By Philip Yatai

The Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) says it will develop innovative strategies to enhance agricultural efficiency and productivity in the federal capital, Abuja.

The Secretary of the secretariat, Mr Lawal Geidam, stated this in Abuja, after receiving briefs from different departments in the secretariat on their operations, achievements, and challenges.

Geidam said that the secretariat would educate and equip residents, particularly the youths, with the necessary knowledge and skills to operate agriculture as a viable business.

“By imparting this knowledge, we hope to empower individuals to engage in agriculture as entrepreneurs, fostering economic growth, and creating employment opportunities in the process,” he said.

He emphasised the importance of synergy among the various departments of the secretariat to achieve the desired results.

The scribe explained that the briefs from the different departments had enabled him to have a comprehensive understanding of their roles and functions.

This, he said, would ensure effective coordination and alignment with common goals in line with the agricultural development agenda of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.

According to him, the activities of the departments are interconnected, and their collective efforts are crucial in enhancing food production.

Geidam added that the working synergy would also help in transforming the agricultural sector into a significant source of employment and wealth creation for the growing population.

The secretary pointed out that working in isolation would not lead to the desired outcomes, and stressed the need for collaboration and cooperation among the departments.

“The activities of the departments are interwoven.

“All are geared towards not only boosting food production but making the sector a viable source of job and wealth creation for our teeming population.

“We cannot achieve this in isolation, all the departments must work in synergy to achieve this objective,” he said.

While expressing satisfaction on the progress recorded by the various departments so far, Geidam assured that the challenges were surmountable.

“All we need from you as civil servants is sincerity and diligence in doing your jobs,” he said.

He equally said that he would visit all the agricultural project sites in the FCT, to assess the current state of the projects and identify areas for improvement. (NAN)

Edited by Christiana Fadare

By Olayinka Olawale

Mr Agboola Dabiri, a former Commissioner for Youth and Social Development in Lagos State, has urged residents of the state to embrace urban farming.

Dabiri said this at an agriculture empowerment programme organised by members of Ajowa Community Development Association in Surulere area of Lagos state, in collaboration with Africanfarmer Mogaji, on Sunday in Lagos.

According to him, embracing urban farming will increase  and better their livelihood.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the empowerment programme is titled: “Farm and Profit”.

In his lecture titled, “Global Farming without Boundaries”, Dabiri said that residents must begin to create space for farming in  homes, balconies, compounds and garages.

The ex-commissioner noted that he started agribusiness as a young boy in the university because of his passion for food production and business.

He added that agriculture was a huge value chain that included production, processing, marketing, distribution, packaging and many more.

Dabiri urged the residents to develop a passion in any of the value chains to  better their lots.

According to him, agriculture has so many areas that they can explore, adding that they can grow vegetables, tubers and also rear animals.

”I don’t know the last time I bought lemon in Abuja. What I did was, I planted seeds in an old sack and that is what I have been using in my home.

“In Masha, here in Surulere, we have the biggest fruit farmers in Lagos. They are very organised and you can also join them by simply identifying where you belong.

“Also, in Surulere, we have one of the largest ram market and I am a member, because I also rear animals.

“You have to look at where you belong and explore all the potential in agriculture. During the last Ileya festival, I sold rams and I made profits, you too can do that. Agric is very profitable.

“I buy my ram myself; rear it my self and give it to my boys to sell during festival. I have already started rearing ram against next festival.

“Residents  of Surulere must come together and see how they can promote urban farming and contribute to the food self-sufficiency of the state,” he said.

Dabiri advised the community development association and the local government council to start a Sunday market in Surulere, for residents to purchase farm produce at cheaper and affordable prices, as  well as create a market platform for farmers.

He commended the Chairman of  Ajowa CDA, Mr Tunji Adebayo, for organising empowerment programmes for members of his association.

According to him, empowering the community is a lasting legacy that will outlive anybody.

“For you as individual in the CDA or community, you have to think outside the box on how you can improve your life by leveraging agriculture.

“There is little that government can do, you must look at how to balance it. We all must try and start farming in bags or plastic containers. You can plant yams, vegetables, tomatoes, pepper and plantain.

“As great as America is, a lot of its citizens own private farms and gardens. They do that so that they can also contribute to food production and we can do that here too,” he said.

Also speaking, Mr Africanfarmer Mogaji urged the people  at the local government level to embrace agriculture in order to feed the nation.

Mogaji, in his presentation titled ‘Farm and Profit’, urged people in the urban area to embrace agriculture by way of processing, marketing, distribution, packaging, haulaging and production.

