26-- Van!",ard.. FRlD'I\Y. OCTOBER 21. 2.11
BUSINESSj AGRICULTURE
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'Why we are Investing in agriculture' Lamido HE Governor of lig<'lwa State. Sule Lamido. said his government is invesling heavily in agriculture because over 90 per cent of the stat's population are involved in it. He added " It is common knowledge Ula! agriculture in Ihis part of the country accounts (or ovcr 90 per cenl 01 our people's preoccupation. But it is not only subsistent, it is also human labour-driven in the hi-tech 2 1st Century. Not only is this condition pitiable, we a.fe also harassed by the protocols of the World Trad e Organisation when t h e Jigawa Cermer is put on the slIme pedes t el with hi s European or American counterpart.
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Hunger and poverty
World Food Day: Fashola tasks Nigefians on small scale farm~ng By MQNSUlt OLOlVOOPE,JO
A S Nignians weekend L-l.,ioi ned th e rest oC the world in cele?rIlIting the "'arid Food D<'IY, Go路remor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has called on Nirerians to eng!!ge in fanning by setting .!side a portion of lflfld in their houses to J)raclice srr.all scale farming . Pashola. w ... o spoke at the 2011 WQrld FoodiAgric show organ ised by the state goverllment themed; 'Food Prices; from crisis to stability'. at lkejil, said ''one major weys 10 end food Insecurity in the country, is for Nigeritlns 10 engage in one fanning business or ULe oUter." He added t la! it is essential for Nigerio!ln ; irrespective oC who they a-e to rC!lerve a portion of land in their vdlious houses for growing crops. According to the governor who \\"os rerresenled by the slale Head of Service, Mr Adesegun OJUnlewe. " I urge Nigerians ~o ha ve small gardens illo\ lnd their houses where they can plant vegelables l nd edible-Cruits !luch as; Pitinga. cherry and crees like C( coanul, cashew and others H' landscape their houses and surroundings . " In the UIbm areas, wbere there is spa';e constraint we could pt<!ctic~ vertic.al fanning and improlois! small tra rs and ho:::es p l ao:::~ on terraces t'Lnd
balcon.ies to p I ant vegetable and small fruit s 201 J world food day iJDd agric sholt' in ugos besides their ornament plants." fasbola added . entrepreneurial young fanner.; of Ule state." While speaking on the wilt replace ageing Carmer.;. In his remarks, the stllte measures embarked upon by FftShole o!Idded Ulat in order Commissioner for Agriculture the sto!lte government in to increase the number of and Cooperative, Mr. tackling food crisis in Ule state. young farmers in Ule stllte, the Gbolaban l..i!wal noted that the the governor said "the stllte government hftS included the year's WoIld Food is unique government launch ed 5ununer school programme for due 10 the remarkable Agricultural Youth secondlU)' school pupils in the improvement in the output of Empowerment Scheme state. the farmer.s . Law<'I1 <'Idded lh<'ll AGRIC-YES to I_ch gl"o'lduate -rhe first edition of tb e the state government WIlS and under gradullte in the state programme which commenced detennined to support farmer.; modern method oC farm ing this year, witnessed the in the st<'lte wiUI provision of w hich will in turn boost Cood p&rticipation of 60 students and facilities that wouJd enhance production to oUidms who were drawn their lartn outputs. He noted thllt this educated (rom Ule six educational district
"It was wilh this in mind and to save the l igawa fanner Irom slipping further into peq>etu.al hunger and poverty tbat we rolled ou t certo!lin progrllmmes to a s s ist our f!!rmers in terms of rock bottom fertiliser prices. improved and high yielding seeds , subsidised tractor 路 prices and hiring. loans facilities lor work bull an d appliances. farm extension services. crop fumigation and pests aerial sprlly, opening of F<'Iddlna irrigation in suiteble local government a reas lor our youths and government's purchftSe of excess harvest liS incentive to gl"Ow more," IAmido <'Idded "When you put a thing like this in place, you trigger economic activities, you think of ho w to preserve them and get them to the market . Loans are being given tn small scale fanners . " Lamido disclosed that the Goventnlent is ever willing to suppo rt any investor in tltis regard. "Land is our own oil. we are wiUjng 10 give land to interested inves tor. Within three months 01 applying for land you are through with your certilk<'lle of occupancy."
Fanners owe Zamfara Govt N5.5bn from fertiliser loans ARMERS in Zamfara who F benetilled Irom rortiliserl <'Igriculture inputs loan e.re owing thl': govl':rnment NS .S bUllion , s<'lys Sen . Saidu Dansadau , the C hairmen, Debt Verification Committee. It was reported thaI the loan was disbursed by the Z<'Imf<'lr<'l Comprehell!ive Agricultural Revolution Progro!lmme (ZACAREP) . Dansad a u disclosed thi s during th e week in GUSllU while prese nting the committee's re port tq Qov. Ahdulaziz: Ya n .
owe Zamfara State consideration th e needs uf peasllnt fanners. Government as much tIS NS .5 11le committee chairman offered them by ZACAREP to billion from unpaid fertiliser noted that small and mediull1buy ferlilisers and olher loans." inputs al subsidised rates and According to him, seid scole Carmers h!!d prominent roles to play to realise tbe pay btlck <'liter h!!rvesl. some p rivileged farmers government's lood security "n is unCortunate tildl while b ad over lhe years, and poverty eradication the government introduced co r nered subsidised the programme to encouro!lge Certiliserslloan lor inputs at o!Igenda . Responding, Yari massive agriclillural the expense of stnftll a.nd commended th e committee for production in the state. both medium -scale farmers who the subsidy and loans payable produced the greater doing t1 thorough job and after harvest we re abused. percentage of food crops pledged to implemen t its recommendations. "As at Ihe moment, our consumed by Ule peopte. fin djngs revealed tho!lt the He urg ed the governmen t I<uget lanners, lhrough their to review t h e lIctivities e mir<'lte councils. who ~~o.Qd ..... ~f 7--~C;:~REP by ta,kjn.g i nj.Q .. . d'!' gl.!du.!ltQr! for the l o ~n :;. He accused the beneliciaries
01 abusing the opportunity