The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Food security

  • NIRSAL moves to ensure food security

    The Nigerian Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) has entered into a partnership with the world’s largest crop chemical producer to ensure food security for Nigeria.

    Speaking at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NIRSAL and Syngenta Agrochemical Company in Abuja on yesterday, the Managing Director of NIRSAL, Mr. Aliyu A. Abdulhameed said Nigerian farmers need simple and reliable ways to maximise their yields.

    The thrust of the agreement, he noted is to take a holistic approach and create integrated, tailored made solutions, all combined with advanced crop protection science, quality seeds delivering higher yields, and agronomic advice based on deep insights into how small holder farmers work can increase farmers yield by between 40 and 80 per cent.

    He said the partnership between NIRSAL and Syngenta, is designed to ensure: basic business management; end to end agronomy; crop protocols; and safe and effective use of crop protection products.

    This partnership he said is not only focused on making quality inputs available, but will more importantly provide productivity enhancing technology and practices for smallholder farmers in Nigeria.

    This will include a wide range of support such as improving seed yields, teaching best farm practices, and providing effective capacity building to farmers and other stakeholders, to ensure optimal productivity.

    same technology and package of practice to enhance our primary production activities” he said.

    Farmers under the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Anchor Borrowers’ Programme as well as other Primary Production activities will enjoy this yield enhancing technology through NIRSAL’s Project Monitoring, Reporting and Remediation Offices across the 36 states plus FCT.

    This will present the opportunity to reach over a million Smallholder Farmers leveraging on NIRSAL’s coverage and collaborations with critical stakeholders in the Agricultural Value Chain.

    To ensure sustainability and maximal adoption of these Technologies and Packages of Practice closer to the Smallholder farmers, NIRSAL will layer it on its A-PASS structure. “This starts with the Geo Cluster of 10,000Ha, to Agro Geo Cooperative of a maximum of 250Ha and the Geo Cooperative Cell which covers about 50Ha, and to the individual farmers “farm plot” Abdulhameed said.

  • Food security: local rice production to the rescue

    Food security: local rice production to the rescue

    The involvement of states in rice production is boosting the Federal Government’s policy on the diversification of economy from oil to solid minerals and agriculture.  DANIEL ESSIET writes on how local rice production has not only reduced capital flight but crashed the price of the commodity.

    After training as an economist in the University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom (UK), Rotimi Williams came to Nigeria on a visit His destination was Nasarawa State, where he was attracted to rice production.  He decided to give it a try.

    Today, Williams farm – Kereksuk Rice Farm – is one of the largest commercial farms not only in Nasarawa State, but in the country.

    He explored technologies on how to become a successful rice grower and since then, there has been no looking back. Though he spends a lot on irrigation, he records good returns at the end.

    Despite the hitches, including as labour shortage, depleted soil cover, pest attacks and lack of marketing infrastructure to sell the produce, he has become famous in rice production.

    The collateral effect of the unending clashes between itinerant herders and farmers in neighbouring Benue State notwithstanding, Williams has become a part of the rice revolution in the country.

    The growing interests of individuals and corporate organisations in rice production have a long-term and sustainable future for thousands of young and old folks.

    According to government sources, about 15 million metric tonnes of rice were produced locally last year,

    Making the claim at the inauguration of the Rice Millers Association of Nigeria (RIMAN) in the state, the Director of Agriculture in the Kano office of the Federal Ministry of Agricultural, Muhammad Adamu, said that in Kano alone, 1.2 million metric tonnes of rice was produced in 2016.

    Although the Federal Government has set a 95 per cent self-sufficiency target in rice, only 50 per cent of rice consumption is currently being met locally.

    A whopping N365 billion of the government’s hard-earned resources goes into rice importation, The Nation learnt.

    The question on the lips of many is: “Why spend such huge amount of money on rice importation when the country has the potential of growing enough rice to support her growing population and generate surplus that can be exported?”

    The tonnage of rice being produced in the northern states of Katsina, Kaduna, Zamfara, Jigawa and Sokoto, is insufficient for the estimated 180 million population.

    But more states governments are buying into rice farming, as some state governments have acquired thousands of hectares of land to boost rice production in their respective domains.

    The states include: Anambra, Niger, Jigawa, Kebbi, Sokoto, Cross River, Ebonyi, Lagos, Delta, Kwara, Kogi, Anambra and Ogun.

    As of the last count, only two out of the 36 of states are yet to embrace rice production. Many of the states now plant thrice yearly.

    Kano

    Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje said his administration is proritising rice cultivation. He told reporters in a chat of his plan to replace the age-long groundnut pyramids with rice pyramids.

    Besides, rice, Ganduje assured his administration will continue to provide the right environment to encourage massive production of rice, wheat and tomatoes.

    He assured that rice farmers would be provided with said with incentives to increase production.

    Kebbi

    In the Northwest state of Kebbi, rice production has become a success story. The government has earmarked about N10 billion for the establishment of a rice mill.  The production capacity of the proposed mill is 100,000 tonnes annually. It will be complimented with silos with capacity to store 18,000 tonnes of paddy and a warehouse for storing additional 12,000 tonnes of paddy.

    The facilities are expected to generate direct and indirect employment for 3,500 people and its procurement will reach out to 50,000 farmers.

    Katsina

    Going by its claim, Katsina State Government has sunk N200 million into rice and cotton production under the Anchor Borrowers Programme.

    Governor Aminu Masari’s Special Adviser on Agriculture, Dr. Abba Abdullahi, told reporters in Katsina:  “We have rice and cotton farmers that collected the CBN loan under the Anchor Borrowers Programme to boostrice and cotton production and the programme needs supervision.

