Agriculture
NAOC Disburses N19m To 35 Cooperatives
The Managing Director Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC), Ciro Antonio Pagano, has stated that the company’s Green River Project (GRP) has disbursed a total of N19 million to 35 farming co-operative societives and women/youth organisations in its operation area.
Pagano who stated this on Saturday during the 16th edition of GRP annual farmers day celebration at Plant Propagation Centre, Obie, Ogba/Egbeme/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, said the event is geared towards bringing together individual farmers, farmers cooperative societies, youth co-operative and other allied organisations, also afford them opportunity to showcase their produce, and products as well as other services.
He said over the years through the GRP, NAOC had invested continuosly for the sustainable development of agric sector, reaching out to over 3,500 farmers, assisting them with updated techniques and modern technologies to boost productivity.
According to him,” in 2011 from our plant propagation centre, we produced and distributed to farmers, 3000,000 bundles of improved cassava (CMD resistant) Varieties to 251 farmers, 12,000 seed yams to 96 farmers, 100 bundles of sweet patato vines to 47 farmers, 30kg Okro seeds to 101 farmers, 31,000 plantain suckers to 85 farmers, 7,000 pinapple suckers to 20 farmers and 1,500 various indigenous fruit trees to 186 farmers,”
He noted that as part of skill acquisition programme for capacity building, the company had trained and provided starter packs to 541 youths in various trades, distributed 200,000 fingerlings to fish farmers, provided post harvest storage facilities and food processing machines to some co-operative societies as well as sponsoring agricultural quiz competition amongst secondary schools in its operational states of Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and Imo.
Also speaking, the General Manager District, NAOC, Giovanni Salvini said through GRP the company had demonstrated her corporate social responsibility with a sustained effort aimed at improving the lots of the host communities.
In a goodwill message, the Director, National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, Dr Thomas Okeke Ezulike, commended NAOC-GRP for championing aggressive rural and agricultural transformation programme aimed at empowering farm house holds in the Niger Delta.
The dean, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Port Harcourt, Prof Love Akonye who represented the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Joseph Ajienka, assured to lend their support in providing training to all categories of farmers.
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”.
