At least 300 women in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State have been empowered with vegetable seeds and farm implements, an aide to the state governor, said on Saturday, November 25, 2017.

Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Asaba, Dr Genevieve Mordi, the Senior Special Assistant to Delta Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa,  on International Relations, said the empowerment programme was to encourage more women to engage in agriculture, especially vegetable farming.

Mordi said that the vision was driven by the need to instill in the people of the state the “Western-style’’ mind-set of farming.

“The vision is also aimed at erasing the erroneous notion that some particular crops cannot do well in the state.

“I am particularly worried that sometimes, we are at the mercies of our northern brothers for the supply of some crops and vegetables such as tomato and onion, among others.

“These crops some of us earlier believed cannot do well in this part of the country.

“Delta state, by divine coordination is well situated geographically and my vision is to see a Delta State where farming becomes a specialised profession as it is in the western hemisphere where farming is not just limited to supplying the food chain but also expands into agri-tourism ,’’ she said.

According to her, Agri-tourism, hotels are built within organised farming settlement, activities such as fruit picking, customised foods, custom smoothness and juices blends by the hotel guests could be included as part of the tourism package to attract guests nationally and internationally.

“We already have this in Aqua-culture termed as ‘point and kill’. It is just adapting same practice to fruits and vegetables.

“This will definitely lead to job creation and increased revenue generation. We will get there one day and real soon,’’ Mordi said.

By Mercy Obojeghren

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said on Saturday, November 25, 2017 that the newly inaugurated N10 billion Farmers-to-Finance-Mutual Funds would help reduce poverty and support local farmers to grow their businesses.

Osinbajo stated this in Abuja at the 2017 Conference of the  Association of non-bank Micro-finance Institutions of Nigeria (ANMFIN) and launch of of its N10 billion Farmers-to-Finance-Mutual Funds.

He said that the newly established fund would complement the effort of the Federal Government at increasing agricultural output, ensuring food security and the production of raw materials.

Osinbajo was represented at the event by the Managing Director, Bank of Industry, Mr Olukayode Pitan.

He commended ANMFIN for the initiative directed at achieving financial inclusion by providing easy and affordable finance to farmers residing in rural areas.

“It is estimated that in Nigeria, those living below the poverty line is about 67 per cent, most of who resides in the rural areas and primarily practice subsistence farming.

“Therefore the elimination of poverty is not possible without sustained execution of agricultural development programmes.

“Given the scale of investments required to ensure sustained growth in the sector, private sector involvement is fundamental.

“One major avenue through which this can be achieved is through pooling of capital from private sources, such as the Farmers-to-Finance-Mutual Funds.

“This platform will offer private investors the ability to pool capital and take advantage of large investment opportunities that are not usually accessible to an individual investor.

“On this note, I thank ANMFIN for developing this initiative. I am hopeful that with all these strategies geared towards enhancing agriculture output, we shall soon achieve self-sufficiency in food production,’’ he said.

Also, the President of ANMFIN, Princess Adeshola Ogunleye said that the Fund would be made available to farmers at an interest rate of 10 per cent.

She said that the association would leverage its network to ensure that at least 4.5 million farmers benefited from the fund.

“The initiative, in addition to providing loan able funds, will also identify, develop and package viable rural farmers with enterprising customers.

“Through this scheme, ANMFIN is expected to actively play and partner relevant stakeholders like the CBN, DFID amongst others to contribute to increasing financing to disadvantaged farmers,’’ she said.

Also, the Chairman, ANMFIN Board of Trustees, said that the mechanism to ensure that the funds was not diverted have been put in place.

To this end, he said a committee comprising representatives from the CBN, Micro-Finance Banks, the President of ANMFIN as well as the association’s BOT Chairman, had been set up to guard aganst misuse.

By Racheal Ishaya

Former  president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has congratulated the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan on its 50th anniversary and urged it to ensure its research findings get to farmers.

Obasanjo gave the charge at the grand finale of the institute’s 50thanniversary celebration in Ibadan on Friday, November 24, 2017.

The programme had as its theme, “Towards Food and Nutrition Security for the Next Half Century: Challenges, Opportunities and Strategies”.

Obasanjo noted that IITA’s research, especially on cassava, had enabled Nigeria to be the largest cassava producing country in Africa.

Obasanjo, who is also the Honorary International Ambassador of IITA, urged the institute to ensure that the research findings got to farmers as quick as possible no matter what the cost might be.

“A research product that does not get to the farmers is already wasted, so getting the products to them is as important as the research also,” he said.

Earlier, the IITA Director-General, Dr Nteranya Sanginga, said the major concern for development in Africa was leadership, saying ‘if we get it in leadership, we have gotten it in all’.