He said that majority of people in the South-West zone were consumers of agricultural produce and not generating enough income from agriculture, because of lack of understanding.

“There are a lot of opportunities in agriculture that remain untapped and  people need to look beyond farming,” he said.

According to him, President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of food emergency is an opportunity for many agribusiness to thrive because a lot of policies will be introduced that will be beneficial to farmers.

“Partnerships and collaborations is the new agribusiness that farmers must embrace.

“Enough of criticising the government. It is time to collaborate with government to achieve great things and improve food production.

“Opportunities are enormous but farmers must know how to get it, people need to know how to tap into every government policy,” he said.

Mogaji explained that the whole essence was to embrace grassroots farming as the new norm.

“It is almost 10 years that I have been reaching out to the CDA and this is a new executive and we are continuing.

“We need to begin to groom people from grassroots into agriculture. If local government embraces  agriculture, we will feed the nation.

“They own lands; they have the people; what we need is resources. Surulere is a major area that we can leverage to distribute farm produce.

“The people farm in their rural and suburbs and we have the local government to expose these to their people,” he explained.

He, therefore, urged the Federal Government to allocate land to local governments for farming, to make them fully committed to food sustainability and self-sufficiency.

In his remarks, Mr Suleimon Bamidele, Chairman, Surulere Local Government Area, lauded  the CDA and the council’s support for continuation of the programme.

Bamidele, who was represented by Mr Abayomi Ambali, Senior Special Adviser to the Chairman on Agriculture, noted  that the council would continue to promote and support agricultural policies.

Adebayo, Chairman, Ajuwo CDA, said that the objective of the programme  was to impact on the lives of members  of the association who required employability and soft skills.

“This is the first of its kind and there are many more programmes to come, to help our people become self-reliant.

“We decided to go into agric because people need to eat and also make money and we saw the need to help our members.

“I  urge the local and state government to do more for the people by empowering them, and keep the youth away from crime and drugs,” Adebayo said. (NAN)

Edited by Chinyere Nwachukwu/Folasade Adeniran

By Mustapha Yauri

The Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria says it has obtained samples and commence investigations on the new virus disease attacking Okra plants across the country

Prof. Mohammed-Faguji Ishiyaku, Executive Director of the institute made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Zaria.

Ishiyaku said that the samples were being cultured at the institute’s laboratories with a view to identifying the real virus and insect involved in the transmission of the disease.

NAN reports that National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT) had detected a new virus disease attacking Okra plants across the country resulting in more than 70 per cent loss of okra plants.

Ishiyaku said on receipt of the report, the institute sent its scientist round to assess the situation in Kaduna State and other places.

“ The disease is an epidemic because it is prevalent across the country and the immediate assessment based on our scientists’ expertise also confirmed the strange disease to be a viral infection.

“From scientific findings, such viral disease was transmitted by some insects (vectors); unfortunately unlike bacterial or fungal disease viral infections don’t have a chemical control measures,’’ he said.

The executive director said the interim solution was to spray the okra field with insecticides that would control the insects such that the disease would not spread to additional fields.

Ishiyaku however said that the fruits produced by these infected okra are healthy for consumption.

He advised the farmers to clean their fields with chemicals before the next farming season and obtain their seeds from healthy sources. (NAN)

By Funmilayo Adeyemi

The UNESCO Read and Earn Federation (UNESCO REF) has collaborated with Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA) and Ogun Government to achieve the 2030 SDG goal 2.

The President, UNESCO REF, Prince Abdulsalami Ladigbolu, disclosed this in a interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.

Ladigbolu said the collaboration was part of an effort to achieve sustainable food production while also addressing the security risk that may fall out of food shortage in the country.

He added that UNESCO REF and POWA President, Mrs Elizabeth Egbetokun had  visited Ogun government to seek for a constructive sustainable synergy for the easy attainment of achieving the UN goal 2.

He said the synergy was also to complement President Bola Tinubu’s ambition on food security, which he had already declared as a state of emergency.

He added that all these were geared towards achieving peace and economic diversification in the society.

Ladigbolu explained that working with the Nigeria police Force would enhance security through a non-kinetic approach to dealing with one factor that could contribute to societal disorder if not attended to on time.

“I believe solving food shortage  is directly contributing to addressing  goal 2 of the United Nations – zero hunger.

“This is akin to strengthening  and also enhancing the agricultural value chain to help create financial freedom among our populace and this will technically mitigate the high risk of disorderliness that may fall out from food shortage.

