NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA
Agriculture , Food Security

OFAB seeks end to misleading narratives on GM crops

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By Bukola Olaifa

The Open Forum On Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) in Africa, Nigeria chapter, has called for an end to dissemination of misleading narratives on Genetically Modified (GM) crops by activists.

OFAB is an Initiative of the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) under the auspices of NABDA.

Dr Rose Gidado, the Director, Agriculture Biotech Department, NABDA, said there was an urgent need to dismiss diversionary narratives about GM crops, highlighting the crucial role of agricultural biotechnology in mitigating food shortages.

She emphasised that safety measures were always taken before the release of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO), addressing concerns related to human, animal, and environmental safety.

In spite of the proven safety records and widespread acceptance among farmers, she expressed concerns on the persistence of opposition groups maintaining anti-biotechnology stance.

Gidado identified three primary groups opposing GM crops, including organic farming advocates rejecting chemicals and commercial agriculture, promoting a return to traditional farming methods.

“The second group opposes GM crops based on philosophical or religious beliefs, advocating against “mimicking God.

“The third group, driven by political and economic motives, orchestrates a global crusade against GM crops,’’ she said.

Gidado said there was no scientific evidence supporting the claims of these opposition groups.

She highlighted the weaponisation of fabricated stories to mislead the public, pointing to the creation of NGOs and virtual institutions with deceptive names to reinforce the anti-GM narrative.

In stressing the significance of agricultural biotechnology in crop improvement, Gidado emphasised its role in addressing challenges such as drought tolerance and pest resistance.

She underscored the success of Bt crops, specifically maize, cotton, and soybean, in providing farmers with effective protection against borers.

Gidado emphasised the safety and widespread adoption of GM crops over the past two decades, with a staggering 99 million hectares of Bt crops grown worldwide.

She said farmers must adopt the use of GM seeds to reduce the need for routine farm practices while ensuring higher yields, calling also for the use of Nano nutrients to boost crop production.

The agric. director said adverse effects of climate change, including higher temperatures, prolonged droughts, floods, and other factors had led to reduced agricultural production, especially in the northern states.

Gidado said that biotechnology provided innovative tools to improve agricultural productivity and safeguard food crops from the impacts of climate change, such as heat, floods and drought.

According to OFAB, Nigeria must adopt modern technologies in agriculture to overcome challenges of food security occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic. (NAN) www.nannews.ng

Edited by Ali Baba Inuwa

Agriculture , Food Security

FAO affirms support to Lagos govt on food security

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By Olayinka Olawale

The Food and Agriculture Organisation Representative ad interim in Nigeria and to ECOWAS, Mr Dominique Koffy Kouacou, has assured the Lagos State Government of the organisation’s support to attain food security.

Kouacou gave the assurance when he paid a courtesy visit to the Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms Abisola Olusanya, in her office in Alausa, Ikeja, on Thursday.

He said the visit of the FAO team was to discuss various issues and to finalise the the implementation of the five-year upgrade strategy of the coconut value chain.

Kouacou was accompanied by Mr ⁠Abubakar Suleiman, Assistant FAO Representative (Programme), and Mrs ⁠Adeola Akinrinlola, Project Focal Point.

He added that the visit was to further discuss how FAO and the Lagos State Government would deepen their collaborations on food security.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the team also visited Tosh Coconut Ventures, a coconut processor at Omole Phase II, and Semi mechanised abattoir, Ilaje, Bariga, to access the state of both facilities.

“I want to really thank the Lagos State Government. I came here on a mission to visit all the authorities here and to have a very good meeting with the Commissioner for Agriculture.

“The purpose of this visit is to scale up FAO’s interventions.

“We have a very good partnership with Lagos and last year August, we signed an agreement with the government on a very high project, a five-year project on the coconut value chain.

“We are working on implementing the upgrade strategy soonest.

“I also took the opportunity to visit some beneficiaries in coconut and red meat value chain. There is a need to scale up on coconut processing.

