The Nation Newspaper

Tag: production

  • Eni starts production from Ghana’s offshore project

    Eni has begun production from the integrated oil & gas development project in the Offshore Cape Three Points (OCTP) block, off Ghana’s western coast, two and half years, and three months ahead of schedule.

    According to the Deputy Division Manager, Lagos Liaison Office, Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited (NAOC), Eni’s arm in Nigeria, Tajudeen Adigun, the OCTP integrated oil & gas development is made up of the Sankofa Main, Sankofa East and Gye-Nyame fields, which are located about 60 kilometres off Ghana’s Western Region coast.

    The fields have about 770 million barrel of oil equivalent (mboe) in place, of which 500 million barrels of oil and 270 mboe of non-associated gas (about 40 billion cubic metres). The project includes the development of gas fields whose production will be utilised entirely by Ghana’s domestic market, he added.

    Production will be carried out via the “John Agyekum Kufuor” floating production, storage and offloading unit (FPSO), which will produce up to 85,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) through 18 underwater wells. A 63-kilometre submarine pipeline will transport gas to Sanzule’s Onshore Receiving Facilities (ORF), where it will be processed and transmitted to Ghana’s national grid, supplying approximately 180 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) of gas.

    Eni Chief Executive Officer, Claudio Descalzi, said: “Starting production only two and a half years after the approval of the development plan is an extraordinary result and a reason for great pride. It certifies our exploration skills and knowledge, as well as our field development vision, and it confirms the effectiveness of our new operational model, where Eni has a central role in project management, aimed at improving time-to-market. This is a result we are especially proud of, because it fits perfectly into the joint development vision that we have for Africa: we grow when the countries that host us also grow. The launch of OCTP will provide gas to Ghana for over 15 years and the resulting electricity will give a real boost to the country’s development. All of this has only been possible thanks to the unwavering commitment of Ghanaian authorities and of our partners.”

    Eni is the operator of the OCTP block with a 44.44 per cent stake, while Vitol holds 35.56 per cent and Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) 20 per cent.

    Eni has been in Ghana since 2009 through its subsidiary, Eni Ghana, and with the startup of OCTP Integrated Oil & Gas Development Project, the company has become one of Ghana’s main operators.

    In 2016, Eni obtained a new exploration license, Cape Three Points Block 4, adjacent to the OCTP Block. If successful, synergies with OCTP will allow a fast-tracked start-up. The drilling of the first exploration well is expected in 2018, in continuity with the drilling of Block OCTP wells. In addition, Eni Ghana is exploring development opportunities in the renewable energies sector. Eni Foundation also has an important social and health programme in the western region, benefiting a population of over 300,000 people.

  • Eni starts production from Ghana’s offshore project

    Eni has begun production from the integrated oil & gas development project in the Offshore Cape Three Points (OCTP) block, off Ghana’s western coast, in just two and a half years, and three months ahead of schedule.

    According to the Deputy Division Manager, Lagos Liaison Office, Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited (NAOC), Eni’s arm in Nigeria, Tajudeen Adigun, the OCTP integrated oil & gas development is made up of the Sankofa Main, Sankofa East and Gye-Nyame fields, which are located about 60 kilometres off Ghana’s Western Region coast.

    The fields have about 770 million barrel of oil equivalent (mboe) in place, of which 500 million barrels of oil and 270 mboe of non-associated gas (about 40 billion cubic metres). The project includes the development of gas fields whose production will be utilised entirely by Ghana’s domestic market, he added.

    Production will be carried out via the “John Agyekum Kufuor” floating production, storage and offloading unit (FPSO), which will produce up to 85,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) through 18 underwater wells. A 63-kilometre submarine pipeline will transport gas to Sanzule’s Onshore Receiving Facilities (ORF), where it will be processed and transmitted to Ghana’s national grid, supplying approximately 180 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscfd) of gas.