    “We used the funds to supervise and inspect all the rice and cotton farms in the 34 local government areas of the state.

    Ogun

    Ogun State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs Adepeju Adebajo identified agriculture as one of Governor Ibikunle Amosun administration’s cardinal programme.

    She said a lot of investment had gone into the sector since the inception of the administration.

    According to her, the administration is encouraging the production of indigenous variety OFADA. She said the government will leave no stone unturned to promote and improve the production of OFADA brand.

    The commissioner added that the production of Nerica 8 and Faro (short and long grains) varieties would be promoted to domesticate in the Gateway State, the Economic Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP) launched last year by the Federal Government to reboot the economy.

    The state, through direct intervention and assistance from development partners including: World Bank through FADAMA and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), assisted Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP), has recorded a quantum leap in rice production.

    Apart from the direct public sector supported intervention, the efforts of other private sector smallholder farmers in various farmlands across the state have all contributed to the success story.

    Imo

    The Imo State government is taking a cue from Lagos State as it has announced a plan to go into a partnership with Kebbi State. Its Governor Rochas Okorocha said that such partnership has become imperative to tackle the prevailing economic situation. According to him, the partnership programme would majorly be in rice production.

    LAKE Rice

    The brand name is derived from the partnership between Lagos and Kebbi states. At the inception of his administration, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode struck a a rice production deal with his Kebbi State counterpart, Atiku Bagudu. The result of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two states in Lagos on March 23, 2016, on the production and distribution of rice, is the LAKE Rice which has become a household name in Centre of Excellence and some parts in the Southwest.

    At the signing, Governor Bagudu said: “Nigeria cannot afford to continually depend on imported rice. What we are doing is to pioneer a collaboration that will bring other states on board later as we believe that our potentials are enormous and we must have pacesetters to start that process of joint collaboration for our collective good.”

    His host said: “Lagos is the largest consumer of food commodities in the country by virtue of its large population. The state has the market with the required purchasing power. The state has an estimated consumption of 798,000 metric tons of milled rice per year which is equivalent to 15.96 million of 50 kilogram bags with a value of N135 billion per annum.

    “We have the economic prowess to produce rice locally. The era of imported rice is gone. The reality is for all of us to embrace the consumption of local food and commodities. Lagos State presently consumes 6,000 heads of cattle daily which may increase to 8,000 in the next five years.”

    Anambra

    The story has changed for Anambra State, which was producing only 80,000 metric tonnes of rice per annum. “We have since tripled that production volume”,  Governor Willie Obiano said, adding “from a yield of 244,235.25 metric tonnes of rice that we achieved in 2016, we have increased our production output to 322,000 metric tons per annum.

    “With this achievement, we have effectively surpassed our annual consumption figure of 320,000 metric tons in the state. We are not relenting. We are waiting for more investors. The Committee on Land Acquisition has earmarked 67,000 hectares of land that will be given out to big farmers who want to set up large mechanized farms in Anambra State.”

    Kogi

    The Kogi State government has renewed its commitment to embrace the Federal Government’s policy on agricultural revolution policy. It Governor Yahaya Bello said the commitment has begun to yield positive results, assuring that its rice will soon bridge the gap between demand and supply across the nation.

    Bello’s media aide Kingsley Fanwo said in Lokoja during an appraisal of the state government’s agricultural plan that “we are poised to strengthen our lead in cashew production as well as take over the leading role in cassava and rice production, because of our comparative advantage in these crops. Kogi State has declared a state of emergency in the agricultural sector long before the unstable revenue generation in the state. The visionary administration has placed agriculture on the front burners of its economic prosperity plan known as the New Direction Agenda.

    “A massive revolution is going on across the state in the area of rice production. Kampe Omi Dam Project is breathing down on the leading rice producers in the country.  Our rice mill is near completion and by the end of the year, the nation will be shocked by the magnitude of work put in place to ensure rice sufficiency in the country.

    “We are also working on the Ibaji Rice Farm, which has the potential of causing a revolution in the nation’s rice production. We attach great importance to the value chain and the multiplier effect agriculture can have on the economy of our dear state.”

    Ebonyi

    Ebonyi produces over 1.2 million tonnes of rice annually. The state has 72, 000 hectares for rice plantation with a target of six tonnes per hectare production.

    The government said it has borrowed N10 billion from the Federal Government to finance agricultural activities.

    Its Governor Dave Umahi said the loan would be used to support farmers, especially, those involved in rice production.

    He said the state plans to establish mega rice cities in the various local government areas to boost rice production.

    Umahi said: “We want to domesticate rice production in Ebonyi State and we are going beyond individual production.

    “We are now beginning to see how we can institute what we call rice mega cities in each local government area where by we have 5,000 hectares of land dedicated for rice production in each of our local government areas.

    “Already, we have four rice mills that are in operation and you also see private people that are milling with their traditional machines. We are planning to cultivate 100,000 hectares of land to produce 400,000 tonnes of rice in the next two years.

    Benue

    The Benue State government accounts for 1.5 million metric tonness of rice to reduce the national rice consumption deficit of 4.3 million metric tonnes.

    Governor Samuel Ortom said the state is working to meet the national food supply needs.

    Nasarawa

    The Nasarawa State government is collaborating with the Pakistani Government on the production of basmati rice production and new rice seedlings have been procured from Pakistan.

    Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura broke the news at the fifth combined convocation of Nasarawa State University. He said: “New rice seedlings from Pakistan have been procured and I have already directed the commissioner of agriculture to start experimenting on the possibility of Nasarawa becoming a basmati rice producer as our efforts to add value to the system.”

    The power of commercial rice production

    Farmers in Kebbi and Lagos are leading the way in commercial rice production, benefiting from new seedlings and marketing opportunities that have helped them to overcome climate stresses and fend for their families.

    The partnership between the states has helped rice farmers to adopt better crop varieties, use water more efficiently and adapt to climate change.

    It has also promoted post-harvest technologies like rice milling and packaging, processing activities and stronger links with input dealers and micro-finance institutions.

    The project gives households opportunities to raise their income by developing new rice-based products like rice flour and husks for fuel and exploring the use of rice in fortified foods, including vitamin-rich cereals.

    With renewed government interests in the rice production sector in recent years, Lagos has the potential of becoming a rice granary.

    But, making this a reality requires the strengthening of rural infrastructure including roads, irrigation and milling and processing facilities, as well as boosting the farmers’ ability to market their produce.

    Impact of states’ involvement

    The President, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, Aminu Goronyo, said annual rice production in Nigeria has increased from 5.5 million tonnes in 2015 to 5.8 million tonnes in 2017.

    He said that in 2015, Nigerians spent below N1 billion on rice consumption, adding that while spending has drastically reduced, consumption had increased because of increased local production of the commodity.

    “The consumption rate now is 7.9 million tonnes and the production rate has increased to 5.8 tonnes per annum.’’

    Goronyo said, adding “the nation is making reasonable progress”.

    According to him, the annual rice production in Nigeria has increased, attributing it to the  CBN’s Anchor Borrowers Programme(ABP) with a total of 12 million rice producers and four million hectares of FADAMA rice land.

    Since the introduction of the programme, many states have created economic linkage between smallholder farmers and reputable large-scale processors, thereby increasing agricultural outputs and significantly improving capacity utilisation of processors.

    To stakeholders, the involvement of states in rice farming could take millions of Nigerians out of poverty and reposition the economy.

    Speaking on the development, the Project Director of Cassava Adding Value for Africa Phase II (CAVA II) Project, Prof. Kolawole Adebayo, predicted an overall increase in rice production.

    He said: “Younger and commercially-oriented farmers will be encouraged to go into rice production. Nigeria‘s rice production potential will be boosted. Value chain opportunities supporting rice production will also contribute to the nation’s economy.”

    Mandate for growth

    According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the value of importation has declined by 83 per cent within the last three years from N107.7 billion in 2014 to 17.9 billion in 2016, NBS data state.

    The numbers of rice mills (both integrated and cottage) have increased by more than 50 per cent as the government and private sector continue to make more investments in processing.

    The average crop yield per hectare of the crop has risen from 2.5 metric tonnes per hectare to an average of four and five metric tonnes of the same acreage, owing to renewed government commitment.

    The Anchor Borrowers’ Programme

    The ABP, launched by President Muhammadu Buhari on November 17, 2015 in Kebbi State, is targeted at creating a linkage between anchor companies involved in the processing and SHFs of the required key agricultural commodities.

    The fund was from the N220 billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Development Fund. The ABP evolved from series of consultations with stakeholders, comprising federal ministry of agriculture and rural development, state governors, millers of agricultural produce and smallholder farmers to boost agricultural production.

    Goronyo said that under the ABP, RIFAN in the next 24 months would commence rice importation to West African countries as the necessary arrangements had been put in place.

    He said: “For self-sufficiency, adequate and enough paddy for production ABP, which started in Kebbi state has been extended to 26 states. As a step further, RIFAN is in collaboration with some agencies to replicate the CBN APB programme in some states to increase production.’’

    Local rice production: $600 million saved

    A whopping $600 million (about N216 billion) is believed to have been saved from the importation of rice alone from Thailand and other countries since the nation’s domestic mass production flooded the markets under the ABP.

    Agriculture & Rural Development Minister Audu Ogbeh said rice imports from Thailand had dropped from 644,131 metric tonnes to about 21,000 metric tonnes between September 2015 and September last year.

    Echoing him, Information Culture & Tourism Minister Lai Mohammed, said: “In fact, the Thailand Rice Exporters Association has recently revealed that within a spate of just two years – From September 2015 to September 2017 – Nigeria’s rice importation dropped from 644,131 Metric Tonnes to just about 21,000MT.

    “There is more good news to report: As a result of this administration’s success in local production, some investors from Thailand have shown interest in establishing rice milling plants in Nigeria, and this is sure to further boost rice production in Nigeria.

    “Four investors from Thailand are already in discussion with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to establish rice milling plants in Nigeria.

    “You must understand that the investors from Thailand are here because they have lost over 600000 metric tonnes of imported rice into the country and it is a good decision to participate in what is happening here.

    “A few years ago, this would not have been possible since Nigeria was not considered a top rice producing country. Today, Nigeria is one of the largest producers of rice.”

    The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) predicted Nigeria’s rice imports to fall by 500,000 tonnes to 2.5 million tonnes in 2016, from the previous year’s imports of three million tonnes. The USDA post also forecast that rice imports will drop further by 400,000 tonnes to 2.1 million last year.

    The challenges

    It is not yet Uhuru for local rice production. The bottlenecks at the ends of the production chain have not been totally eliminated.

  • Herdsmen crisis, insecurity and food security

    These, indeed, are strange times for our beloved nation. Harsh economic realities coupled with incessant fuel scarcity, unemployment, inflation, hunger and poverty have continued to make life tough for the people. To complicate things, insecurity has become a major source of anxiety.

    Until recently, terrorism is alien to our culture. But recent occurrences have since altered the equation. No thanks to the dastardly acts of the Boko Haram sect. In the first half of 2014, Boko Haram killed more than 2000 innocent and hapless civilians, in about 95 attacks. Sadly, as the war against Boko Haram makes appreciable progress, out of the blue came yet another menace of a different kind, but with an equally potent capability to coldheartedly waste human lives. Take the back seat Boko Haram; enters the vicious herdsmen!