‘I also visited the semi mechanised abattoir in Ilaje community, Bariga, because we already have a project on animal health under our one health approach.

“Visiting the abattoir give us some ideas on how we can support the state government and I want to renew our commitment as FAO that we are ready to support the government,” he said.

In her remarks, Olusanya urged the FAO to join forces with the Lagos State Government to ensure and sustain food security.

According to Olusanya, the FAO remains a very reliable partner to the state government’s drive to ensure food security.

“We have put the ball in their court, we want partnership with the FAO.

“They are already working with us on red meat and even on fisheries, on providing technical support and they have carried out studies, carried out reports that showcase the areas that we feel we need to put in more investment or more efforts.

“The truth of the matter is that we want the FAO not just in some of these value chains, we need them particularly as partners around interventions for market players because the market determines what happens at the point of production.

“Dealing with only production and negating market and the end of the value chain is not what will sustain and ensure food security,” she said.

Speaking on the five-year coconut upgrade strategy, the commissioner said the state government would fulfill its part of the counterpart funding of the project.

“We are hoping that by the end of first quarter, we should have the fund released and we will do it because the FAO has done its part and we will do our part as stated in the terms and conditions of the project,” she said.

Mr Dapo Olakulehin, the General Manager, Lagos State Coconut Development Authority, said the state government was committed to implementing the upgrade strategy for the development of coconut value chain.

Olakulehin said some activities had been lined up for the smooth implementation of the project.

Dr Marufat Orolu-Adedeji, Senior Veterinary Officer, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, who led the team round the abattoir and other facilities said the abattoir processed about 20 cows and 70 to 90 sheep and goats daily.

Orolu-Adedeji listed the challenges confronting the facility to include high cost of gas, poor drainage system among others.

Alhaji Kehinde Hoseni, Chairman, Sheep and Goat Association, Bariga, lauded the team and urged them to support the market. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Agriculture , Food Security

Jigawa boosts fish production at Birninkudu dam, stocks 18,000 fingerlings

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By Muhammad Nasir Bashir

The Jigawa State Government has taken a significant step to boost fish production in the region by stocking Birninkudu Dam with 18,000 fingerlings.

According to Mr Sulaiman Aminu, the Public Relations Officer of the Jigawa Ministry of Agriculture, the fingerlings were released into the dam as part of Governor Umar Namadi’s 12-point agenda to elevate the living standards of citizens.

This initiative aims to stimulate fishing activities and follows a similar successful effort in 2016 when the state government stocked Warwade Dam in Dutse Local Government with 300,000 assorted fingerlings.

Additionally, he said the government procured and distributed fishing gears such as nets, hooks, containers, and canoes to support local fishermen in the community.

NAN recalls that in 2016, the state government stocked Warwade Dam in Dutse Local Government with 300,000 assorted fingerlings.

Also, fishing gears such as nets, hooks, fishing containers and canoes were also procured and distributed to fishermen in the community. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Yakubu Uba/Christiana Fadare

 

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu
Food Security , Agriculture , General News

Lagos to prioritise food security

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By Olayinka Olawale

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State says food security will continue to receive priority attention to reduce the cost of food commodities in the state.

Sanwo-Olu gave the assurance during the 2023 Lagos Food Festival at the Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island, on Sunday in Lagos.

The Governor was represented by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme for the 2023 festival was: “A Fusion of Flavours.”

He said his administration would continue to be passionate about boosting the agricultural sector.

Sanwo-Olu said the sector had witnessed several initiatives and featured prominently in the THEMES Agenda of the state.

He expressed satisfaction with the massive turn out at the event adding that it demonstrated the true spirit of Lagos.

The governor said the Lagos Food Festival showcase prosperity, ingenuity, innovation and the spirit of Lagos to young people.

According to him, the food festival provides platform for Small and Medium Enterprises in the agriculture and food sector to showcase the beauty of the state as well as network.

