Agriculture with Jimoh

Agri-tech can turn African Savannah into global food basket – African Development Bank Des Moines, Iowa, 24 October 2018 – The African Development Bank is championing a new regional and global effort to transform the African Savannah from a “Sleeping Giant” to the cradle of the continent’s green revolution. “This sleeping giant needs to wake up,” the Bank’s Vice-President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development, Jennifer Blanke, told an audience at a 2018 World Food Prize side event in Des Moines, Iowa last week. Blanke described Africa’s nearly 400 million hectares of Savannah zones as “the world’s largest agricultural frontier,” and if a small fraction of that cultivatable land – some 16 million hectares - is transformed, it could well set Africa up to decrease dependence on food imports, feed itself and contribute to feeding the world. Africa is host to 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land, but currently spends an estimated US$35 billion per year ...

North East: IITA and AfDB to help Taraba transform cassava in the framework of TAAT …Trains 60 extension agents The international Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) says it plans to work closely with the Taraba State Government to transform cassava in the framework of the African Development Bank-funded Technologies for African Agriculture Transformation (TAAT) program. The decision is part of a two-day visit to Taraba state, which ended today and witnessed the inauguration of the Cassava Compact—a component of the TAAT,  training of extension agents, and sites selection and validation for the establishment of cassava demonstration plots. Dr Nteranya Sanginga, IITA Director General, said the inauguration of the Cassava Compact of the TAAT in Taraba would open the door for the scaling of new innovations to cassava growers to the state and north east region of Nigeria. Dr Sanginga, who was represented by Godwin Atser, IITA Communication & Knowledge Exchange ...

“Stunted children today will lead to stunted economies tomorrow” – Adesina African Union endorses African Leaders for Nutrition Initiative By Jimoh Babatunde The President of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina, has said that stunted children today will lead to stunted economies tomorrow, adding that the impact of stunting is irreversible but preventable. He spoke yesterday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia as African leaders made a landmark commitment to remove nutrition-related barriers that prevent children and societies from realising their full potential. The leaders made the commitments at the launch of African Leaders for Nutrition (ALN) − an initiative championed by the African Development Bank and the African Union Commission – in Addis Ababa, where they agreed to jointly overcome malnutrition and elevate nutrition as the driver for economic growth and sustainable development. Adesina said poor nutrition is responsible for stunting children’s ...

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has announced its plan to support Nigeria to access Crop Insurance to mitigate the impact of climate change in the country. The President of the AfDB, Dr Akinwumi Adesina announced this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja. Adesina said that the bank would implement the support under its Second Climate Action Plan for 2016 to 2020. ``When it  comes to Climate Financing, what we will do is to support Nigeria, especially to have access to Crop insurance. ``A lot of pastoralist actually needs to have insurance as well because lack of access to water can become a big problem because of drought.  ``Also, I have being a big supporter of the need for the global climate financing mechanism to support countries to pay the premium to insure them against catastrophic risk. ``For example, there is a Facility, which is called Africa Risk Capacity and this is the Africa Union Facility that allows co...

ABUJA- THE Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, at the weekend disclosed that Nigerian Agricultural trade has hit N261. 92 billion in second quarter of 2017, which represents 4.60 per cent. Ogbeh made the disclosure at the launch of Nigeria Agribusiness Resource Centre, NARC, in Abuja, for agricultural investment and sponsored by Africa Lead. The Minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Buka Hassan, said agricultural export from the country was 0.9 per cent out of the total exports in second quarter of 2017. According to him destinations of exports in the second quarter include Asia- 66.38 per cent, Europe -24.98 per cent, Americas- 4.37 per cent, Africa -3.88 per cent and the Oceania- 0.39 per cent. Agricultural commodities exported were cashew nuts, which worth N13.5 billion representing 45.4 per cent of the total agriculture exports and 1.37 per cent of total exports. "Cashew nut export to Vietnam wa...

Scientists are now using Semi-Autotrophic Hydroponics (SAH) technology to speed up the propagation of clean cassava planting materials. Mr Godwin Atser, the Communication Expert of International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), made this known via a news statement on Tuesday in Abuja. He said that the use of SAH technology for cassava multiplication was the brainchild of the “Building an Economically Sustainable Integrated Seed System for Cassava (BASICS)’’ project. He said that the SAH technology involved the use of modified soil, holding plant roots in planting pots with little water. “Usually the trays are filled with a little amount of water and the soil transports the moisture up to the plant roots; yet the top of the soil remains relatively dry. “The roots are encouraged to grow down, and the dry soil on top discourages damp-off and other diseases caused by excess moisture,’’ he said. Dr Peter Kulakow, a cassava breeder with IITA, s...

