Agriculture with Jimoh

The World Band has commended the Federal Government for the successful implementation of FADAMA III programme, which has so far benefited 965,157 persons, including 582,099 males and 383,058 females. Dr Adetunji Oredipe, the World Bank FADAMA Team Leader, gave the commendation in Abuja while speaking with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday. He said that this year alone, a total of 47,505 beneficiaries — 35,382 males and 12,123 females – had benefitted from the programme, under its additional financing phase. He said that that the Third National FADAMA Development Project (FADAMA III) had achieved its aims and objectives, particularly those relating to the sustainable increase of the incomes of FADAMA users. “This has been achieved by increasing the incomes of FADAMA users; the project has aided efforts to reduce rural poverty, boost food security and contribute to the achievement of a key objective of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). “The project has sustaina...

The International Fund for Agricultural Development assisted Value Chain Development Programme (IFAD-VCDP) will begin verification of farmers’ business plans for 2017 in Niger on Wednesday. Dr Mathew Ahmed, the State Programme Coordinator of IFAD-VCDP, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Minna. “The verification will begin on Wednesday, April 19 to May 3 across the five participating Local Government Areas in Niger,’’ he said. Ahmed said that the exercise was to ascertain the readiness of the 640 participating VCDP farmers for the 2017 farming season. He said that the business plan would ensure effective management of the farm from land preparation to marketing of farm produce. “The size of the farm and soil texture will determine the implement and input to use,’’ he said. The coordinator explained that government and farmer organisations have made huge investment towards the 2017 wet season for rice and c...

Making the international trade in plants and seeds a safer venture International plant health body adopts new global standards 13 April 2017, Incheon, Republic of Korea/Rome - The international body that oversees plant health has taken a big step forward with the adoption of a new global standard to help ensure that the international trade in plants and seeds, while very profitable, is also safer. The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)'s governing body, the Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (CPM) adopted the standard during its 12th session in Incheon, South Korea, which wrapped up today. In this globalized world, food and agricultural products are continuously on the move. Ships are constantly underway from port to port, each year ferrying more than 500 million large steel containers filled with all kinds of cargo to and from all corners of the planet. Unfortunately, that cargo can sometimes hide stowaways - agricultural pests that once on ...

Tracking fish “from sea to plate” to keep illegal catches out of global supply chains International guidelines on catch documentation schemes approach the finish line An FAO-led push to establish internationally agreed standards that can guide the development of catch documentation schemes aimed at keeping illegally caught fish off store-shelves and consumers' plates has taken an important step forward. A set of draft Voluntary Guidelines on Catch Documentation Schemes was last week unanimously adopted by a technical consultation that brought a 5-year negotiation effort to a close, and are now poised for adoption by all FAO Members at the UN agency's upcoming bi-annual governing conference (Rome 3-8 July 2017). Once approved by the Conference, the guidelines will act as an internationally-recognized "gold standard" reference for governments and businesses looking to establish systems that can trace fish from their point of capture through the enti...

The National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) says Nigeria exports over 70 per cent of its improved seeds to other West African countries. Mr Mmoeyak Usua, the Council’s South-South Regional Head, said this while speaking with journalists in Yenagoa on Monday. Usua, who harped on the use of improved and certified seeds, said that increased usage of the seeds by the country’s farmers would facilitate plans to boost agricultural productivity and the farmers’ income. While commending the efforts of Nigerian farmers in agricultural production, the NASC official, nonetheless, stressed that the importance of improved seeds to agricultural productivity could never be over-emphasised. “Nigeria now exports improved seeds to other West African countries; over 70 per cent of the improved seeds, used by farmers in the sub-region, come from Nigeria,’’ he said. Usua pledged the commitment of NASC to building a market-driven seeds industry, so as to facilitate the production and dis...

The Federal Government has said that it would re-capitalise the Bank of Agriculture (BoA) to the tune of three trillion naira in order to make farmers in the country have access to fund at affordable interest rate. The Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri disclosed this yesterday at the inaugural harvest of a Tillapia fish farm of Premium Aquaculture Limited, Oyan Dam in Abeokuta, Ogun state capital. Lokpobiri said further that access to funding remained one of the biggest challenges being faced by farmers in Nigeria, noting that commercial banks were not ready to fund agriculture, hence the decision by the FG to recapitalise BoA to fast track the diversification of the country's economy to agriculture. The minister, disclosed that the nation's fish demand stood at 3.1 metric tonnes per annum but currently hovering around 1.1 metric tonnes per annum, leaving a deficit of 2.1 metric tonnes. He said the government reso...

