11000 farmers to participate in IITA's on-farm trials for weed control

Steering Committee of the Cassava Weed Management Project of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA-CWMP) has approved the establishment of 58 on-farm trials for weed control across Nigeria.

The plan, accordingly to the decision that formed part of resolutions and recommendations of the 2016 Steering Committee meeting held in IITA, Ibadan 28-29 April 2016, “is to reach, through the on-farm trials, at least 11,000 farmers with a basket of weed control options, and offer farmers the opportunity to choose by themselves, weed control methods that best suit their locality and address their needs.”

Weed control is the botanical component of pest control, which attempts to stop weeds , especially noxious or injurious weeds , from competing with domesticated plants and livestock .

Prof. John Ayoade, a Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of Agriculture Makurdi, who chaired the meeting on behalf of the Executive Director of the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, Dr Julius Okonkwo, said the on-farm trials would validate the two-year results obtained from research stations.

The on-farm trials will involve farmers from Benue, Abia, Oyo and Ogun states on different aspects of weed control including the use of motorised mechanical weeders, best-bet agronomic practices including correct spacing, improved variety, cassava/maize intercrop, use of fertilisers and tillage practices, and the use of environmentally friendly herbicides. Each on-farm trial is about one and half acres and will be researcher-managed.
Project Leader, IITA-CWMP, Dr Alfred Dixon, said the on-farm trials would provide opportunity for both researchers and farmers to work together on the path of discovery in a participatory manner.

“Our research approach is inclusive and farmers are important stakeholders in this equation,” he said.
Though Nigeria is a global leader in cassava production, the average yield on farmers’ fields is about 14 tons per hectare, representing half of those obtained on research stations. One of the limiting factors to increased productivity is poor weed control, and the IITA-CWMP is working with partners within and outside Nigeria to provide solutions to weed damage to crops.

The Steering Committee, which plays an oversight role on the project, is headed by the Executive Director of NRCRI, Dr Julius Okonkwo, and other 11 members drawn from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Nigeria Cassava Growers Association (NCGA), CropLife, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), University of Agriculture Makurdi (UAM), Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB), a private consulting firm, IITA, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (Environews)

Ooni's investment in cashew production excites NCAN

The National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) says it is excited about Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife’s interest to invest in cashew plantation.

The National Publicity Officer of NCAN, Mr Sotonye Anga, said on Monday in Lagos that the plantation would cover 100 acres of land in Ile-Ife, Osun.
Anga said that this was coming at a time when the association was driving toward establishing new cashew plantations across the country.
The NCAN spokesperson said that existing cashew plantations were over 50 years old and the need for new ones was important.

"I am pleased to announce that the Ooni of Ife, His Royal Majesty, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has joined Nigeria’s cashew family.

"The Ooni is now a cashew farmer and by farming cashew, we can build the future of Nigeria’s cashew and earn more foreign exchange and reduce the pressure on the Naira.

"The dynamic traditional ruler took to cashew farming so as to create jobs and make Osun the leading cashew powerhouse in Nigeria and worldwide.

"The state of the art modern cashew plantation owned by the Ooni covers over 100 acres of land in the heart of Yorubaland,’’ Anga said.

He also revealed that the opening of the plantation has been scheduled for June 7 to kick-start the 2016 cashew planting season and cashew expansion programme.

According to him, the establishment of cashew plantations will create diverse opportunities for other businesses to flourish.

He said: "Cashew plantation establishment is labour intensive and starting one has multiplier effects and creates diverse opportunities for other ancillary businesses to flourish.

"It will stimulate economic activities in rural areas, encourage urban to rural migration as people will go to where the money is and help diversify the nation’s economy.

"So, we are proud of this giant step taken by the Ooni of Ife in establishing a cashew plantation and we urge more well meaning Nigerians to do the same.

"Cashew is money making, health promoting, soil-conserving and environment friendly crop’’.

The Ministers of Agriculture and Rural Development; Trade and Investment, Gov. Rauf Aregbesola and other dignitaries will grace the plantation’s opening in Ile-Ife on June 7. (Vanguard)

Read: Cashew cultivation in Nigeria

FG votes N940 for grazing reserves despite opposition

Grazing animals

The Federal Government has set aside N940m to be spent on grazing reserves across the country despite growing opposition to its establishment.

There have been reports that the government is considering the establishment of grazing reserves across the country as a way of ending Fulani herdsmen attacks on farmers and residents of their host communities.

