President Muhammadu Buhari |
*Improves Livelihood Of Farmers, Processors
Others
*Boosts Food Production, Rural
Infrastructure
*Builds Capacity Of Youths, Women,
Others
The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) under President
Muhammadu Buhari in collaboration with the African Development Bank (AfDB) designed
the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Program Phase-One (ATASP-1),
which has adopted a holistic approach to tackling the challenges confronting
agriculture in Nigeria. The AfDB is funding ATASP-1 as its contribution to the
revitalization of agriculture in the country.
ATASP-1 which is in its 3rd year is a 5-year program being
implemented in line with the present government’s Green Alternative Agriculture
Policy. The program is overseen by the current Agriculture and Rural
Development Minister, Chief Audu Ogbeh, and coordinated by Mr. Haruna K.
Akwashiki, who is the National Program Coordinator (NPC).
The
program is on-going in 33 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in seven states of the
federation including Anambra, Enugu, Niger, Kano, Jigawa, Kebbi and Sokoto with
a land area of 194,426Km2 and a population of 32,121,944 people who
are predominantly farmers. The benefitting states are located in four Staple Crop
Processing Zones of Adani-Omor, Bida-Badeggi, Kano-Jigawa and Kebbi-Sokoto.
The objectives of the program are to ensure
attainment of food and nutrition security, contribute to employment generation
and wealth creation for the targeted beneficiaries along rice, sorghum and
cassava value chains on sustainable basis, attract private sector investments
in agriculture, reduce post-harvest losses, add value to local agricultural
produce, develop rural infrastructure and enhance access of farmers and other
value chain actors to financial services and markets.
ATASP-1 has three complimentary and mutually
reinforcing components namely: Infrastructure Development; Commodity Value
Chain Development and Program Management. The Commodity Value Chain Development
Component of ATASP-1 is being implemented by IITA and its consortium:
AfricaRice and ICRISAT under an outreach arrangement. IITA focuses on cassava;
AfricaRice coordinates work on rice, while ICRISAT leads the work on sorghum.
The field activities in the three commodities
(Cassava, Rice and Sorghum) are technology verification, adaptation, diffusion
and extension and skill acquisition enhancement. The effective transfer of
technologies to the farmers depends on effective and efficient extension
delivery services. Extension Agents (EAs) play this key role in all the zones
during the program life span.
Since the program started in 2015, not much
has been put in public domain about its achievements. According to the NPC, Mr.
Akwashiki, “ATASP-1 has recorded revolutionary achievements in the benefitting
communities across the states the program is being implemented”.
He said construction of social
infrastructures (primary schools, community health centres, boreholes and/or
hand pump, VIP latrines, community markets, technology demonstration centres
etc.) has attained 70% completion, adding that evaluation of bids for feeder
roads has been completed and sent to AfDB, while Irrigation Scheme designs are
being reviewed.
Completed Solar Powered Borehole and Health Clinic in Ogbunka Community, Orumba South LGA, Anambra State |
Other achievements listed by the NPC are
training of farmers and Extension Agents on Good Agronomic Practices (GAP),
establishment of demonstration plots and multiplication plots on rice, cassava
and sorghum in the seven participating states, facilitating the formation of Value
Chain Innovation Platforms and efficient Production Clusters geared towards
establishing a reliable supply of cassava roots, rice and sorghum grains to
processing mills.
To verify the authenticity of his claim and
obtain first hand information, an independent media team went round the zones
and visited the project sites. A lot of success stories were told by many
beneficiaries including men, women and the youth.
The beneficiaries told the media team that
their livelihoods have been improved through capacity building on Good
Agronomic Practices (GAP) and entrepreneurship trainings, among others, which
boosted their outputs, even as the journalists saw the tremendous achievements in
infrastructure development from one community to the other and reports zone by
zone.
ATASP-1
Adani-Omor Zone
In Adani-Omor zone, the journalists were
stunned by the unsung success stories reeled out by the beneficiaries. Mrs.
