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Tag: villages

  • Two die as Edo debunks reports of strange ailments in villages

    EDO State government has debunked reports of strange ailments in some villages in Uhunmwode Local Government Area. It said test carried out on victims showed a case of yellow fever.

    Two persons have been killed by the ailment. Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr Crusoe Osagie, in a statement said the governor has directed officials of the state Ministry of Health to curtail the outbreak of yellow fever. According to Crusoe, “The governor is disturbed by the development and has directed the Commissioner for Health, Dr. David Osifo, to deploy experts in the ministry to the communities affected by the illness.

    “The governor has promised to mobilise additional resources, if the need arises, to support the ministry of health to enable it establish the cause of the illness and death of two persons in the area. The Commissioner for Health, Dr. David Osifo, said a team of experts have been deployed to the communities and the result of the initial tests showed symptoms of cases of yellow fever. “They tested negative to yellow fever. We are doing contact tracing and sensitising people in the communities to clean up their environment. “There is no such thing as a strange illness in Edo State. We have identified yellowness of the eyes and related symptoms, which led us to the conclusion that the illness is yellow fever. We are on top of the situation and will curb the spread of the disease as directed by the state governor.”

  • ‘We need more functional artistes’ villages’

    ‘We need more functional artistes’ villages’

    Aremo Tope Babayemi, a culture manager and promoter and the owner of Little Theatre located at National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, in this interview, with Edozie Udeze talks about the need for government to show more commitment towards artistes’ growth and development and more

    Aremo Tope Babayemi is a culture advocate, entrepreneur, manager and promoter.  Since time, he has been in the sector to help build it, discover and nurture young talents in order to ensure continuity and sorts.  At the Little Theatre at the Artistes’ village, Iganmu, Lagos, where he operates and organizes monthly shows to keep the sector afloat, he has not for once hidden his avowed commitment towards the theatre and theatre practitioners and how to take them to the next level.

    “Talking about the culture sector now, the environment is challenging,” he began, “it is quite challenging generally for culture practitioners at all levels.  However, I believe with the current administration, there have been moves to try to improve on funding and so on.  Infrastructure is something else.  I mean I have just alerted you to the fact that an auditioning is happening at abegi.  You can see it from here now as it goes on.  This is a full-fledged auditioning.  There are spaces inside the Theatre, yet they are using this abegi for this.  This is why we are talking about infrastructural facilities and their availability.”

    Babayemi’s argument stems from the fact that there has to be adequate infrastructure for artistic developments and creativity.  “There’s a huge potential, not just potential, but great output coming off the streets.  But because we are not well-structured and organized, we are being fed with the mediocrity.  The airwaves are being polluted with materials that lack substance, that lack any meaningful representation or understanding of where we are as a nation and where we are going or ought to be as a nation.  That is so because the same streets where the scraps are coming from and you can’t blame the media.  It is what they are given that they air.  Out of the lot comes some from Ajegunle, from Orile, from Iganmu, from Ijora, Okokomaiko, a huge amount of talents are coming out, needing total nurturing, needing incubation, outside the formal art training kind of structure,” he bemoans.

    Babayemi, as a great art and culture advocate keeps reiterating the fact about the total overhaul of the sector to get the best.  At the moment he is piqued by the level of commitment shown in this regards by the powers that be.  He says: “the current curriculum and timetable in our arts institutions and training schools, are dysfunctional.  They do not have adequate materials to prepare artistes for the profession.  Every day we turn out artistes who did not receive the basic prerequisite for the art profession.  These graduates lack requisite skills to compete as professionals in this harsh economic environment.  You taught them dance, yes, you taught them acting and music, yes.  But have you taught them marketing?  Is this in the syllabus in the universities?  Have you taught them proposal writing, project management and so on?  No, those areas are not in the curriculum and we say this is not good enough.  So, the materials that are coming out of our formal arts institutions are inadequate and incomplete.”

