The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

  • FG empowers 5,200 IDPs in Borno – Official

    FG empowers 5,200 IDPs in Borno – Official

    More than 5,200 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno have benefitted from the economic empowerment schemes of the National Programme on Food Security (NPFS) of the Federal Government.

    Mr Bala Ahmad, the Director of Engineering, Borno State Agricultural Development Programme (BOSADP), told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri on Monday that the beneficiaries were women and youths.

    Ahmad said that the programme, tagged ‘‘Community-based Agricultural and Rural Development Programme’’ of the Federal Government, was designed to improve the living standards of the beneficiaries.

    ‘‘The implementing agencies of the scheme are Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development through the National Programme on Food Security (NPFS), the Bank of Industry (BOI) and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) of the United Nations.

    “The programme was launched in eight northern states where poverty is widespread; the states are Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara in the Northwest, as well as Borno and Yobe in the Northeast.

    “The programme targets a large section of the rural population, especially women, youths and the most vulnerable, as well as small-scale farmers.

    “In Borno, the beneficiaries, who are mostly persons displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency, are from seven councils which include Jere, Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Konduga, Damboa, Bama, Biu and Benishaik.

    “The beneficiaries were asked to register as members of cooperative societies where they were divided into 30 groups.

    “They are to benefit from three basic programmes. The first group, comprising mostly women, was given hybrid cows to improve their livelihoods through the production of milk and other cattle-related products.

    “We engaged livestock facilitators who assisted the beneficiaries in selecting hybrid breed of cows that can yield quick returns.

    “Under the programme, some women were also supported with sewing and milling machines so as to enable them engage in groundnut and palm oil production,’’ he said.

     

  • FG trains Nasarawa herdsmen in livestock feeds production

    FG trains Nasarawa herdsmen in livestock feeds production

    The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Friday organised a one-day training workshop for herdsmen in Lafia on the production of livestock feeds.

    Mr John Taiwo, the Director of Animal Husbandry Services in the ministry, said that the workshop was aimed at educating herdsmen on the production of supplementary feeds, particularly in the dry season.

    Taiwo, who was represented by Mrs Ohemba Oghenekaro, noted that the ability of herdsmen to produce supplementary feeds would boost livestock production in the country.

    “Research has shown that the lack of supplementary feeds has adversely affected livestock production in Nigeria; hence the need for the training that would enable livestock farmers to adopt improved methods for better outcome.’’

    Taiwo said that the adoption of supplementary feeds as an alternative to cattle grazing would go a long way in addressing the incessant clashes between the herdsmen and farmers in the country.

    He said that the government was committed to resolving the farmers-herdsmen clashes through various policies and programmes.

    Malam Umaru Mohammed, State Director in the ministry, lauded the government’s initiative and urged the participants to take advantage of the workshop to boost their production.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the participants, drawn from all local government areas of the state, commended the government for the gesture.

    They pledged to use the knowledge they acquired at the workshop to boost their productivity.

    One of the participants, Malam Hussaini Adamu, however, appealed to the government to establish dedicated grazing routes, as part of measures to curb incessant herdsmen-farmers clashes.

     

  • SERVICOM necessary for reform coordination, service improvement – Ahmed

    SERVICOM necessary for reform coordination, service improvement – Ahmed

    The SERVICOM committee for reform coordination and service improvement of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has been inaugurated by Dr Shehu Ahmed, the Permanent Secretary.

    In a statement by the ministry’s Director of Information, Mr Tony Ohaeri, in Abuja on Friday, he disclosed that Ahmed commended SERVICOM for taking its rightful place in improving service delivery to Nigerians.

    Ahmed assured the Committee of management’s support and urged it to work with other stakeholders in the ministry to initiate measure towards enhancing service delivery in the Ministry.

    He urged members of the committee to re-dedicate themselves and work as a team to bring about positive changes in the Ministry.

    Earlier, Mrs Nnenna Akajemili, acting National Coordinator of SERVICOM, stated that the inauguration of the Ministerial SERVICOM Committee in the Ministry was in line with the institutionalisation of SERVICOM Principles.

    She noted that the inauguration comes in the most auspicious time when President Muhammadu Buhari is working towards ensuring change in the Nigerian public service, and most, especially in the agriculture sector.

    “ I hope the inauguration of a SERVICOM Committee in the Ministry will bring about a positive change and improvement in productivity and strategies that will lead to better service delivery in the Ministry.

