WordPress

Category: Agriculture

  • Residents raise concerns as beans price soars in Lagos 

     

     

     

     

    Beans

    Lagos, June 9, 2024 (NAN) Lagos residents are raising concerns about continued increase in the price of beans, their major source of protein.

    They said that consistent rise in the price of beans since 2024 had become unbearable, urging governments to intervene.

    The residents spoke in interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos.

    NAN reports that a 40kg bag of beans, which sold for N26,000 in January, now sells for N115,000, while a 100kg bag which sold for N55,000 at the beginning of the year, now sells for N230,000.

    This made the staple food beyond the reach of many of the residents.

    Mrs Uloma Chigozirim, a housewife and mother of four on Santos Estate, Akowonjo, expressed worry that children might be malnourished following the high increase in the price of beans.

    “Beans used to be the cheapest food; now, we do not even understand what is going on.

    “Every other week, the price keeps going up; even  traders cannot tell us the reason for the hike.

    “Beans used to be the cheapest source of protein for the average resident, but the produce is now too expensive to afford.

    “We really need government intervention, else a lot of us will be malnourished,” Chigozirim said.

    Hinting on the possible reason for the hike in the price of the produce, Mr Uche Ikenga, a beans farmer at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, noted that the produce was not an all-season crop.

     

    “It has the time it is cultivated.

    “The peak period for beans harvest is usually at the end of the year. Then we have enough supply for the growing demand of the produce.

    “However,  harvest time is the time some cattle are foraging everywhere for food.

    “Last year, a lot of farmers lost their harvest because their beans farms were consumed by the foraging cows.

    “The produce is scarce and expensive this year because the harvest of last year was low,” Ikenga said.

    A beans trader at the Dry Foodstuff Section of Ile-Epo Market, Agege, Mr Ahmed Yusuf, said that beans might not be unavailable in the coming months.

    “We sold a small bucket of beans for N6,500 last two weeks but now the same quantity sells for N 8,000.

    “The price just keeps soaring everyday, and we sell as we buy. We no longer keep because of the price unpredictability.

    “We are not even sure if we will have beans to sell by this time next month because the produce is unavailable,” he said.

    Yusuf told NAN that demand for beans had been high but farmers did not have enough because so many of them could not cultivate crops this year.

    “There is nothing we can do about the price hike, it has gone beyond our control,” Yusuf said.

    A seller of jewellery, Mrs Bunmi Arowolo, called for intervention of the federal and Lagos State governments in the situation.

    “Early in May, I bought a paint (small) bucket of beans for N7 500 as against N3,000 previously.

    “As common form of protein, I now manage the little quantity for my family.

    “I want to appeal to the governments to tackle insecurity so that farmers can go to their farms again and make the produce available and affordable,” Arowolo said.

    Emphasising the importance of beans in Nigerians’ diets, Ms Adaeze Oparaku, a nutritionist at the Lagos Teaching Hospital (LUTH), said: “The produce is an important source of protein, carbohydrates, dietary fibre for both adults and children.

    “It contains micronutrients such as the Vitamin Bs, good source of minerals such as phosphorus, copper, manganese, iron.

    “Beans should be a regular staple in children’s diet, if they like it.

    “However,  given the  rise in the price of the produce, it can be substituted with other protein sources in children’s meals.”

    Mrs Eugenia Uloma, a trader at the popular Kotangora Market in Abule-Egba area, said that beans had been a major part of the Nigerian diet and important to every Nigerian.

    “The produce is so expensive, but we still buy the quantity we can afford because it is our major source of protein.

    “Other protein sources are even more expensive.

    “We do not need so much from the government, if it can address this growing food inflation, we will be grateful.

    “Let us just have food to eat, that is what most of us are asking. We need to feed our families to live, especially the children,” Uloma said.

    A vegetable farmer, Mrs Barinedum Legbara, called for adequate planning for increased local production of beans.

    “We buy beans as a basic necessity in our diet. Government should do something about the beans issue.

    “We need adequate planning for strategic cultivation of beans so as to avoid this scarcity and hike.

