FAO moves to reduce tension between crop farmers, pastoralists

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), an agency of the UN, says it is taking measures to reduce tension between farmers and pastoralists in the country.

The Country Representative of FAO in Nigeria, Dr Louise Setshwaelo, made this known at a workshop on ``Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure’’ on Monday in Abuja.

She said the organisation was finalising plans with Bayero University, Kano to conduct a study with the aim of reducing the crisis that had led to the destruction of lives and property over the years.

``FAO supported the piloting of technology of systematic titling of land, currently in collaboration, DFID is exploring the use of open- source software to record and develop a reliable inventory of land rights.

``We are also finalising an agreement with the Bayero University to conduct a study on stock rout in Northern Nigeria, with the aim to reduce tensions between pastoralists and crop farmers.

``I hasten to indicate that in this regard, a lot remains to be done to diffuse land disputes and tension,’’ she said.

Setshwaelo said governance of tenure was the priority of the FAO, saying that it was being mainstreamed in all relevant works of the organisation.

According to her, the workshop is aimed at raising awareness on voluntary guidelines and to develop ideas on how to support the improvement of Governance of tenure of land, fisheries and forests in Nigeria.

The FAO rep. said the Voluntary Guidelines would also provide a framework for governance of land, fisheries and forest tenures.

She said the guidelines include, preventing tenure dispute, violent conflicts and corruption from arising and escalating into violent conflicts.

Others are; to take active measures to promote and facilitate the full realisation of tenure right or the making of transactions with the rights, such as ensuring that services are accessible to all.

The rest are: continuous improvement by states to improve mechanisms for monitoring and analysis of tenure governance in order to develop evidence-based programmes and secure ongoing improvements.

The guideline also states that there should be no discrimination under law and policies as well as in practice among others.

The country rep. noted that the guidelines sets internationally recognised principles and practice that could be used to improve tenure security and access to these resources.

Setshwaelo said the Voluntary Guidelines could be used as a benchmark by the Federal and State Governments in the development of relevant policies and laws.

In his remark, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mr George Ossi, said the decision of FAO to champion the drawing up of the voluntary guidelines was a welcome development.

Ossi, who was represented by the Director, Lands and Housing Development, Mrs Margret Ebube, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to the guidelines.

He said a zero draft National Land Policy had been prepared and would soon be subjected to stakeholders’ discussions and validation and eventual endorsemen.

The permanent secretary noted that the ministry recognised the numerous supports of international organisations and development partners like the FAO in redressing the developmental challenges facing the country.

Ossi said that the pilot project of the guidelines was already taking place in Kebbi, Katsina and Anambra states, and stressed the need for it to be expanded to cover more states across all geo-political zones.

Irrigation: World Bank, FG provide N108.9b to revamp 5 projects -- Coordinator.

farm land

The World Bank and the Federal Government have jointly provided over N108.9 billion for an eight-year programme to revamp irrigation schemes in five states of the country, according to its Coordinator, Mr Peter Yakubu.

The News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) reports that Yakubu disclosure this in Sokoto on Wednesday when the a combined team of officials of the project tagged, ``Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMMING),’’ visited the Managing Director of the Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority (SRBDA), Alhaji Muktar Anka.

NAN also reports that the team comprised of officials from the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, the World Bank and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Yakubu stated that over N 100 billion was provided by the World Bank, while the Federal Government provided a counterpart funding of over N8.9 billion for the project, which covers the period 2014-2022.
He enumerated the benefiting irrigation projects to include those of Goronyo, Bakolori, Dadin-Kowa, Kura and Hadejia, in Sokoto, Zamfara, Gombe, Kano and Jigawa states, respectively.

``A total of over 23,000 hectares would be rehabilitated under the programme in the five states and the projects would be revamped to bring them in tune with global standards.

``The Federal Government, World Bank and the FAO are partnering in this all-important programme to accord irrigation farming the priority it deserves,’’ he explained.

The Team Leader of the programme from World Bank, Mr David Cassanova, explained that the mission to the state was part of their nationwide assessment of the achievements recorded so far in the five benefiting states.

Cassanova said that the visit was part of the team's six-monthly assessment of the programme, with a view to enhancing its efficiency and pungent impact.

The Managing Director of the SRBDA, Alhaji Muktar Anka, commended the Federal Government and the partners for their efforts aimed at bolstering food security and sufficiency in Nigeria.

``The programme aims at giving priority attention to dry season farming and not to solely rely on rain-fed farming to feed a country of over 170 million people,’’ Anka added.

International Centre for Potatoes supports Boko Harran victims

  

presentation of OFSP to IDPs in New Kuchingoro Abuja

The International Center for Potatoes (CIP), Nigeria has joined in the humanitarian support rendered by Foreign and National donors and organizations to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Abuja with highly nutritional potatoes that is richer in vitamin A and beta-carotene.

presentation of OFSP to IDPs in New Kuchingoro school Abuja

 CIP is currently promoting and marketing a special variety of  vine produce called Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potatoes (OFSP), a health booster, with reach vitamin A and beta-carotene, an healthy edible for good health and more wealth creation for stakeholders of farmers and other processors of its derivatives in Nigeria  collaborating with  Agricultural  Rural and Management Training Institute of Nigeria (ARMTI), Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Raw Materials Research Development Council of Nigeria (RMRDC), and National Emergency Management  Agency(NEMA) who led the partners to the IDP locations in New Kuckingoro, Area 1 and Karishi Abuja.

presentation of OFSP to IDPs in  Karishi Abuja

The Country Rep/Technical Advisor, International Potato Centre,  Dr.  Peju Phorbee explained that the aim of the visit is to reach out to the victims of DIP by the Boko Haran from the North East of Nigeria presently living in Abuja saying more organizations should endeavor to take the opportunity in nutritional potency of OFSP to support these helpless Nigerians as the crop can boost immune system of people and also improved the state of their health against any diseases just as it good for sight improvement and pregnant women.

presentation of OFSP to IDPs in New Kuchingoro school Abuja

Dr. Phorbee added that “we are here to support with three tons of OFSP to the IDP camps as we will always repeat the intervention together with our partners team to train the women on how they can tap from the goldmine in OFSP production, processing and marketing to help themselves as doing this will assist in transforming them from the present economic condition to tapping the wealth opportunities in the crop as regards wealth and health creation”.

presentation of OFSP to IDPs in Area 1 Abuja

      

Mr.  Mayowa the Public Relation Officer Agricultural Rural & Management Training Institute of Nigeria (ARMTI) also disclosed to Food Farm News that his Institute was glad to be among the collaborators of the humanitarian support to the IDP pointed that the exercise has opened up a relationship between ARMTI and NEMA who are already in discussion of getting more supplies for IDPs across the country.

presentation of OFSP to IDPs in Karishi Abuja

The representative of the FMARD, and the Desk Officer Potato Value Chain Mrs. Justina  Udoson  urged the Federal Government to increase her  support for the OFSP Project  through proper funding so that it could  be used as a mean for sustainable health and wealth creation, and a platform to reach the DIPs  in Nigeria , she stressed that the Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato is a project of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and should be taken seriously due to its untapped potentials.

presentation of OFSP to IDPs in Karishi Abuja

Food Farm News also spoke with the heads of the IDP’s in various camps as Mr. Philemon Emmanuel, the chairman of the New Kuchigoro expressed appreciation on behalf of the displaced persons in his camp just as Mrs. Victoria Usman, spokesperson for the Askira Uba Local government, Borno state,  the female leader Orozo, Karishi district and Mr. Sunday Wamba the general IDP leader karishi all joined in the appreciation spirit to CIP and the rest partners.

Stakeholders Express Concern over Fake Products in Nigerian Market

market women

Stakeholders in the Nigerian retail business have expressed concern over the flooding of the market with fake products.

At a one-day seminar with the theme “Building Capacity to Create and Sustain Superior Performance in the Retail Business in Nigeria” organized by the United States Consulate General in Lagos, the stakeholders lamented that the flow of fake products in the market has adversely affected the sale of genuine products.

They urged the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to urgently take action to check the development. They listed counterfeit products, the lengthy time it takes NAFDAC to register products and expired products, as some of the constraints facing them.

In her remarks, the Deputy Director of NAFDAC, Mrs. Esther Amuta explained that several agencies are involved in the process of registration of products, though NAFDAC has the statutory mission in taking care of retail food business.

Amuta said NAFDAC has put in place regulatory policies to monitor every product manufactured in the country or imported from abroad. She observed that stakeholders in the retail business are facing problem of registration because they often submit incomplete documents. “If the documents are incomplete, the documentation process will be delayed” she said.

She stressed that NAFDAC does not manipulate the process of registration, adding that if documents were complete and properly submitted, there would be no delay in documentation.

In her opinion, the Head of Food Department, Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Mrs. Margret Esheitt noted that retail food business in Nigeria lacks the proper techniques of product packaging.
“Every manufacturing company should ensure that appropriate materials are used to package their products,” she advised.

Meanwhile, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Regional Agricultural Counselor, Kurth Seifarth had earlier disclosed to the participants that the objective of the seminar is to create and sustain superior performance in the retail business in Nigeria and also to make sure they have the latest information to do the job well, adding that this would enable stakeholders to participate properly in the importation and exportation of goods in addition to maintaining good relations between the U.S. and Nigerian markets.

Seifarth, while reiterating the commitment of his government’s to supporting Nigeria in the development of her agriculture sector, said his government had concluded arrangement to assist more Nigerian farmers in “priority areas” so far identified by Nigerian government.

“From my experience around the world, all countries are developing their agricultural resources based on their priorities and Nigeria is amongst those countries that have the possibility of being a very strong agricultural products producer. We are, therefore, ready to provide the needed technical assistance to Nigerian farmers in the priority areas the government has identified,’’ he said.

The U.S official said that it was imperative for his government to support the farmers in overcoming their current challenges as it was also for Nigeria to sustain her food safety laws, overall framework for producing fruits, as well as develop her poultry farming system.


The U.S. Department of Agriculture is the U.S. Federal Executive Department responsible for developing and executing the government’s policy on farming, agriculture, forestry and food. It was set up to meet the needs of farmers and ranchers, promote agricultural trade and production, work to assure food safety and protect natural resources. The Department is to foster rural communities and end hunger in the United States and internationally.

Steps to Cultivating Ginger

INTRODUCTION
Ginger is well known in many human communities around the world. It is the underground rhizome of a perennial tropical crop called Ginger plant (Zingiberofficinale). Originally, the plant is a native of South Eastern Asia but over centuries has been introduced to various parts of the world like the Caribbean, the Americas and Africa. Presently, the top growers of the crop includes Jamaica, Indonesia, Fiji etc

A mature ginger rhizome is fibrous and has a striated texture. The outer skin of the rhizome is brownish in colour while the inner flesh depending on the variety may be red, yellow or white.

GINGER IN NIGERIA
Nigeria is one of the top producers of ginger in the world. In the Nigerian market ginger is well known and on high demand even though it is quite expensive. Kaduna State stands as the highest producer of the crop while states like Gombe, Bauchi, Benue, Nassarawa among others are major producers of the crop. In the market, ginger is available in various forms; fresh ginger rhizome, powder ginger and dry ginger rhizome.

GROWING GINGER
For ginger to thrive, the following are required

• Mulched fertile soil. Loam is the most preferred soil type
• Ridges should be made for the planting of the crop
• A minimum annual rainfall of about 1500mm
• An average daily temperature of about 30°C
• Viable ginger rhizomes with buds
• Good drainage to prevent water logging/flooding

CULTIVATION
Ginger is cultivated vegetatively from its rhizomes. The vegetative propagation of ginger involves the following steps;

1. Sett preparation: When the fingers of rhizomes to be propagated begin to develop buds, they are cut into smaller pieces called SETT. A sett is about 3cm in length with each sett having at least a bud. The set to be propagated is usually stored until signs of growing are noticed before planting is performed.
2. Planting: Ginger I planted by burying each sett in a hole about 8cm deep with the bud of each sett pointing upwards in the soil. The sett should be spaced 30×30cm apart. Each sett grows into a new ginger plant. Planting should be performed about a month before the rains come.

PLANTING RATE
2500kg per hectare

1. Fertilizer: Both organic and inorganic fertilizers can be used. Compost manure is preferable. The preferred fertilizer in Nigeria for ginger growing is the N.P.K 15:15:15 which is applied twice; first about twenty days after planting at a rate of 4 bags per hectare. The second application is about 40 days after the first application at the rate of 2 bags per hectare. Urea is used during the second fertilizer application.
2. Weed control: Controlling weed growth in the ginger farm can be done manually by hand picking or by using chemicals (herbicides).
3. Pest and disease control: Mites, shoot borers and leaf rollers are some major pests that usually attack ginger plant. These pests can be controlled by using pesticides and insecticides. Captan is used to control some diseases that affect ginger plant like leaf spot.
4. Harvesting: On the average, ginger takes about nine months from the time of planting to mature. The rhizome can be harvested at different times depending on its purpose. If fresh ginger is required, it is harvested about six month after planting. If a matured ginger rhizome is required, it is harvested nine months after planting. Sometimes the rhizomes are left in the ground for nearly two years for propagation to continue. In Nigeria, harvesting begins in October and runs all through to May. Ginger rhizome can be harvested manually by hand or with machines such as the mechanical digger.

      EXPECTED YIELD
20 tons per hectare

1. Processing: The activities involved in processing ginger depend on the end product required. When the harvested rhizome is washed with boiling water and dried later, the product is called dried ginger and this can be grinded to produce powder ginger or can be used as a full dried ginger rhizome. The rhizome can also be processed as fresh ginger or be peeled.

USES OF GINGER

1. It is used as a spice in many local cuisine
2. Used in bakeries as flavor
3. A constituent of some local (herbal) medicines
4. It is used in breweries to produce ginger ale or ginger beer
5. Ginger plant can be used for landscaping.

Intercropping Coconuts with Ginger
Preparing the seed pieces:

1. Select fresh and healthy seed pieces weighing at least 20 grams each and showing signs of early sprouting.
2. Before planting, wash the seed pieces in running water. Then soak them for 10 to 15 minutes in a solution of acidulated mercuric bichloride (for every 20 liters water, add 45 grams captan).

Land preparation:

1. Prepare raised beds one week before planting to ensure good drainage. Beds with two rows should be about 30cms high and less than two meters wide. Row lengths depend on the farmer’s convenience. When beds are located in areas with high occurrences of soil-borne diseases, such as damping-off, the beds must be sterilized by burning dried rice straw, banana leaves or coconut leaves three times on the soil surface.
2. Plant the seed pieces about 5cms deep in each hill 25cms apart in double row in each bed. Arrange the hills in a triangular pattern, whether the seed pieces are planted in poorly drained areas or areas. When planted under coconut trees, the seed pieces should be planted 25 to 20cms in shallow furrows of 45cms apart.
3. At the time of planting, fertilize the soil with complete fertilizer (12-24-12), 400 kg if soil is sandy, 300 kg if soil is clay-loam per hectare.
4. After planting, mulch the beds or ridges with green leaves (either ipil-ipil or madre de cacao) or rice straw, 10,000 kg /hectare, to prevent the soil from drying and to prevent erosion caused by monsoon rains.
5. During the second and fourth months of growth, apply fertilizer again. Generally, they should be weeded at least twice during its growth period.

Harvesting: Ginger should be harvested when the leaves become yellow and start to wither. This occurs eight months after planting.

6. In small harvesting areas, the crop is dug with a spading fork; the plant is pulled out, shakes off the soil and lays them on the bed. Stems are cut off without breaking the ginger bulbs.
7. In large plantation areas, ginger is harvested by harrowing the soil, and then dried on an open shaded area.

Agriculture: Army Seeks Partnership with Ebonyi

agric stakeholders

The Nigerian Army as of late tried to band together with the Ebonyi State Government in the zone of farming keeping in mind the end goal to accomplish aggregate additions.

The Chief Transformation/Innovation of the Army, Major Gen. Edward Nze, revealed this when he drove an appointment from the Army home office in Abuja on an affability visit to the Ebonyi State Governor, Chief David Umahi.

Nze said the Army had in 2012 established a framework for the building of the Nigerian Army Campo Ration Factory in Abakaliki with a perspective to banding together the state to advance farming in the nation.

The Army boss valued the state government for giving a few sacks of Abakaliki rice to the Internally Displaced Persons in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

Likewise talking, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Army Properties Limited, Brig. Gen Umaru Mohammed, said the military was prepared to meet the general population of the state on their farmlands.

"Everywhere throughout the world, the military join in different things. Here in Nigeria, we have been catching wind of Abakaliki rice and it will be our pleasure to accomplice you in region of preparing this rice with the goal that we don't have to hurry to some other spot to purchase rice. Indeed, even Dangote won't have to import rice yet will simply come down to Abakaliki to purchase." Mohammed said

Reacting, Governor Umahi, spoke to by his appointee, Barrister Kelechi Igwe, recognized the Army for their vision in the zone of farming and guaranteed them that his administration would be prepared to accomplice them.

Igwe said their thought was in accordance with his administration's arrangement in the range of agribusiness.

"Abakalik rice is the best rice on the planet with high healthful quality. As a state, we as of now have an approach trust equipped towards horticulture and it will be our pleasure to accomplice you. In the event that you require HR, you will get that from us in plenitude yet we will dependably hop on your back at whatever point it goes to the issue of money."

Lagos Govt. to Prosecute Owners of Stray Animals

Dog

The Lagos State Government has cautioned that it would indict proprietors of local creatures and pets that strayed inside of the Lagos city.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Toyin Suarau, gave the notice in an announcement made accessible to newsmen yesterday in Lagos.

As indicated by the announcement issued by the Assistant Director of Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Agriculture, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, the official has met with proprietors of creatures at Oko-Oba, Agege, to look for their participation.

The announcement cited the official as saying that "proprietors of straying creatures ought to keep them as opposed to losing them to bring about mischances on the streets. Aside from bringing on mishaps on our streets, these straying creatures could likewise spread infectious illnesses, for example, Bacillus anthracis, rabies, tuberculosis and different sicknesses that could prompt demise," it said.

The announcement said the administration would send "Agric-Marshals" to all chamber territories of the state to actualize its stray creature control arrangement.

"The administration is concerned and would no more endure the propensity for discharging groups of steers around evening time along real streets and thruways in the city," the announcement cautioned.

It asked inhabitants to participate with the powers to free the condition of stray creatures, while proprietors of such creatures ought to take sufficient consideration of them to keep away from appropriation.

The announcement educated occupants to call any concerning the accompanying devoted lines for prompt reaction for stray creatures – 08077775657, 08057761762, 07033348402 and 08023934920.

"Together we can make Lagos a protected spot in the event that we all say no to stray creatures on our streets,"

Little Beans, Big Opportunities

beans

November 19, 2015, 8:00am - 4:00pm
New York Academy of Sciences
7 World Trade Center, 250 Greenwich Street, 40th Floor
New York City, New York, United States

The General Assembly of the United Nations declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses. Global activities throughout the International Year of Pulses will bring together members of the entire pulse crop value chain, as well as policy makers, NGOs, researchers, health professionals and members of several UN organizations with the overall aim of realizing the potential of these nutrient-dense crops to meet the global nutrition and agriculture challenges of our time.

This conference will be the inaugural event, focusing on the role of pulses in healthy and sustainable diets. Presentations will explore how pulses can make critical contributions to better nutrition and health and look at opportunities for enhancing these benefits broadly through food system innovations.

Danielle will be speaking on a panel title “The Role of Policy and Partnerships in Sustainable and Nutritious Diets.”

Adamawa Farmers Raise Alarm Over Imminent Poor Yield Of Crops

Dearth of fertilizer

Dearth of fertilizers and other agricultural supplements may lead to poor harvest of farm produce in 2015 in Adamawa State, the branch chairman of Adamawa State All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Mr Venatus Jiddere has disclosed.

Jiddere who raised the alarm in an interview with newsmen in Yola, attributed the problem to political instability in the state.

“The 2015/2016 agricultural season comes with its peculiar problem due to change of government.

“The scenario brought complete lack of fertilizers because the outgoing government did not leave behind fertilizers for the incoming government.

“Our farmers have testified to this deficiency of nutrients hence the poor crop quality and possibility of poor harvest being expected this year.” Jiddere lamented.

He noted that from information available to him, consignment of fertilizers procured by the state government has started arriving in the state advising the state government to hasten the distribution of the commodity for the purpose of dry season farming.

“The dry season farming begins in October and there should be no excuse to this fact.” Jiddere said

He urged the government to maintain the Monitoring and the Distribution Committees on Fertilizers as it exists in the state.

Jiddere solicited collaboration between government and agricultural research institutions and seed centres to make available, improved seedlings and pest control to farmers.

He urged government to provide farmers with functional seeds multiplication centres in all the 21 local government areas of the state.

Modern Biotechnology ‘ll Trigger Agric Revolution – NBMA DG

Mr Rufus Ebegba

The director-general of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), Mr Rufus Ebegba, has said that the safe application of modern biotechnology will trigger agricultural revolution in Nigeria.

Ebegba stated this yesterday when he paid a courtesy visit on the management of LEADERSHIP newspapers at its corporate headquarters in Abuja.

According to Ebegba, modern biotechnology has the huge potential to enhance the agricultural sector by drastically improving the output of farmers.

The NBMA boss said the Biosafety Act recently signed into law by the federal government will enable the new parastatal under the Ministry of Environment to effectively regulate the safe application of biotechnology in the nation.

He said: “This agency is a safety valve in the adoption of modern biotechnology for national economic development.

“Modern biotechnology has the huge potentials to enhance the agricultural sector, promote industrial growth, and the medical sector; and it can also be used for environmental sustainability; but our agency is not to promote modern biotechnology or its products but to ensure the safety because we are aware that this technology has that potential for adversity especially in the agricultural sector.

“Biosafety is just ensuring safety in the applications of modern biotechnology and use of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) and the public needs to know that government is making effort to ensure that products that will be delivered through this technology will be safe for human health and the environment.”

He assured Nigerians that the agency will provide a holistic biosafety regulation to ensure that modern biotechnology is applied for economic sustainability, stressing that though no adverse effect has been recorded via the application of modern biotechnology.