TJ-lENATlO N FRIDAY, JULY20, 2012
13
AGRO-aUSINESS
Expert canvasses apprenticeship scheme T
HE J\s~'5tanl Directnf,
Gene--al \hnagement Di·
ill'd
vision, Ar;ri~lturill Rural Manageml!nl Training nshlllt~ (AUM n I. lIorin, Dr Ademola ftde'femo, has suggested the adopl:ie>n of an apprenticeship scht: me t>, grow the sec-
,.,.
He told ~ Ndil.tI thai there are opportunitiU in -he food indus-
Slorl•• by O.nllli Essfel. Ag.lt:: Corrl!.pond@Il'
try and that the scheme could attract skilled prople into it. With the opportunities in the food industry growing. he said the scheme would ensure thai young people in the rural areas are eqUlpped with the skills and kriowledge requiral to grow the industry
11 ~ _ he "'I'1air<d. ""'"'" teach land milnagement skills to )'OUJ~ in their rums. HesaKi the would cnrourage closer working relationship ~;een the publiC' and private sedor. Ade:remo said food produ~rs woul also benefit from the sch'!fl1e. as it would help train and d~e1op a new skilled workforce net>decl to compele in the national
market. Emphasising the need for food businesses 10 TUn more ilppren+ ticeship schemes and change the way young people think about working on the farm, he sol.id Ule industry is imporlant to growth and thai there is a big skills gilp right m the food chain. According 10 him, the industry must allract mort' qualified peo--
pie il il is 10 continue 10 de\.e1op He said the Industry c;hou.ld be able to rinse the profile of food as a career of first choice and makt' sure thai young people benefit from il He said the scheme would help to 10 identify and develop new talenls in the welor, and ensure Ihal tht' workforct' are well Ir.uned.
"F",,,, lefl DI"ch., Co-o~f1Ilhe!l SnvlcH, Minilby uf ASr1cu1turlr ",nd C_p· ... Ii.e!II,uS ... S lltlr, Mr, Ayo A..okullrhln; Plrnnl""nt SKrlrtny,Or Olljldlr Buhorun. Comm;.~ionn fot ASric • Cn-oplr... ".lrf "tine" Gbullhln l ...al ."d DI'e.:to'..(;1m1r1'l1 "ubllc s.-. ....Iu Slllfi DIr".,lopmlrni Clrntn!, M., Olubunml hb",n ... o, II I lectu,,", 10 mark Int"mllioul C_p"l'Itift Day In USGS.
~igeria
N
ripe for green food project' A
iGflUII(anrur1" food"vstern \' i'hout destroying naturt. J don, Martins
Anetekhai, has. sn Anetekhai, a l'Iofes5or of FLo:her+
ies lit the I..aSIoS State Unh~itv (lASU). sai<l th 'fl' v,'aS the Ill'fti to
m:cn:l1e Ify: <DtT1J'ding demand~ 01 producing nl0r> l:tod and implU\'1118 ~ enVlran~~ While then- ill an expected inOHR in Ih:> d(o>..,.1I'd lor Cood in the lace of dimint<ti ng land. Ule don said thert> we DO JllStiHCiltion for am~ hlgM- yiekis b)' sw;ri~ the envtrof'lmellt, adding thai tim in !hi! rountry
an! Inany arab!l·llnd that ate w"l5tin~
He wged fiun1f r5 am the SO' emmrnl to co-up..t Ie to achieve the nation's pIm 1\", more warer, \\."lkI+ life, hf'alth: SOli met food pnxlucbon_
While Ille ",I on reds a 0"lIJl+ II'd food industry, Whkh conlrb.'if'; to food secmily, he. OOwe\'fT, rnhntained that the petiti~ ~tlflir\.;
manage the impact 011 the ertvlrunmcnl In the iCI1g..mn. he noted that IOOd :securil)' depends (In tJckIjng the en-\'ironmmtil impacts of pniluction. The don $aia the government needs to ensu~ a Ilouti.<;hmg na_luraI envlfOrUTlelll ~ 10 him. a OOalthy, prof'E'Slv functioning environment ilnd mam~ ril ~ sential f'CCl"Iystem is a good for suslauung foocl production. He said the gtl\'l'mll18l1 hilS moral and legal otiligafions to protect biodi\'1!r'iity ancrthl' wider envifon... menl ThiS includes protecti~ re--souret'!, such as water and soil to securt' a sustainable quality of life for' future glonerabQns. A St1.Ul food system. AnetekhaJ. explained. \oaks al the potential to inCfeaSt! food productJon. emuring that ~operate withinerwin~... menial limll ,,.. """""""" he """". "","kI co-ordinate reserum in agrk::u1turt' 5C.'ClOC" must
and food to enhance sustainable aNI rompctH.i\'t' fanning.