    Eni Chief Executive Officer, Claudio Descalzi, said: “Starting production only two and a half years after the approval of the development plan is an extraordinary result and a reason for great pride. It certifies our exploration skills and knowledge, as well as our field development vision, and it confirms the effectiveness of our new operational model, where Eni has a central role in project management, aimed at improving time-to-market. This is a result we are especially proud of, because it fits perfectly into the joint development vision that we have for Africa: we grow when the countries that host us also grow. The launch of OCTP will provide gas to Ghana for over 15 years and the resulting electricity will give a real boost to the country’s development. All of this has only been possible thanks to the unwavering commitment of Ghanaian authorities and of our partners.”

    Eni is operator of the OCTP block with a 44.44 per cent stake, while Vitol holds 35.56 per cent and Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) 20 per cent.

    Eni has been present in Ghana since 2009 through its subsidiary Eni Ghana, and with the startup of OCTP Integrated Oil & Gas Development Project, the Company has become one of Ghana’s main operators.

    In 2016, Eni obtained a new exploration license, Cape Three Points Block 4, adjacent to the OCTP Block. If successful, synergies with OCTP will allow for a fast-tracked start-up. The drilling of the first exploration well is expected in 2018, in continuity with the drilling of Block OCTP wells. In addition, Eni Ghana is exploring development opportunities in the renewable energies sector. Eni Foundation also has an important social and health programme in the western region, benefiting a population of over 300,000 people.

  • Expert seeks improved livestock production

    A Professor of Forage Agronomy and Utilisation  Olufemi Onifade, has explained what the country should do to increase local production of meat, milk, mutton, veal, hides, skin and other exports.

    According to Onifade, the animals producing these products should be adequately fed and well taken care of, to increase the quantity and quality of the citizens’ animal protein intake and generate income for youths.

    Onifade made the disclosure while delivering the 53rd Inaugural Lecture of the University titled, “Grasses: Production and Management for Sustainable Livestock Industry”, where he enumerated the importance of forage in the stabilisation of soil, serving as cover crop for erosion control, usage as pesticide, feed for ruminants and non-ruminants, medical and recreational activities, among others. Onifade, who is of the Department of Pasture and Range Management, College of Animal Science and Livestock Production (COLANIM), observed that forage evaluation started long time ago in Nigeria, particularly in Northern Nigeria, where forage species were first evaluated in 1935, which led to the need to focus on pasture, grassland management and to establish more cooperation between livestock and traditional farmers.

    He noted that between 1956 and 1961, about 271 pasture species were evaluated at various centers in sub-humid zone and at the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI).

    He added that the livestock industry had contributed tremendously to national economy as the population of ruminant livestock in Nigeria, as at 2013, was estimated at 40,834,000 goats, 19,590,000 sheep and 16,286,000 cattle, adding that agricultural contribution to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was 22 per cent, out of which livestock was 30 per cent. He said that many established pastures were not doing well and failed to last long, while calling for proper planning, identifying fertilizer needs, using of quality seed, land preparation, proper sowing method and proper management of weeds.

  • ‘How to boost food production’

    ‘How to boost food production’

    What can the government do in times of weak growth and limited fiscal resources? It should come out with policies to revamp the economy and reduce poverty, participants at the just-concluded Feed Nigeria Summit have said.

    The event, with the theme: : “Feed Nigeria; To Feed Africa”, brought together business service providers, financial institutions, agribusinesses,farmers, development partners and top government officials.

    The participants said policies that could fast-track infrastructure investment, enhance flexibility in markets, and promote competition in the sector would ignite investment.

    Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN), Senior Business Analyst, Seyi Adedotun, stressed that policy priorities should include reforms to improve the quality of institutions, infrastructure, skills and adoption of new technology.

    He added, however, that states’ involvement in agricultural transformation was an important part of the economic future of Nigeria.

    According to him, states’ deliberate  ownership of national interventions such as Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) and the Green Alternative: Agriculture Promotion Policy, 2016-2020, will boost productivity, raise farmer’s incomes, and promote broader economic growth.

    In Nigeria, he noted that land reform was a challenge and  incentives to encourage private sector investment were not there.

    Generally, he said states had roles to play in identifying challenges and proffering solutions to drive development in the zone.

    Much of the nation’s economic development, Adedotun added, would be hinged on industrialising agriculture and introducing land reform.

    On the role of regions, he explained that they have to play a major role in delivering food security, which involves offering incentives, among other forms of support.

