Category: Agriculture

Project

By Felicia Imohimi

Abuja, June 26, 2024(NAN)The Federal Government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development Programme (IFAD) say they are committed to scaling up implementation of Livelihood Improvement and Family Enterprises Project in Niger Delta (LIFE-ND).

Mrs Dede Ekoue, Country Director, IFAD, gave the assurance at the Federal Government and IFAD LIFE-ND Joint 4th Supervision Mission workshop on Wednesday in Abuja.

LIFE-NG project is in response to the limited readily available options for the “disadvantaged” (youth and women) in the rural and suburban communities to improve their means of livelihood and help them to live decent lives.

Ekoue said the implementation would be scaled up in three states of Rivers, Imo and Akwa-Ibom.

“We look forward to a scaling up of the project results in the three states originally planned to be funded by Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

“LIFE-ND is a programme that has demonstrated successful impact over its five years of implementation.

“The specific objective of the project is to enhance income, food security and job creation for rural youth and women through agri-enterprise development on a sustainable basis in the nine Niger-Delta states.

“The states are Abia, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Ondo  financed by IFAD while Akwa-Ibom, Imo and Rivers have yet to commence the project implementation under the NDDC funding.’’

The country director said the supervision mission provided an opportunity to support LIFE-ND to catalyse additional progress for youth and women agribusiness, food security and inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

She explained that the mission would identify additional strategies to deliver more value to the youth and women agribusiness and to the Niger Delta communities.

“The mission is happening at a critical junction as IFAD is working on the request for additional finance for the LIFE-ND second phase in the six states covered by IFAD/FG funding, “she said.

The director urged the supervision mission team to utilise the opportunity to invest fully in the mission to prepare ways for greater impact of the project on the agro-food system transformation in the Niger-Delta.

Mr Bukar Musa, Director Project Coordinating Unit, FNAFS, said the ministry had made a lot of efforts to sustain LIFE-ND project.

Musa identified one the efforts as sending series of reminder to NDDC through the Ministry of Niger Delta to produce their financial commitment to bring the three states under its funding on board.

The director, who assured that the commission would son redeem its pledge, emphasised that efforts were being made for the expansion of the project to other states.

“We have forwarding memos and letters to the Federal Ministry of Finance for onward delivery to IFAD for the reallocation of additional finance of the unallocated six million dollars.

“The ministry has equally sent similar letters for the release of 20 million dollars additional financing to forestall any financing gap between the project first phase and second phase.

” We have started negotiation of the second phase to enable or bring in more states especially the states of Rivers, Akwa-Ibom and Imo which hitherto have not enjoyed IFAD funding because they are funded by the NDDC, “he said.

Musa identified supervision mission as integral to any project in order to access the journey so far.

Dr Abiodun Sanni, National Project Coordinator, FG/IFAD LIFE-ND, said the project had two main components comprising enhancement of economic opportunities for rural youth and women headed household as well as project management and coordination.

Sanni said that the first component was aimed at ensuring efficient and effective management of the project achieving results with communication and knowledge management integrated in all aspects of operations, approaches and activities.

“The other component is aimed at facilitating the establishment of economically and environmentally sustainable agribusiness by beneficiaries.

“LIFE-ND uses an innovative enterprise development model that leverages investments from Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to support unemployed youth and women in high income and job creation enterprises,” he said.

Dr Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director, NDDC, identified LIFE-ND objectives as domiciled within the commissions mandate areas.

Ogbuku, represented by Dr Olumide Epebinu, Director, Agriculture and Fisheries, NDDC, said the commission would work assiduously to ensure effective implementation of the project in the three targeted states under its funding.

Similarly, Ms Munet Sadiku, Representative of the Federal Ministry of Finance, said the ministry was collaborating with IFAD to secure the approval of additional financing.

“Additional financing will further enhance our capability to address the challenges faced by our farmers and expand the positive impact of the LIFE-ND project,’’ she said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

FUA/DE/CJ/

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Edited by Dorcas Jonah and Chijioke Okoronkwo

Agribusiness
By Idris Olukoya
Epe (Lagos State), June 26, 2024 (NAN) An NGO, Concerned Nation Builders Initiative, has urged the federal and state governments to prioritise agribusiness for national development.
National Coordinator of the NGO, Mr Ladi Kassim, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Epe on Wednesday.
Kassim described agribusiness as a good strategy for economic development, wealth and job creation as well as a huge source of foreign exchange earnings.
According to him, agribusinesses are organisations and entities involved in one or more stages of production of crops and livestock.
He highlighted agribusiness activities to include: manufacture or distribution of agricultural supplies and equipment, such as machinery, feeds and fertilisers.
He said that agribusiness might sell items to farmers for production, provide services to other agricultural businesses or be engaged in the marketing, transportation, processing and distribution of agricultural products.
Kassim said that government should provide conducive environment and incentives for the private sector to engage profitably in agriculture.
This, according to him, is the best time for the country to move into agriculture, as there are challenges in the oil and gas sector.
“As you can see, the country is experiencing inadequate food supply; our youths are unemployed and there are inadequate raw materials for industrialisation, among other challenges.
“Attention should, therefore, be given to agriculture at the highest political level, while farming should be treated as a sustainable business for the country,” he said.
Kassim advised state governments to develop agricultural initiative programmes for the overall benefits of the citizens.
“Agriculture is an important factor in the development of any state, while food security is very key, particularly in this era of economic challenges,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
SIO/DE/WAS
Edited by Dorcas Jonah and ‘Wale Sadeeq

NGO to ensure availability, accessibility, affordability of Vitamin A foods

Food

By Nicholas Dechi

Makurdi, June 25, 2025 (NAN) Global Alliance For Improved Nutrition (GAIN), says it is working assiduously to ensure nutritious foods enriched with vitamin A are available, accessible and affordable to Nigerians in all seasons.

