Category: Agriculture

Food 

By Chimezie Anaso

Awka, June 19, 2024(NAN) Prof. Raphael Okigbo, lecturer at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, has called on President Bola Tinubu led administration to pay more attention to the agricultural sector with a view to addressing the food crisis in the country.

Okigbo, a professor of Plant Pathology in the Faculty of Biological Sciences, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Wednesday.

He said the scarcity and high price of food items had demanded a deliberate effort to address the challenges in the sector.

The don blamed insecurity and high cost of transportation as the bane of food security in Nigeria.

Okigbo advised the Federal Government to open the country’s borders to importation of healthy food items in the short run to increase their availability and push down prices.

According to him, we are not producing enough, our farmers both men and women, can no longer enter the forest to farm because of insecurity; government has to address the problem.

“Again, the cost of moving produce from the farm to where they are needed has more than quadrupled; this is another harmful effect of removal of petrol subsidy.

“All this explains the scarcity of food items and their high prices where you find them.

“So, I want to say that the government should design a good and urgent policy to address the challenges in agricultural sector,” he said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

APC/MNA 

Edited by Maureen Atuonwu

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Agriculture
By Segun Giwa
Akure, June 19, 2024 (NAN) Ondo State Government, on Wednesday, inaugurated the Sunshine Youth Agricultural Empowerment Association, a group of youths involved in different agricultural value chain in the state.

In a speech at the event in Akure, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, Mr Olayato Aribo, said he was happy that youths were showing interested in going into agriculture “at a time many of them are involved in different vices”.

Aribo described agriculture as “the easiest job” and “one of the easiest ways to get rich quickly”.

He identified the huge gap between the old farmers and current generation as part of the problems hampering the country’s quest to attain food sufficiency.

He, therefore, urged the association to keep the flag flying in their chosen areas of agricultural value chain and assured them of government’s imminent intervention.

“I am happy that all of you cut across all the different value chain of the business.

“I am happy that you came together. Agriculture is the easiest job to do

“If you want to be rich, you have to be self-employed.

“And farming is the first business that was set up by God. The most prominent job in the Bible.

“I will advise you that agriculture is not for lazy men.

“If you want to be in agriculture, you must be genuinely interested.

“Farmers are the greatest people with faith, they believe that there will be good weather, growth and harvest.

“Now that I have seen you, my hope is rekindled, so please don’t disappoint me.

“We will, as a government, try as much as possible to be there for you.

“We must see that you are there. If you are doing very well, intervention will come looking for you.

“We will be happy to use you as an encouragement to others,” Aribo said.

Earlier, the Chairman of the association, Mr Femi Eniola, said It became necessary as youths to speak with one voice, adding that the group posed no threat to any other associations.

Eniola said that the association was going to do what was right, in terms of food production and sufficiency, to put the state on the map of leading food producers in the country.

“We are not here to pose a threat or act as if we don’t know that there are other associations in the state, we only want our voice to be heard.

“And it became necessary to be here and speak with one voice

“We are going to do what is right and will make the state proud,” he said.

Other executive members included  Vice President Boluwaji Enahoro, Dr Iredele Sort (Secretary), Kemi Afolabi (Financial Secretary) and  Oluwole Olugbode (Welfare Coordinator), amongst others. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

GSD/USO
Edited by Sam Oditah

By Felicia Imohimi

Abuja, June 19, 2024(NAN) Smallholder Women Farmers Organisation of Nigeria (SWOFON) has urged the FCT administration to declare state of emergency on insecurity in order to ensure safety of farmers.

Mrs Olabisi Ogedengbe, SWOFON Coordinator, Gwagwalada, FCT, made the call at a news conference organised by WSOFON on Wednesday in Abuja.

The conference was tagged “Emerging challenges affecting smallholder women farmers in the FCT.’’

According to Ogedengbe, such declaration will address looming food crisis and inflation in the territory.

Ogedengbe, who decried the alarming insecurity and farmer-herders clashes in FCT, said the challenges had made smallholder women farmers vulnerable and finding difficulties to access their farmlands and incurring losses.

She identified the security challenge as a contributing factor to the current hike in cost of food among others in the country.

Ogedengbe alerted that the livelihood conditions of most smallholder women farmers were deteriorating, reaching a point where they struggled to provide food, access healthcare, infrastructure and afford their children’s education.

“The conference is to draw the attention of Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and Nigerian Government to the impact of the challenges affecting smallholder women farmers in FCTA.

“In light of the escalating economic challenges and the concurrent food crises and inflation, SWOFON deemed it imperative to highlight the severe effects on smallholder women farmers in the territory.’’

Ogedengbe said recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics, indicated that the food inflation rate in January 2024 was 35.41per cent on a year-on-year basis.

“The figure is 11.10per cent points higher compared to the rate of 24.32per cent recorded last year January.

“Similarly, the Cable news in May 2024, reported that FCT experienced food inflation rate at 38.38per cent

“The rise in food inflation on a year-on-year basis started with COVID -19 pandemic and exacerbated by increases in prices of bread and cereals, potatoes, yam and other tubers, oil and fat among others,’’ she said.

She called on FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, and the FCTA to deliberately invest massively in agriculture to ensure food and nutrition security.

Mrs Comfort Sunday, SWOFON Coordinator, FCT Chapter, identified other challenges faced by the women as barriers to land ownership and control.

Sunday said most times some of the farmlands were taken over by government for commercial purposes thereby limiting women farmers ability to invest in and benefit from agricultural activities.

She frowned at the disparities in access to and release of quality seeds, fertilisers, water pumps, solar borehole, Nafsak sprayers and other inputs between male and female farmers.

According to her, the disparities make it difficult for women farmers to engage in dry seasoning farming, impacting in low agricultural production and food insecurity.

Sunday said women farmers were disproportionately affected by climate change impacts such as erratic rainfall, droughts and soil degradation describing the challenge as threaten food security and livelihoods.

She said the farmers lacked resources to implement adaptive measures to environmental challenges threatening food security and livelihoods.

The coordinator called for reforms to land tenure policies to ensure equitable access to land for women, including legal support and advocacy for land rights.

“There should be timely release of farm inputs to smallholder women farmers by all tiers of government for this rainy season farming.

“Federal Government and FCTA should as a matter of urgency provide subsidies and support to our farmers for easy access to inputs such as quality early maturing seeds, seedlings, feeds, organic fertilisers, and pesticides.

“This will help increase food production, improve farmers’ livelihoods, and stimulate economic growth in the agricultural sector, “(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

FUA/CJ/

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Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