“The event is about young people mostly showing their talents making money so we cannot be a society, just sitting and complaining.

“We can see all these young people here today, they are doing various things, so they are looking inward to say how can we add value and be successful.

“That is what I see here, prosperity, ingenuity, innovation and the spirit of Lagos,” he said.

NAN reports that the festival featured music, entertainment, cooking competition and dance.

Former World Guinness Record holder, Chef Hilda Baci, was among the judges during the cooking competition.

Also, live performances by Tuface Idibia, Adewale Ayuba, Laffup and Chef Gibbs among others, added excitement to the event.

The park which was filled to capacity had people trooping in with their families and love ones to have fun and relax during Yuletide.

Also speaking, Ms Abisola Olusanya, the State Commissioner for Agriculture, described 2023 as a very challenging period for the agricultural sector and the farmers.

Olusanya said the 2023 general elections, subsidy removal and the naira redesign policy of the Federal Government had a lot of negative effect on the performance of the sector.

A fish farmer, Mrs Falilat Oladimeji, a member of Eja Lonibu fishermen and women, Liverpool, Apapa area of the state, lauded the state government for providing such platform for farmers and SMEs.

Oladimeji urged the state government to support fish farmers with boat and engine, fish dryer, fishing nets, freezer and cold room to boost productivity.

“This is my sixth time of attending this event and I am happy.

I am happy with the sales, it is better than last year and we also enjoyed ourselves.

“The ministry gave us free stand and opportunity and we want to appreciate them for what they have done for us.

“Fish is very expensive now because all the materials used for fishing is expensive that is why we want the government to support us,“ she said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

=========
Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Food Security

80% surge in food importation alarming– FG

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By Felicia Imohimi

The Federal Government says there is an alarming surge of over 80 per cent in food importation between 2019 and 2023.

Dr Kingsley Uzoma, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Agribusinesses and Productivity Enhancement (SSAP), disclosed at the National policy dialogue on Thursday in Abuja.

The policy dialogue is tagged “Deepening Partnership for Scaling-Up of Information and Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) for Smallholder Farmers in Nigeria.”

It was organised by the Federal Government, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the National Information and Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

He said that no fewer than 88.5 million Nigerians were faced with insufficient food consumption while the figure was projected to increase by six million in December.

Uzoma said the Federal was committed to reversing the trend.

The senior special assistant identified decline in agricultural capacity as a major contributor as the country was being forced to rely heavily on food imports.

He said the country had the highest rate of stunted children globally added that 70 per cent of the population lived below poverty line and food inflation stood at 31.52 per cent in October.

“This escalating dependence on external sources further intensifies the challenges within the domestic food landscape all of which have resulted in the declaration of state of emergency in food security by Mr President.

“The IFAD-financed programme such as Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) and Livelihood Improvement and Family Enterprises Project for the Niger Delta (LIFE-ND), aim to enhance incomes and food security through sustainable practices and integration of ICT4D.

“These programmes involve tool such as the Mini-weather Station (Nimet) and Agriculture Market Information System (AIMS) to benefit farmers.

“However, challenges in data access, gender equality, infrastructure and technical support still exist,” he said.

He identified sustained efforts at digital literacy and collaboration by agencies and private sector as critical in ensuring greater technology adoption by smallholder farmers.

Uzoma said such efforts could translate to improved productivity, extensive technical upscaling, promote best practices, increased trade competitiveness and market access.

The presidential aide said it was essential to apply a twin approach of developing critical technology enabling infrastructure in partnership with the universal service provision fund and mobile network operators while driving low technology solution as USSD and WhatsApp to increase accessibility.

“Increased collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the NITDA is necessary to implement the National Digital Agriculture Strategy to further leverage technology for advancement of the agricultural sector.

“These aligned with the mandate of my office under the leadership of the vice president which encompasses a multifaceted approach rooted in technology and innovation to ensure transformative change in Nigeria’s agricultural sector.

“This includes empowering one million women, youths and minorities to achieve food and nutritional sovereignty, ensuring food security and heightened agricultural productive.

“It is also to achieve a 22 billion dollars import substitution of high-value crops like wheat, implement sustainable agricultural practices to promote environmental conservation and mitigate climate change.

“Moreover, the mandate seeks to generate two million direct and six million indirect jobs with a focus on youth and women while simultaneously addressing and minimising farmer/herder crises,” he said.

Mrs Dede Ekoue, IFAD Country Director, said the dialogue was aimed at strengthening partnership for enhanced access of smallholder farmers to digital solutions.

According to her, the solutions will enhance their livelihoods, contribution to food security, nutrition, poverty reduction, economy growth and job creation.(NAN)(www.nannews.com)

Edited by Dorcas Jonah and Chijioke Okoronkwo

Food Security

FG targets 2,000 tractors yearly to boost food production

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By Doris Esa

Local production of 2,000 tractors yearly will boost food production, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, said in Abuja on Friday.

It will also create jobs for farmers, especially women and youths and enhance food and nutrition security, he said in a statement issued by Mr Ezeaja Ikemefuna, Assistant Director of Information in the ministry.

The minister made the declaration when the Vice-President of John Deere Ltd. (a tractor manufacturing company), Mr Jason Braintley, paid him a courtesy visit.

Kyari noted that the visit was a follow-up to a meeting between Nigeria’s Vice-President Kashim Shettima and top officials of John Deere Ltd. at the Oct. 24 World Food Prize Foundation Day held in lowa, U.S.A.

He said the Nigerian government would not buy the tractors, but would provide the enabling environment to make them affordable by farmers on loan at low-interest rate so as to boost year-round farming.

The minister said farmers needed to form clusters or co-operatives that would buy the tractors to facilitate mechanised farming.

The famers’ clusters or cooperatives could pay for the tractors in instalments, he explained

In his remarks, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Aliyu Abudullahi, stressed the need to evaluate co-operatives and ascertain those requiring support to enable them to access the tractors when available.

He also emphasised the importance of identifying crops most suitable for mechanised farming.

Earlier, Braintley said the company was exploring the possibility of tractor hiring or acquisition or local production, backed with after-sales services, supply of genuine spare parts and training of operators and mechanics.

The tractors, he said, would have capacity ranging between 75 horsepower and 90 horsepower for use in different terrains. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Alli Hakeem

Agriculture , Food Security

Fish farmer seeks govt collaboration to bridge fish deficit gap

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By Olayinka Olawale

A fish farmer, Chief Tayo Akingbolagun, says only intentional policy and collaboration between federal and state government and farmers will bridge fish deficit gap in the country.

Akingbolagun, former President, Lagos State Catfish farmers and Allied Association of Nigeria (LASCAFAN), Ikorodu Chapter, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.

He stressed that all hands must be on deck to bridge the deficit gap in fish production.

Akingbolagun enjoined government to support farmers with
inputs to boost food production and security.

He said that the continuous increase in the price of feed was discouraging farmers, noting that many had left the business it was no longer profitable.

NAN reports that the Federal Government had last year raised concerns about the inability to meet up the 3.6 million metric tonnes demand for fish as the country only produces 1.2 million metric tonnes leaving a wide gap of 2.4 million metric tonnes.

He said bridging the gap of fish deficit had been on the front burner for sometime now without much achievement.

“As a former national president of LASCAFAN during the time of Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, the former Minister of Agriculture, we had useful discussion about bridging the gap.

“One of the things he did at that time to encourage farmers to produce was to ban catfish importation.

“The second thing was to ban tilapia importation so that we can stimulate the growth of tilapia in the country.

“At that time, yes of course, the policy did well because we found out that we had a sudden increase in production of catfish and this was due to the fact that we have the produce that arise today.

“Now that the price of feed continue to go up and we can not sell at affordable price, farmers have again left the business and they say it is not profitable,” he said.