The proposal has, however, met stiff resistance from individuals and some state governments especially in the southern part of the country, who believed that the creation of grazing reserves would give the rampaging herdsmen the opportunity to increase their attacks.

The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Archbishop Adewale Martins; and a former General Secretary of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Archbishop Joseph Sunday, are among those who have opposed the proposal to establish grazing reserves across the nation.

They said instead of establishing grazing reserves, the Federal Government should build cattle ranches in states where cattle rearing is the major occupation.

Also, Oyo and Ekiti states have made public their opposition to the creation of grazing routes, with both states saying they had no land for the routes in their states.

In a similar vein, the grazing reserve bill is still being debated in the Senate and House of Representatives.

Some stakeholders, except the Miyetti Allah, the umbrella body for the cattle rearers in the country, have advocated the creation of cattle ranches to curb the movement of herdsmen and stop the attendant destruction of crops and the loss of lives.
According to the details of the 2016 Budget, made public by the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo-Idoma, on Thursday, however, the development of strategic grazing reserves is one of government’s priority projects for the year under agriculture.

This is an indication that the Federal Government may have decided to go ahead with its plan despite the opposition.

According to the budget details, the government will spend N940m on the project in 2016.
The document is, however, silent on the number of such grazing reserves that would be developed and where they would be located. It said the project, among others, was in pursuit of the nation’s goal of self-sufficiency and food security.

It also noted that N1.3bn would be spent on supports for 187,500 farmers; another N1.3bn would be spent on rural roads; N939.7m for extension services; and N940m for price stabilisation/buy-back/price guarantee scheme.

Meanwhile, despite considering concession options for Abuja, Kano, Lagos and Port-Harcourt airports, the government has planned to spend over N2bn on the airports in 2016.

The Federal Government has budgeted N1.06bn for Airside Rehabilitation of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, despite that concession option is being considered for it.

Also, the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano; the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos; and the Port Harcourt International Airport, which are also part of the concession arrangement, will also benefit from the N865m budgeted for the procurement and installation of Airfield Lightening System for seven airports across the country.
The airports in Kano and Port Harcourt will also benefit from the N432.5m earmarked for procurement and illumination of Thales Navigational Aids in five airports.

Meanwhile, the Presidency on Sunday said the various social safety nets, for which N500bn was allocated in the 2016 budget, recently signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari, were capable of assuaging the pains arising from the new fuel pricing regime.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice-President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, said this in a statement he made available to journalists in Abuja.
Akande said over eight million only, out of over 140 million Nigerians, would benefit from the programmes this year.

He, however, said the figure of the beneficiaries was apart from the jobs that would be created by the infrastructural projects that would be restored and the new ones that would soon take off.
“Long before now, the Presidency has made adequate arrangements in the 2016 budget to ensure that Nigerians are lifted from poverty and hardship,” he said.

For the umpteenth time, Akande gave details of the interventions and palliatives, some of which he said would be starting in a matter of weeks.
These include the payment of N5,000 monthly to one million extremely poor Nigerians for 12 months for which N68.7bn has been budgeted for; soft loan for 1.76 million traders and artisans, for which N140.3bn has been earmarked, and payment of between N23,000 to N30,000 per month to 500,000 unemployed graduates, who would be trained, paid and deployed to work as volunteer teachers, public health officers and extension service workers among other responsibilities.

He added that the youth would be given electronic devices to empower them technologically for their assignments.

The VP’s media aide stated that 100,000 artisans would also be trained and paid from N191.5bn that had been set aside for this in the budget.
Akande stated that at least 5.5 million Nigerian primary school children, starting first in 18 states – three per geopolitical zones – would be fed for 200 school days under the free Home-grown School Feeding Programme, for which N93.1bn had been appropriated. (Punch)

Use of banana tea to treat insomnia, depression and depression - Susan's testimony

Susan shared the amazing result she got from the use of  banana liquid to treat health challenge in a forum

She boiled two banana and drank the liquid. According to her, problems such as stress, depression and anxiety are mostly experienced when the brain is overloaded and it becomes difficult for the person to fall asleep. She therefore recommends banana tea for such conditions.

“You can also fight insomnia easily and efficiently. The decision is banana tea. This unique decoction has a great tastes and does wonders with sleep and health, “said Susan.

"Bananas (especially their bark) contain large amounts of potassium and magnesium. The powerful combination of minerals relaxes muscles, and that in turn helps you fall asleep more easily.