    From Agatu in Benue State, Akure in Ondo State, Bukuru area in Plateau State, Oke Ogun area in Oyo State, Gassaka and Bali local government areas in Taraba State to Nimbo in Enugu State, rampaging herdsmen seem to be on a mission to draw blood. And blood they are getting. Everywhere they go, sorrow, tears and blood trail them. Curiously, they operate in such audacious fashion that makes mockery of our national security arrangement.

    Sadly, as it was the case at the onset of Boko Haram insurgence, the dastardly acts of  these reprehensible herdsmen have not really been accorded the requisite handling by appropriate authorities. This brings us to the thorny issue of modus operandi of Fulani herdsmen. The odd thing is the kind of riffles being reportedly used by rampaging herdsmen across the country. It becomes curious as to what they could be doing with such combat- purposed assault rifles.

    What could be the source of such dangerous ammunitions? If there is, indeed, a source, then, like Boko Haram, there would definitely be sponsors. If there are sponsors, the next puzzle is: what could be their motives? Could it be that purported skirmishes by herdsmen across the country are just clever ploys by some ‘evil genius’ to further throw the country into prolonged chaos? Could it be that recent upsurge in herdsmen atrocities is being orchestrated by some ‘powerful’ people with sinister intent to derail the country?

    The implication of the foregoing is that appropriate authorities need to methodically investigate recent increase in the reprehensible activities of herdsmen. It is vital to emphasise that military or police action alone might not suffice in thoroughly getting rid of the herdsmen’s challenge as it is with other such thorny security issues in the country. Sufficient intelligence must be gathered to really understand their motives, sponsors (if any) and grouses. It has been argued that the herdsmen’s ‘insurgence’ is being spearheaded by rascals from neighbouring countries. This claim must be properly verified and appropriate action taken if it is found to be real.

    If not quickly tackled, the implication of herdsman ‘insurgence’ on food security in the country could be calamitous.  Constant encroachment of farmlands by herds of cattle will no doubt affect the output of crops coming from the north; the region relied mainly upon for the provision of foodstuffs and fruits in the country.

    In Jigawa State alone, more than 70 cases of conflicts have been recorded since the beginning of the 2015 farming season. These cases bordered on encroachment into farms by cattle and farmers misuse of cattle routes. The situation is not different in Nassarawa and Benue States, the food baskets of the nation as herdsmen persistently engage farmers in feuds that often result in serious causalities on both sides. While farmers accuse the herdsmen of farm land encroachment, the latter blame the farmers and members of their communities for rustling of their cattle. Unfortunately, the friction, if not properly checked could have adverse effects on food security in the country.

    But as frightening as the issue appears, with the required political will, it could be logically addressed options to address them. To avert future bloody clashes between herdsmen and farmers, the Federal Government should creatively strategize with relevant stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the problem. One thing that can be done to reduce the tension is to establish grazing zones across the country for the herdsmen. Once this is done, government should ensure that the herdsmen strictly comply with the grazing zone arrangement. This would, no doubt, greatly reduce friction over land resources. Equally, concerted efforts should be made to address the armed cattle rustling rings reportedly wreaking havoc in the northern part of the country.

    Considering the fact that this year will understandably witness an increase in political activities, we cannot afford to treat the herdsmen crisis and, indeed, other such complex security issues in the country with a kid glove. Costly goofs such as the unfortunate comment of the Inspector General of Police in the wake of the recent bloody herdsmen’s attack in Benue State must be circumspectly avoided. We already have enough troubles as a nation; compounding things won’t do anyone any good. Every logical step must be taken to ensure that this present crisis does not degenerate into a full blown ethnic affair. This must not be allowed to be the case.  In view of our multi ethnic and cultural composition, we must clinically tackle every tendency that could further threaten our fragile unity.

    Appropriate government channels must be used to disconnect the crisis form evolving into ethnic or religious interpretations. This is where effective public enlightenment strategies come in. Strategic dissemination of information is key because we live in a country where people thrive on taking rumour and half truth as the truth.  But then, universally, wherever the people could not access official information, they make do with whatever information that is at their disposal. This, of course, is dangerous to the well being of any nation.

    On a final note, before the herdsmen crisis transform into another Boko Haram menace, thereby complicating our peculiar socio-economic and political situation, now is the time to decisively deal with them. If Boko Haram had been effectively addressed from the outset, perhaps, it wouldn’t have metamorphosed into the monster that it is right now.

    According to Aristotle and Plato, what it takes for evil to triumph in a given society is for evil to continually go unpunished. Therefore, appropriate government agencies must rise up to the occasion by reprimanding naughty herdsmen and their promoters. We have had enough of impunity in the country. This is the time to act determinedly act against every group and sect that could further aggravate our country’s security situation. God bless Nigeria!

    • Ogunbiyi is of the Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.
  • MECHANISED FARMING, key to Nigeria’s food security’

    MECHANISED FARMING, key to Nigeria’s food security’

    Dr. Soboyejo Olamideji Adebayo, a veterinary doctor, is Chief Operating Officer, Jocal Breeder Farms. In this interview with FREDERICK ADEGBOYE, he speaks on the quality of investments needed to turn the economy away from overdependence on oil, among other issues. Excerpts:

    WITH the current crisis in the oil sector, attention has shifted naturally to agriculture sector to guarantee the country’s economic survival and food security. What quality of investments is needed in this sector to help realise their potential to contribute to the continued growth of the economy?

    Industrialisation of the agriculture sector can guarantee this for us.  And to be able to industrialise agriculture, two basic infrastructure the government needs to invest in is electricity, transport and IT. These three sectors will create an enabling environment and drive to entice foreign investors into the sector.

