THE NATION FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2012
13
AGRO-BUSINESS
'Check destructive impact of invasive insects' o guotTanl1't' (nod ~unty.
T
crop prolecll<'n ~xJ'l'rt. Dr DIme) GWllry M!I ailed on the gOYf'rnmenl 10 check the de-
'>tructIVt' Imrllct of inVI.S1Ve In~ontTOp"
Gwary. who i!l [If the Department of eTCp Prnlecliron, UrHvetsily of Maidugun. Bomo Stille, made the ellil In Ih .. light of the enllOges caul'ed bv c1lmllte ch.m~('. Addmg thAt l\l(o efft"C"lI' of thf""l' in<.('("l" on CTllr'l lind food ~tuff, are now mort' acult"
Sre"kinlt with n't Nllllflll, (,warv CIted the dt'Vn"tmg flood"thll! rll\:' lilted SOme genpolillca.' rt'&IOn." nf thr country at< i'ln (,"(olmrll', 'i.lymg
Ihnl faming communltie<; have
bet!n
IIrft'(lrod.
He ~ald the flood .. have In it .. wakC'1ICkd a.... 11 transportation IIgenl for !iO~ 01 the5r Insects I-~
5iod 111l'f\" IS nred lOr
~to
ITIOI't'
Wp'<UCtl lIl\'a9\.'!''f''''"
~m-mmtmng ~counby as Ih:-y rould GtI.I.'il" 1l\IlW\'f' <nl'darmge Anonhng to him, many ~ Mt' ca~ 1010 the country by ~
pie who art' ellnl"l unaware of thela~ or are trylnn 10 bral ttw-m Hf' o;lud fruit~, vest'tablt'.. and T'"'" 1a101l'd wllh inqoorto; Ilr mfe:;tkln... C'OUld dt'o;lmv cwr Aetonhng 10 hIm. the 105f'Cl" 'aI'gM farm... "nd IIgncullllrnl rt'8i~ and 1"-1 IIw c1lmalt' rnitngl' malr:f' It t'a.<;y for forrlji;n ~r«"I(-"1 to "UrvIH'
Stories by Olin II'I Esslet
and reproduce 10 their nt'W hornet Iit'sud the gO\l1!mmerll net'd~ to put plant itnd Insect <df'f\t~t5111oog CU5tOm!l offtaB al lhe roro('1"1 10 ~Iop thf" rountry'~ expo;m"-' 10 J~ stnl(:hvt' ~ and Infectlon~ I Ie !!aid planl-protectlon pmf~ "Ionals havt' to be senl 10 Identified pe-;I~trickm area!'!. According 10 him. farmers Me likely tnronfronl more i\e.gn·~ ~I\'(, ilnd invasIve in"t'cts willi increased U!"l' 01 herbicldl"l, in.o;ecticld(";. and fungicidl"l Wht'lt' inCTeao;e<; In wlltC'r and cht'miml inpul<; I'oecOOlE'l'lt.'Ce«iIry. he !laid Ihi.. wit! i~ C05I.~ for Ihe farmer Tht' Northern Tt'S'on ~uffen from food In':'I.'ClJnty ~ u-docbng kxuIIs whidllm-__ ~ an:oa thratk!nlng b. n.I agncul~ and in/t'nslfytng rood ~cri;is.
According 10 him, locust.'< i\1'10 pc<"'(' it lht8t to crt?r" ~ the)· Citn migrale O\-er hu~ distilnct'!l. He sud there IS a high nYc when the' numoo of locust Inc=aseo; " If lhey atO:!ll'1 rontrnlled. lhe 10(u.'<I."1 could rnovt' IICTC>M Iht' r':filOn If nothmg i.. done," he <;;'IId. • then- is the f'Ott'ntial for another rlagut' .,
N!!~h~~i~o~~~: ~ I::: mot(' locust arellS to conlrol Ihe "rll:'ad. add10g Ihal campalgn'lllll:' c:anwd 001 10 tit.-Ip tJwo a(f«tftl area«
Monarch seeks support for small farmers
T
HE Fmir of Bauchl, M;tlam Rllwanu Sult'lm;tn,
hil'!
('lilted 00 a~ncultural engl' ~ 10 giv~ prionl}" 10 lhe n<"!!de
of
~m.llil ~'t' la~ th~ call when
III£' made
he re·
crivl!'d IIlt'mbe,... of tilt' Nigt'nan Institution of Agrtcultur~ Engin~
In hi'! pala('(' III!' ..aId ~uch a!tt'nllon would boo<t the Irnn.~fonnalK>n agmda in the <;f!d(>l" 1bt' Error. who ....~ rt"f'ft"<t'fllt'd b, tht' Galaduf';tn Biluchi. A1hali Saidu Ibrahnn" saKI till! 5mall ~I~ farmer.< nf'ftl agric I!'nglnl'('n"s Infra· <""""~
wA5 a fann", I "omehme< rmd it diffiruU 10 find C3rableh.md!' to Ii\b C3"-, of I"," mitChi11('f)' in my farm. I M\"t' to le,,\'~ the fann which l.. faT from thr low n to comt' and look fOf mechaniC!! when Ihefe 15 a breilkdow" w., thmk Ih_ aff' all'a.~ wh,ch agnculiurt' . '\hould look I'll.
;tddrcss them and ea5C.' the Chill It'11~es laced by ~mllll (;trmers In their quest 10 go umvr-r;al,·· he ..nd lit' added thai the 1t'Vt'1 of 10fId availability and value addilion_ would t>e Improved If n£'a!C;<;ary
=~~ ~~:k~ine:h;
'"""., In mrw-k. the MtruSler oIStale 1m
fo.r Agriculture, Alhaji Bukar
~:rm~~i:~t:: ~~~~~~~
upliftmg the ~Iandilrd of Iwing 01 Nlgenans through agnculture The ml",-",Ier, who WII-'" repreo;ented by i\lWoi' Mohal'TUJli\d YLL.. uf, a Director In thr Agncu1tu~ Mmi'llry, said the memtJe,... of tht' in.~ti· lullon would dwell c>n ways IIf Implemen"ng the f;o\'ernmen'· ..
;t~k:;d
il was the deo;lrt! of mct'll ben; to M'e that Ihe agricullurlll val ue cham wa." ma)(lmi.~ 10 the bencfil of filrmer«
Agency urges Africa to embrace biotechnology
T .p\",n'
ill. Director-General, NaIi ...",,! BiOIl"ChIlO'F.; OPvelA"""", ( AB"A), Prof ~b omon -UaIfH ele. ha~ urged AfnGIn natJon<; In embr.tc:t.o mOOl'm h;olechnol~y ilrplical!fln to achil'vt' food '"'-'Cunt)' lie m"d(' Iht· mil ill a lVork....hI.'p by tin' Afrimn fJi(K3felV N('tw{'lrk of Exrcrli~e (AONE). under the au.'<pi~ of 1m- NEPAD rlilnning alld Coordloiltmg AgMCY atld the Federal Mmlclry ('If Envirnnment In Abut<' 11(' slr~ the need to modify genes it!> well it!! transfer them to t'nhance .1p;ricullllral rroductIVitv. adding that the technology woufd addr~" tilt' chal1t'ngc ,,( food "Crunlv m Africa He 'Wid MOthcr COI1IiT1COts howe been adopting genetic mooificaltoO.'< and transfer of genl"l to addre<-.o; lheir immediale problems HWt' are reqmrro to also deo.·cklp gellt'S that will O\C"r~·e African demands and Ihal will pnrtrar our t('(hnuloglcal ad\'anccmcnl In food production," Barniclele appeall'd 10 the P~i dl'IlC)' tn P""'<; Ih!' lim-s.lfe!y bill Into law, adding thai the enactment wnuld Cflgendcr ~u'ahon in biotcdmolog),
