Wednesd ay, May 23, 20U
THlSDAY, Vol. 17, No. 6239, Page 21
F EATURES --Food Sufficiency: Can the Common Man Have Enough? ib: 197Ol, l:gncultlft ICt'OUJIted for well OYer 80 per cent onfJ8f:ri:a'111roa Dome<;nc Product (GOP) and the major value of the (ountry'J expons. Pe&WIt farmins was Ihe c rdcr of the day and ~lauvdy. the country was • Iocndutg exponer of farm produce in Afha till the days of 011 bcom came and lancu1turc was ab&odoocd (1£ the petrol dollar. ThlJ Jed 10 the t olJapse orme agncultura11Jldustry as the c0untry divme mil) tb OIl business, .... hich mD5I Iiurd world countries have come 10 tde.ltJ.ty as. curse. Wbile Nigcna and odIer third 'NOf1d COWlblC'S .t andoned their fann field for!be crude oil flCld. large farm Ktllarcnllikc L..cvcnlts fann. UAC theAbiola FIJ1TI$, and lalJ:c w;wemmmi owned cocoa farm,R.tiW fann.Groondnut f.".. etc all went ckMl1 while major wOOd leadtng natioa ..Cloe p.:1)'Ing Oltx:aJ.rtmtJon to the (oo:! neal oftbdr 00U0Q1CS and thr: NOIi(II.I large. Toda) m tb!:: lJItited State: of Amcnca.. smgIe liumc:rcan feed
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While several states keep looking up to-Abuja for the monthly federal allocationfor survival, Benue State seems poised to maximise the gains of its agro potentials, as it not only makes food availaOle, but also makes it the mainstay of its economy. George Okoh writes
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aver I millIOn I eople. Modem Agncul~ coukI pnxbce enougb rood for Ihe world IC50matcd 63 billioo pc:qHe. The 1Utcess ~ by he US farmen and otbcr Europem. Utm. Amcnc:an and As ID farmcrJ an be attributed eoibundant JJatu. ,.1 n:IOIIfOCI. 519l\ficanl mvmntcDl m public: and private ~ and facil DeS and !be II!IC of advaocc ~. Wfth the ail bo)rJI, Nigcna b8d the ops:ulUDIl)' 10 build up Itli agncuhural KCIO WId! the pcuo-dollars IIXI'IliDs frooJ the eMl sector .xI. nmli mt Nigena mc&for..n IIlIO • food-sufliccol etOnOm)'. -With the )JI5S'I&'t of time, stJClCICSSive gm'C'1llllCfll5 seemed 10 have I ::a11Kd the rrustakes of the pasl and 50 made effom _meld ~t ndlrecnna Nigm.m 10 the fanTIL Sud! 1IgIlQlII\II1ll JIfUInIIllmd as the RiYa" Bum ~I Progmnme (REOp)' Opmtuct FI!'I:d the N.bon (OFN). Grt!en Revolution (GR). the DIrccb: nile for Food, ROI!.ds and RIDI ~ (DFRRJI. lhe Better wfe for Ruml Dwellc:n Programme (BLRDP), others. were inUlatcd SpecirtaDy, OFN was launched 1p11l5C he ~ or a\annmg decline in agricultunli production. pllopmg (000 pnces. mcrcasmg food import bills. anrl M:Celmiting flighl of youth from r.he nnllO the urt.n l!eIS. Unfortunat:ly, r.he progr1lIlulle yielded 00 po5ili .... e dlVldmd" Smd Dr Eu~ne: Alkgba.1he Benue 5tak commissiooe-, H~Ya, Ira 11:.:em times. the possible fear of hunger has led !he FedenJ GovesMtenl1O take I ~ofthecountries agnc:uJIlln.I policlCS and 1l!O CO'tUIIR OUI with a boki mo'o't to ensure there is CIICII.I(!h F oJ 10 JO round 15 well as 10 ~ 10 needy countncs. The pi !$Idait's I"IIOYe 10 ~ the n;:1usKIn of in Itc: pruducbon of pastnes. farm to.ns 10 fivmcn, mm:a5C': m tueI fC1f food Impol'ten III1d !be ~ of SUIte llJO"'alUIlenI to SO t.ck to the land ~ iOfDe of the mova. Some of !he stilts heeded the appeal by lbe Fedmil GoYemmcnI and 'live mMIe remaricable progn:ss m the atteqIt 10 ensun: !be aJUIlDy ill food sccun:d. ForlllSllrlCe. d 'e Sbonp farm n:;voluoon by lbe Kwan Swe, the nee: scheme t y tbe I....Ip Sta&c and the modest I~ by !he Nasarawa Sta 'e m the s.dakoItu farm Idllcmem. HoweY«, one lUll: !hat hi! recorded remarkable ~ IOWIIlds rood SCCWlty coukl be Benuc Stale The state bas becD making PUIII ~ In p l....amsUlI food producuon lind 011 ~ of off'u in 2007. Governor Gabrid Suswam left no one: in doubt as to ius detmnmlttm to InInSform the agro based rvnl econllmy of the salle which bad hitherto collapsed and --I yeantmI for far rcachin& ec:onomJC. po6cies thai wouJd complct::ly I1:JlM nate !he sector IrId place It on the pedestal of
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S~.id dlC fC5USClIBtion ofa baltoul agJ'IIrian economy like that of BernM requlRld I !IOhd baseline anclx:n:d on !lU§wnable agncullUBI pclictcs IhId would tngga" the much dtsin:d rconomIC grow and development. The Governor I ' the time maurtarnod Wtag;ruIllUC runamed Pivotal in policy UUSl of the IKhmustr:lIIOt , since Ia:OI"d1n& 10 him. the much talked abouI food bukd "lUI of!be 5QJe would lmoum 10 a btg sham ifconCfCIe SlepJ wa"e 1101 IIkm on the pas1 of p'erlU1lellt and stakeholden to hcnId J new drA-'1I 11\ dw all moompassing sector. And detcmuncJ 10 ~nalde the CCOIlOOllC base ofBecue State tMIugh the !O'Ie wTIct'II'S weU laid out progJ:aD'III'E of action as encapsulmd ,n d e 'Our Beme Our Futtn' wurkmg document. the admUUStnlllOl tortfTonted the rot In !hat XCUlr headlong by introW:lIlI rar r1l1ChirIJ n::fortll5 in the KICIOr, Aa:ording 10 the CommWIOna" ru F,nance. Omacbchl 0kI0bta. the swe govanment vcwc:d agrL'Uhure IS a cnucal Jed« In m agrarian ecooamy lib: ~ ofllenuc: "'1'lAf wu wh3 SInce 2007 Vi'e U\-C been gJ'ICIllllJ the necc:551!)' infetus thrq-J2h sound policy dirccuon and the: appropnalC impIc:mtntaQon I all pn:d fOVo..ms uplifting the: oonditJoo of Ire: rc:t:mtnj populace orthe SUIte. 90 per cmt or whom In:: Iiumerli am 111 dI "C need of rarmID, inpw wluch were: hitherto IIICt.in~" H.r.mg ~I\'ely reformed the sc:ctar the: adnnrns11111I0Il tmbwked orl the. mmive supply of all agrirultuntl inpws C5p«lllIy IIMIrttd rmillser prodIJ;:ts, whkh wen:. distributed 10 the peq>Ie a hl~ly Stlbsldlsed nile. II IS on ric:oK dllli In 2001 10 2010 alone.. the SUswam-1ed adnunitauOn trocured and disaibtJled over S,216 trucks or asaoncd rerdlasc:r pfOduc1lIancr havmg established .lhstnbutioo cenlrC ItI c:Kh o( the 2J b:al gavmunenl councils of !be ~ 11us huge: ~ernenL wbic:h was lauded. by critics and supponc:rs of the~nlrustratlClfl alike ..'Ott do\>.l1 m histofy 11$ the la:rpst mglt lage of the product 10 the swe by any sucasSIve: JO\"CnUI sillce the cn:auon of Benuc:: State.. And wonby ofIXIfIIIJIc:fV.brioO is the manntt II. which these produca: wen:: distnwed 10 Carmm ICfOII !be SUIte. which WIll devoid of all ~ arid nclceteerq: a mefot fearureofJRVious o:errues. 'I'hK smgd'ar .::c:ompIishmen1 by the: Slate: Government through the MBJ'llry of Agnculrurc: ~ effectively sufkd by nclc~ or fhtll~ products in thc: stlte.
