EU seeks business partnership with Nigeria agric sector

Anthony Nwakaegho/NaijaAgroNet

Indications have emerged that businesses of European Union (EU) origin are poised to seeking more business opportunities and partnerships in Nigeria, especially in the agricultural sector, NaijaAgroNet reports.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Akinwunmi Adesina confirmed this after a meeting the stakeholders on European Union-Nigeria business forum in the  move being made by Europe and reiterated President Goodluck Jonathan’s support in getting the country to move towards this fresh produce export market with Europe.

 “There is a lot of opportunities for Europe and Nigeria for agribusiness investment partnerships. We plan to play big in the horticulture market in Europe because Nigeria is closer to Europe than Kenya, Tanzania or even Mozambique. We are going to take advantage of our big size in the horticulture market.

“The largest market is in Europe, but that market is quite difficult to penetrate because it is based on a lot of safety standards, consumer standards that we have to meet, so we have been working together with the ambassadors of the European countries to prepare Nigeria to enter that global horticulture market,” Adesina said.

He explained that issues such as certification, farm audits, and contracts with supermarkets were hurdles to be crossed which is being handled in consultation with the ambassadors of those European countries, while National Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS), an agency under the ministry is the one that gives certification to farmers that want to export.

NaijaAgroNet gathered from the Chief Operating Officer (COO), Nigerian German Business Association, Jennifer Ijeoma Anoika, that “a lot of Nigerians do not know the regulations or the changes in the regulations, the SMEs in particular. We want to see more small companies such as Tropical Natural, which is doing quite well with the Dudu Osun, with export products.”

Lawrence Ohue-Inegbenoise, from Friesland Campina, said the company‘s plans is to get more indigenous farmers and investors involved in sourcing milk for its production.

NaijaAgroNet
... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Edo Fadama trains 26,000 farmers on crop production

Anthony Nwakaegho/NaijaAgroNet

The Edo State Fadama office has trained about 26, 000 farmers on crop production and farming techniques across the three senatorial districts of the state.

The Edo State Coordinator of the World Bank-Assisted Programme, Ms Judith Momodu, disclosed this to the press in Benin and said that the training which was designed to improve agricultural activities to guarantee bumper harvest was conducted by accredited service providers and agricultural consultants.

Momodu said the training was aimed at building the capacity of farmers to improve and broaden their scope of farming including livestock production, tree and crop production, fertiliser application, land preparation, disease and pest control.

NaijaAgroNet heard from the state coordinator that a total of N113 million had been disbursed to 29 Fadama community associations in the state.

NaijaAgroNet
... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

MSU host agriculture celebration October

Anthony Nwakaegho/NaijaAgroNet

Montana State University’s (MSU) College of Agriculture and the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station are billed to host the 15th annual ‘Celebrate Agriculture’ two-day event on campus from October 25.

The Interim Dean of the College of Agriculture and Director of Montana Agricultural Experiment Station, Glenn Duff made this known in a release sighted by NaijaAgroNet and said that MSU has a long heritage of supporting agriculture and the institution is thrilled that ‘Celebrate Agriculture’ will highlight the relationships that have been fostered between the MSU College of Agriculture and its regional clientele.

According to him, Agriculture experts from across Montana will address the role of cooperatives and timely issues facing Montana, share new information and discuss their latest research.

“The conference will host three guest lectures, including keynote speaker Carl Casale, President and Chief Executive Officer of CHS, Inc. CHS is a Fortune 100 business owned by United States agriculture cooperatives, farmers, ranchers and stockholders,” Duff said.

 NaijaAgroNet

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

OGBC plans to diversify into agriculture

Anthony Nwakaegho/NaijaAgroNet

The Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation (OGBC) has planned to diversify its operations by going into cassava production to generate more revenue.

The General Manager of OGBC, Mr Tunde Awolana Abeokuta made this known while playing host to members of Ogun House of Assembly Committee on Information, Culture and Tourism during their oversight visit, NaijaAgroNet reports.

NaijaAgroNet learnt from Awolana that the corporation had about 25 acres of land at Ijebu-Itele in the Odogbolu Local Government Area of the state which it wants to turn into cassava plantation so that the Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR) of the corporation can improve.

``We already have a building we want to turn into cassava processing factory, where we can extract starch and do some garri and repackage them in a very attractive way. So, we are talking of a cassava revolution and talking with some packaging companies that can do the business with us. We are soliciting for fund allocation in this regard." he said.