The Ekiti State Government says it has concluded arrangements to establish an additional five hectares of Cocoa Clonal Gardens across the state. The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Kehinde Odebunmi, said this at a news conference in Ado-Ekiti. He said that the gardens would be used to cultivate 70 million improved cocoa seedlings for farmers in the state in the next 10 years. He said the move was part of the government’s renewed efforts to boost cocoa production in the state. Odebunmi said that using the current market price of cocoa as an index, cocoa farmers in the state would be able to earn about N18.9 billion within the 10-year period. He added that the state government was expected to earn about N135 million from cocoa grading and other sundry fees. He said that the new gardens would complement the five-hectare garden that was established last year at Ado, Iye and Eporo Ekiti as well as the old three-hectare plot at Eyio and Ado- Ekiti s...

States in the north-eastern part of the country, still struggling to recover from the devastating effects of Boko Haram insurgency, are recording bumper harvests in rice cultivation. In a recent survey by News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), rice farmers, millers and dealers attributed the development to the pragmatic agricultural policies put in place by the Federal Government. They also ascribed the development to the positive lessons learnt from harrowing situation brought about by the economic recession in the country. They observed that apart from the enhanced patronage of local rice, which had boosted the economic status of rice farmers, the price of the produce had stabilised and might even fall drastically due to massive production. Alhaji Baba Kaye, Chairman Rice Dealers Association in Gombe State, noted that the intervention of the Federal Government had stabilised the price of rice for some time now. “The price has remained stable without fluctuating; we are grateful...

The interim Managing Director of Bank of Agriculture (BoA), Dr Kabiru Adamu, says his management will reposition the bank to stimulate Federal Government’s policy on economic diversification. Adamu made the promise when he took over leadership of the BoA’s management in Kaduna on Friday. According to him, the new management will evolve new skills and strategies aimed at optimal service delivery of credit facilities to farmers’ groups in the country. “The government of President Muhammadu Buhari, as you are aware, is focusing on agriculture and the simple reason is to diversify the economy. “Therefore, our team is coming in to continue with the good work the outgoing management has put in place. “I assure you that my team and I are eager, ready and committed to reposition the bank, “he said. Adamu, who expressed the readiness to operate open door policy, solicited the support of the bank’s union leaders and members of staff to enable the new management ...

Focus is on food security and helping poor farmers by enhancing crop resilience and adapting to climate change FAO and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) have agreed to cooperate more closely to support sustainable rice production in developing countries to improve food security and livelihoods while safeguarding natural resources. An agreement signed today seeks to better pool the scientific knowledge and technical know-how of the two organizations so that they can expand and intensify their work globally. The partnership primarily aims to enhance sustainable rice-based farming systems through capacity building activities - including assisting governments draw up and implement national and regional policies and strategies - to the benefit of small-scale farmers, especially women. "The world faces very significant changes over the next few decades to produce the volume and quality of nutritious food to feed a global population heading for 10 billion pe...

International Institute on Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has called on the Federal Government to increase its investment in agricultural research to boost agricultural production in the nation. Mrs Oiwoja Ooihi, an IITA’s Communication Specialist on the Yam Improvement for Income and Food Security in West Africa (YIIFSWA) project, made the appeal in Abuja on Thursday while speaking with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). YIIFSWA is a seed system development project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to assist Nigerian farmers to cultivate improved and high-yield yam seedlings to enhance yam production under the aegis of IITA. Ooihi said that the increased investment would also empower farmers and guarantee food security in the country. She disclosed that the institute had a lot of research works on its shelves, which were awaiting resources before being moved and executed. ‘‘ My advice to the government is to link with the IITA and its technologies. ‘‘ IITA has a ...

