Agriculture

Africa Spends $50B Annually on Food Imports – President Maada Bio

By Web News 90

By Iyabo Adebisi

Sierra Leone’s President, Dr. Julius Maada Bio, has criticized the $50 billion spent yearly by African nations on importing food that could be grown locally, urging a shift in the continent’s agricultural narrative.

He made these remarks during a panel discussion at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA, in Ibadan, as part of his visit to Nigeria to explore collaborative opportunities between the two countries.

President Maada Bio while stressing the significance of innovation, technology, infrastructural development said Africa would be a great continent if it was investing 50 billion dollars yearly on agriculture instead of importing food that could be grown locally.

He said unless Africa act concertedly, its people will continue to suffer hunger in the midst of plenty, while urging leaders to allocate and efficiently utilise resources set aside for the agricultural sector.

Also, speaking, Oyo State governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde stressed the importance of exploring local solutions, while also calling for public-private partnerships, which could help to increase production and expand value chains.

On his part, Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Zulum explained that the suspension of USAID funds by the US government is a wake-up call for Nigerian leaders to enhance their capacity and strengthen Africa through local mechanization and technological deployment in the agricultural sector.

Former World Bank Vice President, Hafez Gbanem noted that low-income countries allocate insufficient funds to agriculture and food security.

Mr Gbanem then tasked African leaders to foster regional economic ties, create policies supporting local farmers, and mobilize domestic resources to reduce reliance on foreign financial assistance.

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Agriculture

Oyo, French Government Collaborate On Food Security

By Web News 645

Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde has expressed happiness over the inclusion of 1,300 women in the state, who are to benefit from the Support to Women Entrepreneurship in the Agri-food sector in Nigeria SEFAN/SWEAN programme. 

The governor, while speaking at the official launch of the training programme at International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA, Ibadan stated that the relationship between Oyo State and the French Government always brings about development.

Engineer Makinde equally appreciated the French Government for its part in the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), noting that the state has mapped out the roads that would get the interventions.

He maintained that the plan of the government is to complete 200km of access roads in Oyo State before the end of 2021 remained on course. 

Governor Makinde maintained that the relationship between the state and the French Government has been bringing about development, especially in the area of collaboration in the agriculture sector.

The governor asked for more interventions for the state, pledging that any investment made in the state would go directly to the people just as he noted that the state government’s collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA, on the Start Them Early Program (STEP has begun to yield positive results.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Jacob Ojemuyiwa, said Oyo and Kaduna States are the only two states selected for the SEFAN/SWEAN programme, which he described as a great opportunity for women.

Iyabo Adebisi

Politics

Devolve More Powers To States – PDP Governors To FG

By Web News 704

Governors elected on Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, platform have called on President Muhammad Buhari to immediately send an Executive Bill to the National Assembly to amend the Nigerian Constitution to devolve more powers to the states with respect to security arrangements.

This was part of the resolutions of the PDP governors at a meeting held at the Conference Center of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA, Ibadan to review the state of the nation.

Reading the communique, the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and the Sokoto State governor, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal said the bill culminating in some form of State Policing and the general security architecture when passed into law would address the security challenges facing the nation.

The PDP Governors’ Forum also urged President Buhari to summon an immediate meeting of the Nigerian Police Council, which comprises Mr. President and all State Governors and other critical stakeholders to evolve and implement strategies to combat the present threats to the nation’s union, especially with respect to policing. 

The meeting supported the earlier position taken by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Northern Governors’ Forum and recently by the Southern Governors’ Forum to adopt ranching as the most viable solution to the herders/farmers clashes in Nigeria, the restructuring of the Nigerian federation to devolve more powers and functions to the states.

The PDP governors therefore enjoined Nigerians to work together to achieve peace and harmony with one another, devoid of discrimination based on ethnicity, religion and other cleavages. 

The governors who attended the meeting are Udom Emmanuel, Akwa Ibom State, Senator Douye Diri, Bayelsa State, Samuel Ortom, Benue State, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Enugu State and Nyesom Wike, Rivers State.

Others are the host governor, Seyi Makinde, Oyo State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, Adamawa State, Godwin Obaseki, Edo State, Bala Mohammed, Bauchi State, while the Zamfara State governor, Bello Matawalle was represented by Deputy Governor, Mahdi Mohd.

Governor Darius Isiaku of Taraba State and his counterpart from Cross Rivers, Ben Ayade were absent at the meeting.

Iyabo Adebisi

Agriculture

We Will Make Farming Attractive – Gov. Makinde

By Web News 933

Oyo state Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde says his administration will work with rural farmers to increase produce and livestock so as to boost food security in the state.

He stated this while declaring open a two day retreat for his cabinet members at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan.

Governor Makinde explained that plans were already in top gear to make farming attractive through provision of necessary capital, machinery and required incentives to reposition the agricultural sector. 

The governor who noted that he had received economic reports from Oyo Ile Investors’ Forum, a non-governmental organization said the state Commissioner for Commerce, Mr. Adeniyi Adebisi, would soon draw up implementation strategies to open up the state to investors.

The retreat tagged “Taking Oyo State from Poverty to Prosperity” had in attendance top government functionaries in attendance including wives of the governor and his deputy, Mrs. Ominini Makinde and Dr. Bola Agboola.

Iyabo Adebisi

Agriculture

Oyo Govt, IITA, Farmcrowdy Collaborate on Developing Agric

By Web News 1146

Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, has revoked the Moniya-Iseyin road contract awarded by the immediate past administration for the sum of 7 billion naira.

He disclosed this in Ibadan at the launch of a 5 million dollar Agribusiness Project initiative by Farmcrowdy.

Governor Makinde while stressing the significant of the road in moving farm produce around the state said the previous government awarded the contract to an engineering firm that did not have capacity to handle the project.

He said his government would re-award the road to a competent contractor pointing out that when completed, it would address the challenges of moving farm produce from Oke-Ogun area to Ibadan, the state capital.

Governor Makinde maintained that Oyo was ready for agribusiness to expand the state’s economy promising that the state was set to turn farm settlements around.

Governor Seyi Makinde on the partnership with Farmcrowdy

The Managing Director of Farmcrowdy, Kenneth Obiajulu said the company had been able to impact 25,000 farmers and worked in 14 states out of 36 Nigerian states, noting that it was launching the initiative as a partnership on agriculture to help Oyo state.

Managing Director, Kenneth Obiajulu on the details of the work the company has been doing

The Deputy Director-General of International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA Partnership for Development, Mr. Kenton Dashiell expressed the readiness of the organisation to partner the state in developing its agricultural sector.

Mr. Dashiell assured that the institute would provide necessary technology to Farmcrowdy to multiply the yields particularly in crops such as maize, soya beans, cassava, banana, plantain, yam and beans.

Earlier, the Executive Assistant to Governor Makinde on agribusiness, Dr Debo Akande, stated that the state would explore the Public Private Development Partnership model to achieve its aim on agriculture.

Iyabo Adebisi