Food
By Mercy Omoike
Lagos, June 18, 2024 (NAN) Some agriculture experts have proffered solutions in addressing the rising food inflation in the country.
The experts said this in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos, while reacting to the May inflation figure.
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Nigeria’s headline inflation rate increased to 33.95 per cent in May 2024.
The NBS said this in its Consumer Price Index  and Inflation Report for May released on Saturday.
According to the report, the figure is 0.26 per cent points higher against the 33.69 per cent recorded in April 2024.
It said on a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate in May 2024 was 11.54 per cent higher than the rate recorded in May 2023 at 22.41 per cent.
The report said the food inflation rate in May 2024 increased to 40.66 per cent on a year-on-year basis, which was 15.84 per cent higher against 24.82 per cent recorded in May 2023.
The NBS said in May 2024, food inflation on a year-on-year basis was highest in Kogi with 46.32 per cent followed by  Ekiti with 44.94 per cent and Adamawa with the lowest figure of 31.72 per cent.
Mr Akin Alabi, an agriculture analyst, said the subsidisation of farm inputs to local farmers would help in crashing the growing food inflation.
“The rising food inflation in the latest NBS report  indicates the need for an urgent action by the government.
“There is an urgent need for the government to begin to subsidise farm inputs for smallholder farmers.
“Subsiding farm inputs for local farmers will help reduce the growing food inflation in the country,” he said.
Alabi also called for the set-up and implementation of a commodity board price.
“The government needs a monitoring agency to monitor the prices of food as it leaves the farm to the market.
“Sometimes, middlemen intentionally inflate the price of food items, and exploit the average buyer with exorbitant prices.
“For example, they should target major markets to monitor the prices, but again you cannot dictate food prices when you have not subsidised the inputs for farmers.
“As a country, we must involve inter-state partnerships, each must recognise their crop strengths and exchange with lacking states,” Alabi said.
On his part, Mr Omotunde Banjoko, an agriculture analyst and farmer, explained that the reasons for persistent food inflation were multifaceted.
Banjoko noted that high cost of transportation was a factor to increase in food prices.
“It costs a lot to transport agro-produce from where they are being cultivated to the markets.
“Even petrol sells as high as N600 per litre in some states and N800 and above in other states. All these logistics cost are also factored into the cost of cultivation as well as sales.
“The cost of crop cultivation is going up on a weekly basis, hence food inflation is imminent.
“For instance, in poultry and animal farming, the cost of feed is rather unpredictable and increasing on a daily basis.
“Currently, a lot of poultry and animal farms have shut down in recent months due to these increasing costs, so it is not about making profits.
“Only those few who are able to meet up the cost of cultivation are still in business. So, we have less food production,” Banjoko said.
He explained that the cost of food items would keep increasing with closure of more farms.
“The government should help subsidise the cost of food cultivation in the country and harmonisation of taxes for agro-produce.
“We heard the government is already on it, and if implemented it will be a right step in the right direction in ending food inflation.
“Multiple taxation on farmers should be stopped to address this food inflation. Farmers sometimes incur more costs in multiple taxation,” he said.
Also speaking, Dr Ismail Olawale, a strategic agriculture communication expert, said multiple taxation and adequate transportation of agro-produce must be addressed.
“We do not need economic statistics to begin to explain the effects of this inflation, it is something everyone is witnessing.
“In the northwest, farmers bring in so much produce and livestock to sell without greed.
“However, the middlemen are the major problems, they buy the produce from the farmers in bulk and middlemen sell it at exploitative prices.
“The middlemen do not only buy these items but the hoard them to increase the prices later. Some even sell these produce to neighbouring countries at the detriment of the locals.
“They sell to the highest bidders and allow the average Nigerian bear the brunt of the cost,” Olawale said.
He added that taxes collected from farmers at the border of every state during transportation of these produce were factored into the price of the produce.
“All these are underlying factors that influence the food inflation in the country. If the government can handle this illegal multiple taxations on agro-produce, the food inflation will gradually drop.
“Food inflation is not caused by the stock exchange, we must get logistics right and address multiple taxation.
“The transportation system is very crucial in determining the price of food items in Nigeria,” he said. (NAN) www.nannews.ng
DMO/JNC
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Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Nigeria spends $600m annually on palm oil importation

Importation

By Felicia Imohimi

Abuja, June 18, 2024(NAN)The National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPPAN), says Nigeria spends 600 million dollars on palm oil importation annually.

Mr Alphonsus Inyang, National President of the association, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

He  described the expenses as unhealthy for national development.

Inyang said the money could be saved and injected into the economy if the palm oil sub-sector was given due attention by successive governments.

The president regretted that Nigeria, which was self sufficient in palm oil production in time past,  now spends huge amount to import same product.

Inyang recalled that in the 60s, Nigeria was number one in palm oil  production and exportation globally, controlling over 60 per cent of world palm oil.

He said that the reverse was the case at the moment as over 50 per cent of what we consume is imported.

“At the moment, the country occupies fifth position in the league of palm oil  producing countries after Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Colombia.

“Nigeria may even lose the position to smaller countries who are investing heavily in the sector.

“Indonesia occupies the first position,  producing 50 million metric tons, Malaysia second with 19 million metric tons, Thailand 3.28 million and Colombia 1.9 million metric tons,” he said.

The president attributed the challenge to the negelect of the sector by successive governments.

Inyang said that based on the U.S.  Department of Agriculture, Nigeria currently occupies fifth position in the league of palm oil producing countries with 1.5 per cent or 1.4 million metric tons of the world’s total output.

“Nigeria was overthrown as the world’s largest palm oil producer and exporter by Malaysia and Indonesia in 1966.

