The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Farmers

  • Akwa Ibom farmers plant five million crops

    Akwa Ibom farmers plant five million crops

    Akwa Ibom State farmers have begun the planting of over five million crops to feed major agro-allied industries across the state.

    They said the planting was part of their contributions to the Udom Emmanuel administration.

    The farmers, under the aegis of Organised Farmers Support Network (OFSN), an affiliate of Ibom Continuous Transformation Movement (ICTM), said arrangements had been concluded for the planting of 5,000,000 dwarf hybrid plantain and banana suckers and 3,100,000 dwarf hybrid oil palm suckers.

    In a statement in Uyo, the state capital, by its Director-General, Prince Ekpuk Jumbo Akpan-unang; Secretary-General, Obong Awai I. Awai and Media Director, Apostle Kingsley Bassey Offiong, the farmers said they would also plant cassava, pineapples, citrus and other fruits.

    The farmers said they were targeting 300 per cent increase in poultry production as raw materials for the production of egg powder.

    Akpan-unang said the farmers would delve into fish farming, adding that those interested in farming should contribute to the growth of the agricultural sector.

    The frontline farmer said OFSN intended to create wealth for over 500,000 farmers in Akwa Ibom State and support the governor’s agricultural and food sufficiency agenda.

    He described Udom as a farmer-friendly governor for proposing to send farmers to Israel for agricultural training.

    Akpan-unang hailed Udom for appointing an agriculturist as Commissioner for Agriculture and setting up a Technical Committee on Agriculture and Food Sufficiency.

    The farmer urged the governor to ensure that only genuine farmers are selected for the training.

    He said: “Nevertheless, we sincerely advise non-farmers not to redirect farmers’ incentive to other sectors as their lack of active passion for farming and endurance during gestation will hamper the needed productivity.”

  • BATNF donates to farmers in Oyo

    TO alleviate poverty among smallholder farmers across rural communities in the country, British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) has supplied agricultural support materials to farmers in Oyo State under the second cycle of BATNF-sponsored cassava enterprise value-chain development project.

    Chief Kola Jamodu, BATNF Board Chairman, who was represented by Mrs. Oluwaseyi Ashade, Executive Director, BATNF,  at the flag-off in Otu Community area of Oyo State,  said agriculture is significant to poverty eradication and wealth creation.

    She said: “There is need to provide necessary requirements for the development of the agricultural sector like trainings, improved agricultural inputs, production capital, storage facilities and access to markets.”  This need, Ashade said, has posed a challenge to governments at all levels. Several farming communities in Nigeria are affected by these challenges and this contributes in no small measure to the problem of poverty, hunger and other economic challenges.

    “The enormity of these problems is such that governments alone cannot solve them. There is need for the organised private sector and other charitable institutions to come to the aid of the government to address this important issue of agricultural development especially as it affects smallholder farmers who are key players in the sector and who are responsible for the production of a great percentage of the food consumed in the country,” she further said.

    Receiving the agricultural materials from the Foundation, Alhaji Muda Balogun, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiaries, expressed his gratitude to the Foundation for coming to the aid of the farmers.

    His words: “We like to thank the management of BATN Foundation for coming to our aid, especially at a time when we need to move our farming business to a greater level. As we can see, all the farmers from Otu and Ighoho communities of Oke Ogun are excited because the Foundation has brought succour to us all by making farming simpler, better and more profitable.

    “I also want to urge my fellow benefiting farmers to take good advantage of this intervention, by ensuring that they are accountable, hard-working, and most importantly continue to see farming as a profitable business. In so doing, this will serve as a motivation for BATN Foundation, and other would-be sponsors to further elevate farming business in our communities,” he said.

    Thomas Omosefe, Head of Leaf, BATNF, while speaking at the event said all the farmers, as part of the Foundation’s major partners, should leave no stone unturned in ensuring that they (farmers) make the best use of the opportunity.

    He said: “As our major partners, we will continue to ensure compliance with best practices that will enable success for farmers in their operations. Most importantly, we will support your business through periodic trainings, input distribution among others, to pave way for transformation of your business in a way that will impact bottom-line for farming operations.”

    The event was the second flag-off of BATN Foundation’s cassava enterprise development projects across Otu, Ogbooro and Igboho in Oke Ogun, Oyo State, to help smallholder farmers easily transform their farming operations from subsistence to commercial level.

    Other states that have benefited from this agricultural intervention include: Ebonyi, Nigeria, Kaduna and Benue.

