IITA to tackle cassava weed challenge soonest says communication expert

Can you introduce yourself and give us insight into weed science project of IITA?

My name is Godwin Ansar, the communication and knowledge exchange expert with the cassava weeds management project. Cassava weeds management project is a five year project that is looking at solving the problem of weeds in cassava. As you know cassava is a major crop in Africa, and it is a source of livelihood to more than three million people in sub-Saharan Africa but unfortunately, cassava productivity in Africa is particularly being constraint by weeds, and while productivity of cassava in Asia is about 25-35 tons per hectare, in Africa we still have yield in farms as low as ten tons per hectare and one of the reason responsible for this challenge is weed, and if farmers fail to control the weeds in the first  eight weeks, he may end up not getting anything from the farm. We felt that we should develop solution that will address the issue of weeds in Africa. If you look at a crop like rice, we have specific herbicide that is always use to control weeds like in the case of rice production but there is none in cassava and that is why we are already working at having a solution with a herbicide to apply for the control of cassava weeds which is one aspect of the project. 

Another aspect of the project is how can we use best agronomy practices like space planting to actually control weeds as we are working at the possibility, and the third option is looking at possibility of integrating herbicide and agronomy planting density so that the cassava field can be weed free. The impact of weeds on cassava fields are huge as women contributes 90% of their time and labour in weeding to ensure weed free cassava farms  as they spent close to 500- 700 hours to actually ensuring free weed farms. Of course you know that using hoes and cutlass could have a lot of health impact on the back of these women as they always bend down to weed their farms. In view of all these, we are looking at being able to control weeds in order to save women from laborious exercise in the cassava field thereby making them to live healthier and happier. Also you will agree that our children were not spared in this exercise as they are always force to leave schools in order to take care of cassava fields. 

Again if we are able to control cassava weeds, children will have more time to spend in schools and the entire family will be healthier. This is just a brief about cassava weeds project. And we have three partners we are working with as regard the project; they are National Root crop Research Institute, Umudike, the University of Agriculture, Markurdi as partner and Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. These are the three collaborating Institutions that we are working together with for the actualization of the project in the next five years. Our target is actually to see how we can improve the productivity of cassava on 125,000 households. These are the people we want to reach with the knowledge this project will generate.

How is the outcome going to be commercialized as getting to the end user who are farmers?

Currently, we are accessing all options, and the third and the fourth years of the project as we actually started the project this year January, and we are looking at it that most of the generated knowledge will be passed at the year 3-4 to farmers through extension agents who are part of the project component as we will be working closely with the ADPs. We believed the structure is on ground and all we need to do is to have a better collaboration and also see how we can activate the existing structures as we are not going to build anything new, but we will be working with farmers’ group at the local government levels. We intent to work with the Non Governmental Organization (NGOs) so that we can get to the real farmers at the grassroot. 

We are very specific at this year having an extension component and knowledge transfer component of the project. We are looking at how to identify the farms and also to mainstream gender because it is an important component of the project. One of our greatest successes will be how effectively it will be to bring in women because many projects have already integrated women. For cassava weed management we will bring in women as they contribute more than 70 % to rural Agriculture and getting them involved will ensure sustainability. 

The Institutions we are working with have excellent relationship with farmers in the agro ecological zones. So we believe we will be working with them and farmers. We want to capitalize on the media especially the television, radio, print media to see that some of the knowledge we have generated is passed unto farmers. Again in our plan, we are developing a matrix, and this matrix will tell us whether we are achieving our target or not. So we have all this. Also part of it is what we are doing with you as your paper is a specialized one in the agriculture sector, so that you can help us pass message across to farmers and other stakeholders.

Dr. Tony Bello’s striking profile in Agricultural development

Dr. Tony Bello is the Senior Technical Adviser on Agricbusiness to Honorable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. In this position, he works directly with the minister. He is seconded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP-BMGF) to the Minister. Dr. Bello has played a key leadership role in the creation, coordination and mobilization of the Nigeria Agricbusiness Group and its Executive Leadership Group.