Perpetual Okolimba is a female member of Ogbunka community in Orumba South LGA,
Anambra state, which benefitted from a motorized borehole, health clinic and
refuse disposal. The middle aged woman married with eight children told
reporters that the community was in dire need of the two amenities for a long
time but with ATASP-1 intervention, they heaved a sigh of relief.
Khamisu Yahaya, Equipment Fabricator displaying his certificates |
“The hospital we go to is very far and we
normally fetch water from the stream, but we thank God that ATASP-1 has built
clinic and constructed borehole for us. They have reduced our sufferings,” the
woman disclosed.
The Chairman of the community, Hon. Jonathan
Onyema told journalists that disease prevalence was high prior to ATASP-1
intervention as a result of lack of portable water but with the borehole the
rate has reduced, adding that “moreover the clinic is nearby for anyone that
falls sick to easily attend.”
Speaking to newsmen on behalf of Chief
Reginald Onyeaka, the President General of Omogho community in Orumba North
LGA, Anambra state where a solar powered borehole was constructed by ATASP-1,
Chief Nwankwo Clement, the Vice President General hailed the program for its
intervention.
“The community members are very happy with
the water project; they no longer go here and there in search of water for
various purposes. We thank ATASP-1 for giving us water,” Nwankwo noted.
Mr. Ndidigwe Ezekiel Ekene, is a 30 year old
young graduate who has benefited immensely from ATASP-1 initiative. He told the
media team in his farm in Adani, Enugu State that after his national youth service
and having received training on farming he decided to start a rice farm.
“What I got from ATASP-1 is numerous.
Formerly what we do here is that we used to broadcast rice but with the
intervention of ATASP-1 and with the help of AfricaRice, I adopted a new
approach which has significantly increased the yield,” he said while arranging
the bags of rice ready for transport home from the farm.
A Sorghum farm In Adani, Enugu state |
Speaking further, Mr. Ekene said: “What I
used to get before the ATASP-1 intervention was 11 to 12 bags (of 130kg each)
after broadcasting, but now I’m getting above 15 during the rain-fed and
quantities we used to get are higher during the dry season.”
The young graduate said with the Intervention
of ATASP-1 things will get better for him in the future adding that “I don’t
think there is any work that can make me stop farming unless you send me out of
this country to where I cannot see land, but once there is land there I will
continue farming. What I have here is one hectare but I will like to expand my
business to at least 10 hectares.”
Another rice farmer, Bernard Idu, a
53-year-old man with nine family members, who through the program has increased
production to 10 hectares, said the improved technology and the seeding system
training he received from ATASP-1 led to the increase in yield of his crop.
Mr. Benard iIdu n his rice farm at Adani, Enugu state |
Mr. Idu stressed that the difference is clear
in terms of what used to be and the change introduced by the program. He added,
“the tonnage has dramatically increased from 2-3 tons/ha to about 5 tons/ha and
with the money I made from the sales I am now building a story building.”
In the area of seed multiplication, the media
team visited some of the farms owned by Adani Youth Seed Farmers trained in
both cassava and rice seed multiplication.
Mr. Ogwuda Solomon Ugochukwu, Chairman of the
youth group is a 31-year old graduate of zoology and father of 2. He told the
reporters that the initiative has changed his view of farming and has equipped
him and other 20 members of the group to make more money.
He, along with the group co-owned 8 hectares
in Adani and more hectares in other locations where they are producing seed and
already linked to an off-taker. The farm was due for harvest when journalists
visited.
Like Ugochukwu, a young lady, Mrs. Lydia
Onochie who through the initiative owns 0.5 hectare of rice farm told the reporters
that her perception of farming has changed as a result of the training she and
others received on seed multiplication.
Mrs. Onochie expressed view that “Farming is
no longer business as usual, it’s now a business; now I have a company that is
going to buy my seeds, which means I’m going to get more money”, adding that
she hopes to expand her farm to 3 hectares next season.