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Monday advised the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA),Ibadan, to commercialise the results of its research in order to promote universal application. Osinbajo, who was represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, gave the advice at the 50th anniversary celebration of IITA in Ibadan. The acting president, who commended IITA over its initiatives, said that research was not enough if it was not marketed for universal application. “ In a society where the vast majority of farmers are small-holders and not educated, more needs to be done by making research work available for them to understand how it is used. “ You have to commercialise the result of your research and create subsidiaries as it is done in India. “ These companies can then multiply your findings and market them for larger application. “Government would provide necessary legal instrument to ena...

Dr Richardson Okechukwu, a cassava specialist, on Monday advised cassava farmers to always preserve 10 per cent of cassava stems during harvest for planting in the next season. Okechukwu, a specialist for the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), gave the advice while speaking with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gwagwalada, Federal Capital Territory (FCT). “Cassava stems cannot be preserved, so when you are harvesting, do not harvest all the crops, leave 10 per cent of the stems for the next planting season. “By doing so, you will not lose the cassava variety which you already have,” he said. Okechukwu, however, said that fertiliser application was good for the cassava cultivation, adding that farmers should also engage in some kind of crop rotation in order to preserve soil nutrients. “It is not good for the farmers to be growing cassava year-by-year on same soil. “After two years of growing cassava, try to grow something like soya beans on the far...

National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with two agencies in efforts to regulate the use of genetically modified organisms and products in the country. A statement issued by NBMA in Abuja on Thursday said that the agencies were the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) and the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC). NBMA Director-General Rufus Ebegba said that the MoU presented to the three agencies the needed platform for synergy and opportunity to fast-track the management of issues of genetic modification to safeguard the health of Nigerians and the environment. He said that the MoU remained a landmark development in the management of Biosafety issues in the country, as it would empower the agencies to speak with one voice on Biosafety issues. “The controversy surrounding GMOs will not abate soon; therefore, it is important for us, as government, to work together and be courageous to say the truth wit...

David Patrick, Acting Country Representative, Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has identified lack of policy and comprehensive regional strategy as major challenges facing fishery and aquaculture sector in the ECOWAS region. He said this on Wednesday in Abuja at the stakeholders’ meeting on the Development of ECOWAS Fisheries and Aquaculture Regional Policy and Strategy Framework for member countries. The stakeholders in agriculture from the European Union (EU), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and ECOWAS are currently meeting in Abuja to develop a framework on Fishery and Aquaculture for ECOWAS countries. Patrick observed that lack of framework to improve coordination and ensure effective cooperation in actions for the benefit of the sector was hindering the development of fishery and aquaculture at the regional level. “It also includes the weakness of human domestic and regional capacities, and weakness of information systems to inform the political decisi...

The Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria says it has secured approval for the release of three new high-yielding nutrient maize varieties for planting in Nigeria. The Institute made this known in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos. The institute said the approval was granted by the National Varietal Release Committee at the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology in Ibadan. It said that the maize was developed by IAR in collaboration with the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan. The institute said that the maize varieties tagged: SAMMAZ 52, SAMMAZ 53 and SAMMAZ 54 were offshoots of extensive “on-station, multi-locational and on-farm’’ evaluations with strong farmer participation. It said that the varieties were desirable to many maize farmers, seed companies, and food processing entrepreneurs, agro-allied industries as well as ...

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Federal Government have initiated a public awareness strategy to educate livestock owners and veterinary officers on the impact of trans-boundary livestock diseases. Mr Patrick David, the FAO Representative in Nigeria, made this known at a workshop in Abuja on Tuesday. He said that the strategy would consolidate the successes recorded during the eradication of rinderpest and sustain the rinderpest-free status of the country. Rinderpest — also known as cattle plague or steppe murrain — is a contagious viral disease affecting cattle, domestic buffalo, large antelope and deer, giraffes, wildebeests, and warthogs. David said that the workshop was also targeted at enhancing the communication capacity of pastoralists and policy makers to avoid the re-occurrence of rinder-pest and other trans-boundary livestock diseases. He noted that livestock accounted for one-third of Nigeria’s agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP), pro...

Nigeria and other ECOWAS countries will benefit from the 50 million-euro European Union (EU) fund set up to ensure sustainable fisheries development and marine security, an EU official says. Mrs Stefania Marrone, Head of Regional Cooperation Section in the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said this in an interview in Abuja on Tuesday. Marrone spoke on the sidelines of the meeting on “Regional Policy Process for the Development of ECOWAS Fisheries and Aquaculture Regional Policy and Strategy Frame Work of ECOWAP’’. She said that the programme would be implemented in various West African countries within a six-year period. The EU official said that the funding arrangement would strengthen governance and management of fisheries in the ECOWAS region. She said that it would also improve the handling of landed catch in major ports and other selected sites to reduce post-harvest wastage and increase fishermen’s earnings. She said that the programme, being financed by the ...