He is leading the development and strengthening of inter- ministerial coordination platform to improve business services delivery, knowledge transfer and technical support to the private sector. His work in the past two years has contributed to private sector investment commitments of over $5 billion.

Dr. Bello is a 20 years veteran of the food industry. He has held senior management and scientist position with Fortune 500 US food companies including Principal Scientist and Consultant positions with the Kellogg Company, Pepsico Frito-lay, Heinz Ore-Ida, Kraft and Bemudez Group. Prior to joining the public sector, he was Chief Scientist officer of Idapro and Vice President of Research and Technology at Pro-Health, two privately held companies doing business in potato farming, fresh pack for wholesale market and dehydration processing. 

Dr. Bello’s work on new products, processes and scale up in the United State, Taiwan, China, Netherlands, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Trinidad-Tobago and other countries has made him a global leader in food science and processing technology transfer. He is credited with leading the development and commercialization of Frito-Lay’s “Oven baked” and Lay’s Stax “ potato chips brands. His innovation in potato dehydration and extrusion processing has increased the capacity of grain-free formulation by over 50% in pet food manufacturers.

He is an author and publisher of over 30 science research articles, patents and presentations in reputable science journals and professional conferences. He earned his doctorate degree in Food science (1989) from Texas A&M University after receiving his Master of Science in Food Science (1982) and Bachelor of Science in Animal Science (1980) from Alabama A&M University.

Agric head commends Ungogo local Government chairman

The Head of Department (HOD), Agriculture, Ugogo local government, Alhaji sani Tumfafi has commended

the support of the chairman, Alhaji (Hon) Shehu Aliyu to rural farmers especially in the area of irrigation

inputs for all the year farming that led to increase yield production.

 

At the last agric show held in Nasarawa last October, Alhaji Tumfafi praised the chairman for his support to

farming activities of farmers in the local government that have resulted to improved agricultural productivity

adding that “he made available wash bowl for water pumping machine for the all year round planting season

towards more availability of agricultural crop produce for food security in the state” 

He however advised that more improved seeds, fertilizer, herbicide and tractors will be needed to assist

farmers for more agricultural productivity while he commended to spirit at which the animal care in the

council has been enhanced saying “ the veterinary services of the local government has been improved upon

as animal drugs are purchased for both small and large scale farmers with building of more veterinary clinics

for animal care and improved standard production of moriga in order to make the council a point of

reference in moringa production for other local government authority”

Sokoto Fadama 111 coordinator, others to receive National Assembly award on rural development

In his mandate to ensure rural community development through legislative performance of oversight function,

the House committee on Rural Development at the National assembly in partnership with Absolute Security

and Consultancy will be giving award of merit to the Sokoto State fadama 111, Alhaji Muhammed Barshair

Mustapha at International conference centre, Garki. 

 

In a letter signed by the Seminar/ Project Consultant, Chief Yomi Charles, and sent to the state coordinator,

Alhaji Muhammed Barshair Mustapha, it was stated that the performance of the Sokoto state Fadama111

project in the North west region has been conspicuously noticed with the need to reward stating “we wish to

inform you of your organization’s nomination for the award of outstanding fadama 111 in North-West Geo

political zone. This is based on its exemplary contributions to rural community assessment by the committee 

consultants.

The World Bank-Federal Government Fadama 111 project has rated Sokoto State as one of the well

performed states just as  it is already warming up to join in the new phase tagged “ Fadama 111-Additional

Financing (AF)” with effective take off in February 2014.

Sokoto state governor, Alhaji (Dr.) Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko has justified his positive comment in the 

impact of using fadama 111 to meet the plight of rural farmers at  project launch in April 6^th, 2010 by his 

Execellency  saying “ I have no doubt in my mind that the design of this project is unigue as it has shifted

from the usual upstream activities in Fadama areas to include some downstream activities. For long, farmers 

have been suffering from glut, inaccessibility of fadama areas for ease of movement of input and output, lack 

of market information to mention a few”

The commitment of His Execellency and local government chairmen through prompt  payment of counterpart

fund to the project have greatly assisted in achieving the dream of the World Bank-Federal Government

project for the development of rural communities and agriculture in the state.