    “We have everything in this country to feed ourselves. Farmers should be empowered to cultivate crops for food security.

    “Nigeria is fertile, we just need to be more strategic in our crop cultivation to give us sizeable yields and good prices,” Legbara said. (NAN) www.nannews.ng

    DMO/IGO

    ===========

    Edited by Ijeoma Popoola

     

     

     

     

  • Kano farmers laud FG, partners for providing climate-resilient crops

     

    Crops

    By Muhammad Nur Tijani

    Kano, June 8, 2024(NAN)Some farmers in Kano State have commended the National Centre For Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB), Crop Trust and German Development Bank(KfW) for providing them with climate-resilient crops varieties.

    The farmers gave the commendation on Saturday during NACGRAB’s seed dissemination exercise to Germplasm User Group on Saturday in Bagauda near Kano.

    Jummai Gadzama, a female farmer from Bagauda, commended the agency and its partners for their impressive gesture.

    Gadzama said that she recorded a bountiful harvest after cultivating the improved white sorghum.

    “The seeds I used before yielded small harvests but the seeds I got from NACGRAB and crop trust yielded much bigger and nutritious harvests,” she said.

    She also appealed to Federal Government to provide subsidised fertilizer and other farm implements.

    Another farmer from Minjibir local government, Salisu Kunya, who lauded the Federal Government’s agency for the gesture, said that he would like to obtain another batch of improved seeds from NACGRAB.

    He disclosed that he had, nonetheless, saved part of the seeds for this planting season.

    Kunya added the red variety of sorghum he planted for two seasons was very nutritious and early maturity.

    “The red variety I got from the agency was very good, matures very early and because of its nutritional value we make baby food with it.

    “This variety also is resilient to drought and we like this to be made available on a large scale,” he added.

    Mairo Uba, from Tiga, said that she adopted the variety of copwpea as a result of its quality, traits, early maturity, high yields, among others.

    “We have also multiplied the seeds we selected in year 2023 and as well disseminated it to other farmers,” Uba explained.

    Yahaya Wada, a farmer from Tiga, also explained that the variety of sorghum they harvested in 2022 and 2023 was very productive; good for both human consumption and animal feeding.

    “The varieties of sorghum are better compared to our local varieties, because it is resilience to drought,” he said.

    Wada also called on the Federal Government to provide subsidised fertiliser for them.

    Earlier, Dr Abisoye Ojo, Deputy Director, NACGRAB, said that the programme was a component of user engagement activities within the framework Seed for Resilience (S4R) project which was being implemented in three states in Nigeria namely Oyo, Niger and Kano.

    According to her, 150 samples of both indigenous and unique accessions of sorghum and cowpea were planted in order to mitigate the effects of climate change in the country.

    Speaking also, the Chief Scientific Officer, NACGRAB, Dr Muyiwa Olubiyi, stressed the importance of crop conservation, saying that it would enable researchers to access the different indigenous crop samples in the gene bank for breeding, particularly in view of climate change.

    Olubiyi said that the project had exposed the diversity of sorghum, cowpea and other crops to farmers and other users in Nigeria in order to mitigate the effects of climate change and boost farmers’ productivity and ensure food and nutrition security in Nigeria.

    He said that the project was successful based on feedback from farmers and other users.

    Olubiyi said that the response showed that the good quality seeds planted yielded well in multiples, compared to the previous years.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

     

