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*Ask for policy to attract investors
*Communiqué
Stakeholders across the private and public sectors of Kenaf productivity have called on the Federal Government (FG) to harness the potentials of three billion dollar across the value chain with effective document that will ensure confidence of the local and international investors.
The stakeholders who subjected kenaf productivity into critical screening on three premises as listed in the communiqué submitted that the crop economic potentials have not been optimally utilized to enhance our economy unlike other countries in East Africa and China, adding that the produce value chains must be made bankable to attract financial institutions’ assistance in terms of loan assistance.
The paper delivered by the Institute for Agricultural Research & Training (IAR &T), Dr.Johnson Adetunbi analysed every part of the kenaf crop as being very marketable if properly harnessed for wealth and employment generation as he lamented that no private seed company has shown interest in kenaf seed varieties for commercialization.
Dr. Adetunbi stressed in spite of low funding for research, IAR&T has been the only Institute doing kenaf business as challenges in the crop had prevented private sector participation as he asked the government to ensure adequate quality seeds for sustainable kenaf fibre production having recognised its market potential in the recent time with the need for policy provision to drive the sub sector.
Earlier in his speech, Hon. Shehu Balarabe Kakale encouraged the members of Kenaf Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (KEPPMAN) to ensure constant mutual relationship with national assembly arm of government, saying such would enhance speedy passage of any demand from them that enhance farmers’ productivity in terms of policy at the floors of the two houses.
Speaking also, the National Secretary, KEPPMAN, Dr. Usman Hassan Argungun highlighted challenges of kenaf production and processing in Nigeria as lack of high yielding seeds as compared to what is obtained in China and America, lamenting on the high cost of processing with traditional methods and its attendant drudgery due to lack machinery and equipment.
Argungun advocated for increased production of agro jute bags with establishment of pilot plants for the processing of kenaf fibre into making these sacks adding that backward integration of the crop would enhance its development through import substitution.
In his keynote address, the President, Kenaf Producers Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (KEPPMAN) Hon. Hassan Abubakar alerted on the need to harness market opportunities in the crop, saying the demand for agro sack and bags made from kenaf fibre would be on the increase being ban placed on synthetic bags by the European Union for export of any agricultural produce.
Hon. Hassan Abubakar said that ‘’ There exist huge potentials for the demand and supply of kenaf fibre products in Nigeria market. With the economic diversification programme and green alternative agenda of the Federal Government and the attention paid to agro industrial complex through import substitution of raw material, kenaf development in Nigeria will provide the needed launch pad for industrialization and reduction in unemployment and poverty in several respect’’
The FMITI Director for commodities and export department who was represented by one of his Deputies , Alhaji Goni encouraged the association to constantly partner with the ministry in all their activities towards sustainable success of the crop into national contribution into economic development, stressed effort is on going towards presenting a validated policy document that would be presented to the national assembly to be passed into law after final endorsement of the stakeholders.
Read the full text of the communiqué issued at the close of the meeting below.... COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE CLOSE OF THE KENAF STAKEHOLDERS MEETING HELD 3RD, MARCH, 2022 AT THE BLOCK C’ CONFERENCE ROOM IN THE FMITI OLD SECRETARIAT, AREA 1, GARKI ABUJA.
The production of Kenaf plant came to prominence in the 60s when the Federal government established two cottage factories to produce sacks and natural bags for packaging of agricultural produce of farmers with premium price for domestic and international market. However this project did not last long due to technological challenges stakeholders identified on three premises which included- (1) National Policy on Kenaf Development-way forward, (2) Kenaf Investment Opportunities and challenges in Nigeria (3) Kenaf production and Association Challenges.
Attendance cut across stakeholders in both private and public sector among are representatives from the National Assembly Hon. Shehu Balarabe, Mr. S.A Audu Director Commodities and Export Department, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Abubakar T. Garba, kenaf desk officer, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Adetunbi J.A, Institute for Agricultural Research & Training (IAR&T), Executive Director, Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) Samaru, Zaria Prof. Mohd. F Ishiyaku, MD/CEO Murada Ventures LTD Jute Factory, Kaduna AVM Alh. Dabo (rtd), MD/CEO Galma Farms and agro Allied Industries Ltd, Alhaji Ubale Yahaya, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi Lagos (FIIRO), MD Centenary Kenaf Industry Ltd, Engr. M.A Usman, Kenaf Investor Lagos Alhaji Isiaka Jimil, Deputy President and Administrative Secretary of Federation of Agricultural Commodity Associations (FACAN), KEPPMAN BOT Chairman and Secretary, Chief T.S Akinrinbola and Dr. Hassan Usman Argungun respectively, KEPPMAN Grand Patron Alhaji Umaru Dembo, Secretary Technical Committee on production and ultilization of kenaf in FCT, President of Cotton Assc. (NACOTAN), President Apple Assc, President Sunflower Assc, MD Food Farm Newspaper, members of KEPPMAN National Executive Committee and other stakeholders. Over seventy people participated in the meeting.
The following title papers were delivered during the technical session-
1. Effort of the FMITI to get a National Policy on Kenaf Development in Nigeria
2. Challenges of Jute bag production in Nigeria
3. Production of Kenaf in Northern Nigeria
4. Production of Kenaf in Southern Nigeria
5. Investment in Kenaf Business in Nigeria
6. Kenaf seed production and development in Nigeria
A round table committee chaired by the IAR executive Director, Prof. M.F Ishiyaku made the following observations for immediate action
1. Need to make provision for the soft copy of the Kenaf draft policy of the FMITI to stakeholders in the meeting for further contributions in order to make the final copy robust within the next one week of the stakeholders’ meeting, having commended FMITI for the draft copy of the policy.
2. Need for the FMITI to facilitate a validation meeting on the policy draft within the second quarter of 2022.
3. Need to harness the potential of the 3billion dollar in the subsector for wealth and job generation as observations identified production, processing and machinery tools as very low.
4. Agreed on the great opportunity in the sub sector that financial institutions can harness along the productivity value chains.
5. Identify low availability of improved seeds with farmers left to very few options on varieties.
6. Low yield of seeds
7. Low off takers
8. Low level of awareness of the crop
9. Drudgery in production and processing
10. Weak research industry linkage
11. Poor net-working among the research Institutes.
Members of the Roundtable include
1. Chief Thompson Sunday Akinrinbola
2. Mr. David Gode Dabong
3. Mrs. Hussaina Muktar
4. Mr. M.A Usman
5. Mr. J.A Adetunbi
6. Alhaji Isiaka Jimil
7. Mr. Kolawole Gabriel
8. Mr. Ayeni, Oladehinde
9. Mr. Agene Thomas
10. Mr. Malem Bulus
11. Alhaji Ismaila Zaria.
Signed
Hon. Hassan, National President. Apostle Kunle Amosu, National Secretary.
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