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FADAMA 111 PROJECT ADDITIONAL FINANCING

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The Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS)

Thursday 4 December 2014

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 6th, 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
9th-10th 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.

Friday 31 October 2014

News

Nigeria has no regulation for bio fertilizers.  


The food security programme of the Federal Government may have to consider putting an efficient and effective quality monitoring framework on bio fertilizers and pesticide in place as findings revealed that most of these imported  products are sub- standard to farming yield. A workshop on policy, quality standards and accreditation protocols for bio-fertilizer and bio pesticides in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda showed that much has not been achieved in the area of quality control mechanism as only Kenya was recorded as having functional regulatory frameworks on bio input products. Report has it that out of 100 bio fertilizers product brought into the country, only three were said to be of standard while the rest are of shortage to the consumers and farmers whose crops yield and production quality were reduced due to low quality.

The Commercial Products (COMPRO) 11 project being coordinated by IITA and partner Institutions is aimed at using Bio fertilizers products to increase crop yields towards achieving food security for smallholders’ farmers in the Sub Saharan Africa through institutionalization of quality control mechanisms. According to COMPRO 11 leader, Dr. Cargelle Masso who said that the project will build on the key finding from successive project notably the need for consumer protection given the wide range of bio based products marketed in many African countries like Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Ghana adding that “indeed out of the 100 products that were tested during COMPRO 1, only three were found appropriate for use by consumers.

 This pointed to the fact that, farmers and other consumers are exposed to poor quality products, hence the low agricultural production” Dr. Masso inferring from COMPRO 1 lesson pointed the need for research findings dissemination to farmers, stressed that establishing a system for quality control regulation in other to checkmate sub standard bio fertilizers and bio pesticides in the region with products registration, and quality control institutionalization through accreditation establishment system will go a long way in helping food security matters in the region.

The experience in Nigeria revealed that much has not been done in the area of ensuring a monitoring mechanism structure for bio fertilizer and bio pesticides while the fertilizer sub sector was liberalized in 1987 with complete withdrawer of Government controls from procurement and distribution of fertilizer. However, inadequate planning resulted to supply problems thereby leading to re- introduction of the fertilizer subsidy programme in 2003. The main constraint in fertilizers is poor quality synonymous with fake, adulteration, misbranding and underweight fertilizer prevalence in the market. But it was revealed that work is already going on to institute an implementation framework in line with Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). Status of fertilizer regulation in Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda Kenya- T.O Ongwenyi and P. Ngaruiya. It was noted there is a policy gap in the use of bio- fertilizer and bio- pesticide in Kenya.  Currently, a fertilizer and soil conditioner bill has been drafted to ensure standard enforcement but there were finding of over lapping and uncoordinated implementation. In 2002, the agricultural production of Kenya was threatened as the country could not export to Europe due to residues in some of her products. The farmers then took an initiative by asking the PCPB to authorize the use of bio pesticide.

The board then started working on a guideline for bio pesticide and these were grouped into three; bacterial, bio chemical and microbial groups. These were gazette in 2006 and have been the regulations in use since then. In addition, there is Kenya technical Standing Committee on Imports and Export (KSTCIE) coordinated by KEPHIS which handles bio pesticides. KSTCHI reviews and authorized the bio-pesticides for public use. Within the KSTCIE is a technical group that assesses the risks and makes appropriate recommendations.

These recommendations are made to the bigger committee which makes final recommendation on release products into the market. Before product commercialization, the PCBP which is charged with the responsibility of licensing operators has to be consulted for final approval and registration. For bio fertilizer, KARI and the universities do verification in laboratories, greenhouses and fields, and present reports to the committee for approval. The main challenge is thus in the overlapping and misplacement of mandates between various national institutions. There is also no Institution charged with verification. There is need to do market survey and create a database of bio fertilizer currently in use in Kenya. Also there is need to do periodic checks for quality and manuals for inspections and testing. Tanzania; Susan Ikerra and Julius Mkenda Fertilizer in Tanzania is regulated by the fertilizer Act and takes care of all fertilizer issues including bio fertilizer and other soil supplements. The fertilizer regulation Act was signed in January 2012 after three years which is due to delay relating to regulatory authority. However this Act only covers minerals fertilizers and has no guideline on bio fertilizers. It provides very clear procedure on how to deal with the registration of fertilizer and fertilizer supplements. The process for registration is rather long and there is a need to shorten it.