Akingbolagun noted that fish farmers had started stimulating tilapia fish production due to support and training received from the Lagos Agro-Processing, Productivity, Enhancement and Livelihood Support (APPEALS) project.

According to him, tilapia fish is a very good fish and the best consuming fish in the world, thereby making it very important to bridging the deficit gap in fish value chain.

“Now, we are stimulating to produce tilapia, some of us have tried to do tilapia but no knowledge and people are scared of producing it.

“Tilapia is a very good fish, it is the best in the world and the best consuming fish in the world.

“We are starting to produce tilapia now. APPEALS project gave us a cage culture in Epe and we have tried two circles now, and it is doing very well.

“Many of our farmers are now going into cage culture to produce tilapia and it has resulted in increase in production and bridge the gap that we are looking at,” he said.

The fish farmer called for more support and empowerment for farmers to bridge the gap adding that farmers cannot do it alone.

“Bridging the gap is not a thing we can achieve in one or two years but it takes intentional policy for us to bridge the gap by encouraging farmers to produce, give them all the inputs and empowerment to do it.

“If government is folding arms and waiting or looking at farmers to do it, we cannot do it alone it has to be joint network,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

 

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Food Security

AFAN urges FG to introduce solar powered silos

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By Olayinka Olawale

The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has urged the Federal Government to introduce solar powered silos across the country to boost food storage and reserve system.

Dr Femi Oke, AFAN’s Chairman in Lagos State and South-West Zone, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.

Oke said solar powered silos would increase food security if introduced.

He noted that solar powered silos was well known in many developed countries and urged the government to key into it.

Oke explained that solar powered silos had become necessary in the country due to epileptic power supply.

“Despite the fact that we have travelled far and near, we have not seen it in government owned storage facility.

“A very few private sector farmers have fund to establish solar powdered silos.

“We use this opportunity to ask the Federal Government to embrace solar due to the epileptic power supply in the country.

“Having solar powered silos might be better because not every farmer can afford independent power generator,” he said.

Oke urged the government to subsidise solar powered storage facility for smallholder farmers, while urging big mechanised farmers to volunteer to have it.

The AFAN boss said the available silos were underutilised and should be revived.

According to him, if the solar system can be subsidised by the government, it will reduce the price of food commodity in the market.

“The storage facility which we have in the country are not functioning, very many are moribund and are not properly maintained.

“We are trying to appeal to our state governors, especially the South-West governors, to come on board and also support it.

“Look at the time when COVID-19 came and we never expected it, it was the little grains that was in the nation’s reserves that the Federal Government gave out as palliatives.

“Now, we don’t pray for such a thing to happen again, we definitely need to improve it.

“Government need to do more and to encourage new farmers that have functioning storage system in the country because we don’t pray for anything like what we have experienced in the past three years to happen again,” he noted.

Oke also appealed to government to establish new silos to encourage farmers to increase their production.

“As at now, the silos are not well utilised; we appeal to government at all levels to work closely in this regard.

“No farmer want to run at a loss but if there are reserves where farmers can keep the excess produce, definitely, they will be encouraged to do more.

“We are using this medium to tell the government that new silos should be established and the farmers will be happy,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Food Security

Stakeholders urge states, LGAs to boost rabies elimination

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Stakeholders  at the commemoration of World Rabies Day

 

By Felicia Imohimi

Stakeholders in the animal health sector have urged the states and local governments in Nigeria to step up efforts at dog vaccination in order to meet 2030 rabies elimination.

The stakeholders– Life Stock Management Services (LMS) and the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) made the call on Thursday in Abuja at the commemoration of the World Rabies Day.

World Rabies Day is observed annually on September 28 and the theme for 2023 is, “All for 1, one health for all.”

Dr Abubarka Muhammed, Director and Chief Executive Officer of LMS, in his keynote address, said the states and local councils should prioritise efforts at  rabies elimination by carrying out awareness campaign and dog  vaccination on regular basis.