     

  • Biogas: Cow dung power for farmers

    Biogas: Cow dung power for farmers

    A new technology known as biogas, which generates methane gas from cow dung and transfers it into cooking fuel, is exciting farmers, DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    Mr Adewole  Zacheus, a small scale farmer in Ibulesoro community in Ondo State has every reason to smile.

    Two years, he would simply plant his farm, harvest and wait for better market prices that would give his good returns. With what he got, he bought farm input and sort out other needs.

    He had no access to light because the village is not connected to the national grid. But the story is different. He is able to use cow manure to generate a renewable supply of electricity.

    He has the Federal College of Agriculture (FCA), Akure, Ondo State and The West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP-Nigeria) to thank. While FCA, Akure, used her place to demonstrate how to use cow dung to generate power with a modest biogas plant, WAAPP funded the project. So now, thanks to cow manure and biogas technology, he and his family not only have free, sustainable power all year round. Ibulesoro community now uses animal waste for electricity generation and cooking gas-courtesy, FCA, Akure and WAAPP.

    However, the cow dung comes various farms close by. One cow can produce over 30 gallons of manure a day. The place houses an anaerobic digester, built to hold waste for days. The   biogas plant collects cow dung, mix it with water and channel it into fermentation pits. The resulting gas is fed directly to the farmer’s household to provide energy for cooking.

    The process begins when cow dung and poultry waste is put into a sealed tank. A biogas digester is an air-tight chamber or compartment containing bacteria that turn organic waste into biogas and a high quality organic fertiliser. As the biomass digests, it releases methane gas which can be used to generate renewable heat and power. The biogas fuels the engine, which in turn spins an electric generator to create electricity. Waste heat from the engine is used to keep the digester warm and offsets fuel purchase on the farm.

    One cow’s waste can produce enough electricity to light two 100-watt light bulbs for 24 hours daily.

    Traditionally, cow dung is used as a fertiliser, though today dung is collected and used to produce biogas.

    Zacheus is happy he can enjoy electricity, courtesy of FCA and WAAPP Nigeria.

    Each day, Mrs Zacheus spent several hours collecting wood for cooking and heating water.

    The construction of a biogas plant at their home has transformed their lives. She freed from the daily drudgery of firewood collection, now has more time to spend on activities that generate income for the family.

    Her husband has become skilled at installing and maintaining the biogas plant, making him crucial for the development of other plants in the area.

    For farmers like Mr Zacheus,  this reliance on biomass fuels could have made a hard life even more difficult. The fuel wood he and his family relied on was becoming increasingly scarce. This was mainly due to the destruction of the forests as a result of the intensive farming practices being employed to meet the demand for food. He was in need of an alternative, appropriate energy source to replace his costly one. The alternative energy source in question was Biogas and it relied on nothing more than cow dung for its operation. The biogas technology he requires to do this is wonderfully simple.

    In Africa, biomass has become an important energy source for farmers worldwide.

    Yet, the potential of using biogas has so far been unexploited, especially in the form of livestock manure in the agriculture system.

    Provost, FCA, Akure, Dr Samson Odedina said sustainable energy is needed for agricultural transformation.

    According to him, energy efficiency is also a critical area for improvement of the water-food-energy nexus for sustainable development.

    By implementing the cow dung energy project for farmers, the school envisages a transformed agricultural industry that meets the needs of the rural and urban poor, small holder farmers and provides transition to modernising agriculture.

    To revamp the industry, Odedina said energy is needed in all aspects of agricultural and food production, processing, service provision and livelihoods improvement, adding that such sutainable solutions, provide the key to improving energy poverty among the rural poor.

    According to him, the college trains farmers and students to use biogas technology to generate methane gas from cow dung and transfers it into cooking fuel.

    In this regards, Mr Zacheus, a beneficiary, is able to collect cow manure to power his home.

    He said it’s an efficient green solution for areas that are off the grid and that the college trains farmers and students to install, to repair and maintain it.

    With support from WAAPP Nigeria, he said FCA is researching biomass solutions for small holder farmers and communities.

    This is because biogas from cattle waste makes a lot of sense with farmers using firewood for cooking. With increasing activities of people cutting wood from the forest, fetching firewood is now tedious, time-consuming and risky activity that engages the entire household, including the children.

    Therefore switching to biogas provides a cheap and reliable source of energy for rural households.

