2017: NDE To Create Over 800,000 Job Through Agriculture

In line with the federal government’s diversification policy, the National Directorate of Employment  (NDE) has said it hopes to create over 800, 000 jobs in the agricultural sector.

The Directorate said it plans to achieve this by engaging 720, 000 unemployed youths in agriculture by keying into the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) initiative of anchor borrowers scheme.

According to the acting Director Genral of the NDE, Mr Kunle Obayan, so far, 77, 000 cooperatives are already registered under this initiate nationwide.

On further job creation initiatives being initiated for unemployed persons in the country, he said, “
“11, 100 unemployed persons cutting across all ages and status will be trained in the rural areas in agribusiness skills in 2017.

A total of 5, 500 direct jobs are expected from this initiative. Subject to availability of funds, 1, 850 persons will receive agribusiness starter packs from the NDE in 2017”

Obayan also revealed that the NDE had completed the frame work for online registration of unemployed persons in Nigerian since 2015. 

He expressed hope that funds will be adequately released to enable the directorate capture numbers of unemployed persons in the country to enable government keep accurate data.

He assured that the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is sensitive and focus in its quest to tackle youth unemployment, adding that government has programme in place, as well as social investment programmes with funds to take care of the poorest of the poor.

The acting DG said the NDE in 2016 lunched the smart farmer scheme (NDE REMIS), an ICT based platform capable of creation 490, 000 jobs in the next three years. He however called for improved budgetary allocation for recruitment of agents who will drive the project.

He urged youths in the country to embrace the various vocational and skills acquisition programmes being introduced by government to tackle the menace of job creation.

Dangote Tomato factory reopens February

The Dangote Tomato Processing Factory in Kadawa, Kura Local Government Area of Kano State is to resume production in February.

The company, which began production in Feb. 2016, had to suspend operation due to lack of enough raw materials.

The Managing Director of the company, Alh. Abdulkadir Kaita, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Kano.

He added that preparation for production to resume was at an advanced stage.

Kaita said that the company had to suspend production, when most of the tomato farms in about five states were affected by a pest, which destroyed all the tomato species.

“We expect that tomato farmers would have produced enough for the company to process, hence our decision to resume production in February,’’ he said.

 According to him, many tomato farmers at the Kadawa, Kura, Garun-Malam and Hadeja-Jama’are irrigation sites are expected to produce enough for the company to process.

“We deliberately decided to resume production in February because we don’t want to create scarcity of the commodity.

“We want to make sure that there is enough to process so that its price will not go up,” Kaita said.

He said that the company which had the capacity to process 40 trucks or 1,200 tonnes of fresh tomatoes per day, would soon begin recruitment of additional staff.

“All our trained staff are still with us and we are paying them salary but if there is need to recruit additional staff, we will do so to ensure effective service delivery,’’ he said .

A pest popularly known as “Tuta Absoluta’’ destroyed tomato farms in Kano, Jigawa, Plateau, Katsina and Kaduna states.

Outdoor Tool Advances and Great Work Gloves

Miller Work Gloves

The dual-padded palms and fleece backing on the Miller work gloves provide outstanding insulation, making the gloves ideal for use in a wide variety of welding chores. The gloves are made of premium cow grain leather for durability.
Manufacturer suggested price is $28.00.

Echo Battery-Powered Chain Saw

The combination of 4-amp-hour battery capacity, 58-volt power source, and a brushless motor makes the Echo battery-powered chain saw an equal against gas-engine units. The high-torque motor slices through large logs, and the battery has enough capacity for up to 112 cuts (through 6-inch logs) between recharges. Saw features include a variable-speed trigger, automatic oiler, and five-year warranty.
The model CCS-58V4AH retails for $299, which includes a battery and charger.

Milwaukee Demolition Gloves

Milwaukee’s Demolition Gloves are five times more durable, yet they’re designed to be nimble enough to let you operate a smartphone. The gloves are reinforced with Armortex for durability, and they’re lined with a breathable lining and mesh backing to wick away moisture. A Smartswipe Knuckle lets you use touch screen devices without removing the  gloves or wiping dirty fingertips across the screen.
The gloves retail for $24.99.

Worx Electric Chain Saw

WORX has extended its electric chain saw line with a 10-inch-long blade that reaches out up to 10 feet. The 8A Electric Chain Saw-Pole Saw operates on an 8-amp motor, yet it weighs just 10 pounds. The extension pole quickly slips into the work handle and is secured with a screw knob. Features include an automatic oiler system and patented Auto-Chain Tensioning system. To employ that last feature, you turn a dial on the saw’s body and the system sets the proper chain tension to prevent overtightening.
The WORX saw retails for $99.99, which includes a three-year warranty.

DuPont, Syngenta announce publication of a new joint patent for herbicide development

DuPont Crop Protection (DuPont) and Syngenta announced the publication of a joint patent, focused on the development of a new herbicide chemistry class. 

Collaboration on the project started in 2015 and has resulted in the joint patent entitled “Substituted cyclic amides and their use as herbicides.” The new herbicide has entered into the pre-development stage and is expected to be launched in 2023.

“We are very pleased that our collaboration with Syngenta has extended into a joint research project for a new herbicide chemistry class,” said Timothy P. Glenn, president, DuPont Crop Protection. “Partnerships for the advancement of crop science and development of crop protection solutions help growers realize the potential in their fields.”

Jonathan Parr, president for Crop Protection at Syngenta, said, “We are excited to be working again with DuPont on this herbicide research and development project. Success in this field will bring much needed new technology to farmers in the increasingly challenging area of weed management, including resistance.”

Source:        DuPont news release

Hunt for phosphates takes Indian public sector companies to North Africa

State-run firm Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers (RCF) in partnership with National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) is exploring how to set up a manufacturing plant for soil nutrient diammonium phosphate in Algeria, North Africa.

Senior officials from ministry of chemicals and fertilizers, ministry of mines, RCF and NMDC are currently on a visit to the North African country to look into the various possibilities for setting up the plant of the soil nutrient, which is also known as DAP.

“India’s dependency on imports in case of phosphates at present is around 90%. We are looking at new geographies, where we can produce the fertilizer and bring it back into the country under long term off-take agreement. A team of officials is visiting Algeria to explore the possibility of setting up a DAP plant,” a senior government official said on the condition of anonymity.

India imported around 6 million tonnes of DAP during 2015-16, while imports during the first eight months of the current fiscal stands at 4.103 million tonnes. Another government official, who did not wish to be named, said the idea is to produce sulphuric acid over there, which is one of the key raw materials used in the production of ammonium phosphate fertilizers like DAP. “The idea behind the visit is to assess the domestic availability of DAP in the North African country. For this purpose, RCF may go ahead and set up a DAP plant in Algeria, if all goes through. Also, an Algerian partner needs to be roped in,” the second official quoted above said.

There are large deposits of rock phosphate (raw material) in Algeria which can be mined by NMDC. Queries sent to ministries of chemical and fertilizers, ministry of mines, RCF, NMDC and Embassy of Algeria on 21 December remained unanswered.

Experts have welcomed the initiative. “Except Oman, we have not seen any JV getting success abroad. Also, PSUs are pretty much occupied with other projects and their own expansion. Hence, private sector should be encouraged for these kind of projects,” said U S Jha, former chairman and managing director, RCF. In a similar kind of arrangement, India imports around 2 MT of urea from Oman India Fertilizer Co. (OMIFCO), under a long-term urea off-take agreement between the Indian government and OMIFCO. The urea import from OMIFCO is made through country’s largest co-operative Indian Farmers Fertilizer Co-operative Ltd and Krishak Bharati Cooperative Ltd (KRIBHCO).

state-run Gujarat State Fertilizers and Chemicals Ltd (GSFC) is exploring possibility of setting up a urea plant in the Republic of Congo.

According to information available on the website of fertilizers department, the government has been encouraging Indian companies to establish joint ventures abroad in countries which are rich in fertilizer resources for production facilities with buyback arrangement and to enter into long-term agreement for supply of fertilizers and fertilizer inputs to India.

Source:        vccircle fertilizer