I 24
DAlLY T RUST
Tuesday, March 27. 2012
AGRICULTURE
Enhancing farming activities in Kano through commodity chain scheme RECENTLY, Kano State government, under the office of the governor's Senior Special Assistant on Agriculture, organized a workshop to sensitize farmers from the state on the newly introduced commodity chain programme aimed at enhancing agricultural activities in all parts of the state.
--rht commodity chain progn.mme means the Uy lIilakcholdcn that contribute directly to the production. transformation and dclivc"y 10 the: rmal marht of. sin5de agricuIlW'eor Iivesltd product':
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AGRJCULTURI Is 00t' ollhe $«-
the ~It adm1nistration in K:mo is kO'lnIing priority given its econarrucand uldLlStJial SlgnJlton;
cana. hcnao the hUF budgcwy aJloc;;ation 10 it In L"us ~j budgtt that was Mmt r ~Igncd into law by
G<Mrnor lbbrIlt.!usa Kwankwu:o Apart from the stateS fuD Rtdgrd MtnblT) cL Agricultu~ and ~tutal R!SOUtCe$ ancI other IgricuhUll! rela!od agmc:its already
pIaoe. an od\'1ser on agricuJ luer 10 the stale ~l was
In
appointed to hdp theadministra(ion amir:\l! its 'irt ob;«tha Ul agricuItUtt SinO' the creation of atria of the St: nkK special assISt mtIO~~lfon~UR.
• nlUl1ber of ...."1iViUes ~-e ~ carried out In recliz;;Won of ~ CJb;cdM51n th:S-a1e-
grarnmt at a workshop !'or all farmen in the stale. ReprocnlatiYc:s of SmaIlldder F.u-men As5odaIm, All Farmers Assodalion of' Nigtria (AFAN). Kano Coopcntive Federation (KeF). Ria: Fannm Ass0ciation of N"tgeria (RIFAN). Kano 'loring> ("""") ""-dopm<n<
As:soc:iatDJ (KAMODA), Mi)'Clli
AIbh. Women Fanners. Kwankwasiyya FarmmGroupand Groundnut Farmers Association ofN'tgeria wn-e all ~I at the workshop.
Speaking during the sensitizaworkshop at Munabi Moham-
tion
nlC'd LiInry In ~ the Senior Special Assistant on Agriculture. AIho.ji Rabiu AuwaJu Yabsai,said the 5C~ invo/vl!s aD stakdtoIdm that CDnlnbule toagricuJlunl production Inlhe~e.
agricullunU commodities, addna-
.unl"""""_,,....,..,.... ing constraints tNt affed agricul-
boosting ~ agricuhuntllr.lde
The ~ aa:ording to him, fixuscs on local fanners in order" 10 mhana: their capacities lOr putnership with variou5 Aaktholden during any 1ICUOII and by
through coI.bboration with tnde pmmOOon . . . . . . - - [11'00) and m'l!r5f: Ihe l'UI"aI-urban mi:gnItim through agriculturallnten!iifi-
cation in the. ~ areas ofthc 5talc~ job opportunities, ~ fomnm' lncome and · fMmMasaodations in thcSUle. productivity as wdIll5 govmunell according to him, race serious chal~ lenges such as rapkI changes In the Yakasai abo saki the ob;cctMs gIob;tI food and agriculture S)'S1ml, of lhe progr.unmt will be achtevm librnl..lizallon polIc;b In domestic Cl:lmsioo impt"CM
In a bid to enhance tanning In the Sble, the stale ~menl launched a community dWn pro-
inttt-prufasiorW 1lSSOdalion b agr\busincss transformation in the stale. organized distribution of
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by Improving f.umer reIatioruhip WIth rnpmsuppliers.fimnceinstilu-
and inlematbW markeu which drive ~changes that lead to gJo-
lions,businm~aswdlas
baliring the mmmoditychains.