    With biogas, he said farmers who own livestock such as cattle and chickens can collect the waste and load it daily into a biogas system to generate biogas. However, the choice of system is determined by the available resources. Once set up, he said   the system does not need any maintenance apart from regularly adding waste material.

    On the whole, he said producing biogas, could also create jobs in the farming communities where it is produced, while youths could be trained to set up and maintain biogas systems in their communities. It reduces waste that would otherwise pollute the environment.

    According to him, FCA, Akure is privileged to be in partnership with WAAPP Nigeria, CAVA and other international organisations in developing solutions for agricultural transformation.

    He said the college would be ready to receive more partnership with organisations and experts within the renewable energy industry, donors and development partners to bring sustainable energy solutions to the agricultural industry, adding that it will use the knowledge developed to train experts for the renewable energy industry across the country.

    So far, farmers are partnering with organisations to implements projects to provide sustainable energy solutions for the agricultural industry. The projects include solar photovoltaic (PV), biomass energy, clean cookstoves, biogas, small hydro energy solutions for irrigation, food processing, agro-processing, food production.

    The Coordinator, WAAPP-Nigeria, FCA, Akure, Dr Adeyemo Abiodun, extolled the virtues of biogas as a very attractive option for both the economy and for households in terms of renewable energy. The biogas plants, he said, could serve a household for 20 years. There are plants; he disclosed that can last for 100 years. Abiodun said operators of the gas plants can use either cow dung or poultry droppings. The droppings would be put into a sealed tank called a digester, where they are heated and agitated. In the absence of oxygen, anaerobic bacteria consume the organic matter to multiply and produce gas that can fuel a generator. For Abiodun, it is a win-win situation. While allowing homes to generate power, it helps farmers to monetise waste. On the whole, biogas programmes are profitable even when the overall cost of the programme is taken into account.

    According to him, the use of biogas plants to power local households would open up opportunities for rural entrepreneurs. “Many rural households that do not have access to electricity are going to team up to purchase biogas” he said. “With the efforts made by WAAPP, and FCA, there are possibilities of entrepreneurs exploring the range of possible value-added bio-based products, among which are bio-fuel and bio-plastics” he added.

    For this reason, many entrepreneurs will experimenting with biogas plants to produce electricity and power for small business units.

    Meanwhile, WAAPP-Nigeria has adopted Oriendu Village, a rural Community in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State for establishing Biogas Digester.

    This step, in collaboration with the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, is meant to demonstrate to the adopted community alternative cheap source of energy for cooking and lighting in the rural areas; creation of employment opportunities by training some persons in this respect; and discouraging deforestation, among others.

    At the training, the NRCRI Director of Extension Services/WAAPP, Dr. Godwin Asumugha, said the technology is an alternative and cheap source of energy in rural areas, adding that already, more than 10 youths were undergoing training on how to establish the technology.

    According to NRCRI Executive Director, Dr. Julius Okonkwo, the organisation, has since 2011, been collaborating with WAAPP to facilitate the dissemination of improved agricultural technologies, stating that the Adopted Village Concept which was first introduced to the National Agricultural Research Institutes (NARIs) in 1996 under the World Bank-assisted programs of the National Agricultural Research Project (NARP) was re-activated and consolidated by the WAAPP.

    According to him, the concept was introduced for developing, disseminating and evaluating technologies emanating from Research Institutes. The institures are to conduct their demonstrations in the identified and adopted villages for adoption and impact, and impress on intending farmers and end users on the viability of technologies being promoted.

  • Fed Govt moves to end Fulani, farmers clash

    •Sets up committee on grazing reserves, others

    THE Federal Government has set up a committee to resolve the lingering conflicts between farmers and Fulani herdsmen, which have resulted in the loss of lives and properties.

    The Strategic Action Plan committee is expected to develop grazing reserves and stock routes to end the conflicts.

    The committee, which has two weeks to conclude its work and submit its recommendations is headed by the Executive Secretary of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, Prof. Baba Yusuf Abubakar.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sonny Echono, who broke the news in Abuja, also announced the inauguration of three other special committees.

    They include committees on the resuscitation of cotton, textile and garments industry in Nigeria; operationalisation of Federal Government storage facilities and the revitalisation of agricultural extension services.

    He noted that the continued frequency of the conflict made successive administrations  set up committees to proffer solutions.

    This, he said, made President Muhammadu Buhari to direct the ministry to consider the recommendations of the studies  by the Petroleum Trust Fund and the Northern Governors Forum on the same subject to develop pragmatic and strategic action plan for the development of grazing reserves and stock routes nationwide.