The House of Assembly Committee Chairman, Mr Olayiwola Ojodu said the visit was to ascertain the extent of progress made so far by the corporation and assured it of the House of Assembly support to ensure that its situation improved.

*with additional report from NAN

.NaijaAgroNet
... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

EU boosts Ethiopia food security with N10.9 bn

Anthony Nwakaegho/NaijaAgroNet

The European Union (EU) as part of the Supporting Horn of Africa Resilience (SHARE) initiative has released a EUR50-million about N10, 873,196,311.82 aids to improve food security and build resilience to drought in southern and eastern Ethiopia.

This was made known in a press release signed by the EU Commissioners Andris Piebalgs and Kristalina Georgieva and made available to NaijaAgroNet that the new funds will help boost food security in the lowland areas of Ethiopia through a series of long-term measures.

"with this new program, we will be helping Ethiopian people in the longer-term; providing support to help them rebuild their lives, make a living, and make sure they are well equipped to deal with droughts that will inevitably come again in the future," Piebalgs said.

Georgieva explained that SHARE initiative is a prime example for how to ensure better coherence of EU external assistance instruments and a maximum impact of its aid for the benefit of the targeted populations.

NaijaAgroNet findings  showed that the Ethiopia is plagued by recurrent droughts, which often translate into emergencies, with high levels of malnutrition and food insecurity thereby increasing demographic pressures on natural resources, along with poor infrastructure, absence of alternative livelihoods, insecurity and  make people particularly vulnerable to droughts in this region.

.

The Accelerating Resilience Capacity in Southern and Eastern Ethiopia (ARCE) project, which is part of the SHARE regional program, is said to be implemented by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), FAO and the World Bank, along with Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs).

 NaijaAgroNet

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Invest in yam research and development-IITA

        

Anthony Nwakaegho/NaijaAgroNet

The first ever global yam conference kicked off in Accra, Ghana with a call for an increased funding for yam research and development in order to help unlock the potential of the crop and enhance food security in Africa.

Director General of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Dr Nteranya Sanginga said that what is needed to unlock the crop’s full potential is the political will by sustaining and enhancing funding support for yam research and development.

Sanginga commended the government of Japan, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF/WECARD) for supporting IITA on yam research and called on researchers to develop a vision for the crop.

NaijaAgroNet gathered from the researchers that yam known as the ‘king of crops’ has high cultural value especially in traditional marriages in Africa and has contributed to incomes and food security, but under-researched due to low funding,

The Executive Director, Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Dr Yemi Akinbamijo noted that in spite of the contribution to food security and incomes, African crops such as yam have not commanded the attention they deserved, and have as a result remained underutilized.

The IITA Director for Western Africa, Dr Robert Asiedu  and the Convener of the Global Conference on Yam said that the event provided a platform for consultation and development of a global strategy for improving the yam sector based on genetic enhancement; crop protection and mitigation of risks due to pests, diseases and climate change; conservation of genetic resources; prevention of postharvest losses; improved seed systems; crop diversification; and enhancing industrial potential of yam and improved market access.

NaijaAgroNet learnt that the Global Conference on Yams provides a platform for stakeholders to explore recent innovations in yam improvement, share lessons learned, identify research and development needs, and develop global alliances.

NaijaAgroNet
... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Nigeria, first African country to develop e-wallet -Minister

Anthony Nwakaegho/NaijaAgroNet

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has said that Nigeria is the first country in Africa to develop the e-wallet for input delivery to farmers which in turn generated  a total savings of N25 million in 2012 for the  federal government.

Adesina disclosed this at the second EU-Nigeria Business Forum that was held in Lagos, and explained the government was losing about N26.3 million annually to corruption before the introduction of the e-wallet scheme for distribution of fertilisers and seedlings to farmers.

NaijaAgro Net recalls from the minister that the federal government decided to reach farmers directly using mobile phones, which allow it to send farmers electronic vouchers to buy seeds and fertilisers, created the first national data base for farmers with identity cards and biometric information which allows the ministry to give their information to banks to open up the financial space.

"There is no reason why Nigeria is not self-sufficient in many of its food products and our goals are to achieve 20 million metric tonnes of domestic food supply by 2015, to create jobs and of course to create wealth,” Adesina said.