However, it is important that all these products go through all the stages to ensure that what is allowed to get into the market is of highest quality, and at the same time meet the needs of the farmers. Currently, the cost of testing a product is set at USD 10,000 which is not sustainable as it is rest on the Tanzania Fertilizer Regulatory Authority (TFRA), which is a government agency to foot this cost. It was interesting to note that before the formation of TFRA, some fertilizers were already approved into the market. These are Twin N from Australia, Penshabao from China and SKAF from USA. However, none of these passed the COMPRO I screening test. For example Twin N was tested in maize and it did not even give a yield increase of 25%. It was noted that the producers of these products promote them in a way to imply that their usage alone can give very high yields. However, from the experiments done in the field, it was cleared that to even get a little yield increase, you must combine them with other products. They are not practicable for agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa. Some of the key challenges faced in Tanzania by the TFRA include;
  • Difficulties in law enforcement. This arises from the fact that TFRA cannot sue and have to rely on the police, who often have no capacity to handle the cases. The law needs to be amended to give TFRA the power to sue.
  • There are counterfeits in the market. TFRA is thus taking over the functions of Tanzania Bureau of Standards.
  • There are no accredited labs to handle testing and monitoring of quality of products in the market.
  • There is need for committed and trained inspectors. Currently there are only 75 inspectors and 25 analysts serving the entire country.
  • There is need for a handling manual, currently; capacity building is done on the spot during inspections. Some of the common problems include poor stacking of the fertilizers and placing the fertilizers against walls.
  • Other challenges include caking, underweight fertilizers and poor labeling. These, it was noted that the above challenges would also affect bio-fertilizers.
Pesticides on the other hand are regulated by the Tropical Pesticides Research Institute which was established by an Act of Parliament No 18 of 1979. There are currently two legislations that are in use: Tropical Pesticides Research Institute Act (TPRI Act, 1979) and Plant Protection Act, 1997. Until 1997, there was only one Act in operation. Currently, the Plant Protection Act deals with regulatory matters. Although a Pesticide Management Act is currently being drafted to handle all regulatory activities of pesticides including bio-pesticides, there is need to lobby the government to pass the Act without the delays experienced in other instances as well as seek to harmonize procedures for bio-pesticide regulations with those of other countries under COMPRO II.   UGANDA – MUZIRA FRED Regulation of fertilizer and pesticides falls under the mandate of Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF). MAAIF implements the law through the Agricultural Chemicals Board (ACB). Agriculture is the backbone of the Uganda economy as is the case in other COMPRO II countries although it must be noted that the growth in agricultural produce is not commensurate to the rate of population growth. For example, in 2011, agriculture grew by 2.3% as against the population that grew at 3%. The fertility levels have gone down and Uganda is no longer the ‘Pearl of Africa’.

There is therefore need to use fertilizers to improve soil productivity. The uptake on the usage of fertilizer is still low compare to other developing countries. To be allowed to supply, either one must be resident of Uganda; if not, then one must have an agent who is a resident of Uganda. The test fees are USD 2,000 for three seasons and registration fees of USD 200 for the initial three years. The main challenges affecting fertilizers and pesticides in Uganda are to do with integrity and safety issues, as well as an inadequate regulatory framework. It is expected that once the 2012 Fertilizer Bill draft is passed will help facilitate the regulation of quality control of fertilizers and pesticides. In terms of capacity, there is only one laboratory in Uganda that deals with the testing of products. Currently, the main focus is to empower the farmers so that they can make informed choices.   FEED BACK FROM PLENARY The following issues were highlighted in the discussions on country experience;
  • ADVANTAGE OF HARMONIZATION: There is need for harmonization of the regulation process. For example in Tanzania bio-pesticides and bio-fertilizers must be screened for three seasons (which could mean three years). If the regulations are harmonized, and a product is tested in a COMPRO II country, it could only be screened for one season in another country. This could also mean that there would be need to lobby for a funding body, for example ASARECA. In addition, some countries have SOPs and guidelines for fertilizer and pesticides. COMPRO II needs to develop the guidelines for bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides. There is a need to get the documents from different COMPRO II countries and harmonize them.

  • COORDINATING INSTITUTIONS: There are many institutions in the COMPRO II countries that deal with the same thing. There needs to be a focal point in each country which coordinates and address the farmer’s issues. If the farmers are aware of such a body, then it will save them in terms of cost and time. This non-stop-shop for the farmers could either be neutral organization or any organization dealing with the bio-products.

  • TESTING THE CERTIFICATION: there is need to have testing facilities to ascertain the quality of products. Twin N for instance, wanted to establish a company in East Africa,  Tanzania. However, after testing when it was realized that this product cannot work well in Africa, the plans were halted.

  • POLITICAL WILL: There is need for will for political will to make sure that bills relating to bio-fertilizers and bio-pesticides are approved. This includes the need for lobbying. There is need for a linkage between decision makers and the scientists. There are certain key words that need to be used in other to get the attention of decision makers, for example poverty reduction, unemployment, Maputo protocol, MDGs, etc.

Nigeria farmers partner a local Malaysia affiliated private company for organic fertilizer . 


