News Agency of Nigeria
Agriculture

FAO renews commitment to food security in N/East

By Hamza Suleiman

The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of United Nations has renewed its commitment to supporting food security and building resilience in North East region.

The Head of North-East Office of FAO, Mr Alhassan Cisse made this known on Monday in Maiduguri, while declaring open a workshop on Strengthening the Organisational Capacity of Local and National Actors (LNAs) for effective Emergency Response in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

Represented by Ms Sahar Fallal- Ali, Head of Emergency Programme of the office, Cisse said that over the years, the organisation with funding from donors has invested in building the capacities of LNAs for better implementation of its programmes. 

“For instance in 2022 alone, FAO trained 51 Farmers Field School (FFS) facilitators and 85 other partners.

“This is aimed at strengthening the capacity of local and national actors in humanitarian response.

“It is also for LNAs to take more leading role in the humanitarian response and also to take more leading role in the coordination mechanism for the LNAs to improve their effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian action,” Cisse said. 

He noted that with funding from Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), FAO is piloting the localisation agenda in Nigeria where it conducted a gap assessment of 20 LNAs in the North-East. 

According to him, the workshop will strengthen the capacities of the LNAs based on identified gaps to enable them to effectively participate in planning and implementing humanitarian and resilience programmes as well as timely response to humanitarian crisis in agriculture and food security to promote resilience. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Yakubu Uba/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Agriculture

Abia LIFE-ND selects 1,000 beneficiaries for agribusiness

 

By Leonard Okachie
The Abia State Project Coordinating Office of the Lifelihood Improvement Family Enterprises for Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) has commenced selection of another set of beneficiaries for its agribusiness project.
The project’s National Administrative Officer, Mrs Ngozi Ohaechezi, who coordinated the exercise, told newsmen in Umuahia on Wednesday that the project was expected to bring on board at least 1000 potential beneficiaries.
According to her,  the beneficiaries, who are otherwise known as the incubates, are the fourth set to be recruited.
Ohaechezi said that the beneficiaries comprised  youths aged between 18 and 35 years and women-headed households with children under the age of 15, who are interested in agribusiness.
 She said that persons living with disabilities were also eligible for the project.
She said that the beneficiaries were being selected from 100 communities in 10 local government areas of the state that the project is operating.
According to her, 10 persons are being selected from each of the communities.
Selection of another set of beneficiaries for agribusiness project of Abia Project Office of Lifelihood Improvement Family Enterprises for Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) on Wednesday, March 22, 2023
She said that the project received over 3,000 applications, including those of online, stressing that only 1,000 would be engaged after the screening.
“We have five teams in all the 100 communities and the 10 council areas who are supervising the exercise, but the community leaders themselves are actively involved in the screening process.
“We are trying to re-strategise and use a new approach to make sure that people are given the opportunity in our recruitment process, which is based on merit,” she said.
The State Project Coordinator, Dr Uchenna Onyeizu, said the beneficiaries would be engaged in the four agro- commodities, including cassava, rice, poultry and oil palm, which the project is working on.
He said that the project had been able to engage about 1,500 beneficiaries at different stages in different agribusinesses, since its inception about three years ago.
Onyeizu said: “The project targets to engage 4,250 beneficiaries for its six-year lifespan.
“By the time we bring in the 1000, thereby getting about 2500 beneficiaries, we would have surpassed our mid-term target, which is a few months from now.
“The essence of the agribusiness is to ensure that the livelihood of the households improves significantly.”
Mr ThankGod Nwahunnia, the Councillor for Ogwe in Ukwa West Local Area, expressed delight over the selection process in his ward.
He  commended the Federal Government, LIFE-ND  as well as other stakeholders for embarking on such an empowerment in his ward and local government area.
Miss Glory Ifeanyichukwu, who  screened at the Umuahia centre, expressed happiness for the opportunity.
“I have been waiting for this life-time opportunity to be selected because I have friends who have benefitted immensely in LIFE-ND project and they are doing very well  in their different agro-enterprises,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that LIFE-ND is being funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
It is  in collaboration with the Federal Government and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as well as the state government.
The project, which is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision for national food security, is for implementation in the nine Niger Delta states but currently operating in six of them. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Benson Iziama/Vivian Ihechu
Agriculture

Technology: AUDA-NEPAD scores NBMA high

By Abigael Joshua
The African Union Development Agency (AUDA)-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) (AUDA-NEPAD) has rated the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) high in the advancement of technology across Africa.

