Agriculture
CRIN Moves To Bridge Input Gap In Cocoa Production
In its bid to bridge the input gap in Cocoa production in Nigeria, the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) has presented certificates to trained Cocoa nursery operators and seed entrepreneurs.
The Tide’s source reports that CRIN organized the event in Ibadan, Tuesday, in partnership with the Foundation for Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta (PIND).
In his remarks, the Executive Director, CRIN, Dr Patrick Adebola, said the institute ventured into its maiden training of nursery operators and seed entrepreneurs as a crucial step to meeting the needs of Cocoa farmers and upscaling its production.
“The starting point in Cocoa value chain is having good quality planting materials, that will bring high yield.
“And it would be resistant to pests and diseases. We also need input that would be early bearing and this would translate into more production of Cocoa in the country.
“The significance of this event is all about helping our farmers to get good planting materials anywhere they need it, as at when due.
“There are about 300,000 Cocoa farmers in Nigeria, but CRIN cannot reach all the farmers at once and provide them with the planting materials that they need.
“This is the reason for our partnership with PIND to train the nursery operators and certify them, so that they can complement what CRIN is doing to reach the farmers in the hinterland,” Adebola said.
The CRIN Executive Director charged the certified nursery operators to utilise the knowledge gained to ensure that quality Cocoa seedlings are produced and distributed to farmers.
Also, the Executive Director, PIND, Mr Tunji Idowu, represented by Mr Chuks Ofulue, the Advocacy Manager of the organisation, appreciated CRIN for allowing the organisation to partner with it to proffer solutions to some of the challenges identified in Cocoa production.
Idowu said that having done thorough research and assessment, it was discovered that there were a lot of potential within the Cocoa value chain that could provide jobs, increase revenue and ensure food security.
In their various goodwill messages, Dr Abiodun Adedeji, Director, Cocoa Programme; Dr Moses Ogunlade, Director, Production and Substation; and Dr Anna Muyiwa, Head, Crop Improvement; urged the trainees to adhere to CRIN standards and best practices in production of seedlings.
Also, Dr Festus Olasupo, a Cocoa Genetics and Breeder, who is also the Facilitator of the training, said 40 nursery operators started the journey, but only 14 made it and qualified for the certificates received.
Agriculture
Nigeria’s Agric Exports Face Rejections Overseas
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) says Nigeria has lost its leading position in the agriculture export markets because its agricultural commodities do not meet the sanitary and phytosanitary requirements of the foreign markets.
According to WTO, despite the abundance of arable lands and increased investments, the nation has transitioned into a net importer of farm produce that was previously cultivated domestically, undermining efforts aimed at ensuring food sustainability.
The Director-General, WTO, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, disclosed this in Abuja at the launch of seven trade support programmes initiated by the WTO-ITC to boost the development of Nigeria’s trade and industry standards.
The initiatives, namely the Standards Trade Development Facility, Digital Trade Initiative support, Women Exporters Entrepreneurship support, National Trade Portal and cotton development initiative, aim to provide technical support to strengthen food safety, animal and plant health capacity in developing countries, address challenges of e-commerce digital trade divide and establish a world-class technology centre for all trade-related data and information in Nigeria.
“We are launching today with STDF, ITC, and the NEPC, a project to help with international safety and quality certification for sesame and cowpeas or black-eyed peas.
“The agriculture sector in Nigeria has the potential to be a major driver of export diversification and job creation, but too much of this potential remains unrealized, due to a variety of barriers.
“In fact, Nigeria has not only lost out in agricultural export markets, it is a net food importer spending about billions a year on goods, many of which we can also produce here.
“Some of Nigeria’s unrealised potential has to do with trade-related problems on the supply side, and that is what this project is seeking to rectify”, the WTO DG stated.
Specifically, she said Nigerian cowpea and sesame exports were increasingly facing rejections in several destination markets due to non-compliance with international SPS requirements.
According to her, the failure to comply with regional, global and import country sanitary and phytosanitary standards has resulted in loss of sales, revenue, and hard currency due to export rejects.
Last week, the former Finance Minister charged Nigeria and other African countries to improve the quality of their shea exports to international standards.
She added, “Nigeria is the world’s largest producer and consumer of cowpeas. Sesame is primarily an export crop, and Nigeria is the world’s fourth leading producer, exporting to the EU, Türkiye, Japan, South Korea and other Asian markets.
“However, Nigerian cowpea and sesame exports have increasingly faced rejections in several destination markets due to non-compliance with international SPS requirements”.
She said for example, “Nigeria accounts for over a third of Japan’s sesame imports, but health and safety inspections during the past few years have found instances where pesticide residue levels were nearly double the maximum residue limits permissible from 2019 to 2021″.