The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) led by Chief Femi Coker has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Dynapharm International Limited, a local company with specialty in the production of organic fertilizers. Signing the MOU, the AFAN President said the time has come for farmers to join the Government’s initiative of private sector driving the economy adding the partnership with Dynapharm, a Malaysia affiliated company would ensure more availability of organic fertilizers to farmers at a very cheaper rate thereby urging the producer to embark on local production for more job creation at the level of the value chain. Speaking further on the relevance of the MOU, Chief Coker said that agriculture has no alternative like crude oil thereby directing all the distributors to ensure the availability of the organic fertilizer in the market for farmers’ improved yields, adding “I know farmers will not let me down as President of AFAN” The product tagged “ Farmers’ fertilizer” has the capability to give an increased yield to farmers’ produce according to the President of the Dynapharm, West Africa, Mr. Valentine Uneghu who promised that the local production of the company will soon commence to bring down the price. Mr. Uneghu said the MOU reflected the farmers taking up their destiny by themselves stressing “it is consolidating the Federal Government’s initiative of private driven economy with farmers taking an active role of seeing farming as business venture.

Speaking on the price modality of the products he said “the cost at which we are signing is highly discounted as we are interested in Africa coming up to feed themselves because everybody is interested in them. Right now the one litre of our fertilizer is highly concentrated as compared to others. The one litre can do an acre of a farm which other products cannot do relatively with its cost to farmers. But the price will further go down when we start the local production.

 The product is highly concentrated because it will still be diluted with waters in order to serve the purpose. We are in many countries of the world, Malaysia, US, Europe and East Africa. The product is very effective and very much accepted in these countries” However, the AFAN president has assured the organization of the site location whenever it is ready to set up a production plant in the country saying “the site location is not a problem in Nigeria. Almost every state has a plan for such project. Our problem may be how to locate the plant in more suitable place for accessibility. We have enough land in Nigeria and this cannot be much of any problem. Presently most fertilizers use in Nigeria is imported. This MOU will bring fertilizer closer to the farmers and this will increase their interest and outputs”.

 I am retired by Government for doing farming; Chief Femi Coker.


The President, All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Chief Femi Coker has said he was retired for doing farming while in government service as the Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information,  Lagos state Government adding the sacked information was announced on the radio broadcast . Chief Coker said the regime of late Gen. Murtala Mohammed did not allow any civil servant to practice farming, and that was while he was retired before his time as career civil servant in the Lagos state Ministry of Information adding it was a price he had to pay for the love he has for doing farming in Nigeria then. He added that farmers in Nigeria appreciated this quality in him and that was why he was compensated as AFAN President saying “ I see it as a sacrifice, I was in government doing farming. I was sacked. The news came on the radio that I have been retired before my time during Late Gen. Murtala time in 1975. It was Chief Obasanjo that allowed civil servant and everybody including primary and secondary school pupils to do farming. However the farmers association recognized this and that is why they made me President of AFAN.

Although they did not say it openly but they put it into action by making me their president” The National Agric Show is ingenuity of the organizer, Dr. Tunde Arosanyin The former chairman, Kogi State Chapter, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) Dr. Tunde Arosanyin has described the rumour going around about the legibility of the organizer of National Agricultural Show, a yearly interactive event being organized by a foundation, chaired by Senator Abdullahi Adamu where  farmers, researchers, scientist, financial institutions and public officials are brought together in order to share experiences for the purpose of better production and commercialization has been described as ingenuity on part of the concept owner which must not be criticized negatively. Dr. Awosanyin speaking with the Food Farm News at the close of the AFAN’s meeting held recently in Asokoro, Abuja said the farmers’ apex body cannot lay claim on the show concept saying he was privileged to be one of the five committee members drafted by the association to join in the discussions when the first National Show is to be held at Nazarawa, pointed that several meetings had been held with other corporate bodies before AFAN came into the discussion. According to him “there are many other representatives from the World bank, IFDC, CBN and representative of bankers’ forum who have already been holding meeting with National Agricultural Foundation before our Association was involved as a committee member and which I see as part of recognition given to us as farmers organization by then”.

He also stressed that major agricultural shows in abroad are being organized by big commercial farmers to showcase their produce and products pointing this ingenuity concept on behalf of organizer should be acknowledged as a platform for agricultural development stressed that the sky is so wide for birds to fly as “there are many opportunities the AFAN can exploit to impress its impact on the sector rather than being covetous of this show” Many stakeholders including AFAN members have been criticizing the National Agricultural  Show saying all the support the show has been getting from the Government always ended in the pocket of the organizer without any benefits going to farmers’ apex body who they believed should be the principal owner of the concept. It is noted that by 2008, the show was successfully institutionalized with the incorporation of the Foundation as an Non Governmental Organization (NGO) with the mandate to organize the annual National Agricultural Shows, provide policy and technical support as well as consultancy and capacity development services to the sector in collaboration with relevant public and private sector stakeholders and development partners. Already, six shows have been held since 2007 to 2012 in collaboration with FMARD and AFAN. From 2008, the practice has been to hold the show in the week of the World Food Day (WFD) in such a way that the WFD is observed on the Show Ground on the last day of the show. Speaking on the reorganization going on the association, Dr. Awosanyin said about thirty states have conducted new chairmanship election remaining six with FCT adding progress is on going for the National President election. “We have successfully conducted election in about thirty states of the federation which was witnessed by the community’s civil societies.