The award ceremony is expected to come along in a 2 day National Rural Development summit slated for

9^th-10^th which is aimed at harnessing opinions, views and technical inputs from rural development experts,

government agencies and nongovernmental with a view to coming out with a proper framework for

community and rural development in the country.

FAO commends Nigeria agricultural performance as farmers demand for accurate statistic

The United Nation Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has commended the performance of Nigerian agricultural sector for its ability towards cutting across all the value chains of production, processing and value addition with positive economic impact just as some farmers have queried the authenticity of the 21 million metric tons of food increase in less than two years in Nigeria.

In her speech read at the National Agric show ground during the closing day, the FAO country representative, Dr. Louise Setshewaelo said that “ Within FOA and the UN System. We feel very much encouraged that Nigeria is putting agriculture in the forefront to achieve broad based economic development in Nigeria. In January this year, Africa’s highest political leadership, declared 2014 year of Agriculture and Food security in Africa. This declaration as we all know is in recognition of the 10 years, since the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) was adopted by all AU membership, increase investment in agriculture. The advent of CAADP 10 years ago, brough in a paradigm shift that renewed hopes for the sector and rural communities. 10 years later, Africa must reflect, and take stock of the progress that has been achieved to date, the challenges and lesson that have been learnt, and most importantly, the way forward with renewed vigour”

Speaking on the MDG target Dr. Setshewaelo said in the statement that Nigeria is one the African countries that has attained the Millinium Development Goals target 1 of poverty reduction saying “ again in June, at the 2014 AU summit, the African leaders committed to ending hunger in Africa by 2025. To date only 11 African countries have reached the MDG Target 1 of reducing the proportion of hungry people by half ahead of 2015. Nigeria included”

While also commending the Nigerian farmers and other stakeholders in the sector, FAOR in Nigeria added “ FAO fully recognizes and support all efforts of the Nigerian farmers and all involved in supporting the sector. The Agricultural transformation Agenda together with CAADP National agriculture Investment Plan (NAIP), indeed are significant signposts for Nigeria, towards meeting her commitment to developing agriculture, to contribute effectively to reducing poverty, improving food security and accelerating rural development. We are confident that sustained efforts to improve agricultural productivity, coupled with effort to improve access to market will have significant impacts on progress towards the world food summit targets and improved quality of life for many rural households.

However the representative of the Action Aid, a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) and many other farmers had disagreed with the position of Nigeria attaining the MDG target 1 arguing the level of poverty in the rural and city centres may not give sufficient support to the measurement used for arriving at the achievement conclusion.  

How NASC has effectively utilized its mandate through training to enhance ATA of the federal government

The Agricultural Transformation Agenda ATA) of the present administration would not have recorded the quantum achievements within a shortest time of two years without sufficient contribution of quality improved seeds being given to farmers through the electronic wallet of the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) at 80-90% subsidy to small scale farmers along the crops value chain.  

Recently, the NASC in its effort to keep its workers abreast of relevant technologies in quality commercial seeds multiplication has been organizing trainings in all the six Geo political zone of the Federation for certification officers, youth corps members (Agric graduates) and internal quality control officers of private accredited seed companies who were taken through basic rudiment of seed field inspection, certification and quality control for quality assurance of seeds to Nigerian farmers thereby mitigating problems of seeds adulteration.

With the improvement in the awareness of the use of high quality improved seeds and the increase in the number of seed companies to over 100 in less than two years to produce a required quantity of certified seeds drive to ATA/GES of this administration, the need for capacitation and strengthening of NASC officials to properly carry out its statutory responsibility of regulating the seed system in the country cannot be over emphasized. 

In his address to the participants in the organized trainings, the NASC Coordinating Director, Dr P. O  Ojo said that the effort of the present Federal Government administration through the ATA/GES has positively changed the face of input supply in the country to more farmers are getting improved seeds through the use of electronic wallet technology thereby checkmating  all the years of corruption perpetrated in the distribution of subsidized inputs in Nigeria.  

The coordinating Director who thanked the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Adesina for his support towards ensuring that NASC is been properly positioned to carry out its statutory responsibilities  adding that the reality of increased number of seed companies has necessitated that officials of NASC must be up and doing technically in the discharge of their national responsibility for  ensuring quality seeds circulation by the private seed companies thereby following the policy of government taking agriculture as business but not a developmental program.

Dr Ojo said that “ the use of improved quality and certified seed is very paramount to achieving a hunger free nation through an agricultural sector that drives income growth, accelerates achievement of food and nutritional security, generates employment and transforms Nigeria to a leading player in the global food market since prior to the transformation agenda, only 11% of farmers get subsidized fertilizers distributed by the government but this has changed and is one important improvement that had occurred in the sector with more jobs, wealth and food security  created”

Also in a speech at the south west zone training, the Director of Finance and Administration Chief E.O Omotoso enjoined participants to see the occasion as an opportunity to learn and enhance knowledge in the job of seeds certification and quality control while he advised trainees to desist from any form of quality compromise occasioned by pressures from the seed companies. He also appreciated the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development for making funds available for the training of the youth corpers and officials of NASC.  

Some of the topical issues at all the training centres include Protocols for internal quality control during processing, processing and storage, Concept of seed quality and Quality Assurance, Regulatory provisions for seed/planting materials production and marketing, Concepts and procedure for certification, obligation and responsibilities of seed certification officer,

Others are  Agronomic practices in seed production, Seed harvesting, processing, storage and distribution, Filling/ completion of field inspection, registration of growers, seed testing form and documentation for certification purposes and reporting, Demonstration and use of GPS, Procedure and techniques for field inspection and seed sampling, testing technique and reporting.

Speaking on the topic “Protocol for Internal Quality Control during Processing and storage” the NASC Acting Director, Quality Control, Mr. F.J Olonilua explained that the concept is to increase perception on quality assurance for high improved seed availability at farm level adding that the quality assurance is an integrated and structured approach involving all the stakeholders to ensure sale and distribution of quality seeds to farmers.

Mr. Olonilua also added in another paper titled “regulatory provisions for seed/planting materials and concept and procedure for certification “ that over 50% improvement in agricultural productivity  come from the use of quality seed thereby emphasizing on the enforcement of the minimum seed standard with stiff penalty for the violation of the Seed Act stressing that the seed certification officers as matter of ensuring deployment of improved quality seeds must work closely with the supply chain managers in the states so as  to be kept abreast of various redemption centres of the GES for the purpose of effective monitoring.

At the South-South meeting, the Director, Seed Certification, Mr. Bulus Sule enjoined all the seeds certification officers and regional heads to be more responsive to ensuring the deployment of only seed lots that meet the minimum standard to redemption centres adding that punitive measures and appropriate punishment would be taken against erring officers.  

However the comment from some of the participants at the end of the training raised observations of improper and non conducive environment and storage condition where seeds are subjected by some agro dealers thereby called for improvement on seeds storage facilities and training of agro dealers on better handling of inputs. 

The total of 295 officers were trained in the 2014 NYSC training programme, and this comprises of 120 internal quality control officers of private seed companies, 100 youth corpers and 75 seed certification and quality control officers of the NASC.

NIHORT GAINT STRIDE TO REVOLUTIONIZE FRESH PRODUCE FOR LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETS USING AFGEAN.

The injection of Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) of Mr. President through the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina into the development of the sector has since put many agencies and Research Institutes on their toes as National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT) between 2011 till date under the leadership of the Executive Director,  Dr. Adenike Olufolaji  is frantically repositioning to checkmate challenges facing its mandate produce crops of vegetables, fruits  and ornamental flowers  through the  replication of the Kenya horticultural model  with emphasis on organized off takers  like Agricultural Fresh Produce Growers and Exporters Association of Nigeria (AFGEAN). 

The Executive Director (ED),NIHORT, Dr. Adenike  Olufolaji  told Food Farm News that the Institute

has substantially impacted in the development of horticulture in the country saying effort is on going to replicate the Kenya model in the sector  as a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed to this effect  stressed  the need to enhance  the Agricultural Fresh Produce Growers and Exporters Association of Nigeria (AFGEAN) as  a veritable market platform for  small scale farmers.

The Minister of FMARD, Dr. Adesina according to NIHORT ED is very passionate about enlisting Nigeria fresh vegetables and fruits  among the daily ones that are usually exported from Kenya and others countries through the Airlines that always pass through our airports to other countries of the world  thereby reducing wastages and creating wealth  for our local farmers, adding this has informed the visit to Kenya  together with the Agricbusiness group saying “we have gone to Kenya  to understudy the horticultural model of their farming, processing and marketing with an intension to replicate it in Nigeria for the purpose of Good Agricultural Practice (GAP)”

In 2012, in one of the trainings organized by NIHORT and FMARD under the auspices of AFGEAN, the Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo who is also the National present of the Association had hoped for 500 million dollar market through export of fresh Nigeria fruits and vegetables’ produce to Europe where high premium are being paid for GAP saying effort must be made to attain the level for the purpose of creating wealth in the country.

The focal points of the training focused on horticultural standard, integrated farm assurance, equipment/integrated pest management toolkit, introduction to Global Good Agricultural Practice (GAP ) management system, concepts of food safety / hygiene and chemical hard pictogram.

 Dr. Olufolaji pointed that her determination to ensure the success of ATA with the Institute’s mandate crops has resulted to partnering with AFGEAN for the purpose of linking farmers with them adding that the establishment of the association would act as a catalyst to moving Nigeria from her present status of raw agricultural producing country to a leading global food exporter through processing and value addition in line with GAP as demanded by World Trade Organization.

She stressed NIHORT is already registering farmers with an intention of encouraging them into clusters’ farming in all the local government of the federation so as to reflect what is being practiced in Kenya for easy accessibility to government interventions through improved technologies, financial support and other unforeseeable benefits like linking them to organized marketers thereby replicating the Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya (FPEAK) in the country.

It is worthy of note that the Federal Government is corroborating Dr. Olufolaji’s thinking as an inter Ministerial Committee on Fresh Produce Transformation programme domiciled in the Ministry of Aviation has been formed for the purpose of promoting food security, export of fresh produce, women and youth empowerment, infrastructural development and enhancement of rural economies just as the committee has visited some major states of the federation for the cargo terminal foundation.

Talking on world economic trade with global standard, NIHORT boss said Nigeria will be doing herself well if all resources are made available for the development of horticulture thereby replicating practice in Indian and Kenya where wealth are created to both youth and women saying “the India horticulture created as much as 25,000 jobs in 2004 with disbursement of up to $587 million wages to the horticultural farms. Also, as much as 6,000 non horticultural related jobs were generated in India resulting to the payment of $285 million wages. A total of $2 billion dollar worth of businesses to businesses, and household to business were transacted by the India horticulture industries in 2004. In India for example fruit and vegetable producers generated five to eight times more profit than cereal farmers. In Kenya, the production of fruit, vegetables and flowers for export is providing farmers with six to twenty times more profits than maize”

However, the horticultural export statistics in Africa revealed that South Africa/ Kenya is having the lion share of the market with total of one billion US dollar, followed by Ethiopia with the sum of 350 million US dollar while Ghana and Uganda were having (60-70 million US dollar) and 30- 35 US dollar respectively without any figure allotted to Nigeria. 

 However, Dr. Olufolaji was optimistic that Nigeria horticultural farming will soon take her place of pride through effective harnessing the potential in the sector as market will be made available through organized off takers with farmers being organized into clusters throughout the local councils for the purpose of attracting government’s support and other benefits adding the Institute is already working frantically to ensure achieving this through farmers’ census.

Mandate and Vision

NIHORT has the mandate to conduct research into genetic improvement, production, processing, storage, utilization and marketing of the tropical fruits, vegetables, ornamentals, spices, other medicinal and aromatic plants of nutritional and economic importance with a vision to develop production technologies for horticultural produce and products for local and export markets with attendant health, industrial raw materials and employment generation benefits.

