FLOODING: 200 Rice Farms Destroyed In Dutse

flooded rice farms

The village head of Warwade, Alhaji Ado Musa, has disclosed that flood has washed away over 200 rice farms valued at N20 million in his community in Dutse local government area of Jigawa State.

Musa said that the incident was as a result of a heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding caused by tributaries of the dam in the area in the last few days.

“All the rice we planted in over 200 farms at the bank of the dam was destroyed because the dam was over filled with water.

“We lost rice of over N20 million because we planted on north, south, east and west sides of the dam and the water has submerged it all, and the fishes in the dam were feeding on the rice day in and day out,” he said.

The village head recalled that it was predicted that low rainfall would be recorded in 2015, and as a result, farmers decided to plant their rice close to the dam.

PAN Wants Government-Private Sector Collaboration For Youth Employment In Agriculture

Poultry image

The Lagos State Chapter of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) on Tuesday said that only government-private sector partnership could ensure success of the Youth Employment in Agriculture Programme (YEAP).

YEAP was initiated on September 2013 by the Federal Government to create employment for young men in rural areas based on priority agricultural value chains to enable them to earn decent livelihoods.

Under YEAP, a fresh graduate who engages in agriculture business is funded to operate them.

The General Secretary of PAN, Mr Olugbenga Ogunsetan, told Food Farm News (FFN) in Lagos that the only approach to achieving success was to engage fresh graduates in agribusinesses before disbursing funds.

Ogunsetan said that the pragramme was a laudable one but required caution as it has to do with the country’s economic growth and food security.

“You want to empower fresh graduates to go into agribusiness and you are saying they draw up a business plan based on which the funds will be disbursed to them is a wrong approach.

“Such persons require training to know how to adequately manage the funds or else the government’s idea of growing the economy using the scheme will fail.

“Let us look at it in a practical sense, if you are giving a fresh graduate N10 million to establish a farming enterprise he will not make good use of it.

“If the fund is given to an already practicing farmer, you will discover that the capital will not be wasted as almost the entire sum given to them,’’ he said.

“If this programme must work, the right approach to it is that government should begin to look at the private sector.

“People that are well grounded in agribusinesses like production, packaging and processing. These fresh graduates should be attached as agricultural trainees to these people.

“So, that they will acquire practical experience, during those periods.’’

According to him, it should be the responsibility of government to give them salaries and by so doing, create employment for them.

Ogunsetan added that government could also consider having farm settlements that would further strengthen economic growth and improve the country’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

“During those periods they can now establish farm settlements like we used to have in the old Western Region and even in the East.

“Where agricultural facilities would have been put in place to facilitate the success of the business, you are sure of having laid the foundation for that farming business you want to empower them on.

“Otherwise, we will continue to come and say we have given so and so millions of naira for empowerment and we are not able to recoup the funds,’’ he said.

LAKAJI, Linking Agricultural Products To Ready Markets

Nigerian farmers

Nigerian farmers are constantly faced with the challenges of losing as high as 50 per cent of their total products to post harvest losses caused by inadequate processing and markets for their products. The LAKAJI corridor seems a viable solution to these challenges while serving to create a ready boost to the nation’s economic development.  Ruth Tene Natsa brings to you the LAKAJI corridor. 

The LAKAJI project is an acronym given to the Lagos- Kano-Jibiya transport system. It targets 10 states including Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kwara, Niger, Kogi, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina states respectively and the Jibiya route.

The corridor is said to be Nigeria’s busiest transport corridor facilitating the movement of 30 million tonnes of goods per year valued at more than $6 billion dollars and accounting for 36 per cent of the country’s total gross domestic product (GDP).

As a means to tackling the enormous losses farmers are forced to contend with as a result of poor storage, transport, and existing market facilities, the USAID, in partnership with the Nigerian government, created the Nigerian Expanded Trade and Transport (NEXTT) project where statistics by the USAID/NIPC show that more than 90 million Nigerians live along the corridor, making it the most important transport routes in the country from both a food security and export perspective.

The NEXTT project reveals that the corridor connects West Africa’s largest agricultural market in Dawanau, Kano State, with the region’s largest consumer market in Lagos, as well as links key production and processing zones for strategic exports to the Lagos ports.

These, when fully operational, will create production and processing jobs springing from various cottage industries to boost local markets and communities along the routes. Created in 2012 by the USAID, in collaboration with the NIPC, it aims to support the Nigerian government’s efforts to expand trade domestically within the ECOWAS sub-region and beyond. It is also aimed at improving its efficiency so that trade, particularly agricultural products can provide inclusive economic growth and development in Nigeria.