Sanginga noted that the conference leveraged on the potential of science for the transformation of agriculture toward increased food security and economic development for African countries.

He said that the conference was pertinent, particularly given the challenges of population growth and climate change.

“It’s estimated that the population of the world would reach nine billion by 2050, food availability in quantity, quality would be a major challenge for feeding this number of people.

“Climate Change with direct and indirect consequences places further challenge on this scenario,” the IITA director-general said.

He urged scientists to think about the future of agriculture in the next 50 years.

The Chairman of the 50th Anniversary Committee, Dr Kwesi Atta-Krah, said the conference provided opportunity for the exchange of ideas among experts on food and nutrition security futures-strategies and opportunities.

He added that it would help in mapping a roadmap for future research and delivery for IITA and partners.

Atta-Krah said that agriculture was central to the development of the African continent, currently contributing 40 per cent to 80 per cent to Gross Domestic Product in many countries.

“Agriculture has the potential to drive economic development and wealth creation. IITA positions itself as a key partner for the realisation of this vision for African agriculture,” he said.

In a message, Mrs Josefa Sacko, the Commissioner, Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union Commission, said IITA had developed technologies that contributed to the development of agriculture in Africa.

She remarked that its research produced many improved varieties in most of the major staples in the continent, including banana/plantain, cassava, maize and yam which created wealth for farmers and value chain actors.

She congratulated the institute on its 50th anniversary and achievements and promised that the African Union Commission would continue to partner with them to ensure its goal.

By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, on Friday, November 24, 2017 assembled world-class scientists to proffer solutions to the challenges facing food security and nutrition in Africa.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference was part of the activities lined up to mark the IITA’s 50th anniversary.

The theme of the programme is “Towards Food and Nutrition Security for the Next Half Century: Challenges, Opportunities and Strategies.’’

Dr Bruce Campbell, a scientist from Denmark, said that efforts to develop agriculture in Africa should entail the adoption of a comprehensive approach which comprised a number of closely linked elements.

Campbell is the Director, Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) Research Programme on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Denmark.

He said that the contribution of the private sector to the development of agriculture in Africa was crucial.

He stressed that with continuing urbanisation, wealthier populations and changing consumer demands, the food and agriculture sector would be more dynamic with the involvement of the private sector.

Besides, Dr Ousmane Badiane, Director for Africa, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in the U.S., said that high costs of services and limited infrastructure had posed serious obstacles to enterprise growth in Africa.

He said that for instance, poor transport infrastructure limited the ability of firms to obtain sufficient raw inputs for processing, while unreliable electricity supply increased their costs significantly.

Badiane said that increased investments in transport infrastructure and power supply would clearly be required to lessen the challenges facing agro-processors.

Also, Dr Emile Frison, a member of International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food), underscored the need for governments to implement measures that would enable farms to diversify into agro-ecology.

He urged African governments to support the young people’s efforts to go into farming and adopt agro-ecological agriculture before they were locked into the cycles of industrial agriculture.

“More attention should also be paid to the role of informal markets, while policy measures must be put in place to empower emerging initiatives linking farmers to consumers,” he said.

NAN reports that highlights of the event, which was chaired by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, include field visits to the research and delivery facilities of IITA.

By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko

The Sokoto State Organic Fertiliser Company says it is targeting a daily production of 130 tonnes of fertiliser by 2018.

Alhaji Aliyu Muhammad, the Manager of the company, said this while addressing members of Sokoto State House of Assembly Committee on Commerce and Industry, who came on an oversight visit to the factory.

“Our production capacity is presently at 70 per cent, which is 90 tonnes of organic fertiliser daily.

“We are, however, aiming at producing 130 tonnes of fertiliser everyday to reach the 100-per-cent production capacity by the year 2018.

“We are fully committed to achieving the target, as the competence of our staff is never in doubt and more workers will be employed to boost our production capacity.

“Our aim is to ensure that organic fertiliser is always available to all-season farmers in Sokoto State and neighbouring communities,” he said.

Muhammad also said that the company had been operating daily a work shift, using raw materials which were locally available in the state.

He emphasised that the raw materials included lime and gypsum, among other minerals.

Speaking, Assemblyman Tanimu Kyadawa (APC- Gada West), who is the Chairman of the House committee, commended the state government for establishing the fertiliser plant.

Kyadawa said that the services provided by the company would facilitate the government’s efforts to boost agricultural production in the state.

“This will surely improve farming activities in our state, while easing the farmers’ efforts to procure enough fertiliser to enhance their productivity,’’ he said.

Kyadawa also pledged the support of the state Assembly for the government’s plans to create job opportunities for the youth.

By Muhammad Nasir Bello