    To this astute art manager of over three decades’ experience; art can only gain its proper footing when the proper things are properly located for the benefits of the sector and its numerous practitioners.  He opines further, “there’s a huge gap in the sector because there are no incubators.  That’s why I have spent a significant part of my art life in Nigeria, helping to develop the artistes’ village here at Iganmu.  The people, the artistes we train at the artistes’ village come from everywhere.  A lot of them come and we pick them for the necessary and proper incubation.  Most of them even come with little or no formal education.  It is when they get in there, that we teach them skills, not just professional skills, creative skills but also life skills.”

    There’s the need to also inculcate in these young artistes the habit of culture management.  Babayemi is of the belief that anything short of this, does not help to groom a total artiste.  He notes, “the examples of what we’ve done in this regard and what we call our success story is everywhere for people to see.  For instance, Israel Omo-Iya Akara was trained by us.  He is now a staff of Premier Theatre in Germany.  You can’t beat that, can you?  Also Tin Ton Tony who has just participated in Big Brother Africa show in South Africa is a good example.  He was trained at the Artistes village.  Today, he is a leading character in the sector.  We have other examples of success.  Often we have two out of ten who have made it.  What I am saying is that we need more government decisive action and recognition.  That is the only way we can thrive more and move ahead and have more artistes off the streets and properly groomed to take up this mantle of professional leadership.”

    What Babayemi is proposing is indeed what obtains in most societies where there are well-organised art sectors to boost the profession.  But how can this be achieved particularly now that the verbal utterances of government to make culture an alternative to oil does not seem to be backed with action?  Most artistes need this much-sought after training to be the best they can.  And it is not what only groups and individuals can do if the society hopes to grab the sector for positive results.  In the oil sector which the government has realized will soon pack up, there has been wholesome government presence and participation to give it its clearer role in the society.  Why not extend the same to the culture sector to make it more relevant for export?

    To this end, the Aremo intones, “we need more incubators.  The gap is yawning.  Every state should have art centres for such training.  They should have artistes’ villages where local talents are discovered, nurtured – in engineering, in arts, in culture and in other professions.  This is a process called product development.  We have been doing this and it has been helping.  But we cannot do it alone.  Government has to come in with more appropriate actions to develop and prosper the sector.  We need therefore to put that product in readiness for consumption, not just for the local market, but also for the more developed market abroad.  That is the success we are talking about.  But a lot of it goes unrecognized,” he says matter-of-factly.

    When Babayemi worked at the Muson centre, Lagos as its first deputy Chief Executive officer when Dr. Garuba Asiwaju was the chairman, It was part of his attempt when he returned home from England to help put the culture sector in its proper perspective.  “I was the first operation officer as its first Nigerian executive officer”, he postulates, grinning to register his nostalgia.  “Some of the systems I helped to put in place are still there.  About eighteen months later, I came out because my training in England had equipped me for hands-on work.  That was a bit tepid for me.  Therefore Dr. Garuba Asiwaju (May his soul rest in peace) was my first chairman in Nigeria.  My work at the Muson centre was practically to show how we could develop the culture sector and imbue it with those necessary elements that would help it to grow.”

    Unfortunately, his stay there did not last long.  After a while, Babayemi got the idea of the Artistes village which has been on for a pretty long time.  At Iganmu, within the premises of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) where it is located Babayemi has made it an enviable cult of culture.  There, life bubbles every now and then, bringing artistes of different genres together to wine and dine and using culture as a predicate.

    With Different Aesthetics and Arts Management, his business outfit, Babayemi has been able to weather the storm.  While he put his place in order to help nurture artistes, he also engages in arts and cultural promotions as a way to earn a living and survive as an artiste.

    Today, the Artistes’ village remains the most vibrant enclave where arts is totally celebrated and idolized.  It is for this that Babayemi still extends his hands of fellowship to government to do its bit.

  • Boko Haram: Army clears seven Borno villages

    The Army says it has cleared seven more villages taken by suspected Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State, in its bid to end terrorism in the Northeast.

    The acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, in a statement yesterday in Maiduguri, said: “As the clearance and rescue operations gain momentum, troops of 28 Task Force Brigade have cleared the enclaves of Boko Haram terrorists at Galtha Baba, Galtha Musa, Bulakurma, Shatimari, Chukruk, Bulangaje and Disa villages.

    “During the operation, one insurgent was captured.”

    He said three motorcycles, bags of grains, terrorists’ flags and uniforms were recovered.

    Usman listed other recovered items to include: suicide bomber’s hijab, a mobile phone, one Dane gun, as well as foodstuffs and cooking utensils.

    “The soldiers rescued 15 persons held hostage by the terrorists,” the acting Army spokesman said.

    He said unfortunately, two Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) overran an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), but the formation did not sustain casualty, as the damage to the AFVs was minimal.

    Usman said the captured terrorist was being interrogated and would soon be handed over to the relevant agencies for prosecution.

     

  • Flood sacks 33 villages in Niger

    Thirty three riverine villages in Lapai Local Government area of Niger State have been sacked by flood from Rivers Niger and Kogi.

    Fifteen of the affected villages are currently submerged by the flood, displacing residents of the villages while the access roads to 18 other villages have been washed off by the flood. Inhabitants of the worst hit villages are currently camping at Primary Schools in Arah and Dere villages under deplorable living conditions.

    Domestic animals and multi-million Naira properties,which include residential buildings, schools, places of worship and vast farmland have been destroyed and washed away by the flood.

    House of Representatives member representing Agaie/Lapai Federal constituency, Hon. Mohammed Abdulkadir Mahamud and his State House of Assembly counterpart for Lapai constituency, Hon. Adamu Hassan Abugi who paid a fact-finding visit to the affected areas on Sunday expressed concern for the victims.

    The two legislators who are indigenes of the area assured the affected communities of state government determination to alleviate their sufferings by relocating them upland of banks of the two major rivers.

    Addressing the displaced persons at Dere Primary School, Hon. Mahmud said the state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello promised to come to the aid of the affected communities following a preliminary report sent to him.

    “We have spoken to the governor of the degree of devastation caused by the flood and he (governor) has promised to come to our aid with a view to relocating our people upland. And I know that the governor will not disappoint us,” the lawmaker assured his people.

    He also called for the take off of the Hydro-Electric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) in order to address the annual flooding of the area.

    “It is high time for states under HYPPADEC to come toigether and ensure the takeoff of the Commission, so that lasting solution could be found to this perennial flooding and protect our people from suffering annually as a result of flood,” Mahmud appealed.

    Earlier the village head of Dere, Alhaji Idris Dere who recounted their losses said this year’s flooding was more devastating and called on the three tiers of government to come to their aid.

  • Adopted villages: The journey so far

    Adopted villages: The journey so far

    Notwithstanding its potential, agriculture has been hampered by poor growing conditions, limited resources, rising temperatures and other impact of climate change, making sustainable farming difficult. The good news, however, is that many affordable solutions are emerging to help farmers increase their productivity. One of these methods is a scheme in which  scientists adopt villages and promote best farming practices. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    Push climate and rich soil make states in Nigeria well suited for agriculture. This notwithstanding, farmers still grow crops at the subsistence level.  For rural dwellers, building a better life takes energy, hard work and commitment day after day.  Most rural families have little land to produce sufficient food and poor knowledge of modern farming practice to improve yields. In fact, it takes them a lot to grow and produce nutritious food. One of them is Olayiwola Lawal. He is a member of a cooperative group in Akure, Ondo State.

    Earlier, he was struggling to survive. Somehow, his community was selected as an adopted village by the Federal College of Agriculture (FCA), Akure, under  the West African Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP-Nigeria) initiative.

    Today, he has been taught how to raise fish. Lawal now raises fish as a source of income and protein.

    He does other things. He is among a number of Nigerians benefitting from the adopted villages and schools programme implemented nationwide to improve the availability of food in communities and  trained future farmers from secondary schools.

    Thus far, he has learned a great deal about improved farming practices.