Journalists and farmers in Mr. Ndidigwe Ezekiel Ekene's rice farm in Adani, Enugu state |
Mr. Agbor Christopher Chinedu is the Leader
of Doyen Multi-purpose Cooperative in Adani which comprises of 3 clusters with
about 40 farmers.
The group is into cassava seed multiplication
and operates on 1.1ha in Adani and 10ha in Iyakpa cluster. Chinedu told
journalists: “We used to harvest cassava in one and a half years but with the
intervention of ATASP-1, we now harvest in one year.”
“We want to develop a large and sustainable
cassava farm to supply everybody in the community, but our challenges are lack
of mechanization and roads,” he stated.
Besides rice and cassava, ATASP-1 program has
for the first time introduced sorghum farming among the Mbu community of Udenu
LGA of Enugu State and the people are seeing huge potentials in the crop.
Mr
Ugwuagbo Anthony is a 29-year old farmer who until now saw sorghum as
something of no interest to them, he has now realized that huge potential
abounds in the crop.
He told the reporters in the farm that the
program has introduced four new varieties of sorghum (SK 5912, CSR 01,
SAMSORG43) for trials and all showed good prospects as observed in the farms.
The project has arranged an off-taker for the
farmers when production is up-scaled next season and many farmers who spoke
with the reporters in their farms are already gearing up towards sustained
cultivation.
ATASP-1 Bida-Badeggi Zone
In Niger State, the project has helped Alhaji
Ahmed Ala to refocus his 50 hectares of sorghum farm with new and improved four
varieties and connect to off-takers in Kano state; something that he said has
expanded his financial coast.
Alhaji Yahaya Mohammed, Cassava farmer in Wushishi LGA, Niger state |
He told the media team while conducting the
reporters round his farm that he was expecting double the harvest this year
because of the new varieties and extension services he got from ATASP-1.
Alhaji
Abubakar Isah Tukunji is the
Extension Agent under ATASP-1 who monitors this farmer. He told the reporters
how the program nurtured the farm: “In fact, this particular farmer, there was
a day I discussed with him to change his local varieties to other varieties.
Last year in one of our demo plots, out of our four varieties, he decided to
choose one of the varieties.
“Before the rainy season we supervised the
land and told him how to do the ploughing, planting, spacing and how to get the
tractor. Last two months he was in a
stakeholders meeting with the off-takers from Kano, when he came back, in fact,
he said he didn’t even know that ATASP-1 is up to that level that he now has
confidence to do more than this next year.”
John Yisa is the Agribusiness Development
Officer, Bida-Badeggi ATASP-1, he told Journalists in Wushishi, Niger state
that they discovered there is a problem in seed system in Nigeria, and the way
to address that, “is to see if we can get seed ourselves not only by providing
seeds to the farmers but also to have a kind of sustainable seeds system.”
“We cannot just be going to the seed
companies everyday asking them for seed, there is a way we want to put up a
structure where farmers can be trained in seed production, because the way we
produce seed is different from grain or any other thing, so we are trying to
see how we could bridge the gap,” he stressed.
Ibrahim Adebayo Jimoh, Equipment Fabricator in Gbako LGA, Niger state |
Mr. Yisa continued, “As it is in Niger state
here we don’t have much of seed companies, we are just like consumers of seeds,
we have to travel as far as Kano and some other places to get seeds, so now
that these youths are coming up and we train them to produce seeds the
situation will change.”
ATASP-1 is doing what is called youth
agribusiness training, now there are youths that produce seeds for rice, for
sorghum in Niger state, he noted.
Alhaji Yahaya Mohammed, 44, and father of
nine children from two wives in Wushishi local government, Niger state,
cultivates cassava, maize, sorghum and millet but does more of cassava - an
area he benefits from ATASP-1 intervention.
