GROUP HAILS FG FOR INCLUDING FCT IN ANCHOR BORROWER PROGRAMME

The Farmers Empowerment Association, a coalition of FCT Farmers’ Cooperative Societies has commended President Buhari’s administration for shortlisting FCT as one of the benefiting state of the Anchor Borrow’s Programme.

The President of the Association, Obaje O.D. in a press statement, lauded the present administration for the gesture, adding that it signals a dawn of a new day for the farmers in the FCT.

Obaje who extolled the present government for restoring the lost glory of the agricultural sector through economic diversification, assured that the grant would be optimally utilized for food sufficiency in the nation’s capital.

On the criteria for accessing the grant, Obaje said all farmers within the FCT are qualified and would definitely receive government financial and technical support, adding that the association would embark on massive sensitization programme to carry rural farmers within the FCT along.

He, therefore, called on farmers in the FCT to key into other ongoing projects of the association which include Bank of the Industry’s value chain development, Nigeria Export Promotion Council’s technical training on international best practices and Abuja Enterprise Agency’s technical training on improved practices.

REASONS NIGERIA SUFFERS FROM LOW AGRIC YIELDS – SOIL PHYSICIST

An expert in Soil Physics at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Professor Johnson Adesodun, has lamented that Nigeria down graded the relevance of soil to life and has, therefore, not been adequately managing its soils for sustainable development.

Prof. Adesodun, who was discussing his recent research into options to organic fertiliser in farming and the importance of the soil in the process, argued that soil was fundamental to life itself on earth.

“So, whatever we do, whether agronomic or non-agronomic projects, it is expected that a soil test is first carried out. Some come for soil test when  they need to get a bank loan, which requires land evaluation. But generally, people do not carry out these tests and that is why we have low yield from our agricultural activities, as well as failed projects such as roads and buildings,” he stressed.

Recommending an alternate source to the use of organic fertilizer in farming, the soil physicist, who is also the Head, Department of Soil Science and Land Management, College of Plant Science and Crop Production (COLPLANT) at FUNAAB, said a weed plant, the Mexican Sunflower (tithonia diversifolia), when applied fresh as green manure at 10 tons per hectare, provides the same nutrients as other types of manure. This, the don explained, made it highly suitable for the kind of soil found in Nigeria.

He explained that the Mexican Sunflower was introduced to West Africa as an ornamental plant, but could grow and suppress other plants, making it a serious threat to farmers, hence, he decided to carry out a research on it.

In the course of the research, he said he realised that when the weed plant was freshly harvested, chopped and ploughed back into the soil, it served as a good source of fertilizer for the soil, saying that the application of compost manure would have produced the same result.

Prof. Adesodun added that other plants that could also serve as good sources of fertilizer include panicum maximum and chromolina rodorata, which are commonly available as weeds throughout the country.

The lecturer said his research focused on the effects of different land management practices occasioned by the addition of various kinds of organic and inorganic amendments on soil physical properties as related to carbon and nitrogen sequestration, structural stability, crop production and environmental protection.

Prof. Adesodun stated that the motivation to embark on his line of research was primarily borne out of the need to manage the physical quality of the soil.

“It is important that the physical environment of the soil is properly managed. For example, one should ensure that when it rains, the water filters through the soil properly without causing erosion and that when fertilizer is applied, the soil has adequate soil water to make it available to the plant in order to avoid the case of the soil being chemically fertile and physically infertile.

“So, it is a combination of physical, chemical and biological management of soil that will have good soil quality. That was what really motivated me. As soil physicists, we look at the physical aspect of the soil, in collaboration with other researchers,” he stated.

Saying that he was not against the use and application of both organic and inorganic fertilizers, the researcher stated that there was, however the need to prepare the soil adequately such that the fertilizer applied would not be lost
He said if the soil was not well managed – physically, biological or chemically – it would not give the desired yield.

“You cannot just dump manure or poultry droppings on land. You also have to improve the physical quality of soil. Application at 10 tons per hectare is very adequate for our fragile soils here. The common manure is poultry manure because of what has been used to compound the feed. Poultry manure is the best, when compared to other types,” he maintained

FEAR GRIPS KATSINA POTATO FARMERS OVER POOR MARKET PRICE

Irish potato farmers in Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State are at present entertaining fears over poor market price of the produce in the area.

Consequently, they are gearing up to harvest the produce and put them for sale before the price worsens.

The farmers, it was gathered, have suffered high cost of seeds and fertilizer, therefore, cannot make any meaningful profit if they sell the produce at the current prices of between N14,000 and N15,000 per bag.

Irish potato farming started in earnest last year in Bakori LGA and many of the farmers made a fortune from the produce; a situation that led them to expand their farmlands this year.

An irrigation farmer in Unguwar Kanawa, Sadi Isma’il, said they bought potato seeds at an exorbitant price of N40,000 per bag and N8,000 for a bag of NPK 15:15:15 but unfortunately the price of a bag of the produce so far is not more than N15,000.

“We found it very hard to secure good potato seeds this year, perhaps, due to crop diseases suffered in Plateau State.

“We bought a bag of seeds at N40,000 while that of fertilizer was N8,000 per bag and those that have no water pumping machines bought new ones at not less than N40,000 each. So if you add other expenses, like labour, you would find that it is hard for the farmer to make a profit if he sells the produce at N14,000 or N15,000 per bag,” the farmer explained.

He added that five bags of fertilizer were required in a farm where a bag of Irish potato is planted, and at the end, the farmer is expected to harvest just about 15 bags.

He also said potato merchants from outside the state are yet to start coming for the produce as they did last year thus leaving the farmers with no option than to transport it to local markets where they sell very cheaper.

Another farmer in the area, Muhammadu Rabi’u Unguwar Baure, said apart from the high cost of inputs, potato farmers were grappling with water shortage.

“The growing number of irrigation farmers in the area has made the only river we depend on to be exhausted early this year. But we dug wells and shallow ponds on the river bed from which we water our farms,” he said.

Muhammadu Rabi’u added that the ongoing work at Jare Dam by the federal government is a welcome development as irrigation farmers in the area and beyond would be the major beneficiaries.

Last January, Daily Trust reported how farmers in the area were motivated by the growing market for Irish potato in the state and its neighboring  states as well as how merchants stormed the area in search of the produce.

A potato trader in Funtua, Usman Isah, said for the farmers to optimally benefit from their sweat, they have to form an association so that they can speak with one voice.

“The number of Irish potato farmers is fast growing, and for the farmers to benefit from their sweat, they have to come up with an association so that they can speak with one voice and protect their interest,” he advised.

He added that through such association they can have a link with potato dealers in places like Lagos, Port Harcourt, Ibadan and Abuja so that they can sell their produce at a high value.

ONDO STATE GOVT PARTNERS FIRM TO BEGIN MASS RICE PRODUCTION

The Ondo State Government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Africa Red Crest (Nigeria) limited on the mass production of rice through cultivation of 500 hectares of land

and establishment of rice mill of 37,500 tonnes per annum at Owena Dam area , Ifedore local government area  of the State.

Signing the MoU on behalf of the government, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Aderotimi Adelola, said the project will bring about large scale, mechanised rice production and related activities in the state.

Adelola said the present administration in the state will remain committed to promoting food production and agro-allied activities, especially such that will lead to availability of food and job opportunities for residents.

Adelola described Africa Red Crest Nig limited as an expertise in the mass production of rice using the black soil farming system in the state.

According to him, upon cultivation of 500 hectares in the first two years, there will be a later acquisition of further land of 7,500 hectares and the establishment of rice mill simultaneously for the processing of 37,500 tonnes of rice per annum in the state.

He said the project which cost four billion, nine hundred and sixty three million naira (N4,963,000.00) is to be fully funded by the company, while Ondo State government is to provide land for lease of twenty years, noting that if the company fails to start work on the land within one year, the government may terminate the lease.

Also  speaking, the Coordinator of the Directorate of Public Private Partnership (PPP) ,Prince Olateru Olagbegi, said,  with the full operation of the project by the middle of the year, the state will not only produce rice but would be one of the largest producer of rice in the nation.

Olagbegi government will assist the company in the acquisition of necessary and general security assurance to expert technicians and skilled farmers working for the project.

Responding, the Managing Director, Africa Red Crest Nig limited, Prince Aladenoye Akinloye, said in the next few months the company will employ at least 250 residents of the state.

Akinloye said  local farmers will be trained and regularly patronised to boost local production of rice in the state.

He lauded the government for the support and expressed the company’s preparedness to immediately develop, cultivate and operate the project for the overall benefit of the state.

He stressed that all the technical expertise, equipment and the requisite plant seed, that is high yielding within 3 months duration and disease resistant are already in place.

FG TO SPEND N86.5M ON ‘OGBONO’ TREES CULTIVATION

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture has earmarked the sum of N86.5 million for the promotion and cultivation of ‘ogbono’, a local ingredient for ‘draw’ soup in many parts of Nigeria.

Ogbono (irvingia gabonensis) is a household name in many Nigerian kitchens. It is one of the most expensive ingredients in making ‘draw’ soup used in many parts of the country.

The trees, which are described as “African wild mango,” “bush mango” or “ogbono,” are commonly found in the south-east and south-south parts of the country. The tree produces the fruit that is a veritable source of income to many people in those parts of the country.

It is a mango-shaped fruit which, when it ripens, fall from the tree where  is gathered and broken after the fruit rots to remove the seeds which is the ogbono used in making ‘draw’ soup.

Although few farmers are now beginning to cultivate the fruit, it is largely found in the wild where locals spend days and weeks collecting the fruits to extract the seeds, dry and sell them in markets across the country.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, last year at different platforms, stressed the need to promote the development of the fruit in Nigeria, adding that the market potentials were promising in the United States of America and Europe.

The appearance of the ogbono fruit in the budget, therefore, reaffirms the minister’s position on the promotion and development of the bush mango in Nigeria.

The fruit takes many years to produce according to a farmer, Ejim Benard, who has three of the trees in front of his compound in Bekwarra, Cross River State.

Although locals said the trees can live up to 40 years or more, however, the period for its maturity (which some said takes between six to eight years) puts many farmers away from growing the ogbono producing plant.

A cup of ogbono, which can serve a family of 10 people, costs between N500 to N600 in some markets in Abuja.

A measure of ogbono which contains eight cups is valued between N4,000 to N4,800, while a 100kg bag costs between N50,000 to N60,000. The prices of the product could costs more in the international markets