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Fendiser procun::nrc:nl for the year 2010 10 2012 _ no differ· 11$ huae quantities of !be asaoned product wen:: ~ by
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govmunc:nt and distributed to farmers lit 60 per cent subsidy, while JOvmuneot has effected aome modifK:lltlom in the distribuchllll1 WIth I VIew to msmng durl every smgk Wmc:r in Ibc: state had enough through the: fanning season. And in I swift n:spo!l!lI! to peBistc:n1 outcry by I"B:rmers over che menace of W'OCds in farmlands ICfOSS the stIte, thc: government Ihmugh the Ignc ministry purclIased and disuibuled in Ihe IasI Ihn!e years OYer JOOOO unics ofknap sack spaym 10 fiumc::r3 at 50 per oc:nl Stlbildy; the: geslun:. .::continI the stale te.dership of the f8JTl1eB'1DOClatklD, woold go dowc in hilIcory, betng the lim time I govcmmc:nt m the state would show IrCmC'ndou!r oomnutmen.t lo the needs ofthc ute', fanners, The declSOl......, conaequcrnIy ~ by the purchasc:d of over JOO trIC1OI'S. harvesters and plantm Cor It. purpose: ",iDle 44 other ItIte owned t:rac1oB w:rdc:r the IknU£ Stale Trw;mr Hinog Appw:y BENTHA, ~ rdMIbihllled and put 10 USC' for effective: IICfVice delivery 10 Carmcrs. Smularty, D rICk! openIJOlIS umt5 of BENTHA. wbdl wen:: hltbeno cklsed down ...~ ~ and po!Iuoncd 10 mec:! the nI:Ieds of r.m.:n iIf each of the kx:aJ gov. c:mment 1XIlIIIci1 _~ JUSI as the goymvnc:nI procun:d and diSlribwed 1m: crop rancry toob lOr IIIC' by the D.....1sIonIl Agnculrural 0fIia:n: DAD, -=nISI thc: 1l1oc:al COUIIClI be:adquar. IC11 or thc: Stale. The Ii'll: stock Ic:dOr ..-.5 not left out In the agncultural revorubOO c:mbluked upon the Suswam adnuru5tntlon ""1m the rehabifi.. taOon and n::!tOCkltlg of !be bvcsaoc:k-bfuding centn:: II R.uv, !hal centr'l! his been n::-capIICl1IIed to c:mure the improvc:mc:nl or Ibc: local I:Red.5 With exotIC breeds for enhanced performance in aerms of meal Iplity, milk and nwnbcrs of offspring: today that centre ~ I IMp source of!be protein nc:c:ds of the: people of tbe: SIlIte." Sltd Ahegba, Not Ignonud or the ra'lllgmg effects of Ilve stock d15c::ases and ics Ittendant~, the Muusay of Agriculture: embarlted on I IIU1S5IV'e facehft lind restocking ofdlC 5l1tll:: 0WIIc:d ~c:rinary climes at GboIto, Kacsina·Ala and OI:ukpo for effective live stock d.iseMe c:onlrol even as quanmtlnc: centrb were. consttuctc:d in Gboko and Makurdi 10 ensure that stnnge live melt diseIsc::s did not pcrw:tra1e the SUIte just IS the IbatIOU'S in all the major markets in these tov.'IIS WI:n:: n::hab!huucd and repositioned ror ~ lIOn
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8Ctivities. These rneasura have mdeed CIICOID&c:d lil'C: 5IOCk farmtog in paru: of !be swc:. evident 111 the IUddcrI up5UI'8Ie III the ytdd and sudden drop m the: prices ofV1lrious live stock. products. And being .~~~ofonc:ofthel?tggcst. ,!'-:efJind!e.~. !bc:.~ ~ abo received the IIUC:nborl of govemmmt with the: rc:ac.