Mrs Florence Nazare, the Acting Director of AUDA-NEPAD, gave the commendation while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Abuja.

“We cannot underscore the role of NBMA in promoting technology, science technology innovation across Africa.

Nazare said they are happy to learn from the agency and commended their facilities to drive modern technology forward.

She commended their partnership with NBMA in leading negotiations in technology.

“Nigeria has played a critical role in all the international negotiations.

The Ag. Director also commended the expertise of NBMA and other agencies across West Africa as a pillar to industrialise through biotechnology.

She commended the facilities, laboratory and so many instruments employed by NBMA to promote biotechnology innovations across West Africa.

Nazare promised more collaboration with NBMA to fast track technological advancement in West Africa.

She expressed optimism that within the framework of initiative that had brought them to Nigeria, they would be able to foster inter Africa relations. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

=================
Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

Agriculture

FCTA moves to transform fisheries sector to cash cow for national economy

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has restated its commitment to transform the fisheries sector to become a cash cow for farmers in the territory and the national economy.

The Mandate Secretary for the FCTA Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Malam Abubakar Ibrahim, made the pledge at the commemoration of the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA) in the FCT.

He said: “UN declared 2022 as the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries (IYAFA) with the objective of drawing global attention to the important role that small-scale fish farmers and fish workers play.

”They are very crucial in improving human well-being, food security, poverty eradication and in the sustainable use of natural resources.

“Member nations are expected to use the occasion to show commitment and take practical actions to support and promote fishery activities.

” The event we are therefore witnessing today is consistent with that worthy declaration as well as the theme of the event which is Building a Global Safety Net for Small-scale Artisanal Fisheries & Aquaculture.”

Ibrahim, therefore, expressed readiness of the secretariat to continue to advocate and pursue the implementation of innovative programmes that would help in enhancing effective utilisation of the rich water bodies that abound in the FCT.

He said that fish was a very important agricultural product that was largely consumed due to its rich nutritional and medicinal values.

Ibrahim added: “It is therefore not a surprise that the sector is growing at an alarming rate as more and more Nigerians engage in fish production not just for the nutritional value, but economic benefits associated with it.

” It is estimated that a very large percentage of Nigerians, mostly youths venture into fisheries production annually.

”While, this scenario would have been seen as a positive development, the sad narrative is the fact that more than 90 per cent of these farmers still operate at subsistent and small-scale levels.”

He, however, said that fish farmers in Nigeria lacked the professional expertise and investable funds to enable them acquire quality inputs required to help them transit easily from household to commercial production.

This is with the view to bridging the yawning gap between demand as well as supply and reduce the huge foreign exchange that was spent on fish importation.

Ibrahim said: “These are some of the issues that the programmes of the Secretariat are aimed at addressing.

”The story of Fisheries Development in the FCT is one that is characterised by steady growth and improvements in terms of production capacity, quality processing and access to markets and competitiveness

“Part of the strategies that we have adopted is to encourage local fish farmers organise themselves as a body so that they can more easily benefit from the various fisheries support programmes of the Secretariat.

“So far, over 400 fishery cooperative groups have registered with the secretariat, and we have been working closely with the various Fishery Associations.

”They include: Cat Fish Farmers Association of Nigeria, (CAFAN) to promote diversification into other fish varieties.”

Ibrahim recalled that in 2022, the secretariat organised series of workshops to promote Tilapia production, as well as on the utilisation of locally sourced materials for feed formulation which is cost efficient.

He added: “It is worth knowing that the establishment of the FCT Fish Farm Estate in Bwari is designed to be an all-inclusive facility that offers services that are in line with global best practices.

” Even though operations at the Estate are not yet of the expected standard, the Secretariat has been taking measures to address issues of water supply, electricity and access roads.

“I can assure you that with the pace of infrastructural development taking place at the Estate, operations will take off soon.”