    MNT/CJ/

    =======

    Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo

  • Rep. Magaji distributes 10,000 bags of fertiliser to constituents

    Distribution
    By Amen Gajira
    Zangon Kataf (Kaduna State), June 8, 2024 (NAN) Mr Amos Magaji, a member of the House of Representatives, on Saturday commenced the distribution of 10,000 bags of fertiliser to farmers in his Zango-Kataf/Jaba constituency in Kaduna State.
    Magaji, while flagging off the exercise in Kwoi and Zonkwa simultaneously, tasked the farmers to diversify their farming engagements instead of focusing on ginger production.
    “Diversifying crop production will reduce the chances of incurring collosal losses in the event of an outbreak of disease as was the case with ginger last year.
    “Beneficiaries of the fertilizer cut across party, religious, and ethnic lines; I appeal to all to make the most of the commodity to pave the way for bumper harvest this year,” he said.
    Magaji particularly cautioned against the diversion of the product to other purposes other than the one intended.
    He thanked PDP members for sustaining the party in the area, describing the feat as heartwarming.
    In their separate remarks, PDP chairmen in Jaba and Zango Kataf Local Government Areas, Messrs Jonathan Gyam and Samuel Basa respectively, applauded the lawmaker for coming to the aid of the farmers.
    They described the gesture as timely, considering the current economic hardship faced by the people.
    They called on other well meaning individuals and organisations to emulate the lawmaker in providing succour to vulnerable members of the society.
    Some of the beneficiaries from the two local government areas appreciated the lawmaker for standing in the gap as they look to step up farming activities and improve their livelihood.
    Others who spoke, prayed God to replenish the lawmaker’s pockets and grant him the strength to sustain the kindness. (NAN)
    AMEN/ETS
    ==========

  • Food Security: Sen. Mustapha advocates multi-dimensional approach

    Food
    By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal

    Ilorin, June 7, 2024 (NAN) Sen. Saliu Mustapha (Kwara Central/APC) on Friday in Ilorin called for a multi-dimensional approach and integration of technological innovation to enhance food security in Nigeria.

    Mustapha made the call while delivering a keynote address at the Maiden International Conference (Hybrid) of the Faculty of Physical Science of the University of Ilorin.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the conference was “Renewable Energy and the Clean Environment: Panacea for Sustainable Development”.

    The senator, who underscored the need for government reforms and stakeholders’ engagement, noted that Nigeria could chart a path towards more resilient, equitable and prosperous food stability.

    “Renewable energy can enhance agricultural productivity, reduce post-harvest losses and promote inclusive growth,” he said.

    Also, Dr Bankim Tripathy of CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology at Bhubaneswar in India stated that industrial waste recycling was also a critical component of sustainable development.

    She spoke, in her keynote address, on the sub-theme “Utilisation of Lean Grade Ores and Recycling of Industrial Waste Integrated with Circular Economy — Key to Sustainable Development”.

    Tripathy disclosed that attempts had been made to utilise lean grade ores of manganese carbonate and manganese metal organic framework as catalyst and electrolytic manganese dioxide for electric vehicles.

    According to her, aluminum dross from aluminum industry and fly ash from power plants have been recycled to make high value materials or chemicals.

    Also, Prof. Wahab Egbewole, University of Ilorin’s Vice-Chancellor, who emphasised on energy’s importance to man’s survival, however noted that it was in the centre of discourse because of the astronomical costs.

    Represented by Prof. Omotesho Abayomi, the institution’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics, Egbewole said everything was tied to sustainable development to meet the needs of the present without compromising those of the future.

    He stated that the United Nations (UN) adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which touched various aspects of human development.

    The Vice-Chancellor then emphasised on the need to ameliorate issues of sustainable development across the globe.

    Earlier in his welcome address, Prof. Alafara Baba, the Dean of the Faculty of Physical Sciences, spoke on the need to address the challenges of the need for energy.

    He added that this was linked to the imperativeness of maintaining a clean and sustainable environment.

    “The theme of the conference underscores the significant roles renewable energy and a clean environment can play in driving sustainable development,” Baba said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
    FATY/KOO/OLAL
    =============
    (Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa and Olawale Alabi)

  • WFSD 2024: Institute tasks Nigerians on food safety measures

    Food

    By Joan Odafe
    Lagos, June 7, 2024 (NAN) The Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST) has urged Nigerians, particularly sellers, buyers and handlers of food, to adopt safety measures to prevent contamination.
    The Chairman of NIFST, Lagos Chapter, Dr Aina Olugbenga, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that food safety was everyone’s business.
    He spoke on the sidelines of an event on Friday in Lagos.
    NAN reports that the event was organised by the NIFST Street Food Safety Initiative as the part of activities marking the 2024 World Food Safety Day (WFSD), celebrated annually on June 7.
    The event was held at Ile-Epo, Oke-Odo Market at Alimosho Local Government Area of the state.
    Olugbenga, also a Deputy Director of Food Safety at the National Association of Food Drug Administration and Control, said the event was organised to sensitise and inculcate food safety standards into Nigerians.
    “It is what you eat that determines your health and it starts from being safety conscious about the kind of food you eat,” he said.