    “The public expects accountability and transparency in the use of resources, and would, therefore, measure Government performance based on the quality of services delivered,” she said.

  • FG unveils national seed plan

    FG unveils national seed plan

    The Federal Government has set a four-year target to produce about 200, 000 metric tons of quality seeds for farmers by 2020.

    The national seed plan is to ensure improved, affordable and quality seeds get to the farmers, as part of federal government’s commitment to boost local food production and reduce food imports.

    The National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) Director-General, Dr. Philip Ojo said in Abuja that the target included distribution and marketing of the farm inputs, in partnership with major stakeholders for major crops planted by the rural farmers.

    Some of the crops include maize, rice, sorghum, millet, soybean, groundnut among others.

    In a report on the National Seed Planning workshop to develop a rapid action plan for quality seed production, the stakeholders identified need for Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to partner the NASC under its Anchor Borrowers Scheme.

    “A four year projection 2016 – 2020 for production, distribution and marketing of over 200, 00mt quality seeds..,” he said.

    The report which had contributions from the National Agribusiness Group (NABG), Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Seed Entrepreneur Association of Nigeria (SEEDAN) among other stakeholders emphasized that the four year seed production plan should be reviewed after two years of implementation.

    According to the report, the review became imperative in order to assess the progress and impact of the national seed plan.

    The stakeholders asked for a robust seed legislation and enforcement to address some of the challenges in the seed sector.

    They emphasized roles of the National Assembly (NASS) to speed up legislative processes on the national agricultural seeds act to ensure effective seed quality control and enforcement of seed law in the country.

    Other recommendations are; “The need to sustain the achievements recorded in the last four years in the seed sector by the ministry, through implementation of sustainable input delivery process; Government at all levels should create enabling environment for stakeholders in the seed sector to operate in a sustainable manner.

    “There is need for the ministry to mobilize and enlist active participation of state governments, youth women and other stakeholders to attain the cultivation of additional two million hectares of land per year, with double cropping using irrigational facilities.

    “There is an urgent need for the ministry to dialogue with financial partners to reduce the burden of access to finance and high interest rate to ensure delivery of quality inputs to farmers.”

     

  • FG to introduce soil test kits to farmers – Official

    The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is to introduce soil test kits to farmers nationwide as part of efforts to boost food production, an official has said.

    Prof Victor Chude, the Director, Farm Inputs Support Services in the ministry, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Chude said that the technology, known as `Soil Doctor’, would enable farmers to conduct instant test on the soil, to determine its strengths and weaknesses.

    He noted that soil testing was critical to farming as it guide farmers on the best fertilisers to apply in various soil types.

    He noted that the current system of blanket application of fertiliser results in waste of scarce fertilisers.

    “This is because the soil is not well prepared to take the nutrients for root interception within its short lifespan of arable cropping.

    “Soil Doctor analyses the fertility of the soil by sending a message to the cloud, and the result comes immediately, telling you the fertiliser to be used for a particular soil.

    “This technology is an improvement on the previous soil test method where field samples are taken to the laboratory for analysis and results gotten within a couple of weeks.

    “The kits will be introduced to farmers across the country through the Department of Climate Change and Agricultural Land Management Services.

    “Currently, 65 extension agents are being trained on how to use this new technology and they will in turn train the farmers.’’

    Chude, who is the President, Soil Science Society of Nigeria, also stressed the need for improved teaching of soil testing and other soil management skills to small farmers.

    He said that ‎soil testing was very important because it enables farmers to adopt new soil, crop and fertiliser recommendations for a particular field.

    “Soil testing simply means the analysis of a soil sample to determine its nutrient content, composition and other characteristics such as acidity level.

    “Testing a field and using the recommendations that come with it help plants receive adequate amount of nutrients needed for growth and improved productivity.’’

    He noted that awareness creation on soil testing among farmers would revolutionise agriculture in the country.

    According to him, a state-to-state soil testing programme has been conducted under the Food and Agriculture Organisation and National Programme for Food Security programme.

    “With the availability of Geographic Information System, modern techniques can be used to go beyond soil fertility map to evaluate soil capacity and develop calibration curves for crops in each state.

    “Unfortunately, the current system of blanket fertiliser use results in a waste of scarce fertiliser because the soil is not well prepared to take the nutrients for root interception within its short lifespan of arable cropping.”

    Chude, however, identified challenges to soil sampling such as lack of facilities and poor transportation infrastructure.