Similarly, the secretary said in 2021, as part of the pet project of the FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, the secretariat constructed the FCT Aquaculture and Allied Trades Centre for Youth and Women at Kuka village in Kwali Area Council.

He stated that the centre was established to train women and youths in modern fish production techniques.

Ibrahim said: “It may interest you to know that after the first harvest in which the Minister of State took part in November 2021, more residents have been trained.

”They are currently engaging in fish production in different parts of the FCT with their products sold in markets within and outside the FCT.

” In October of 2022, the FCT Administration through the Secretariat provided assorted fishery inputs worth over N60 million to fish farmers in the FCT.

” The inputs which were sold at subsidized rates to farmers are being utilised and is providing the needed impetus for fish production in the FCT.

” This input support programme has received the approval of the Administration to be an annual event.”

Earlier, the secretariat’s Director of Administration and Finance, Malam Ishaq Sadeeq, called for urgent actions by stakeholders to restrategise and adopt new approaches that would help to enhance fish production in the FCT.

” We believe if the enabling environment is put in place, FCT has the capacity to produce fish that can effectively meet not only the local demands, but even beyond the frontiers of the FCT.

“Our desire in the FCT Administration is to transform the Fisheries sub-sector into one that can create jobs for our teeming youth population so that they can earn income and improve their socio-economic well-being.

Also, the Director of Fisheries of the secretariat, Ifeoma Okek, described lack of training, among others, as the major challenges facing the growth on Fisheries in the FCT. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Agriculture

Poultry farmer advocates egg powder factory

By Olayinka Olawale

Mrs Juiiana Ibitoye, Chairperson, Erokorodo Poultry Farm Estate, Ikorodu, a suburb of Lagos, has appealed to the federal and state governments to set up a factory for production of egg powder in the country.

Ibitoye gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.

She said the egg powder factory would reduce the huge loss recorded in the value chain due to glut.

Ibitoye said that government could also support farmers by buying off eggs during glut period to reduce the financial burden on them.

She said that cash crunch and the present economic situation in the country had denied many people access to food and other basic needs.

Ibitoye said that many people were not buying eggs due to cash scarcity which led to glut.

She added that the high price of feed contributed to the challenge in the industry.

“Every year, we normally experience glut three times and whenever it happens, it is a huge loss to the farmers.

“We want the government to assist us either by buying the eggs off from the farmers or find a way of converting the egg into powder form as done in developed countries.

“We are still far off in the production of egg powder in the country, there are only about two companies that are into it in Lagos.

“The equipment is very huge and expensive; not everybody can afford it but government can come in and help us,” she said.

The chairperson said the country has the market for egg powder adding that it would be bring development and create more jobs for the youth.

”We are an estate with over 100 farmers, if we can get the support of the government to set up the factory, it will help us a great deal.

“We will can come together, put the eggs together and turn it into powder instead of having glut and losing money.

“We can sell it within Nigeria to confectionaries, bakers and others but we don’t have such facilities,” she noted.

Ibitoye said that some farmers were closing down their farms due to the  numerous challenges confronting the sector.

“The price of feed compared to the price of the egg and even the glut at the same time is affecting our business.

“Whenever there is glut, we lose a lot of money, time and energy.

“As I speak now, we are in the glut season; people don’t have cash to buy what they want, the cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria is affecting us.

“We will not experience glut if we have the means of turning our eggs into powder.

“We have the market for it, our government is not just focusing in that aspect,” she said.

She said that middlemen were exploiting farmers by selling eggs at exorbitant prices to the consumers.

“A create of egg that is you are buying at a supermarket between N2,800 and N3,000 is coming out of the farm at N2,100.

“We sell eggs at N2,100 farm gate price, this is not adequate for our cost but we don’t want to put too much pressure on the consumers.

“We don’t want to raise the price too high for the masses not to be able to afford it, that is why we pegged it at N2,100 and it is not adequate.

“But between us, the middlemen and the end-users, the prices keep skyrocketing and by the time it gets to the shops and supermarkets, it becomes too expensive.

“The middlemen and retailers are making more money than the farmers, they are exploiting us,” she said.