    Mrs Yetunde Popoola, Chairman, Street Food Safety, NIFST, Lagos Chapter, said the event was held at the market to create awareness on how wholesome foods should be sold and bought.
    Popoola said during the road show held earlier that many sharp practices of the traders were observed by members of the NIFST.
    “We went round the market to catch them in the act.
    “Vegetables being placed on bare and dirty ground, pineapples that are rotten and being sold, those who use insecticides to keep pests away from beans and fish.
    “Even meat sellers pour blood on it to make it look fresh.
    “All those sharp practices we observed, we told them the consequences of their actions,” she told NAN.
    Also, Mrs Kikelomo Amoraoluwa, the Vice-Chairman, NIFST, Lagos Chapter, urged buyers of food products to be responsible for their food products by looking out for signs of contamination.
    “If you’re buying street foods like plantain, you look out for the hygiene of the vendor selling to you.
    “Some may have blood clots on their hands and if you’re not careful they can transfer hepatitis B to you as a consumer,” she said.
    Amoraoluwa urged traders selling fruits to use clean water and sponge instead of washing them in soapy water.
    She cautioned against the use of insecticides to preserve foods, including beans, fish and crayfish.(NAN)
    JOJO/FAT/JNC
    =============
    Edited by Fatima Sule Abdullahi/Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

  • Yusuf lauds Tinubu on fertiliser donation to Kano farmers

  • French firm to support establishment of agribusiness market in Oyo

    French firm to support establishment of agribusiness market in Oyo

    Agribusiness

    By David Adeoye
    Ibadan, June 5, 2024 (NAN) A French firm, SEMMARIS-Rungis International Market, has indicated interest to support the establishment of an international wholesale agribusiness market in Oyo State.

    The Head, International Projects of the firm, Timothée Witkowski and its Consultant-Market Specialist, Steve Allen, made this known on Wednesday in Ibadan when they led a delegation on a courtesy visit to Gov. Seyi Makinde.

    Speaking with newsmen after the visit, Witkowski, said Oyo state has great potential and that its central location as well as efforts of the governor have made it a strategic location for the development of wholesale infrastructure for food supply in Nigeria.

    “Oyo state is part of a strategy that we are currently implementing. We are intervening in the framework of the French Development Agency Funding Project.

    “This is under a tripartite arrangement with IFD, SEMMARIS and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

    “The outcome of this study is to basically draw a global strategy for developing wholesale infrastructure to supply products in Nigeria.”

    According to him, the firm is currently working on three corridors; Kano and Kaduna states in the North; Port-Harcourt and Onitsha in the South-East and Lagos, Oyo states in the South-West corridor.

    “Given the central location that Oyo state has on the global map of strategic flows of agriculture and also given the potential here; with nine million habitants in the state, we believe that it is a key strategic place for developing a strategic agriculture hub and a wholesale market.

    “It is also in line with other efforts that have been carried out by the state to promote more competitive, more affordable and more sustainable agriculture.

    “So, we are working in line with the strategy and are basically happy to put up the infrastructure in these locations.

    “The Rungis Market is a wholesale market, which is located six to seven kilometres away from Paris, and is the biggest wholesale market in the world.

    “We have about 12 billion Euro revenue per year for three million tonnes of products trading every year.

    “We trade several types of products including fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, game, fish and seafood. We also trade in cheese and dairy products and flours.”

    The Director-General, Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA), Dr Debo Akande, said that the firm planned to establish the market, which will be a major one for agribusiness and farmers.

    Akande, who is also the Executive Adviser on Agribusiness to the governor, said
    the move would complement the government’s efforts in the agribusiness sector.

    He added that the investors had before the visit to the governor, gone round the state to see the infrastructure built by the state government in the last five years.