    Echono added that the committee would develop short, medium and long-term strategic recommendations that will end the persistent conflicts in the country.

    He said: “The need to develop strategic action plan for the development of grazing reserves and stock routes nationwide as a pragmatic effort of the current administration to mitigate the recurring pastoralist/crop farmers’ conflict became imperative, following the persistent clashes which had taken a massive toll on human lives, property and the nation’s economy.

    “The high frequency of the conflicts, impact of climate change, ecological factors, population growth, increased cattle rustling, banditry, terrorism and insurgency, cultural and political factors of transhumance especially as they relate to access and management of natural resources across the region had made successive administrations to give this a lot of attention by setting up committees to proffer appropriate solution towards addressing these unfortunate incidences.

    “The committee will develop short, medium and long-term strategic recommendations that will end the persistent farmers and pastoralists’ conflict in the country. It is expected to review the policy on stock routes development with monuments to ensure free movement of livestock.

    “It will also develop a framework under which pastoralists using the grazing reserves and stock routes will work with communities, LGA, State Authorities to settle, develop pastures and maintain the reserve infrastructure for sustainable use.”

    He added that the committee will review the policy on stock routes development to ensure free movement of livestock.

  • Niger Delta farmers urge sustenance of agricultural policy

    The President Muhammadu Buhari has been advised to sustain the achievements recorded in the agricultural sector by the former Minister of Agriculture and President-elect of the Africa Development Bank, Dr Akinwumi Adesina.

    The advice was given by the Nigerian Agricultural Watch Network, in a statement signed by Mr. Emmanuel Okotie-Eboh and Solomon Eyituoyo Iwetan, Chairman and Secretary of the group in Warri, Delta State.

    NAWN opined that the former Agriculture Minister was outstanding among the ministers who served under the past administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, adding that it was imperative to sustain the momentum and build on his legacies.

    The statement noted: “Agriculture is definitely the brightest star of the Jonathan administration under the watch of Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, agriculture was transformed to a viable business. Dr. Adesina used agriculture to diversify the Nigerian economy.

    “He succeeded in this regard because of his crack team; his team shared his vision and they succeeded at the end of the day. The solid foundation laid by the former Minister should be built upon. The success showed that he has some competent and incorruptible men in his team that was the secret behind his success.

    “There is need to continue this agricultural policy and so it is important that Dr. Adesina should be consulted before the appointment of the next Agriculture Minister.

    “We want to stress it here that if President Buhari must succeed in the agriculture sector, the eggheads that made agriculture a success story in the administration of former President Jonathan should be assembled and their wealth of experience tapped as the legacies left behind by Dr. Adesina are unbeatable.

    “Party should not come into play here; we want the progress of our country hence we are imploring President Buhari to sustain the enviable legacies of Dr. Adesina,” the statement added.

  • ‘Why farmers need low-tech micro-insurance’

    An international development expert, Dr. David Atte, has  called  for a  low-tech micro-insurance scheme  to   free farmers from extreme weather risk.

    Atte, a consultant on participatory rural appraisal (PRA), said freeing farmers from the worry of crop failure could have far-reaching positive impacts.

    He said a low-tech micro-insurance programme designed with farmers cooperatives as guarantors would  change  smallholders’ planting behaviour, encourage more investment in farming.

    He  explained  that  since  agriculture is a main source of income for rural communities, it  is very  important to protect  the  livelihood of rural farmers by  designing   a  micro insurance  scheme  to enable  them   tackle  constraints limiting their economic potential, especially  impact  of  uncertain weather conditions which  affect harvests.

    With rains, he said farmers will be exposed to natural calamities.

    The sad thing, according  to him,  is that  banks  not assist  them as they   still   consider  farming  too risky to invest in. He said farmers in disaster-prone regions  don’t  have  access to credit   facilities  to  help  them  plan  recovery  in the  event  of  challenges.

    As   farmers may be dealing with the worsening impacts of climate change, he  said small-scale crop insurance can be a lifesaver.

    He said  micro-insurance  will be  designed  in such  as way  that  low  income  farmers  can  participate, adding that  the  structure  of the  nation scheme may make it difficult  for  some farmers to  pay the current premium.

    He said  farmers   could pay for their premiums through their  cooperatives.

    He  stressed  the need  to  fashion out  insurance premiums and compensation in such a manner  that the government would  be  able  to  get the benefits of insurance to more farmers.