"The most important thing to know is, to use organic bananas – those that are not sprayed with chemicals.

"A preparation of tea takes about 10 minutes. The bananas are washed and cut into pieces with the bark. Put them in half a liter of water and boil for 10 minutes. Afterwards, strain it and add cinnamon if you want to. Drink tea before bedtime.

You might be interested in organic farming and produce

Herb that kills cancer cells, Olatide's testimony

This is the testimony shared by Arewa Olatide's about how she destroyed cancer cells with the use of leaf and fruit of soursop. She is convinced that the treatment is real.

I had a sharp pain on my left breast in Dec. 2014 and I went to see my family Doctor. He gave me some antibiotics but after a week the pain became unbearable and my sister adviced i go to General Hospital ,which I did.
At General Hospital, I was asked to go for scan and the result showed I have multilobular axillary lymph nodes,and Birads IV was diagnosed and mammography and FNAC was advised which I did the following week and lo and behold I was diagnosed of breast cancer!!!

That was how I started undergoing one test to another and by Feb. 2015 I had my first surgery to remove the lumps and started chemotherapy immediately but after the surgery the doctor told me he could not remove all through the surgery as the lumps were too big and is deep inside and the best thing for me is to go for mastectomy ( removal of the total breast) because my immune system was low, my sugar level and blood level was low, I was even diagnosed of Tuberculosis without me coughing. And I was asked to go for another test in NIMR Yaba and when the result came out I was free of TB, still was going for chemo and continued with series of tests at Mecure Oshodi.
One day ,I met a woman at Mecure who talked extensively about sour sop(ewe sawasawa or ewe sharp sharp). Though I have heard about it but never took it serious,but I collected the woman's number (that was around sept/oct. 2015).

I Google it and I called the woman and she told me how to cook the leaf and drink it as if I'm drinking water and eat the sour sop fruit like normal fruit and that was how I started . I ate the fruit and drank the herb for 3 days without eating any other food. I was desperate. I just have to live for my kids. I noticed the pain was almost gone after few days. That was how my healing started, I was booked for mastectomy in Dec. 2015 but I did not go for it and I stopped taking all the drugs I was only taking the sour sop and it herbs.

Lo and behold by the time i went for test in January ,my immune system which was really down, that I have taken so many drugs to correct without result was normal, my sugar level was normal, my FBC was normal and the doctor was surprised at my result and he asked me what I have been taking and I told him.

There is so much improvement . So much changes in my look, my voice, my hair! Mastectomy was cancelled. Chemotherapy was stopped! I only go for check ups. My wardrobe that was full of drugs like I was about to open a chemist is free. I no longer experience pains at all. All I took and still taking is sour sop.
God is awesome.

Michael Aondoakaa's Miva Rice Mill to boost rice production

The former Attorney General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa has now ventured into rice production and processing business worth billions of Naira. His activities attracted attention of the US government on April 8 2014, when the US Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle paid official visit to the his Miva Rice Mill, located in Makurdi, Benue State.

PREMIUM TIMES went on a facility tour of Miva Rice Mill and met Michael Aondoaka brimming with confidence as he talked about his company’s backward integration activities, his joy working with over 10,000 farmers, support from the Central Bank, the growing popularity of Miva Rice with orders coming from neighbouring Cameroon, his mission to grow rice in other West African countries and his ultimate dream of continuing a family legacy started 35 years ago by his late uncle, Aper Aku, agovernor of Benue State in the Second Republic.
Aper Aku established the only integrated rice mill in the whole of Nigeria. The fact that Mr. Aondoakaa lived in the same house with Aper Aku explains what can be described as a burning passion for rice production in the family.

In the beginning
In 1982, Mr. Aondoakaa was an undergraduate of the University of Maiduguri when there was a students’ riot. In the aftermath, the university authorities imposed a fine on all students for damages done during the riot.
Mr. Aondoakaa returned home to his father who, having no money, gave him a measure of locally grown rice to sell in the market. The law student journeyed to a distant market in the city. He was however unable to get a good bargain because of the menace of middlemen. For many years he lived with that bitter experience of peasant farmers in the hands of market shylocks.

When he was minister, he found out that the only business the constitution permitted a government official to do was farming. He reinvigorated Mikap Nigeria Limited, a company he had incorporated in 1990. Mikap was founded for the development of agricultural value chain, energy trading and development consulting.

Specifically, the company is aimed at promoting commercial agriculture, agro-processing and marketing. Since 2011, Mikap has invested in polished parboiled paddy rice processing, with a capacity of 8.5 metric tons per hour under the brand name ‘Miva Rice’.

Located at Kilometre 5, Gboko Road in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, the company has functionally engaged over 10,000 farming communities in Benue and Cross River States in diffusing improved methods of paddy rice production. These were made possible by working with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the MARKETS II scheme of United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Inside Miva Mill
Mikap’s initial investment in the rice value chain was the commissioning of 2.5-ton per hour (2.5TPH) rice processing mill in Year 2011.

The processing capacity of the plant was increased to 8.5TPH in 2003 within two years of its operation. The mill applies state-of-the-art technologies and implements international best practices of parboiled polished rice processing, packaging and marketing.

The plant delivers an upscale, export quality flagship product, ‘Miva Rice’ to the market. Miva Rice is a brand of quality parboiled polished sortexed rice that is processed from locally grown long-grain hybrid rice varieties of Farro 44 (sippi) & Farro 52 (Mars) and packaged into 50kg, 25kg, 10kg and 5kg bags, respectively.

At the moment, market outreach is the Nigerian market with target being the West African sub-region. Already viable and substantial commercial orders for Miva Rice have been received from the Republic of Cameroon.

Total investment in machinery and land is N1.369 billion, made up of N869 million in equity contribution and a loan facility of N500 million under the Nigerian government Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS).

Components of the investment include: two units of Steam Boilers from India (1st unit 2,000kg/hr and 2nd unit 6,000kg/hr); two units of raw paddy pre-cleaning machines (from India); three units of paddy rice parboiled plants (from India); two units each of 250t parboiled paddy storage silos (from Turkey); two units of Rice milling plants (1st line 2.5MT/hr from S. Korea and the 2nd line 6MT/hr from India); a 60-ton Road Weighbridge (from Italy); and locally-sourced vehicles, 2Nos. 250KVA diesel generating sets, 1No. 500KVA diesel generating set, 1No. 100kVA diesel generating set, main factory building, raw paddy warehouse, finished product warehouse, administration block, water works and fuel storage dump.

Mr. Aondoakaa told PREMIUM TIMES that one of his key intentions is to add value to local foods and create sustainable wealth that will provide employment by making agriculture posh and attractive to the youth population. To this end, Mikap has committed to developing markets and adding value to locally grown rice as a way of boosting food and agricultural production for wealth creation and employment generation. Interactions with various stakeholders, including marketers, distribution chains, consumers and farmers themselves have been beneficial in honing the mastery of rice processing technology.

Partnership with USAID
The integrated mill established by Aper Aku was not used by successive governments for 25 years after he left office. A major agro player, Olam Nigeria Limited, took over the mill and they operated an out-grower scheme supported by US government.

Explaining further, Aondoakaa said:
“For reasons bothering on communal issues and preferences, Olam left the scheme in 2011. When they left, the US government became stranded because they had secured approval of the State Department to fund the scheme until 2018. So they were looking for somebody else and that was how I came in. They said I had to pay 30 per cent contribution while they pay 70 per cent. I complained about my ability to pay the 30 per cent. The ambassador said they will work it out. Eventually we signed the first agreement in 2012.

“We started the out-grower scheme market tool in 2013. The following year 2014 was when the US ambassador gave notice he will come and see our operation; that is accountability to the US, to see how the project is going. So on the 8th of April, 2014 he was here with his team to have direct discussion with the farmers for the market tool. He spent about two and half hours talking to the farmers about their needs. I pleaded with the Ambassador that the out-grower scheme should continue, so we now enlisted Cross River State. We realised the proximity of Cross River to Benue is just two hours or so, and Cross River already have got a very good Fadama land. The Ambassador advised that I should expand. We wanted to expand to Taraba but the crisis in Taraba was a challenge. He had got approval from the State Department for the expansion of the scheme for me, so we now expanded to Cross River. Now the agreement is signed for Benue and Cross River to train the local farmers.

“So we have about 10,000 farmers working with us. That is how we became the first company to have a large farm cluster on rice supported by US government through the USAID Market Tool. They started training the farmers. They brought milling consultant from US because these people cannot give you money without consultant to manage it. The US government sent a team that came from Washington. Among them was a director from the State Department on Market Tool for Development. We signed the agreement for 2014, we signed the agreement 2015 and we have now signed for 2016. Annually they bring the agreement for me to sign.