She urged government to create access to farmers’ market, good roads and transportation to enable them sell directly to consumers at farm gate price.

“If we have access to the market directly, we can produce our product and take it to the market but we must have good roads and transportation.

“Eggs are perishable goods, if they stay too long in our farms, it becomes bad, useless and a loss to us,” she said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Agriculture

Polls: Buhari congratulates Tinubu, pledges smooth handover

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the winner of the 2023 Presidential Election, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Bola Tinubu.

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Wednesday declared Tinubu as winner of Feb. 25  presidential election with 8,794,726 votes.

Tinubu defeated his closest rival Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who polled 6,984,520 votes, and Peter Obi of Labour Party who secured 6,101,533 votes of the 24,965,218 total vote cast.

Also, Sen.  Rabiu  Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) came fourth with 1,496,687 votes.

Reacting to the results announced by  the INEC chairman, Buhari said:

“I congratulate His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his victory. Elected by the people, he is the best person for the job. I shall now work with him and his team to ensure an orderly handover of power.

“The election was Africa’s largest democratic exercise. In a region that has undergone backsliding and military coups in recent years, this election demonstrates democracy’s continued relevance and capability to deliver for the people it serves.

“Within Nigeria, the results reveal democracy’s ripening in our country. Never has the electoral map shifted so drastically in one cycle.

“In the presidential elections, states in all regions across the nation changed colour.

”Some amongst you may have noticed my home state amongst them. The winning candidate did not carry his own home state either. That happens during a competitive election.

”Votes and those that cast them cannot be taken for granted. Each must be earned. Competition is good for our democracy.

”There is no doubt the people’s decision has been rendered in the results we look at today.”

The president, who acknowledged that there were technical problems with electronic transmission of the results, maintained that efforts would be intensified to bring further transparency and credibility to the voting procedure in the country.

He said: “That is not to say the exercise was without fault. For instance, there were technical problems with electronic transmission of the results.

”Of course, there will be areas that need work to bring further transparency and credibility to the voting procedure.

“However, none of the issues registered represent a challenge to the freeness and fairness of the elections.

“I know some politicians and candidates may not agree with this view. That too is fine.

”If any candidate believes they can prove the fraud they claim is committed against them, then bring forward the evidence.

”If they cannot, then we must conclude that the election was indeed the people’s will – no matter how hard that may be for the losers to accept. If they feel the need to challenge, please take it to the courts, not to the streets.

“However, to do the latter means they are not doing it in the interest of the people, but rather to inflame, to put people in harm’s way and all for personal, selfish gains,” he said.

The president enjoined all the candidates to abide by the peace accord they signed before the conduct of the election, urging them to always avoid any action capable of undermining the credibility of INEC.

He said: “After a degree of polarization that necessarily accompanies any election, it is now time to come together and act responsibly.

”I call on all the candidates to remember the peace pledge they signed just days before the election.

”Do not undermine the credibility of INEC. Let us now move forward as one. The people have spoken.” (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Agriculture

News Analysis: 2023 Nigeria Cashew Trading Outlook reports positive for local cashew processing industry

 

 

Nigeria is a major and growing player in the cashew industry, ranking among top countries globally for sourcing cashew.

Nigeria produces about 300,000 metric tons of raw cashew nuts (RCN) every year making her the second largest producer of this nut in Africa after Ivory Coast with an estimated annual production of over 800,000 metric tonnes.

The Nigerian harvest season starts in late January and it is followed by trading – buying and selling- of the RCN by local buying agents, local processors and RCN exporters.

In 2022, Nigeria exported over $250 million worth of raw cashew nut according to the Federal Government.

Cashew export in raw form is Nigeria’s second largest non-oil export product in revenue terms according to NBS statistics.

The Nigeria Agribusiness Register, a food and agribusiness ecosystem enabler project which provides market information and market intelligence services amongst other investment related services across several commodity markets including cashew markets, held its Cashew Market Outlook Report for 2023 on Thursday, Feb. 23.

The report was presented by Mr Roland Oroh, a cashew sector analyst and  Founder and Director of the Agribusiness Register.

The presentation which was virtual, was attended by stakeholders from farmers associations, government representatives, research and development institutions.

