Agriculture

Don Calls for Synergy between Ministries to Curb Food Crisis

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By Lanre Omotosho

A lecturer in the Department of Forest Resources and Wildlife Management, Ekiti State University, Professor Oluwayemisi Arowosoge has called for synergy between agriculture and water resources ministries to curb the food crisis this year.

Professor Arowosoge who gave the advice in Ado Ekiti while speaking with Radio Nigeria, noted that climate change last year led to low food productivity, hence the need for stakeholders to assist farmers in the area of irrigation.

The university lecturer also called for adequate protection of farmers against the destruction of plantation farms by cattle, kidnappings as well as honeybee pollination of crops.

She advocated adequate farm inputs such as fertilizers, chemicals and improved seeds for the real farmers from the government and warned farmers against diversion of such inputs.

 Professor Arowosoge emphasized the need to add value to perishable crops through processing and storage.

President Bola Tinubu had in December declared that the vision of his administration was to position Nigeria as a leading agricultural export nation by the year 2025.

Represented by the Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, at a forum in Abuja, the President stressed that Project “Earn from the Soil” would transform subsistence farming into robust, export-driven economic opportunities, thereby revolutionising the country’s agricultural landscape and ensuring National Food Security.

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Economy

French Firm to Support Establishment of Oyo Agribusiness Market

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By Iyabo Adebisi

Director-General of the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) and Executive Adviser on Agribusiness to Governor ‘Seyi Makinde, Dr Debo Akande, has stated that a French firm, SEMMARIS-Rungis International Market, is set to support the establishment of an international wholesale agribusiness market in the state.

He stated this when a delegation of the firm, including its Head of International Projects, Timothée Witkowski and Consultant-Market Specialist, Steve Allen, paid a courtesy visit to the governor in Ibadan.

According to the OYSADA DG, the investors plan to complement the Makinde administration’s efforts in the agribusiness sector with the establishment of the market, which would be a major market for agribusiness and for farmers.

He added that the investors had, before the visit to the governor, gone round the state to see the infrastructure built by the governor in the last five years, the Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub and major markets in the state.

Akande said: “What they plan to do is to support us in establishing the International Wholesale Agribusiness Market in Oyo State, most likely in Ibadan.

“This is to complement a lot of work the governor has been doing in agribusiness in the state. This will be a major market for agribusiness and for farmers as well. They have gone round to see most of the facilities that have been built by the governor in the past five years. They have been to lseyin-Moniya road, Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub, Bodija Market, Akinyele Market and others to see what is currently on ground and what they can do to advance on that.

“What they have in France, which we are mirroring ourselves after, is a global market, the largest wholesale market globally and we have seen it. If you go there by 5 a.m, you won’t see anybody because most of the products in that place have been taken by trailers, moving to diverse places in Europe.

“So, we are anticipating that the growth of agribusiness and agriculture within our state would demand us to have that kind of 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 would be needed and would be required.”

The OYSADA DG added that the direct benefit of the wholesale market to the people of the state is that the state is becoming highly industrialised and also helping 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 would not need to do that any longer because most of these things would 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, use 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 maintained that apart from the infrastructure and facilities put in place by Governor Makinde, the state has improved security with the creation of the Oyo State Security Network Agency codenamed Amotekun, while it has also been increasing its resources on security and will continue to do so.

Earlier, SEMMARIS-Rungis’ Head of International Projects, Witkowski, said Oyo State had great potential and that its central location and the efforts of Governor Makinde had made it a strategic location for the development of wholesale infrastructure for food supply in Nigeria.

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Governance

Oyo Govt. Integrates Floating Staff of Defunct OYSADEP into Civil Service

By Web News 177 0

By Iyabo Adebisi

Governor Seyi Makinde has approved the regularisation and integration of 129 floating staff members of the Defunct Oyo State Agricultural Development Programme (OYSADEP) into the mainstream of the state civil service.

The state’s Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade disclosed this at a media briefing after the Executive Council Meeting held at the Governor’s office, Secretariat, Ibadan. 

The commissioner for information said the reabsorbed 129 staff would also enjoy promotions and other entitlements for civil servants.

Also,the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Professor Musbau Babatunde said  the council  approved over ₦691 million to be invested in Wema Bank Right Issuance Program. 

 He said the investment would help the state government to prepare and secure the financial future of the state.

Professor Babatunde equally disclosed that the council has approved the sum of ₦10billion facility to provide counterpart funding for World Bank assisted projects in the state to access some of the world bank programs which are focused on the socioeconomic wellbeing of residents of the state.

On his part, the Commissioner for Public Works and Transport, Professor Daud Sangodoyin said the state executive council has approved the sum of ₦3.5billion naira for the clearing of the 36.7km northeast segment of Senator Rashidi Ladoja Ibadan circular road.

Professor Sangodoyin explained that the project which runs from Badeku axis to Moniya axis includes 150metres width bush clearing through the 36.7km length, removal of topsoil, construction of selected culverts and limited provision of earthworks among others.

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Agriculture

Oyo Govt. Begins Distribution of 1bn Agric Loan

By Web News 273 0

By Iyabo Adebisi

Oyo State Government has commenced distribution of I billion naira agric loan to farmers as part of its sustainable Action Plan for Economic Recovery to cushion the effect of subsidy removal. 

The symbolic presentation of the cheques was done at the Conference Room of the Ministry of Agriculture, Secretariat, Ibadan.

Presenting the cheques, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Olasunkanmi Olaleye, who explained that the fund is a revolving loan, said all areas of Agriculture such as Crop, Fishery, Livestock, Piggery among others were captured and fully integrated into the programme.

Mr Olaleye said the state government would continue to improve the economy with its policies and programmes following the withdrawal of fuel subsidy under its programme tagged ” Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery”

Earlier, the chairman, Agric Credit Corporation, Sheik Taofeek Akeugbagold said the beneficiaries were selected across the 351 wards of the state through the advertised banks’ application.

He urged the beneficiaries not to see the loan as a national cake but rather a revolving fund to ensure that farmers in the state produce to the capacity to sustain and maintain food security in our state.

Some of the beneficiaries lauded the good gesture of the state government. 

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Agriculture

Agric Extension Agents Trained on Documentation of Success Stories 

By Web News 357 0

By Oluwatoyin Adegoke

Adequate documentation and record keeping of success stories in agricultural endeavors are essential factors to assist the Federal Government and development partners in assessing the impact of interventions in the sector. 

Knowledge Management and Communication Advisor, International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD – Supported Value Chain Development Programme, VCDP, Mrs Vera Onyilo made the submission in Abeokuta, at a training for Agricultural Extension Agents and Liaison Officers. 

Mrs Onyilo maintained that keeping proper account of the success stories would help in projecting the various interventions of the government with a view to identifying the grey areas and introducing measures to address the challenges confronting Agriculture and Rural Development. 

She encouraged the extension agents and liaison officers drawn from the 20 local Government areas of Ogun State to intensify more efforts at tracking and documenting project success stories to further highlight the values added and the impacts made on improving the lives of the people. 

A consultant, Mr Femi Kuye, while taking the participants through the Basic Principles of Photography, said agricultural photography would help to showcase the beauty of agriculture and farming through pictorial stories of related items the industry. 

Earlier, the Acting Programme Coordinator of VCDP in the State, Mrs Temitope Ajisafe who applauded the enduring support of the development partners, appealed to participants to bring the knowledge gained at the training to bear on enhancing Agricultural Development in their coverage areas.

A cross section of the participants including Mr Adegbesan Adegboye and Mrs Oluwafunke Adeyanju, who agreed that farmers success stories had been reported, expressed optimism that the training on Criteria for Identification of Success Story and Basic Photographic skills would enable them to project more agricultural interventions among farmers at the grassroots.

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Agriculture

Over 1500 Farmers Receive Agric Inputs in Oyo LGs

By Web News 311 0

By Iyabo Adebisi

No fewer than 1,545 beneficiaries have received agricultural inputs so far in 19 local government areas out of the 33 LGAs in Oyo state as a support from Governor Seyi Makinde.

The distribution of the agricultural inputs to beneficiaries in 19 LGAs in the state so far, was carried out by the Oyo-Ncares in partnership with the World Bank under the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) in line with the vision of the present administration in the state to assist the farmers that were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking with journalists at Oluyole Local Government during the last phase of the distribution to the 19 selected LGAs in the state, the state coordinator for Nigeria Covid-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus,(N-Cares) Result Area 2, Mr. Kolawole  Bamigbola, said the beneficiaries comprises casava farmers, maize farmers, rice and tomatoes farmers. 

He also noted that the state sponsored Youth Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness Project, YEAP beneficiaries were carried along in the distributions exercise that cut across all the 19 LGAs so far.

Mr Bamgbola who noted that Covid-19 is no more ravaging the country said the farm inputs distribution to the farmers would serve as a kind of palliatives to them to reduce hunger and poverty in the society following subsidy removal. 

In their separate remarks, the Executive Chairman of Oluyole Olaide Popoola and his Ona-Ara counterpart  Musibau Sanusi lauded the state governor Engineer Seyi Makinde for supporting the farmers at the grassroot.

Some of the beneficiaries in an interview expressed gratitude to Governor  Makinde over the support, pledging to make good use of the inputs to boost their farm produces.

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Agriculture

Harvest Rainwater for Dry Season Farming, Don Enjoins S/West Govs

By Web News 668 0

By Lanre Omotoso

Governors of the Southwest states have been enjoined to create more dams to harvest rainwater that will be useful for irrigation farming during dry season.

A lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Professor  Raphael Omolehin gave the advice on the need to safeguard rainwater that may lead to flooding.

Professor Omolehin emphasized that governments in the Northern parts of the country created artificial lakes, which farmers utilized during dry season to grow food crops.

The Agricultural economist, who stressed that the River Basin Commissions in the Southwest did not have noticeable dams for dry season farming, urged them to learn from their Northern counterparts, who ensured that their farmers grow 80 percent of cereals needed by breweries in the Southwest.

He noted that instead of allowing rain to constitute flooding, the one channelled to artificial lakes could be useful for agricultural, domestic and hydro-electrical purposes.

While stressing that the Southwest is endowed with thick forests, Professor Omolehin added that governors in the region could create artificial lake, bulldoze those forest and cluster farmers around them for all year round farming.

He stressed that pepper, tomatoes, cucumber, maize and rice attract diseases during rainy season, but yield bountiful during dry season, saying irrigation would make most crops to be cheaper and affordable.

The Agricultural economist noted that most farmers in the Southwest practised subsistence farming, calling on Governors of the region to purchase irrigation equipments, subsidize fertilizer and agro chemicals for their farmers to be able to produce surplus food so as to reduce hunger. 

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Agriculture

We are working towards stopping cattle rustling in Oyo – Agric Ministry

By Web News 263 0

Oyo Government says it is working towards stopping movement of cattle within the state in its effort to bring an end to recurring cases of cattle-rustling.

A statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Rotimi Babalola says the Oyo State Government assured cattle breeders and dealers in the state of adequate security in curbing incessant cattle rustling.

According to the statement the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs. Christianah Abioye gave the assurance during a courtesy visit by the Association of Cattle Breeders and Dealers, Oyo State Chapter in Ibadan.

Mrs. Abioye explained that Governor Seyi Makinde placed premium on security of lives and properties, adding that the government would not condone any ugly act of miscreants in the state.

According to her, the Oyo State Government would provide adequate security in markets and improve ranching system to enhance sanity in the cattle rearing business.

She said the ministry would liaise with all stakeholders to ensure safety and avert the ugly incidence of rustling.

The Permanent Secretary noted that a fruitful collaboration with all stakeholders would improve the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state.

Earlier, the Chairman, Cattle Breeders and Dealers Association of Nigeria, Oyo State Chapter, Alhaji Salawu Ademola revealed that cattle rustling in the state had been rampant, while efforts to curb it had proved abortive.

Ademola, who is the Zonal Coordinator, National Association of Cattle Breeders and Dealers, promised that the Association’s cooperation with the Oyo State government to block all loopholes in the generation of IGR.

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Agriculture

Collaboration is needed to tackle hunger – Gov Abiodun

By Web News 803 0

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has solicited the collaboration of well meaning individuals and organisations in the efforts to fight hunger and malnutrition in the Country.
Governor Abiodun who made the appeal at a ceremony to commemorate World Food Day, held at the Arcade ground, Oke Mosan Abeokuta maintained that ensuring food sufficiency remained a global challenge.

The Governor, who said the theme for this year’s celebration “Grow, Nourish, Sustain Together” , was appropriate to the country’s peculiar circumstances, lamented that many people could not afford one meal in a day.

https://radionigeriaibadan.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/OGUN-FOOD-DAY-1-1-2.mp3

He promised that enhancing the availability of safe food would continue to be an essential part of his administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly for the poor and vulnerable groups. 
While explaining that his adminstration had facilitated CBN’s credit facilities to over 10,000 farmers across the State, the governor urged all stakeholders to ensure the provision of wholesome food to nourish and sustain the people.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Adeola Odedina  said that  the state Governor had  introduced reforms for improved access to land to ease Agricultural Business in the State.
Dr Odedina explained that as part of plans to confront the challenges in the Agriculture sector, the present administration had cleared 2500 hectares of land for 1, 065 young cassava farmers in the state. 

Bolanle Adesida