Wheat crops to net 784m tonnes in 2023 - NaijaAgroNet

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Early production outlook for 2023 has shown that wheat crops prediction globally is looking at the outturn is anticipated at 784 million tonnes, reports NaijaAgroNet.

In its latest Cereal Supply and Demand Brief, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) informed that its preliminary forecast for world wheat production in 2023, predicting a global outturn of 784 million tonnes, which would be the second highest on record though down from the previous year.

Minister makes case for African scientists, technologists

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The Ghanaian Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture in charge of Crops, Dr Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan, said  family farms need technology propelled by African scientists for increased productivity, reports NaijaAgroNet.

 Alhassan said this while speaking at the Fourth Planning and General Meeting of Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) in Accra, adding that “the era of despair, timidity and sometimes outright cynicism of African agriculture must give way to confidence, mutual trust and co-operation among stakeholders.” He said that this has become paramount in the light of eroding natural resources and dwindling potential for exploitation.

He reiterated the need for indigenous knowledge of the African farmer to be enhanced, to achieve food security and sovereignty, adding that Africa had the needed trained human resources in scientific research to contribute to that knowledge or technology development, NaijaAgroNet gathered.

The three-day meeting with the theme "Building on International Year of Soils, Strengthening Family Farming,” had over 30 participants from the continent in attendance. AFSA is a Pan-African platform of 21 networks and farmer organizations championing small African Family Farming/Production Systems based on agro-ecological and indigenous approaches that sustain food sovereignty and the livelihoods of communities.

Mr Bernard Guri, Chairman of AFSA, NaijaAgroNet learnt, said their concern was to save African seeds, land and African agro-ecological farming practices that had fed Africa, and would continue to feed Africa and its ecology, while enhancing African cultural integrity.

Cyriacus Nnaji/GEE

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Pix: Dr Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan,

AU, Harvest Plus sets to promote farming technologies

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African Union commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, Tumuslime Rhoda Peace, has said that the union would partner with lead research-based agriculture institution, Harvest Plus, to promote farming and consumption of boi-fortified crops, through the use of farming technologies, especially among poor farming and urban communities, to boost Agriculture in the African continent. NaijaAgroNet, reports.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that Tumuslime appreciated the role of the institute in lifting the rural poor communities in Africa out of poverty and stressed that in order to improve market access, the use of farming technology needs propagation at higher policy making levels so that farmers can adopt it and sellers can buy the micro nutrient-added to produce in good quantities.

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Director Harvest Plus, Dr. Howarth Bouis and Harvest Plus, Head of Africa Strategic Alliances, Dr. Anna-Marie Ball NaijaAgroNet learnt, briefed the commissioner on its accomplishments in breeding and production of bio-fortified food crops and distribution bio-fortified seed varieties as well as improved cultivars, thereby empowering rural communities.

Dr. Bouis said, “The organisation also helps add value to locally produced agricultural crops in countries where the organization is working in Africa.” She added that “we have released a number of bio-fortified crops including: iron beans, iron pearl millet, vitamin A cassava, vitamin A maize, vitamin A sweet potatoes, Zinc rice and Zinc wheat.”

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the Harvard Plus has executed countless programmes in Africa, especially the rapid expansion in production and consumption of yellow cassava in Nigeria.

Harvest Plus as NaijaAgroNet learnt, is a lead research-based, agriculture technology institution that was established to respond to the problem of ‘hidden hunger’ which is caused by the lack of essential vitamins and minerals in the diet, such as vitamin A, zinc, and iron, thus reinforcing agriculture’s pivotal role in improving the quality of diet and increasing micro-nutrient consumption. 

Nsolibe Daniel/Ed, Ops.

 

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Flour Mills invest in large-scale commercial agriculture

Anthony Nwakaegho/NaijaAgroNet

In line with the Agricultural Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration the nation’s agricultural sector received a boost from the Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, as the company began investing in large-scale commercial farming of different crops across the country.

The Group Managing Director, Flour Mills Mr Paul Gbededo made the disclosure at the company’s 53rd annual general meeting, and said that as the country is diversifying away from oil, agriculture is now seen as the next frontier to grow the nation’s economy.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the company in keeping with its focus on vertical integration of agro –allied business has invested in the cultivation of 2,000 hectares of maize, 1,000 hectares of soybean, 1,000 hectares of cassava and 50 hectares of sorghum in its 10,000 hectares Kaboji Farm near Kontagora, Niger State.

Gbededo said that the company’s achievement during the financial year ended March 31, 2013, includes the acquisitions of Thai Farm International Company Ltd, a leading cassava flour processing company, and ROM Oil Mills, an integrated edible oil processing company.

According to him, Thai Farm in Ososa, Ogun State has proven to be one of the two leading suppliers of high quality cassava flour (HQCF) to flour millers in Nigeria under the cassava flour inclusion initiative of the Federal Government.

He explained that the company with its focus on joint venture possibilities, acquisitions, mergers and take-over is planning to  engage reputable partners to grow and consolidate on its agro-allied business in line with Federal Government‘s agricultural and industrial transformation agenda.

“We are growing our food business. We are also expanding into the agro-allied space and we think we will be able to add more value to the country. We are still restructuring. We are consolidating. We are looking for areas to create and add value, not only to our stakeholders, but also the Nigerian populace,” he said.

The Company Secretary and Director, Olalekan Saliu, said the company effort is in the direction of food security in the country by growing soya beans, cassava, sorghum and sugar cane on the 17,000 hectares of land in Sunti, Niger State.

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