NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA
IFAD-VCDP: Dry season farming ‘ll mitigate impact of flooding
Agriculture , Food Security

IFAD-VCDP: Dry season farming ‘ll mitigate impact of flooding

242 total views today
By Felicia Imohimi

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) says it is supporting dry season farming  to mitigate the effects of flooding on farmers and boost food production capacity.

Dr Donal Brown, Associate Vice-President of IFAD, Rome, communicated this when he led a team of IFAD-VCDP officials on field tour of some projects sites of the beneficiaries of the agency’s programme in Enugu.

Brown, who expressed satisfaction with the positive impact of dry season farming on women groups, said it was important to invest more on dry season farming to enhance food production in the country.

According to him, dry season farming is a surest way to replenish farmers’ losses from devastating floods during the rainy season.

“From the testimonies of farmers on the field, dry season farming is more profitable and reliable than wet or rainy season farming.

“I am very impressed with the level of women empowerment through VCPD and I commend the efforts of the beneficiaries.

“What is important in project such as this is that we build the capacity of participants and make them self-reliant through the provision of equipment so that when the project elapsed, they can still remain in business and earn a living,’’ he said.

Brown said that supporting participants would discourage them from too much reliance on government for everything and ensure sustainability of the programme.

Dr Fatima Aliyu, National Programme Coordinator (NPC) of the Federal Government IFAD-VCDP, said the organisation decided to focus more attention on dry season farming due to its huge benefits in agricultural production.

The national coordinator said the organisation had so far empowered no fewer than 4,000 women through the provision of solar powered water pumps free energy pumps for the irrigation of their farms.

She identified the strategy as a stop gap measure to cushion the effects of flooding on farmers with the attendant losses.

“If there is flooding during the rainy season and you lose your crops, you can always recover from the dry season farming.

“Since 2022, we have been suffering a lot of flooding in the VCDP participating states; hence, we decided to invest more in dry season farming in this part of the country which focuses more on rainfall agriculture,” she said.

Evelyn Nwaru Chairperson, Chiamaka Amorji Nenwe Women Multipurpose Cooperative Dry Season Rice Farm, said dry season farming was more profitable than rainy season farming.

She said crops could retain any input applied as the farmers had total control including water which led to better crop yields.

According to her, during wet season all inputs like fertilisers, manure, herbicide, insecticide even the crop can be washed away by flood, but such are usually minimised during the dry season.

“Due to the challenges associated with raining season farming we get more yield and improved seedlings,’’ she said.

Edeh Patricia, another beneficiary of dry season farming, said VCDP had changed her life positively, adding that the programme made her to have passion for farming.

Cecilia Michael, Chairperson, Chinazamekpere Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative Society, said through the programme, the farmers used weighing scale for selling of their products as against the local way of using plate for measurement.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the sites visited included Chiamaka Amorji Nenwe Women Multipurpose Dry Season Rice Farm and Chidiebube Nenwe Women Rice Processing Multipurpose Cooperative Society.

Another site visited was Providence Nenwe Aninri Local Government Area Rice Processing facilities.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Francis Onyeukwu and Chijioke Okoronkwo

FCT consumers turn to ‘awara’ as substitute for meat – Seller
Food Security , General News

FCT consumers turn to ‘awara’ as substitute for meat – Seller

387 total views today

By Veronica Dariya

Mrs Hannatu Musa, an ‘awara’ seller in Bwari Area Council, FCT, says more consumers have turned to buying ‘awara’ as substitute for protein.

Musa, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Bwari, said since meat was no longer affordable, some consumers had resorted to the use of `awara’ as substitute.

NAN reports that ‘awara’ is the Hausa version of Tofu; a meal made of Soybean curds; Soybeans are a richly healthy food; it contains several vitamins and is low in carbohydrate.

It is a common delicacy in the northern region produced in block form and eaten as snack.

Musa said that the snack had significant popularity in the north due to its health benefits and delectable taste.

She said that she had gained more consumers in recent times because people had realised it could serve as meat in foods, especially for those who avoided beef intake.

“I learned it is packed with protein and serves as an excellent alternative to meat for individuals looking to reduce their meat intake.

