Vanguard.. FRIDAY• .JULYZO. ZOU-27
BUSINESS/ AGRICULTURE
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148,000 farmers to benefit from GES scheme in Yobe - Minister "We are looking at the pos-
D
r Bukar TIjjani. Min isle., of State for Ag ricuJlure on Monday
said thai 148,000 farmers in Yolle would benefjt hom the
Growth Enhancement Support IGES) scheme lor lhe 20 12 cropping season . Addressing newsmen in
Damagum in Yobe alief launchlng the GES fertiliser sales to farmers, the minister said "the scheme is target. 109 five million fanners across lhe country this cropping sea·
son",
Gholnhan 1.oh'Q', Gov. o.wl~p ••" .... Dr AkinwU/rmi
He said that government was aware of the challenges of inadequacy of fertilisers under the scheme.
Jigawa gets improved seeds from lilA BY JJMO H BABATUNDE wi,a itguq R.OC1rU
n l.b e comUlg weeks, Ji will be gelling imp10vcd c:owpea and m~ize vatit:bes trom tbe Inll!JT'alioDal Insti· tute e.1 'fIopkal Agnnallure (IITA) as pi"JI '>f eUm\s to he1p improve U"' rortunl(5 of agricultwe In l-'lw:-I stat~ The lMtilule also plans 10 backslOp It>e IlI'wly established state-O'f'Ded CM5G\li\ s loucb ind~l:rJ. hnking 11 to markets ;!Dd aho olirllng
I
9i1Vta ~ta'" ' iUmeJ5
fiU.m~1I imprc,,~ Cill'''saYi!I
plantiDg matena\.s 10 ~Ie a steady supp' , 01 Cill5$D". rools 10UleJ:Kfoty. The ~I,/ O!lI'dOfGe.,("1'·
tbadan, Oyo slate. Dr DillIhieU saw "Ihe instjtute is glad to help Jigiil.wa slale 10 lackle the challenge 01 food insecurity. creat~ wea.lth and improve livelt· hoods . ~
The about lOOOkg 01 improved seeds comprising 500kg 01 cowpea and SOOkg of maiu will be planted acJV5l'> the 27 local governments 01 lhe slale on demonstralton
plob: WItb the support of IMmers and the Jigawa State Agrjcultwal Development Program. Seeds baJYeSted from the demonstrations will ~
Ylvt':n to farmeJS ahead 01 not planting season in 2013, amplilying the benelib: 01 improYe<J technologies to farmers in the slate. TIle Institute will also assist the goyemment by linking buyers to the Jigawa State cassava starch ladory. With an installed proce!lsiog capacity tons 01 cas· sava lOOts per hour. the factory aJ.ms lo add value 10 cassava, U.... reby creating wealUI lor cassava lanners.
0'.
Plans are also 00 tbe table to begin t.be production of gar!. e nd lugb quality cassa-
. .• buys N50m veterinary equipment, vaccines
al. Partn~jp!! arm Glparity Building CtlTMJ Dr K"n1('D Dasbiell, w)'o ilisd()'5{-(ilbis during the week to. Outse. Ji· gawa Slate. sad ~ llll~ next two weeks, tbe btstJlute W"ll be. de.livt!ring ilflpruved~ va planting mater~B :nul· tiplimll.on. .. Cassava. C(M,~a end maue are important ClOps m UI"11
'01
N'genll'snol1h we:stH'D. '-\ilt~. contributing to \hI! lood ~ rity and wealth, fl-alien oIlfl!.I-
lions oj people The donali(''l 01 th l? hn proved pLanb .... tl male!!..I"
comes .ne. th.. .;ro"enwt" of lbe nor1b wnl~n Slili€!:, Oi
Sule Lamido, ~"e a n open in"itatian 10 ,";"oretnt"St agricullwal reseal mslliulf> m Alnca. UTA. to w-Ip 116 90"ernment tum-atO'U1daglkulIwe 01 the Institute'!> 45 th anniversary held on ('July in
eJl
va Dour that can be wed by bakeJs and in Iheconfectionary industry. The introductiou 01 improved cassava varieties will oller the s tate the opportuniIy to tap the power of tbe root crop for its rapid agricultural developmcnL Jigawa State Governor. Dr Swe Lamido thanked UTA 101 DUeling to support lhe slate in ils agricultural translormalion agenda. " We need to develop a s trong partnership to impact positively on the lives of OUI people. ~ lamidosiLId. He pledged to give tbe Institute the neassary support to imPIOft the livelihoods 01 the: people oj the slate.
