Agriculture
DG Lists Gains Of SPEAR Project
The Seeds Policy Enhancement in African Region (SPEAR) project has enhanced policy implementation in the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA), says Mr Olusegun Olatokun.
Olatokun, the Acting Director-General of the National Agricultural Seeds Council, said this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja recently.
Our correspondent reports that the SPEAR project was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to increase the number of improved varieties of seeds for smallholder farmers in order to improve their livelihood.
He said the project enhanced Public-Private-Partnership in the seeds sector and aided seeds commercialisation in the country.
He stressed that project had also provided policies being used under the Federal Government’s ATA, thereby helping to and realise the agenda’s goals.
The acting director-general said that one of the policies of the project was the licensing policy, which promoted, stimulated and facilitated seeds transfer to farmers.
“The licensing policy is the agreement between the research institute that gave out the seeds (licensor) and the company that received the seed (licensee).’’
“The project has also enhanced production and distribution of adequate, improved and quality seeds under the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme.’’
“If not for SPEAR, the seeds companies would have had a lot of challenges meeting the GES seeds requirement,’’ he said.
The Tide reports that the GES scheme is an initiative of the Federal Government aimed at subsidising the cost of major agricultural inputs such as fertiliser and seeds for farmers in the country.
The scheme aims to empower farmers to increase their yield and encourage a shift from subsistence to commercial farming, based on an electronic registration and validation process.
Under this scheme, the federal and state governments assist farmers to pay 50 per cent of the total cost of inputs while the farmer bears 50 per cent of the cost.
Olatokun said through the Genetic Access Transfer Scheme (GATS), the project ensured that private seed producers had access to adequate transfer supply of high quality seeds of improved cultivators.
The Tide reports that GATS is a policy instrument to promote, stimulate and facilitate genetic access and transfer of seeds to farmers.
Olatokun stated that the project increased the number of certified seeds companies in the county from 35 to 75 and that there were still about 90 awaiting certification.
He, however, expressed regret that all the SPEAR policies were not implemented in the country before the project ended in September 2013.
He said that the agency sector would work toward incorporating the policies that were left out in the country’s seeds policies.
The Tide recalls that the project was launched on December 2, 2010, in Malawi, Zambia and Nigeria.
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”.