Achievements

Looking at the achievement of the Institute, one cannot but say a lot have been done despite limited funding cum other challenges especially in the face of ATA directing the Research Institutes to bring out many of the technologies in their shelves to the domain of private sector for commercialization just as Dr (Mrs) Olufolaji pointed her Institute has conspicuously played a supportive role in the Growth Enhancement Support  (GES)of the FG by giving improved inputs of banana saucers, citrus and mango to  small scale farmers for better yield in the producing states of the federation.

 Other Feasible achievements under ATA

1.       In line with ATA’s directives, NIHORT established two Agricultural Research Technology Transfer Centres (ARTTC) in Kano and Gombe, and is already inaugurated by ARCN as part of West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme’s demand for practical demonstration of technologies to end users on the farm.

2.      ARTTC plans to collaborate with the staple crop processing zones under ATA and clustering farmers in each agro ecology for effective collaboration to reducing post harvest losses and increasing the farmers’ profit margin in Kano ATA processing zone at Kadawa.

3.      Production of 50,000 citrus seedlings, production and distribution of 32,000 plantain/ banana biotechnologically generated suckers under the FAO-NIHORT collaboration to Delta, Cross Rivers and Oyo states for commercial multiplication.

4.      Curing, poting and hardening of banana meristems imported from Costa Rica by the FMARD with 100,000 suckers distributed to plantain/ banana producing states.

5.      A collaborative effort of NIHORT and IITA on biocontrol of aflotoxin on chilli peppe in kano, Nasarawa and Oyo states yielded great result, just as 28 males and seven females together with 11 extension worker of nine male and two females across the three states were trained on aflotoxin issue, aflasafe application, proper drying and storage practices for better post harvest storage and toxin reduction in Chilli.

6.      Collaborative trials with Syngenta Swistzaland Company, and  Bakker Brothers, Netherlands on yield and agro ecological adaptability of tomato, okro and pumpkin in North West and North East, Nigeria.

7.       Collaborative research between International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Nigeria Atomic Energy Agency and NIHORT on capacity building for areas with wide control of fruit flies.

8.      Integrated pest control management of fruit flies in citrus and mango with particular attention on the use of cultural practices and mass trapping carried out in Oyo, Imo, Kogi and Nasarawa states just as 40% reduction was recorded in Benue and Plateau states using brewery wastes.

9.      Through pathogenicity test from IITA on pineapple leaf and citrus sample from Fumman farm during the field visit, it was established that Forcelet, Z-force and Funguforce are capable of effectively control colletotricum gleoesporiodes infection on citrus pineapple fruits.

 Past Achievement on produce/ products   

      Two improved varieties and suitable cultural practices for high yields of long cayenne pepper (NHV-A and NHV-F developed.

2.      Two varieties of okro also developed (NHA47-4 and LD 88

 

Products available for commercialization by investors

1.      Orange juice concentrate developed for fruit juice processing industries as substitute ingredient in squash, nectar and drink manufacturing.

2.      Citrus pectins used as thickening/ gelling agents in a large variety of foods, pharmaceuticals and cosmetic products.

3.      Crude papain produced from three varieties of pawpaw. Papain an ingredient in several pharmaceutical preparations.

4.      Production of baby weaning foods from plantain and soyabean (Soyamusa)

5.      Wine made from plantain, banana, pineapple and Agbalumo.

6.      Juice, fruit nectar, squash, cordials and punches made from citrus, mango, African bush mango, pineapple, passion fruit, roselle and pawpaw.

7.      Development of spices formulations: e.g Nihort basil/ spring onion blend; Nihort instant spice “Kunnu” Nihort ginger drink.

All these research products according to Nihort ED are available for private individuals  for commercialization as more jobs will be created along the production, processing and marketing of the produce/ products improved technologies to customers stressed that more can be achieved  if more fund and other needed logistics are made available.

Conclusion

In the face of commercialization of Agriculture through current ATA of the FG, the horticultural development through a well funded research stands the chance of giving a faster source of more income  to farmers, processors and marketers as against what they can get in other agricultural produce like maize, rice as the case in Kenya and other parts of the world said the NIHORT Executive Director who also commended Mr. President and minister’s approach to addressing the challenges of agriculture with special attention to inputs supply through GES and effort towards reducing the post harvest wastages thereby ensuring more earnings and wellbeing of producers. She stressed the need to intensifying on the clustering of small scale farmers  into groups at every local government for the purpose of giving them support with GAP technologies that will attract external market at a high premium coupled the environmental benefits of ornamental flowers which is already creation thousands of job for youth and women in Nigeria.

Editorial: Need for farmers to imbibe insurance culture

One empirical feature of climate change is that it could defy predictions just as the longer rain we are experiencing in the country presently which has defied the Nigeria Metrological Agency’s (NIMET) prediction of shorter rain in the year 2014 early this year. It is worthy of note that Nigerians especially farmers lost millions of naira to flood which deprived them of gains they would have recorded despite government input support through the Federal and states governments. 

The lackadaisical attitude of many farmers especially in the face of the reality of climate change is a thing of great concern this time around as more and more losses are bound to occur if the culture of insurance cover is not imbibed in their farming activities as losses are in two ways, one for them, and the other one is for the government who has supported farmers with peoples’ taxes in form of subsidy through input support from both the states and federal government. 

Also,  farmers’ association should as a matter of urgency embark on more awareness campaign towards encouraging themselves and other stakeholders to taking the issue of agricultural insurance very serious just as the reality of climate change is not sparing anybody in the face of taking agriculture as business in order to attract more economic earning and wealth for the people. 

Also, the present agricultural transformation agenda taking holistic approach to farming as business has to be up and doing in its awareness drive to taking precaution against all odds of climate change through funding support to research Institutes to ensure more scientific technologies to checkmate menace of climate change with drought and water resistance seeds and methods of farming with emphasis on agricultural insurance as one of the criteria for benefitting in any government support especially on agriculture so as to mitigate losses occasioned by climate change or spread of plant or livestock diseases. It could be recalled that a lot of poultry farmers could not recover from the losses incurred during the avian influenza period some years back.  

Although we are aware of the repositioning going on in the Nigerian Insurance Agricultural Corporation (NAIC) especially with the present leadership of Mr. Bode Opadokun who believes in taking affordable insurance package which is as low as to paying five hundred naira (N500) to get twenty thousand naira (N20, 000) in case of any eventuality as a compensation to small scale farmers as this will assist them quickly in times of distress. This is commendable but still needs to be intensified for more awareness creation in terms of confidence and trust people perceived generally about insurance concept in Nigeria. 

Also the farmers with the reality of climate challenges must not be too parochial or conservative in their thought to business by taking all necessary precautions that would mitigate losses in term of distress through doing farming with all improved research technologies with inclusion of insurance cover in all the planting seasons. The well management of farms in terms of farming culture of integrating insurance policy especially for those that are assisted by government subsidy will go a long way in enhancing our nation’s economy just as  government investment in agricultural development will no result to wastages caused by unforeseeable circumstances.

Bebeji local Govt, Kano state enhances farming with N250 million

The chairman, Alhaji Muda Bebeji has sufficiently supported farmers in the local government with agricultural inputs worth two hundred and fifty million naira just as the state irrigation project located in the area has being a veritable source of water for farming throughout the year.

 

Speaking with the Head of Agriculture (HOD) Bebeji local government area of Kano state, Alhaji Umar Dakinkowa said the government of Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and the chairman of the council have assisted farmers with agricultural inputs that have resulted to pumper harvest saying “farmers are well exposed to extension training of Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) which they replicated in their farms for better yield.

 The HOD told food farm news at the Nazarawa Agric show that “the state and local government chairman are assisting us in so many ways. Whenever we write a request for farmers’ assistance by provision of improved inputs of water pumps, farming equipments, herbicide, pesticide, fertilizer and the rest, we are never turn down as we are giving permission to buy them. This year we purchase inputs worth N250 million for farmers. We are enjoying all the year round farming especially with the state government project of irrigation where about 35 hectares of land was purchased for improving on the dry season farming”

We want export intervention for fresh tomato through green house availability - Sani Danladi Yadakwari

Can you introduce yourself?
 