    He said tht a vibrant, sustainable and resilient regional agriculture sector was vital for the nation’s economic future.

    Kano State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna stressed that removing the hurdles preventing farmers from accessing finance was one step that would help the sector to achieve competitiveness, potential and sustained economic progress.

    He said the agricultural loans for small-scale farmers seeking to grow their businesses were still regarded as high risk by banks, noting that Kano is focusing on private sector development, scaling up investments, and creating access to funding and commercial infrastructure.

    Gawuna reiterated the determination of the state to strengthen production system and facilitate access to markets for rice and wheat production among small and medium scale commercial farmers.

    To complement the Federal Government’s policy on rice production, he said the state was providing support for wheat and rice producers.

    Part of the effort, according to him, is being the coordinator and facilitator of seed producers, farmers, warehousing facilities and marketers.

    On the anchor borrowers programme, GAwuna lamented that the state’s debt portfolio stood at over N1 billion from the demand notice issued to it by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on loan default by rice farmers from the state.

    He said the state was ready to persecute affected farmers to compel them to repay the loans.

    Expressing displeasure with defaulters, the commissioner said the level of response was not encouraging. He said the farmers would be prosecuted for defaulting, adding that the farmers have to pay up the loan or face legal action.

    Anambra State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mechanisation, Processing & Export Mr. Afam Mbanefo said the state was working towards  increasing agricultural productivity and reducing unemployment.

    He said Anambra State government was ready to boost rice production and equip farmers with modern facilities to ensure sufficiency.

    Earlier, Chairman, AgroNigeria,  Edem Ekwo, explained that the Feed Nigeria Summit was convened with no other intention than to critically assess the challenges of Nigerian agriculture and proffer workable solution to them.

    According to him, the summit could not have come at any better time than now when the economies of the world are slumping and agriculture has come to a critical force as the cornerstone of Nigeria’s economic diversification policy.

    Chief Executive Officer (CEO) AgroNigeria Richard Mark-Mbaram,  and stakeholders at the summit expressed conviction that the Home Grown School Feeding Programme can serve as catalyst for accelerated increase in agricultural productivity.

    He said the summit was a well thought out solution oriented convocation, which centrally sought to underscore that Nigeria, by the sheer size of her population and economy, is the fulcrum of the agenda to feed Africa and must immediately be galvanised to better feed itself.

    Director,Songhai Centre, Prof Godfrey Nzamujo,  emphasised that agriculture should be seen as a serious business in any nation.  He then called on Nigerians to get involved in agriculture as it remains the roadmap to viable and sustainable development in Africa.

    He stated that if sustainable and integrated agriculture is embraced in Nigeria, it can become a catalyst that can turn Nigeria into zone for mass construction.

    Ogun State Commissioner for Agriculture, Adepeju Adebajo, said the summit was important because it had to do with agriculture, education, social intervention health and nutrition.

    Adebajo said the objective of the programme was to see how the HGSFP would be sustained, stressing that it was the reason why government functionaries, private sectors and agribusiness people gathered to ensure that the programme was sustainable.

    Calling for policy for sustainable growth and continuity of the various programmes in place by successive administrations, Adebajo said the energy around agriculture was the great need for sufficient funding.

    Added to this, she emphasisied: “It is very important that we have policies embedded in that programme to ensure that the federal government will be able to sustain it, especially in the area of funding.”

    She said the Ogun State has embraced and launched the programme, adding that the programme guarantees demand and once that is assured, it goes a long way in boosting the economy.

    She said the role of the government was to ensure that all enabling policies are put in place to help the farmers do basic operations such as access to land, inputs and the likes.

    She added that there are so many intervention programmes, but it was discovered that farmers were unaware of them, stressing that one of the roles of the ministry is to ensure that there is continuing dialogue so that farmers will be able to know where they can get inputs, financing and most importantly, engage the off-takers.

    Adebajo also stated further that the role of the ministry and the state is to continue to bridge the gap between the producers and off-takers to ensure that the value chain is not broken and ensure that the private sector sees the opportunities in the programme.

    The two-day gathering focuses on policy options that the government should consider adopting to ensure that Nigerians can be fed.