“I think they were able to influence Bill Gate Foundation which later came here and offered to develop rice scheme in Benue for $100 million. But up till now we have not been able to access the money. There are things people are supposed to do before they can benefit but all these people from government just wanted to be a member of the committee. I was scared as the chairman of the committee so I am doing things more cautiously because these white people don’t joke with their money. We are still discussing and putting up structures because I don’t want anybody to hold me at the end and say the $100 million was not well utilized.”
CBN Anchor Borrower’s Programme
At the national level, Miva Rice has received support from the Central Bank of Nigeria through the CBN Rice Farmer Anchor Borrower’s programme. The CBN, based on its findings selected Umza Rice Mill in Kano and Miva for the programme modelled after the farming method in India.

Again, Aondoakaa explained how it works:
“In India you cannot own land more than two hectares because the population is over one billion. They have developed perfect clusters. The Indians have farm clusters for wheat, farm clusters for rice, farm clusters for tomatoes, etc. If farming is in clusters, it is easier for farm inputs to be distributed; it is easier for them to access credit and it’s easier for them to market their produce. So the CBN said look, we will develop the farm cluster for rice. You will be the anchor; you need the farmers to grow the rice paddy before you can mill.

“Before now, the CBN had had challenges in disbursing money to these farmers. There were issues of collateral, insurance and access to fertilizers. Now, with the anchor programme, the farmers working in cooperatives of not more than fifty members, sign the anchor agreement with us, the CBN and the banks. You also do cross guarantee among the cooperative members. So this is the first time credit is being given to the farmers without collateral. And we are able to link the farmers to inputs supply like fertilizer. They are given adequate training on improved seedlings and through these clusters like the ones in Gboko, Katsina Ala, Agatu and Otupko, fertilizers are delivered to their doorsteps.

“Through this approach, farm yield has improved over three-fold from 1.5 metric tonnes of rice per hectare to over 5 metric tonnes over the same acreage. Working through the CBN’s Rice Farmer Anchor Borrower’s programme, we are expanding our rice-farmer support to also cover Nassarawa, Kogi and Taraba States of Nigeria and hope to achieve the yield of 8 metric tonnes per hectare during the 2016 cropping season. Five additional rice processing companies have enrolled in this scheme of CBN anchor programme so we are hoping that in two to three years the national supply gap of 1.5million metric tons will be no more so Nigeria won’t need to import rice,” the former Minister said.

Growing acceptance for local rice
Not too long ago, local rice found in Nigerian markets were totally produced by peasant farmers. Though more nutritious than imported rice, it was not the favourite of the middleclass and the elites. The grains were short with stones in them. With the coming of upscale entrepreneurs and the establishment of rice mill equipped with sophisticated technology such as optical colour sorter, the story has changed. The overall quality strategy targets ISO, SON & NAFDAC specifications. In addition, brands like Miva Rice have done a lot of work on product packaging, making local rice not only attractive to the Nigerian consumers but foreigners as well.

Mr. Aondoakaa’s mill got an order from Cameroon he could not meet. Speaking on the experience he said: “It was for 25,000MT. I think some of our Nigerian brothers took our rice to that country; they ate it only to come back here with an order. I cannot even satisfy local demands in the country, how can I think of export? But time will come when we can export. Of course if we have quality rice and surplus quantity, why would Ghana go to Thailand to buy rice and incur more cost because it takes the ships long time to arrive from Thailand. But with Nigeria, you can place your order today and it will arrive Ghana tomorrow.
Time will come when we can export tomatoes; time will come when we can export; our food is tropical which is much better.

“We only need to improve our quality so that we can be more competitive. We must make sure our standard meets the international standard; and if our production cost goes down like by solving the electricity problem, it would not make business sense for any importer to journey to Thailand to import rice, get a ship to carry the rice, worry about insurance and worry about customs duties when that importer can get what he wants here locally. Local rice is healthier and more nutritious. Many consumers are not aware that virtually all the imported rice from Thailand and other places are not fresh rice. They are old stocks that had been kept for as many as eight to ten years in that country’s food reserve. They cannot sell new rice to you. Some of the imported rice are expired and have lost nutritional value,” Mr. Aondoakaa explained.

Bridging national supply gap
Former Minister of Agriculture, now President of the African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, had in 2014 worked out Nigeria’s national supply gap in rice to be 1.5 million metric tonnes. This, Aondoakaa said can be bridged in four to five years if current momentum in local rice production is sustained.