“I think that is why patronage for it has increased; lately, I have seen more people of different tribes come here to buy the snack.

“One of my customers actually told me he buys it for his entire family so that they can add to their meals.

“Since I cannot afford meat or fish regularly anymore and my children love it, I substitute it for meat.

“I think it is because it has a meat-like texture and flavour after it is fried; you can actually add it as an ingredient in soups and stews,’’ she said.

Musa said the delicacy was traditionally served with ground pepper or sliced fresh pepper, cabbage, and cucumber and could also be eaten with pap or ‘kunu.’

She said that in spite of its nutritional value, the preparation of ‘awara’ was time-consuming and challenging which was the reason people opted for ready-made.

Madam Christine Douglas, one of the consumers of the snack, told NAN that she had never eaten it until she came to live in Abuja five years ago.

She said that her neighbor, who was a northerner, introduced her to eating it and she had since then, taken queue to buy.

“I have introduced other women too to it: it is very delicious if well prepared.

“I like the way it is usually garnished: it goes well with rice and now that meat is expensive, I use it to balance my diet,’’ she said.

Dr Kemi Adegoke-Abraham, a nutritionist, said that the food, made from soybeans, had high vitamin content and low carbohydrates.

According to her, ‘awara’ is a good choice for those monitoring carbohydrate intakes.

“In addition, its low glycemic index in soybeans ensures stable blood sugar levels, rendering it a suitable option for individuals with diabetes.

“You know, soybeans also proffers a substantial dietary fiber content and according to some research, soybeans reduces the risk of breast cancer,” she said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Dorcas Jonah and Chijioke Okoronkwo

Stampede: NCS suspends distribution of rice
Food Security

Stampede: NCS suspends distribution of rice

214 total views today

By Martha Agas
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has suspended its food disposal initiative following a stampede that claimed seven lives on Feb. 23.

The unfortunate incident was during the distribution of 25Kg bags of rice at its Zonal Headquarters, Yaba, Lagos State

The service announced the suspension in a statement by its National Public Relations Officer, Mr Abdullahi Maiwada, on Monday.

Maiwada said that the suspension was part of the service’s resolve to ensure the safety of Nigerians and to enable it properly articulate its next line of action, in order not to defeat the vision of the initiative.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the NCS had announced on Feb. 20 that it would facilitate the direct disposal of food items forfeited to the Federal Government.

The initiative was in response to the current challenges of food security in Nigeria and the increasingly high costs of essential food items.

It also targeted an improvement in the lives of indigents.

The distribution of 25kg of rice, thus, commenced on Feb. 23 at the discounted price of N10,000 in Lagos.

The service said that the exercise would be managed to ensure that the benefits reach the most needy.

According to the service spokesperson, the bags of rice were out of stock during the pilot distribution, which led to heightened desperation among the crowd.

“Unforeseen challenges arose when we ran out of stock and announced the continuation of the exercise the following day, leading to a regrettable outcome.

“The crowd became desperate and charged through our barricades in search of rice bags inside emptied containers. In the stampede that ensued, some fatalities and injuries were regrettably recorded.

“Considering the recent unfortunate event, we regrettably announce the suspension of this exercise until we establish what transpired on Friday, 23 February 2024,” he said.

He said that an internal investigation had been initiated to understand the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate event.

The service commiserated with the families of the deceased and assured them of its unwavering support.

“NCS is working with hospital authorities to establish contact and engage directly with the victims’ families regarding their next steps,” he said.

In a similar development, the Spokesperson, in an interview with NAN, said that the process of selling the rice was in line with its regulations.

He said that the money collected from the sales was going directly into the federation account.

This was in reaction to critics who had argued that the bag of rice sold at N10,000 was supposed to be given free to the vulnerable in the society.

He said that the items had monetary value and were sold at that amount to generate revenue for the government.
.
“Even though the amount of revenue collected through this scheme is inconsequential compared to what we collect as revenue, we need to recoup the value of duty that would have been collected on those items if they were imported into Nigeria,” he said.

According to him, the price of the rice was discounted to enable indigents afford it.