Also, donor funded projects supporting the cashew sector, trading and exporting companies, local buying agents, financial institutions, and others from outside the country attended the event.

The high point of the presentation was the official launch and media presentation of the Nigeria Cashew Technical Assistance Facility (NiCTAF), a new product from the Agribusiness Register to offer technical services to increase RCN production and processing and brand development of kernels of Nigerian origin to the international market, amongst other services.

The Nigeria Agribusiness Register is the agribusiness investment facilitation arm of Commodities Development Initiative (CDI).

The register is an ecosystem, Agricultural value chain facilitation, enabler project supporting food and agribusiness investments in Nigeria and West Africa to scale with investment and business development services including market information and market intelligence services.

According to Oroh, Nigeria is estimated to have a good crop in 2023 following good weather conditions in most of the key production zones namely Kogi, Kwara, Ogbomosho and some parts of the eastern region.

The quality of RCN is also reported to be good quality with kernel outturn report (KOR) of 48-50 Ibs.

Following the flag-off and commencement of trading for the year by the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) in Benin City, Edo, on Jan. 24, 2023, price of RCN kicked off at around N400 per kilogram (wet form).

The outlook report observes a consistent price increase since inception of the trading season with current prices in the N510-N600 per kilogram range.

A five-year market opening price behavior shows a similar pattern and trend indicative of much speculative buying which is characteristic of most commodities trading in Nigeria.

The report also presents a new development in the international RCN arena: Vietnam in the last two years has consistently procured large volumes of RCN from Cambodia, a neighboring country.

The report estimates this trend to continue for the foreseeable future.

In 2021 and 2022, Vietnam imports over one billion dollar worth of RCN from Cambodia respectively.

In January 2023, the Cashew Association of Cambodia (CAC) estimated the country to have a bumper harvest of 1 million metric tons and expects to sell 98 per cent of its harvest to Vietnam from February.

This has implications for RCN trading in Nigeria and indeed across the West African region which looks up to Vietnamese traders.

Vietnam has been a major off taker of Nigerian RCN in the last 10 years.

One of the main conclusions from the Outlook Presentation is that Nigerian cashew stakeholders should avoid too much speculative buying with the expectation that the Vietnamese and Indian buyers will be coming in droves to buy later in the year.

This may not happen as expected.

From market intelligence gathered, Vietnam is now buying large volumes from Cambodia for cost, and proximity reasons which translate to shorter supply chain and speed to market for their kernels.

In addition, Vietnam is not expanding her processing capacity any longer, according to local industry sources.

India, another major buyer of Nigerian RCN is projected to have a difficult cashew year in 2023 as a result of high domestic cost of processing, sluggish international demand for kernels and rising price of RCN procured from West Africa due to high energy costs caused by the Russian Ukraine war.

Local traders and cashew stakeholders in Nigeria are advised against too much speculative trading and to put a new focus on market information and intelligence to inform trading decisions.

On the development side, several value chain developments by development partners are currently on-going to increase RCN production and processing in Nigeria.

Moving forward, Oroh recommends that these initiatives be driven by market realities and close market intelligence and monitoring of Nigeria’s competitors both within the region and in Asia, to make these initiatives successful.

The report, however, recognises that this is a good time for the local cashew processing industry in Nigeria to increase processing capacity and take advantage of the reduced procurements of RCN from Asia to strengthen local processing and production of kernel for export, assuming affordable financing could be made available to local processors. (NANFEATURES)

 

**If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Agriculture

Don proffers solution to food deprivation

Prof. Mohammed Nasirudeen-Suleiman

 

By Thompson Yamput

Prof. Mohammed Nasirudeen-Suleiman of the Department of Botany, Federal University Lokoja, has called for global intensive study in Mycology (Fungi) in all secondary schools as part of measures to check food deprivation.

He made the call while delivering an inaugural lecture entitled: “Pathogenic Fungi and Food Deprivation: The Challenges of Plants Pathologists,’’ held at the Federal University of Lokoja (FUL) Auditorium, Adankolo Campus, Lokoja.

