By Tosin Kolade

Shield Africa, a non-profit organisation, has announced a partnership with the government to empower youth and women in agriculture, with the goal of improving food security in the country.

The Chief Executive Officer of Shield Africa, Mrs Osenaga Orokpo, made the announcement at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja.

She said that the organisation was committed to driving sustainable development across Nigeria and Africa by empowering local communities, particularly women and youth.

“Through strategic interventions in agriculture, entrepreneurshipand education, we aim to address critical challenges such as food insecurity, poverty and climate change.

“Our initiatives foster innovation and collaboration, contributing to a more equitable and sustainable future for Africa.’’

She noted that the National Agricultural Growth Scheme, unveiled by President Bola Tinubu, aimed to boost agriculture and achieve zero hunger in the country.

“We are aware of recent initiatives by President Tinubu’s administration to support young farmers and strengthen food security.

“During the 6th Africa-Wide Agricultural Extension Week, the president launched the National Agricultural Growth Scheme – Agro-pocket, which provides millions of farmers with training on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and more.

“In support of these efforts, Shield Africa is launching the Agripreneur of the Year Awards, where young entrepreneurs in the agricultural value chain will receive N2 million each to scale up their production.’’

She said that, since the government had initiated this effort, Shield Africa recognised the need to align its work with the government’s goals.

Orokpo emphasised that the focus was on supporting farmers with the necessary inputs to produce the nutritious food the continent requires.

“Shield Africa is aligning with this through a project called the Young Agripreneur Financing Projects, which identifies young people aged 18-35 who have started agricultural ventures.

“We assist them in accessing finance to expand their operations.’’

Orokpo also highlighted priority projects like the Agro-Inputs and Distribution Projects, which were currently being implemented in Benue–where they were working with 450 rice farmers, 30 per cent of whom were women.

She also spoke on the issue of flooding across the country.

“These are challenging times across the continent and Nigeria is particularly affected due to our population.

“If we don’t take decisive steps now, we risk disaster, especially in terms of food security.

“We are aware of the devastation floods bring, not just to human life but also to crops; this calls for significant collaboration and commitment,’’ she said.

She added that Shield Africa was engaging with states and local governments hardest hit by floods and would unveil humanitarian campaigns to support affected communities with food, water and medical supplies. (NAN) 

Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

By Mercy Omoike

The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Lagos State chapter, has championed the move for the attainment of food security in the country at its annual conference.

The association at its 2024 annual Conference and Exhibition with the theme: ‘Poultry Association of Nigeria Lagos (PANLAG) on the Pathway to Food Security and Sustainability’, called for the attainment of food security via the poultry sector.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference held on Wednesday in Lagos was organised to close the economic hardship gap in the sector by boosting productivity capacity of local poultry farmers.

In his welcome address, the PAN Lagos State Chairman, Mr Mojeed Iyiola, reiterated the resolve of the association to address the challenges facing the sector.

“Nigeria is a significant gateway to West Africa’s food market, most especially protein production, in which the poultry sector is one of the major sources.

“However, the sector is experiencing retrogressive trends in production with farms shutting down on a daily basis.

“This is a wake up call for us all to creatively and relentlessly work together towards a common goal of ensuring adequate food security and its sustainability in Lagos State and our dear country Nigeria.

“We at PANLAG, resolve that the factors of erratic climate change, environmental degradation and insecurity impending on food security and its sustainability should be critically addressed,” he said.

He stressed the need for lasting solutions to ensure adequate food production and sustainability in Nigeria.

“It is our expectation that the conference provides a platform for policy makers and stakeholders to share knowledge, showcase innovations and collaborate on strategies that will promote food security,” Iyiola said.

On his part, the guest speaker and Vice Chancellor Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Prof. Olushola Kehinde, represented by Prof. Olajide Sogunle, stressed the need for diversification to diversify to rearing other species.

Kehinde said that poultry farmers should diversify aside growers and layers for increased productivity and profitability.

“The poultry industry dates back to 8,000 years, however, many local farmers are only into raising broilers and layers, let us diversify into other poultry species.

“We have ducks, guinea fowls and turkeys and so many other poultry species that most countries rear to boost profit.

“But in Nigeria, our focus has always been layers and growers.

“Let us diversify and then I believe, with the training we are having today, we will be better for it.

“I must say that with this training and workshop organised by PAN Lagos, I believe with our speeches and panel sessions and deliberations will be able to forge ahead.