“Inline with our commitment, UNESCO REF and POWA president are working seamlessly to mobilise 100,000 women including widows and non widows to boost the dwindling workforce in the agricultural sector,”he said.

Ladigbolu said the partnership was also geared towards securing available lands for the project, while, thanking Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun for his commitment in integrating the young women in agriculture in the state.

Meanwhile, POWA President, Elizabeth Egbetokun had noted that the association recognised the critical role of women in agriculture, as an essential sector that does not only sustain livelihood but could create wealth for them.

She said that women play a pivotal role in advancing food security, adding that the young women in agriculture programme seeks to equip them with the tools, knowledge and opportunities needed to improve their livelihood.

“As the President of POWA, I have the privilege to first-hand data on the number of widows within our association as well as their plights in sustaining their respective families following the demise of their husbands.

” The effect of being bereaved and losing a breadwinner of the family can only be best imagined.

“The widows are left to go through different processes of healing and advancement and worse still, is the reality of being left to solely cater for themselves and the children as the case may be.

” For these widows, there is no better means of livelihood than agriculture, a sustainable, prosperous and robust venture that has numerous benefits for the citizens and the country,” she said.

Gov. Abiodun had also assured the association of the state government’s support of its young women in agriculture programme towards integrating the programme in the state.

He also advised on taking precautionary measures to address likely health issues that may arise from the programme. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Julius Toba-Jegede

By Bukola Adewumi

The African Technology Foundation (AATF) and Seed Entrepreneurs Association of Nigeria (SEEDAN) have collaborated to commercialise improved seeds variety produced by Nigerian scientists.

The effort is to make quality seeds available for farmers to achieve food security.

Hosting SEEDAN’s new executives in Abuja, the AATF Regional Representative for West Africa, Dr Jean Baptiste, said the product to commercialise included the Pod Borer Resistant (PBR) and cowpea developed in Nigeria.

Other products, he said, were the Tela Maize which he noted  would be released by the end of the year.

Dr Baptiste, however, called on the Nigeria seed industry to support agricultural technology, so it could spill over to other countries still hesitating in adopting gene technology.

He reiterated the need for seed entreprises to take their marketing strategy to farmers in hinterland.

He further noted that AATF was ready to work with seed entreprises for Nigeria and Africa to achieve commercialisation of those varieties that could help improve food security and tackle malnutrition in the country and other parts of the continent.

“We hope that we’ll be able to collaborate in a synergistic way so that we can achieve commercialisation of a certain number of products AATF is promoting in Nigeria.

“And among those products we have PBR cowpea, hybrid rice and the Tela maize that will be released by the end of this year or January 2024.

SEEDAN President, Yusuf Ado-kibiya, lamented that they produced enough seedlings but there was no market to sell.

He called on the government to make relevant policies, funds and the enabling environment for provision of quality seeds.

Ado-kibiya said they would unify all seed companies just like other countries for Nigeria to achieve food security.

He added that the universities and research institutes had been dormant for years due to lack of funds but expressed the hope of partnering with them to do more research to produce quality seeds for Nigerian farmers.(NAN)

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

By Justina Auta

The Federal Government on Thursday, inaugurated the Sub-National Food Systems Dashboard to inform policy actions and measure the food system transformation agenda for national development.

Sen. Sabi Aliyu-Abdullahi, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, said during the event in Abuja, that the dashboard would facilitate the transformation of Nigeria’s food system in each state.

Aliyu-Abdullahi added that the dashboard would also give insights and outline priority actions for stakeholders.

“The dashboard is not just a data repository, it is a catalyst for positive change because it is designed to guide Nigeria policy makers and businesses at both national and subnational levels.

“This will ensure informed decisions that will enhance our food systems and empower civil societies to hold various actors accountable.

“The dashboard will also provide a unified data base for researchers both within and outside Nigeria to conduct further studies that will strengthen the evidence necessary for future policy making.

“Furthermore, this dashboard will serve as a platform for fostering collaboration and synergy between the various components of the food system,” he said.

The minister explained that the dashboard was linked to the global food system dashboard and analyses data for public and private both within the country and globally.

He added that the dashboard incorporates 99 indicators that have been meticulously identified and screened in a comprehensive view of Nigeria’s food system at all levels.

“It offers a list of suggested policy actions and decisions for each state, based on thorough diagnosis of the data collected by the dashboard.

“These actions have the potential to improve food systems and advance national development efforts,” he added.

He said that the government has already developed a food system profile for some states.

This, he said, would be instrumental in advocacy efforts to engage key decision makers in the transformation of Nigeria’s food system.

