Agriculture
Lagos Supports Farmers, Moves To Avert Post-Harvest Losses
Fish farmers in Lagos State, under the aegis of the Lagos State Catfish and Allied Association of Nigeria (LASCAFAN), have received boost as the State Government, through the Agro-Productivity, Processing, Enhancement and Livelihood Support (APPEALS) project, a World Bank funded project, has supported the group with a blast freezer for preservation of catfish, to reduce post-harvest loses and curb effects of fish mongers.
Worried by the extent of post-harvest losses recorded yearly in the catfish subsector, and exploitation of fish farmers on right pricing, the stakeholders in Ikorodu division where the blastfreezer was launched, said the project is a dream come through for them.
Speaking at the commissioning of the LASCAFAN Ikorodu blast freezer centre and launching of the frozen catfish product during the week, Abisola Olusanya, Commissioner for Agriculture, said the project was to promote value addition.
She said introducing frozen catfish would address and deliver fish farmers from the crush of fish mongers who determine price without recourse to cost of production.
Olusanya, who was represented by Daisi Osunkoya, Director of Fisheries, stated that fish, a major source of protein, is low in cholesterol, making it medically acceptable to young and old people.
She said the flexibility of fish farming encouraged the involvement of both older and younger people in the process, as a means of livelihood.
Olusanya said the state, with a population of about 25 million people, require 425,009 tonnes of fish per annum, in line with the World Health Organisation recommendation of 17kg fish protein intake per person per annum, but the current fish production figure is about 198,706 tonnes per annum.
In her goodwill message at the launch, the Lagos State Coordinator for the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Omolara Oguntuyi, said Lagos State is setting the pace in fish, that the farmers are doing well.
She advised the farmers to continue in the good work they are doing and to ensure they guide what they are doing jealously.
“it is good you are doing what you are doing and please what you have started follow it through, don’t let it be that in a twinkle of an eye it is dead, make sure you guard it jealously and hand it over to your children.
“Protein is in high shortage in Nigeria and everybody can bear me witness because it is very expensive, I am telling you with this you are doing, it will stabilise our price in fish and it will reduce wastage and God will help you”, she said.
Former National President of the Catfish Association of Nigeria, who is now the Chairman of the blast freezer management, Tayo Akingbolagun, said the launch means a lot to the farmers, adding that catfish farmers have really suffered in the hands of fish mongers who will await farmers to buy off their fish at any price whether it’s comfortable for the farmers or not.
“The farmers don’t have the option but to sell because they cannot store, they cannot process and so they have to sell under stress.
“We believe that by this, we will not only keep the farmers in production, we will also sell fish at an affordable price and more people will come into the business”, he stated.
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”.