     

    He said the places visited were the Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub, Bodija Market, Akinyele Market and others.

    “So, we are anticipating that the growth of agribusiness and agriculture within our state will demand us to have a centralised system for the wholesale agricultural market.

    “We are building and developing the foundation, and when things grow as we are building agricultural industrial hubs in different locations including Fasola, Eruwa, Ijaye, this will be needed,” Akande said.

    On the benefits of such markets, Akande said “the direct benefit of the wholesale market to the people of the state is that the state is becoming highly industrialised.”

    He added that it would also help to develop a systematic approach to what farmers in the state would be producing.

    “If a big company wants to come and buy two million tonnes of cassava or yam packed, where will they be getting them from?

    “Currently, they source from different farms and villages, but they will not need to do that any longer because most of these things will be centralised in a place where the farmers can sell them.

    “The farmers will have companies to sell to and these companies can now sell to big companies, which is the concept behind wholesale.

    “If you have a large company that is interested in using cashew, soya beans or process products as well, it knows the centralised place to come and pick in high volume.

    “It is not now to go to different farms and villages to get 2 tonnes, 3 tonnes and what have you, and this means access to markets for our farmers. It means our farmers will now have access to sell their products at a good price,” he said. (NAN) www.nannews.ng

    DAK/FAA
    ========
    Edited by Folasade Adeniran

  • FG urges private sector partnership, investment in dairy industry 

     

    Dairy
    By Doris Esa
    Abuja,June 5, 2024 (NAN) The Federal Government has called for the promotion of private sector investment and public-private partnership to grow  the dairy industry.
    Mrs Winnie Lai-  Solarin, Director, Animal Husbandry Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security stated this during a presentation to mark the 2024 World Milk Day on Wednesday in Abuja.
    The director said this would boost local production of milk and dairy products in the country.
    She said that the Nigerian dairy industry had undergone a transformative journey, evolving from traditional practices to modernised systems aimed at meeting the growing demand for milk and dairy products.
    ” This sector which is pivotal to the nation’s agricultural and economic development has faced numerous challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, fluctuating milk yields and limited access to advanced technologies.
    “Nigeria is the largest market for dairy products in West Africa, with a population of over 200 million people.
    “The dairy industry has significant potential for growth and development, contributing to food security, employment, and economic growth,” she said.
    Lai-Solarin called for increased investment and commercialisation of the animal feed and folder sector to enhance food and nutritional security.
    She said the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP), was inaugurated in 2019 to modernise livestock production, including dairy farming through improved breeding, better grazing practices and enhanced veterinary services.
    She said there was also a policy that focused on reducing dependency on imported milk and dairy products by boosting local production.
    Lai- Solarin said the way forward to address some of the challenges in the dairy industry was to improve access to finance, technology and training for smallholder farmers.
    She said that there should be investment in infrastructure development for milk collection, aggregation, processing, and distribution.
    Lai- Solarin also stressed the need for veterinary services and disease management to be enhanced.
    She said that the National Dairy policy should be implemented and regulations strengthened to support the industry’s growth. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
    ORD/CHOM/IU
    ============
    Edited by Chioma Ugboma / Isaac Ukpoju

  • C’River partners research institutes for agric dev

    Partnership

    By Christian Njoku

    Calabar June 5, 2024 (NAN) The Cross River Government has entered a partnership agreement with the Lake Chad Institute of Research and the Ahmadu Bello University Institute of Research to boost agriculture.

    The partnership is aimed at providing improved maize, wheat and cowpea seeds to boost productivity.

    Speaking at a brief ceremony to sign the pact, Gov. Bassey Otu, reiterated the importance of agriculture to the economy of the state and the livelihood of the people.