“But it was later given out for free because of the mammoth crowd at the distribution centre,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

MAA/ETS

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Food prices rise in January- NBS
Food Security

Food prices rise in January- NBS

255 total views today

By Okeoghene Akubuike

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says prices of beef, rice, beans, onion, tomato, and other food items increased in January.

It said this in its Selected Food Prices Watch report for January 2024, released in Abuja on Tuesday.

The report said that the average price of 1kg of boneless beef increased by 37.08 per cent from N2,418.91 recorded in January of 2023 to N3,315.78 in January 2024

“On a month-on-month basis, 1kg of boneless beef increased by 5. 37 per cent in January from the N3,146.94 recorded in December 2023,’’ the report said.

It said that the average price of 1kg of local rice increased by 98.47 per cent on a year-on-year basis from N514.83 recorded in January 2023 to N1,021.79 in January 2024.

“On a month-on-month basis, 1kg of local rice increased by 11.31 per cent from the N917.93 recorded in December 2023.”

It said that the average price of 1kg of brown beans increased by 64.42 per cent on a year-on-year basis from N593.96 in January 2023 to N976.58 in January 2024.

“On a month-on-month basis, the price increased by 12.16 per cent from the N870.67 recorded in December 2023 to N976.58 in January 2024.’’

The NBS said the average price of 1kg of onion bulb rose by 97.38 per cent on a year-on-year basis from N446.44 in January 2023 to N881.20 in January 2024.

“However, on a month-on-month basis, the price decreased by 9.33 per cent from N971.86 recorded in December 2023.’’

The report said that the average price of 1kg of tomato increased by 80.98 per cent on a year-on-year basis from N467.04 in January 2023 to N845.26 in January 2024.

“On a month-on-month basis, 1kg of tomato increased by 3.82 per cent from N814.16 in December 2023 to N845.26 in January 2024.”

On state profile analysis, the report showed that in January 2024,the highest average price of 1kg of boneless beef was recorded in Abuja at N4,000, while the lowest price was recorded in Gombe at N2,639.

It said that Abuja recorded the highest average price of 1kg of local rice at N1,350, while the lowest was recorded in Benue at N800.64

The NBS said that the highest average price of 1kg of brown beans was recorded in Akwa Ibom at N1,466.67, while the lowest price was recorded in Adamawa at N677.23.

It said the highest average price of 1kg of onion bulb was recorded in Rivers at N1,454.09 while the lowest was recorded in Zamfara at N435.71.

According to the report, Delta recorded the highest average price of 1kg of tomato at N1,474.79 while Kano recorded the lowest price at N422.7.

Analysis by zone showed that the average price of 1kg of boneless beef was highest in the South-East at N3,761.32, followed by the South-West at N3,608.76.

“The lowest price was recorded in the North-East at N2,854,86.”

The North-Central and South-West recorded the highest average price of 1kg of local rice at N1,083.36 and N1067.39 respectively, while the lowest price was in the North-East at N941.57.

The report said that the South-South recorded the highest average price of 1kg of brown beans at NN1,296.66, followed by the South-East at N1,088.18 , while the North-West recorded the lowest price at N729.95.

It said that the South-South and South-West recorded the highest average price of 1kg of onion bulb at N1,331.74 and N1,024.89, respectively, while the lowest was recorded in the North-West at N525.60.

The NBS said also that the South-South recorded the highest average price of 1kg of Tomato at N1,321.47, followed by the South-West at NN1,029.25.

“The North-West recorded the lowest price of 1kg of tomato at N490.94,’’ the NBS said . (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Vivian Ihechu

OFAB seeks end to misleading narratives on GM crops
Agriculture , Food Security

OFAB seeks end to misleading narratives on GM crops

316 total views today

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

FAO affirms support to Lagos govt on food security
Agriculture , Food Security

FAO affirms support to Lagos govt on food security

327 total views today

 

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

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

 

Lagos to prioritise food security
Food Security , Agriculture , General News

Lagos to prioritise food security

268 total views today

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)

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Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

80% surge in food importation alarming– FG
Food Security

80% surge in food importation alarming– FG

196 total views today

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

FG targets 2,000 tractors yearly to boost food production
Food Security

FG targets 2,000 tractors yearly to boost food production

153 total views today
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

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