Hence to tackle the challenges, Okonjo-Iweala said the WTO was partnering with relevant stakeholders to build the capacities of stakeholders across the sesame and cowpeas value chains to better understand market access requirements and improved agricultural practices such as pesticide application, hygiene techniques, harvest and post-harvest methods, and food safety.
She said the project, which would be implemented with $1.2mn funding, would improve the country’s non-oil export.
On her part, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Aniete, said the Ministry was putting in place policies and mechanisms that would facilitate and enhance trade, while also removing all the bottlenecks hampering trade and investment.
She further stated that the Ministry had started rolling out the N50bn Presidential Conditional Grant Scheme through the Bank of Industry, targeting various economic players.
She added that a N150bn intervention through the FGN MSME and Manufacturing Sector Fund, providing low-interest loans that are pivotal for scaling businesses and spurring job creation would commence very soon.
“We are achieving this by facilitating a strong enabling environment for businesses to thrive, developing robust policies and reforms, increasing access to financing, widening access to global markets, driving investments, and creating job opportunities, all in line with the vision of Mr President.
“In 2024 we are focused on improving infrastructural capacity such as power and transport, as well as soft infrastructure such as transparent regulation, policy consistency, the rule of law, and a culture of efficient collaboration and synergy among various government agencies and offices.
“We believe this will facilitate an environment where business operations are not hindered by red tape but can continue to thrive”.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Nonye Ayeni, explained that the project, expected to last for three years, would enhance the quality and standard of sesame and cowpea through the institution of good Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary conducts.
She disclosed that in 2022, the worldwide value of sesame exports and its value chain amounted to $7.35bn, projected to surge to $9.27bn by 2032. Similarly cowpeas were valued at $7.2bn in 2023, with an anticipated rise to $9.43bn by 2028.
“This project, STDF 845, will therefore enhance the quality and standard of sesame and cowpea through the institution of good Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary conducts, Good Agricultural and Warehousing practices, packaging/labelling and excellent storage systems.
“All these are expected to forestall frequent contract cancellations and loss of business opportunities while allowing a significant increase in global acceptance of the items and for better quality of these products consumed locally.
“This project is designed to last for three years to enhance the integrity of the cowpea and Sesame value chain from Nigeria.
“Therefore, the focus lies on improved practices that will enable Nigerian stakeholders to comply with Maximum Residue Levels of selected pesticides used in Cowpeas and Sesame and Microbiological contamination with Salmonella (Sesame).
“Overall, it will improve the regulatory and control system as well as farming and processing practices applied for Cowpea and Sesame”, she concluded.
Agriculture
WOFAN Provides Health Care Services For Rural Women Farmers
The Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN-ICON2), with support from MasterCard Foundation, and in partnership with Benson Colman and Associate Limited, has provided a “Lab-ulance” to support the healthcare system of a farming community in Gwarimpa Village, Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
This is part of its activities to mark this year’s International Women’s Day celebration.
The Lab-ulance is a tricycle fully kitted with medical equipment such as laboratory equipment, midwifery equipment, refrigerator powered by a solar system and other basic health equipment.
Executive Director of WOFAN, Hajia Salamatu Garba, while interacting with journalists at the unveiling of the programme, said the initiative was borne out of the concerns that farmers too need to be healthy before they can farm.
“It is the same thing that we are talking about and it is where holistic development is missing in Nigeria, because someone is farming doesn’t mean that after giving him fertiliser and seed, then you go and fold your arms, no.
“Farmers need to remain healthy before they can produce food for us sustainably. And if you look at the farming communities, they lack access to roads, healthcare facilities and so on. They can’t at first hand get services for their families.
“This was what brought the issue of Lab-ulance. These are youth that are working with WOFAN that decided to go innovative and come up with a very simple and affordable transport system that can also carry a doctor.
“In this Lab-ulance, we have the midwifery, we have the laboratory equipment, we have every equipment you need, including a refrigerator that is powered by solar system. This is the kind of development that we need in Nigeria”, Hajia Garba said.
She said it is ideal for every ward in Nigeria to have this system linked to primary healthcare and doctors would not be seen running away from duties because they have necessary facilities.
According to her, the women are required to pay only N2,500 as health insurance which will cover their husband and two children.
Agriculture
Expert Harps On Women Engagement In Livestock Farming
An agricultural expert, Dr Olufemi Bolarin, has called on women to fully engage in economic activities, including livestock farming, leading to increased productivity and resilience within the sector.
Bolarin, the Kogi State Coordinating Office of Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (L-PRES), disclosed this in his welcome address at the Gender Training on Prevention of Sexual Exploitation Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH), Gender-Based violence (Do No Harm Training and the Signing of the Code of Conduct for Kogi L-PRES PIU).