This can be confirmed by the caliber of people from various places you have seen here today as many have left before your arrival. A lot have been done to reposition the association to the reality of the present day agricultural needs for the benefit of Nigeria‘s farmers who are majorly small scale farmers who are always at the receiving end when the chips are down. We have consulted all necessary stakeholders before embarking on the election we have conducted in all the states remaining about six including FCT, and maybe we will invite you for the one of FCT” Although no specific date is given for the post of National President of the Association by Dr. Arosanyi other than the completion of the election into the Chairmanship position of the other six states will determine the day for the plum position adding the association has got the support of the Chief Femi Coker and other board of trustees members to go ahead. 

National Agric Show comes up Oct 21-24.


The Annual National Agricultural Show with the theme “Opportunities and Challenges for Sustainable Agricultural Transformation (ATA) in Nigeria” has been slated for October 21th -24th just immediately after the World Food Celebration at the same venue Km 28, Abuja-Keffi Road, Tundun Wada, Karu Local Government, Nasarawa state. Preparation for the show is in top gear as posters and every necessary invitation to stakeholders at the states and federal level are already being dispatched to ensure adequate participation. The National Coordinator, Dr. Samuel Negedu was seen signing out letters of invitation as at the time of our visit to the office at Abuja. Already Federal Ministry of Agriculture is involved in the preparation as the theme of the show is centred on  ATA which is the main thrust of  Mr. President’s policy on agricultural repositioning towards employment and wealth creation for the nation. Already, six shows have been held since 2007 to 2012 in collaboration with FMARD and AFAN. From 2008, the practice has been to hold the show in the week of the World Food Day (WFD) in such a way that the WFD is observed on the Show Ground on the last day of the show, but this year’s own may be vise -visa as the WFD will be held before the show.

 Naic sensitization on agric insurance receives applaud. 


Commendations for Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC) are on the increase just as farmers from Osun state joined their collegue from Gombe , Delta and Enugu to appreciate the awareness sensitization exercise the corporation has since been embarked upon to keep farming communities abreast of the need for insurance policy on agricultural production in the face of climate change challenges. In a press release made available to us, the farmers who attended the work shop organized by NAIC at Osogbo, Osun state capital expressed their desire to imbibe the culture of insurance practice but emphasized on the need for more education on the available benefits they can derive from the corporation’s services.

The Managing Director of the Corporation, Dr. Tijjani Garba in the press statement had admonished farmers on the need to take agricultural insurance policy very serious so as to minimize farm losses and risk normally associated with agro allied businesses adding that his organization has been repositioned to prompt payment of claims which was exhibited during flood disaster of the last year.

The press release also indicated that the sensitization exercise was intended to achieve making farmers to know the measures to deplore in mitigating flood effect and other natural disaster that can hamper greater yields and harvest stating further “the management is reaching out to farmers across the nation with the view to improving on capacity through modern farming management methods, storage and marketing of their produce, using insurance cover to safe guard their investment” However the Farmers in general under the apex umberalla of All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria ( AFAN) Enugu Chapter had commended the prompt payment of claims by NAIC with the view that the spirit will be continued in time of distress.

 Community Seeds production may eradicate fake seed. 


The fake seeds circulation in the year 2012 Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) programme of the Federal Government has been generating mix reactions especially in some of the foreign affiliated projects in Nigeria, and this may have resulted to many of them getting more disposed to the encouragement of community seeds production through the National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) certification. Food Farm News checks revealed that major farming projects stakeholders at the states level are not happy about the quality of seeds that were distributed to farmers during the last GES exercise as many of them are grains bought in the market that add no value to increase yield of crops produce. They said the time has come for stringent measures against this dubious act so as to curtail shortages of farmers’ production and at the same time called for the encouragement of promotion of the community seeds that will be certified by NASC.

 Community seeds production, they argued will help to reduce the craze for buying grains in order to meet up job order of the Federal government to rural farmers. Many of the stakeholders cautioned that the increasing numbers of the seeds companies must be checked because Nigeria has not got enough Institutional Infrastructure to ensure standard quality production especially in the face of electricity challenges. They posited that communities seed production will put a check to proliferation of seeds as only those companies with competent hands will be left in the business by the time government are no more buying and thereby allow farmers to sort themselves by this means.

One of them who want to be called Mallam said that “the increase in numbers of seed companies is as a result of the GES programme that government is giving seeds to farmers free of charge. And this has made many people to go to market and buy grains to distribute as improved seeds to farmers. We know one or two of the private seeds companies who are competent, and they know what production of quality seeds means. But with what has happened in the last GES programme, many of us may not want to take any government seeds because it results to waste of effort when your expectations are not met in terms of yield”.    