He disclosed that with the new technology he
received from the program, the cassava yield appeared to be doing extremely
better, adding that he is expecting over N1million from the hectare he
cultivated under the progam.
Ibrahim Adebayo Jimoh is a 28-year-old agricultural
and other equipment fabricator in Gbako LGA, Niger state who received ATASP-1
training on equipment fabrication. He was busing working when the media team
visited his workshop.
The fabricator told newsmen: “I am happy for
the training, it has led to improvement in my work and income and I am popular
with the farmers as I fabricate agricultural equipment for them.”
The team also visited the Technology
Demonstration Centre in Lemu community and Health Clinic at Mungorota, both in
Gbako LGA, Niger state, which were built by ATASP-1. Both facilities have been
completed and waiting for commissioning. The community members lauded ATASP-1
for coming to their aid.
Women Innotion Platform members in Bunkure LGA, Kano state |
ATASP-1 Kano-Jigawa
Zone
The first port of call in Kano-Jigawa zone was Popular Farms and
Mills Ltd, Kano; an ATASP-1 off-taker which has fully integrated rice mill with
1,500 to 1,700 metric tons capacity per annum.
Mr. Sudhansu Ray, Manager, Agric and Procurement told the media
team: “We have signed 600 farmers’ cooperatives; 250 – 300 in Kano and Jigawa.
We have high capacity, the largest in the country and we are encouraging more farmers
to produce rice for us to buy at good price.”
Sanusi Mohammed, the ATASP-1 Zonal Agribusiness Development
Officer and Communication Desk Officer told reporters that the deal with the
milling giant was to ensure farmers under the project have a more sustainable
market, adding that aggregation centres are being built to grade all the rice
and sorghum so that farmers get value for their efforts.
A similar arrangement has been made with the Northern Nigeria
Flour Mills, Kano to off-take about 100,000 tonnes of sorghum annually.
Group picture of Ogbunka community members, Orumba South LGA, Anambra state |
Also, to ensure that farmers under the project get inputs
(fertilizer) promptly, the program arranged with the Kano State Agricultural
Supply Company (KASCO) to supply fertilizer to the farmers at even much cheaper
rate than the Federal Government’s recommended price of N5,500.
Alhaji Garba Usman DanAiya, the Public Relations Officer, KASCO,
disclosed that increase in fertilizer demand has led to expansion of the
production capacity of the plant from 5 trucks per day to 30 tonnes per hour,
adding that the company was taking care of adulteration.
KASCO’s Assistant General Manager Commercial, Alhaji Musa Kabir
said while KASCO has agreed to sell at wholesale price, ATASP-1 has also agreed
to supply the company improved rice seeds.
The media team proceeded to Gafar-Zanya community in Bunkure
LGA, about 50km from Kano where ATASP-1 built a 20-bed Health Clinic with male
and female wards and VIP toilet. The community is made up of 10 – 15 groups of farmers
with 25 members each.
Bala DanAlhaji Zanya, the representative of the community told
journalists: “No basic health facility here until ATASP-1 intervened. Last
year, about 10 pregnant women died on their way to the hospital which is very
far from here. We are grateful to ATASP-1 and appeal to them to help us
construct our road.”
Alhaji Muhammad Isah Umar, District Head, Hakimin Bunkure and
Barayan Kano, who facilitated the location of the clinic in Gafar-Zanya said the
community has appealed for a health facility for over 25 years in vain.
He was happy and grateful that ATASP-1 finally came to the
community’s rescue, while urging the program to continue the good work.
The media team met a group of women processors trained by
ATASP-1 on product development and processing in Bunkure market which is under
construction by ATASP-1.
Hajiya Talatu Idi, 45-year-old mother of 8 children leads the Innovation
Platform which processes rice into various products such as noodles, doughnut
and milk. She told journalists: “We are so happy that ATASP-1 built market for us;
this is something we women are so proud of. We were taught how to make rice
milk, rice noodles and doughnuts.”