    What would you call the incentive for the average young Nigerian to go into agriculture?

    Agriculture is a tough job and also a good paying job. But the major incentive is the job creation, financial security and food security.

    What’s the most pressing issue in food supply and agriculture that you’d like to see solved?

    I will like to see Nigeria get to the point where we are net exporter of refined and value added agriculture products to the rest of the world. At this point, I’m sure the nation would have been able to feed itself comfortably.

    What’s your advice for President Buhari and the lawmakers on food and agriculture?

    Keep up the drive for economic diversification, and, above all, create the enabling environment in electricity and transportation infrastructure to drive in more foreign direct investment in the sector.

    Would you agree that the poultry industry isn’t as much fun to work in as it had been?

    Yes, I will agree to this, and this is because of the multitudes facing livestock farmers daily, the low per capita consumption of poultry product, diseases, inflation in cost of raw materials and power generation. All of these make the profit margin in the industry non attractive compare to what it has been in time past. Coupled with its huge capital intensiveness and the lower and lower margin, the business is getting tougher by the day. The panacea to these challenges demands  players in the industry to be more strategic, economical and technical to be able to manage the indices that affect the up and down trends of the business, the industry goes beyond being scientific, strong entrepreneurship and management skill can still guarantee success in the industry.

    What particular challenges do Nigerian farmers face who seek alternatives to intensive production systems?

    The major challenge facing intensive production systems majorly is power. For instance, I have 35 closed houses that can take 7,000 breeders each in a land area of over five million square metres.

    Powering this kind of farm community is a big task in Nigeria where power supply is epileptic. I had to power my farm most times with heavy duty generators which are expensive to maintain, couple with the fact that diesel supply is of bad quality and also expensive. This majorly bore a deep hole in our pocket yearly as a company. Other challenges which cut across all players in the industry is majorly increasing cost of feeding which is about 70% cost of production, thus subsequently increasing overall cost of production. In 2014, a bag of new maize went for 4000-5000 but now it is between 8000 and 10, 000. This is about 100% increase, whereas cost of a crate of egg never got 100%increase in price between 2014 and 2017. All this is making the poultry industry unattractive. Unfortunately, it’s a kind of business that is difficult to liquidate and cash out, so most farmers invariably keep licking their wounds while praying for better days again.

    You have worked across the industry for over a decade, what have been your biggest achievements?

    Over the years I have been an aggressive learner, and have developed to be more formidable and versatile. And my biggest achievement has been my ability to be able to proffer business solutions none like other in the poultry industry. My business management style has focused on cost management, efficient utilisation of resources and scientific approach. As seen in my current workplace where I was able to transform the farm operation in eight months, cutting across business management, productions, operations, and making the business stronger than it ever was.

    What do you see as the biggest opportunity to fix the food system?

    Food security in Nigeria is still very poor, looking at what our population is and the growth rate. Thus the biggest opportunity is to be able to feed ourselves, and that’s why I applaud President Buhari’s drive for economic diversification and food security. And I think it’s a move every old and young of this country has to participate in. Not just in farm, but also in industries to be able to expand the value chain further, and engage more citizens of the country.

    Share some success stories and your involvement with private individuals/organisations or the federal government.

    Our business, Jocarl Breeder Farm, was established to bridge the supply gap the Nigerian poultry industry was facing, and also the urgent need for the country to improve its food security, and that was why a heavy investment was made to establish a state-of-the art poultry farm with latest technology in poultry breeding. It was a challenging feat due to the fact that the sector is faced with lots of challenges varying from feedstuff supplies, inflation, forex liquidity, power and insufficient know-how. But we were able to surmount it all, by working round the clock, and also keeping our eyes on the vision and mission for which we were established in the first place. Gradually, things started falling in place and we are proud to be one of the biggest producers in the industry.  With our recent improvements, we have been able to expand and partner with private organisations in the value chains and also indirectly supporting the federal government’s move for economic diversification.

    What are your major challenges?

    Challenges are a constant factor in any production sector. Challenges become greater when your dreams and visions are big and when you never intend to settle for less. Our challenge, majorly like every other big player in this sector, is the availability of quality feedstuff.

    Unlike our counterparts in the western world, who have been able to industrialise each of the value chain, and there are regulations in place, which are totally lacking here, and because of that nobody really cares or regulate the quality of raw materials that come in for feed production which takes about 70% in your operation cost.

    Furthermore, the issue of smuggling of frozen chicken and eggs into the country is paralysing the industry, thus making it harder for farmers to compete and breakeven. All these still boil down to proper regulation and policies.

    For a farm like ours that depends on 24/7 electricity, power generation is also a big task especially when the cost of diesel is very expensive. The challenges are quite enormous nowadays than it used to be in the industry, and that’s why farmers are closing down daily.

    What originally inspired you to get involved in your work?

    Well, I was born into it. I have started raising livestock from the age of 10, ever before I dreamt of being a veterinarian. It all started from the old sci-fi movie “Doctor Who”, which I became a fan of at a tender age. So I had always wanted to be a doctor, though wasn’t sure of what type of doctor I wanted to be. So, as I grew older, coupled with my love for animals which I cater so much to and care about, I determined to be a veterinarian.

    What makes you continue to want to be involved in this kind of work?

    The passion got me going strong in this job. I love what I do, and have so much passion for it. This has made me develop myself, honed my skills in my core discipline, and others such as business management by earning a master’s degree in Business Administration, Accounting and Engineering to make me as versatile as possible to be able to proffer prompt solutions which are cost effective to situations and the challenges I face every day in operating a mega farm.