_"""'"""""",ol,,,",",. tunI"""",,_ol """""'" ~~Qlher Ihings.
quality mndards and
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."" ~ ~ job opportunities, r.use farmer income and productivity. divenify the stile economy and gmmte governm- ,It Tn"OIIJC. 1111$ Is achkvablc by improving ranl~ rdationship with Input suppliers, 10 ClClle
ruwtee institutes, businestdtYdop-
mmt associates, know\cdge K'Clon
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and intcmaticx:W donor organizol-
."" op«lfk "'" ol the progrwnme indudr formation of
Critically. the impact incrcaxd ~
rmrkrt
.".arwhldt """"' ..... new chaIIe1ges. par11cularfy (or 5mlO prnducm. htuid. He said the Kwankwa$O admInistmion bokDy aims 10 tackle these chalIengc:s lOr farmcrs through the conunodily chain programme because of iU bdicf thai fannm as5Ociatioru; ~ play IlJl imporwu. role as a focal point for poOCy dialogue ",ilh gm-erlllncnt but they abo ~ many other functions !.hat include arlritntion and rcgulotion. qwobty """ro/ "'" rompIl-
ancc to stancbrds, c:olIabonttion with researm institutes and donor organizations, aport and domestic fI'W'ket ~ and provision of information and statistia. The $ef\ior special assistant also saki the oommodil chain pm. gDJTUDe coosi5ts three rmp"'"'1""""" twndy produ<tion. post-harvest \-alue addition and
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Local f.umcn orpnatd at b:aI and sUlr ~t Ie...m are the principal opera!OI'S of the progranum: in putnership with the pubUc and inckpcndcnt S«tor3. he said. TheprogmnlllisorganiutiorW $tJUCtUR:S will erntJBC all foOows:: """' ............ Coundl (KAq whkh will be _ b k Ii>< policy articulation. Kano AgriCultuntl T~ck Ccnm (KATRACEN) 10 serve as _ busmcss t~ion pbtform for f.umcn and local goyttnJDBlI commodi.tydusterresponsible for organizing commodity produc.lion allocal P'ellIDenIIevd. Kano Agribusiness Council (MaJaIuar Manomtlll KarIO), aa:oniing 10 rum, i.s for mnnbet".rup by mdMd..... publicOI' pnvak at artajn fcc. lhc cooncil ~p compcmlJOn
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i:s6O%~and~bproas ~ trotdrn and know1tc¥ sector,
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'Horticulturists must come together under one umbrella' DESPITE the many challenges of agriculture in Ni')eria, horticu lture is one aspect of the se . l)r that is said to hold huge potential for national development. This intervle.N with the President -in-Council of the Ilorticultural Society of Nigeria, Dr. Bala Giginyu, gives ,.,ore insight on why farmers must work together to ~u rmount the challenges of the sub-sector and influence government policies. B,rNA..Hm.
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WHAT ro&edoes the horticultural JOcidy play in NigI!ria!
oI"Mr. PR:sident, goyanmmll5 trying. to do away witb the importation of' food items. lmpoctWon Into the country is so much that it is depld-
cullun.1 crops Ifl Nigrna is hiRl"ter than any other Q)Ufltry In Afu but what is happening is thal farm· mi are producing these crops in my smilll quantities. For instance. if_an- mlkin&abous juices, Nigeria docs not. Im'f: any belt that would produce oranges in large quantibes as obtained In other countries IIU South Afrka.. W~ need 10 haV'C: belt.s for crops like: guaY3, mango. omJge and others:; here It is aU 5Cl11md In sma1I
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1Jnder the translOlTlWlOO agmda
BaicaIty M: punott: the pracIicr: ~ the art and sdenu ofhorticult~ in ~agtria and }"CIlI know
of the fanners, that is why part of our llctivilies in ohn Wgc body of 51akebo1den &-(1m the coIlq;e5 and
Ing the fonoign re5CI"W'S and ~ are importing whatC\oU they like and when you are importing ~abIes and rM fium HoU;md. Bdgiwn and other rountries; some of' them <mr5l1I.~ in the pma:ss and may no Jonger- be healthy rocconsumptlon. 'Ole SHTle thing happens to SOII)f: ofthc:seimported seeds used In hot"ti-
