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

Vegetable

By Mercy Omoike

Horti Nigeria and EnGRAIS project have begun a two-day workshop for development of vegetable crops Agricultural Input Packages (AIPs) to facilitate growth of sustainable and inclusive vegetable sector.

Mr Mohammed Salasi, Programme Director, Horti Nigeria, said in Lagos on Monday that the vegetable sector was under utilised with a deficit supply gap of about 13 million metric tonnes into the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Horti Nigeria is a four-year Netherlands funded vegetable programme.

While the Fertiliser and Seed Recommendations Map for West Africa (FeSeRWAM) is an e-platform funded by United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) “Feed the Future Enhancing Growth through Regional Agricultural Input Systems” (EnGRAIS) Project.

The workshop is co- funded by Horti Nigeria and EnGRAIS project of the USAID to project vegetable AIPs and the sector’s growth.

According to Salasi, there are lots of interventions in other crops but very few on vegetables.

“Today we are bringing together stakeholders in the agric sector to help develop AIPs for vegetable crops.

“First of all, we have a sister project funded by USAID that has already developed AIPs on a digital platform and also in hardcopies for maize, rice, cassava and others.

“So, when we discussed the programme, we realise vegetable is not part of the available packages that have been developed for West Africa.

“As a programme funded by the Netherlands in Nigeria, we think this document is incomplete without vegetable,” he said.

Salasi said that they invited the government, private sector, agro input companies and research institutes to bring the available technologies on production of vegetables.

He said that they all agreed that this was the right technology and would be able to have it on a platform that was easily accessible by all stakeholders across the region.

Mr Kido Kouassi, the Deputy Chief of party – Implementation, Feed the Future EnGRAIS project said the workshop was geared toward democratisation of agro knowledge and extension services across local farmers.

He said that the workshop was about ensuring that information on agricultural inputs which are seeds, fertilisers and good practices was accessible to the farmers through the e-platform, an online website called FeseRWAM.

Kouassi said that the stakeholders chose vegetables because currently on the platform for Nigeria, there was no information about vegetables.

”We have information about a lot of food crops. Vegetables have potential to increase the quality of the food being consumed.

”They also have a high potential to take the farmer out of poverty and provide him with more income.

“So for this reason, it is important that such a platform that facilitate access to the information that increases farmers’ productivity has information on vegetables.

“This platform tend to democratise access to information so that the extension agent can have access to the right information to pass to the farmer.

”The agro dealer will also have access to that information that normally would have been at the research centre, which he doesn’t have access to,” he said. In response,

Prof. Christogonos Dawodu of the National Agriculture Extension and Research Liaison Services, said that the importance of the workshop could not be overstated as agricultural sector faced formidable challenges ranging from inadequate access to quality seeds and fertiliser to the need for improved agricultural practices.

According to him, these challenges if not adequately addressed, have the potential to hinder the nation’s productivity, food security and overall economic development.

“We applaud the initiatives undertaken by IFDC through EnGRAIS project and the Horti Nigeria.

The workshop is addressing key issues in agricultural landscape and providing innovative solutions that can transform the lives of farmers.

“Collaboration between EnGRAIS and Horti Nigeria is representative of the visionary approach to expanding the reach and impact of agricultural interventions.

“By developing AIPs specifically tailored for vegetable crops and disseminating them through the FeseRWAM platform, we are taking a significant step to empower farmers with knowledge and resources that can enhance their agricultural practices and crop yields,” he said.

Dawodu commended the experts, stakeholders and partners who had come together to make the workshop a reality.

He noted that their expertise, dedication and collaborative spirit were crucial to advancing the agricultural sector.

Also, Prof. Garba Sharubutu, Executive Secretary, Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, represented by Dr Muhammad Attanda, the Director, National Horticultural Research Institute said the workshop was coming at the right time and necessary as it related especially to vegetables.

Sharubutu also said that vegetables had a great potential contributing to food security and alleviating poverty.

“When you plant vegetables, you can start harvesting within three months, there is no other crop with such potential.

“The workshop is very timely and the development of input packages for vegetable will go a long way to enhance performance of the sector,” Sharubutu said.

Also, Mr Abdullahi Abubakar, Federal Ministry Agriculture-Horticulture unit, represented by Mrs Omotosho Agbani, said the workshop was in line with the government’s policies on food security.

Abubakar pointed out that the programme was apt and in tandem with the policy of the present administration geared toward achieving food and national security.

He noted that vegetables known for their nutrients were promoted by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

He said it was, therefore, heart-warming to know that the workshop would be looking at some basic challenges of vegetables. Abubakar added that the aim was to proffer solution for the good of farmers and food security for the nation at large. (NAN)

Edited by Chinyere Bassey/Vivian Ihechu

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, on Sunday said the Federal Government had obtained 163 million dollars loan from the African Development Bank (AfDB) support wheat production in the country.

Shettima stated this at the palace of the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Sumaila Mera, when he paid a condolence visit to the Emirate and family of late Sheikh Abubakar Giro.

He re-affirmed the determination of the Tinubu administration to fulfill all its promises to Nigerians, particularly in the agricultural sector.

The Vice President also assured that food security would receive serious attention from the government.

” We have obtained 163 million dollars loan from the African Development Bank to support wheat production. The scheme would be launched soon.

“We need 10,000 hectares of land in Kebbi State. But the scheme would be well executed in Jigawa State with a cultivation of 50,000 hectares of land to boost wheat production.”

In his remarks, the Emir of Argungu, Mera, who prayed for the unity and progress of Nigeria, thanked President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima for their support. (NAN)

Edited by Modupe Adeloye/Joseph Edeh