He noted Ihal th(' delay In tlu' r;tssage of Iht' bill would aff('(1 blotechnolog) developmml In thC' munln Acrording \('I him, the delay In the t'IlaCllTK'fIl flf t"'-' law willlt'ad tc. "effort<; in fUlilitv··and will Ill'gkOCI the potenltal (If Ih(-' b,otech nological prnctiCt' in Nigeria TIle Direclor of AIlNE, PllInninJt and Coordmalln,it A~encv In NEPAD, Dr Oiran Makind('. urged the rresid('nt tn Jti'·e arrenl 10 the Bio-salety Dill, tOClUlhle Ni geriilll5 10 bendil from the new technolOJty, lie Iilmenled Ihal the delay III Ihe enactment of the taw W;t<; an obslltCle 10 agncllilural rnx!ucli\. ity in Nigeria. adding thai the new lechnologl wa~ capahle of enhanCing food rroouctlfln and adding villue 10 Ihe economy of the nation lit' .... id thai NEPAD wa.~ read,
Flood: Rice processors urge restraint on importation HE RIce Proc('~~or!'i A.. ~o· nation of Nigeria {fUPAN} ha~ called on Ihe Federal Governmt'llt to r(,"I'I1 Ihe call for m;t<;~iv(' impfOrlalil'n nf ric .. to mitigate the imrllct 01 th(' rN:('nt nood dL<'l<;ler In Iht' counlry Chairman of Ih(' a""ocialloo. Mohammt'd Abubakal, who mltrll' Ihe call In Abulil ill a nt'w .. nTlefIng ....Id there WII" no n .... rl 10 entertain IIny ft'ar " .. ~Ihert' IIrf' ;tdt"quilte ..locK<; of riet" 111 thf' (fOun· ,,}" 10 meel immediale demanrl~ 11 1.'< our view thai Ih("r(' e"I"I .. 6(l(J,OOO tonne<; in Iht' eOllnln' "nil wilh fI~ han.{"<1 51;trlm~ II' No·
T
h~ii~·~~I1:~~n~!~~~~ ~i:T~:
added to the nahonal rood ~Iock .. While urgillg Iht' govemm(,nt 10 ;tvo,d orcne .. lrillt'd pallic "nd doom .. dav rrolt'cl1on, hf' "a,d govE'mmcitt ~hnuld carefulh (011s,der ilrprflpnale me;t"urt'~ and rl""polL'<f' Ihal would nut'dltlllllJ;e our nallOnal II1lert'~1. adding th;tl from prelim,n;tH' IIw""I'~" 1I0no; tn Ihe nood af(K! ..d liT"''''' il i~ t"<lImatNl thai IIn"ul 411 rt'l c('n' of th(' riel' cror may h,,\,(' nC'('n IO"'t. r"rltculilTh' m Ih ... IllW lanJ<; M.d ~wllmr)· ar.. M n,'M til<' ldt , Sp ..d., A.,1""ni 10 I.&o~ Sl~l .. Go" .. rnor on Agticullur ... Ur Nur .. nl funsh/); Com",Io_I"n ... rOI and C.",y.. ull ...... r';n~ .. GbolAh .. n ........ ~I ~nd r",,:,~n .. nl S.. Cff'I .. )', Min;~")' of "'g';~ul ...... , I). o ~l,d .. Huho.un. dunng IhO' P'U!I wnf ..... nu lin .....S.... Se~ Food F.... h.-.I rllnroc;, ""Inlll"N \\'11' I" ....:; 01,"111