  • NiMet, IFAD sign MoU on food security

    NiMet, IFAD sign MoU on food security

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Fund for Agricultural Development on Climate Change Adaptation and Agri-Business Support Programme (IFAD-CASP).

    The pact is aimed at improving yields and reducing the risk of crop failure in seven northern states  that are vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

    The states are; Katsina, Borno, Sokoto, Yobe, Kebbi, Zamfara and Jigawa.

    The agreement would also reduce the losses incurred by farmers in the states over the years as a result of climate change and weather uncertainties.

    Speaking on the agreement, the Director-General of NiMet, Professor Sani Mashi, said NiMet would assist the states in the  prediction of rainfall establishment, rainfall variability, dry spells and length of raining season for sustainable agriculture.

    “Development of crop calendars in line with the value chain crops adopted by the selected communities and training of Extension Workers, Climate Change Officers and Community development associations in the analysis and interpretation of the Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP) in selected CASP States.”

  • FAO tasks Fed Govt to increase effort on food security, nutrition

    The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Country Representative, Mr. Suffyan Koroma has advised the Federal Government to increase its efforts on sufficient food production and addressing food nutrition challenges in the country.

    Koroma made the call at the stakeholders meeting on presentation of results of Cadre Harmonise (CH) Analysis on Food and Nutrition Insecurity in Nigeria.

    The new report was unveiled before Commissioners for Health and Agriculture from 17 States across the country, including the Federal Capital territory (FCT), yesterday in Abuja.

    The states are Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Adamawa, Yobe, Borno, Kaduna, Kebbi, Niger, Benue, Taraba, Bauchi, Gombe and Plateau.

    Other stakeholders such as local and international Non-Governmental Organisations were as well present at the discussion which preceded official unveiling of the document.

    Koroma, who was represented by David Patrick, said efforts were ongoing to assist the vulnerable states with supports from other development partners such as Action Against Hunger, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), World Food Programme (WFP) among others.

    The CH report, earlier this year stated that 7 million people in the 16 northern states were severely vulnerable to hunger if quick actions were not taken.

    “The essence of this meeting is to gather all stakeholders to discuss on the cadre harmonise report and information at their disposal on food and nutrition. Outcome of the CH will later be communicated to headquarters of various agencies to needed programmes and intervention.

    “There is need for the government to increase efforts on addressing food security and nutrition. There is also need to build capacity of all stakeholders and strengthen food security and nutrition in the country,” he said.

    Koroma further described the CH as a food security tool adopted by the federal government to analysis food and nutrition insecurity findings in the country.

    Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Bukar Hassan, said the analysis became imperative in order to determine reliability of data in the 16 States before final presentation to the public.

    According to him, the result will assist government in planning effectively, especially in the area of policy formulations targeted to assist poor rural households in the country.

    “It is a tool to analyse food security and poverty in the country,” he added.

    Hassan, who was represented by Director of Planning, Policy and Coordination, Alhaji Auwal Maidabinu reassured support of the federal government to jointly realizing food security in Nigeria.

    The Country Director, World Food Programme, Martha Karlard, described the exercise as impressive stressing that it immensely helped in the study of about 22, 000 households in the north east.

    She lauded the federal government and States for timely delivery of food items to the victims of insecurity in the region.

  • Stakeholders rob minds on food security

    Postharvest Loss Alliance for Nutrition (PLAN) under the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) is working to end hunger in the country through food security.

    This emerged at a three-day workshop held in Lagos State, which  was supported by the Rockefeller Foundation Yieldwise Programme and USAID. It had in attendance All Farmers Association of Nigeria, market association, manufacturers and government officials.

    Senior Project Manager for PLAN Dr. Augustine Okoruwa said Nigeria is a nation that could thrive on agriculture, but should work toward a postharvest scheme.

    He said: “We discovered that for you to feed the family, you need to have the product available in the market to sell. However we discovered that for fresh foods and vegetables, the losses after production is very high. In fact, on average it is about 50 per cent but in some locations in Nigeria, people lose 70 to 100 per cent of the fresh fruits and vegetables they have grown because of lack of cold chain logistics, no cooling facilities, poor transportation and lack of processing facilities close to the place where they are producing.

    “To ensure that we reduce postharvest loss is to ensure that people understand the importance of postharvest handling of fresh foods and vegetables. Apart from that, the issue of food safety is critical, so that when they are handling it, they are conscious of the fact that human beings would consume it.

    ”We decided as part of our project to build capacity for businesses. We have been doing a lot of capacity building in finance, on development of bankable business plans and now we are doing on food safety.

    “We identified Kaduna and Lagos, Kaduna being one of the largest regions in the north that produces tomatoes and other fresh foods and vegetables and Lagos being the hub for consumption and processing. So here we are seeing more processors in attendance, and the essence is to build the capacity of agro businesses in the agricultural value chain to adhere to international best practices, even on the farm.”

    Okoruwa explained that the identified challenges to food security was the high wastage.

    “For a hectare of land, you get 120 tons of tomatoes compared to the Nigerian farmer who will only get 10 tons using the same resources. If we continue that way, it would get to a point were a lot of people will go hungry and a lot of resources would have been wasted. So food safety is one of the identified drivers of food security.

    ”We hope that participants would go back to their various organisations and train others. We have a lot of executives here as well as Government representatives so we hope that they would go back and deploy what they have learnt and then improve on their operations.

    ”For instance, Lagos state has land policies that are being developed and there are market sensitisation projects that Lagos and Ogun States are running. One of the economic recovery plans is focusing on developing agriculture. Awareness at that level is now high. At the Federal Government level it has been recognized and has been listed as one of the drivers of economic recovery,” he said.