    Adopted village is a scheme where research institutes, universities and colleges of agriculture are encouraged to adopt one village each and promote best farming practices and government’s policies.

    The basic idea is to ensure farmers benefit from best farm practices.  It is one of WAAPP-Nigeria’s funded projects in the country.

    Since his community was selected as an adopted village, extension specialists from FCA visit farms, providing services to ensure that farmers make good use of input.

    On the other hand, cooperatives help to promote the conditions for adoption by motivating the farmers to improve productivity.

    By fostering or adopting a village, the institution help farmers within a locality develop modern farming skills to earn income through small-scale sustainable agricultural projects, cottage industries and small enterprises.

    The programme addresses many of the most fundamental problems faced by rural people seeking to improve their quality of life.

    Traditionally, small-scale farming has been presented as unprofitable and particularly unappealing to the youth. But the approach is painting a different picture.

    Lawal sees WAAPP investment through adopted village programme not only helping to reduce poverty but assisting rural communities and transforming them into places where a new generation of farmers, fishermen and small business owners want to live.

    As he looks to the future, he sees farmers from the area moving into adjacent markets within Ondo State.

    Generally, smallholder producers within the WAAPP-funded adopted village programme are proud of helping to transform the various value chains, making it inclusive and efficient.

    Thanks to interventions, today many villages offer cottage processing businesses.

    Speaking with The Nation, the  Programme Manager, Abia State  Agriculture Development Programme (ADP), Mr Enyinnaya Elekwachi, said adopted village  approach  is  paying off in the  state.

    Through it, farmers learn to process produce into higher-value forms and increase income.

    To him, rural development is about building vibrant, inclusive communities that are self-sustaining which the adopted village approach represents.

    Generally, the projects foster entrepreneurial capacity of small farmers to help them achieve food and nutrition security and build thriving rural economies.

    For instance at Ibulesowo Community, Akure, the project was also able to facilitate cottage cassava processing factories and procurement of processing equipment and tools for flour and garri.

    The impact of this  is  a source of inspiration for WAAPP Nigeria and FCA to up scale the technology in other areas of Ondo and the South-west.

    Since many communities appreciate the value of fish both as an important food and source of proteins, vitamins, minerals and fats, WAAPP Nigeria is working through adopted villages to ensure fish farming through aquaculture is widely practiced.

    The Provost, Federal College of Agriculture, Akure, Dr Samson Odedina said his college is helping WAAPP Nigeria to promote the programme.

    He said the specific objectives of adopted villages and schools, are to enhance food security and market competitiveness, empower resource-poor farmers, enhance job and self employment opportunities for youths and women, augment sustainable natural resource management efforts of the communities.

    Through adopted villages, he said FCA is working with WAAPP Nigeria to get better tools into the hands of farmers, reduce the barriers between farmers and markets, and help farming families become a part of a functioning private-sector agricultural and food system.

    He said the college works with farmers in each adopted village.

    The college officers collaborate with farmers, through cooperatives. Farmers are providing incentives based on the adoption of the techniques in their villages.

    He said the college’s vision remains a prosperous rural Nigeria and the goal is to reduce poverty by enabling marginal farmers to make sustainable improvements to their well being through more effective management of resources.

    He listed the college adopted villages to include Eleyowo Community and Ibulesowo Community, Akure and Owode Community in Akure North local government area.

    The college also has three adopted schools, which include Ogbe High School, Oda road, Akure,Eji-Oba High School, Oba-Ile Akure and Aquinas College, Akure.

    The major activities are cassava value addition. So far, the adopted Village intervention activities have increased yield of small cassava farmers. The college adopted village programme has trained groups with equipment support to participate profitably and benefit from cassava-based value chains.

    Nationwide, more than 30 villages have been adopted. Direct farmer beneficiaries have exceeded 20,000. There are more than 20 secondary schools across the country which are participating with over 20,000 students’ enrollments.