T
he Jiyawa Goyeln ment said il bil5
bougbt N50 million worth 01 vaccme5aDd vclelJ nary equipment 10 enhance animal health se.rvu:e5. In a slalement in Outre on Monday, the Commissio1'\eJ fOJ Agrirul1UIe. Alhaji R'lbiu )sa, said tbat the equipmf"l1\ were distributed to 80 vf':len Dary clinK's anoss the S't!lt~. Isa said (hat N".5 mllbon was spent on Ute procuremen\ of veterinary surgical eqmp-
men'
He said lhat 1"'6 nullwn ....as spent on VitCCIDe5 pwcUJement, while storage lacihh~ worth mOle tban N5.5 miJh{'ll were distributed 10 the BJmlll kudu, Gumel and Had('Jla vetermary climes, The commissioneJ o;-aJd
WMorco than Nl5 million was on tbe pUlcbase 01 900,000 doses o. animal \laCnnes . druys and lour solar deep beezer between 2010 and 2011. ,""" aim is 10 improve velenn411Y services and curlail
~pen'
oUi break 01 anunal diseases _" He said Illill roore than
N26 million was expended on lhe constTlK:tion of modern slaughter houses at Ma.lam· rnadori and Gumel local gO\! ernmenl a~as of the s late.
sibilities of ove,-eommg this challenge 10 subsequent crop-
pmg seilllons.The minister said the scheme had checked the problems associated with d.iversion and monopoly by marketers, adding that farmers under the scheme had been given the right to buy products from their preferred market."
He said that GES was intended 10 provide food and security and ensure availability 01 seeds and fertilisers to farmers . 'The scheme will also assist in moving fanners from rudimentary subsislence practice to a commercial-based ayri. cwtUTe for an increased income to farmers ." Yobe Governor Alhaj'1 Ibrahim Gaidam who was replesented by the state's Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji ldi Gubana, said lhat govern· ment had procured 17.500 lonnes 01 ferlilisvs fOI dlstnbution 10 farme.rs this oopping season. He said that government had paId N90 million counterpart Jund to lFADand N35 mlllJon lor dredging 01 RiVeJ HadeJia 10enhaJ'K'ewaler Dow 101 irrigation. TIle govetnor noted that government bad also proYided
bore holes. water pumps. Improved seedlings and fertilis ers to irrigation fanners across the s tate.
Ministry to boost fish production in Rivers, 8ayelsa
T
Ie Minister 01 J\gli culture and Rural De
veJopmeDI, Dr Alun-wumi l\desma, said on Mon-
day in Ahuja thai plans were underway 10 boost fish ptoductlon IR Rivers and Bayt>l+
...
Jle said Ihis when King 8.-unabas Ba91a. Vice--Pre:5Ident of the Ogum Sup.erne: Council 01 TIatiitiollal Rule:'s
(OSCTR) led a delegation 10 his oUice. Adesina uplained tl)at 1M mmistry would invest seven million najri'J 0Tl fish production tn Ule h'fU stales. H If' assured them 01 the mmistry's commitment to faImer.<in Ogoni land The minisler urged the delegation 10 mobilise rural Ct.'"' munilies In Ogoni to gel youthS back tt.>
agriCUlture ,