    A lead trainer for Kowafresh, Ademola Adebowale,  said consumers should demand quality for the sake of their health, noting that Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Production Requirements & Control should be the benchmark.

    He said the government needed to set a pace for standard, stressing that there should be national GAP. He cited countries like Thailand, Japan and Malaysia as counties with the benchmark.

    “Today’s consumer is demanding value and wants quality. If someone can go to Shoprite and spend N2000 to buy a few pieces of tomatoes, it simply means the individual wants value. Consumers today are tired of eating things that pose a threat to their health. Stakeholders need to come together, form collaborations, put a standard in place for the agriculture industry as fruits and vegetables needs to be standardised.”

  • Galvanising BoA for optimal food security

    Galvanising BoA for optimal food security

    The recent decision by the federal government to set up a task force on food security appears to be a welcome development in the light of daily astronomical increase in price of food commodities.

     One of the major challenges facing farmers in the country, according to stakeholders, is access tp funds and information.

     Government, through the Bank of Industry (BoI) and Bank of Agriculture (BoA), has constantly announced provision of loan facilities to farmers, but when it comes to accessing the funds, the criteria are always stringent. This has not only discouraged farmers, who toil day and night, with little or nothing to show for their labour, especially with the issue of wastages leaving tons of produce rotten. It has also discouraged most youths, who studied agriculture to seek money-spinning vocations, as alternatives.

    But at a time when young Nigerians, especially graduates, are running from taking on agriculture as a vocation, some have taken exception to this, adding innovation and modern agricultural practices to the system.

     The federal government says it will restructure Bank of Agriculture (BoA) so as to facilitate farmers’ access to loans, encourage youths’ participation in farming and boost food production in the country.

    The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said this when he featured at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja.

     According to Ogbeh, the bank’s restructuring will bring down the interest rate on loans for farmers and young people who want to go into agro-businesses.

    Agriculture

    “Once we restructure the Bank of Agric, the interest rate will not exceed seven per cent, I am pushing for five. The average rate worldwide is three per cent; it is only in Nigeria we are doing 18 to 25 per cent.”

    .On the key deliverables of the steering committee and the project delivery team, Ogbeh said, “They are expected to restructure the bank, give it fresh energy, look into issues of staffing and electronic improvement; because right now, the bank is totally manual.

     “So, they are expected to make the bank active and work in every community nationwide to provide credit to MSMEs and to farmers, whether small or big.”

    The minister noted that the committee was expected to complete its job and report back to the government in two weeks to one month, adding that the CBN would hand over the responsibility of agriculture funding to the BoA once the restructured bank takes shape.

     “There has to be a much stronger, better run and better financed BoA that provides loans at an interest rate that is easy to accommodate by small and big farmers,” Ogbeh said.

     Also, Minister of State for Agriculture, Sentor Heineken Lokpobiri, stated the recapitalisation sum for the bank. The minister stated, “The target is high and if we have N1tn, we don’t mind for we are actually looking at a very high figure. We also have to recover some of the credits that are outstanding and some of the farmers who are owing have offered to pay because they are making more money now.” Lokpobiri, said this on at the inaugural harvest of a Tilapia from a fish farm belonging to Premium Aquaculture Limited, Oyan Dam in Abeokuta.

    He noted that access to funding remained one of the biggest challenges being faced by farmers in the country.

    Lokpobiri lamented that commercial banks were not ready to fund agriculture, hence the decision by the federal government to recapitalise the bank in order to boost the agricultural sector.

    The minister said the nation’s fish demand stood at 3.1 metric tonnes per annum, but the current production was around 1.1 metric tonnes per annum, leaving a deficit of 2.1 metric tonnes.

    Lagos State chapter of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Otunba Femi Oke, stated that it is every farmer’s dream to see that BoA is lending at a reasonable interest rate.

    Oke explained that BoA is key and strategic to farmers’ input toward food productivity in the country.

    He said that it is their hope that government will deliver its pledge as promised to the farmers and Nigerian people.

    Oke said: “We hope that with the recent policies of the present administration on boosting agriculture, they will deliver their promises to us.

    “We are very delighted that CBN is at the front burner towards fine-tuning the repositioning of BoA and that is giving us hope that the bank will be a truly Nigerian farmers’ lender. So, it is our hope that they will do better for agriculture than before.”

    On BoA recapitalisation, Oke said: “Yes the BoA can be a leeway in solving agric lending challenges we are facing in the industry right now.

    For the National Coordinator LUGAVO and Women Leader, AFAN, Halima Njobdi, it is too early for farmers to rejoice on the ongoing BoA recapitalisation.

    Njobdi noted that past governments have promised Nigerian farmers a lot and they were disappointed at the end of the day.

    She, however, stated that if FMARD is keen on bringing farmers on board, then real farmers should be considered rather than the portfolio bag carriers.

    Meanwhile, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) have reportedly set aside N300 billion for agricultural lending in 2016 apparently in an effort to grow and diversify the economy from oil that has seen its price plummet painfully. The oil price is in its deepest downturn.

     The N300 billion for agricultural lending, according to Godwin Emefiele, governor of CBN, at the end of the seventh annual Bankers’ Committee retreat in Lagos, would accommodate not only the small and medium enterprises (SMEs), but also large-scale farming companies in the agricultural sector.

     Emefiele explained that the increase in lending to the agriculture sector would translate to reduction in the demand of foreign exchange that would help conserve Nigeria’s foreign reserves and strengthen its currency.

     The N300 billion for agricultural lending is a commendable development especially now that the country is seeking creative ways to diversify the economy from oil. According to an analyst, setting aside “N300 billion for agricultural lending is an effort at creative fiscal expansion”. He said “the agricultural sector has been in fine fettle over the last four years as the former agriculture minister and now managing director of African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, took the sector to new and enviable heights of productive output”. However, he said the sector “is still in need of a massive injection of funds to improve not just output but also productivity or output per person.”

