Agriculture
Fish Farmers Urge Govt To Boost Aquaculture In Nigeria
Fish Farmers in Port Harcourt have urged the State and Federal Governments to assist in boosting Aquaculture in the country.
Director of Albert Farms, Mr. Albert Adindu, made the call yesterday in an exclusive interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt.
Adindu, who said the call has become necessary, noted that the cost of feed has become higher than it should be, saying that many farms have closed down due to the high cost of production.
The Albert Farm’s Director said most times the farmers operate at a loss, just to retain their customers.
He noted that urgent attention need to be given to agriculture as a whole by the three tiers of government in the nation to enhance the poor economic situation of the country.
“Agriculture can serve as a safe landing for the bastardised Nigerian economy. The sector alone can settle the problem of unemployment and food security, if leaders would do the needful”, he said.
Another farmer, Mr. Harold Ekeke, who has a poultry farm in Oyibo, Rivers State, said: “Agriculture would not yield the needed result of saving and boosting the economy, if government refuse to play her role in supporting farmers.
“It requires either long term loan or grant to survive the heat in the system. Majority of farmers here are still using the old method of farming, while mechanised system has become the order of the day.
“This is the only way to have food security and stop importing almost everything into the country that can stand on its own.”
It would be recalled that the National Liaison Officer of Catfish and Allied Fish Farmers Association of Nigeria (CAFFAN ), Abuja Chapter, Mr Adamu Gambo appealed to the Federal Government to boost the sector for maximum productivity.
Gambo urged the Federal Government to assist fish farmers in the country by subsidising fish feed, saying that the high cost of feed had affected the price of fish in the market.
According to him, fish feed consumes between 70 and 80 per cent of the financial investment in fishry, thereby making it more expensive to rear fishes.
He said fish, the commonest source of protein for the masses, was no longer easy to come by due to high cost of feed.
Gambo, therefore, urged the Federal Government to subsidise and allow local production of fish feeds.
He said that soya beans, maize and groundnut cake meals were the three main ingredients making up the feed, but were also very expensive.
“If the cost of production does not drop, there is no way the price of fish can drop,” Gambo said.
He, however, commended the government for its efforts in safeguarding healthy consumption of fishes in the country through agencies such as SON and NAFDAC.
By: Lilian Peters
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”.