    The event featured panel discussions on opportunities in the agriculture sector, the importance of forming strategic partnerships to enhance agricultural productivity, risk-sharing agricultural lending, and alternative sources of financing for agribusiness.

    The event also featured an award presentations. The awardees included, Pillar of Agriculture-Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; Oba Adeyeye Eniìtàn Ògúnwùsì; All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) President, Arc. Kabir Ibrahim; Dr Kanayo Nwanze and Dr Victor Iyama.

    Achievers in Agriculture included: Mr. Kola Adeniji; Otunba Femi Oke; Managing Director, Erisco Foods Nigeria Limited, Chief Eric Umeofia; Dr. Mike Omotosho; Prof. Eustace Iyayi; Mr. Manir Umar;  S. D. Yakubu Atar; IAR, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and the late Dipo Famakinwa

    Agric Governors of the Year  were Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State and  Kebbi State  governor, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, while Anambra State Commissioner for Agriculture,  Mr. Afam Mbanefo  was named Agro-Commissioner of the Year. Ogun State was named  AgriBusiness Destination of the Year. Don Sola Adeniyi Bunmi was announced Agro-Ambassador of the Year while Managing Director, Fresh Direct Foods, Angel Adelaja was Nagropreneur of the Year, among other awards.

  • Lagos restates vow to food production

    The Lagos State government has restated its commitment to enhanced food production through its agricultural programmes.

    It promised to sustain its gain in Fadama agriculture project because of its impact.

    Speaking at the opening of a Mid-Term Review of Fadama 3 AF, held at the Johnson Agiri Agricultural Complex in Oko Oba, Agege, the Ministry of Agriculture, Permanent Secretary, Dr Olayiwole Onasanya, said the government would remain committed to its initiative in food production.

    He said: ‘’I want to say that the people of Lagos State consume 60 per cent of rice produced in Nigeria and what this means is that there is huge market in this state more than any other states in Nigeria.

    ‘’We have been able to boost rice production as well as fishing in the riverine communities. Fadama has made a lot of farmers prosperous in this state. At Ibeju Lekki, our farmers used to canoe to navigate the sea and some of them never returned home. But with our support, they are now fishing with modern outboard engine and we will not relent in our efforts toward increasing food production.’’

    Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist of the National Fadama Coordination Office in Abuja, Mr Peter Ajibaiye said the review mission was ‘’to know what we need to do to assist the Fadama project in Lagos State. We have been on this project for a while and we need to look back to see if there is need to change or if there is critical need to reform the project.’’

    The State Project Coordinator of Fadama 3, Mr Jonathan Obayemi said: ‘’Lagos State started with Fadama 1 and we have transited to the second and third phase of the programme and the performance has been wonderful. We have been able to boost rice production, build capacity of new farmers, increased the figure of direct beneficiaries of the project by 40 per cent as well as building a 3.6 km feeder road and acquisition of agricultural equipment to reduce drudgery among farmers .’’

  • Niger community signs $250m rice production contract

    Niger community signs $250m rice production contract

    The Loguma community in Agaie Local Government Area of Niger State has signed a $250 million contract with Uzza Rice Mill in Kano State.

    The contract is expected to address the increasing price of rice in the country. Under the contract,  the community’s farmers will send the rice they planted to the mill for processing.

    The Loguma Cluster Chairman, John Ndagi, said the contract would improve the lot of farmers and give an awakening to rice farming in the state.

    He said all year round, rice farming was now possible with the intervention of Fadama 3 Additional Financing which rehabilitated the irrigation scheme in the community and trained them on contract farming and group dynamics.

    “Because of Fadama’s intervention, the harvest last year was wonderful. We have signed a $250 dollar contract with Uzza Rice Mill in Kano. Fadama have helped the rice farmers in the community to widen their scope and improve their economic base,” he said.

    Ndagi said the rehabilitation of the irrigation scheme has helped a lot in the cultivation, adding that 140 hectares of rice farm was covered by the irrigation scheme. He also said the road network constructed by Fadama in the community has also helped in easy movement of goods into towns.

  • Dangote Tomato Company to resume production on Sunday

    Dangote Tomato Company to resume production on Sunday

    The Managing Director, Dangote Tomato Processing Company, Alhaji Abdulkarim Kaita, has said the factory will resume production on Sunday.

    In an interview, he said the company, located in Kadawa, Kano State, was expecting a team of engineers from Italy.

    “As part of preparations to resume production on Sunday, we are expecting a team of engineers from Italy today. The machines are under guarantee and we are not able to operate last year due to the scarcity of fresh tomato in Kano and other neighboring states,” he said.

    Kaita said the engineers would assess the quality parameters as well as the installed capacity of the machines before they could finally hand them over to the company. “Our engineers are ready to begin work and as soon as the other team of engineers arrive, we hope to resume operation on Sunday,” he said.

    He said the company had decided to resume production following availability of the commodity and the recent crash of its prices in the market.

    “The price of the commodity has come down as a big basket, which was selling at N4,000, now cost between N1,200 and N1,400,” Kaita said.

    The company last year stopped production due to scarcity of fresh tomato as a result of pest that ravaged farms in Kano and other tomato producing states.

    However, to ensure sufficient supply of the commodity, the company  signed an agreement with farmers in Gombe and Sokoto states.

  • Ogun tops minerals production

    Ogun State is Nigeria’s leading producer of solid minerals according to the data released by the National Bureau of Statistic (NBS) at the weekend.

    The NBS report titled: “State Disaggregated Mining and Quarrying Data (2016)” the NBS lists limestone, laterite and granite as the nation’s leading types of solid minerals while there are sizable quantities of expensive gems such as topaz, sapphire, tourmaline and gold.

    “The States Disaggregated Mining and Quarrying Data for 2016 reflected Nigeria produced 43,495,423.12 tonnes of solid minerals last year.

    “Ogun State produced the highest tonnes of solid minerals among the 36 states and the FCT, the state produced 16,376,547.50 tonnes of solid minerals representing 37.65 per cent of the total tonnes of solid minerals produced.

    “Kogi and Cross River states followed with 12,739,318.65 and 2,997,678.73 tonnes of solid minerals produced representing about 29.29 per cent and 6.89 per cent of the total tonnes of the minerals produced.

    “Borno and Yobe states, both from the Northeast Zone, produced the least tonnes of solid minerals with 1,250 and 883.08 tonnes of minerals produced respectively.

    “Limestone is the most produced solid minerals in 2016 with 28,204,522.91 tonnes produced representing about 64.84 per cent of the total tonnes of minerals produced.

    “Granite and laterite followed closely with 5,846,368.08 and 2,160,737.61 tonnes produced representing 13.44 per cent and 4.97 per cent of the total tonnes of minerals produced in 2016.

    “However, Aquamarine and Beryl Ore are the least produced solid minerals in 2016,” the report stated.

  • Govt, group move to boost cocoa production

    Govt, group move to boost cocoa production

    The  Federal  Ministry  of Agriculture and  Rural Development is to join the Federation of Agriculture Commodity Association of Nigeria (FACAN) to  raise cocoa production to 1.2 metric tonnes  yearly.

    FACAN President, Dr  Victor Iyama told The Nation that the Minister, Chief Audu Ogbeh, at a meeting with the group in Abuja promised to give out free seedlings to enhance cocoa production.

    Iyama said the Minister  expressed concern that Nigeria with its size has not been able to produce more than 200,000 metric tonnes of cocoa a year.This was disappointing compared to Ghana that produce one million tonnes of cocoa.

    To reverse this, Iyama said the Federation was in support of the government resolve to increase annual output of the commodity within the next couple of years.

    He urged the government to support FACAN campaign to train farmers on best agronomic practices, assist them to rehabilitate their farms, renew farms through complete seedlings replanting or canopy substitution through grafting of aged trees.

    Added to these, Iyama, mentioned is the retaining of input – fertilizsers, herbicides, tools and irrigation system.

    He spoke of the need to ensure a more productive and sustainable cocoa sector – free from poverty and human rights issues, if the nation was to continue to supply more cocoa beans and to remain competitive in the global market.

    FACAN, he said, was  ready to provide practical guidance by teaching farming practices that will lead to higher yields, offering entrepreneurial ideas for the non-harvesting season to insure year-round earnings.