    He said insurance firms should  work  to get   insurance in the hands of smallholder farmers and educate them about the products and what they can expect.

    He  wants  insurance  companies  to work  with cooperatives  explain how crop insurance works, adding there is a need  to  ensure  that  the  system  is effective and  is  sustainably expanded across the country.

  • FIIRO’s land research raises farmers’ income

    FIIRO’s land research raises farmers’ income

    The Director -General, Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO, Dr. Gloria Elemo, said the institute is focusing on increasing farmers and processors’ income by asking scientists to take scientific technology and results to the field to raise productivity.

    Speaking while receiving members of the management team of West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP-Nigeria) in the institute in Lagos, Elemo said there is need to take scientific technologies to agriculture and industries to boost farm production and meet growing food demand.

    She said FIIRO in its 58 years of existence has developed over 250 technologies and completely packaged 50 of them ready for immediate commercialisation.

    Besides,she  said  the institute  has  trained over 75,000 techno-entrepreneurs directly on its various developed technologies and over 500,000 in collaboration with other organisations such as the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)), National Directorate of Employment (NDE) among  others.

    She said about 25 technologies are transferred on weekly basis to prospective investors and numerous entrepreneurs have established manufacturing businesses based on the technologies they acquired.

    According  to her, the  institute  has  recorded major breakthroughs in the development of process technologies/products that led to national policy formulations by the Federal Government, especially in the banning of importation of some raw materials and products.

    Some of these technologies,she  mentioned   include; sorghum malting and brewing of 100 per cent  sorghum beer, baking of bread and confectioneries from composite flours, cassava flour production, production of fruit juices from Nigerian fruits among  others.

    Mrs  Elemo  said the  institute   focused on industrial and  agricultural research in areas of national  interest, and   to help farmers  and  entrepreneurs  make better decisions and improve productivity.

    According  to her,  raising agriculture  and  industrial productivity to meet the increasing demand for quality and quantity of food, is one of the most important challenges facing the  country.

    She  reiterated  that  FIIRO  aims to actively look into problems  and develop sustainable solutions to help farmers and industrialists  to solve their challenges and improve food output to feed the growing population .

    The National Project Coordinator, WAAPP-Nigeria, Prof. Damian Chikwendu said the programme was set up to address  pressing  challenges affecting  food   production through research.

    According to him, WAAPP Nigeria partnership with universities, research organisation and  Federal Colleges of Agriculture to   find solutions  that  will   enhance crop yields and productivity,and improve delivery of quality food to Nigerians.

    Addressing these challenges,he  noted  requires innovation along the whole food chain that is why  the  programme is  establishing  collaborative partnerships to drive forward projects resulting from the workshop and make a tangible difference to the future of food.

    He praised FIIRO’s DG , Dr. Gloria Elemo, and the management for their feats and excellence entrenched in FIIRO ,especially with their rich human resource base and the area of human capital development.  He said WAAPP will be working with FIIRO to disseminate available technologies in her crop priority commodities such as   cassava, rice, yam and sorghum; by supporting increased production of extension publications and entrepreneurial trainings of the Project’s beneficiary’s with trainees drawn from her supported value chain innovation platform, adopted villages and schools, amongst others.

    The NPC was conducted round the institute’s engineering workshops, cassava processing plant, and the food &analytical laboratories among others.

    He further requested FIIRO to explore research on  converting egg yolk to powder form, and drying of onions.  The visit concluded with an agreement from both sides to collaborate and ensure that available technologies within FIIRO are commercialised. WAAPP-Nigeria ,before the close of last  year, had  opened discussions with FIIRO  on modalities for collaboration and consequently signed a memorandum of understanding. A couple of proposals were submitted to WAAPP by FIIRO for possible areas of collaboration. To further verify and make well informed decisions on the proposals and strengthen ties with FIIRO, the need for WAAPP visit to FIIRO in Lagos to hold further discussions with the Director-General became paramount. This is in line with WAAPP component three  of funding agricultural research and accelerating and promoting technology adoptions.

    While in Lagos, the NPC also visited the Lagos State Agricultural Development Authority and the WAAPP-sponsored Fish Cage Culture site at Bayeku/Igbogbo in Ikorodu Local Government Area of Lagos State; and the fabricator hosting one of WAAPP’s Mango (Fruit) Dryer machine, NOBEX Tech Company Limited.

  • Farmers explore local agro processing

    Farmers explore local agro processing

    Local farmers are exploring the option of agro-processing of their produce to lessen waste, add value and increase earnings, reports DANIEL ESSIET.

    Chief Executive, Natural Nutrient Limited, Sola Adeniyi, a moringa farmer, has established himself as a successful agro entrepreneur. He focuses on moringa and plantain. His company produces moringa fruits from improved cultivars.

    Over the past five years, he has worked with other farmers to make moringa a tropical, multi-purpose tree grow from being practically unknown, even unheard of, to being a new and promising nutritional and economic resource. The seeds and leaves are rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals. They are widely used in fighting malnutrition.

    But harvesting could be a challenge because a high level of hygiene is required. The leaves have to be harvested at the coolest time of the day: early morning or late in the evening.

    The other thing is that there should be no dew on it before harvesting, especially in the morning, to avoid rot during transport. The farmers strip the leaves off the branches before transporting them to the processing centre or tied together in bunches by their stem or better, thinly spread out on trays or mesh to reduce temperature build up. Once this is not achieved, they face the challenge of post harvest loss. It is estimated that 40 per cent of crops, fruits and vegetables produced goes to waste, with loss mainly occurring during posthar-vest handling. One major effort to reduce food wastage is processing.

    Adeniyi has taken it as another part of his business. He said he processes his produce to power and other forms to reduce postharvest losses and increase shelf life.

    Where there are no adequate application of recommended post-harvest treatments, the solution is processing to minimise losses and maximise profits. After harvest, the produce is transported to processing points where it is treated, sorted and packed, and then transferred to facilities or sent to markets. Processing moringa leaves and the seeds into power and other products helps  Adeniyi to make more money. In all, the potential of agro processing is huge.

    Aside from reducing wastage and enhancing food security, many Nigerians have found employment in small scale food processing, majority of them women.

    This is because many farmers are establishing cottage food processing businesses to turn primary agricultural produce into other commodities for market.

    Indeed, the agro-processing sector is going to play a significant role in terms of job creation and sustainability in the economy.

    Consequently, members of  groups such as Association of Micro Entrepreneurs of Nigeria (AMEN) and Association of Small Business Owners of Nigeria (ASBON) and other farmers organisation have taken to processing cashew, oilseeds, grains, fruits and vegetables, peanuts, cassava rice, maize, fruit canning and juice extraction and animal feed production.

    AMEN President, Prince Saviour Iche said there are promising options for Nigerians to invest in small scale agro processing enterprises.

    He identified agro-processing as a sector with high growth potential, despite the challenges of imports competition, loss of market, and the unstable currency and exchange rate.

    According to him, the agro-processing sector has the potential to become an industrial impetus that can create jobs and answer some of the country’s macro-economic questions.

    Thus, AMEN is encouraging young Nigerians and retirees to undertake ventures in agro food processing.

    Improvement in high-added value means that processors can earn a reasonable income as processed produce can fetch high retail prices than unprocessed produce.

    However, there are major constraints to the development and growth of such enterprises due to inadequate raw material supplies, limited access to appropriate technology, failure by locally processed products to compete against imports, and limited access to credit.

    The President, ASBON, Dr Femi Egbesola agrees with  him.

    According to him, the agro-processing sector is relatively underdeveloped, comprising mainly of small and medium sized enterprises involved in the processing of traditional agricultural products for domestic use and export. There are a number of competitive constraints that currently hinder the expansion of the agro- processing sector, one of which is food safety requirements.

    He added also that local processing industry is being truanted by multinational companies as they enjoy advantage over local players.

    He stressed that agro-processing is important because adding value to the crops produced brings real income and that is where the real job opportunities lie.

    The promotion of agro-processing, he noted, would add value to the nation’s agricultural products, which is an extremely important stream of industrialisation.

    President, Anjorin & Atanda Investment Limited, Sunday Anjorin said it is of paramount importance that food producers compete on the global space. This, he added, can only be achieved through meeting  stringent regulatory or certification needs for international food safety through processing.

    Though, it is expensive to add value to agricultural materials, he added that there are significant benefits to all parties within food processing, for example in jobs created or supply chain efficiencies.

    He said there is potential to enter the international markets for processed agro-produce, including cashew butter and cashew oil.

    To do this, he said small-scale processors must be able to demonstrate that they can produce kernels that can be accepted by international buyers.

    He wants the government to provide local producers with incentives to explore new technologies to increase food production.

    At the moment, experts believe that the cassava boom is largely depended on local processing into wet and dry starch, and higher value food and industrial products.