He identified weak coordination of fight against rabies at the subnational level as a challenge militatting  against  rabies control in the country.

Muhammed said that rabies was one of the deadliest tropical zoonoses and one of the six disease prioritised in the animal health sector.

According to him, the 2018 Nigeria Centre for Disease Control report shows that no fewer than 10,000 dog-bite incidences in Nigeria  saredocumented per annum with over 1,600 deaths.

He said the best way to go in achieving the set target was to collaborate with traditional rulers and intensify awareness on danger pose by rabies and its preventive measure.

Muhammed listed other challenges militating against rabies elimination as inadequate laboratory diagnostic capacity especially in the human sector, limited access to vaccines and supportive in rural areas.

Others, according to him, are poor funding for rabies programme with high cost of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), little awareness on anti-rabies vaccines and PEP as well as inadequate legislation.

He identified the way forward as stronger collaborative efforts by major stakeholders the ministries of agriculture, health and environment as well as private sector, stronger engagement and linkage with states and local governments.

Also, Dr Chinna-Joe Iruobe, Chairman NVMA FCT Chapter, said rabies was a deadly zoonotic viral disease known to man.

“It is zoonotic in nature;  affecting all warm blooded animals and man and is mostly  transmitted by domestic and wild canidae through the bite of an infected animal mostly dogs and cats.

“Rabies is deadly and accounts for about 59,000 human deaths annually, however it is of essence to note that it is preventable when our dogs and cats are adequately vaccinated annually and kept on leash, ” she said.

Speaking on the theme, Iruobe said the association was partnering with  LMS, NCDC, Federal Ministry of Health,  Environment and Agriculture and Food Security to ensure elimination of the menace of rabies by the year 2030. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chijoke Okoronkwo

Food Security

World Bank pledges to reposition Nigeria’s irrigation farming for economic development

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By Tosin Kolade

The World Bank announced its commitment to reposition Nigeria’s irrigation farming for sustainable economic development and for food security on Thursday in Abuja.

It announced the commitment when its team on Sustainable Power and Irrigation in Nigeria/ Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria, (SPIN/TRIMING) project officials visited the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Prof. Joseph Utsev.

The officials were led by Mr Jun Matsumoto, the Team Lead.

Matsumoto acknowledged the successful transformation of irrigation asset management in Nigeria through the establishment of water users associations.


He noted the pivotal role played by the associations in ensuring the sustainable management of irrigation resources and called for support in achieving the project’s objectives.

He emphasised the critical importance of collaboration in the upcoming SPIN project and elaborated on its core objectives.

Matsumoto said one of the objectives was the utilisation of existing water resources infrastructure to address Nigeria’s water resources and energy requirements.

He said the project would include comprehensive technical assistance studies focused on large-scale water resources management, and the development of multi-purpose dam hydropower projects.

Responding, Prof. Utsev said achievements already recorded in Nigeria’s TRIMING project was impressive.

He emphasised the integral connection between economic sustainability and food security underlining the TRIMING project’s pivotal role in enhancing food production.

The minister welcomed the proposal to replace TRIMING, set to expire in 2024, with SPIN, saying it would address Nigeria’s pressing challenges in the area of food sufficiency.

Prof. Utsev reaffirmed Federal Government’s commitment to food security, improved irrigation techniques, and enhanced farming practices across the country.

He expressed gratitude to the World Bank for the remarkable progress recorded on the project over the past nine years and expressed optimism that it would yield even more significant outcomes.

TRIMING strengthened quality of and access to productivity-enhancing and market access services for 130,000 farmers in four rehabilitated irrigation schemes.

They are the Bakolori Irrigation Scheme in Zamfara, Middle Rima Irrigation Scheme in Sokoto State, Kano River Irrigation Scheme, and Hadejia Valley Irrigation Scheme in Jigawa.

The project provides technical assistance to establish a Farmers’ Management Centre at each of the irrigation schemes. (NAN)

Edited by Alli Hakeem

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