THE NATION
Offi
Fanning can only get bett.~r Many jobs are being created through contract f rming, a concept under which some manufacturing firms engage farmers to work for them. Some farmers are enjoying the best of two worlds under the arrangement, AKlNOLA AJIBADE wriles.
r~!:~g t:';';,,~:::;tdZ~.It:~~'i1.
INolr own firms and w(Vk for W~ manufolC1unng flrnu. through whilllJ. known as contrKC 'amung ~ romp-'RlH englge fJlrmer$ to produce food MI&J cash crop$ fOl" them OVa' • penod of lilne 'The contract IS u:.ul.llf lor MIWrI!fl IWO and lh~ )'~rJ and subfect to rt'fM'wII Un<kr the drill, C'OITlp&mft I?rttYide land, liftdlangs .and louh f..'r lh.. fal'1J'leB 1lw (om~ also r-y ~ fu~ for tht'l.r I.d:Iour ThI5 d~elopmenl h.b nuntml.5ol!d ~ ru.k bel of fMmftS. lin..! ab..» guManl~ tlwtr ,00. 'The COfflpillnloa u..r .gocuJtural r.roduc~. such ItS rtliIR&0. Gl§hrw.
pane.. pp e, sorghum. lobacco, COCCWI, .mong otilrB for produchon
Th.. firms mcludl!' Bnll,h Amencan Tobacro(8An and NestleNlgt'na Pk BAThas ~uin!d ... nd fOf lot.:m producuon It ac-
qUlnod fum~ 10 DIu. l5(oy1n. Igbopye and
Adlko-Ayo If'! Ovo St.lt', w~ the hlrtne"I will grow Au~ured Tob.«o fur the com-
p.u1~ company .150 las fannlands In Zanll. 5okol0 and SIIbon Blru. where ughl Au Cur~ Too.cm wlll be grown 1hose U\ tht' =:r~ nqUJl"N 10 grow DarJ.-CurN To~
for
Ih~
Nlgen.l "- IAndJ in .tr,lItpc areb ('UlhnllQn of cocoa., among olher
prodU\.C' W,th 26 Iry,
~hng rompa.n.n In the count~ cornpam~ conduct ~xlm5lve re-
~hngs 10 know 1hW- natu~ They .Iso engilge in conlr.ct blrrning by
search on
rmplovtng lal'Tm'ft 10 grow «T1,,1n cropIllI' thtein. !iome .>1 tNo compa.rues .r~ Dbl Bu) Globill RHOurcH Hon~y Tou('h N1st'na Urnlled ... nd (>mo(..-d Nigeria unuted Manrogllll DIrector. Au1..u Farm unuled Mr AIi1..u Abogun Solid conlr." f.rmlng ha, helped aeale )OOs for fJUny ~le He Nld compam.lI Ih., rnt"ro!'J Into con~t with farmft'li l.ave Improved thell producuvilV. and abo C!'eiltll!d ,ub for many people !-It' NIIJ M..lll <d .nd UTDl,.jIJed worken: g~ ,.,t~ through • onlrao.:l (ilrmlng add.ng ~I m"m 'Annen Ihili. wef? hnhei10 Idle. h.;r,y~ be.>n employt'l:l throuKh tJus mean... f-t.! Aid mu'~ N.~ w':)U14~ employed As rompa.not~ engage In COnUiKl fuming 10 meoei Ihell prOdUCIK n nf'C'<b Hi.' Mid ~ Agnculturt IS tnt trWn su.y of tIw KOnI...my. cuntnbullng rJ'IOi"e than 40 po:r
CftlllOlt,eGro.Oom.'St P odu."1iCDI>J II IS I" "1i1I'-" ernplt "'0 r ul lab >Yr, md boast... f I~ wld"",>1 n u1.. I y.. Ith cotIIrKt ',ummg now In pi lu' 1.I.JUloefS INti ille .001 wdl !>USlilllnt Il ",.. uld hilye fl() "'pllon ,hiln 10 key If 10 Ihe d~iI for STOWlh Whm the\ do) Ihl~ lhey would tncn_ their produ, b 11\ m"J.~ more rnDnq'. MqullC' more I In 1 ....d bJ ng mote people 11110 tiwemplotn'<'fI1 rwt I bei)C!'Ve ,;;ontl1K1 filrmlng wO\ Id en'all' 1n0~ ,ob opportul\lha foi NIg"'"- It!. 'I d1l future .. Abogun Implore.J h. g. v~mm~nt 10 5UPJ'Oft a~nculturt' t-V f,,,-,vldu,S ftmd~ 10 filT-r.-tn~ HI' s~lId ,,:TIt' .. wu"ld Improve !hell producuon .'h..1 Nr'IU glye themloionc AhogunS.'K lhi·.·aluech&mi • ContJ nu.·d on P.. S~ 38