    As a result, so many local processing activities are taking place across the cassava sub sector.

    This is expected to fuel economic growth and economic development.

    One of them is the Project Director, Cassava Adding Value for Africa (CAVA) phase II, Prof Kola Adebayo.

    He said CAVA supports farmers with machines that allow for quicker processing of raw cassava, which is chipped and dried ready for sale within days.

    The main opportunity for technology to make a difference is in the drying process. A flash dryer dries cassava mash very quickly, preventing fermentation.

    A critical part of the technology transfer process was that CAVA mentored a Nigerian fabricator to produce a flash dryer that meets international standards. As a result, new engineering knowledge and skills are being developed and embedded locally.

    So far, experts from the University of Greenwich and the Natural Resource Institute, United Kingdom have rated made-in-Nigeria flash dryers as a good tool for cassava processing that can be exported. The assessment was made by Dr Andrew Graffham, a food safety and quality expert and Dr Andrew Marchant, a consulting engineer also from the institute, when they visited Nobex Technical Industries in Lagos.

    The experts were in the country to promote the utilisation of cassava in other non-traditional products under the CAVA, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. CAVA involves Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and Malawi.

    The programme works in collaboration with the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.

    Graffham said: “In connection with what is going on here today, we’ve been working with a range of fabricators here in Nigeria, particularly with Nobex Industries to try and improve the processing equipment that the company produces, to make it more cost efficient and to get a better output, lower cost per tonne and generally improve the quality.

    “Nobex has exported one of its products to a commercial factory in Malawi and I believe that there will be a lot more export and I think this is very significant, because this is not Nigeria importing products now, but this is Nigerian made equipment being sold in another country and the people there are very happy with the product,” he said.

    He also praised the Bank of Industry (BoI) for partnering with the company under the Cassava Bread Fund Initiative which has procured about 20 flash dryers for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across the country for the production of high quality cassava flour (HQCF).

    “Under the programme, we are interested in working with the SMEs, of which there are many across the country, processing equipment and improving the efficiency of them is quite an important area for us. And that has been going on now for more than six years, what you see today and what has been done with the Bank of Industry has been a good collaborative effort,” he said.

    According to Marchant, the impact of cassava development in Nigeria was encouraging and has also been felt by the fabricators of the equipment as there are now factories with more machineries and 10 times the number of people that used to work in them.

    “Another good thing we see is that the scale and quality of machinery is increasing, it is bigger and better, it would be a nice thing to display imported machineries with what can be produced here and import only what cannot be made here in Nigeria,” he said.

  • Farmers push for maize importation ban

    Farmers push for maize importation ban

    The National President, Maize Association of Nigeria (MAAN), Pastor Tunji Adenola, has urged the Federal Government to ban the importation of maize into the country in order to support its local production.

    He said local farmers can produce maize that will satisfy the needs of the country  and also serve as raw materials for industries, if properly supported by the government.

    In a statement issued after the association’s annual general meeting (AGM), in Abuja yesterday, he said farmers are willing to produce more maize if the government can ban the importation of maize into the country thereby creating a market for them to sell their products.

    He said: “One of the greatest problem that needs to be overcome is that importation of maize must be stopped if not,  we will be using our foreign exchange which is scarce now to satisfy other countries when we know that Nigeria can provide all the seeds needed in the country.

    “The farmers are willing to produce because the market will be there, we will be able to meet the national requirements.

    “We are going to engage the government and stress the need there is need to close our borders to these porous leakages of maize into the country.

    “What the government needs to do is to guarantee us the market that they will allow us to sell our products. What is important is that what the farmer produces is able to sell it.”

    He also urged the government to make credit facilities available to their members which will go a long way to ensure that they meet up with the quantity of maize needed in the country.

    “If the government policy on credit facilities is kept alive, then the support of finance will be a big advantage for farmers to produce. Not total, just give us a little and I can assure you that we won’t need to import maize into Nigeria again,” he added.

  • Delayed rains threaten North’s food production, say farmers

    Delayed rains threaten North’s food production, say farmers

    Farmers in some northern parts of the country have expressed worry that the delay in the rainfall experienced this year may affect food production in the country.

    Meteorologists had predicted that some northern parts of the country would experience delay in the arrival of rains this cropping season, while they were also advised not to rush to plant.

    Some of the farmers told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that most farmers are yet to begin planting due to lack of adequate rainfall.

    They said the situation posed serious threat to food production in the region this year.