Anetekhal said tllere must be a Cilmp.lign to locilliate bet~ .... wa~ ~ or the potential benefi~ and Ji:ks ol adt'lption 0{ new and no\;'e! ~~ in the food chain. induJing genetic modlflCillion. "It' riole\J U\o1t it was in the best interest of Ule nation that Ule goventfTW..'Ill Clioolllages filfTTling methOIls that ensu~ better use 0( nalu+ raj resources and management "Through mllural processes. AnelekMi said gr!'C!n spact'S reIT\O\-'e carbon dioXkle from the al+ mosphere and replenish the air ",Ith Iife-sustaming oxygen. thU5 mltlg.lting global wlltnUng. lundan".'ntal issues inherently linked to quality c:i life. He said the goveDUnenl should do rnon! to im~ acce5S to agn. wltwal input aM services. ~ producti\'e capacity lind ado:J.ress the basic food needs in the rountry_
SURVEY of soil.. and water rt'sources will boo!;t fONt production in the country. i'I soil specialist. Prof Ayo Ogunlcla. has said. According to him. the survt')' will reveal the problems of SOLI and water and measures farm+ CTS should lake 10 manage them. Ogunlela. who is of the Agricultural Engineering Oepart+ ment. Unh'ersity of lIorin (UNllORlN). said d<'Chmng 5011 ferhlity and mismanagement of plant nutrients have made the task of r.roviding food (or Nig(!'+ riallS difficult He said challenges posed by extreme wellther conditions.rising cosl.'! and the impact of the een\'ironment on (oOd production, make the management of soil and water re+ sources a "ital area to oIIIddress in the future Soil re ..ources. Ogunlela explained. are subject fo increased. pressure from competing land uses iUld extensive degradation proceso;es. adding lhat the im-
Survey soil, water levels, says don pacl affecl<e the amllu"lo; of !'(Iils and water a\'ailable for food production According to him. hectar~ of degraded farmland have 10'" then fertility and wate-r-holdlng capacily and need to be regenerated to meet the demand of a growing population He urged the government to help farmers unprovt' the management of thelT sflIl and water resources 10 boost farm oUlput and, ultimately, profitability Unless soils art' well managed, he noted thai farming will be af('rcted He called for a renewed efhm to ensure sulficient fertile and healthy soils and for fulure generations
How to protect farmers, by cassava group RESIOFUT, National Cassava Allianct' of NlgcriilO'4CAN),Mr Tola Faseru. has clUed for measurt'$ r,rolect armen against fure go comp(. tilion. Speaking ith Tile Nation, Faseru (;aiit _nder pricing by foreign traders hu causei:l many fa rml'~' lind enterprises
P '0
t.
losses lie noted that foreign lraders penelnled the domestic market to seek and buy farming products_ This, Faseru explained, sometimes Ihrows tht' domestic market oul of control as prices are reduced while farmers are lured to produce to meet a highN
demand. adding that farmers in OHIn)' cases suffered losst's bL'C01Use of declining demand. He said farmers with large slocks have been convinced 10 st'li at lower prices on their' larms. He said it was not in Ihe interest of the eeonomy thai foreign traders participaled in
the buying of farming products, adding Ihllt the activities take place in some TUral areas. He said foreign trader.; should not buy product! for export if they do not establish relations with agents who do the business.This,he explained. Is necessary to proted Ihe fa.rme~
from t'xploitalion. He said foreign commudili~ buyers need local ent("rprise!l to work with domestic farmers and producers. He said producer.. need to Improvt' the quality of their products for ex pori to reduce their reliance on Ihese trad('rs and better access otht'r markets.