By Joy Akinsanya

Some stakeholders in the poultry industry on Thursday expressed determination to support farmers in the Southwest geo-political zone with modern equipment.

The stakeholders, who spoke at a three- day Nigeria Poultry Show in Abeokuta, said poultry farmers needed support to succeed from both government and private sector.

Mr Femi Adelayo, the Director of Technology and Sales, Facco Walto West Africa Poultry Equipment company, said that the use of well-built poultry equipment was cost effective because of its quality.

“We want to ensure Nigerian farmers have the best quality available in the market in the best affordable price; all this ultimately is for Nigeria to be able to feed itself and to grow in food production.

“Faaco has been in Nigeria for over 40 years; it is one of the leading brand for poultry equipment in Nigeria.

“Primarily, what we do is that we add value to the farmers by providing quality equipment that last many years.

“We constantly continue to work on improving the quality of our products and find solution for farmers to be able to afford quality poultry equipment.’’

He said that the organisation was also into training and education of farmers on modern farm technologies.

“We collaborate with the other players in the industry; we ensure that we improve the quality of services and find solutions that are best for the farmers

“If you have a well-built farm even if things are not going well for sometimes but the equipment will still stand the test of time, unlike low quality equipment which will get spoilt easily if is not used for a while,” he said.

Mr Omotade Okeegbe, the Commercial Director for ADM Animal Nutrition Business, said that having a shared value would help to address some of the problems in the poultry industry.

“Our expertise is to provide support to farmers to come up with best Feed solution that will work for them, supporting feed millers in providing the right kind of feed for animal within the market, and our desire is to see the industry grow.

“In the NPS, we are looking at the frame work on how to really begin to resuscitate and re-energies the poultry Industry.’’

He expressed optimism that the event would present an opportunity not just for advertisement but for stakeholders to brainstorm the way forward in the poultry industry.

“We expect farmers to be part of the event, learn and also find out how we can be of more services and support to the industry which is what we are here for,” Okeegbe said.

The Chairman of the event, Dr Olalekan Odunsi, said 113 exhibitors from various poultry value chain industry were in attendance as against the 80 exhibitors that participated in 2022.

“This year’s event had shown that our expectations would be met, looking at the participation of different agricultural stakeholders from different countries and Nigeria.

“Also, the presence of government officials from the six southwest geo-political zone is a good sign that the poultry industry will in no time met all of its demands,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the participants included the New Hope Agriculture Technology Nigeria Ltd., Top Feed, AmoBying Nigeria Ltd., DSL Pharma, and Retech Farm. (NAN)

Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

By Bukola Adewumi

The Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG) has announced its partnership with some stakeholders to strengthen interventions to promote food safety in the country.

Dr Tayo Aduloju, NESG Chief Executive Officer-designate, in a statement on Thursday, said the partnership would be between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

According to him, the just concluded workshop on “Food and Feed Expertise Coordination” targets high-level officials and technical experts from the Nigerian food industry and regulatory bodies.

Aduloju said Nigeria’s commitment to uphold the highest food safety standards was paramount to its wellbeing and progress.

He said the country had over 70 million hectares of agricultural land-a massive potential for economic growth and development.

Aduloju said that effective regulatory, institutional and policy framework was needed for agriculture to thrive.

According to him, the private sector plays a crucial role in the agricultural value chain, enhancing productivity, opening markets, and attracting investment.

“Frameworks that address the gaps in food and feed safety systems will not only improve the well-being of citizens, but also impact Nigeria’s position in international trade.

“To benefit effectively from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCTA), reforming food and feed safety systems in Nigeria is inevitable,’’ he said.

The statement quotes the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, as saying that deliberate efforts were being made to ensure that the country attains the required National Health Security status.

Pate noted that the ministry would validate the revised National Policy on Food Safety and Quality and its Implementation Plan 2023 and also launch the first National Integrated Guidelines for Foodborne Disease Surveillance and Response.