    Just  last month, farmers in three adopted communities in the Federal Capital Territory(FCT) got  get improved seeds  from the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) in collaboration with the West African Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP-Nigeria) to enhance their farming activities.

    The three benefitting communities are Karshi in the Abuja Municipal Area Council, Kawu in Bwari Area Council and Kiyi in Kuje Area Council.

    Speaking at the flag-off of the distribution in Karshi, ARCN’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Baba Yusuf Abubakar, said that WAAPP-Nigeria in 2013 mandated the council to establish agriculture research outreach centre in the three adopted villages and schools.

    Abubakar, who was represented by Prof Olusola Oni, said the programme is meant to facilitate the transfer and adoption of improved agricultural technologies to the farming communities in the territory.

    The Executive Secretary also noted that the overall goal of the programme is to improve the economic status of the farmers and better their standard of living.

    He said the improved seeds to be given to farmers in the three communities include about 5.7 metric tonnes of maize, rice and sorghum as well as 643 yam seeds.

    He called on the benefitting farmers to take advantage of the opportunity by following the recommended practice in using the seeds.

    Earlier, the programme coordinator, Mrs Catherine Alao, had assured that the council will monitor the benefiting farmers by visiting their farmlands on weekly basis to offer solution to any problems they might encounter.

    The ARCN’s Desk Officer in Karshi, Aminu R. Abdullahi, said the seeds would get to the serious minded farmers through their leaders in the community.

    The traditional ruler of Karshi, Alhaji Sama’ila Muhammed, who was represented by the Hakimi of the community, lauded the programme and assured the council of his community’s interest in its activities.

    Some of the farmers, expressed joy over the programme but pleaded with the council to continue to guide them on how to make proper use of the seeds for better results during the harvesting period.

    The development objective of WAAPP Nigeria,  is to strengthen the National Agricultural Research System (NARS) to contribute to technological  development, dissemination and adoption to boost  productivity . Over the years, the uptake of technologies emanating from NARIs by the farmers has been a major problem. Consequently, the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) use innovation platforms in resuscitation of the adopted villages innovation platforms of the NARIs.  ARCN  has  increased  its facilitation to the Agricultural Research Outreach Centres (AROC) in NARIs adopted villages and schools.

    With adopted villages, many projects and cooperatives are being  funded  to provide inputs and other services to their members. WAAPP is implementing the concept of adopted Schools to disseminate improved agricultural technologies and farm practices in the secondary schools through the NARS. The main objective of this concept is to ensure that impact of agricultural research and training is felt in secondary schools.With   adopted villages spinning up everywhere, Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are now beginning to reopen and commence activities within the sector and the possibility of diversifying their product line is forthcoming.

  • ‘95 villages displaced in Benue’

    The member representing Agatu in the Benue State House of Assembly, Alhaji Sule Audu, has said about 95 communities have been displaced since the attacks in the state.

    Audu, who yesterday addressed reporters in Makurdi on Sunday’s attack, said over 20,000 persons have been rendered homeless.

    He said: “Since the invasion of the Fulani herdsmen in May 2013, about 95 villages in Agatu have been displaced. Only left is the council headquarters, Obagaji and four others, which have become congested.”

    Speaking on the latest attack, Audu said the invaders were in military uniform with army protective jacket, adding that they could have trekked from a long  distance to get to Egba village.

    “We were shocked at the manner they came because the village they attacked was about 10km to the river through which they crossed to Egba. Some of the villages around were attacked in the past.”

    The lawmaker urged the Federal Government to deploy the Joint Task Force (JTF) personnel to tighten security in the borders in Nasarawa and Kogi states.

     

  • Tackling rural poverty through adopted villages

    Tackling rural poverty through adopted villages

    Farmers from rural communities have been the  focus of the adopted villages project undertaken  by the Federal Government designed to institutionalise sustainable livelihoods for the rural poor. Stakeholders see the project as having the potential to end rural poverty. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    Aikali Musa (not real name) is a farmer in the North.For years, he has been a subsistent farmer, planting maize and beans. Often times, he had experienced low yields or total crop failure due to poor rainfall.This is because his farm is situated within a dry land and susceptible to drought. Added to this, he has not been benefiting from new agricultural techniques.

