By Samuel
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has warned members of the public to disregard the ‘fake empowerment form’ already circulating in the public domain.
The attention of ministry was drawn to the form which purports that access to agribusiness funds will be granted to successful applicants.
According to FMARD, the form did not emanate from the ministry and it has not issued an empowerment form to access funds for agribusinesses.
The ministry issued a disclaimer on Wednesday in a series of tweets via its handle (@FmardNg) on the micro-blogging platform, Twitter.
Describing the form as a scam, FMARD said that such an empowerment program will always be made public on its website and across its verified social media platforms.
It said, “The attention of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has been drawn to a fake empowerment form from the ministry.
“This is to notify members of the public that the ministry did not issue an empowerment form to access fund for Agribusiness as being currently circulated. It is a scam.
‘’In line with the policy of the ministry, such empowerment program will always be made public on the ministry website and across social media platforms of the ministry. Be careful. Thank you!!!’’
TrackYourMinister: Agric Ministry to Test Five Million Farmers for COVID-19, Other Stories Last Week
By Samuel
ActionAid, SWOFON Task FG on Extension Policy, Farmer Education
ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) and the Small-Scale Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON) have called for a total revitalisation of agricultural extension services in Nigeria.
Extension services include the work of providing expert guidance to farmers on best procedures to improve their lands, to employ modern agricultural practices, among others.
Country Director of AAN, Ene Obi made the call during a webinar where stakeholders discussed issues bedevilling small-scale women farmers in the country.
In his reaction, the Director of the Federal Department of Agriculture and Extension Service at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Engineer Frank Kudla, noted that a committee has been constituted for the sole purpose of agric extension services revitalisation.
Kudla explained that the ministry plans to train 75,000 extension workers, adding that it has drawn out modules for the training.
Read the full story here: https://agronigeria.ng/2020/07/06/actionaid-swofon-task-fg-on-extension-policy-farmer-education/
FG Launches BASICS II to Strengthen Seed System
The Federal Government last Thursday launched the second phase of the Building an Economically Sustainable and Integrated Cassava Seed Systems (BASICS II).
The National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) initiated the second phase as a follow-up to BASICS I (2015-2019) to ensure continued circulation of quality seeds to Nigerian farmers.
While delivering his virtual keynote address at the launch, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Sabo Nanono, noted that the new phase would build on the achievement of the previous.
Read the full story here: https://agronigeria.ng/2020/07/06/fg-launches-basics-ii-to-strengthen-seed-system/
BASICS II: AfDB, PIND, AGRA Throw Weight Behind Scheme
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has pledged support for the second phase of the Building an Economically Sustainable and Integrated Cassava Seed System (BASICS-II).
AgroNigeria reported that BASICS II was launched last Thursday by the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) and the project’s leading partner, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (ITTA).
According to the project partners, the new phase is a follow-up to BASICS I (2015-2019) and is aimed at ensuring the continued circulation of quality seeds to Nigerian farmers.
Read the full story here: https://agronigeria.ng/2020/07/07/basics-ii-afdb-pind-agra-throw-weight-behind-scheme/
Nigeria Lacks Accurate Database of Extension Workers, Farmers – FMARD Director
An official of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Engineer Frank Kudla, has disclosed that Nigeria does not have an accurate database on the population of extension workers and farmers in the country.
Kudla, the Director of the Department of Agriculture and Extension Service at FMARD, made the observation over the weekend while speaking at a webinar organised by ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) and Small Scale Women Farmers Association of Nigeria (SWOFON).
AgroNigeria had reported that AAN and SWOFON during the webinar called on the Federal Government for a total overhaul of the agricultural extension services sub-sector.
Also decrying the state of the sector, Kudla, who pointed out that one extension agent in Nigeria serves 5,000 farmers, described the situation as abnormal.
Read the full story here: https://agronigeria.ng/2020/07/07/nigeria-lacks-accurate-database-of-extension-workers-farmers-fmard-director/
COVID-19: FMARD to Test Five Million Farmers as FG Launches Testkit
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has disclosed that it plans to test five million farmers in the country for the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammed Sabo Nanono, revealed this on Thursday during a press briefing organised by the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.
Nanono made the disclosure after the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Christopher Ogbonnaya Onu, launched an indigenous test kit, RNASwift, developed to diagnose COVID-19.
RNASwift was developed by Nigerian scientist, Dr Alison Nwokeoji, an academic researcher with the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom.
By Samuel
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has revealed its intention to partner with the Nigerian Army Farms and Ranches Limited (NAFARLS) to boost agribusiness development.
NAFARLS, the agribusiness wing of the Nigerian Army, was established to help build Nigeria’s agronomy.
The proposed collaboration was ascertained by the Minister of Agriculture, Alhaji Sabo Nanono, who revealed in a statement that the synergy would reinforce the ministry’s drive toward achieving sustained food sufficiency.
The minister said this when he received a delegation from NAFARLS in Abuja, according to the release signed by the Assistant Chief Information Officer at FMARD, Mr. Ikemefuna Ezeaja.
Nanono added that he was optimistic that the partnership would have its root in agric mechanisation, research, and development of improved seeds, training of extension services workers, and food processing.
“Army has proven that it is not only involved in protecting the territorial integrity of the country but also active in the area of food security,” he said.
On his part, the Executive Director of NAFARLS, Brig. Gen. Maina Kadai said the agency’s current structure was designed to broaden its scope and mandate to cover ranching and agriculture to support the Federal Government’s policy on food security.
According to Kadai, NAFARLS is the premier and only Nigerian Army agricultural establishment,
He said it was established to build capacities of staff for the efficient deployment of modern agricultural techniques in conformity with global best practices.
Kadai further revealed that NAFARLS was also expected to generate revenue for the Nigerian Army (NA), feed the entire Army Corps and contribute to the national GDP.
By Samuel
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has explained the purpose of the N13 billion intervention fund approved for pest control across 12 frontline Northern states in Nigeria.
The states to be covered under the funds are: Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Taraba, Yobe and Borno.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Mohammed Sabo Nanono, last Friday announced the approval of the fund during a flag-off ceremony for the 2020 dry season trans-boundary migratory pest control.
Speaking during the ceremony held at the Birnin Kebbi International Airport in Kebbi State, Nanono had noted that the intervention fund will help to control the transboundary flow of pests such as quelea birds, locusts and grasshoppers.
It will also help Nigeria to ensure uninterrupted agricultural activities during the 2020 farming season, and to minimize the impact of the novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the minister added.
However, there have been worries from some quarters over the details of the pest control fund considering the cost.
Giving a breakdown of the approved fund, Technical Adviser on Knowledge Management and Communication to Nanono, Barr. Richard Mark-Mbaram, noted that pest control was beyond spraying of chemicals.
Mbaram explained that the fund will cover the cost of refurbishment of old equipment and purchasing of new ones, procurement of chemicals, and the deployment of personnel.
The fund will also cover the setting up of a mechanism for early warning systems, as well as cover the costs for research into biotechnological and more environmentally-friendly approaches to pest control.
Speaking during the ceremony last Friday, Nanono had pointed out that pest control became important following reports of desert locust outbreak in East Africa and the Middle East, with the possibility of a spillover into West Africa, including Nigeria.
The Agric Minister noted that the fund will help Nigeria ensure uninterrupted food supply in the country by protecting crop production.
He further submitted that President Muhammadu Buhari “is very determined to fight any menace that would truncate the tremendous success recorded so far especially in the Agricultural sector.”
“The choice of Kebbi State for the flag-off is deliberate in view of the extensive agricultural activities in the state and the immense cooperation and collaboration of the state government in the implementation of agricultural interventions over the years,” the minister added.
Nanono also lauded the Executive Governor of Kebbi State, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and other governors of the front-line States for their collaboration and cooperation with the ministry towards reducing the effect of migratory pests across the states.
In his remarks, Bagudu commended Buhari for his vision and people-orientated policies in the agriculture sector.
The governor said that the president’s commitment towards the sector will help to ensure job creation, increase food security and boost the economy for the good of Nigerians.