DAILY TRUST Tuesday, March 8,
2011
BUSINESS/AGRIC
Nigeria, Songhai farms partner on agric development By Tina A. Hassan NIGERIA and Niger Republic based Songhai farms have signed a Memorandum ofUnderstanding on technology transfer of agriculture skills to 243 communities in the Niger Delta. Using community based Natural Resources Management Programme (CB-NRMP) the partnership is expected to foster microenterprises development
in the agric sector in 234 communities. The CB- NRMP located in the Niger Delta is being supported by the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) would uplift the living standard of 400,000 rural dwellers. An IFAD press statement made available to Daily Trust signed by Mouktar Adamu, the
Information & Communication Platform of IFAD-assisted programmes in Nigeria indicated that Songhai farm, which has long been known as the center of excellence on training, production and research on agriculture practice since 2008 would provide the appropriate environment for skills acquiSition and transfer of knowledge. Coordinator of the farm, Rev. Father Godfrey Nzamojo
expressed optimism that the partnership would be of benefit to both parties because it is known for excellence in agricultural entrepreneurship projects of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Speaking at the signing ceremony in Bunu-Tai, Tai local council area of Rivers state, National Programme Coordinator CB-NRMP in the Niger Delta, Mrs. Irene Jombo
Ibeakuzie said the programme would tap into Songhai's enterprise expertise because it was in line with its mandate of uplifting the living standards of rural dwellers in the Niger Delta. The programtpe is currently operating in nine States - Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Ondo and Rivers - in the Niger Delta, with its headquarters in Port
Harcourt.
Agro allied dealers tasked on quality product From HaHma Mus., Kano COMPANIES prodUCing agro allied products such as seeds, fertilizer and chemicals have been asked to ensure they provide quality stuff to the farmers. The call was made by the team leader of Nigeria Agro Dealer Support Project (NADS), AbdulMajeed Dabiri at a training workshop organized for agro dealers held at Tahir Guest Palace, Kano. Dabiri said the call was imperative in view of the importance of such quality product to agriculture. He said they were particularly concerned about improved seeds because according to him seeds that were sown would always determine what the farmers would harvest. NADS was aimed at supporting over 1000 agro-dealers in order to foster increase in agricultural productiVity, increasing the availability, accessibility and affordability of seeds and other quality agroinputs in rural are~s, identify in col-
laboration with local agro-dealers areas lacking in seed suppliers and dissemination of improved agricultural technologies to the agrodealers. He disclosed that since inception, the project has trained over 2000 agro dealers and had certified over lOoo.1t has also helped in facilitating access to bank loans by the rural farmers. About 190 farm· ers benefitted from the loan. The team leader said the workshop was aimed at training the agro dealers on improved agro input so that when the proj ect finally rounds up, the provision ofimproved quality seed would be sustained by the agro-dealers. NADS, a project of Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa has been working in the area of transfer oftechnologywith a view to equipping the agro dealers on improved seeds fO.r better agricultural yields. It started in 2008 and would wind up the first phase of the project this year.
Mafoni United defeated Manchester Mafoni by 2-1 in the Emel cup final. The· goal came after 52th· minutes into the game,
Emel cup final was played on Friday 4th March, at the EI-Kanemi Warriors Sports C Maiduguri, Borno State between Mafoni and Manchester Mafoni.
The trophy was given at the end of the 90th minutes by the chairman organizing committee Alhaji Hassan Gudumbali to the captain of Mafoni United football club.
Agric ministry inspects key projects By TIna A. Hassan THE Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has undertaken an inspection tour of some of its key projects to ascertain the level ofprojects implementation by the various contractors. Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural • Development, Alb. Najeem Awodele who visited the Oba of Lagos, AIh. Rilwanu Akiolu at his palace during the tour has expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of most of the project and called on the traditional ruler to support the Federal government in supervising such projects. He advocated fur the entrenchment of a healthy partnership amongst the three tiers of government in the country because it would be beneficial to all. He said an enabling environment for the sustainable development, economic growth, peace and stabUity would enable government to serve the people of the nation. He urged the monarch to partner with the Federal College of Fisheries, the Nigeria Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research and the National Fadama Programme for rapid agricultural transformation. Responding, the Oba observed that a
vibrant and viable agriCUltural policy will translate into more job opportunities, abundant wealth, increased income and food security for the nation and its populace, adding that NigerianS do not care who rules them as long as their' basic needs are taken care of. A statement issued by the ministry and Signed by Ibrahim Mohammed indicated that Adewole has expressed dissatisfaction at the slow pace of work at the site of the 2S,OOOmt capacity sUo complex at !kenoe, Ogun State. According to the statement, the project awarded since 2009 was yet to be completed even though substantial payment of over one billion naira was made to Shirke Nigeria Ltd, the contractors handling the project. He said the project was given to an indigenous company and it has falled to deliver and has "fallen short of the expectation of the Federal Government and indeed Nigerians who are supportive of indigenous contractors:' Adewole said he would send a team of experts to assess the project and report back to him before his next visit. While at Field Projects Monitoring Units (FPMU) in Lagos, he observed that the units were disorganized. He called for an effective monitOring and evaluation mechanism to ensure total quality management, cost-effec-· tiveness and compliance to global best practices.