Photo Update: MOU Signing Ceremony Between FMARD & Nigerian Breweries Plc on the Development and Commercialization of Hybrid Sorghum

FG Signs MoU With Nigerian Breweries To Drive Increased Availabilty of Hybrid Sorghum

In tandem with the focus of the on-going ATA to unlock the potentials embedded in the agriculture sector, the Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nigerian Breweries Plc, in a bid to drive development and commercialization of high quality sorghum varieties in the country.
Speaking at the event which held at Abuja, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, noted that despite being the largest producer of food sorghum in the world, Nigeria was yet to harness the crop’s potential to drive economic input, stating that one of the objectives of the recently signed agreement was to increase the number of out-grower farmers engaged by Nigerian Breweries Plc from the initial 250,000 to 2.5 million as well as access to high quality sorghum varieties..
Adesina while commending the research activities of Nigerian Breweries in the development of a sorghum hybrid with the capacity to yield 4 metric tons per hectare against the average yield of 0.5 metric tons, he further outlined the expected outcome of the partnership to include; formation of production and purchase clusters, increased production to 13 million metric tons by 2015, improved nutrition, as well as linkage with processors and markets.
The Minister using the event as a medium, reiterated government’s commitment to the Agriculture Transformation Agenda and the preparedness of the Ministry to involve credible stakeholders in the development of the sorghum seed sector, as well as provide seed companies access to finance through the Seed Venture Capital Fund (SVCF).
Decrying the acquired taste for foreign products as against quality local products by Nigerian consumers, the Chairman Nigerian Breweries Plc, Kola Jamodu, stressed that Nigeria had no reason to depend on imported food for her survival thus pledging the commitment of Nigerian Breweries to enhance availability of high yield sorghum seeds through breeding and selection programmes for large scale commercial production in order to support the agricultural transformation of the present administration.
Highlighting the achievements of the company, Jamodu stated that the company’s local sourcing of its raw materials has resulted in the creation of jobs for 250,000 local farmers who produce hybrid sorghum.
Speaking to AgroNigeria team, he expressed optimism that the partnership with the Federal Government would further expand and strengthen the company’s efforts in developing the sorghum value chain in Nigeria.

15,000 Katsina Farmers To Benefit From State Sponsored Modern Agriculture Training

15,000 farmers in Katsina State have been selected from the three senatorial zones as beneficiaries to be trained in modern agriculture practices, as part of the State Government’s measures to drive increased agricultural output and ensure food security.
This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Alhaji Musa Adamu in an interview with press men recently in Katsina State.
Adamu highlighting the current achievements of the present administration towards advancing the agriculture sector in the state, stated that 5,000 hectares of farms each in Dutsin-ma, Funtua and Mai’adua, had been established by the government to accommodate the engagement of youths who were recently trained in Benin Republic while pledging the support of the government to expand production, through the purchase of the farm produce of the state farmers.
Furthermore, he outlined that the government had established livestock, fisheries, bee-keeping, irrigation and seeds production centres on the three farms, and has begun earning revenue from the Dutsin-ma centre from sales of vegetables, fish, poultry, animals and grains.
According to him, 60 youths of the state had been sponsored by the government for training at the Songhai Farms, Port Novo – Benin Republic in a bid to eradicate poverty, create employment opportunities as well as advance agricultural productivity.
The beneficiaries of Songhai Agricultural Initiative he commented would be given free seeds, subsidized fertilizer and pesticides.

Zamfara Farmers Receive 100% Mechanization Support From FG

In pursuit of the Presidency’s transformation agenda to upscale the welfare of small-holder and rural farmers, the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has flagged-off the emergency mechanization intervention support services for Zamfara Farmers.
The Private Sector Driven Agricultural Mechanization Programme (PSDAMP) was flagged off in Gusau with 20 tractors, 20 power tillers and various harvest and post harvest equipments, which will be deployed across Zamfara through the State chapter of the Tractor Owners and Operators Association (TOOAN).
Speaking at the ceremony, Dr. Adesina disclosed that the ₦193 million needed to provide the services to the farmers will be covered fully by the Presidency through the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme till the end of the Dry season and the next wet season production.
The programme which is being funded under the present administration’s Agriculture Transformation Agenda will be set-up in four senatorial zones to provide farmers with up to 50% discount of equipment hiring services.
The Zamfara intervention is set to mechanize 8,000 hectares of land, add 32,000 metric tons of food at four metric tons per hectare and create 1,000 direct jobs for the unemployed. In his words, “agriculture and rural development are critical to the growth of Nigeria’s economy and must be at the forefront of the Transformation Agenda.”
According to Adesina, over ₦50 billion is set to be expended to establish 118 Agricultural Equipment Hiring Enterprises (AEHE) across Nigeria with 6,000 tractors, 15,000 power tillers and various harvest and post harvest equipment between the year 2014 and 2016, in order to provide farmers with affordable mechanization services.

Osun Rice Stakeholders Urged to Participate in Strategic Grains Reserve Project

In view of the need to drive the success of the School Feeding and Health Programme (O-MEALS) through increased rice production, rice stakeholders and farmers in Osun state have been enjoined to participate in the Strategic Grain Reserve (SGR) initiative of the Federal Government.
This appeal was made by Mrs. Olubunmi Ayoola, the Director and State Operation Officer for Osun Elementary School Feeding and Health Programme – O-MEALS, during a stakeholders meeting organized by the O-MEALS Office in collaboration with Partnership for Child Development (PCD) London.
Mrs. Ayoola while seeking the cooperation and commitment of all the stakeholders particularly the rice farmers, expressed the interest of the O-MEALS office towards increased rice production and support of the farmers as it is a part of the O-MEALS menu, noting that this will have a multiplier effect on the state’s economy as well as drive empowerment of the community.
With Osun silos having the storage capacity of 50,000 metric tonne of quality rice, 3 local government areas in the state comprising of Osogbo, Ejigbo and Atakumosa have been selected as the kick-off communities in anticipation of the Federal Government’s approval according to the Representative, Partnership for Child Development (PCD) in Nigeria, Mrs Abimbola Adesanmi.
Also present at the meeting were the representatives of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, State of Osun Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives and Empowerment as well as O-meals food vendors.

Female Stakeholders Encouraged to Harness Agribusiness Opportunities

In view of the identified capacity of female farmers to drive agricultural advancement and economic diversification, the National President, Nigerian Cooperative Women Alliance (NICOWA) Chief Esther Eka, has called for increased involvement of Nigerian women in agribusiness.
She made the call while addressing pressmen at the recently held National Agricultural Exhibition in commemoration of the World Food Day where NICOWA was awarded Best Coordinating Agricultural Group by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in conjunction with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
According to her, NICOWA which is the umbrella body of all women cooperative societies in the country is poised to mobilise women to optimally benefit from agro allied businesses while serving as agents of peace, stability and progress in their communities.
In her words, “This is purely an approval of our commitments to the reduction of poverty among us as it is not easy to build any human network. NICOWA for us is a child of necessity, a platform that gives leverage to Nigerian women. It gladdens my heart that both local and international institutions are concerned about the modest progress we have made so far. These awards are indications that we are on the right track”.
Using the event as a medium, she encouraged Nigerian women to adequately utilize their acquired skills in agribusiness, to influence national development as well as strive for peaceful co-existence by engaging in selfless service and peace fostering activities.

Nigerian Agriculture to be Upscaled with Precision Farming Techniques

With the aim to enhance farm output in Nigeria, a week-long training workshop on Global Positioning System (GPS) was recently conducted for Coordinators and Assistant Coordinating Officers of West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP), drawn from several universities, research institutes and Agricultural Development Projects across the country.
The workshop which held in Kaduna, was aimed at acquainting participants with Precision farming techniques in terms of using technologies such as Global Positioning System (GPS), Geographic Information System (GIS), Remote Sensing, and Yield Monitors Guidance Systems for various rate application.
Speaking at the event, the National Project Coordinator of WAAPP, Prof. Damian Chikwendu, explained Precision Agriculture as an integrated crop management system that attempts to determine the kind and amount of input which the actual crop needs for small areas within a farm field.
Emphasizing the need for accurate measurement of farm sizes, track project activities and sites, Prof. Chikwendu said, the precision system of agriculture  is often referred to as GPS (Global Position System) based agriculture, variable-rate farming, precision farming, site-specific farming, among others.
According to him, Precision Farming is, “doing the right thing, at the right place and at the right time” and thus starts with the ability of good managers and operators to effectively utilize materials and equipment such as planters, harvesters, fertilizer applicators etc. to enhance farm output.
While commending the effort of WAAPP for initiating the training, Aminu Usman, the Lead Consultant of Clemence and Geoconsult – the training partner for the workshop spoke on the importance of the Global Positioning System, noting that the training would expose participants to unending possibilities and applications in everyday field operations.
Based on the relevance of the workshop, participants were urged to seize the opportunity of the platform to improve their knowledge to enable them join hands in the current drive to take the country to a level of sustainable agricultural development and food security.

Anambra Set to Become First Agro-State in Nigeria with FMARD Collaboration

In a bid to harness the agricultural investment capacity of Anambra state, the federal government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has declared its intention to partner with the present state administration led by Governor Willie Obiano.
The partnership which was forged during the recent visit of the Anambra State entourage consisting of the Governor and other officials of the state to Dr. Adesina’s office in Abuja will focus on aqua-culture development, mechanization and other investment opportunities that may abound in the state.


Governor Obiano who is set on harnessing the agricultural capacity of the state as a developmental strategy, received commendation from Adesina for his effort in the state within his 100 days in office which included the revamping of the Omo Rice Mill.
Speaking during the visit, Dr. Adesina promised to fast-track the Omo Staple Crops Processing Zone while stating the need for a high-level meeting between the FMARD and the Anambra State Government to be convened in order to work out the modalities for the expected partnership.
According to the Anambra State Governor, the investment opportunities which abound in the state include rice, cassava, tomato processing amongst others with the capacity to provide 100,000 jobs.
Obiano, using the avenue of the visit, disclosed the plans of his administration to make Anambra the first Agro-state in Nigeria, through the driving of  self-sufficiency in fish farming in each of the Local Government Areas of the state in less than one year, as well as attaining a 120,000 metric  ton rice production target which, he noted, will be further enhanced through the state’s engagement in dry season farming.

Rice: Kano to Boost Production With Quelea Bird Control Operation

In response to the yearnings of rice farmers in Kano and also demonstrating a commitment towards sustaining the success of the Rice Transformation Agenda, the Federal Government recently approved a 50 hours aerial spray of high risk areas in Kano state under the attack of Quelea Birds.
The flag-off ceremony of the aerial spray for the control of these trans-border pests that attack cereal crops on the field, especially rice, took place at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.
The operation which will reduce the amount of money being spent by farmers employing traditional control methods, was attended by the Honourable Commissioner for Agric and Natural Resources Kano State – Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, Ag State Director(FMARD) – Mr Adamu Muhammad Shehu as well as other officials of the state and federal governments.

Prior to this event, the rice farmers represented by the Sariki Noma of Kano State, Alhaji Yusuf Nadabo had lamented to AgroNigeria team during a rice tour visit to the state, about the challenges the birds had posed to their farm output as a result of the attack on their rice crops.

The operation is set to cover six local governments which include: Garun Mallam, Kura, Bagwai, Dambatta , Makoda and Warawa. The nesting and roosting sites of these Quelea birds were identified during the monitoring exercise of crop performance under the 2014 wet season GES in Kano state and government promised to take measures to stem the massive losses suffered by the cereal farmers.
According to (Mallam Munir), Kano State Director FMARD in a chat with AgroNigeria, this operation will further boost the confidence of the farmers in the effectiveness of the ATA, thus encouraging them to produce more, make more profit, improve their livelihoods  and  guarantee a sustainable supply of paddy to the rice mills.

Africa Benefitting From Nigeria’s Agric Policies – …Dorcas Makwoi

The positive impact of the innovative agricultural policies being implemented in Nigeria are fast catching on across the African continent. This point was made recently by Mrs Dorcas Makwoi, the focal person for the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) in Kenya who reserved praise for the country’s Agriculture Minister, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, for influencing Kenya’s agricultural policy.
Makwoi made this known in a recent media chat in Nairobi. According to her, when Adesina was Vice-President (Policy and Partnerships) of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), he contributed to making policies that are currently boosting agricultural production across Africa. Speaking further, Makwoi lauded Adesina for the launch of the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) “through which Nigerian farmers now receive subsidised seeds and fertilisers through vouchers on their mobile phones”.
According to the CAADP Focal Person, the policy has provided a conduit for the private sector to key into the fertiliser business, which is a model for ASCU in Kenya and “…would enable Kenyan farmers to benefit from fertilisers, seeds, feeds and pesticides without any interference from middle men….” Kenya, according to Makwoi, is an agro-based economy and has keyed into Adesina’s policies to improve its agricultural sector.
In her words, “through our agricultural sector development strategy, the growth target has been pegged at a target of seven per cent which is above the six percent expectation from CAADP”. It will be recalled that the Nigerian Minister recently delivered the keynote speech at the African Green Revolution Forum in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

“Agric Commercialization and Investment Pivotal To Economic Development” – Asiwaju

The peasant nature of Nigeria’s agricultural production system has been identified as a major constraint to agricultural growth and development in the country.
This point was captured in a recent contribution by the South West Zonal Manager of Nigeria’s Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Mr. Olusegun Asiwaju at an event organized by the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA).  The occasion which was convened under the theme: “National Dialogue on Agriculture Value Chain: Enhancing Agricultural Export Through Adequate Financing”, sought to reiterate the critical role of financing in the evolution of a viable agro-economy for the nation.
In Asiwaju’s words, ”with low productivity and poor access to funding, there will ultimately be a poor response to technology adoption strategies, and poor returns on investment”. He highlighted agricultural commercialization and investment as the key strategies for promoting sustainable growth and development, accelerated modernization and ultimately poverty reduction in any country.
According to him, in order to attract investment in agriculture, the need to identify those constraints inhibiting the performance of the sector with a view to removing them, thereby creating a conducive investment climate in the sector cannot be overemphasized.
In relation to agriculture’s importance as a sector with multiple bottom lines, he noted that Nigeria has profound competitive advantage as agriculture provides a pivot on which other non-oil export segments can depend, hence the policy thrusts of the Government and other stakeholders must make the agricultural sector a focal point of attention.
In response to questions posed by the audience, Asiwaju underscored that the economic growth achieved through agricultural development is about three times more effective in reducing poverty than that achieved through other means.

ATA: Seed Certification and Quality Control Training Holds in Zaria

With a focus on consolidating the achievements of the ATA in country, a three-day training on seed certification and quality control recently held at the Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR) in Zaria.

The training which was facilitated by the federal government had in attendance members of the NYSC, NASC certification officers, internal quality control and seed production officers of seed companies as participants.

Speaking at the training, the Acting Director-General, National Agriculture Seed Council (NASC) Dr. Philips Olusegun- Ojo disclosed the intention of the federal government to reach 20 million farmers in 2015 with fertilizers for the farming season.

According to him, the enormous success achieved with the reach of over ninety (90) percent of ATA registered farmers  through the 2014 Growth Enhancement Support (GES), has driven countries like China, Brazil, Kenya and Tanzania to come borrow a leaf from Nigeria.

While commending the initiative of the ATA to influence the view of farming as a business rather than a traditional profession with a bleak future, he commented that the task of making high quality seeds available to the farming population was enormous and required the joint effort of all key stakeholders including all tiers of government, cooperative societies, private organizations as well as individuals to ensure the sustainability of the initiative, noting the reluctance of some state governments in extending the necessary support to enhance the success of ATA in their respective states.

150 Kwara State Youths Empowered With Agribusiness Training

In a bid to shore-up participation of youths in agriculture the Federal Government recently organized an intensive agribusiness training workshop for over 150 youths from 16 local governments areas in Kwara State.
The 21-day workshop tagged “Linking women and youths for sustainable green development and income generation through Agric Business” was organized by the Islamic Green Club Empowerment Initiative in collaboration with the office of the Special Assistant to the President on Ethics and Values, Dr. Sarah Jibril.
The program which was designed to expose the participants to the rudiments of various agricultural ventures, drive self-sustenance and enhance food security in Nigeria was executed with support from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Ministry of Agriculture and the National Directorate of Employment.
Featuring trainings in poultry, fishery, snail rearing, fish smoking, grass cutter rearing, sheep and goat rearing, the workshop sparked in the participants an interest for agriculture as they were able to see the profitability and income generating capacity of agriculture via agribusiness.
Speaking at the event in response to questions from journalists, the Program Coordinator, Dr. Abdulrahman Badiru, disclosed that the assemblage of participants included unemployed graduates, post graduate diploma and master degree holders.
Expressing his joy over the success of the program and the enthusiasm displayed by the participants, Dr. Badiru urged the beneficiaries to pursue the available opportunities in agriculture for self-employment through the skills acquired.