Alhaji Abdulkarim Kaita, the Managing Director of Dangote Tomato Processing Company, Kadawa, Kano State, has commended the Federal Government for banning the importation of tomato paste into the country. The managing director said on Tuesdayin Kano that “I want to use this opportunity to commend the Federal Government for the singular act. “The information reaching us is that government has banned importation of tomato paste and the Central Bank of Nigeria will support tomato growers with loan under the Anchor Borrower programme,” he said. Kaita noted that enforcing total ban on importation of the commodity would enable local tomato processing factories to thrive, in addition to providing job opportunities to the teeming number of unemployed persons in the country. “The importation of tomato paste from China had adversely affected the local tomato processing companies as local product was not being patronized adequately.” According to him, his company plans...

Researchers working under the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture led Cassava Weed Management Project (IITA-CWMP) will this week share findings and recommendations on how to tackle weeds in cassava farming systems. The sharing of research findings is part of activities marked for a week-long annual review and planning meeting and Steering Committee meeting scheduled to hold 27-30 March 2017 at IITA in Ibadan. “ We are optimistic that the key findings from our research will help farmers to tackle the problem of weeds in cassava, with the view to having more yield,” says the Project Leader of IITA-CWMP, Dr Alfred Dixon, who is also a Director with IITA on Monday. Declaring the meeting open, Dr Kenton Dashiell, IITA Deputy Director General, Partnership for Delivery, said the goal of the project was to take off drudgery due to weeding in cassava farming systems. “ I am happy that this meeting will share findings that will impact positively on weed ...

Mr Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has assured farmers in Kebbi that 250,000 millionaire farmers will be created in the state by the end of 2017. Emefiele gave the assurance when he visited the WACOT Rice Factory in Argungu on Thursday. “I was told by a permanent secretary that 88,000 millionaires had been created through rice and agricultural revolution. “I am assuring you that by the end of this year, 200,000 to 250,000 farmer millionaires will be created through the revolution,” he said. He also assured farmers in the state that government would buy off whatever quantity of rice they were able to produce. Emefiele commended the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Sama’ila Mere, for providing land for the company and for his desire to stimulate agricultural revolution in the country. He, however, called on other royal fathers to emulate the monarch’s desire to drive agricultural revolution in the country. Also speaking, the Minister of Agricultur...

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...

ABUJA- THE Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO, and Africa Rice Centre (AfricaRice),have commenced training of 300 community based rice farmers on quality rice seeds production to boost yield and consumption. This was disclosed by the FAO Deputy Representative to Nigeria, Nourou Macki, who said it has become necessary to build the capacity of farmers on production of quality rice seed, which will be for youths and women, and also rice seeds producers. According to Macki the training being conducted was under the Partnership for Sustainable Rice Systems Development in Sub-Saharan Africa agreement between FAO and AfricaRice. The trainees are drawn from six states, which include Ekiti, Edo, Anambra, Abia, Nassarawa and Jigawa for the project, which 50 participants will benefit from the training in each state and also demonstration plots and backstopping mission established as part of sustaining the project. It will facilitate the emergence of efficient rice productio...

Scientists from different parts of the world have started work on the genetic improvement of yam species to boost yam yield in Africa. The Project Leader, Dr Patrick Adebola, made this known at the Africa Yam Annual Progress Review, Technical Advisory Committee and Work Planning Meeting, at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, on Monday. He said that the project – Africa Yam — which was initiated in 2015, would use the latest technologies in plant breeding to develop high-yielding varieties of white yam (Dioscorea rotundata) and water yam (D. alata). “These species will show great promise in resisting infestation by nematodes, viruses, and anthracnose, known to greatly limit productivity in West Africa’s most preferred staple crop. “Every year, sub-Saharan Africa produces no less than 54 million tonnes of yams from about 4.6 million hectares of land but this output is only 40 per cent, compared with cassava production on the continent. “Farm...

The Federal Government says it will capture no fewer than 16 million farmers in a new biometric database to enable them benefit from intervention packages during the 2017 cropping season. The Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, Prof. Danbala Danju, said this on Sunday while signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Public Private Partnership (PPP) with Trans- Sahara Consortium, Nigeria. Danju said the Federal Government would ensure that the registered farmers received all the needed inputs and loan facilities in record time to enhance production. He said that the move would effectively address the challenge of food security, tackle poverty and create employment opportunities for more Nigerian farmers. “The two parties agreed to capture at least 16 million farmers into alternative multi-application payment system for farmers to access loans and conduct all their agro-businesses within their farms,’’ he said Sen. Saminu Turaki, w...