She continued: “We have been empowered in various ways including
building our capacity to do many things. We are appealing to ATASP-1 to help us
acquire small processing equipment.”
Hajiya Rukaya Saidu, Women Leader of the Cassava Processors in Kila, Gwaram LGA, Jigawa state |
“We cultivate rice, wheat and sorghum. I have cows bought from
the proceeds of my farm. We are able to send our children to school because
what we produce, we have been linked to markets; the off-takers follow us home,
we don’t have issues at all,” Hajiya Talatu disclosed.
Another member of the group, Hajiya Ladiyo Garba, 40-year-old
mother of seven children, who corroborated the success story told by their
leader, said she was also able to step-down the training to other women in her
community, adding that “I am able to generate money to take care of my needs
and that of my household.”
In Dutse, the Jigawa state capital, the media team met 44-year-old
machines and equipment fabricator, Khamisu Yahaya, whose capacity was built by
ATASP-1.
The husband of four wives and father of 24 children can design
any processing machine for farmers, including multi-purpose crop threshers of various
capacity, rice harvester and planter. He is already coming up with more agro
processing machines.
Displaying his certificates, Yahaya, who has attended several
trainings, told newsmen: “ATASP-1
training is excellent and has built my capacity to produce high quality
stainless steel equipment, though expensive but better for health. There are
some changes in my income after the training.”
In Kila, Gwaram Local
Government Area of Jigawa state, the media crew was surprised to see that
cassava is produced in large quantities in every community.
However, with the state government’s processing company for
garri, cassava flour and starch now comatose, the farmers struggle to process
their products under good modern practices, but ATASP-1 is intervening with processing
equipment through its innovation platform approach so that more money enters
the farmers’ pockets.
The farmer’s group, which has 1,250 members cultivating about 500
hectares of cassava, lacks the basic training, equipment to process high
quality cassava flour and garri for the Nigerian market.
Alhaji Magaji Danbaba, Chairman of the Innovative Platform and
Alhaji Tijjani Adamu Ringim, who is the Production Manager/Acting Factory
Manager, Jigawa Cassava Products Ltd Kila, Gwaram said ATASP-1 intervention was
changing the story of cassava production in the area.
The Secretary of the Cassava Innovation Platform, Alhaji Danladi
Isah, stressed that the project intervention would help not only the
famers, but even the state cassava company, which would be resuscitated.
The media team was shown round some processing machines supplied
to the farmers, but drying slabs, which would help farmers to adopt a more
hygienic process, is underway while some of the farmers have been trained on
good agronomic practices.
Hajiya Rukaya Saidu, Women Leader, Cassava Processors
told journalists that
they now have a better approach to cassava processing, adding that “the project
is doing commendable work in the area of training the farmers and the
processors.”
At Farin Dutse also in Gwaram LGA, 18-year-old Safiya Musa was
trained on Cassava Seed Multiplication in Abuja and Ibadan by IITA through
ATASP-1and already producing in her one hectare farm - a very unusual
achievement among her peers in the area.
Although Safiya is still pursuing her secondary education, she
appears to be so happy with the cassava seed production job, which according to
her will give her money to take care of her school fees and assist her parents.
Datti Farindutse, 55-year-old sorghum farmer is married to three
wives with 17 children. He told reporters in Farin Dutse: “I am a civil servant
but don’t rely on salary. ATASP-1 gives me improved sorghum seeds and builds my
capacity. I harvest my sorghum before other farmers and get more yields – about
8 bags.”
He commended ATASP-1 efforts while appealing for assistance in
the area of market for his produce.
ATASP-1
Kebbi-Sokoto Zone
In Kebbi-Sokoto Zone, the program is executing several rice,
sorghum and rural infrastructure (schools in Tukurwa community, Dandi LGA,
clinics in Sabon Tunga, Suru LGA, water projects, markets for rice and sorghum)
across many communities to strengthen smallholder farmers in the two states.