The USAID fact sheet shows that the LAKAJI corridor project will focus on strengthening transport corridor governance along the corridor routes to save time (and spoils) and reduce cost to trade (through transportation), provide technical assistance and resources to co-finance feasibility studies to stimulate new high value investment in agribusiness, transport, and logistics along the corridor.

It adds that the project will further seek to formulate, coordinate, and implement trade policies, facilitate trade support, and expand export support. The fact sheet further reveals that the project already records tremendous successes, including facilitating more than $8 million in new agribusiness investment along the corridor, $9 million in new investment, generating $1.9 million in new exports, raising the corridor management group membership by 214 per cent, and supporting exporting firms, among several others.

Speaking on the NEXTT activities between July and August 2015, the executive secretary and chief executive officer of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, Mrs Sarah Altine Umar, was optimistic that the northern corridor is showing much commitment and progress towards investing in the corridor as state governments had readily made commitments that will hasten development and create viable investments environments.

 The ES said that the commitments are visible in the Niger State Government’s commitment to provide land for warehouse investment with all appropriate titles, free of charge, for the construction of a warehouse by Connect Rail Plc while the NEXTT/NIPC are to work on incentives for investments in the LAKAJI corridor. She added that the Niger State Government had also engaged one of the business development service providers on the NEXTT pipeline to support local services and investments in the state.

Similarly, she said that the Kwara State Government had sought the collaboration of the NIPC to resuscitate the $40 million cashew plant which used to employ over 1,300 workers but was on the verge of collapse as the owners (Olam) now gave preference to the exportation of raw cashew nuts, adding that “through the commission’s engagement with the state, the government of Kwara State had agreed to construct a 10 megawatts plant for the Kwara Cashew Cluster project to support the cashew value chain and other industries in the state.

“In addition to those, the Katsina State Chamber of Commerce had committed to setting up a NEXTT Desk in a bid to facilitate investment in the state while the PDF evaluation committee had approved four of the six applications with a total investment of $8.8 million on the LAKAJI corridor. The NEXTT is providing technical and advisory services to Jimest Foods Limited as it seeks to expand its product to the United States. Jimest exports African foods to the United States (US) markets in bits and pieces but now wants to commence large scale.

World Food Prices Fall Dramatically In August

grains and cereals

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation reported on Friday in Rome that the World food prices had their most dramatic one-month fall in nearly seven years in August.

It said in its publication that this was the 16th time in 17 months that the index would decline.

It said the food Price Index fell to 5.2 per cent compared to July, its biggest one-month decline since December 2008, with prices pushed lower by strong production in most food commodity groups.

Prices for grains and cereals, the largest component in the index, fell 7.0 per cent compared to July and are now 15.1 per cent lower than a year ago.

Rice prices remain stable based on high demand in China and elsewhere in Asia, but wheat and corn prices dropped dramatically amid strong production forecasts.

Almost all commodity prices fell, with oils and fats down 8.6 percent, milk prices 9.1 percent lower, sugar prices 10.0 per cent lower, while meats edged only slightly lower, the only commodity group to buck the trend of dramatic slides.

The next instalment of the FAO index, which is based on a basket of 55 goods and 73 price quotations in five major food commodity groups, will be released Oct. 8.

Cassava: Community Commends World Bank, FG Over Capacity Building

cassava bread

Ogale community in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi has commended the World Bank as well as the Federal and Kogi Governments for enhancing their capacity in cassava production.

The Ologale of Ogale, Oba Michael Otitoju, gave the commendation at Ogale on Friday during the harvest of cassava tubers from farms established under the Fadama III Additional Financing Project for cluster farmers.

The traditional ruler described the development as “a dream come true,” saying he had looked forward to the day.

Otitoju said it was a blessing for the project to be sited in his domain and his people given the high-level training.

Earlier, the Chairman of Ogale Cassava Production Cluster Farmers, Vincent Adeshina, said though the community had long engaged in cassava production, the farmers never ventured into large scale production.

Adeshina said that the concept of a farmer per hectare brought by the World Bank under the Fadama project initially posed a great challenge in view of the little capacity of farmers.

He, however, said that they were able to overcome it through training on best agronomic practices to achieve the good results.

Adeshina said the people now see farming from a business perspective rather than the subsistence they were used to.

The chairman also commended the National and Fadama Coordination Office and its counterpart in Kogi for the positive impact the project had on the people.

Mr Peter Ajibaiye a representative of the National Project Coordinator for the Fadama III Additional Financing Project, urged the farmers to apply the knowledge they acquired to ensure good harvest.

Ajibaiye said the objective of the programme was to romp-up production, adding that the farmers had been linked with Off-Takers who would buy off their produce.

