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• Area Operations Director, American standing with the three farme~Mr. Saliu Oke, Mr. Alaba Tijani and Mr. Hammed Mllst,!plla BATN/BAT lseyin A,gronomy Farmers' Day Productivity Awards.
BATN I'roductivity" award
Oyo tobacco farmers smile home I
T was Jane Austen, one of the Austen sisters, who put their creative empathy into use and churned The British American Tobacco in Nigeria (BATN) recently rewarded some out many novels in the 19th century England, that tobacco fanners, who displayed excellence in tobacco cultivation in Oyo State. said in her cheld'ouvre, Emma, that "perfect happiness, even in memory, is not common." Jane in the magnum EMMANUEL ADENM, who was at the event, reports that beneficiaries of opus conceptualised happiness as a psychic the company's largesse went home with various fanning equipment. phenomenon, often triggered by certain positivist and explainable impulses that move man away from aspects of the sector in view of their potentiality to integrated crop management, soil and water sorrowful influences, occasioned by palpable socio- generate employment opportunities for Nigerians. He, conservation, reduction in the use of agrochemicals, economic misfortunes confronting him on a daily basis. therefore, commended the BATN's Social health and safety standards in tobacco leaf processing, Happiness to her is a rare occurrence, and some, albeit Responsibility in Tobacco Production Programme elimination of exploitative child labour, and promotion unfortunate, may not experience it in their lifetime. (SRTPP) since the initiative had been used to engender of reforestation programmes among farmers, adding The British American Tobacco in Nigeria (BATN), cordial relationship between the company, farmers that the farmers had similarly embraced the principles, no doubt, recognises this fact as well as the synergy and people living in BATN's areas of operations. leaVing those who displayed excellence in tobacco that exits between happiness and the need to use the BATN's Area Operations Director, Mr. Hugo cultivation and environmental best practices with instrumentality as a means to boost productivity and Norman, while presenting the items to the lucky invaluable benefits. add a fillip to the nation's economy. In the company's farmers, said the company had bank rolled various reHe revealed that BATN's Tractor Lease Scheme conviction, the dignity of an average Nigerian tobacco afforestation programmes in conjunction with the (TLS) started about 10 years ago and had offered farmer needs to be raised by providing him with modem farmers, and Similarly provided tobacco seedlings to registered tobacco farmers opportunity to become farming equipment and other incentives that would them with a view to enhancing their productivity. He proud owners of essential farming equipment, noting encourage him to give his best and have a better yield. said the BATN's partnership with its registered that 18 farmers had benefited so far, with a carefully It is in the light of the foregoing social responsibility farmers had facilitated improved cultivation of tobacco, worked-out repayment plan spanning a five-year conviction that BATN rewarded some tobacco farmers while tobacco production in the country increased from period, without any interest. in lseyin, Oyo State, recently. The event, tagged BATN over 1,000 to 2,800 tonnes over the years, explaining In his opening remarks, the Head of Leaf, British "Agronomy Farmers' Productivity Awards and Tractor that the value of farmers' sale also recorded tremendous American Tobacco (BAT), Iseyin Agronomy, Mr. Lease Scheme", drew togetherfarmerswhoprovedtheir increase from N224 million to N526 million. Mr. Thomas Omofoye, lauded the efforts of the Oyo State mettle in tobacco planting and production. The company Norman disclosed that the volume of tobacco government, noting that the achievements of the purchased tractors, pumping machines, tanks, production in 2010 was 2,047 tonnes with a cash value company and farmers in the state could be traced to motorcycles, bags of fertiliser, spraying machines and of over N452 million. He, therefore, attributed the clement business environment created by the state other items, which were later distributed to the farmers. successes recorded over the years to the existing government for private investments to thrive. Speaking at the occasion, the Minister of cordial relationship between the company and its One of the recipients of the Tractor Lease Scheme Agriculture, Professor Sheik Ahmed Abdullah, who registered farmers, adding that the company's SRTPP (TLS), Mr. Alaba Tijani, from Babaode Community in was represented by one of his Special Advisers (SAs), had similarly enhanced the relationship by addressing ltesiwaju Local Government Area of the state, said Dr. Salisu Ahmed Ingawa, praised the vision of the relevant socio-environmental issues, bordering on tobacco cultivation was productive. He added that he company at industrialising Nigeria's agricultural tobacco growing and processing. abandoned cow-rearing business, which he was doing sector. He averred the importance and immense While highlighting the principles of SRTPP, which about 12 years ago and went into tobacco cultivation, contribution of tobacco production to developing according to him, commenced in 2004, the operations noting that he netted about N1.2 million last year from economies, stressing that tobacco was a cash crop director noted that the company aimed to achieve tobacco cultivation alone. ranked among coffee, tea and cotton and grown the The recipients, who were apparently happy, world over. .. " ••• the volume of tobacco produclauded BATN and its management for its foresight to Professor Abdullah disclosed that the Federal empower and wipe out poverty among them. They, Government was committed to a larKe scale lion in 2010 was 2/047 tonnes with therefore, pledged their support to the company, , industrialisation of the nation's agricultural sector, a cash vtUue of over N452 million." promising to always abide by its SRTPP principles as notil1£.th."t....0"-sovernment would not jettison_a_n.LY_~_______________________ccth"e,",y'-LPCCla.nt and grow tobacco.