My name is Sani Danladi Yadakwari, I am the Secretary General Tomato Growers’ Association of Nigeria.

I know Nigerians particularly from the Northern part of the country e.g. Kano, Jigawa etc grow a lot of this produce, 

how do your association manage to grow as plenty as you grow?

You know this Association is newly emerged and registered with corporate affairs commission in 2013. The reason behind our registration as an association is to proffer solution to reducing great losses farmers incurred after harvest which is reaping off many of our profit. You will agree with me that tomato is a perishable produce as the process to store it is very expensive and a lot is required to do it which is beyond an individual farmer. So we form ourselves together to see how we can approach Government as a group which is what will make government to listen to us especially with the present Transformation Agenda of Mr. President as regard giving assistance and intervention or necessary information for the development of the tomato in Nigeria because tomato has lager market all over the world but its value diminishes when processed.  So there are many issue involved in the production of it as improved seeds is among, transportation is there and off takers’ challenges are all issued to be addressed for the way forward.

Now that you have formed yourself into association with members in all the states, how far have you been able to go?

We have members in Kano state, Jigawa, Nasarawa, Katsina, Ogun and Ondo states. These are the pilot states that we are having member for now.

What is the level of support you have been getting as an association?

You know we have contact with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development under horticultural department and we also have a collaboration with the Dangote groups through its Dansa foods tomato processing in Kano as the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, now the Emir of kano joined us with Dangote under NIRSAL, but Dangote is doing all effort to ensure they start picking our tomatoes so as to address the issue of wastages and losses of farmers in the country.

 Can you describe the level of processing going on at the Dansa food?

Up till now the company has not taken off but we are pleading to the company as we are informed of challenges with the technical partners from abroad who could not get visa from their country to come to Nigeria due to Ebola disease but we thank God the whole world has accepted that there is no more Ebola in Nigeria. We are hoping those technical partners will now come to complete their work for the company to start off.

What are the other interventions that can assist your production as association?

You know tomato farming is very costly, the intervention we need from government is helping us to find a way of exporting our tomato through availability of green houses for premium tomato production that will be exportable to the outside world. We need a shade house cultivation called green house. Recently we had two trips to Senegal through the support of Dangote, International Fund Cooperation (IFC), FMARD, Ministry of Water Resources, Fadama 111 and Kano state government. We are about eight groups that went to St. Lious for five days visit to understudy tomato farming and after this trip, I sponsor myself to Ghana where there is a company called SBL which is in collaboration with the University of Ghana as they major in Green House farming. This green house is far developed than what we presently have in the country. We are already trying to invite them to Nigeria thereby making the market price for a green house more competitive as farmers will have opportunity of making choice among available products from different company thereby bringing down the prices for the benefit of small scale farmers. 

You will agree that farming under the green house will make the price of the tomatoes produce more appreciable both locally and internationally. For example if you are selling one kilogramme of tomatoes that is produced at a open farm at N200, the one from the green house will sell for N400 as the quality of the one produced in the green house is temperature controlled with less heat attraction and it is more globally accepted in term of price premium. So we want government to intervene by ensuring that farmers are assisted by allowing SBL and other companies to come into Nigeria to invest in green house for tomato cultivation thereby allowing price competitiveness that will enable small scale farmers to be able to purchase it through access to loan assistance.

Which is better, to export without process or to process cultivated tomato in Nigeria?

The fresh produce is far better in marketing than the processed one because in the processing, you will have to put a concentrate while a fresh tomato does not need any concentrate. The ones cultivated on the green house are fresher due to less heat because of the controlled temperature environment of its cultivation, so the price is higher for both local and international consumption. In local market, we have big stores like Shoprite that are looking for this type of produce from controlled environment. Also, we need some intervention, you know tomato farming is very costly to farm because we need a shade normally called the green house, so the intervention we need from the government is to find us way of exporting our produce with ensuring availability of green houses at very competitive prices by allowing investors in the area of green houses.