“The revised policy will look at new and emerging areas that will improve the regulatory, enforcement and data-gathering system to ensure it is more effective, efficient, and robust,’’ Pate said.

He, however, said his ministry prioritised food safety as a serious element of public health that required concerted efforts.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the three-day food safety expertise workshop builds on 2022 Food and Feed Safety Transformation Dialogue – where stakeholders tasked the government to pass the National Food Safety and Quality Bill into law.

This, they say is important to the health and wellbeing of Nigerians.(NAN)

Edited by Tosin Kolade and Chijioke Okoronkwo

By Felicia Imohimi

The Federal Government is to deepen its collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) through technology to boost food production and improve the livelihood of smallholder farmers.

Dr Ernest Umakhihe, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, made this known at the Information Communication Technology for Development (ICT4D) Monitoring and Evaluation (M and E) training on Wednesday in Abuja.

Umakhihe, represented by Mr Ibrahim Tanimu, Director, Planning and Policy Coordination in the ministry, identified the ICT4D component of IFAD projects as an important part of the present government agenda of transforming the agricultural sector.

He emphasised that agriculture had to be diversified through the use of technology, adding that without technology the nation could achieve much in food production considering the numerous challenges bedeviling the sector.

Umakhihe said the country could scale up agricultural production and assist the smallholder farmers through the adoption of technology since they were the critical stakeholders in the ministry.

“We have numerous challenges in this sector such as insecurity, and high inflation of food items in the market among others.

“These are challenges that can be minimised with the use of technology.

“Insecurity has made it possible that some farmers cannot even reach their farms but with the use of technology, we will be able to monitor the farms and farmers.

“We have a challenge, and we shall put heads together to ensure robust production of agricultural food to ensure that we are food secured, otherwise if we are not food secured the African continent will be in danger, that is what we do not want to happen, ” he said.

Umakhihe, who commended IFAD for the giant stride, said the ministry would `borrow a leaf’ from the innovation.

He said IFAD ICT4D was in line with the Federal Government’s agricultural value chain transformation agenda.

Mrs Dede Ekoue, IFAD Nigeria Country Director, said the essence of the training was to use the power of digital solutions to improve the monitoring and evaluation of our project to yield the best results.

Ekoue said the Federal Government and IFAD were investing heavily in projects to boost agricultural production and improve the livelihood of smallholder farmers adding that these projects must yield the best results.

She identified ICT4D as the key to scaling up results for farmers.

According to her, there need to use digital tools to track the results; to track whether the result is in line with the objectives; to ensure that these results are efficient and to learn from these results to improve on the project.

“So, the essence of the digital training on M and E is to use ICT4D which is a technological solution to scale up our results for the real farmers.

“When we use the ICT4D solution, we are able to make sure that staff use them to work on the project; and farmers also use them to give their feedback on the project.

“This feedback can be done through cell phone, SMS, WhatsApp among other internet tools,” she said.

Ekoue said that M and E system was to know whether the investments provided by a Local Government in terms of input such as fertilizer were helping to increase production in the farms supported by the organisation and government.

She said the training provided participants with knowledge of the current state of ICT4D in agriculture including access and application of tools and technologies in transforming rural agriculture.

Ekoue said it was also to ascertain how various stakeholders in a digital agricultural ecosystem project could best meet their specific objectives using the concepts of interoperability as an overall framework and guide.

NAN reports that the 70 participants at the training were drawn from the Ministries of Agriculture, Finance, and staff of projects.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Nick Nicholas and Chijioke Okoronkwo

By Olayinka Olawale

The Lagos State Government through the Agro-Productivity, Processing, Enhancement and Livelihood Support (APPEALS) project has donated a blast freezer to the Lagos State Catfish Association of Nigeria (LASCAFAN), Ikorodu Chapter.

Speaking during the unveiling of the project and the introduction of frozen catfish on Tuesday in Ikorodu, Ms Abisola Olusanya, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, said the project was to promote value addition.

