African Groundnut council to domicile in Agric Ministry - *RMRDC ready for bee and honey partnership

There is indication that the African Groundnut Council (AGC) established in 1975 at Lagos and domiciled at the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment with its headquarter for all others African members may be moved to agriculture and rural development ministry according to a source. 

A source told us that AGC was established with aim the of enhancing standard and quality seeds production for the cultivation of groundnut in Africa among the member countries as Nigeria has recently moved its headquarters from Lagos to Kano for obvious ecological reason of where the crop is mostly grown adding in the spirit of right appropriation the ministry of Trade and Investment is already making arrangement towards moving the council to be domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Presently the Executive Director of AGC is from Senegal and the position is always rotated in seven years among the member countries of Africa and this association according to our source said its impact is very evident in the 60s Nigerian groundnut pyramid.

Food Farm News learnt that the immediate past minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Olusegun Aganga had queried the domiciliation of AGC in the present place thereby ordered for the a proposal to the relocation of this African association to the appropriate ministry based on its research related nature which his ministry did not have the mandate to handle.

Meanwhile the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment has officially launched and presented certification of registration to National Groundnut Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NABPAN) and two others “Federation of Beekeepers Association of Nigeria (FEBKAN) and National Banana and Plantain Growers, Processor and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NGROPPMAN)

The outgoing Permanent Secretary, FMITI Ambassador A. Musa ably represented at the certificates presentation urged the three associations to comply with standard  that will ensure market acceptability of these produce locally and internationally adding that about 16 commodities association are already inaugurated to make nineteen stressed government continued readiness to provide friendly environment for national productions.

Meanwhile the Raw Material Research Development Council (RMRDC) has expressed its readiness to assist any agricultural produce that can give different derivatives as agro raw materials for both local and export adding that the Bee and Honey Association unlike many other would soon begin to enjoy intervention support of the council based on its high demand in the world market.

The Executive Director of the RMRDC, Dr. Hussaini Ibrahim ably represented said the council activities in the agricultural intervention is very evident in shea butter, cashew, castor , mellon, and many others adding that bee and honey would soon receive special intervention attention because its high demand in the world market.

Dr. Ibrahim stated that “our interest in area of bee keeping and honey makes this occasion well commendable as we are going to expedite action on any crops that can give several derivates. Bee keeping is worldwide trade. RMRDC will soon invite to launch African Education platform in Nigeria for bee keeping association to enable our products go to Europe”