The Chairman of the EU-Nigerian Business forum, Mr. Andre Ronne described the forum as an exchange platform  to consolidate, leverage, improve, harness and deepen economic and business relations and opportunities that between Nigeria and EU member states.

The Trade Counselor for the EU trade delegation, Mr. Massimo De Luca said the Nigerian market was important to the region as conference was expected to create the enabler for viable engagements that will boost good services, quality products and effective operations within the country and EU members’ states.

NaijaAgroNet
... Linking agrobiz, people & technology
pix: Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina

CFS tasks governments on people’s right to food

 Anthony Nwakaegho/NaijaAgroNet

The Committee on Food Security (CFS) has called on governments around the world to put people’s right to food before short term commercial interests, especially the biofuel policies.

The Oxfam food and agriculture advisor, Luca Chinotti made this statement before the opening of the Committee on Food Security's annual meeting in Rome, today while explaining that governments should ensure that biofuel policies do not force poor farmers off their land and fuel food price spikes.

NaijaAgroNet recalls from Chinotti that the CFS meeting is the first United Nation (UN) forum to discuss the issue of biofuels in depth with the aim to agreeing to collective action to ensure that policies, operations and investments in biofuels do not lead to land-grabs and food prices spikes.

It also gathered that the UN's Food and Agricultural Organizations ministerial meeting is taking place during the CFS that runs from 7 through 11 October as the meeting is viewed as an opportunity for governments to show leadership and commitment to phase out support for biofuels that have negative impacts on people's food security and livelihoods.

It is estimated that by 2020, the European Union's biofuel policies alone could push up vegetable oil prices by up to 36 percent, maize by up to 22 percent and sugar by up to 21 percent, while land used to power European cars with biofuels for one year could produce enough wheat and maize to feed 127 million people.

NaijaAgroNet
... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

COSATU backs DTI tariff increase on imported chickens

Anthony Nwakaegho/NaijaAgroNet

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) has commended the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) decision to increase tariffs on selected chicken imports.

The Union revealed that the tariffs are important to guarantee jobs and food security as the poultry industry directly employs 48 000 employees with another 60 000 indirectly employed in supporting the sectors.

NaijaAgroNet discovered that South Africa is increasing the tariff to ensure that jobs are sustained since it does not depend on imports for basic necessities such as chickens and would not allow imported products to be sold at lower prices than local chickens.

 “A protected market for local producers should be accompanied by conditions, including creation of decent jobs and the five companies have claimed that 11 995 direct jobs and 14 892 indirect jobs are likely to be created when tariffs are imposed to their maximum rates of 82 percent.

“We should eat what we produce and should encourage production- and not consumption-led growth. By supporting producers the government is supporting creation of jobs on a sustainable basis. Most imported products are imported at lower prices in order to reduce the tax on imports and to destroy local industries. 

Once the imported products have obtained a significant market share they would start to raise prices,” COSATU said.

Prior to this determination, NaijaAgroNet learnt there was a dispute between importers and producers and  COSATU commended the Minister in choosing the side of the producers, as required by South Africa`s industrial policy framework.

 NaijaAgroNet

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

IFRC, AfDB sign MOU on food security, disaster risk reduction

Anthony Nwakaegho/NaijaAgroNet

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Tunis aimed at providing assistance to improve the lives of the most vulnerable in Africa.

The MoU between the two organizations, NaijaAgroNet was informed, specifically outlines several areas of potential collaboration, including climate change, health care, food security, disaster risk reduction, youth development, and water and sanitation.

The IFRC Secretary General, Bekele Geleta, said that with drought currently affecting parts of southern Africa and many people in the Sahel region coping with flooding, it is imperative that they form strategic partnerships with local actors to help address recurring challenges.

Referring to the successful outcomes of the recent African Development Fund (ADF) negotiations in Paris, African Development Bank Group President Donald Kaberuka highlighted the Bank’s commitment to fragile states and stressed the need for greater urgency to address food insecurity and flooding that affects millions of people across the continent.

NaijaAgroNet recalls that the IFRC is the world’s largest volunteer-based humanitarian network, reaching 150 million people each year through its 187 member national societies, while the AfDB is to spur sustainable economic development and social progress in its 54 regional member countries (RMCs), thus contributing to poverty reduction.

*With additional report from African Press Organization

 NaijaAgroNet

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology