rather than the MPK variety.

    He said about 30 million tons of urea flared yearly could be put to use and also serve as good source of foreign exchange as well as raw materials for other industries.

    He noted that MPK fertiliser could be more expensive for farmers.

    Makepeace advised the government to create an enabling environment for investors to take advantage of the potential of the country.

    He said with the investment from Dangote and other foreign investors, the nation stands to export as much as 4 million tons of fertiliser yearly.

    He said: “In Nigeria, there is a lot of flare and the gas is not been collected over a long period of time, there is the equivalent of 30 million tons of urea flared every year, so if it can be captured and cleaned, it becomes available for manufacture of other products.”

  • ‘Poultry farmers struggling with high production cost’

    Poultry farmers are facing high production costs, the President, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Dr. Ayoola Oduntan, has said.

    Oduntan, who spoke in Lagos, said the industry was facing shortages of products required for proper husbandry, adding that some farmers have been forced to pull out of the business.

    He said rising feed prices have affected the cost of egg production.

    Oduntan said the price of maize per tonne has risen to N120,000, while soyabeans cost N145,000. The prices were N60,000 and N80,000 two years ago. Feed supplements, such as fish and bone meals, have also risen.

    As a result of the increase, feed ingredient prices and production cost per dozen for egg producers have also risen, he said,

    Given that projected demand for corn is likely to increase and continued naira depreciation inevitable, he said poultry producers’ costs and profitability would be negatuvely affected. Oduntan noted that Nigeria loses about N700 billion annually to smuggled poultry products.

    According to him, the smuggled products, which are majorly frozen chicken and turkey, have negative impact on Nigerians.

    He regretted that the government was yet to compensate farmers who suffered losses as a result of cooperating with the government to destroy the affected birds.

    Oduntan noted that the association would not relent in its efforts and would continue to focus on policy, advocacy and institutional linkages that would put poultry production on the path of excellence.

    He said the association’s National Poultry Show has been scheduled for between November 29 and 30, at Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

    Industry leaders, researchers, scientists and entrepreneurs are expected at the event billed to help create a sustainable poultry industry.

  • Dearth of data hindering farmers’ access to credit

    Lack of adequate data is a  bottleneck for financial institutions and development organisations offering credit to farmers, the Chief Operating Officer, Centre for Cocoa Development Initiative, Mr RoboAdhuze, has said.

    He confirmed that lack of data made it difficult for banks to conduct background check and to assess farmers’ creditworthiness.

    According to him, lack of knowledge on farmers makes banks hesitant to provide agricultural lending.

    Particular for cocoa farms, which take a long time for the trees to fruit, he said the cycles of repayment and credit present a challenge as farmers require financing and receive income on a seasonal basis.

    According to him, lack of data makes it difficult to conduct financial assessments of farmers and as a result, they can be locked out of formal financial systems because they are viewed as high risk.

    He explained that banks needed to partner with stakeholders and associations to build data analytics on farmers who are fundable.

    To scale up the financial needs of smallholder farmers, boost agricultural production, and increase the number of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), he called on banks to create packages that take cognisance of the long gestation nature of the industry as well as build the capacity of workers to better understand agriculture development.

  • Emefiele hails Kebbi rice farmers

    Emefiele hails Kebbi rice farmers

    Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele has inspected rice farms in Itane, Ketar Fulani and Gwadan Gwaji villages in Kebbi State.

    Emefiele, who expressed satisfaction with the farmers’ yield, said the major objectives of the Anchor Borrowers’Programme (ABP) had been largely achieved.

    The objectives of the ABP include assisting rural smallholder farmers to grow from subsistence to commercial level, increase capacity utilisation, create jobs, reduce poverty, and increase banks’ finance to the agricultural sector, among others.

    Emefiele, who was accompanied by Kebbi State Governor Atiku Abubakar Bagudu, and the representative of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said ABP was yielding result due to farmers’ access to good seedlings, pesticides and fertiliser as well as support from states.

    Emefiele urged farmers to always forward their challenges to the bank and other authorities for quick solution, even as he assured them of the continued support of the CBN. He enjoined the media to inspect rice farms and report objectively.

    Noting that the refusal of some farmers to register for the Bank Verification Number (BVN) had militated against their getting access to the ABP facility, he urged them to register accordingly. He also assured that the ABP facility would be spread to many people who registered for the BVN.

    Senator Bagudu, the Chairman, National Task Force on Rice and Wheat, said the objective of the tour was to see how farmers and processors were responding to the call  by President Muhammadu Buhari as well as the impact of funds provided under the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP).

  • FAO: declining food prices may affect farmers

    FAO: declining food prices may affect farmers

    Declining prices can thwart international efforts to eradicate hunger and  poverty unless steps are taken to guarantee decent incomes and livelihoods for small-scale producers, Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Director-General José Graziano da-Silva has  said.

    Globally, food prices are believed to be back to their long-term downward trend in real terms, as supply growth outpaces demand.

    This follows the price surges experienced during the 2008 to 20 12 and a prolonged period of volatility in food markets, Graziano da Silva told Agriculture and Trade Ministers and other government officials and experts, attending a high-level meeting on agricultural commodity prices at FAO’s headquarters in Rome.

    “As policy makers, you are confronted by the challenge of keeping nutritious food affordable for the poor, while ensuring good incentives for producers, including family farmers,” he added.

    “Low food prices reduce the incomes of farmers, especially poor family farmers who produce staple food in the developing countries. This cut in the flow of cash into rural communities also reduces the incentives for new investments in production, infrastructure and services,” the FAO Director-General said.

    He underscored the need to consider the current decline in agricultural commodity prices in the context of the international community’s efforts to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals.

    In a video address to the meeting, World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General Roberto Azevêdo said that “under the right circumstances” trade provides people with opportunities to join global markets and helps to create incentives for producers to invest and innovate.

    The “historic decision” struck in Nairobi in December 2015 by WTO members to eliminate agricultural export subsidies, according to Azevêdo will “help level the playing field in agriculture markets, to the benefit of farmers and exporters in developing and least-developed countries.”

    For his part, Graziano da Silva pointed to the potential of trade in contributing to global food security and better nutrition, specifically underlining its potential role as an “adaptation tool” to climate change.  Countries that are projected to experience decreasing yields and production due to climate change, will have to resort to the global markets to feed their populations.

  • Governor Emmanuel and farmers

    SIR:  I wish to commend Governor  Udom Emmanuel  of Akwa Ibom State on the recent training of about 2000 farmers on poultry farming.

    As part of effort to generate employment through agriculture, the government of Akwa Ibom has trained 2000 farmers on production, processing, branding and marketing of poultry produce under  the anchor borrower programme of the Central Bank of Nigeria. This is a step in the right direction.

    However,  I want to strongly appeal to the governor to make sure that the project is pursued to the end. The trained farmers are full of hope that better days are here. Farmers, especially poultry farmers, are facing a lot of challenges when it comes to capital and marketing of farm products.

    The  anchor borrower programme of the Central Bank of Nigeria will really help farmers in Akwa Ibom State and much food will be produced.

    Kudos to Governor Emmanuel for hosting a whopping 2,000 farmers for the capacity building training. We want more of this kind of initiative in the state!

     

    Tony Kings,

    Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.