     The analyst noted that “the N300 billion additional expenditure commitment to the sector would significantly help in growing the sector further provided the additional spending relates to improved access to loans by genuine farmers (as distinct from the traditional fleet-footed ‘farm fund’ pirates) and improvement in farm storage facilities and farm gate road infrastructure.”

    Importantly, like those loan before it, implementation will be key. Implementation includes condition for borrowing.

     It would be recalled that when CBN floated the N200 billion Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme (CACS) loan, many low-scale/peasant and large-scale commercial farmers complained bitterly about their inability to access the funds. Even though the idea behind the scheme was seemingly noble and well-thought-out, most farmers were of the opinion that the criteria set to access the funds seemed unrealistic and the awareness poor. This is the same with other loans either by the CBN or direct from the federal government, stakeholders reckon.

     Farmers registered under Goshen Potato Farmers’ Cooperative at the time said there was no way they could have accessed the N200 billion CACS loan if the federal government did not review the conditions for borrowing, noting that the conditions were stringent. Some other farmers lamented over the guidelines, describing them as somewhat unrealistic and elitist. Some analysts said this N300 billion loan for agricultural lending in 2016 will still be dogged with the same fate.

     Stakeholders in the industry were of the view that the guidelines of the N200 billion CACS loan consciously marginalised low-scale farmers, who constitute over 80 percent of the country’s farming population. Even if the focus of the fund is to develop commercial agriculture, how many commercial farms in Nigeria could have been really qualified with asset base of N350 million? They queried. The N350 million asset base was part of the condition for accessing the loan.

     According to the leadership of the Goshen Potato Farmers’ Cooperative, the group tried some banks but they refused to lend. It said the farmers were met with very stiff conditions for borrowing when they went to the banks to access the loan, noting that the lenders told them the money was meant for big commercial farmers.

     Some stakeholders have said that frequent recourse to hand-outs, which is what some see the N300 billion loan facility as, are bound to have an inflationary impact on the economy. They say the problems of Nigeria’s agricultural sector are so many that a N300 billion loan facility will amount to just a drop of water in the ocean. According to them, the money can never make any meaningful impact.

     Some fear that in the disbursement of the loan the choice of businesses to benefit from it could also be a problem, noting that part of the guidelines of accessing some of these loans are sometime tied to the business not being less than a certain whopping amount of money. They reckoned that except the few farms owned and managed by expatriates, it is always difficult for indigenous firms to get such loans in the sector.

  • ACGG to boost food security via rural farming

    The African Chicken Genetic Gain (ACGG) has said it is set to enhance food security through rural farming.

    The Project Leader, ACGG, Prof. Funso Sonaiya, said this would be achieved through the transformation of smallholder chicken production into commercially viable enterprise with private sector engagement that could empower rural women, increase income and nutrition of their families.

    He said this would be achieved through a transformational, comprehensive and system-wide approach to the improvement of village poultry production systems at a scale that had the potential to impact millions of the poor in three partner countries including Ethiopia, Nigeria and Tanzania.

    It would be done through delivery of more productive locally adaptable chicken, production inputs and services to farmers in rural communities, he added.

    Sonaiya, a professor in the Department of Animal Science, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, said tests were being carried out in the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Fol-Hope Farms, Ibadan as well as in five zones – Kwara, Rivers, Imo, Nasarawa and Kebbi states – involving 2,100 farmers and ‘six genetics’ chromosome.

    He said after the tests, the two most preferred breeds would be commercialised by private breeder farms to ensure reliable supply of day-old chicks.

    “Using science’s ‘six genetics’, we are sure to have a high yield of egg production than the local breed. The six genetics produces up to about 200 eggs annually while the local breed produces less than 65 annually. The adult size for a local breed is 1kg at 20 weeks while the six genetics weighs 3kg at 20 weeks,” he said.

    Sonaiya said in the last two years, the organisation had conducted extensive baseline survey of smallholder poultry farmers in Nigeria and distributed over 65,000 chicks to 2,100 smallholder chicken farmers ( 65 per cent of which  are women) in 60 villages across five main agro-ecological zones.

    He said the ACGG facilitated the delivery of vaccination to smallholder chicken farmers, established a data management system for on-farm and on-station data collection among many other activities.

    According to him, the adoption of the ACGG project to transform smallholder chicken production in Nigeria has a multiplier effect in empowering rural women farmers.

    He said the project was launched in 2015 at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Oyo State by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and that deploying the use of science for poultry farming had proved to be more productive compared to the conventional method.

    He also said the mortality rate of the ‘six genetics’ was  less than two  per cent compared to the five per cent mortality rate of local breeds.

     

     

  • Fed Govt restates commitment to food security

    The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to use agriculture to ensure food security and provide more employment for Nigerians.

    The Director, Department of Agriculture and Extension Services, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Alphonsus Onwuemeka, spoke during a training organised for Agricultural Extension Officers at the head office of Ekiti State Agricultural Development Programme  in Ikole-Ekiti.

    Onwuemeka said out that the Federal Government was working towards using agriculture to generate export and support sustainable income and jobgrowth.

    According to him, Nigeria is the world’s largest producer of cassava which is handled only by small farmers in southern, central and lately northern Nigeria. He regretted that the country still imports starch, flour and sweeteners that can be made from cassava.

    In his remarks, the Acting Programme Manager of Ekiti State Agricultural Development Programme, Mr. Oladele Yakubu, said Nigeria is presently facing shortages in staple crops because of dependence on imported food.