LCCI agro-allied chairman advocates integrated agriculture to improve sector

Adeola Elliot, Chairman Agricultural and Allied Group of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), on Thursday urged the Federal Government to seek agricultural advancement through an integrated agriculture project.

Elliot made the appeal at the ongoing Food Nigeria 2016 conference and exhibition holding at the Eko Hotel and Suite, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the exhibition, the largest Business to Business (B2B) food industry platform in West Africa, started on May 18 and will end on May 20.
NAN observed that Nigerian food industry professionals had been interacting with more than 150 companies from across the world at the exhibition.
They were also showcasing their products ranging from food, drink, equipment, food services to hospitality there.
The chairman of the group said it was important that the government created sustainable plans to develop a vibrant agricultural sector in the current post-oil era.
``The food industry is so powerful and has the potential to re-invigorate our economy and in such a time as this when Nigeria has to fully diversify to agriculture to survive these post-oil times.
``We must also know that agriculture is very important to the further development of this country, so an integrated agricultural project must be put in place to achieve that.
``It is very important for sustainable farm management practices to be adhered to as well as using technological and traditional methods of farming in the process of cultivation,’’ he said.
Elliot added that integrated farming and extension services were paramount to an evolving economy, and Nigeria had to put several facilities in place to ensure further development of the sector.
``Government must practice integrated farming where a collective approach to agriculture will guarantee food security in Nigeria and also fortify the GDP.
``It must also look at reviving the extension agencies and agents from its recent decay, most extension services’ companies are shortchanged in terms of financial allocation so they lack resources to reach the rural farmers.
``If the government can rekindle some of these important services, then, there can be a change in the agricultural sector,’’ the chairman said.
Elliot stressed that the ``Food Nigeria 2016’’ would help farmers and investors communicate better, and create a mutually-viable business for the farmers which could benefit the country.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tomato disease outbreak: Institute appeals for research funding

The National Horticultural Research Institute, Ibadan, has appealed for funding to carry out research and create awareness on the tuta absoluta pest on tomatoes. The Institute’s Head of Vegetable Programme, Dr Olagorite Adetula, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Friday that there was an urgent need to tackle the problem to save the economy. Adetula said the institute needed money to do surveillance survey of the pest/damage, ascertain the impact of the damage and proffer solution for eradicating the pest. She appealed to the Federal Government to help the institute get pheromones to lure and trap the pests and distribute to farmers. ``Spraying insecticides is not the best, the pest has high production rate, some of them can escape while spraying it and they will be resistant to the insecticide thereby causing us more cost. ``The pheromones can be used for six to eight weeks before changing it, it is very effective, the pest has short life cycle, wit
Read more

10,000 women farmers to be engaged in ECOWAS rice project – official

Image
 Mr Richard Olafare, the President, Seed Entrepreneurs Association of Nigeria (SEEDAN) says 10,000 women will be engaged in the recently inaugurated Rice Seed Up-Scaling Project. This is contained in a presentation on the project made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday. Olafare said 8,000 youths would also be engaged in the scaling project. According to him, the number of women and youths represented 50 per cent and 40 per cent respectively of the 20,000 farmers that will participate in the project. NAN reports that the project is an initiative of the West Africa Seed Programme (WASP) in support of the ECOWAS Rice Offensive Programme that was inaugurated in 2014. Among other objectives, it is targeting the production of 60,000 metric tonnes of paddy rice for Nigeria by December 2017, using 1,200 certified seeds. The project is being implemented by SEEDAN in collaboration with the West and Central Africa Council for Agricultural Re
Read more

Monsanto Nigeria Launches 3 Conventional Maize Hybrids

Maize farmers across Nigeria now have 3 high yielding conventional maize hybrids to choose from the DEKALB ® brand as Monsanto Agriculture Nigeria Limited launches 3 conventional maize hybrids. The launch held in Abuja on Tuesday May 17 2016 had in attendance farmers, development partners, government regulatory bodies and other stakeholders from both the private and public sectors of the economy. The launch of these hybrid seeds follows their registration by the National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds and Fisheries in February 2016. The white maize hybrid, DK234 alongside the 2 yellow maize hybrids, DK920 and DK818 obtained registration approval for use in Nigeria after testing across various agro ecological zones on multi-location farms. The white maize hybrid DK234 with yield potential of 13 tonnes per hectare is well adapted for the Southern and Northern Guinea Savanna ecologies and shows tolerance to Maize Streak Virus,
Read more