Agriculture

Farmers Want FG To Revive Water Canals

Published

15 years ago

January 21, 2011

Worried by near abandonment of the Sourth Chad Irrigation Project (SCIP) in Borno State, farmers in the state have appealed to the federal government to revive the water canals in order to boost farming activities in the site.

The farmers who made the call in a chat with our correspondent said that the project covering about 67,000 hectares of land is lying waste due to lack of irrigation water.

Some of the farmers hold our correspondent that they could only cultivate crops instead of wheat, maize and rice as planned by the federal government at the inception of the project in early 70s.

Malam Modu Isa, said he used to harvest at least 300 bags of rice and wheat on the farm every year when there was irrigation water.

According to him, with the recording of water inflow from the Lake Chad and inability of the Chad Basin Development Authority (CBDA) to pump water into the farm, he has shifted to vegetable production.

“The small water supply that we are currently using is being pumped by the CBDA. We hope that they will continue to improve on the supply,” Isa said.

In his reaction, the CBDA Acting Managing Director, Alhaji Mustapha Shameh, told our correspondent in Maiduguri that the authority had made efforts to ensure that the project was actualised.

“The SCIP is the largest irrigation scheme of the authority. The project was planned to irrigate about 67,000 hectares of land.

“It was supposed to be in three phases the first phase having 22,000 hectares in Kirenowa, the second involving 27,000 hectares in Ngala and the third having 18, 000 hectares in Baga,” Shameh said.

He explained that the project was located along the Lake Chad basin for easy access to water from the basin.

Shameh said that the project was targeted at producing large quantities of rice, maize and wheat with the use of the water from the Lake through a three-km in-take canal.

He said that the canal was connected to a pumping station at Kirenowa near Marte, headquarters of Marte Local Government Council.

“The farmlands were expected to get water through electrically-driven pumps under the project, which made CBDA to contract a power house with a combined output of 30 megawatts of electricity to source for power,” he explained.

Shameh, however, lamented that the high cost of fueling the power house located at New Marte, had forced the authority to abandon the facility.

“The plant in the house has a daily consumption of about 15,000 to 20,000 litres of gas when fully operational; additionally the engines require special blend of lubricants of about 150 drums per day,” he said.

Shameh said that the inability of the CBDA to get the project connected to the national grid had equally made it difficult for the project to function optimally.

According to him, the big time farmers targeted by the Federal Government had also failed to embrace the project, leading to the setback.

“We have been trying to run skeletal services at the project site but the failure of big time farmers who are the main targets of the project have been one of our setbacks.

“In the meantime, we have been encouraging the peasant farmers to form cooperatives, to enable them to secure bank loans to be able to fit into the project,” Shameh said.

Our correspondent reports that the federal government decided to develop large-scale irrigation agriculture to avoid dependence on rain-fed agriculture, due to the drought and famine that occurred in the northern part of the country in 1972/73.

This development, led to the establishment of Decree No. 32 and 33 of 1972, which created the Chad Basin Development Authority and Sokoto-Rima River Basin Development Authority as pioneers.

Agriculture

KWASANGLaunches Cassava Processing Factory To Boost Value Chain In Kwara

Published

2 weeks ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

The Kwara State Government has inaugurated the Kwara State Association of Nigerians in UK (KWASANG) APEX CO-OP Cassava Value-Addition Factory in Osin Pakate, Ilorin East Local Government Area, to boost cassava value addition and agro-processing in the State.

Speaking at the event, Alabi, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Afees Abolore Alabi, described the initiative as a cooperative-led programme that aligns with the State’s agricultural development priorities.

He noted with satisfaction that the project demonstrates how farmer organisations, supported by the right policies and partnerships, can drive sustainable agribusiness growth.

Alabi explained that cassava value addition plays a critical role in reducing post-harvest losses, improving product quality, and increasing farmers’ incomes, while also creating employment opportunities for youths and women.

He added that initiatives such as the KWASANG factory contribute to food security, supply of industrial raw materials, and rural economic development.

Alabi acknowledged the partnership of the leadership of KWASANG with diaspora partners, describing their collective investment as a strong signal of confidence in cassava production and processing opportunities within the state.