PREMIUM TIMES expressed doubt over his five-year projection, pointing out that some of the capacities claimed by some mill owners have been found to be misleading. But Mr. Aondoakaa argued that the true local capacities cannot be measured by the installed capacities of existing rice mills. He said:“The capacity doesn’t mean the capacity of the machines but the capacity of the farmers to give us the quality paddy. The machines are there; we have up to 24 integrated rice farms in Nigeria but where is the paddy? That is the problem. There was a pyramid of paddy outside this mill.
“If I am milling at full capacity, the whole of my two warehouses, I can finish the paddy in less than one month. So where is the paddy if I am supposed to run three shifts, I am just doing two shifts until when I have enough paddy.

“We are hoping that by 2018 the farmers would have had sufficient training to produce more paddy. The anchor program of CBN coupled with what I am doing with USAID Market Tool and what others millers are doing, we are hopeful that we can get there. Mali has attained self-sufficiency in rice production. Nigeria can do same. I am the President of West Africa Rice Investors Association and we are telling other West African countries to start local rice production. I am working towards growing Miva Rice in Cameroon and Sierra Leone as well.

“However, the major problem is insecurity in the Middle Belt region, especially in Benue popularly referred to as the food basket of the nation. Go to Kogi, go to Taraba, the Fulani-Farmers conflict is harming local rice production. Agatu area used to be a major supplier of rice paddy but since this year I haven’t got one pin from that area. We invested there, through the US market tool; the rice is there in the bush but I can’t go there; the farmers can’t go in there. So whatever we did in terms of training, in terms of seeds assistance to farmers is lost; I am not getting any compensation. Any time you want to go there you have to meet the commissioner of police to get 12 mobile police men to go with you and spend three days. You can imagine maintaining 12 mobile policemen for three days just to harvest how much quantity of rice,” Aondoakaa regretted.

CHALLENGES:
As Miva Rice continues in its quest to someday become a global brand, Mr. Aondoakaa says the challenges are multifarious. A combination of different species of paddy by farmers creates considerable difficulties in the parboiling process throwing up soaking temperature and overcooking challenges. Paddy supplies are also not thoroughly cleaned by farmers. Paddy usually contains large amount of chaff, dust and immature grains which generate Black Rice and overload the mill’s optical sorter.
Large scale rice milling is water intensive. As a result, the Miva Mill is currently spending considerable capital on water purchase. Other major challenges facing investment in the rice value chain are capital mobilization, lack of basic mechanization, and seasonal availability of paddy.

Complete reliance on rain for cultivation and primitive planting methods in Benue State results in single cropping per year by farmers. Because paddy is only available for a short period of 90 days at harvest time once a year, this has imposed on the company the need for long periods of stock-holding.
But all these Aondoakaa assured will be surmounted as he strives to someday be remembered by history as a major contributor in the diversification of the Nigerian economy. (Premium Times)

Read: Rice cultivation in Nigeria

Stakeholders urged to plant trees as the world marks 2016 Earth Day

As the world marks this year’s Earth Day on Friday 22 April, government at all levels as well as private individuals and organisations have been urged to vigorously pursue tree-planting initiatives so as to check the myriad of environmental challenges.

Concerned environmental experts made the call in separate interviews while commenting on the annual event which is marked on April 22 as coordinated by the Earth Day Network to draw global attention to the protection of the environment.

The 2016 Mother Earth Day , which is expected to be celebrated in 193 countries, is significant as it is coming shortly after the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, France, which produced a widely accepted agreement.
This year’s celebration is also unique as the landmark Paris Agreement is scheduled to be signed by the United States, China, and 150 other countries.
The ceremony satisfies a key requirement for the coming into force of the historic climate protection treaty adopted by consensus of the 195 nations that attended the conference in Paris.

An environmentalist, Prof. Olukayode Oladipo, explains the essence of the celebration as it applies to Nigeria.
He said: “The Mother Earth Day is meant to make people be aware of the need to take care of the earth without which we will all be gone. It is a day when more than one billion people celebrate the earth and a lot of activities are normally planned by each country, individuals, corporations or organisations.

“Some decide to clean up areas that have been polluted. All efforts are to make sure that the earth upon which all of us depend, is protected so that it can protect us. Every Nigeria should plant at least a tree. That is one way that we can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that is causing the type of excessive heat.”