Niger Govt Lauds IFAD/VCDP Projects

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

The Niger Government has commended the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) on cassava and rice in the state.

Alhaji Muhammed Ibrahim, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, gave the commendation when he received IFAD independent evaluators in ministry in Minna on Friday.

“The IFAD/VCDP project has introduced best agricultural practices among our farmers. This makes us to be happy to partner with you.

“You have made our farmers to key into better ways of producing and processing cassava and rice,’’ he said.

Ibrahim said the programme had impacted positively on the small holder farmers as they had embraced modern farming implements and inputs.

He also said that the measure brought about modern techniques in agro-allied businesses.

“Agricultural marketers and producers in Niger have started imbibing modern agricultural practices in marketing and production,’’ he said.
He said the state was an agrarian and that the IFAD/VCDP project was a top priority of the government.

According to him, farming is a major business in the state and there is no alternative than to fund IFAD programmes to enable the farmers benefit.

The permanent secretary appealed to the fund to assist the farmers with more farm inputs such as improved seedling and fertilisers.

He also called on IFAD to assist government on infrastructural development such as rural access roads to ease evacuation of farm produce to the market.

Earlier, Mr Mohamed Manai, the funds Independent Senior Evaluator, who led the country programme evaluation team, said the delegation was in the state to evaluate IFAD programme.

“We need to know what has been achieved, what are the challenges, so as to proffer solution to them,’’ Manai said.

Manai enjoined the government to continue to provide its counterpart fund for sustainability of the programme.

He said that the programme was aimed at improving the living standard of the rural dwellers by alleviating poverty among them.

Also, Dr Mathew Ahmed, Niger Programme Coordinator IFAD/VCDP, said that the programme started on Aug. 18, 2014 in the state.

Matthew added that the programme, which has a five year lifespan, could be renewed for another five years.

Agriculture’s Development Demands Strong Political Will – Hon. Oroh

Hon. Abdul Oroh

 

The Honorable Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hon. Abdul Oroh has emphasized the place of a strong political will in developing agriculture in Nigeria.

Hon. Oroh who disclosed this recently in a chat with AgroNigeria at his office in Benin City, Edo State said agriculture can be developed by taking very bold decisions, backed with a strong political will to implement those decisions.

He noted that in developing agriculture there is first the need to tackle the issue of smuggling in the country by going into an agreement with neighboring country, urging them not to allow smuggling through their country into Nigeria, prosecuting those that violate the law forbidding smuggling and refocusing the law enforcement community to really concentrate on their duties.

Also, he noted that agriculture can be developed by encouraging local growers and making available incentives for them due to the vacuum created by these smugglers, noting that if as a country we are able to produce sufficiently what we need, there will be definitely no need for anyone to smuggle anything into the Country.

The Hon. Commissioner disclosed that in Edo State “we are looking at a market for rice here; we are not thinking of exporting it, if we cannot sell it here because of cheap importation of rice into the country, how can we grow the rice here? We have a policy that we have designed; all the incentives are in place, we have a population that supports us, we have the goodwill of our people and we have a governor that is focus and have the support of the people”.

He further stated that “if the Federal Government is going to establish rice mills and it doesn’t, it should make it possible for either the State, Local Government or genuine business people to establish this rice mills. The Federal Government can assist with policies that will create good road infrastructure, assist with fair trade, access to market, power, irrigation, and stop smuggling, because the FG cannot be granting weavers when other people are struggling”

He therefore advised the Federal Government, the State Government and Private sectors to clearly identify their roles in developing agriculture in the Country, putting national interest at the back of their minds.

Edo State Sets Aside 300 Thousand Hectares of Land for Investment

Hon. Abdul Oroh

As part of its effort to becoming one of the well developed agricultural states in Nigeria within the next two-three years, the Edo State government has put plans in place to ensure agriculture strives in the state by providing a policy that encourages those in the Agric Value Chain to own a land for agriculture purposes.

The Honorable Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hon. Abdul Oroh who disclosed this recently in a chat with AgroNigeria at his office in Benin City, Edo State Capital noted that the State is very well blessed like every other state in Nigeria with good weather, vast land, an entire agriculture enabling environment and a political will to drive agriculture.

Oroh said the Edo State government having surveyed the state in other to identify lands available for agriculture, has articulated a policy in very clear terms that allows both investors, farmers and supporting local growers and processors and others involve in agribusiness, to own government lands irrespective of the size for about 200 thousand naira.

“Our policy is that if it is government owned land, you can get the whole land irrespective of the size for less than 200 thousand naira for your C of O total package and about five years  period of grace before you can pay land use charge which is also not substantial” He said.

According to the Commissioner, the essence of the policy is to allow easy access to lands that are void of cumbrances, has the backing of the population, the host communities and all the interest groups, in other to develop agriculture in the State.

He noted that about 300 thousand hectares of land has been set aside for investment by the State government.

“About a year now Afripalm, a subsidiary of Flour Mills of Nigeria, has already acquired about 25 thousand hectares of land. We have surveyed about 200 thousand hectares of land for various investors including the Dangote Group, De United Food Investment, the producers of indomie and many other groups even Ojemia Farms as they are now going into large scale agriculture, so we have more than 12 potential large scale investors that have put boot on ground in Edo state.

“They have identified lands which we have all surveyed and we have done demographic and crop enumerations, we have done soil testing, now we are processing title document for all of them, many of them have also settle issues with communities in the State” He explained.

Flood Destroys Farm Produce in Sokoto and Jigawa State

Farm produce worth over N100 million were recently destroyed by flood in 27 villages in Wurno Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The Chairman of the Local Government, Alhaji Shehu Chacho, who disclosed this to newsmen in Wurno said the destroyed farm produce which were already maturing include; rice, millet, guinea corn, maize and beans.

Chacho said the flood was caused by the release of excess water from Goronyo dam and that it had affected no fewer than 7,577 farmers.

He said the villages affected by the disaster include; Dinbiso, Gidan-Kamba, Gidan-bango, ‘Yar-wurno, Tunga, Zayawa, Lahodu and Lugu.

Others are; Barayar-zaki, Kwargaba, Gidan-magori, Tuttudawa, Nasarawa, Gidan-Modi and Dabagin-manomi, among others.

According to the Chairman, no fewer than 2,500 hectares of farmlands under the Lugu canals had been submerged by the flood, which also destroyed similar farm  produce there.

“We have, therefore, constructed five-kilometer embankment along the Gidan-Modi to Gidan-kamba road.
“The project which cost about N7.8 million is aimed at preventing the flood waters from submerging the nearby Tuttuduwa canals,” he said.

Two farmers, Alhaji Garba Gidan-modi and Alhaji Musa Maigadaje, lamented saying “we had incurred huge losses.

“We are therefore appealing for urgent assistance from the three tiers of government and public-spirited organisations,” the victims said.

In Another Development, the village head of Warwade, Alhaji Ado Musa, has disclosed that flood has washed away over 200 rice farms valued at N20 million in his community in Dutse Local Government area of Jigawa State.

Musa who made the disclosure in an interview with newsmen said the incident was as a result of a heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding caused by tributaries of the dam in the area in the last few days.
“All the rice we planted in over 200 farms at the bank of the dam was destroyed because the dam was over filled with water.

“We lost rice of over N20 million because we planted on north, south, east and west sides of the dam and the water has submerged it all, and the fishes in the dam were feeding on the rice day in and day out,” he said.

The village head recalled that it was predicted that low rainfall would be recorded in 2015, and as a result, farmers decided to plant their rice close to the dam.

How to Ensure Rice Self-Sufficiency in Nigeria, By Processors

Nigerian rice farmers

 

A foremost stakeholder in the Nigerian rice value chain has listed eight ways to boost domestic rice production so as to ensure self-sufficiency.

Dropping the hint recently in Abuja, the Chairman, National Rice Millers Association of Nigeria (NRMAN) and Chief Executive Officer of Umza Rice, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, maintained that the advice must be seriously considered if the country was truly desirous of halting rice importation in the near future.

The eight ways to ensure rice self-sufficiency, according to Alhaji Abubakar, include the provision of improved seeds and seedlings to ensure higher yield, provision of adequate tractors/equipment, and improvement in mechanisation, access to land, as well as land clearing services by the government. Others are access to fund at low interest rate, access to quality inputs such as fertilizer and agrochemicals, access to market and market expansion.

The chairman lamented the high cost of rice production, which he attributed to the high cost of fund and power, among others.

“We can operate because of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) credit facility window at 9 per cent interest rate. At a commercial interest rate between 20 and 24 per cent, no rice miller can survive, and we have to buy diesel to power the mills with generators. This is apart from the high cost of transportation and other infrastructural challenges. It is very difficult to compete with foreign millers under this environment.” he said.

The chairman said 21 rice mills were established in four years, and if that trend continues under a good investment climate, in the next few years, many mills will spring up and the country will be exporting rice.

He hailed the CBN for placing rice paddy on the restriction list for accessing foreign exchange for the importation of the commodity, saying the policy would go a long way in boosting rice production and processing in the country.