Olusanya noted that the introduction of the frozen catfish would address and deliver fish farmers from the crush of fish mongers who determine price without recourse to cost of production.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a blast freezer is a specially designed blast/fast-freeze meat, fish, chicken and other food items, with an operating temperature ranging between 24 and 40°C.

The blast freezer has a capacity of half-a-ton per cycle with about eight-hours cooling and can process one ton of fish daily.

The catfish is fresh fish with no addictive and no preservative.

She said Lagos State with a population of about 25 million people require 425,009 tonnes of fish demand per annum, in line with the World Health Organisation recommendation of 17kg fish protein intake per person per annum.

The commissioner was represented by the Director of Fisheries, Mrs Daisi Osunkoya.

She said this was against the current fish production figure of about 198,706 tons per annum.

The commissioner noted that fish, a major source of protein, is low in cholesterol making it medically acceptable to young and old people.

She said the flexibility of fish farming encouraged the involvement of both older and younger people in fish farming, as a means of livelihood.

According to her, catfish farming has dominated the aquaculture industry in Lagos State and Nigeria for more than two decades because of its handiness, fast growth, and acceptance of artificial feed, among others.

“Over the years, marketing has been a major challenge to fish farmers across the country.

“The introduction of the frozen catfish will address and deliver our fish farmers from fish mongers who determines price without recourse to cost of production.

“This will give the farmers the opportunity to set good price for their product and in turn expand their production,” she said.

She added that there was awareness among people now that fish possess a collection of lipids which along with the flavour enhances amino acid.

“Fish protein has been acclaimed to be healthier for consumption than meat especially as one starts getting advanced in age, which leads to a higher demand for fish produce.

“I congratulate the beneficiaries of the project and urged them to make good use of the golden opportunity to boost fish production and fish preservation in Lagos State,” she said.

Also, Chief Abiodun Ogunleye, a former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, said projects like this would reduce the cost of importation in the country.

Ogunleye said the project would regulate price, stability, improve value and boost export opportunity.

He said the project would address post harvest losses adding that it was a great step in the right direction.

He said majority of items being imported into the country could be substituted locally, while urging people to patronise made in Nigeria fish.

“There are some people who engage in lazy aspect of economy, importing alone but I have refused to import maybe that is why I am like this.

“I believe we are wasting Nigeria’s hard earn foreign exchange on importation.

“With more projects like this, we will reduce our dependency on imported goods, we have to grow what we eat, and eat what we grow and also export,” he said.

“One in Badagry, now Ikorodu, and we will have the third in Agege soon.

“We will no longer sell our fish under pressure, we can now manage our production and market,” he said.

He said the aquaculture value chain if properly harnessed would replace fuel in terms of revenue generation for the country.

Mrs Omolara Oguntuyi, the Lagos State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, said the ministry would continue to support the association.

Oguntuji urged the farmers to take proper care of the project and to transfer the knowledge to their children.

“Lagos is setting the pace in fish production but I think Lagos own the fish and it is a good thing that you are doing what you are doing.

“Protein is in high shortage in Nigeria and everybody can bear me witness that even common people cannot source for protein because they are very expensive.

“What you are doing will stabilise the price of fish and also address wastage.

“If for just these two purpose, I think you have done very well,” she said.

Mr Deola Banjo, Chairman, Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area, noted that the initiative would be a game-changer for storage of agricultural produce in the council.

Banjo said the significance of a blast freezer cannot be over-emphasised as it would in no small measure impact positively on the storage and preservation of farm produce.

He said the project would lead to increased productivity and profitability for farmers. (NAN)

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

By Maharazu Ahmed

The International Livestock Research and Training Institute (ILRTI), has commenced engagement with critical stakeholders to revolutionise livestock production in Nigeria.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of the stakeholders included the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Fulbe Global Development and Right Initiatives (FGDRI).

The Executive Director and Chairman, Governing Board of the institute, Dr Kabir Dasuki, said on Tuesday in Abuja that the aim was also to address the challenges in livestock production.

Dasuki who met with officials of MACBAN and FGDRI, said that livestock production constituted a major part of the 27.35 per cent of Nigeria’s total agricultural GDP, and contributed significantly to employment generation.

He said recent estimates put Nigeria’s herd population to about 21.16 million cattle, 43.4 million sheep, 76 million goats, 900,000 donkeys and 180 million poultry.

According to him, the herd population can be improved beyond the present level if there is appropriate capacity building and the right environment.

Dasuki said the institute would improve the capacity of stakeholders and help in upscaling food nutrition and security which were necessary to reduce poverty, improve health care and create jobs.

According to him, the institute will also provide the necessary inputs for Nigeria to harness the potential of the livestock sector to earn foreign exchange.

The Executive Director said that the institute offered opportunities for stakeholders to acquire skills and knowledge on various aspects of livestock.

“ We currently have some students undergoing training in the techniques of modern livestock breeding and the application of mini ranches, high yielding grass with less water usage at our main campus in Sokoto.

“ This will enable herders to breed cattle without necessarily moving from location to location during lactation, and get higher milk yield in excess of 55 litres per day.

“ Our other in-house training techniques holistically centres on peace, and counterterrorism, which are major ingredients in nation building and rapid community development.

“ We are happy to report that we have championed and activated six Peace Ambassadors groups in the north central states of Benue and Nasarawa with two more states to be captured before the third quarter of 2024,” he said.

Dasuki said the institute currently had improved livestock breeds in its stables at Sokoto Gudali.

He added that sustained effort was being made to set up a research department for the cross breeding of the popular Brazilian Zebu type breeds with local breeds.

” This is with a view to improving yield, disease resistance, and higher beef production.”

He said that the institute was determined to transform Africa’s livestock future through training, research and innovation, advocacy and policies.

“ We are currently working at securing and preparing farmlands for forage in 15 states of the federation as well as the FCT and in building mini ranches for our graduates at a very minimal cost.

“Currently, we are in advance discussion with investors in Ekiti State for both forage and a mini learning campus.

“ We aid in resource mobilisation through partnership with Development Banks especially in the Middle East and other global developmental financial institutions,” he said.

This, he said, included an MoU with the Africa Islamic Economic Foundation (AFRIEF) for capital investment of 100 million dollars, interest free.

Dasuki said the dialogue with MACBAN and others was about working with groups and strategic stakeholders whose natural habitat and DNA flows with livestock.

He said the institute believed that the presumed vices in the people could be turned to strength in an encompassing manner where no one or tribe is left behind and be embraced in love with respect and dignity.

Responding, the National President of MACBAN, Alhaji Baba Ngelzarma, commended the institute for the initiative, promising to study its objectives to be able to make informed decision.

Ngelzarma said the association was willing to embrace initiatives that would enhance the productivity of herders and guarantee their interest for the overall development of the nation.

On his part, the President General of FGDRI, Dr Salim Umar, said it was the first time that a non-governmental organisation would come up with such initiative, and pledged to key in with an open mind.

According to him, various initiatives by government to address the challenge of livestock production in Nigeria were not allowed to succeed because of extraneous factors. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Ali Baba-Inuwa

By Bukola Adewumi

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has unveiled the Nigeria Food Security Simulator (FSS Nigeria) tool to address food and income shortage in Nigeria.

The initiative was inaugurated on Tuesday in Abuja in partnership with U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

Dr Kwaw Andam, Country Programme Leader, IFPRI Nigeria, said the tool  was an innovative and easy-to-use, MS-Excel-based tool for assessing the potential short-term impacts of food price or household income shocks on food security and people’s diets.

Andam, who is also the Initiative Lead, National Policies and Strategies (NPS), said the simulator was an ideal tool for forward-looking evaluation of direct, household-level outcomes of economic crises and policy responses in a timely manner.

He said the FSS Nigeria underscored government’s ambition towards  making food security a priority which as part of the president’s eight point agenda.

According to him, the tool will help analysts estimate the impact of changes in food prices, and other factors on food consumption.

“This tool will allow users to enter positive and negative price in percentage terms and provide simulated changes for a diverse set of food-consumption- and diet-quality-related indicators.

“In addition to detailed tabular presentations of all simulation results by household income  and residential area, key indicator results are summarised in concise overview tables and visualised in graphs for easy export and use in reports.

“The underlying data include estimates from representative household survey data and rigorous, sophisticated food demand models to capture consumer behavior,’’ he said.

Dr Oliver Ecker, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI, in his presentation, said FSS Nigeria would help unlock the insights of household data and enhance analysis and understand the concept of food security in the country.

He said the tool would help the policymakers and the policy analysts in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food security as well as the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs in their decision making.

IFPRI has been working in Nigeria since 2007 implementing the Nigeria Strategy Support Program (NSSP) and the USAID Feed the Future Nigeria Agriculture Policy Activity, in partnership with Michigan State University.

It is also supporting the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and other partners in the implementation of Nigeria’s national development plans. (NAN)

Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

By Olayinka Olawale
The Lagos State Government has inaugurated two agro-processing centres in Ikorodu area of the state to boost food security.

Ms Abisola Olusanya, the state’s Commissioner  for Agriculture, during the inauguration on Friday called for partnership and support of farmers, especially the poultry farmers to end the importation of chickens and other food items.

The projects, a Cottage Broiler Processing Centre, located in Itamaga and an Egg Aggregation Centre, Erikorodo, Ikorodu, was facilitated by the Lagos Agro-Processing, Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) Project.

Olusanya reiterated the commitment of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration to food security in the state.

She also stressed the importance of supporting Nigeria’s agricultural food chain and the farming community to meet the demands of Lagos, the most populous state in Nigeria.

The commissioner noted that the Lagos APPEALS Project had impacted thousands of farmers in the state in the aquaculture, poultry and rice value chains.

Olusanya said the Lagos State Government would work collaboratively with farmers in different sectors, value chains, and clusters to address the needs of Lagosians and provide substantial support to local farmers.

According to her, agriculture is a business, and profitability is essential.

“The focus of the government is on establishing the right food system and market infrastructure to empower farmers to create the right commodities for exchange.

“Thereby, addressing price fluctuations and price fixation.

“We import more than we export. We consume from outside more than we produce internally.

“We need to support the agricultural food system of Nigeria and the farmers at large.

“We need to support farmers to produce enough to cater to the needs of Nigerians and Lagosians, which is why Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu believes in the food actors,” she said.

Earlier, Mrs Oluranti Sagoe-Oviebo, the Lagos State Coordinator of the APPEALS Project, said the centres were provided for farmers based on needs assessment to improve their productivity.

Sagoe-Oviebo said the broiler processing centre would address the issue of foreign exchange in importation chicken and reduce the cost of production locally.

She urged the farmers to make good use of the facilities provided by the Lagos APPEALS Project.

Also, Mrs Ibitoye Juliana, Chairperson, Erikorodo Poultry Estate Farmers Association, described the inauguration as a historic milestone for farmers in Erikorodo and Ikorodu at large.

She expressed her gratitude to the Lagos State Government and APPEALS project for the improvement of the road network in the Erikorodo Estate, which had enhanced their businesses.

“This aggregation centre is another evidence of your support for we farmers in adding value to our produce and contributing more towards the food security of our dear Lagos State,” she said.

Also speaking, Mr Bartholomew Akhigbe, the Chairman of the Cluster group, said the processing centre would boost their productivity and assist farmers in their quest to phase out imported chicken.

Akhigbe commended the Lagos APPEALS Project for helping the poultry farmers with the processing centre, adding that it would improve and enhance their productivity.

Meanwhile, Olusanya had earlier inaugurated the Eko Farmers APPEALS Cooperative Multipurpose Society and Frozen Catfish Cottage Industry.

The APPEALS Project also supported Lagos State Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria with blast freezer, deep freezer and generator to boost farmers’ productivity and ensure food security in the state. (NAN)

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma