Agriculture
Fertiliser Production: FG To Encourage Direct Foreign Investment
The Federal Government is to encourage direct foreign investment in fertiliser production from the D-8 countries, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, has Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, said.
Adesina stated this in Abuja yesterday at a two-day D-8 private sector investment workshop on Gene Bank Development and Management and Investment in fertiliser production.
Reports say that the D-8 is an organisation for cooperation among eight developing countries of the world.
They include Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey.
Represented by Director, Federal Department of Agriculture (FDA), Mr Chris Ene, the minister said that efforts were being made to improve digitisation of soil maps that would provide nutrient levels of different soils.
He observed that this would develop appropriate recommendations that would be both soil and crop specific throughout the country.
“However, considering that this workshop is focusing on seeds and fertiliser, it is, therefore, imperative to bring to the fore what government is doing in the two sub-sectors.’’
Adesina explained that the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme was a vital component of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA), which would address parts of the agricultural input value chain.
He added that the GES had moved away from flat subsidy to targeted support and would reach about 20 million farmers.
The minister noted that government was also paying adequate attention to seed and fertiliser distribution and marketing.
He said that government had extended financial incentives to agro-dealers by providing them with bank facilities at reduced interest rate of seven per cent, and 70 per cent guarantee on the loan, principal under the ATA policy.
Our source also reports that the three priority areas of the D-8 meeting include the production and supply of good quality fertilisers.
Others are the production and supply of animal feed and the creation of seed banks to supply high quality seeds.
Earlier, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Martin Uhomoibhi, said that President Goodluck Jonathan had promised to increase the tempo of activities that would foster economic cooperation among D-8 countries.
He explained that participants are expected to have the opportunity to discuss on best strategies to mobilise private sector investment in critical areas of gene bank development and fertiliser production.
In his remarks, Mr Ezekiel Oyemomi, Permanent Secretary of the ministry, said that the workshop would allow member countries to share experiences and evolve common development strategies.
Represented by Mr Akinbolawa Osho, Director of Fertiliser of the ministry, Oyemomi told participants that Nigeria had enormous plant genetic and fertiliser resources for investment in gene bank development and fertiliser production.
He added that this had informed the growing advocacy by the present administration on Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) to the development of agriculture to support the economy.
Issues to be discussed at the meeting, he said, are the extent of implementation of D-8 Roadmap (2008-2018) on fertiliser and it would also examine trends in fertiliser demand and supply in member countries.
Others include considering the establishment of common financing mechanisms for fertiliser production and also considering energy, environmental safety and products stewardship issues.
Federal Government and the Ogun State Government, on Wednesday, distributed farm inputs to farmers as part of effort to address food security challenge.
The State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Toyin Ayo-Ajayi, during the flag-off ceremony of Inputs Redemption Under The National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP), in Ogun State, disclosed that beneficiaries of the gesture were primarily rice, maize and cassava farmers across the State.
Ayo-Ajayi commended the Ogun State Government for partnering with the government at the centre for the effort in supporting farmers with inputs that would bring about yieldings for local consumption and likely exportation.
She noted that government is supporting rice, cassava and maize farmers with inputs worth N212,000; N189,000 and N186,000 respectively.
The Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, who represented the Commissioner in the Ministry, Bolu Owotomo, stated that traditional farmers are critical in food production, hence the need to encourage and support them with inputs that would bring about desired results during harvesting.
Owotomo said: “Let us make good use of this opportunity, so that the success of this phase will make farmers benefit more from the state and federal governments of Nigeria.”
Earlier, State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Oluwatoyin Ayo-Ajayi, appreciated the present administration for partnering with the federal government for the initiative, adding that the programme is designed to support farmers at the grassroots level in cassava, rice and maize with inputs such as, seeds, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, to boost their production and enhance their livelihood.
The Niger State Government has mapped out 10,000 hectares of farmland in Gbapo Community of Katcha Local Government Area of the State for smallholder farmers to benefit from the state government’s agricultural intervention programme.
Two thousand out of the 10,000 holders of the farmlands have already received inputs.
At a flag-off ceremony in Yinti Village, the facilitator of the programme, Shinkafan Nupe, Malam Idris Usman Makanta, assured the farmers of increased distributions to the mapped-out ten thousand (10,000) farmlands if farmers respond positively.
He explained that the commencement of the two thousand is to measure the positive response of farmers before obtaining full-scale support.
Malam Makanta stated that this initiative aligns with the farmers’ initial commitment through Niger Foods, whose mission is primarily geared towards establishing efficient and profitable agricultural businesses to support the present administration of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago’s quest to boost agricultural productivity in the state.
He also commended Niger Foods for their steadfastness and resilience in the effective implementation of the input financing scheme.
Makanta reiterated the commitment of the State Governor in making judicious use of the arable land in the state.
Shinkafan Nupe, therefore, urged the farmers to support the Governor by using the inputs wisely so that the dream can be actualised.
The Gombe State Government has empowered a total of 573,429 farmers and entrepreneurs under the 4th phase of the GO-CARES programme.
The programme was officially flagged off by Governor Inuwa Yahaya in another major step towards alleviating poverty and supporting the state’s vulnerable populations.
The Governor, while inaugurating the disbursement in Akko Community of Akko Local Government Area, restated his administration’s commitment to the welfare of vulnerable citizens in the state.
He was represented by the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Salihu Baba Alkali, who is also the Chairman of the Steering Committee on GO- CARES implementation.
“The 4th phase of GO-CARES will directly and indirectly impact a total of 573,429 citizens across the state. Of these, 152,429 individuals will benefit directly through cash transfers, livelihood grants, agricultural inputs, and operational grants to small businesses”, he stated.
The Governor added that, “421,000 people will be indirect beneficiaries through infrastructural projects such as classroom blocks, healthcare facilities, WASH services, and rural infrastructure projects like culverts and drainages”.
Yahaya, reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that the state’s most vulnerable citizens are not left behind in the state’s development.
According to him, “Earlier this year, on June 25, 2024, we flagged off the distribution of improved seedlings, fertilizers, and herbicides to less privileged farmers in Malam Sidi, Kwami Local Government Area, signaling the commencement of the 4th phase implementation of GO-CARES under Result Area 2”.
The Governor reiterated that these initiatives have had a significant impact on the livelihoods of beneficiaries and the overall agricultural sector.
He explained that, “Today’s ceremony marked the simultaneous launch of activities under all three GO-CARES Result Areas for the 4th phase. These areas include: State Cash Transfer Grants: 2,500 direct beneficiaries; Labour Intensive Public Works: 2,700 direct beneficiaries; Livelihood Grants: 10,000 direct beneficiaries; and Basic Services: 405,000 indirect beneficiaries”.