    Otu said that the state government was committed to subsidising factors of production within the agriculture sub-sector.
    He said that already, the state government had conducted soil mapping to determine soil textures in various locations, and to optimize crop cultivation.
    “The essence is to determine the crops that will yield better in particular soil textures,” he said.
    The governor said that his administration was implementing policies aimed at ensuring massive food production in the state.
    “Our Project GROW initiative is aimed at  enabling farmers to access finance in order to embark on sustainable and profitable agriculture.
    “Our focus on agriculture is to promote low risk and to enthrone productivity and sustainability,” he said.
    Speaking earlier, Alhaji Baba-Gana Kabir, the Executive Director, Lake Chad Research Institute, said that the state was making history in agriculture within the Southern region of the country.

    Kabir said that the partnership with Cross River would be of immense benefit to the state.

    He said that the institute had a proven record of integrity in crop research in the country, especially in the northern region.

    “One of our core mandates is the genetic improvement of crops such as maize, cowpea, sorghum, groundnut, cotton, sunflower among others.

    “We are also involved in the genetic improvement of medicinal crops. We have varieties that can do very well in almost all ecologies,” he said.

    The executive director said that Nigerians should prioritise agriculture in the interest of food production and economic recovery.

    Also speaking, Mr Johnson Ebokpo, the Cross River Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation, expressed the state government’s commitment to its part of the pact.
    He said that the partnership was dear to the heart of the state, and that the Otu-led government would fulfill its part in the interest of the people. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
    CBN/BEKl/AZU
    ===========
    Edited by AbdulFatai Beki and Azubuike Okeh

  • Milk Day: FG says high numbers of undernourished children worrisome

     

    Children
    By Doris Esa
    Abuja, June 5, 2024  (NAN) The Federal Government says no fewer than 25 million children in Nigeria are
    undernourished and stunted, with Nigeria ranking number one in Africa and second globally, in terms of malnutrition prevalence.
    Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who  quoted the figures from UNICEF, said this at the inauguration of the National Dairy Policy in Abuja on Tuesday.
    Shettima, who was represented by Dr Kingsley Uzoma, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Agribusiness and Productivity Enhancement).
    According to him, the dairy policy is aimed at transforming the dairy and livestock sectors to achieve food and nutritional security.
    He said that the dairy industry in Nigeria had a critical role in tackling this issue of undernourishment among children.
    “According to UNICEF, about 25 million children in Nigeria are undernourished and stunted, making our country rank number one in Africa and second globally, in terms of malnutrition prevalence.
    “The dairy industry in Nigeria plays a critical role in addressing this issue, providing essential nutrients like vitamins; protein; magnesium; and calcium necessary for proper growth and development from infancy to adulthood.
    “The demand for animal-source foods in Nigeria is driven by three major factors – population size, income per capita, and urbanisation.
    “As our population grows, so the demand for livestock products.
    “However, despite this growing demand, our dairy sector faces significant hurdles; including low productivity; inadequate infrastructure; and limited access to markets,” Shettima said.
    He said that these challenges highlighted the urgent need for a comprehensive strategy to transform the dairy industry.
    The vice-president said that the potential in Nigeria’s dairy sector was reflected in significant investments from both local and international firms.
    He said that companies including FrieslandCampina WAMCO and Danone’s Fan Milk had launched extensive backward integration projects, with the aim of boosting local milk production and fostering a strong market for dairy products, among others.
    Shettima said that President Bola Tinubu would continue to support such laudable efforts by sustaining an enabling environment for the sustainable inflow of much needed capital and technology transfer.
    “We need not to rest on our oars, greater investment in the sector and better regulatory frameworks are essential to support growth,” he said.
    In a remark, the Minister of State for Agriculture, Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi, said that the dairy policy would increase food and nutritional security.
    Abdullahi assured that the Federal Government would support the milk collection centres, as well as encourage the cooperative business in the country.
    He said that globally, cooperatives played a critical role in the dairy sector.
    “We need massive investment, there is need to bring industry players together for growth and productivity,” Abdullahi said.
    Earlier, in a presentation, Mrs Winnie Lai- Solarin, Director, Animal husbandry Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, said that the Nigeria dairy sector in the 2000’s experienced significant development.
    Lai-Solarin said this was aimed at enhancing local production, improving supply chains and reducing dependency on imported dairy products. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
    ORD/VIV
    ====
    Edited by Florence Onuegbu/Vivian Ihechu