IlvatlOl'l oftbe tona andoned fuhenes depanmmI and ronstruclion of I pc:rimela' fmc::c:: and ttwe IarBC flSh ponds II !he batchery which hal started servicing Ihe fish needs of the: people. Mention most abo be: mMIe of the rt::V'IvaJ or the ace1aimc:d Abita Fishing and CulI1nI Festival, Fc:stivaJ wbich drew tounsU from acms:!I the gJobc: has celc:bntted in three: COIIICCUUve yem, 2008,2:009,2Q IO and 201ldnwing 'IIsiton Illention to !be rich cultwal and tourism poIentiab of the SlIte leaving an indelible impresSIOO in dre mindsoflllllllc:ndanlll who have repc:aledlycoofc:ssed that they all look forwatd 10 visiting LakeAkata losavourtbe ncb cuhun!I heritage of !be people: of 8enue SIIIe. According 10 0Cklb1i. the stile: govanment was dc:temuned to Imke good its promi_ 10 the people of the .state. especially on the oompIete uans:fonnation of the agro-alhed sector. He .id the CU1U11 gkIbaI c:c:onorruc: down rum is a wilke up call 10 the people of the Male 10 take up !he dnvmg SICIl of the nauon's economy by devoting axrzy and rc::5OI.Ut:eS 10 It. SCICtor .ssunng that !be Suswam-led admaustntuon is C'Icr ready 10 pr0vide the: enablm, crmronment 10 lid Ihc:m accomplish tbat feaL He further stated tIIIl the has n::rmttc:d TllJ oounu:rpan funds 10 the FADAMA III programme wbid! bas fuUy IIkm off m the 23 council an::u of the 5Qte JUSl 81 II has mMIe plymenl5 and c:oIlc:c1c:d 1.200 1m! of IIOIJhum and maw: allotted to II by the Federal Govc:rnment for disuibuhon 10 the: populace 10 cushion the effectS or !he global food amL The Comnus5IoDcr saKI in a bid 10 cb-ciop and mnch the technology of Bmue I'armm.. the: govc:rmnc:nt UI\lted I telin of qnc:ulturalists &om Iowa Swc: Uni~uy of the United SlIItes of Amc:ric:a., 10 assist the sate gov. crnment esablJ..5h detnctnstnuJoo flml5 In four Iocauons III the
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Aoconbna 10 hint.. good number of offlCetS In the.stlle cstablishmenlll hive been nined I' the unl\'mllty, while others arc: cum:ntly undc:rping tntinina II the institution al the: end of whIch they would manage the demonstratioo fanm cstJbbshed ICfOSS the state. He added that under litis progr1Il11tl\C', elftcic:nt txtenslon !IO'YICCS would be renden::d 10 Bcrrue flllTl'lC'fS for ,ncreased productivily and yiekb In all sphcn:s of agriculture 00Iy weeks ago. the: SUIte govanmr:ol!KltlrCl:d 0Yc:I' I bil· lion IlIIlf1, 10m! &om the Federal GoYamnent. whidt WIIS adequately diJbuBc:d as to.ns to over 200 fumc:rs. Abo 0Je 10 the policy of the govemrncr1I: many pnvate firms are taIang advantage and In:: invc:Jtma 111 huge prooe5SUlB: plantsOnly a few 'M!Cb ... PrcsKknt Goodluclt Jonathan c:ornrms-, ~ an \lltnt Modc:qI &wI conc:erur.te p.1ant .0wnc:4 I:Iy Trans NIIiooaI Company of Niger;. (TItANSCOP),
rew