He said that move would also provide a map of emerging business opportunities and potential areas for investment in food system transformation.

According to him, the cost and affordability of health diet and diet polity, which are key indicators from the dashboard, had been adopted to improve nutrition and food security in the country.

In his remarks, Dr Micheal Ojo, Country Director, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) Nigeria, said that the dashboard would provide the needed evidence to inform policies and decision making on food security.

Ojo lauded the Federal Government for prioritizing food security, nutrition security, including the declaration of a state of emergency on food security.

He described the dashboard as “critical evidence-based policy” for transforming the food system.

“Business leaders and entrepreneurs can identify areas for investment and see business more than technology innovations and improve financing mechanisms.

“The dashboard will provide information for baseline studies and reports for government, policy analysts, statistics agencies, and support partners.

“It will help policy makers to identify, and prioritise interventions needed to achieve the right level of impacts in transforming the country’s food systems without disrupting the dynamics of the markets in Nigeria,” he added.

He also said that researchers, academics, and students would easily access comprehensive data to identify and analyse insights and emerging trends in the country’s food system. (NAN)

Edited by Philip Yatai

By Abigael Joshua

The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) on Thursday in Abuja said that it would review its biosafety guidelines to conform with international treaties.

Dr Agnes Asagbra, Director-General, NBMA, said this at the review and validation workshop on technical regulatory frameworks for modern and emerging technologies.

She noted that the review was on Genetically Modified (GM) Trees and Animals to ensure the safety and health of citizens.

“We are particular about the safety of Nigerians, plants, animals and the environment in general.

“GM trees and animals are to be packaged with a robust strategy to ensure that we maintain the quality of work for which NBMA is known for.

“We are committed to continue to record remarkable progress in the country’s standard for Genetically Modified Organisms,” Asagbra said.

The D-G said that the agency had finally sealed a collaboration with the Nigerian Customs Service to ensure a close surveillance on all imported items.

“This will ensure a semi detection on, unauthorised boundary movement of all GMOs to and fro the country,” she said.

She commended the stakeholders for their support to review and have a robust guidelines.

Mr Umoh Umoh, a stakeholder with Mirista International Limited, expressed optimism that the outcome of the workshop would satisfy the yearnings of the agency and the country.

“I pray for the enablement to justice to the review and the validation of the guidelines on GM trees and animals,” he said.

Also, Mrs Scholastica Bello, Acting Director Planning, Research and Statistics Department, NBMA, noted that the workshop was expected to correct errors and capture omissions from the reviewed document on guidelines on GM trees and animals.

She added that the workshop would ensure that GM trees and animals are safe for citizens in the country and also ensure ease in doing business. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

By Mustapha Yauri

The Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, on Wednesday pledged to support the Federal Government in the recovery of Anchor Borrowers loans granted to farmers.

IAR’s Executive Director, Prof. Mohammad Ishiyaku, assured of the support as he toured its Tela Maize Farmers Field at Kakangi in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

He appealed to stakeholders and beneficiaries of the loan scheme to support President Bola Tinubu’s drive on the recovery of the loans.

“It is a legal and economic matter; there is nothing that legitimises refusal to repay a loan taken.

“Nigerians should rally behind the president to ensure that money provided by government to improve food security is not mismanaged by few Nigerians.

“I am one of those Nigerians who believe in whatever it will take to recover these funds and put them back into appropriate use,’’ Ishiyaku said.

He decried the attitude of those condemning government’s loan recovery drive and called for a re-evaluation of the approach to the loan recovery processes.

Ishiyaku noted that if farmers formed the habit of not repaying loans, they would be depriving people interested in starting agriculture business access to funds.

He said his visit to the field was to extend the appreciation of the institute to the farmers on behalf of scientists and technologists of the institute.

He expressed excitement that IAR’s TELA maize was being embraced by farmers and translated into economic development for the country.

Earlier, the principal investigator of TELA Maize Project, Prof. Rabiu Adamu, said the trial was part of the requirements for the release of new seed varieties.

He added that the trial was an on-farm exercise, a farmer-managed trial on four different maize hybrids for test and evaluation.

Adamu said IAR was demonstrating the Tela maize fields in more than 15 locations.

He added that the result gathered by farmers’ reference would guide the institute on the eventual release of the variety preferred by farmers.

Responding, Alhaji Kabiru Salihu, Chairman, Maize Farmers Association, Kaduna State chapter commended IAR for developing Tela Maize and other improved maize varieties.

Salihu observed that improved seeds and better agronomic practices introduced by IAR had increased farmers’ yields and enhanced their earnings. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Alli Hakeem