    Musa is not alone in this predicament. There are thousands of rural subsistence farmers who have no access to farming techniques and input.

    For these farners however, there is a light at the  end of the tunnel. The adopted village model of agriculture initiated by the Federal Government is beginning to turn the fortunes of these farmers around.

    Under the scheme, Musa and others will be trained on modern farming methods and cultivation of drought tolerant crops (DTCs). This will inevitably translate to  improved yields and transform their lives from subsistence to commercial farmers.

    Under the initiative, government and private organisations are increasingly adopting villages across the country.

    The adopted villages’ project, which is akin to the extension worker’s scheme introduced in the defunct Western Region by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, is designed not only to make farmers aware of the latest technologies but also demonstrate these on their farms.

    At the end of the year, the village is expected to turn into a model for farmers from other villages to emulate.

    Sakadadi is a quiet agrarian community in Sabon Gari Local  Government Area of Kaduna State. It is noted for growing maize but things have since changed for the communtiy after the National Agricultural Extension Research and Liasion Service (NAERLS), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria decided to adopt the village to impart technologies available in maize production.

    A team from NAERLS are usually deployed in the village to enlighten farmers on how to plant, and dress the seeds, apply herbicides and fertiliser for improved crop yields.

    The project has been making tangible impact on the quality of life and incomes of members of this community as the quantity and quality of agricultural output has increased.

    As a strategy, research institutes are using the adopted village scheme to change the fortunes of local farmers. A farmer who identified himself simply as Abdulrahman said the scheme has changed the fortunes of his community. “We not only produce to feed ourselves and families now, we also have excess which we sell to get income to send our kids to school,” he said through an interpreter.

    Determined to address the poverty challenge among rural farmers, the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) has directed the National Agricultural Research Institutes (NARIs) to revisit and revive the concept of adopted villages. ARCN asked research institutes to adopt villages to facilitate the trial of new research findings and dissemination of information technologies to farm families in the adopted villages.

    Subsequently, successful researches from the adopted villages are adapted and replicated in new locations to benefit farmers.

    In support of this initiative, the World Bank has approved a major funding forARCN to implement a project known as the West African Agricultural Productivity Project (WAAPP) to promote value chain innovation platforms in the adopted villages.

    NAERLS, in collaboration with  WAAPP-Nigeria conduct activities in seven adopted villages located in five agro-ecological zones across the country. These include Sakadadi,Kaduna;Nasarawan-Buhari, Kaduna; Tudun-Iya, Katsina; Shuwari, Borno; Nwogi, Niger State; Okolo, Oyo State, and Lodu-Imenyi, Abia.

    The Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Ibadan, has two adopted villages.They are Oniyo village in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State. It is about 21kms Northwest of Ogbomoso town. The second is Moloko-Ashipa, located in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State. Some of the activities carried out in adopted villages include evaluation of organic-base fertiliser for cassava/maize/melon, on-farm testing of high yieldng and pest resistant varieties of rice and dissemination of ethno-veterinary technologies and improved management practices to sheep and goat farmers.

    Agricultural colleges are adopting nearby villages to help farmers improve their methods and increase yields.

    In Oda village, Ondo State, the Federal College of Agriculture (FECA), Akure has  a   success story to tell with educating  farmers in modern poultry management.  The  result is better eggs production and  daily sales. The maize/cassava inter-cropping system chosen by Eleyewo village  farmers was used as a training resource for improving productivity in the system.

    The Coordinator, WAAPP /ARCN adopted village programme, FECA, Dr Samson Odedina, said  the programme has  increased yields  for small cassava farmers at Eleyowo village in Akure South Local Government of the state. Though village level processing facility was  manual, farmers have been able  to identifiy opportunities within the cassava value chain.

    According to him, last year, the programme commissioned and trained Eleyowo farmer groups on cassava value addition with equipment support to enable them do business  profitably.