The theme for the celebration, “Tree for life”, seeks to get governments across the world, public and private sectors, non-governmental organisations as well as public-spirited individuals, to intensify tree-planting efforts, in order to meet the goal of 7.8 billion trees within the next five years, when the Mother Earth Day would clock 50 years.

A cross-section of government officials and environmental advocates wants all stakeholders not only to embark on aggressive tree-planting but also to preserve the nation’s remaining forest reserves because, according to them, trees help to clean up the atmosphere and sustain life.

“If 155 Nigerians should each plant a tree, we can be sure that our goal of creating a green environment free of pollution, erosion and other natural disasters will be achieved. Trees help the planet by taking carbon dioxide into animal food and give out oxygen for humans to breath. Planting tree is the best,” added Prof. Oladipo.

To tackle desertification, which is reported to be affecting about 33 per cent of Nigeria’s land mass, as well as to key into global afforestation programmes, including the Billion Tree Campaign by the United Nations Environment Programme in 2006, the authorities have launched various tree-planting initiatives in the country.

These include the “Eko Green Dream Initiative” aimed at planting 6,000 trees in three Local Government Areas in Lagos State and “The plant a million trees 2020” by the African Centre for Environmental Protection.

Nigeria is also pursuing the Great Green Wall (GGW) programme that is creating a wall of trees along the desert front-line states in the North to check further encroachment of the Sahara Desert down South and recover land already destroyed by the phenomenon.
Desk Officer for the GGW in Kano State, Alhaji Garba Sale, who is a tree-planting campaigner, explains the benefits of the programme for the country.

“The wall itself is a plantation of trees that is 7,500 kilometres long and 15 kilometres wide, which runs across the sub-Saharan Africa. It enters the country from Kebbi State passing through 11 desert-prone states. It is a programme that has the socio-economic benefit for the country, the environment and the general public,” he said.

Many Nigerians believe that the idea of tree-planting has not yielded the desired result which is buttressed by the fact that the nation has not been able to replace its trees the way they were at independence decades ago.

According to them, tree-planting has been sabotaged by factors such as discontinuity in government policies, the ignorance on the part of the people on the importance of trees, as well as the heavy use of land for physical development at the expense of the provision of green areas.

The loss of tree covers has been blamed for most of the nation’s environmental problems, such as global warming, erosion, increase in the number of diseases and the reduction of life expectancy which currently stands at about 40 in the country.
An environmentalist, Desmond Majekodunmi, says that in order to protect future generations, the way to go is “tree-planting”.

His words: “What we need now is to plant trees, a lot of trees which will absorb the carbon dioxide and keep us alive. The whole essence of human existence is under threat by climate change due to too much carbon dioxide we introduced by yourselves. We have to come to the realisation that this is a serious issue and we have to avoid the crisis from growing worse. That is the best legacy we can leave behind for the coming generation.”

Humanity derives immense benefits from trees such as absorbing excess carbon dioxide, which destroys the atmosphere and causes global warming. Trees also make the air clean for people to breathe while also helping communities to achieve long-term economic and environmental sustainability by providing them with food, energy and income. (Environews Nigeria)

Dangers of accepting GMOs in food production

An agriculture economist, Dr Thaddeaus Thompson has warned against accepting food production and preservation using genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the agriculture sector.

Thompson made the assertion while considering the food politics played by some agriculture multinationals that are seriously luring some African countries to accept genetically modified (GM) seeds for food production and preservation in order to make huge financial gains at the expense of the health and environment of the people.

He particularly cautioned the Nigerian government to consider the gray facts left out in the GM seeds offered by agriculture giants from America and Europe before making any decision to accept it or not, noting that Nigeria lacks the finance and technology to handle the negative side of GM seeds.

According to him, “A decision to accept GMO in Nigeria will be a huge mistake, especially at a time when most citizens in developed countries are rejecting them and turning back to the natural way of food production. The consequences of GMO outweigh its benefits and undeniably raises the concerns that it could harm humans. Given that some GM foods are modified using bacteria and viruses, it is advisable for the Nigerian government not to undermine the concerns that new diseases could emerge and create a health cost that the country cannot handle.

“Developed countries are financially and technologically better prepared to manage a health risk that develops from GMOs than Nigeria could afford. Because genetically modified food production is more focused on financial gains rather than feeding populations, the government must exercise caution engaging in any contractual deal with the big biotech companies which interest is making money. What Nigeria lacks is excessive technology and not excessive food. Biotech companies make the most gain and not the local farmers. A lot of misleading information has clouded research, leaving gray areas around the GMO conversation.”