The Commissioner further noted that cooperative organisation remains a key pillar in the Government’s approach to inclusive agricultural development.

Alabi stated that the role of the Kwara State Government is to provide an enabling environment through supportive policies, infrastructure development, capacity building, and strategic collaboration with cooperatives and the private sector.

He added that the progress being recorded across the cassava value chain reflects the development direction of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, whose administration continues to prioritise agricultural transformation through strategic partnerships and investor-friendly policies.

The factory, according to the Commissioner, is expected to process cassava into products such as Gari, high-quality cassava flour, starch, and other value-added derivatives for household consumption and industrial use.

Alabi stated “The initiative also complements ongoing efforts to strengthen the cassava value chain through improved access to inputs, extension support, and market linkages aimed at increasing productivity and profitability for farmers across the State”.

Earlier, the Chairman of KWASANG Farmers, Mustapha Tunde Salawu, appreciated the Kwara State Government for creating a supportive environment that made the project possible.

He encouraged Nigerians in the diaspora, particularly Kwarans, to look back home and invest as a way of contributing to the development of their communities, Kwara State, and the country at large.

Salawu noted that Kwara State’s vast arable farmland and its strategic location as a gateway between the northern and southern parts of the country made it a highly attractive destination for agricultural and agribusiness investment.

“The KWASANG APEX CO-OP Cassava Value-Adding Factory, is expected to reduce post-harvest losses, improve market access for cassava farmers, and stimulate economic activities within Osin Pakate and surrounding communities”, he said.

Agriculture

Livestock Ministry Empowers Women, Youths For Sustainable Growth

Published

2 weeks ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering women and youths as key drivers of a sustainable, innovative, and competitive livestock sector in Nigeria.

The Director, Technical, Office of the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Peter Alike, stated this at a Capacity Building Workshop for Women and Youths in the Livestock Value Chain, held in Abuja from Monday, 29th – Tuesday 30th December, 2025.

Alike emphasised that integrating sustainability and innovation across the entire livestock value chain, from feed production and animal husbandry to processing and marketing, is critical to transforming the sector and unlocking its economic potential.

He noted that building the capacity of women and youths remains central to the Ministry’s mandate to reposition livestock as a viable contributor to food security, employment, and national growth.

According to him, the capacity-building initiative is designed as a continuous and transformative programme, equipping participants with practical, hands-on skills that can be directly applied to their farms and enterprises.

He stressed that the training goes beyond theory, focusing on actionable knowledge, mindset change, and long-term competency development to promote sustainable livestock practices.

Alike further explained that the strategic importance of women and youths informed their inclusion as a priority group within the ten pillars of the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS), the Ministry’s flagship framework for sectoral reform.

In his presentation, an Animal Scientist, Ifeanyi Harry Njoagwuani, described sustainability as a continuous journey driven by science and effective management highlighting the adoption of climate-resilient breeds, improved genetics, precision nutrition through optimized feed formulations, and climate-smart housing systems as critical pathways to sustainable livestock production.

Speaking during a session on biogas production for sustainable livestock development, Ayoade Akande, underscored the need to strengthen extension services and promote private sector investment in modern feed technologies.

He advocated for expanded forage seed distribution networks, support for research and innovation hubs, and enabling policies that promote sustainable ruminant nutrition.

In his closing remarks, the Director of Livestock Extension and Business Development, Joseph Ako Eleojo, urged participants to form cooperative alliances and serve as advocates for change within their communities.

He noted that women and youths were deliberately targeted for the programme due to their strategic role in driving innovation, productivity, and sustainability in the livestock sector.

A major highlight of the two-day workshop was a study visit to De-Dre Solution Poultry Farm, located at Pasali 2, Kuje Area Council of the FCT. The farm, with a capacity of 24,800 birds, produces approximately 650 crates of eggs daily, providing participants with practical insights into efficient and sustainable poultry operations.

Participants at the workshop were drawn from poultry and ruminant farming enterprises across several states of the Federation.

Agriculture

FG, Ogun Distribute Inputs To 2,400 Farmers

Published

1 year ago

October 4, 2024

The Tide

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.