    FECA is one of the three colleges of agriculture adjudged qualified for second round funding.

    ARCN project of adopted villages and schools is based on  performance in spreading proven agricultural technologies to  schools and communities.

    WAAPP-Nigeria’s National Project Coordinator, Prof Damian Chikwendu, said the programme was designed to strengthen the  NARS to contribute to technology development, dissemination and adoption of new technologies to boost agricultural productivity through the adopted villages.

    He said the specific objectives of adopted villages and schools are to enhance food security and market competitiveness, empower resource-poor farmers, enhance job and self-employment opportunities for youths and women and augment sustainable natural resource management efforts of the communities.

    So far, beneficiaries’villages have increased from seven to 23, while groups in the villages have increased from 21 to 105. Direct farmer-beneficiaries have reached a total of 16,500.

    About 17 secondary schools nationwide are participating with over 18,500 pupils’ enrolments.

    He said WAAPP and some universities are disseminating information on improved agricultural technologies through adopted villages to farmers.  The institutions include Bayero University, Kano; Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto; Abubakar TafawaBalewa University, Bauchi; Federal University of Technology, Yola; University of Agriculture, Makurdi, University of Ilorin, Federal University of Technology, Minna; University of Abuja, FUNNAB Abeaokuta, FUT Akure, University of Nigeria, Nsuka; University of Calabar and the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

    On the effective dissemination of agricultural technologies through the adopted villages and the Agricultural Research Outreach Centres (AROCs), he said the universities are expected to reach a minimum of 10,000 farming families in their vicinities.  They are, particularly, required to note the performance indicators as part of their success stories. Such indicators, he said, include the number of people that are adopting the technologies as well as those taking to farming as a result of the new technologies.

    The adopted villages and AROCs are located in the immediate localities and in the secondary schools in the neighbourhood of the research institutes, all within 20 kilometre radius.

    The components of the projects are designed for developing technology and transferring such technologies to farmers. At the moment, experts are seeing positive things coming up to farmers through the adopted village model scheme.

    Crop protection specialist, Prof Daniel Gwary, said helping farming families increase production in a sustainable way and selling more crops is the most effective way to reduce hunger and poverty over the long term.

    Gwary, who is of the Department of Crop Protection, University of Maiduguri, said  helping farmers improve their yields requires a comprehensive approach that include the use of seeds that are more resistant to disease, drought, and flooding; information from trusted local sources about more productive farming techniques and technologies and  greater access to markets.

    For this reason, he  said the ARCN has set up  AROC in adopted villages and schools to help researchers interact and develop technologies that meet the needs of farmers in various agro-climatic conditions in the country.

    He said the research centres will provide effective linkage between extension, research and farmers; and enable researchers to be aware of the social and economic environment in which their developed technologies will be applied.

    Speaking during the handover ceremony of an AROC in Bwari Area Council, ARCN Executive Secretary, Prof Baba Yusuf Abubakar, said the programme would engage 5,000 farmers yearly in the participating area councils.

    Represented by Director of Coordination and Technical Research of the council, Prof. Olusola Oni, he said the research centres would provide effective linkage between extension, research and farmers; and enable researchers to be aware of the social and economic environment in which their developed technologies will be applied.

    “The programme is impacting on the FCT through the dissemination of proven agricultural technologies and innovations from the NARS to farming communities and secondary schools in Abuja Municipal, Bwari and Kuje area councils,” Abubakar said.

    Handing over the centres to the community and the school, the Coordinator of the programme, Dr Ronke Alao, said the inclusion of secondary schools in the programme is to spur pupils’ interest in agriculture and  increase the application of improved technologies in their household farms.

    While appreciating the gesture on behalf of farmers in the area, the leader of the farmers, Sarkin Noma, Salisu Galadima, commended ARCN for considering Kawu village, adding that farmers in the community will take advantage of the centre to improve their farming activities.

    The programme is a collaboration with the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, the West African Productivity Programme in Nigeria (WAAP-Nigeria) and support from the World Bank.