'1,.1.(,,1111,1'
10 ~upport b1olcchnol(l)l:IGII den" ormellt in Nif:('fiol Ill' <;'l,d 1"'-' lIill (.al('!i i-'<>Ul1dol lion had rrf'pt"l'«'(l a ~pt":loll .'tranl 10 aehll'v(' 1>intt't"hll(lI~\ df"\·C'k'P· lIlenl III the collnlr\' ~0ul'< I~ f"'rtT1oPf"'hij' an,1 ,~ .. ME' reilltv In partner \\"Ih roTJ:-am"a 11011-" 1ImJ d"\l'lop Ihclt ""'~hl1~ <;tnlclun'" ~Olher Alncan (('lIntn('<i h,lVI' l,liICIrd II'l"Ir 1>tt'-'<iIft'lv Ia...... "U1("l' ~ and Nigeria I" ,'t't Ifll'nXI tho> law~ 10 eru;:Uf(' adcqu.lle ~""lInn of lhe bltl'echfl(*~v arrlicatlon AI~ "f'Cak1ng. the [)Jw;k OfrJet'r of lhe IJIll-"'afutv OfrJet' m the r't'd f'T<'1 Mml~lT\' of Fm1"'flmt'll!. Mr Rufus~, ""'r"",,_lthe wadi n .... ~ (.f the JI,."ni~tn' nf Fnnron men! III ~ulatl' bll~Qff1 ... rractIn'" ,n Ihe C(>1lnlrv 11(' <t~ .. ull!'d of Ihe 1n1"--.J~("TlC','·~ cooperal1('>f1 10 ;tdl1~'" bloicchn<>1 ~v d~·('lllI'mml in the rountn
m'I"r
nVl'r~
.. hi'! mll.\' Ct('alt' II "ul'r1y ~hnrl· ilgl' of 1'I\>clIIl I:; mllhon Innm·.... '" Ih(' locill ;t\';tll~t.IIII)' IIf pad,h.
Inn .. I;tllng ", milled ricr ~h.>tl f;tll "f ;tbout on1" m,lhnn lonnt'o; ~Th, ... hfOllld 1101 CT('lItl" II malnr f(l()(1 nr ffl(l(j "hnr'''~(' 10 Ih(' le\'el heing 10ulNI b\ Tlrt' mPI (hanlo; and "'ret"ulalor-. wh" olTl' ~I~~~;tlmg mH~~I\le fire tnlf'l.rlil
cr,""
Arrlaudlng tlw
~u"('tnm .. nl·"
r;:~lit~'~ ~~;I ~~~~r,!;~~i l~Pt~~
rtort'~<;ing had t''1crt'd('d N200 I>llhon 111 ihr r"'" fflur )"(';tr" NNlIlft Ihl'll fhe Ft><Ietal (~H·rn· mt'nl W;t .. w"rkl"~ I'n Ih.. ""Iat> li~hm"nl ,,( tn Of''' Tlef' mill~ in ~fII:l III add'''''n ". thl' (',... ~hn" 1<;, 1111' n....llCial1f>rl r"rr('.",('d !'>pll .. f Ihlll Ih(' cmlllln. would 111111(' nr'll Iwo "f'ar4 .. lor Imrnrl"llnn of flC"r
t':~~~:,~e~c;;ri:~I~,,<1~h~h::fr;r~'~ pul in rl.1l't· tfl hC' w"r·wit~ h (,f Ihe t"n'nom\' II ;tl'«l (all('(1 fl'r Ihr .... I;tl>h~h· me,,1 of ;t minimum r.rllducl'r rn<"t' ffOr r"ddv hllr~'p", rd 1<1 en· ,,~Ir IMmt'r< III "lInl~'" >tntl fI'<l' from Ih.. 11,1\'''1">011\' If" t>nnm .... "'l'nt~l>II' '" mp"I 1111' ~hnrlf"l1 frmll I", "t r"rMih 1I,,,n it rM' I,,· ,Int,,· 1"."ugh il" rflrl.,li"". ~"d Ihf' imr"'1 I... ·rmil .. ~h",.I" I:of' I"~II ... I I" !'>"II~ f"t.· I" c"l 111"'''''''''' ,n Ih, , .. I,., ~"I ",,,I,· ~I>c'teur<
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