    Meanwhile, the  African Development Bank (AfDB) and the International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO) have repositioned themselves to boost business opportunities in Africa’s cocoa sector, including youth employment and empowering women participation.

    The two institutions met in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, to strategise for cooperation to foster the transformation of the cocoa industry in Africa. A statement said cocoa is one of the five Cs (cocoa, coffee, cotton, cassava and cashew) that have been selected for support under AfDB’s new Agriculture and Agri-business Draft Strategy. Africa produces 73 per cent of world cocoa, with more than 70 per cent coming from Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon and Nigeria.

    It is a major export earner, yet its production is still in the hands of ageing smallhold farmers with more than 70 per cent productivity losses as a result of numerous challenges.

    The statement noted that the processing and market are in the hands of foreign investors.

    While global cocoa production is valued at approximately $12 billion on the export market, with cocoa farmers receiving about $ 8 billion in revenue, the world chocolate market is valued at $110 billion.

    The statement indicated that chocolate value addition in warehousing and other logistical services, chocolate production and packing, retail networks, and all associated logistics is 10 times the value of Africa’s cocoa exports.

    AfDB’s Agriculture and Agro-Industry Director, Chiji Ojukwu,  said: “The large potential and opportunities offered by the cocoa sector have not been fully exploited by producing countries, nor have they taken advantage of existing technological progress and innovations in the way other commodities have.”

    Cocoa is still produced by impoverished smallholder farmers, and most cocoa producing countries continue to export cocoa beans as raw materials, without adding value.

    Within the global value chain, most of the money is made after the beans have reached the North. At the same time many cocoa farmers and workers in the South have to get by on less than $1.25 a day, below the threshold of absolute poverty.

    “Cocoa growers today receive about six per cent of the price that consumers in rich countries pay for chocolate.

    In the 1980s their share is almost three times as great: 16 per cent.

    “As a result, the African cocoa sector faces considerable challenges that need to be addressed in order to sustain or even increase its contribution to the economies of producing countries,” the statement said.

    AfDB’s Vice-President in charge of Agriculture, Water, Human Development, Governance and Natural Resources, Aly Abou-Sabaa,  said: “A transformation agenda is required, where cocoa farmers would embrace a business approach and where activities to add value to the raw material would thrive, and generate growth, employment and additional revenues for cocoa stakeholders on the African continent.”

    There is a huge potential to increase value addition in Africa, which would be a source of economic diversification, job creation, tax revenues and, indirectly, improvement of farmers’ incomes. New cocoa and chocolate products made available to African consumers would also lead to increased consumption in the continent, which represents only four per cent of global consumption.

    AfDB and ICCO agreed to seek ways to strengthen their cooperation in a series of domains, such as value addition and promotion of cocoa and chocolate consumption in Africa, access to credit, market access and commodity exchanges, adoption of profitable cocoa farming models and thriving cooperatives, logistics and transportation.

  • Agency advises Kano on pigeon pea production

    Agency advises Kano on pigeon pea production

    The Coordinating Director, Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service, (NAQS), Dr. Vincent Isegbe, has advised the Kano State government to look at the potential of initiating its farmers into a planned pigeon pea production programme.

    “Kano farmers can be enabled to key into the $100billion pigeon pea Indian export deal recently negotiated with the Nigeria government,” Isegbe said.

    Speaking during a visit to Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje at the Aminu Kano Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, the director described pigeon pea as an emerging export commodity which should not be ignored by states with huge agricultural potential, such as Kano.

    He stressed the need to reposition the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport  to expedite the export of agricultural commodities, promising that his agency would do all in its powers to help farmers attain international standard in the commodity yield.

    The director suggested that the Kano state government can opt to serve as the buyer of the produce so at to have a leverage to better negotiate and coordinate its export.

    Ganduje expressed appreciation to the agency for the recognition, promising to work out the details of the discussion with the Ministry of Agriculture.

    The governor thanked the team for seeking to strengthen agro production to meet the international market standard.

    A major highlight of the meeting was the presentation of NAQS Outstanding Achievement Award to Ganduje in recognition of his contribution in agro-production for export trade, in line with Federal Government’s economic diversification agenda.