    For watchers, the project has demonstrated the viability of poverty reduction through entrepreneurial capacity building. It could be repeated elsewhere.

  • 18 killed in Benue villages

    Eighteen people were killed at the weekend by suspected militia in Ukum Local Government Area of Benue State.

    Addressing reporters in Makurdi, Police Commissioner Adams Audu said it was too earlier to know the motive behind the killings.

    He, however, said the police had begun investigation into the incident.

    The police chief declined to speak further on the matter.

    An eyewitness, Terkaa Gusah, told our reporter that the militia stormed Angbaaye village and shot five people to death before heading to Agena in the same local government, where they shot more people.

    The Chairman of the local government, Mr Teryima Nguher, told our reporter that he had not received the details of the attacks.

    He referred our reporter to the Divisional Police Officers (DPO) at Ukum and Katsina Ala Local Government Areas.

    The DPO for Ukum Local Government said only the police commissioner can comment on the killings.

  • CBN takes cashless policy awareness to villages

    The Central Bank of Nigeria yesterday said they have begun arrangements to take the cash-less policy campaign to all villages in Rivers State.

    The apex bank of Nigeria made this declaration when its regional office in Rivers State organised a one-day awareness campaign in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.   Addressing the crowd at the awareness campaign, the CBN Deputy Project for Leads and Share Services Office, Mr. Chimeno Eleonu Emenu, said as part of fulfilling Nigeria’s ambition to be one of the best economies before the year 2020, the CBN has decided to change to cash-less economy.

    He said the objective is to reduce physical usage of cash by members of the public, which if accepted will reduce armed robbery, election rigging, political looting, and general fraud in the banking system.

    He said, “For us to succeed in this policy, we need the cooperation of the public. That is why we have designed a programme to educate the villagers on how to move away from cash, to an easier way of transacting money that will reduce risks associated with carrying cash from one place to another.

    “We have started the sensitisation programme, which is part of this one-day awareness campaign on cash-less policy of the CBN. The policy will help us to reduce the huge cost of providing banking services and the money saved will be used to lend credit to Nigerians.

    “It will also help the CBN and commercial banks to better manage our economy and ensure that our monetary policy works. So there is no going back in taking the campaign to villages in Rivers State and Nigeria as whole.”

  • Lawmakers urge Fed Govt to end attacks on their villages

    Members of the House of Representatives from Kaduna South yesterday urged the Federal Government to end the incessant attacks on their villages by unknown gunmen.

    The attacks, they said, have led to the death of several residents in the last one year.

    The affected villages are in the three local government areas of the Southern Senatorial District of Kaduna State.

    The lawmakers also appealed to Governor Mukthar Ramalan Yero to deploy more security personnel in the affected areas to restore peace and secure life and property.

    Gideon L. Gwani (Kaura Federal Constituency), Godfrey A. Gaiya (Jaba/Zango Kataf Constituency), Adams Jagaba Adams (Kachia/Kagarko Constituency), Simon Arabo (Kauru Federal Constituency) and Shehu N. Garba (Jema’a/Sanga Constituency) met yesterday in Kaduna to proffer solution to the attacks.

    In a statement at the end of the meeting, the lawmakers said they resolved “to condemn …the renewed attacks on Southern Kaduna villages, particularly the one that happened in Kaura and claimed more than 20 lives, with four villages burnt down by unknown assailants”.

    The statement added that the lawmakers met “to commiserate with the affected communities and call on all relevant government agencies to provide, urgently, relief materials to cushion the effects of the attacks on displaced persons, particularly women and children sheltered at various primary schools in Kaura Local Government Area”.

    The lawmakers appealed to “the entirety of Southern Kaduna Senatorial Zone to remain calm, orderly and peaceful, even in the face of the unnecessary attacks being visited on the people”.

    They urged the communities to be law-abiding but vigilant.

    The lawmakers also urged the Federal Government “to urgently end the incessant attacks on the people of the Southern Kaduna Senatorial Zone”.