“We will be able to find a way out of the problems in the sector such that every poultry farmer will go back smiling as we forge a way out of the economic problem that we face now,” Kehinde said.

The keynote speaker, Dr James Wageti, veterinarian and poultry expert, tasked the farmers on efficiency and stockmanship to address the losses in the sector.

“I think the only way a poultry farmer can boost production in this challenging time is by farm implementing efficiency.

“From data and analysis obtained all over Nigeria, we can tell you that what poultry farmers are losing on their farm is more than what they are making.

“So, if they are able to apply efficiency on their farms, they will be able to stay afloat in the business.

“Stockmanship is the key thing in poultry farming, most farmers look at the birds just like that without looking at what the birds are doing.

“The birds talk to us, they speak all languages, but most farmers because of that lack of stockmanship they do not understand and that is why they are losing.

“Stockmanship is the way to manage your poultry business by using your senses and observational skills,” Wageti said. (NAN)

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

By Tosin Kolade

The Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) has pledged its support for the National Single Window (NSW) project to simplify port clearing processes and improve Nigeria’s trade facilitation.

Dr Vincent Isegbe, Comptroller General of NAQS, said this on Thursday during a meeting with the Head of the Secretariat and the Project Management Office of the NSW in Abuja.

Isegbe assured the NSW project team of NAQS’s full cooperation and urged other relevant agencies to align with government policies that promote ease of doing business in Nigeria.

He said there was need for clearly defined roles among trade facilitation agencies to avoid overlap and ensure smooth operations.

The comptroller general added that NAQS had introduced the Export Certification Value Chain (ECVC) for 30 agricultural commodities to simplify exports and create opportunities for stakeholders and youths to earn foreign exchange.

He noted NAQS’s shift to electronic certification, has earned top marks among 36 MDAs in the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) ranking.

Isegbe expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for unveiling the NSW project, noting its alignment with NAQS’s trade facilitation mandate.

He highlighted the success of the agency’s ePhyto system, which allowed global access to phytosanitary certifications, ensuring transparency for all stakeholders.

The NSW project team, led by Mr Tola Fakolade and co-lead Pius Anyiador, recognised the important role NAQS played in the project’s success.

The project team outlined the benefits of the NSW, including increased government revenue, enhanced foreign investment, higher trade volumes, and greater efficiency through automated processes.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the NSW is central to the government’s strategy to enhance trade, reduce bottlenecks and increase transparency in customs processes.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

By Rita Iliya

No fewer than 300,000 smallholder farmers have embraced modern techniques of farming to improve crop yield in Niger state.

Dr Godwin Atser, the Country Director, Sasakawa Africa Association Nigeria, said this during a mega field day with farmers in Kampala community of Bosso Local Government Area of the state.

Atser, represented by Dr Abdulhamid Gambo, Deputy Country Director, said the organisation was working to support smallholder farmers in value chain crops in 17 local government areas in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the intervention was under Agra-Niger State Consortium Project.

It is tagged “Improving Farmers Resilience and Upscaling Productivity Incomes and Livelihood in Rice, Maize, Soyabean, Cowpea, Onion value chains”.

Atser said farmers were trained on modern method of farming such as use of good quality seeds, spacing and fertiliser application.

“The impact record is impressive as farmers production per hectare have trippled in all value chains with increased income,” he said.

He added that farmers have also been introduced to simple mechanisation like use of planter, fertiliser applicator and other modern tools which were more effective.

Also Dr Dogara Danbaba, Zonal Coordinator of Agra Consortium Project, said the use of modern techniques by farmers had increased their production and income.

He said smallholder farmers now get 6.5 to 7 tons yield output from rice unlike in the past where they only get 2 to 3 tonnes per hactare.

Danbaba also said that maize output had increased to 3 to 3.5 tonnes compared to the scarce 2 tons they get in the past.

Abdullahi Musa, a maize farmer, said he had recorded bumper harvest using the modern method of spacing in making ridges, planting of crops and fertiliser application.

“For yield crops, ensure 75 centimeters in making ridges, 25 centimetres spacing in planting crops.

“Apply fertiliser 14 days after planting, do not throw it like the old method instead, dig holes inbetween four crops and bury it underground,” he said.

The village Head of Kampala, Alhaji Adamu Zakari, appreciated Sasakawa and Agra-Niger for the intervention and linking smallholder farmers to financial institutions. (NAN)

Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

By Felicia Imohimi