Adesina inaugurates agric boards, commend research institutes

NaijaAgroNet

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has inaugurated 15 boards of agencies and institutes under his ministry in Abuja with a charge to help the country generate revenue internally as well as become a  global player in the food export business, NaijaAgroNet reports.

Adesina said that the board should improve the relations between the management and staff among others things  within a period of nine months and commended the various research institutes, noting that “they are all operated under very harsh conditions, yet are doing very well.”

He said  that Nigeria can feed and sustain itself given its fertile land, labour and highly resourceful people and stressed that agriculture had been reformed from being a developmental activity to become a big business for all stakeholders at all levels.

“We have decided as a country to be more cohesive and efficient in achieving our agricultural dream of making Nigeria a food sufficient and food exporting country,” Adesina said.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the boards inaugurated include, the National Root Crops Research Institute, Abia, National Lake Chad Reasearch Institute, Maiduguri, National Institute for Fresh Water Fisheries Research, Niger, Nigeria Institute for Oil Palm Research, Bank of Agriculture, and National Horticultural  Institute,  the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Cooperation, National Veterinary Research Institute, Agricultural Research Development Council, FCT, Cocoa Research Institute Of Nigeria, National Cereals Research Institute, Ibadan and National Animal Research Institute.

Speaking on behalf of the board members, Chioma Ohakim assured the president of their support and commitment to ensuring the success of his administration’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda.

NaijaAgroNet
... Linking agrobiz, people & technology
Pix:Minister of Agric &Rural Dev. Dr. Akinwumi Adesina

FCTA boosts farmers with N500m agric loans

The Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Mrs Olajumoke Akinjide said that the administration  has disbursed over N500 million to farmers under the agriculture loan scheme of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as part of measures to boost agriculture development and food supply in the territory.

Akinjide made this known to NaijaAgroNet during a visit by the management team of Bank of Agriculture (BOA) led by the Managing Director /Chief Executive Officer, Mohammed Santuraki, to her office in Abuja and stressed that Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has entered into a public private partnership (PPP) agreement with an Israeli Firm, SEC Equipment, to build an Agriculture Services and Training Centre in Abuja.

She informed the BOA boss, that in line with President Goodluck Jonathan’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda, the FCTA is committed to the development of viable agricultural entrepreneurship through provision of free technical expertise and farm subsidies and to also make the sector attractive to youths and women.

NaijaAgroNet noted that FCTA would partner with the Bank of Agriculture to grow the agriculture sector and ensured that the Agriculture Services and Training Centre, when completed and operational, would become a one-stop agriculture centre in Nigeria.

Santuraki, explained that the visit by the management team was to strengthen the partnership between the bank and the FCT Administration in the areas of agricultural financing for the benefit of farmers and agribusiness entrepreneurs in the capital territory.

“We have noted the giant strides that the Administration is taking to build a virile economy in FCT using agriculture as the foundation. Your effort is most appropriate at this time in the history of Nigeria when agriculture is occupying an important place in the Federal Government’s Transformation Agenda,” Santuraki said.

He explained that BOA had granted agriculture loans of over N50 billion to support the agribusiness in the last 10 years, created 6,000 enterprises, six million direct and indirect jobs and added that the bank  is in a better position to manage funds earmarked by FCTA for agricultural development and poverty alleviation in the FCT.

Anthony Nwakaegho/GEE/NaijaAgroNet

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Nigeria to explore Chinese rice varieties

Dr. Adesina in a handshake with Prof. Long Pin

The Federal Government may have concluded plans to explore Chinese rice varieties, according to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina.

He disclosed this during a meeting with Chinese rice scientist, Professor Yuan Long Pin on Thursday in the city of Beijing as part of President Goodluck Jonathan’s delegation to the Asian nation.

NaijaAgroNet notes that Prof. Long Pin is reputed for successfully breeding rice that has improved production to 7.5 metric tons per hectare.

This achievement, NaijaAgroNet also gathered helped China on the path of food security through his expertise.

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology