ILWAC: IAR&T provides soil management tools for climate challenges, 10,000 farmers’ benefits

L-R Prof Akinyemi Olayinka (Obafemi Awolowo University), Prof Ayo Ogunkunle (University of Ibadan)  Dr Ayo Adegbite ( Deputy Director, IAR&T),Prof James Adediran (Director, IAR&T)and Prof Akin Oluwatosin (Head, South West, Farming System Research and Extension) at the programme marking 2015   International Year of Soils held at Training hall, IAR&T Moor Plantation, Ibadan

The Nigerian team of Integrated Land and Water Management for Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change (ILWAC) championed by IAR&T has provided scientific equipments that farmers can use for the management of soil against vagaries of climate change. 

Speaking at the ILWAC midterm review recently held, the Executive Director, Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Ibadan Prof. James Adediran said the Nigeria team has recorded a lot of research progress through construction of check dams and water pans for the purposes of mitigating the climate change challenges on soil management for food production in the country. 

Adediran said “since the inception of the project in 2013 the team had made a lot of progress which include establishment of sustainable partnership for innovations in soil and water management. Appropriate tools for soil resource mapping were developed and promoted while technologies for soil-water-nutrient management were identified and promoted” 

He noted that his Institute’s achievement on this ILWAC project has been made possible through a grant funded by CORAL/West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (WECARD) adding that the research technologies are aimed to improve agricultural resilience to climatic variability through deployment of modern soil and water management equipments. 

 IAR&T, Nigeria alongside Burkina-Faso and Cote d’ Ivoire in West Africa were the countries given a grant to conduct research on ‘Sustainable Soil-water nutrient management” to checkmate the vagaries of climatic change to agricultural crops and animals productions. 

However, ILWAC Regional Coordinator, Dr Vincent Aduramigba-Modupe has said that no fewer than 10,000 farmers including women have benefit from this project as they have been with inputs, climate SMART soil and water conservation measures. 

He said part of the objective is to provide farmers, especially vegetable farmers with water to use during the dry season.

“The project is on-going in Nigeria, Borkina-faso and Cote d’Ivoire. We plan to upscale the project to more countries in West and Central Africa. We also plan for production of 5000 training manuals, policy briefs and farmers guide; we have more plans but have challenge of restricted use of funds by donor, World Bank and WECARD,” He said.

 Prof Bamidele Omitoyin , head of fishery  and  aquaculture department of University of Ibadan commended the donor and the stakeholders in the project for improving farmers livelihood through the ILWAC project.

In the same vein the IAT&T has also trainedThe Institute of Agricultural Research And Training, Moor Plantation Ibadan as part of the activities marking the 2015 international Year of Soil (IYS) organized seminar with the theme “Healthy soil for healthy life”.

 According to James Adediran, the Institute Director ,two of the specific objectives of the international year of soils are to raise awareness among civil society and decision maker about the profound importance of soil for human life and educate the public about the crucial role soil plays in food security, climate change adaptation and mitigation, essential ecosystem services, poverty alleviation and sustainable development .It is towards the realization of these noble objectives that the FAO in partnership with the international union of soil science and the soil science society of Nigeria have decided to bring together selected youths and distinguished soil scientists .

Prof James Adediran admonished all participants who were majorly students of tertiary institutions from southwest, Nigeria to rekindle interest in agriculture and soil sciences stressed that is the only way to attain food security is by proper soil management youth involvement.

 The seminar was jointly organized by international Union of Soil Science, Food and Agriculture Organization, Soil Science Society of Nigeria, and the host Institute.

Agric, Water Ministries merger attracts criticism

The rumour going round about merger of Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Water Resources by President Buhari is already attracting mix feelings as many stakeholders have expressed concern saying the marriage will bring set back to  both sectors in terms of programme they have already set out differently.

 

This merger rumour is coming on the recommendation of Oransanye public service reform’s report which is likely to be affected by the present administration as a measure to curb government spending and running expenses.

The administration of Prsident Buhari may be opted to reducing the Federal Ministries from 42 to 19 as many of the related agencies have been suggested for merger by the Oransanye public service report in order to reduce the cost of operating government affairs towards achieving a better governance at the most effective cost.

 The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and the Ministry of Water Resources have been listed to be merged together, which is already attracting lots of mix feelings from the citizens.

Food Farm News’s Investigation among the staffs of the both ministries revealed that many of the them are not favourable disposed to the idea especially those from the ministry of water resources who complained about an overcrowded attitude of the other FMARD, just as some have a contrary view by welcoming the development pointed that the merger will help to boost the production of fresh agricultural produce through farmers that engage in mechanized irrigation farming. 

Those in support of the merger also believed that the marriage will help in the increase demand for irrigation water by farmers saying that the creation of more dams will enrich dry season farming towards increased food production for commercialization and food security. 

On the contrary, many others believed that merging of the two ministries is not a proactive idea as they argued it will slow down actions and also bring about unhealthy competition among the two ministries stressing the union will encourage corruption with example of incidence in 2001-2006.

A staff of water resources that declined his name said that a lot of controversy and corrupt practices were experienced during the administration of Adamu Bello as the minister of ministry of Agriculture and head of consolidated ministry of agriculture and water resources between 2001-2006. 

Again it is believed that the problem of domination might arise among the two ministries especially on irrigation farming as a source told us that a project worth billions of Naira was transferred to FMARD through the overcrowded effort of the former minister of agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina thereby sidelining the main ministry with the expertise knowledge and mandate on water engineering.

However the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representative Yusuf Suleiman Lasun, has warned the Federal Government against merging Water Resources ministry with other agencies. He said despite the abundant water in the country, we still cannot boost of drinkable water for a sizeable number of populace.

 Suleiman Lasun further warned against the merging of the water ministry with the FMARD as he opined that the both ministries were important for the development of the country saying “we have not succeeded in resolving the problems of water not to talk of merging water with agriculture”.

  During the era of late President Musa Yar’ Adua, the two ministries was merged under the leadership of Dr. Abba Ruma but immediately de-merged after his demise as many believed the unity of the two might not really bring efficiency and effectiveness due to the enormous responsibility of the two ministries.

 The workers of the ministry of the water resource told food farm news that his staff were happy when the separation announcement was made by the government of President Goodluck Jonathan sometime 2008 saying the FMARD is already over shadowing them out of their responsibility until the pronouncement of the separation.

ATA: FG, Thailand to train 600 Benue farmers

The Federal Government through its Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) will soon send about six hundred ( 600) Benue farmers selected across the twenty three ( 23) Local Government Areas of the state to a 3 month intensive training in Thailand. 

 

The farmers will be trained on modern techniques in production and processing of rice, beniseeds, soyabeans, cassava, horticulture and tree crops.

 Also the training programme will include irrigation farming to minimize over-dependant on rain fall agricultural activities. The project is being co-funded by the government of Nigeria and Thailand as ages below fifty and above eighteen are the targets for the training.

Food Farm News reliably gathered that beneficiary farmers’ credentials are presently being processed at the Embassy of Thailand in Abuja as they will go in batches of three hundred. 

Speaking to Food Farm News on the development, the desk officer, Benue Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Raphael Dav expressed hope that the training of the farmers in Thailand will boost agricultural activities and services in the State.

Mr. Dav stated further that the programme is expected to bring about increased production and help to return State to its status of food basket of the nation.

Editorial: Benue state: agric facilities collapse, food basket leaks. By Nenge Liam, Makurdi.

Though Benue State is the acclaimed Food Basket of the Nation, the position has depreciated significantly, and today states like Nassarawa, Niger, Taraba and Plateau seemed to be far ahead in the growth and production of varieties of farm produce. This is as a result of total neglect of farmers in the provision of farm inputs especially tractors, agricultural loans, improved seeds and agricultural extension services in the recent past.

Before the advent of civilian administration of Senator George Akume and Hon. Gabriel Suswam who have ruled the State for the past 16 years, Agricultural infrastructures at Ministry of Agriculture, Benue Agriculture and Rural Development Agency, Department of fisheries, Fertilizer Processing Company, and several demonstration farms dotted all over the State were functional.

All these infrastructures have collapsed and their premises overgrown by weeds while snakes and reptiles are all over the places.

The state ministry of Agriculture headquarters that harbored functional tractors and extension vehicles and well trained officers and scientists has become a ghost of itself with no single tractor in sight. Apart from the office of the Commissioner, Permanent Secretary and Director of Agriculture, most offices remain shut with other roof tops begging for rehabilitation with only 20 staffers counted on the spot during food farm news visit to the place. 

Food Farm News visit to the State Agriculture and Rural Development Agency revealed that the place has become the shadow of itself as weeds and grasses have taken over the place due to none agricultural activities going on.

 Benue state agricultural extension services was established to offer extension services and provide improved seeds, facilitate and grant foreign partnership for the local farmers. Ensure that tractors, harvesters, pesticides and several other farm inputs are offered to farmers at subsidized rates. 

Also the department of Fisheries was not in anyway spared as marketing of fingerlings and hatcheries have stopped just as Fertilizer Processing and Manufacturing Company Located along Makurdi-Naka Road is not operational as at the time of filing this story.

It was gathered that the fertilizer company used to chunk out thousand tons of finished products to the farmers in the state and others in the country as trailer load of fertilizers are being moved out on daily basis in their hundred.

Consequently, the state is now losing her bride of being the food basket of the nation as all measures that ensured this are no more functioning due to neglect on the part of state government just as the immediate past President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s agricultural transformation agenda was not allowed to strive to the benefit of farmers.

When One billion naira was allocated for disbursement to Benue farmers like other states, food farm news gathered that the farming families who are the major producers of yams, maize, cassava, potatoes, mangoes, oranges, soyabeans, beniseeds, rice and tomatoes were completely sidelined and denied the facility under the disguise of corporate and mechanized farming.

 A source told us that only a paltry of 1.5 million naira was extended to the Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) as the only registered farmers out of the over 8,000 registered farmers in the state while several protests and petitions by other farmers fell on deaf ears.

Top State Government Agricultural Scientists and officials who spoke to Food Farm News on condition of anonymity lamented the despicable neglect of the sector by the past governments as never in the history of Benue State before. Agricultural festivals like Agricultural Shows, Lake Aketa Fishing Festivals and a host of others including the posting of Agricultural extension workers to villages have all disappeared under the past civilian administrations in the state.