The Senior Project Manager, GAIN Supply Chain for Commercialisation, Mr Godwin Ehiabhi, disclosed this during the training of trainers on improving nutrition and value addition for nutrient-enriched staples
on Tuesday, in Makurdi.

Ehiabhi reiterated that GAIN’s goal was to make nutritious foods, specifically Vitamin A enriched diets, available and affordable to all Nigerians in these hard times.

He further disclosed that GAIN was strengthening nutrition in priority staple foods, adding that the project was a five-year project that began in 2021 that would end in December 2025.

“It is aimed at solving the problem of malnutrition in Nigeria. 60 to 65 per cent are malnourished in Nigeria.

“In Benue, implementation is in four Local Government Areas (LGAs), namely Gboko, Makurdi, Gwer and Otukpo.

“The project has three components, bio-fortification, workforce nutrition and business support,” Ehiabhi explained.

According to him, bio-fortification is to train farmers for extension services and free input distribution, while workforce nutrition is to enable households adopt nutrition in their homes, encourage cooking demonstrations, social behavioural change campaign and home garden.

He further stated that business support was for processors and registered farm businesses along the vitamin A food value chain, as well as capacity building and award of grants to deserving businesses.

He explained that to ensure sustainability of the project, the trainers would step down the training or knowledge acquired to other LGAs that were not captured by the project.

According to the Policy and Advocacy Associate, GAIN, Ms Toromade Olutayo, 90 per cent of Nigerians are part of the one billion people in Africa that cannot afford a healthy diet.

Olutayo further noted that there was a 62.2 per cent prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in Benue.

Some beneficiaries, Mr Sughnen Osugh, Ms Bridget Idyu and Erdoo Jato, appreciated GAIN for impacting their lives, adding that it had helped them to enhance their income. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

DND/DOR
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Edited by Nyisom Fiyigon Dore

Inputs

By Hajara Leman

Kwami (Gombe State), June 25, 2024 (NAN) The Gombe State Fadama GO-CARES has begun distribution of farm inputs and assets to 125,729 farmers, to encourage agricultural productivity.

The farmers are being supported under the fourth phase of the Fadama GO-CARES programme of the state Ministry of Agriculture.

The Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Salihu Baba-Alkali said this during the inauguration of the distribution exercise on Tuesday at Kwami town in Kwami Local Government Area of the state.

He said the gesture would support poor and vulnerable farmers in line with the agenda of Gov Inuwa Yahaya led administration, to alleviate poverty and enhance create wealth creation.

Baba-Alkali said the Fadama GO-CARES had impacted the lives of 47,482 persons and executed 32 viable projects since inception in the state.

He listed the projects to include farmer support services, construction of earth dams, access roads, culverts and drainages as well as upgrade of water and sanitary facilities,

According to him, the focus is to leverage on agriculture to create employment opportunities and enhance food security.

“Today, we are here to inaugurate the fourth phase that targets a total of 125,729 direct beneficiaries.

“Out of the number 42,300 beneficiaries will receive support as follows: 28,500 will receive agricultural inputs; 5,000 will receive agricultural assets, while 8,800 direct beneficiaries of rural infrastructure, where earth dams, culverts and drainages will be rehabilitated,” he said.

Baba-Alkali lauded the state governor for providing the necessary fund and commitment to ensure the smooth implementation of the programme which to empower younthe and women to become self-reliant.

Dr Barnabas Malle, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperatives, said the distribution was a continuous exercise to enhance participation in the programme and warned against diversion of the commodities.

The gesture, he said, would go a long way towards improving the social and economic wellbeing of the beneficiaries.

Also speaking, Dr Babayo Makka, the Coordinator, FADAMA GO-CARES implored farmers who were yet to benefit from programme to exercise patience, noting that the distribution was being done in phases to mobilise participation in the programme.

He said the intervention was part of the government’s effort towards improving the lives and economic fortunes of the poor and vulnerable persons in the state.

“The state government has made giant stride to boost food security, enhance agricultural productivity and improve the quality of life of rural communities.

“The infrastructure being provided will not only improve the health and wellbeing of the communities, but also stimulate economic growth and development.

“I wish to appreciate the government of Gombe State for the timely release of funds to support the activities of the GO-CARES programme across the various delivery platforms,” he said.

One of the beneficiaries, Magaji Babawuro said the support would aid his farming activities.

Babawuro said he had given up hope of cultivating his farmlands as he could not afford exorbitant prices of fertilisers and farm inputs.

“The input came at a time I seriously needed it because I had no hope of farming but with this input, I will now return to my farm and not be idle at home,” he said. (NAN)( www.nannews.ng)

HUL/RSA
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Edited by Rabiu Sani-Ali