    One of the farmers, Malam Baushe Talle, said: “Rain is a factor in plant growth, therefore, the greater the rainfall, the faster the seed grows and the higher the yield.”

    Another farmer, Malam Musa Abdu, stressed the need for government to provide farmers in the region with drought resistant seeds, to avert crop failure and ensure bumper harvest.

    “Farmers should also be educated on different farming techniques because of this kind of situation,” he said.

    Malam Lawan Kado, advised government to reduce the effects of potential food shortage by buying the surplus directly from farmers.

    ‘’So, if there is a shortage of food, the stored ones can be sold at cheaper prices in order to ensure that food prices remain affordable and stable,” he said.

    Malam Musa Dogara and Malam Maiwada Karaukarau, canvassed for adequate budgetary allocation to the agriculture sector to ensure easy access to facilities and farm inputs required to sustain massive production.

    According to them, such provision would ensure prompt supply of fertilisers, chemicals, improved seeds and farming implements, as well as credit facilities to farmers.

    Secretary, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Alhaji Garba Bichi, advised farmers in the northern states to plant their crops as soon as the rains start.

    “Farmers should not wait for heavy downpour before they start planting because if they plant early, crops will mature before the rain stops,’’ he said.

    Bichi urged farmers to embrace dry season farming as solution to inadequate or delayed rainfall.

    “In fact formers must embrace irrigation in order to augment the shortfall during wet season farming,” Bichi added.

    Chairman, Kaduna state Commercial Agriculture Association, Malam Nuhu Umar, said timely provision of farming inputs including seeds and fertiliser, was key to sustainable agricultural production in the country.

    “As long as farmers do not have timely access to inputs and at affordable price, they would continue to produce at a loss and this could pose serious threat to the country’s quest for food security.

    “As such, the government must on a consistent level make available seeds, fertiliser, tractors and other crucial farm inputs as well as training us in modern farming techniques.

    “This will go a long way to assist us remain in business and compete with other farmers from developed countries,” he said.

    According to him, farmers are recording consistent drop in yield due to lack of access to vital farm inputs and adequate rains.

    The chairman, however, begin the Kaduna State Government for providing 30, 215 tonnes of fertiliser to farmers at subsidised rate and 186 tractors to be sold to farmers at 60 per cent discount.

    Alhaji Nuhu Aminu, AFAN chairman in Kaduna State, stressed the need for government at all levels to encourage agricultural mechanisation to enhance food production and security.

    Aminu encouraged farmers to form cooperatives in order to access loan with which to procure tractors and other farm inputs to boost agricultural production.

    The chairman identified lack of access to credit facilities and markets for agricultural produce as major setback to agricultural growth in Nigeria.

    Aliyu observed that non availability of markets had discouraged many people from continuing with farming activities.

    An Environmentalist, Prof Ibrahim Jaro of Geography Department, Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, said the report which stated that over 90 million Nigerians are hungry, referred to those not getting balanced diet.

    “What the report meant is that over 90 per cent of Nigerians are lacking balance diet.

    “The fact that you eat three times a day does not mean that you are not hungry.

    “You may eat yam at breakfast, semovita during lunch and rice as dinner, but you only succeeded in taking carbohydrate, which will only supply you energy nothing else,” he said.

    According to him, for a person not to be hungry, he needs to have a food that is well balanced.

    Some peasant farmers who spoke with NAN appealed to government at all levels to stop paying lips service to agriculture and increase their budgetary allocations in order to boost food production in the country.

    The Kogi Government said it has begun the distribution of N232 million loan and grants to 145,000 farmers in rural areas of the state.

    A statement in Lokoja yesterday by the Special Adviser to the State Governor on Media, Mr Jacob Edi, said the grant would be given to farmers on the platform of Nigerian Agricultural Payment Initiative e- wallet system.

    According to the statement, the loan aspect of the package is being disbursed in phases by the state government in partnership with the Kogi Farmers Cluster Development Union.

    It said that 145,000 rural farmers selected across the 21 local government governments in the state had been listed to benefit.

    Also. the Federal Government said it distributed seeds and fertiliser worth N2.5 billion to rice farmers in Jigawa for the 2014/2015 farming season.

    The Director, Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) in the state, Malam Ahmad Labaran, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse that the farm inputs were distributed to 177,425 rice farmers in Hadejia, Kafin-Hausa and Auyo.

    He added that each farmer was given two bags of fertiliser and 2.5 kg of improved rice seed, saying the items were given to the farmers at subsidised price