THE GUARDIAN, Thursday, December 22,2011
20 BUSINESS
States get Japan's $2.8m grant to boost ICT in agriculture From Joke Alianmu, Aiiuja
A S pan of efforts to boost .fYnformation technology for farmers across the country, four states of the
Federation are to benefit from the japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) of 52.8 million to enable farmers make appropriate technological choices for
modern agriculture. The grant from the JSDF, through the World Bank, is to establish pilot I n f o r m a - t i o n Communication
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( centres in Technology (iCT)i some selected Fadama The project development aim is to increase the Communities in four incomes of users of rural land and water resources states namely: Lagos, Cross on sustainable basis thus contributing to the River, Sokoto and Yobe. Speaking at the official achievement of a key Millennium Development handing over of |SDF grant Goal in line with Agricultural Transformation Document of Fadama Information . and Agenda of the country knowledge Service (FIKS), explained that the grant the Japanese Ambassador would be used by farmers managed and operated by to Nigeria, Mr. Rynici Shoji to gather production the rural community. Stressing the need to proon Tuesday in Abuja stated advice, market informa- vide useful information to that the government is col- tion, supply inputs, enable farmers participate laborating with, the World Weather Forecast, advisory equitable in both national Bank to provide Nigerian services as well as research and global markets, he farmers with improve and extension. said the location and modem agriculture tech- ' According to him "the spread of farmers across nology. In Sis words "Agriculture project will consider the country isolate most in Nigeria will benefit from strong emphasis on creat- of them from effective ing amongst selected indi- markets, communication information Technology viduals in the Fadama User other basic services. by providing farmers with Groups (FUGs), Fadama and He, however, said FIKS is access to information and Community Association to establish sustainable, linkages to the market" to access the infor- information technology Stating that agriculture is (FCAs) mation services usingWAP enabled Fadama far from achieving its full phones, SMS messages, Information. Knowledge potential in the country, Voice Mail Alerts". and business centers to Shoji reiterated that agriAdewumi, however, increase farm productiviculture in Nigeria is the assured of the successful most important sector of implementation of the ty and rural household income generation and project in all the benefit- incomes. He said, "the project employment creation. •-; development aim is to He said through the Rice ingstate. The Coordinating increase the incomes of Development initiative National users of rural land and supported by the Japan Director, Programme Food water resources on susInternational Cooperation Security (NPFS),for Daudu tainable basis thus conAgency (JICA) Nigeria will Daniel said thatMr. the tributing to the achievebe a net exporter of rice by ect which is first of its projKind ment of a key Millennium the year 2018 be implemented in Development Coal in line in his remark the Acting to Nigeria was to establish with Agricultural National Programme community owned IT Transformation Agenda of Coordinator Fadama III enabled information and project, Mr. Tayo Adevvumi knowledge service is to be the country.
Farmers' group strategises on improved food production BASIC LIFE SUPPORT PROGRAMS FOR SCHOOLS OF NURSING We wish to inform all the schools of nursing, midwifery and post basic nursing that the new dates for the above- program is as follows: Abuja:
•..
Port Harcourt:
February 7th, 8Lh, 9th &lOtti,2012
February 21st, 22nd &23nd ,2012
Lagos:
Entigu:
February 14 tlv 15th, & i6r.Ii, 2012
February 27th, 2Sl"h & 29th, 2012 Note:
• Course scans sam -2pm • Instructor guide 3pm-6pm 1) All the schools of nursing and midwifery can now sponsor as many of their staffas they am. 2) Send m; if indicating the dates chosen. Note also that each class cannot be more than 30 participants. Hence your nominees may be moved over to the next day's class. Hence you have to send in your nomination in time for earlier confirmation. Indicate how you wish to receive reading materials. 1) Collect Irom any of the Emergency Response Service s offices below L Sharon Ultimate Hotel, 4 jos Street, Area3Garld, Abuja. ii. 394 llc.verre Road Rumuokwuta, Port Harcourt. iii. 4i BiiihopOluwole Street, Victoria Island, Lagos 2) Send ycur address and it will be sent via courier with the payment of additional 5,000.00 i Rinin; j mansions and materials will be available for your immediate purchase or order. Payment Plea;eind.cate if yotuviilHo pay in[otlieaccoLmt{call08033i072'H, 08035455784 and 07043B2503 to receive the bank details) Or Serideiiia.linLticaiingiopayatLhevenue-indmedsv@vahoo.com. Those who had earlierpaid will receive refund or can send extra participant. Foi ianher inquiry, send mall to indmed ivigivahoo.com er:i.mib(i_3yafioo.corn
Fro m N iyi Bell o.Ak ure "T^IE 3,SOO-member Istrong Agbekoya Farmer's Association in Ondo State has appealed to the state government for assistance in their determination to embark on massive production of food items for the state's socioeconomic advancement. The appeal was made on Tuesday in Akure by its President, Kamorudeen Aremu Okikioia, during the inauguration of the members of the executive of the Ondo branch of the association." : The association, which claimed to have members in all the IB local council areas of the state and beyond, said it has capacity to feed the whole of Nigeria through "turning the state into Nigeria's food basket." Okikioia, who disclosed that his association is made up of committed farmers, specifically requested the state government to make available for them the sum of N300 million as grants from which members can draw revolving financial assistance. In his speech shortly .-before the inauguration of the executives, Okikioia said ."in Ondo State, . -Agbekoya . Farmers Association .has over 3,500. members and we have started screening them for the purpose of commercial and mechanised fanning. "Apart from the individual farm lands of our farmers in Ondo State, we are now ready to partner with the government to establish three farm settlements in the three senatorial districts to complement the
At least between 300 and 500 farmers in each commodity association will have farmlands of their own in each Agbekoya settlements and the three wil! accommodate 2000 hectares of land for planting Cassava, Rice, Maize, Oil-Palm. 1.2 million chickens and 29 million tons of fish in the next planting season existing ones established by the government of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko. "At least, between 300 and 500 farmers in each commodity association will have farmlands of their own in each Agbekoya settlements and the three will accommodate 2000 hectares of land for planting Cassava, Rice, Maize, Oil-Palm, 1.2 million chickens and 29 million tons of fish in the next planting season." H, therefore, listed the areas of their needs to include provision of insecticides, herbicides and sprayers, seed capitals, 'operational vehicles, heavy equipments as well as tractors apart from request for land and grant-in-aid. Okikioia also appealed to -.other state governments particularly in the South West, where the association has branches as well as the Federal Government to collaborate with it in its preparedness to feed the nation.