The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Food security

  • How to use data for food security, by expert

    How to use data for food security, by expert

    Improving the quality, availability and relevance of data on food and agriculture is a priority as Nigeria strives to develop more effective policies to tackle its persistent food security problems,the Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin, (UNILORIN), Prof Abiodun Adeloye has said.

    Speaking with The Nation, he said the government and the private sector need timely, accurate, and reliable statistics to give a better picture of how agriculture and food security are affected by, and how they impact, economic, environmental and social factors.

    He said reliable statistics are vital in tracking the nation’s food needs and achievements.

    Adeloye maintained that it is difficult to get statistics on short notice. While there may be data on the sector, the don said they were outdated since 2010.

    Adeloye said the agricultural sector requires statistics to determine productivity, competitiveness and ensuring farmers have greater access to markets.

    He acknowledged that there was a challenge to the nation unlocking its food production potential, stressing the importance of adequate information to enable the government to strengthen farmers to play a critical role in the transformational agenda.

    He said the sector faces a range of increasing resource constraints, adding that agricultural industries need data to justify investments. While the level of business investment is significant, data is required to defend expenditure directed to meeting business needs relating to increasing output.

    He said conductors of surveys are not able to capture the full potential of the data collection in productivity analysis, which can be relied upon.

    Adeloye said the industry needs timely and accurate data that caan be used by decision-makers to develop policies, programmes and investments that improve people’s lives.

    He called on the Nigeria Bureau for Statistics (NBS) to collaborate with the relevant agencies in the agricultural sector to provide data and information that can be used to gather food security statistics in areas such as agricultural investments, livestock, and land ownership.

    The don called on government agencies to build data collection infrastructure and to put a system in place to process and analyse such information.

  • ‘DPP will produce next Delta Central senator’

    ‘DPP will produce next Delta Central senator’

    Delta Central Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) senatorial candidate Chief Ede Dafinone spoke with EMMANUEL OLADESU on the proposed senatorial by-election and his plans for the district.

    Why are you in the senatorial race?

    The answer to that question is quality representation. I can represent my people at the highest level in the country. I want to bring development and prosperity to Delta Central.

    Some people still harbor doubts about your senatorial bid. How do you intend to build confidence in people about your ambition?

    Every individual brings a different set of skills and experience to the polity. My background, education, professional experience as an accountant and consultant, my experience in rubber export and plantation, my experience in the insurance industry and in the retail or shopping mall business are all success stories in their own right. I believe that the totality of these experiences will enable me to add value as the Senator representing Delta Central.

    How would you react to the view that you are daddy’s boy?

    I want to thank God for blessing me with youthful looks. I will be 52 on my next birthday and I think, in terms of years spent on this planet, together with my collective experiences, I am qualified to occupy this position. Those calling me daddy’s boy clearly do not know me or worse still, do not know my father, Chief David Dafinone.

    Considering that politics in Nigeria is on cash and carry basis, how do you intend to fund and actualise your ambition?

    Politics has become an expensive venture, especially in Delta State. Good enough, I have just mentioned an array of successful businesses, which will assist in financing the campaign. In addition, I will also call on friends to support in any way they are able. I will want to emphasise that the focal point of any election is having a greater number of voters to cast their votes in my support. However, despite the popular rhetoric, Nigerians have learnt to vote with their conscience and not for money. Indeed, this is the background to the success story of the DPP today.

    What are the challenges facing you on the field?

    Party primaries are always a tense time in every political party and DPP is not an exception. I have taken my message of Urhobo unity and the development of Delta Central to the villages, the towns, from the wards to the local government areas, to the youths, to the women and to the elders. I believe that they will recognise that I offer a quality representation in the senate. I also have a network of friends throughout the federation in both the public and private sectors that will assist me to provide the best quality representation.

    What has been the response?

    All the groups I have met want me to represent Delta Central at the Senate.

    Are you not intimidated by the senatorial ambition of some people in the race?

    I contested in the last primaries in the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) against the late Senator Pius Ewherido. I lost by a total of 17 votes, having joined the party two and a half weeks to those primaries. I was new to the party at that time. Since then, I have fully acquainted myself with my party at the local government, state and federal levels. I believe I am the candidate to beat.

    What is your reaction to the rumour that you are eyeing the Delta State governorship in 2015?

    This issue was first raised by a couple of young men who went to press early this year to endorse me for the governorship race in 2015. I must say that I have not shown any interest in that position and the endorsement given by this group has led to confusion as I prepare for the senatorial bye-election. Let me say that, in 2015, the natural progression will be for me to stand for re-election as a senator representing Delta Central. The period left before the next election will leave a lot of work for the office uncompleted. Equally, the position of the party’s gubernatorial candidate for 2015 will easily be filled by our leader, Chief Great Ogboru, by popular acclamation by the rank and file of the party.

    What is your message to the political leaders?

    I am a popular grassroots politician. I started my political career in 1998 where I campaigned for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from markets to community leaders across the whole of Delta State. I am experienced in both public and private sectors and will unite the party to ensure victory at the polls.

    What is your message to the people?

    The empowerment projects that I have undertaken under the Dafinone Foundation since 2006 have successfully empowered over 2,500 men and women in three local government areas. The empowerment has been through skill acquisition programmes covering hair dressing, tailoring, catering, aluminum bending and welding and computer education. The projects of the foundation demonstrate a commitment to serve, which can only be magnified as the senator representing Delta Central.

  • Food security: Nigeria to host D-8 countries

    Nigeria will host the 4th agricultural meeting of eight developing countries (D-8) in Abuja.

    The meeting, which will commence Wednesday, December 4 will involve Ministers of agriculture from the D-8 countries.

    In a statement issued by the Acting Director of Information in the ministry, Mr. Greyen Anosike, on Monday in Abuja, the organization is aimed at promoting socio-economic development of member countries.

    It was established to enhance cooperation in the economic sector through sharing of expertise in order to improve the portion of member countries in the global economy.

    It is expected that participating nations would adopt strategies for the implementation of the D-8 Programme for Food Security (D8-PFS).

    The statement reads: “Nigeria is hosting this 4th summit on food security to conclude actions on all outstanding issues for the various working Groups, formulating strategies to ensure timely and effective implementation of all decisions reached at meetings.

    “The meeting would focus on strengthening on areas of weakness such as uses of standards and trade and the need to forge a strong and meaningful multilateral or bilateral collaboration and partnership among the private sectors of members States while exploring areas of advantages.

    “At the end of the meeting, it is hoped that firming up cooperation in various sub-sectors of seed bank, fertilizer, animal feeds, marines fisheries as well as adoption of strategies for the implementation of the D-8 Programme for Food Security (D8-PFS) would be done.

    “Collaboration in livestock production and marketing and forging strong private sector led joint investment programme in a Public-Private Partnership is also expected.”

     

  • UN tasks smallholder farmers on food security

    UN tasks smallholder farmers on food security

    In the United Nations desire to tackle the impending hunger in the developing countries by the year 2050, it has already set machinery in motion to address this.

    At a two-day interface and discussion session in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, participants drawn from six countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda spoke passionately about assistance to smallholder farmers, in terms of policy reforms among others.

    Sponsored by the TrustAfrica in partnership with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the two-day interface was to enlighten the smallholder farmers on the role of agriculture in development and to give voice to those most affected by agricultural development policies.

    During the event Mr Charles Abugre Akelyira, Africa Regional Director of the UN Millennium based in Nairobi impressed the need for government to invest in agriculture among both local and industrial farmers.

    “We must invest in agriculture not just to feed the current generation but to prepare for the two billion more mouths we will need to feed by 2050. In particular, we have to invest in small-scale agriculture, as part of our mixed strategy.”

    The need to improve smallholder farmers skills were further emphasised.

    It would be recalled that the TrustAfrica Agricultural advocacy project which begun in 2010, states that African governments will dedicate 10% of their budgets to pro-poor agricultural policies.

    The aim is to have farmers hold their governments accountable for the budgets they have been promised.

    However, The TrustAfrica Acting Program Director, Dr. Tendai Murisa shared his excitement about the declaration of 2014 as the year of agriculture and food security and also shared his concern about the need for various countries to change their policies on agriculture.

    “We are excited about the fact that the African Union has decided to declare 2014 the year of Agriculture and Food Security. However, we are concerned that African governments have not increased their allocations to agriculture. There is an urgent need to realign the policies and resources of governments so that they can better reflect the already existing consensus in Africa. Agriculture has the potential to be the engine that can drive inclusive growth and development,” he stressed.

  • Social media dialogue on Agriculture holds on Sept 4

    Social media dialogue on Agriculture holds on Sept 4

    HEDA Resource Centre in partnership with Oxfam GB and Trust Africa will on Wednesday, September 4 hold a social media dialogue on Food Security and Agriculture in Nigeria.

    Questions to be considered during the online forum are:

    – How do we make Agriculture the mainstay f Nigeria’s economy again?

    – How young people can create wealth from the Agriculture value chain?

    – How do we make Agriculture fair to Small scale Women and Men Farmers?

    – Despite the 10% budget to Agriculture signed up to by Africa’s leaders, why does Nigeria budget less than 3% to Agriculture?

    The vital details for this conversation according to a statement by HEDA signed by Arigbabu Sulaimon are from 7am – 7pm includes the following:

    Twitter: @HEDAgenda

    Facebook: head resource centre

    Web address: www.hedang.org

    Hashtag: #hungerpalava, #wetinUthink

     

    Among others,  the forum aims at helping to halt the menace of hunger, youth unemployment and a failing national economy due to dwindling oil revenue,

     

     

  • Fed Govt, states partner on food security

    Fed Govt, states partner on food security

    The Federal Government has said it is commited to food security through partnership with state governments and the private sector.

    The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, spoke yesterday at the beginning of the meeting of the 40th National Council on Agriculture (NCA) in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

    She noted that realising the value-chain programme of the Agriculture Transformation Agenda (ATA) would pave the way for increased productivity and enhance easier management of farm input.

    The permanent secretary said the meeting would review past policies on agriculture as well as develop a new framework to enable the nation realise its agricultural programme.

    The NCA is the highest policy-making body on agriculture and rural development. It is an avenue for the Federal Government, states, the private sector and other stakeholders to review and direct agricultural policies to ensure food and nutritional security.

    Mrs Odusote said: “This meeting is coming at a time when the Federal Government is pursuing a robust transformation agenda in the agricultural sector.

    “Accordingly, the task before us at this meeting is enormous, as we gather in the next five days to share experiences arising from the policy implementation and chart a new course for the sector.”

    The permanent secretary noted that the challenge before the sector is more daunting but exciting because the Federal Government has taken some far-reaching policy decisions through its stakeholders to ensure the success of food security in the country.

    Mrs Odusote added: “The meeting is, therefore, expected to develop an implementation action plan towards actualising the agenda and realising the government’s short, medium and long-term food security goals…”

  • Nigeria’s gloomy food security future

    SIR: Barring unforeseen intervention from the government, Nigeria shall be facing food shortages in the next few years. The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) has said that 925 million people don’t have enough food to eat and 98% of this people live in emerging economies.

    Nigeria’s outlook for food security despite the laudable attempt by farmers to produce food is crushingly gloomy.
    This ominous situation is not eased by the fact that Nigeria is surrounded by countries that have encountered dreadful and severe droughts in the past. These nations are Niger, Chad, and Mali amongst others.

    The heart wrenching story of the recent famine in Somalia is still being told with so much resignation by international aid partners. While the situation in Somalia is not comparable to Nigeria’s, it doesn’t negate the fact that Nigeria is at the precipice of a serious food crises.

    Significantly, non governmental agencies have presented non-impeachable facts to the Nigerian government on the imminent food crisis. Oxfam, an international civil society group engaged in the fight against global poverty and hunger had warned the government to boost the nation’s food security system and prevent imminent food crisis
    Tackling the issue of food insecurity can’t be resolved if the Nigerian government continues to pay lip service to agriculture. Small-scale farmers should begin to be supported, encouraged, informed and educated. They can be the fan to ignite the ember of food security. This can be achieved by offering interest free loans to them. Also, modern farming techniques should be taught to the farmers. In addition, tax havens should be granted to importers of farm machineries.

    Furthermore, the youths must understand that agriculture is everybody’s business. The truth is except the youths are compelled to take up agriculture, they would keep running away. Perhaps, the National Youth Service Corp should be extended by one more year. The first year should be the usual service while the second year should be dedicated to farming. Without satisfying these criteria they should not be allowed to pass out. Parents should also engage their kids in farming by engaging themselves in farming too. Kids easily learn from their parents.

    Corporate organizations as part of their social responsibility must “adopt a farm” and support the farmers financially for better output.

    Nigeria must shelve the idea of playing the big brother by feeding other countries while her citizens go hungry.
    • Ogunfowoke, Adeniyi Ayuba
    Badagry, Lagos.