He noted that the destructive effects of fungi on the nation’s crops ranging from yams, potato, beans, maize, cocoa and groundnuts, among others, are enormous.

“Fungi, until recently, are highly under reported, marginalised and totally ignored in secondary schools to the extent that only plants and animals are being studied leaving a large number of students ignorant of a whole fungi kingdom.

“I am making a case for a global intensive study of mycology in all secondary schools because a secret of our living may be there,’’ he said.

While warning on effects of chemicals being applied by farmers to checkmate pest, insects and plant diseases, he regretted that they (farmers) had limited resources and lack the technical expertise required to handle imported fungicides and pesticides.

“There’s no plant that is useless, its usage can be for food, medicine or shelter, just as it’s estimated that there are more than 500,000 species of plants on earth with more than 10 per cent being used as food by man and animals,’’ he observed.

He noted that a major factor to food deprivation “is disease inflicted on plants and its products by pathogenic fungi in transit and in storage, which could lead to hunger, starvation, nutritional deficiencies and malnutrition with broad impacts on cognitive functioning.

According to him, one major challenge being faced by plant pathologists is the inappropriate plant disease control measure, in-vitro or outside the host (takes place in the laboratory) and the in vivo or on the host (takes place on the field).

Nasirudeen-Suleiman thanked Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi, the Vice-Chancellor of the university and the management team for giving him the privilege to deliver the lecture.

He also appealed for funds to equip the university’s laboratory to begin the manufacturing of drugs from the plants.(NAN)(www.nanews.ng)

=========

Edited by Deborah Coker/Kayode Olaitan

Agriculture

Centre trains Badagry women farmers on climate-smart agriculture

 

 

By Raji Rasak

 

The International Centre for Environmental Health and Development (ICEHD), on Saturday, trained over 100 Badagry women farmers on climate-smart agriculture and farming technology to improve food security.

Miss Mercy Joshua, the Programme Officer of ICEHD, said that the aim of the training was for farmers to access skills, resources and opportunities to address climate challenges, boost farm production and enhance food security.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the training was: “Farming Technology and Capacity Building Training For Women Farmers.”

She said that most women were economically excluded, exploited and marginalised due to varied socioeconomic factors and cultural barriers.

“Women farmers, particularly those in rural communities, this situation is worsened by the adverse impact of climate change.

“Nigeria’s climate is increasingly changing, evidenced is in upsurges in temperature, variable rainfall, flooding, and land degradation, with these changes bringing a gendered impact, as it disproportionately affects women and widens gender inequalities.

“The small scale women farmers lose opportunities, markets, and profits as climate change hits Nigeria.

“With series of engagements with community leaders, women’s groups and local women farmers in Badagry, ICEHD with support from VOICE embarked upon the one-year project.

“It is focused on empowering Badagry women farmers with knowledge, skills, resources and tools to enable them access economic opportunities, and be equipped with sustainable solutions to address climate challenges,” she said.

Joshua, however, said that the fertilisers and farming tools to be given to farmers would strengthen their farming capacity in Badagry.

She said the training would enable them to achieve economic justice and the capacity to project their voices against exploitation and marginalisation.

Joshua said that the non-governmental organisation partnered the Agricultural Department of Badagry Local Government to train over 100 women farmers.

According to her, the aim of the project was to enable women to participate equally with men in accessing resources and opportunities for economic advancement.

She added that the trained women farmers would receive farming tools and a copy of ICEHD book.

She said that the book titled, “Power of Resilience: “Nigerian Women Farmers Share Their Challenges and Experiences,” would broaden their knowledge base.

“The book is a policy advocacy tool to project the voices of rural women farmers in Nigeria, toward reforms in agricultural policy, gender mainstreaming in agricultural budgeting and financial inclusion, to promote the rights women farmers in Nigeria,” she said.

Mrs Grace Godonu, a farmer, at Ikoga, Badagry, commended the NGO for organising the training programme and distribution of tool and fertilisers to farmers.

She said the training had broaden their knowledge on how to protect their produce as climate changes.

NAN reports that ICEHD was established in 2004 primarily to promote health (especially the health of women and girls), advance socio-economic inclusion and development and empower local marginalised women and girls, among others. (NAN)

Edited by Nkiru Ifeajuna/Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Agriculture

FAO, UNIDO present report on coconut development to LASG

By Olayinka Olawale

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations and United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) on Friday presented a 300-page report on coconut value chain analysis to the Lagos State Government.

Mr Suleiman Abubakar, Assistant Food and Agriculture Organisation representative to Nigeria, presented the report to the Lagos State Government on behalf of the FAO-UN and UNIDO.

He said the importance of the report was to create coconut on planting awareness  to ensure its sufficiency in Nigeria, create more jobs while increasing the state’s GDP.

Mr Fred Kafeero, FAO-UN Country Representative to Nigeria, said the report would form the basis for investment in the coconut value chain by both public and private sector.

He said the report would help to foster the upgrading strategy for the development of the proposal in the state.

Kafeero was represented by Mr AlHassan Cisse, Head, North East Emergency Operations.

According to him, the official presentation of the Coconut Value Chain Analysis report today marks the beginning of a second phase partnership with Lagos state.

“This will ensure sustainable food security, improved livelihood, economic development in terms of revenue generation, improving the standard of living and local economy of Lagos people through employment and wealth creation opportunities.

“It will improve the overall environmental impact in mitigating against climate change and global warming.

“This is such a big progress that we should all celebrate about since the main objective is to make the coconut value chain in the state more feasible and cost effective.

“With assurance of optimum return of the government’s investment,” he said.

The FAO country representative commended the state government for promoting agriculture and coconut development in addition, make Nigeria among the top 10 coconut producing countries in the world by 2030.

“On behalf of FAO, I will like to once again commend the Lagos state for its efforts in promoting agriculture and specifically developing the coconut value chain to create employment opportunities for the teeming youth’s population.

“I want to reiterate that FAO will continue to strengthening its partnership with the Lagos state government in the development of programmes, building of capacities and facilitation of policies on all matters relating to food security and nutrition.

Receiving the report on behalf of the Lagos state government, Ms Abisola Olusanya, State Commissioner for Agriculture said government was doing a lot in promoting coconut value chain in the state.

Olusanya promised speedy implementation of the report.

She said the report was aimed at ensuring coconut contribute maximally to making Lagos a 21st century economy by creating more employment and more wealth for Lagos.

The commissioner said that the implementation of coconut upgrading strategy as contained in the document would attract more than twenty times the present public and private investments into value chain.

“The creation of close to 500,000 employment opportunities and supporting their livelihood, contribute significantly to fighting the effects of climate change by curbing phenomenon such as coastal erosion among others in the next five years.

She, however, urged LASCODA to develop a five-year plan for the smooth implementation of the report.

In his remarks, Mr Dapo Olakulehin, the General Manager, Lagos State Coconut Development Authority (LASCODA), said the report would help in the area of production, processing and commercialisation of coconut.

Olakulehin said a survey tagged Coconut Value Chain Analysis (VCA) designed an effective action plan that identified the necessary public and private investments, technical assistance, and policy implications for sustainable coconut value chain development.

“The cost of the survey was jointly borne by the LASG 75 per cent and FAO/UNIDO 25 per cent.

“FAO jointly implemented the coconut value chain analysis and design, with the UNIDO under the FAO-UNIDO jointly managed Agrifood Systems Transformation Accelerator (ASTA), previously known as 3ADI+.

“Consequently, the 289-page coconut value chain analysis has been completed, and an upgrading strategy developed for the development of the coconut value chain in Lagos State,” he said.

The programme was attended by Dr Olurotimi Fashola, Special Adviser to the Governor on Rice Value Chain, Mr Afolabi Ayantayo, SA Parastatal Monitoring Office and Mrs Tokunbo Emokpae, Permanent Secretary ministry of Agriculture.

Others include Ibrahim Obajomo, PS Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Emmanuel Olajide, Director of Budget, Dr Osuyi Otu, UNIDO Programme Officer (Nigeria) and Mrs Adeola Akinrinlola, Programme Officer, FAO Nigeria. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

X
Welcome to NAN
Need help? Choose an option below and let me be your assistant.
Email SubscriptionSite SearchSend Us Email