According to him, “these are not just numbers, they represent the lived experiences of individuals, impacting their physical and mental well-being, their sense of security, and their ability to participate fully in the society.
“The livestock sector, which our project focuses on is no exception to these challenges in which case women play a significant role in the sector, yet they often face unique vulnerabilities including limited access to resources, decision-making power and protection from violence.
“Gender-based violence (GBV) not only inflicts direct harm on women, but also undermines their capacity to contribute meaningfully to the development of the livestock sector and society at large”.
He noted that addressing the problem of GBV is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic necessity for sustainable development.
He added that when women are empowered and free from violence, they can fully engage in economic activities, including livestock farming, leading to increased productivity and resilience within the sector.
“Moreover, empowering women in the livestock sector has broader implications for development. Women are not just beneficiaries, they are agents of change and key drivers of progress in their communities.
“Today’s training and the signing of the Code of Conduct represent a step towards creating a safer, more inclusive, and equitable environment for all.
“By committing to PSEA, GBV prevention, and Do No Harm principles, we are laying the foundation for a more just and prosperous future, where every individual can thrive regardless of gender.
“I extend my deepest gratitude to all our partners, trainers, and participants for their unwavering support and dedication to this cause. Together, let us work tirelessly to eliminate GBV, empower women, and build a brighter, more inclusive future for Kogi State and its livestock sector”, he stated.
In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Hajiya Lami Zaratu Lawal, commended Kogi L-PRES for the proactive steps taken to implement the Project in the State.
On her part, the National Gender Based Specialist of L-PRES, Mariam Ademu, said World Bank has zero tolerance for GBV, saying the training was to equip the Project Implementation Unit with the challenge of gender inequality.
In her presentation, the Executive Director, Challenged Parenthood Network, Ms. Eunice Agbogun, said Lack of access to land, cultural norms and social barriers, among others, are inimical to women participation in livestock farming, adding that empowering of women is key to reducing GBV in Nigeria.
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The European Union (EU) says it will end its five-year Agents for Citizen-Driven Transformation (ACT) programme aimed at enhancing the capacity of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria, on April 14. Mr Damilare Babalola, the National Programme Manager, ACT, said this on Tuesday at a brief event in Port Harcourt. Babalola said that the conclusion of the programme would automatically mean an end for the 21 CSOs based in Rivers. He stated that the EU-funded programme, valued at 13.1 million euros, was executed by the British Council across 10 states, with a presence in the 36 states of the federation. “The programmes’ goals are to assist CSOs in becoming more credible, accountable and effective agents of change, for sustainable development in Nigeria. “The implementation focussed on providing capacity-building skills, referred to as capacity development support to CSOs, to enhance their effectiveness. “Additionally, it aimed to evaluate the regulatory environment for CSOs and promote strategic coordination among them and other key stakeholders in terms of collaboration and advocate, for appropriate legislation and regulations,” he explained. Babalola identified the benefitting states as Adamawa, Borno, Edo, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). “The ACT programme commenced in 2019 and will officially conclude on April 14, marking the end of five-years of active implementation in the country. “Rivers was among the states where we initiated the programme during our phase two launch in 2020, and we are here to formally close the ACT programme in the state. “ACT has addressed significant challenges affecting the effectiveness and impact of civil societies, especially in creating an enabling regulatory environment,” he added. He expressed confidence that in spite of ACT’s departure from the country, civil society groups have gained sufficient capacity to effectively carry out their responsibilities in their respective focus areas within the communities. The programme manager noted that 273 CSOs benefitted from the programme across the country, with 233 CSOs receiving capacity-building training and 40 others trained to enhance regulatory conditions. In his remark, ACT Rivers Focal Person, Mr Temple Oraeki, emphasised the importance of CSOs collaborating with the state government and international donor agencies to advance their programmes and projects within the communities. “The 21 CSOs, comprising of eight community-based organisations and three network coalitions in Rivers, now serve as our ambassadors, equipped to make positive impact in society. “Therefore, we are leaving behind organisations that are credible partners for the government and international donor agencies to execute their programmes in communities,” he said. Gov. Siminialayi Fubara of Rivers, expressed the state’s readiness to engage with CSOs to implement government policies and programmes in the various communities where they operate. Represented by Diokuma Ismael, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Fubara lauded the EU and British Council for their interventions in the state. “The success of the ACT programme has undoubtedly enhanced the value of civil society organisations in the state and nationwide. “We are prepared to partner with the CSOs that have impacted communities, once all necessary documentations are concluded. “However, it is crucial for CSOs to adhere to proper regulations, to enable the government to identify with them for sustainable development,” he said. Fubara urged the civil society groups to align with the state government’s policy to drive positive change in the communities.
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