The Association of Organic Agriculture Practitioners of Nigeria (NOAN), on Thursday, urged the Federal Government to support its efforts in popularising Organic agriculture (OA) in Nigeria. The Association’s National President, Prof. Victor Olowe, made this appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of the association’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Ibadan. The NOAN president urged the government to increase the contribution Organic Agriculture was making in the Growth Enhancement Scheme of agriculture, to enable the association achieve its goal. Olowe noted that OA was essential for the development of agriculture in the country, adding that it could improve farmers’ incomes with a lot of health benefits. According to him, the association has registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) with the aim to improve the livelihoods of stakeholders, especially farmers in agriculture. “ We are affiliated with the Intern...

The African Development Bank (AfDB) says it will soon commence the implementation of the $280 million `Enable Youth Programme’, to promote youths’ employment in agriculture in the country. The `Enable Youth Programme’ is designed to contribute to job creation, food security and nutrition, rural income generation and improved livelihoods for youths, in both urban and rural areas. Dr Ibrahim Amadou, the Chief Agricultural Economist, AfDB, Nigeria Country Office, made the remark at a training programme for youth farmers in Abuja on Tuesday. He said the support was the Bank’s 10 years strategy to create jobs for youths in Africa, from 2013 to 2022. Amadou said the programme would be done in collaboration with the Federal Government in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). According to him, “we are waiting for the government to meet its own obligations before we kick-start the programme. “The targeted beneficiaries wil...

Potato Farmers Association of Nigeria (POFAN) says it is partnering with the Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) to establish an insurance cover for its members across the country. Chief Daniel Okafor, the National President of the association spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday. According to him, the insurance will cover both agricultural produce and lives of its members. Okafor said that the initiative was as a result of losses recorded by some members of the association, especially during natural disasters like floods. He said the insurance was necessary following the commencement of the rainy season. “We are trying to provide all potato farmers with insurance cover. “NAIC is working with us in the process to achieve this. “Some of our farmers have died while some lost their produce. The insurance is what we are discussing now. “The insurance policy will also cover the lives and the agricultural produce of our farmers t...

Ibadan, Nigeria: The international body of root and tuber crops, International Society of Tropical Root Crops- Africa Branch (ISTRC-AB), on Friday presented awards of honour and recognition to 10 researchers working on root and tuber crops in Africa, out of which 9 of the recipients were either current or former staff of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture. The awards, which were presented during the close of the 13th symposium of ISTRC-AB in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania were part of efforts by the root and tuber crop society to recognise the contribution of science and technology innovation to food security in Africa. Recipients of the awards were Dr Nteranya Sanginga, Director General of IITA; Dr Alfred Dixon, Director for Development and Delivery at IITA, and also the Project leader of the Cassava Weed Management Project; Dr Victor Manyong, IITA Director for East Africa; Dr Robert Asiedu, IITA Director for West Africa; Dr Regina Kapinga, IITA Head of Re...

The National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) is to generate more improved “Early Generation Seeds’’ to boost food production in the country. The Director-General of NASC, Dr Philip Ojo, made this known on Monday in Abuja at the stakeholders’ workshop on “Addressing Challenges of Early Generation Seeds in the National Seed System of Nigeria’’. He said that the essence of the workshop was to ensure that Nigeria produced enough “early generation seeds’’ for multiplication and use in the country. “ By `early generation seeds’, I mean breeder and foundation seeds, so that farmers could have access to good quality seeds to boost food production in the country. “ We want to look at the capacity of seed breeding institutions; we want to see what they are doing, their challenges and ways forward, so as to provide solutions to those challenges,’’ he said. Ojo said that NASC, in line with its mandate of regulating the seed industries, was eager to transform the country’s seed ...

NEWS ANALYSIS African Heads of States at the 23rd Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, in June 2014 adopted the “Malabo Declaration’’ to accelerate agricultural growth and transformation to lift Africa out of poverty. The 2014 declaration was a formal commitment by AU Heads of States and Governments to provide effective leadership for efforts to achieve some specific goals by the year 2025. The goals include ending hunger on the continent and tripling intra-African trade in agricultural goods, among others. The African Union Commission (AUC), in collaboration with other international stakeholders in agriculture, recently converged on Abuja to deliberate on the ways forward in domesticating and implementing the initiatives of the Malabo Declaration to boost Nigeria’s economy via agriculture. The efforts are particularly aimed at aligning Nigeria’s National Agriculture Investment Plan (NAIP) with the commitments of the 2014 Malabo Declarat...