Business
Adopt Integrated Farming, Drip Irrigation – Indian Ambassador
The Indian High Com
missioner to Nigeria, Amb. Ajjampur Ghanashyam has urged Nigeria to introduce Integrated Farming and Drip Irrigation to boost food production in the country.
Ghanashyam gave the advice at a Forum in Abuja on Sunday.
He said that drip irrigation, currently being practised in India, would help to improve dry season farming in Nigeria, especially in the Northern parts of the country.
He said that the introduction of drip irrigation and integrated farming would encourage export.
“Agriculture is one area in which there is tremendous potential. India has 1.5 million square kilometers of land which is arable.
“We grow sometimes three crops from the same piece of land because of desperation and when there is an emerging need, you have to innovate. That is what happened to us.
“Today, in some northern states, we are doing drip irrigation because water is a problem in those states.
“Drip irrigation is one subject which we have developed in India and now it has become very popular. Exactly what is required in Northern Nigeria.
“We are now developing a concept called integrated farming. Integrated farming means the farmer has his field, but takes out a part of his land to grow vegetables and fruits and takes out a little bit more area around his house to have a goat farm, poultry farm and have a bee keeping corner.
“So when the crop fails, he has vegetables he can sell, he has fruits and he has poultry, eggs and chicken which he can sell, he does not become desperate and think of the wrong thing.
“Nigeria with its available land can feed itself, feed the rest of Africa and still have surplus to export to China and India.
“That is the quality of your soil. You have the capacity and competence to do it. It is just that someone has to get up and start saying, yes, now is the time to start.“
Ghanashyam said that integrated agriculture had the capacity to improve the living standard of Nigerians if properly deployed.
He added that the farming method serve as an alternative to oil.
The high commissioner said that India was currently working closely with some Northern states in Nigeria to promote drip irrigation, but observed that the availability of water was a challenge.
According to him, Africa owns 60 per cent of the arable land in the world and 20 per cent of the land mass of the world.
He said that Nigeria had one-quarter of the wealth in Africa and 20 per cent of Africa’s population.
Ghanashyam said that the volume of trade between India and Nigeria stood at 17 billion dollars between 2014 and 2015 and had remained so in spite of the fall in the prices of oil.
He appealed to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to sign a Turn Around Maintenance agreement with the National Oil Company of India as part of efforts at increasing oil production in Nigeria.
He called for the incorporation of the policies of the Federal and state governments to suit foreign businesses in Nigeria.
“Most times, Federal and state government policies do not support, complement or supplement each other and this is affecting foreign businesses in Nigeria,“ he said.
MoniePoint Inc. a digital financial firm in Nigeria, has said it is empowering community pharmacists across the country with innovative payment solutions to improve access to drugs.
The financial firm said it had also provided loans for pharmacists under the aegis of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) to drive healthcare delivery in the country.
MoniePoint in a release titled, “Inside Nigeria’s community pharmacies: How Moniepoint drives healthcare access with payments and funding”, has reaffirmed its commitment to providing digital payment solutions to improve health outcomes in Nigeria.
The release examined how community pharmacies play a crucial role as vital access points for medical care in Nigeria, especially in areas with limited hospital or clinic access.
According to the release, the ACPN National Chairman, Ambrose Igwekwam, highlighted the critical role played by community pharmacies in Nigeria’s healthcare system over the years.
Igwekwam, however, expressed concerns over the challenges confronting the nation’s pharmaceutical industry which he said was hindering access to affordable medicines.
The pharmacist listed poor infrastructural systems, power, transportation, regulatory bottlenecks, importation dependency, and limited research opportunities as major challenges facing the pharmaceutical sector.
He also stressed the need for robust collaborative efforts with institutions like Moniepoint to strengthen the sector.
“As Nigeria continues to grow, improving local pharma manufacturing to meet the demands of this growth presents a key opportunity for us all.
“There is also the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, which is expected to boost our industry, especially when we start producing our drugs locally, which will provide the much needed foreign exchange from exports.
“We are also seeing advancements in digital health and technology which would hopefully deepen the practice of e-prescription in Nigeria”, the ACPN boss said.
Corlins Walter
In order to enhance customer service and streamline operations, the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) has called on stakeholders in the insurance industry to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The President of the institute, Yetunde Ilori, made this call at the 2024 Office Representatives Committee (ORC) Workshop, organised by the institute, with the theme “AI and the Future of the Insurance Industry”, in Lagos.
Ilori at the event, emphasised the importance of AI adoption, noting that it was not a threat to jobs but rather a tool to improve efficiency across the insurance sector.
“It is not about AI taking over our jobs, but about us using AI to simplify processes and give maximum satisfaction to all the customers we serve whether as underwriters, brokers, loss adjusters, or in educating our members”, she said.
The workshop, which brought players in the insurance sector together, aimed to address how AI could be leveraged to transform business processes and improve customer interactions.
The Chairman of the ORC, Monica Nwachukwu, underscored the role of AI in modernising the industry, adding, “AI can automate customer and claims processes, allowing insurers to provide faster and more efficient services to their customers”.
She explained how AI could help extract data from legacy systems, enhancing decision-making processes.
“By integrating AI with APIs, insurers can feed valuable data into AI solutions to improve operations and customer service”, she added.
In his address, the Managing Partner of A4S and Training Heights, Orlando Odejide, stressed the need for companies to align their strategies with future technologies like AI, especially as they prepare for 2025.
“Any organisation that wants to grow into the future must have its strategic plan in place. If your strategy for 2025 is not ready, it should be done by October”, he advised.
He encouraged participants to think critically about how AI could be integrated into their business models to ensure they remain competitive.
“The idea is for you to use this workshop as a platform to think about your organization and how AI can help streamline your processes and improve growth”, Odejide noted.
In order to gain global respect and recognition, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has reaffirmed its determination to pursue its goal in ensuring that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
The agency also reaffirmed its commitment to positioning Nigeria as a key player in the global space economy.
In a statement by the Director of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr. Felix Ale, NASRDA revealed that the Director-General of the agency, Matthew Adepoju, emphasised this during recent engagements at the 79th United Nations General Assembly and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Global Alliance Business Association international conference in Michigan, United States.
The statement noted that Adepoju outlined a forward-thinking agenda, stressing the importance of Nigeria’s space programme as a leader in research, exploration, and technological innovation.
“Our goal is to ensure that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
“We must foster collaborations with global space agencies to enhance our satellite capabilities and technological infrastructure”, he stated.
The NASRDA boss said the agency is focusing on enhancing satellite capabilities, expanding international collaborations, and leveraging space science for national development.
He said NASRDA will have no stone unturned in pursuit of excellence, ensuring the agency secures the necessary resources and recognition to propel it forward.
“The relationships we build today will pave the way for tomorrow’s advancements in space science.
“Innovation and progress thrive in an environment built on collaboration and inclusivity”, he stated.
He emphasised that with the support of the government, international partners, and a dedicated team, NASRDA is poised to make significant strides in the evolving global space landscape.
“We are on the brink of a new era for Nigeria’s space agency. Together, we will ensure our nation stands out in the global space economy”, he said.
Corlins Walter