“GMO technology was designed for mass production of food and would be necessary for countries in famine, which Nigeria is not, and the government should not think of that option to meet the people’s food demands as there are better and environment friendly food production and preservation technologies that could be adopted for mass food production for the teeming population. (Leadership)

GMOs, GM or GE foods are defined as follows:

A GMO (genetically modified organism ) is the result of a laboratory process where genes from the DNA of one species are extracted and artificially forced into the genes of an unrelated plant or animal. The foreign genes may come from bacteria, viruses, insects, animals or even humans.

Genetically modified foods or GM foods, also genetically engineered foods, are foods produced from organisms that have had changes introduced into their DNA using the methods of genetic engineering . Genetic engineering techniques allow for the introduction of new traits as well as greater control over traits than previous methods such as selective breeding and mutation breeding.

Read: Organic farming and benefits of organic foods
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Fulani herdsmen attack farmers at Lagun, Lagelu LGA, Oyo State

Fulani herdsmen are causing serious threats at agrarian communities across the country. Their attacks on the farmers and destruction of farms have increased recently, therefore there is need for urgent action to curb this new trend of violence that can reduce farm productivity and cause food shortage.

Punch reports:
Farmers in Lagun, Iyana Offa, Offa, Atagba, Lapata and their surrounding communities in Lagelu Local Council Area of Ibadan, Oyo State, have alleged that a group of Fulani armed men attacked their communities at night, injured a guard and carted away valuables on Tuesday.

More than five farms and surrounding agrarian communities were allegedly visited in the attack, with eyewitnesses saying they also suspected that the attackers were Fulani herdsmen because of their mode of dressing.

Villagers, who spoke with our correspondent, said more than N500,000 was stolen by the attackers. They alleged that apart from money, clothes, shoes and foodstuffs that were taken, cooked food items were taken away by the attackers who had a field day roaming the places for more than seven hours. Various sources also put the number of the attackers at between 30 and 40.

Owner of one of the farms, Ayodele Adigun, called on the Federal Government to intervene in the frequent Fulani herdsmen attack on the communities lying on the border between Oyo and Osun states. He said unless urgent step was taken, the situation could degenerate into an ethnic clash.
A supervisor at the farm, Olaonipekun Ogunkolade, explained that the attackers stormed the farm around 8pm in a commando style, wielding guns and other dangerous weapons.

The supervisor said the attacker gathered the workers into groups and held them hostage while the operation lasted. He said they were thoroughly beaten and threatened with their weapons.
The injured guard was later found in the pool of his own blood after a headcount showed that he was missing. Another worker, simply identified as Haruna Usman, said he escaped death after he was shot by one of the attackers as he was returning to the farm.

Usman, who was coming from Jos in Plateau State, said, “The robber who chased me was speaking Fulani language to me. Later, he spoke Hausa, telling me to stop. He threatened me that he would shoot me if I didn’t stop.”

When The PUNCH visited the injured guard, Jimi Aido, at the Iwo Medical Centre, Iwo, Osun State, the senior medical officer on duty, Mrs. Adeola Adelabu, said that the health condition of the victim was stable.

The national grazing bill has expired - Senate

The senate has refuted claims that there is a national grazing bill pending before it, saying the document presented to the preceding upper chamber had expired since June 2015.

Babajide Omoworare, chairman, senate committee on rules and business, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday. He said such bill had not been presented to the 8th Senate, but recalled that a bill relating to the issue was presented to the 7th senate.

“Several distinguished senators of the Federal Republic of Nigeria have been inundated with the request by members of the public concerning a national grazing bill in the senate,” the statement read.

“This is to clarify that no such bill has been presented by the executive arm of government and none has so far been filed by any senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the 8th senate.
“For the avoidance of doubt, a ‘national grazing reserve establishment and development commission bill (SB. 60)’ was presented by Senator Zaynab Kure (Niger Central) during the 7th Senate (2011–2015).
“That Bill has now expired by the operations of law on the 6th June, 2015, in furtherance of Section 64(1) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.”

Earlier at plenary, Eyinaya Abaribe (PDP Abia South), who raised a point of order, said there was no such bill. He had said many of his constituents had called him over the bill, and urged the senate to come out with clarifications “so that Nigerians can know the true position’’. (TheCable)

Read: Dangers associated with the establishment of grazing reserves