IFAD ready to spend 85million dollar for CBARDP 11 ; Atsuko Toda


SAMSUNG
 The visit of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) inspection mission team to the seven states of the North including Sokoto, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Bornu,Zamfara and Yobe where the Community Based Agricultural Development Programme (CBARDP) phase 1 is winding up has revealed a satisfactory performance with readiness of IFAD  to spend additional  Eighty five million dollar in the phase 11 with commercial focus  along the value chain crops of the Federal Government (FG) Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA)  with more involvement of private sector .

The Country Programme Manager, Mrs Atsuko Toda speaking to Food farm News during a short break of the mission wrap up meeting held at National office in Kastina said the main purpose of the visit is to be able to access the impact of the programme on the participating states so as to know areas of improvement, adding the second phase will soon commence with more focus on agricultural productivity as business and entrepreneur involvement on contract bases. Mrs. Atsuko Toda stressed that the second phase will build on the strength of the first that has made positive impact on 5,000 households through enhanced productivity in sorghum, millet, cowpea, maize and rice through the use of Community Development Association (CDA), and its implementation committee saying about 42.5 million dollar has been released from IFAD with 99% disbursement added that the performance effect in Nigeria was impressive. Speaking, the IFAD mission leader, Iqbal Sobhan emphasis the need to expand the programme around ATA of the Federal Government with more youths and women involvement, emphasizing support for community based seed production through National Agricultural Seeds Council (NASC) certification and private driven agricultural extension service through engagement on contract basis. Other areas the phase 11 of the programme will focus are “strengthening value chain support for market with access to agricultural information, taking the issue of climate change very serious in farming community areas by provision of climate change resilience and adoption through demonstration that will address erosion in the landscaping level.

 Enterprises Development for women and youths through a business plan action that can attract financial support especially from those commercial banks who are already doing agric business” said Mr. Sobhan. Mr. Sobhan’s demand to know whether the CBARDP 11 has to be increased from present 204 association groups to 750 was unanimously agreed upon as all the program officers from the seven participating states said the reality of extending the positive impact of the programme to others is very strategic to achieving rural empowerment. The National Programme Cordinator, Alhaji Abu Yusuf Kankia in his summation wanted direct link with the Research Institutes especially in the area of getting quality seeds for the sake of  farmers since the programme is a community driven that touches the lives of rural people who may not have the technical skill to identify fake seeds until harvest period when yield may go below expectation adding that “ We will work with the extension service of Federal Government using the private sector driven extension on contract bases” Issue on the need to use state ADPs did not get much positive support as the second IFAD- CBARDP is focused to key into using the private driven extension model of the Federal Government towards agricultural commercialization and enterprises according to IFAD Country Officer, Mr. Ben Odoemena who said the 2nd phase project would give high priority to agriculture as group will be organized along Federal Government value chain on rice, sorghum, maize, onion, vegetables, sheep and goat. Talking about restructuring of the CDA, as it was suggested either to be modified along agricultural line of social committee, food security committee and D&M committee or to be retained in the old structure. The general view supported the old model for more participation as it includes “Agric committee, Works committee, water committee, Health/sanitation committee, Education Committee, Social/ self committee, Procurement committee and Monitoring &Evaluation Committee” .    

IFAD-CBARDP achievement in Sokoto State. 


Sokoto is one of the seven participating states in the Community Based Agricultural Rural Development Programme (CBARDP) in partnership with International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and its participation in the programme has impacted meaningfully on the lives of the rural people in terms of increased agricultural productivity, making portable waters availability, rural feeder roads for produce evacuation to the market places and many other institutional provisions that is worthy of adding value to better living of her people. Being an agrarian state, His Excellency, Sarkin Yamma of Sokoto,  Alhaji (Dr.) Aliyu Magatakarda Wammkko is very disposed to any agricultural initiative that will enhance economic living standard of  his people who are mostly at the rural areas, and this he has displayed by ensuring the prompt payment of its counterpart fund together with all local government chairmen and benefitting communities which according to State Programme Officer (SPO), Alhaji Aminu Aliyu D/ Daji is a big plus for the programme’s  continuity and achievement since its inception. As the programme is winding up by December, 2013 to begin the phase 2, the stock- taking of its impact on the rural people of Sokoto has become very imperative based on fund expended by IFAD, State and participating local government which was confirmed in our chat with the Country Programme Manager of the Program, Mrs. Atsuko Toda that a total of 42.5 million dollar has been committed towards poverty alleviation in general aside the each participating state’s contributions. According to Nigeria IFAD manager who mentioned Sokoto state has one of the very proactive states said “from IFAD, the commitment is 42. 5 million dollar and of which 99% has been disbursed which is also very good in the country.

Now coming to states, we have states like Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Bornu etc that have given large amount of counterpart commitment because of the impact of the programme in the states.” In sokoto state, the programme with its objective to empower rural communities towards identifying their needs in a broad range of agricultural and rural development initiatives with internalized community driven development (CCD) following government policies and producedures , is being implemented in twelve (12) local government comprising of thirty six (36).

The benefiting local government are Bijni, Gada, Gwadabawa, Gudu, Dange Shuni, Shagari, Saban Birni, Sokoto South, Tangaza, Tureta and Yabo. In each local Government area, three (3) villages area were selected for participation and is 100% funded by the Sokoto state government since commencement in 2012. The repayment of the loan attitude exhibited by participating communities speak more volume of the acceptability of the programme in the local government councils and this has resulted to increase of the villages in Tambuwal, Illela and Goronyo with 100% funding by the local authorities  according to SPO of Sokoto state. The SPO , Alhaji Aliyu D/Daji   said IFAD-CBARDP  has been able to reduce poverty level in all the participating communities by twenty percent (20%) ,and economic trade is being strengthened and supported with the evidence of Hajia Naan Yar’ Tuttudawa of Kwargaba village and Musa Dankifi from Kebbi village According to him “ Hajia Nana Yar’ tawa Tuttudawa is a peasant widow farmer who before IFAD-CBARDP  intervention was cultivating less than one hectare of land without nothing or no income. But with IFAD intervention, she was given a support of two goats for rearing and fattening, which she has already repaid.

This support subsequently yielded goat, rams, and sheep which she has been selling to make more money with capital base of N120, 000.00. She is now actively engaged in mixed farming with an increase of her farm lands to 2 hectares, thereby becoming a major female producer of both domestic animals and cash crops namely rice, onion, garlic with 100 bags of paddy rice and 70 of onions and garlic respectively” “ Also at Kebbi village before the advent of IFAD-CBARDP programme, Musa Dankifi, a 35year motor conductor left for farming through IFAD intervention and persuasion from his elder brother, Alhaji Adamu Kebbe to join irrigation farming group in the village. In 2009, he was trained and supported with irrigation farm inputs such as tube well, water pump, seeds and fertilizer worth N65, 000.00 for rice production and in subsequent year, he was able to pay back the loan support provided him by the programme and bought a land (1.1HA) worth N120,000 with which he continues with rice irrigation that resulted to increase capital and income up to the end of 2011 season when he bought a salon car worth N650,000 for commercial operation in his village. Musa has been able to employ eleven youths who are working with him, and receiving training in irrigation rice farming. Musa has expanded his rice production with pair of animal traction and a house worth N1,195,000 and today he is one of the leading rice producer in kebbe village of Sokoto state”    

The programme impact. Sustainable Agriculture:

  1. The yield of crops such as millet, sorghum, Cowpea, rice and groundnut has increased in this order from 1.25 tones per/ha to 2.5, 1.0 tones per/ha to 1.8, 0.28tones to 1.8 tones per/ha, 0.9tones per/ha to 1.8 per/ha and 1.2 tones per/ha to 1.9 tones per/ha. This increase was a result of better management practices and provision of improved seeds, Agro chemicals and fertilizer to farmers by the programme.
  2. The land use for up-land and low lands increased from 3,200ha to 5,200ha and 2,210 ha to 2,820 ha respectively. This was as a result of the reclamation of degraded and marginal lands, coupled with the provision of tube wells and water pumps to farmers across the intervention areas.
  3. Introduction of Rural Farm Inputs Shops (RUFIS) in the village areas has reduced the problem of adulterated fertilizers and agro chemicals. Farmers having access to fertilizer increased from 1,000 to 2,200, and agro chemical from 520 to 1100 dealers. Reputable companies such as NOTORI and African Agro Chemical Limited were linked with the 36 RUFIS across the villages which allowed the farmers to get genuine and un- adulterated inputs at the shops located within the areas.

Community Infrastructure
  1. Community transportation is enhanced through the provision of 875km rural access road for easy movement of agricultural produce against the 482km before the intervention of IFAD-CBARDP.
  2. Access to portable water through the provision of 3,000 water points for both human and animal consumption as against 1,487 before intervention, and this has translated to people having portable drinking water increase from 10,020 to 18,920 thereby representing 89% reduction in the prevalence water born diseases such as cholera and guinea worm.
Gender and vulnerable groups
  1. The programme supported the provision and up grading of 200 health posts with twenty constructed/rehabilitated clinics as against the 106 health post before intervention thereby bringing to 6,280 people having access to health facilities as against 2,120 before intervention.
  2. With the provision/up -grading of 720 functional Adult literacy centres across the participating village areas, people attending functional literacy classes increased from 1820 to 2,820 with gender aggregate of 1,820 males and 1000 females.
  3. Girl Child is being promoted in collaboration with UNICEF and GCE Foundation in Tarke, D/ Tsolawo, Tozai VA’s in lllela Local government, and Awakkala via Goronyo LG, where girls’ enrollment for primary education was not encouraging before the intervention. The collaboration has succeeded in girls having a prospect of pursuing education beyond primary level. (e.g in lllela local government about 57 males and 21 females are now in JSS1)
Institutional support
  1. 1.      The programme has succeeded in the registration of Apex Associations as Community Development Associations ( CDA) to operate as independent and democratic body with legal backing. The CDA now explore areas for community development activities from state, local government, and other agencies concerned with developmental activities.
  2. 2.      Technical support was provided for tailoring, knitting, carpentry, blacksmithing, vulcanizing, soap and pomade making, Hand Craft, Petty trading and welding work in all the participating communities.
  3. 3.      The programme has established 21 Financila service Associations with a capital base of N4m which provided soft loan to 257 individual disaggregated by 154 males and 103 female. Moreover the collaboration with BOA has enabled a credit facility of N15m which was also disbursed to small and medium scale entrepreneurs. This effort has boosted the economic activities of the beneficiaries.
  Achievement in line with ATA About 908 farmers benefited in the e-wallet inputs supply with 1,816 bags (90metric tones) of NPK, 908 bags (45.4metric tones), Crystallizer 908 (45.4metric tones), Agrolyser 1,816 bottle and rice seeds (45.4metric tones) and already compilation of wheat farmers’ name in the state is ongoing as directed by the Federal Government towards commercial production. Also a significant work has been done by the  programme to promote adoption and large productions of rice improved varieties such as Faro 44 and Nerica. At present, some local government areas including Goronyo, Wurno, Kware, Wammakko, Isa, Rabah, Silame and some part of Tambuwal has been identified as commercial areas for rice production which investors can directly contact through the state IFAD office. Conclusion. IFAD-CBARDP has been able to employ twenty youths each in the 12 local government of the state along the value chain of rice plantation, millet, sorghum, water melon and many other women just as soil test is always conducted before cultivation and fertilizer application.

Groundnut production at the mercy of scarce certified seeds

The Presidential dream of increasing production of groundnut to reflect the days of pyramid of the sixties may have been hampered by the scarcity of improved seeds for the produce cum official delay from the ministry toward take off. Food Farm News reliably gathered that the anticipated pace to ensure increased production through the value chain of Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) has been facing challenges of certified  seeds which are not ready available for farmers. A source told us that scarcity of certified groundnut seeds has put a lot of pressure on farmers who he said might end up buying grains as seeds if checkmating measures are not put in place immediately. Presently, the Groundnut, Processors and marketers Association of Nigeria (GPMAN) has said it has already started giving their registered members certified seeds from Kano Agricultural Rural Development Programme (KNARDP) for planting but complained that government needs to wade in so as to ameliorate this problem.

 The association National Secretary, Mr. Niyi Adebayo Ajayi   who was representing the National President, Hon. Foni said the certified seeds given to members are bought from KNARDP saying “the varieties are Sam nut 22 and 23 as these seeds have more oil content, high yield of 2 to 2.5 tons per hectare with maturing date between 90-100 days” Mr. Niyi added “we shall be test running these varieties through our farmers to see how effective it will be in yield per hectare. This is the reflection of our promise to government towards ensuring the realization of increased production, but it is import that government must be disposed to our plight to achieve the dream of Mr. President in the shortest time”. President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan had said he would like to see the old groundnut pyramid of the North come back with increased production that will meet the reality of the present day demands with global competiveness. The Presidential pronouncement has necessitated the inclusion of the produce in the value chain of ATA by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) so as to improve positively on its production, processing and marketing internally and externally.

Towards this end, the ministry being led by Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina has signed an MOU with ICRISAT so as to assist in the capacity building process for farmers towards the increased production in five pilot states of Kano, Jigawa, Katina, Kaduna and Bauchi all in the Northern Nigeria. Athough, Food Farm News has learnt that the signed MOU is yet to commence in these states due to lack of fund with emphasis that the programmes will soon start as ICRISAT is ready for the take off. Report has shown that the global market demand for groundnut oil is on the increase with Nigeria’s improved production having a better chance of positively affecting farmers’ poverty through more economic earnings and job creation.

Federal Government engages German International Cooperation to train farmers

The Federal Government through her main agriculture ministry and Central Bank Of Nigeria (CBN) has engaged the services of German International Cooperation (Giz) in the skill enhancement of farmers in five crops of the value chain of Agricultural Transformation Agenda of the Mr. President. This engagement of Giz by government must have been hinged on the positive impact of its Farmer Business School (FBS) on cocoa producers across five states of the country where more than 22,000 benefitted in the effective management and technical practices of the produce towards more economic empowerment. Mr. Ayo Akinola, the Giz country technical advisor said this business relationship is imbedded on the repositioning of the sector into right business perspective thereby moving away from the perceived developmental project to global business practice where technical skill and management training will boost farmers’ production with mind set of processing and marketing. The minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina has always believed in the development of the sector with the private sector at the driver’s seat while government officials should concentrate on policy formulation. Many sample opinions at the national stock-taking workshop organized in Akure, Ondo state believed the Federal Government’s engagement of the Giz FBS in farming skill and management impartation to farmers across five crops will have great positive multiplier effects on the poverty alleviation in the rural areas. They argued the experience of the FBS in Abia, Cross River, Edo, Ondo and Osun states showed that “more than 22,000 cocoa producers with 35% women have received FSB training since July 2010 till date and it  has  significantly reflected on the management of cocoa farms and technical practices of farmers with low wastages, and less expenses on agro chemicals. The five crops being targeted for skill transfer by both the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and NIRSAL of the CBN are cotton, rice, soya bean, cocoa and tomato.

Speaking on the occasion, the NIRSAL representative, Mr. Musa Buba emphasized the commitment of its management to helping farmers pay back 40-50% of the loan interest adding the intervention is to ensure repayment and to build confidence on the commercial banks towards lending into agricultural businesses as the skill of farmers are also enhance to reduce cost occasioned by lack of technical practices. Groundnut production at the mercy of scarce certified seeds The Presidential dream of increasing production of groundnut to reflect the days of pyramid of the sixties may have been hampered by the scarcity of improved seeds for the produce cum official delay from the ministry toward take off. Food Farm News reliably gathered that the anticipated pace to ensure increased production through the value chain of Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) has been facing challenges of certified  seeds which are not ready available for farmers. A source told us that scarcity of certified groundnut seeds has put a lot of pressure on farmers who he said might end up buying grains as seeds if checkmating measures are not put in place immediately. Presently, the Groundnut, Processors and marketers Association of Nigeria (GPMAN) has said it has already started giving their registered members certified seeds from Kano Agricultural Rural Development Programme (KNARDP) for planting but complained that government needs to wade in so as to ameliorate this problem. The association National Secretary, Mr. Niyi Adebayo Ajayi   who was representing the National President, Hon. Foni said the certified seeds given to members are bought from KNARDP saying “the varieties are Sam nut 22 and 23 as these seeds have more oil content, high yield of 2 to 2.5 tons per hectare with maturing date between 90-100 days” Mr. Niyi added “we shall be test running these varieties through our farmers to see how effective it will be in yield per hectare. This is the reflection of our promise to government towards ensuring the realization of increased production, but it is import that government must be disposed to our plight to achieve the dream of Mr. President in the shortest time”. President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan had said he would like to see the old groundnut pyramid of the North come back with increased production that will meet the reality of the present day demands with global competiveness. The Presidential pronouncement has necessitated the inclusion of the produce in the value chain of ATA by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) so as to improve positively on its production, processing and marketing internally and externally.

Towards this end, the ministry being led by Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina has signed an MOU with ICRISAT so as to assist in the capacity building process for farmers towards the increased production in five pilot states of Kano, Jigawa, Katina, Kaduna and Bauchi all in the Northern Nigeria. Athough, Food Farm News has learnt that the signed MOU is yet to commence in these states due to lack of fund with emphasis that the programmes will soon start as ICRISAT is ready for the take off. Report has shown that the global market demand for groundnut oil is on the increase with Nigeria’s improved production having a better chance of positively affecting farmers’ poverty through more economic earnings and job creation.   Federal Government engages German International Cooperation to train farmers The Federal Government through her main agriculture ministry and Central Bank Of Nigeria (CBN) has engaged the services of German International Cooperation (Giz) in the skill enhancement of farmers in five crops of the value chain of Agricultural Transformation Agenda of the Mr. President. This engagement of Giz by government must have been hinged on the positive impact of its Farmer Business School (FBS) on cocoa producers across five states of the country where more than 22,000 benefitted in the effective management and technical practices of the produce towards more economic empowerment. Mr. Ayo Akinola, the Giz country technical advisor said this business relationship is imbedded on the repositioning of the sector into right business perspective thereby moving away from the perceived developmental project to global business practice where technical skill and management training will boost farmers’ production with mind set of processing and marketing. The minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina has always believed in the development of the sector with the private sector at the driver’s seat while government officials should concentrate on policy formulation. Many sample opinions at the national stock-taking workshop organized in Akure, Ondo state believed the Federal Government’s engagement of the Giz FBS in farming skill and management impartation to farmers across five crops will have great positive multiplier effects on the poverty alleviation in the rural areas.

They argued the experience of the FBS in Abia, Cross River, Edo, Ondo and Osun states showed that “more than 22,000 cocoa producers with 35% women have received FSB training since July 2010 till date and it  has  significantly reflected on the management of cocoa farms and technical practices of farmers with low wastages, and less expenses on agro chemicals. The five crops being targeted for skill transfer by both the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and NIRSAL of the CBN are cotton, rice, soya bean, cocoa and tomato. Speaking on the occasion, the NIRSAL representative, Mr. Musa Buba emphasized the commitment of its management to helping farmers pay back 40-50% of the loan interest adding the intervention is to ensure repayment and to build confidence on the commercial banks towards lending into agricultural businesses as the skill of farmers are also enhance to reduce cost occasioned by lack of technical practices.
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