Agriculture
Food Sufficiency:Ex-Gov Seeks Workable Agric Policies
The first Executive Gov
ernor of Nasarawa State, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has said that workable agricultural policies and consistency in implementation could help to achieve food sufficiency in Nigeria.
Adamu, who is also the Chairman, Board of Trustees, National Agricultural Foundation of Nigeria (NAFN), an NGO, said this when he featured in a Forum in Abuja recently.
“I want to believe that if we’ve got workable policies and we reduce the extent of inconsistencies with our policies for agricultural development, maybe, in the foreseeable future, we will get self-sufficient.
“And unless you know who you are, how many mouths you have the responsibility of feeding; just like a household leader.
“You must know how many wives you have, how many children you have, how many dependent relations come to eat from your bowl and be able to know how you plan.
“In the same way, every government that wants success must be able to have a reasonable appreciation as to the population of its citizenry.
“Must be able to have an appreciation as the influx of other nationals into the country to even time, must be able to have an appreciation as to what are the staple food for the citizenry and be able to determine the quantum of production for each of the items of food crops that is needed.“
Adamu told The Tides’s source that to determine the quantum of production, each state must be identified with a particular geo-agricultural area in order to determine what crop does better in a particular place.
This, he added, would not only help determine the quantum of production for the populace but also help to attain food sufficiency.
He said, “In specific terms, we must be able to identify particular geo-agricultural areas and say this crop will do well in this place, that other crop will do well in that place.
“Then, we can sit down at the local and state government levels and say how much maize do we want to produce for this year, for next year or for the next five years?
“What is the rate of increase of our population? We need a determination as to the quantum of food requirement for this population and then what to get to the market outside Nigeria.
“Unless we do this, talking of food sufficiency, we will just be toying with the whole idea.“
On the progress of the Growth Enhancement Support (GES), Adamu told The Tide that not much had been done, adding that the programme was “still on the starting pace’’.
He, however, advised that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development should consistently provide progress reports on beneficiaries of the programmes as an indication that there’s advancement.
This, the senator added, would help the agriculture sector achieve its goals.
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”.