At Kamba Rice Market, Dandi LGA, which is being constructed by
ATASP-1, Alhaji Abdullahi Abombe Kamba, the market Chairman, Alhaji Tukur
DanMalik Kamba, market Secretary and Alhaji Musa Dantayana, the Sarkin Kasuwa,
unanimously commended ATASP-1 for constructing the market where the quantity of
rice paddy stockpiled and volume of trade is amazing.
In Tukurwa community also in Dandi LGA, the District Head, Chief
Yahaya Saidu, and the School Assistant Headmaster, Abubakar Bello Muslim, expressed
happiness for ATASP-1 intervention in building 1 block of 2 classrooms, with
office, store and VIP toilet for the community.
The over 70-year-old community leader revealed that for over 100
years the community has been looking for road without success and appealed to
ATASP-1 to equally help in constructing the 6km road for them.
The Assistant Headmaster also called on ATASP-1 to intervene in
reducing their plight by constructing a borehole for the community.
Speaking on the Health Centre at Sabon Tunga community, Suru
LGA, the Village Head, Abubakar Hakimi disclosed that the only available
hospital before ATASP-1 intervention was very far away in Birnin-Kebbi.
He said the community has no good drinking water, thereby
drinking water from contaminated sources which make the people fall sick. The
community leader appealed for ATASP-1 assistance in borehole construction.
Mohammadu Sabon Tunga, Sarkin Noma, Sorghum Production Cluster,
Kwakware, Suru LGA and a member, Abubakar Hakimi told journalists that ATASP-1
training and improved varieties have impacted on their yield positively.
Hajiya Kulu Umaru Bogobiri who also produces sorghum told the
reporters that the varieties have improved her yield by over 100% from 15
bundles to 35. She has also been able to own two camels and two cows estimated
at over N500, 000.
Similarly, Sarkin Kawara, in Kawara, Suru LGA, Kebbi state,
Alhaji Kabiru Kawara, 50, with two wives and 18 children and the Chairman, Giro
Rice Farmers Association, Engr. Mohammed Mahe, told the reporters that the
training they received on GAP planting technology has improved their yields
with the adoption of Faro 44 and 51 varieties in their farms.
The media team also visited the market, VIP toilet and refuse
disposal under construction by ATASP-1 and the health clinic and solar powered
borehole being renovated by the program in Hamma Ali, Kware LGA, Sokoto state.
The Market Overseer, Mohammed Sani Umar, and the Chief Iman of Hamma
Ali, Liman Abubakar were full of praises for ATASP-1 intervention in
constructing the market facilities and rehabilitating the community borehole
and health facility.
The Officer in Charge of the health clinic, Mohammed Bello
Sokoto, thanked ATASP-1 for rehabilitating the borehole and appealed for more assistance
in renovation of the clinic as most of the buildings are dilapidated.
An ATASP-1 trained sorghum farmer, Sani Saidu, also in Hamma
Ali, Kware LGA, Sokoto state, told journalists that his joy knows no bounds as
ATASP-1 intervention in the areas of training and improved sorghum varieties
has helped him to cultivate more hectares of sorghum, reap more and earn more
money.
The Program has adopted a
holistic approach to tackling the challenges of agriculture through massive
infrastructure and value chain development. ATASP-1 has established a robust
zonal arrangement where states are pooling their resources together to develop
agriculture. The Program is embarking on aggressive youth and women training
and empowerment in line with the focus of the present government of President
Muhammadu Buhari. ATASP-1 is indeed revolutionizing agriculture in Nigeria.
If the impact ATASP-1 has made in Adani-Omor, Bida-Badeggi, Kano-Jigawa,
and Kebbi-Sokoto Staple Crop Processing Zones (SCPZs) is sustained with the
benefitting states paying their counterpart funds promptly, many more farmers,
processors and rural communities will benefit immensely from the program.
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