~themedia,
~M05toftbemlosethdrviabie
Pmof'theol:;rcth'f:oi mylnlft'Ktion with the ~ is to crale the much n~ ~illllion on the ilCbYities oithh body. The SOOdr i5.J5 ynn old now and)'OU QU1 imag:ne ~ although
or the viability is mlucrd in the procesaofunportation thndOre the qual ityof' yield is equallyalJeaed Nigeria imporU onion S«ds. arrot seeds. waler mdon ~ and other ~ secd5 ","heras Ihm is 110 n-gion oflhisrountry thiJl is not fntl1e in tJ)f: production of any kind ofhorticultural crop be II wcgetable ocfruiL \Vba! can ",'e do to stop Ihis
horticultun deals with froiu. omammtals and ~ As • profmiOrW body....... work with professlotuls In hhniculture and we also try to <lawn to the levd
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we ~'f: mcmbm across the country, the publk 1$ n?t really I~ of our activity. which fs why WI! n2lIr wanllOstn5~lhe publicon W Importana of Ihe society to the
DR. Bala Glgmyu
tnndr We MI!d to hamessour teSO\J.fUS and thas is why "'""e are sensitizing farmers on tlY importanu of the hortkuJturnl5OddyciNigcria. Most of our alli.Iiru.es haV\" made a lot of Undlngs and theyare in the archi\U We abo do not havt poUdes that contrd and ~tethe importation oIthc:se5eeds when wean dowell in lbeJearas as wdl From Yobe, Plateau and Bomo st<lles, all kinds of' c:ilrus grow very wdl. AJtwa.1bom. Rivas. down 10 1..88QS and others all havthocUrultunlpotcnliakSowhy are _ importing aU the JUices and
the concelllJ"a1e$. Whit do you think is rcsponsiWe fOf"!.his chaUengrl Wdl. some people are of lhe opuuon thai. the potential of horti-
So Ire you now blaming tamlen for nol producing In II~ quantity! This is where government wuuId ~ to ~ In to ensure thaI the d1alIc:r!gt:ofland issohocd We doni havt any ~ problems oflmd in this «JUntry and farmers an producr in IarF quantities wl\a\ land acquisition is not a probkm - with yuurmoney. yoo can acqul~ land for
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How do you think a poor local (armercangdacaulolarscarc:u
olbndr We all need to
We need 10 com\' logethtt lL'i a
group 10 be' able 10 do $OI11C!thing and tnnuence ~mmt poliacs 10 (I\"OW" bothsmaU hokinand Iaf1!:t scak fanners. ,'/tat _ need 10 do is do aW2)' with nUddIerntn SO tha the: fanner is not. always at I loss in
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An roo not pulling the CIlJ1 before the ho~ since (armers ha'<e no IlCCESS to land Ind Infranrudure? No we are 1101 pulling tJ)I! cart before the IMne bcall5e oor activ!l;cs as a body invoh'f: reaching out 10 local f.armeB and as I loid you. the society is 35 years old and we arC" coming ckMn 10 the level of the brmcrs. We hold workshops and seminars in thai re:spoct thaI is why ' « are sdUng the idea of coming
together for I common good; that. IS why I Sly the art Is not ~(ft tJ~ horse. Install. it IS behind il and people an- already inskk with their
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Huwdo _tadUe th~dtalknge of storage sina these are perishables! ~gr is a IlYjor chaI~ bur.
logdher wnhthe~as thefac:illtalorso thai_can all ta\'f: ac:ocss to bnd, lL'i long as the fanner hu the capacity to produa- ro.- the WKer market. The ooly thing _ n«d is the confidmce. We need peopk; 10 inYCSI in this sut..-sec:tor. This 50Unds like I vcnlure (Of" lhe rich alone, howClln poor fann-
Stored ProdtJas Research lnslitut~ in Dorin. KwmI State- and they Im'f: bn:nches in l'-dan and Kana. w~ also partnerwith the Federal College of Agricultunl Produa-Technology 10 take CHe ufMucs of post harvest losses but we need 10 smsitJz.e the public IT"IOTe 00 how to (I"Vef"COme
a1ikeyin~
this problem.
0JJTIe
we are partncrins with the Nigman