“Currently, Nigeria is the largest consumer of the product in the continent, consuming approximately three million metric tons yearly.

“Domestic production stands at less than 1.4 million metric tons, leaving a deficit of over 1.6 million metric tones,’’ he said.

Inyang urged government, specifically the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, to support NPPAN members with seedlings to develop 250,000 hectares per year.

“Our members can plant up to 250,000 hectares per year through the association’s National Oil Palm Strategy Development Plan; all we want are inputs.

“Government does not need to give and develop land for us, we need seedlings, fertilisers, logistics and implements to close this gab within four years.

“We will also create new millionaires in 28 states of the federation,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
FUA/DE/JPE
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Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Joseph Edeh

Investors

By Felicia Imohimi

Abuja, June 17, 2024(NAN)The National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPPAN) has cautioned states and local governments against involvement of foreign investors in primary production of oil palm in the country.

Amb. Alphonsus Inyang, National President of NPPAN, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

Inyang frowned at promotion of such practices in some states in the country, describing the menace as inimical to national development.

He said that allowing foreigners to engage in primary production of the product like planting seedlings, nursery and harvest and mill would turn Nigerian citizens into labourers in their country.

“Foreign investors will pay peanuts to our people as plantation attendants while they declare billions as profit every year and our people will be struggling to feed.

“We do not want foreign investors to come and plant palm trees and any state promoting such should stop; they should not be involved in primary production.

“We do not want them in the upstream rather they should be at the downstream that is processing and value addition.

“Nigerian populace should do the planting while investors provide us with inputs such as planting materials, fertilisers, herbicides and land development for planting and they can as well offtake the harvest.’’

The president explained that discouraging foreigners from primary production would ensure the distribution of wealth of oil palm sector from rural communities being the primary producers to the millers and makers who would be the investors.

‘‘We want a robust out grower system such as the Indonesian model of the “Core and the Plasma.’’

He said that the investors should build mills and provide inputs for NPPAN members to plant for them.

“Such model will create millionaires out of our people instead of taking lands from our people and allocating to big men.

“Government should talk to our association on how to make this model work,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

FUA/FAK/CJ/

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Edited by Funmilayo Adeyemi and Chijioke Okoronkwo

Insecurity: Community urges Mbah to install mobile telecoms station

Telecommunication

By Doris Esa

Abuja, June 16, 2024 (NAN)  Ugbene Ajima community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu, has called on Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu to facilitate the  setting  up of a mobile telecommunication base station in the community.

Mr Tony Eze, Chairman, Concerned People of Ugbene Ajima community who made the call in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, said this would check insecurity and boost development.

Eze said that the installation of a telecom station in the community would save the rural dwellers from dearth of mobile network, and address the challenge of insecurity in the area.

He said that the lack of mobile network in the community has made it difficult to communicate with security agencies to respond to emerging security threats in the area.

According to Eze, the governor had promised to set up a mobile telecommunication base station in the community.

He said Mbah made the promise during an interaction with the people of the state to mark his one year in office.

Eze said that the governor had raised the hopes of the community  with his promise to install a mobile telecommunication base station in the area.

He described the governor’s  intervention as timely, saying that in spite of the huge agricultural produce of Ugbene community, the area had been robbed of development by absence of  mobile network.

Eze said d the installation of the base station by Mbah would open up the community for development, jump-start small businesses and as well enhance swift response to emerging local security challenges.

He said that the present efforts of the state government to improve agriculture and security, would be futile if rural communities were left with no access to mobile network.

Eze said that with the recent attack in Nimbo community by suspected herdsmen, border communities like Ugbene were at risk.

He said that the situation is worst by lack of mobile network to coordinate local security efforts.

The chairman said in spite of the huge agricultural potential of the community and business prospects as a transit town, lack of mobile network has left the community undeveloped.

Ugbene  Ajima, an agrarian community located 15 kilometers from Nsukka township shared  borders with Eziani, Nkpologu, Abbi, Nrobo and Nimbo communities of the state. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

ORD /JPE

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Edited by Joseph Edeh