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Agriculture
Fi n ancialVanguard Expansion: Notore earmarks US$lbiliion to build new plant BY OI\.NIEL ETEG I-IB
M
anagmQ Dlrectorof
Notare,
Mr.
Onajile Paul Okoloko , has said the compan y has earmarked about USflbillion to build iu new plant In Dnne. Rivers State, in otd~r to meet up Wlth the rate of consumption of fer-
tilizers anoss the country. Speakin ll during an Interactiv(> session with newsmen allhe Browns Cafe in VictOflil Island, lagos. Mr. Okoloko pointed out tbat Nigenans oonsumeabout one
million ml'lTic tons of fertilizers yearly, adding Utal it could even rise up to three and a hall million metric tons U the market demand goes higbeL
Okoloko further noted that the need to expand was drtven by the company's determination to meet the demand of Nlgerillns, pointing out that presently. the companycan aruy produce about 500,000 metric tons of fertilizers annually. "Our plant can presently produce aoout 500,000 metric tonsoflertilizers and because we cannot meet the demand of Nigerians, we are expanding to mel' t up with thetr demand," he affirmed. The CEO 3.dded -that the expansion that the company was doing now was with its own funds In bringing new products into the market but stIessed Ihat in buildlDg the new plant Ihe company would go to the stock e.z.change market. He said: "We will be in the stock exchange market, the plan is that by the end of this year, we would have completed the plant and by the first quarter of next year, we will be in the rnarket." "\\Ie are expanding with our own fund ~ hut in buUding a brand new plant, we will go to lbe malket. It will cost us about US~lbillion to build our new plant We are definitely planning to build a bigger plant but I I'an', tell you the capacily but it is going to be larger thitn those ones that we have. ami it is going to be in our Onne office," be affinned. Also speaking, Group Chief Technical Officer of Notore, Me. Charles Odlta noted that Notore was poised to create the habit of using fertilizers amongst Nigerian fanners by making it al:fordable to them.
Attracting Africa youths to agriculture: the way forward TI
e President of Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). Dr. Namaga Ngongi, was at Ihe recently held International conference on "Young People, Farming & Food : the lulure of the AgriJood sector In Africa," in Accra, Ghana In his paper on Ihe role 01 Young People in Alrica ' s Agriculture revolution . Dr. Ngongi spoke extensively on measures Ihal will make agriculture aW'active 10 the
youths. Aller /lIe presentation. he spoke wjlh ;oumalis/.s, Jlm o h Dabatun de, who was there capture., his Ihoughts. Excerpts: On ihe.coll 'e.rence This conference IS both Important and lImely AgrIculture is the backbone of sub-Saharan Africa's rural economies. Yet, the vast ma- • From left: Dr. Namogo Ngongl, President 0/ Alliance for Green RevoluUon III Africa (AGRA) jonty of hUman assets and capital oJ Africa remalQS with Mr Jamah Bawr and Jim Sumbetg ofllle Fulure Agriculture.! at the recenUy held inlernalional conference on ~ung People, FamUllg & Food: the future of the Agrifood sedor In locked out of this economic Africa in Accra. Ghana. sector across the entire agri· cultural value chain - from farming to research, innovacuHuraUrural market and lion. product development exclusion in policy dis and market participation. cussions and instituted Recent statistics indicate poliCies as National poli· that young people make up cies rarely feature the con· approximately 30 per cent of cerns or issues or young the total populauon in Africa_ people on the future of With nearly 60 per cent oJ food , farming and develAfnca's population residing in opment. rural areas and the large Today. there is a growmajority made up of youth. ing realisation that young half of them betJlg young people have enormous powomen and girls. the poor participation of young people bring innovation into the sec- entrepreneurs across the food! tential for innovation and nsk-talung that IS often at 10 farming and the tor has in many ways pushed agricultural value cham. In this effort, AGRA recogn- the core of growth and deagricwtura.l economy must be our young people away from seen as a matter of grave business opportu.nilies in ag- ises the potential of young velopment in rural areas . men and women as active The youth response to the concern to all ; indeed it riculture and into more attracduect1y threatens the future of tIVe sectors like information agents in the transrormation lCT Innovation and the agriculture and rural and communication technolo-- of Africa 's agriculture and opportunities that stem poverty reduction. But the from ICT stands as a pow · economic transformation on gy (leT) or finance . the continent. Given agriculture's major evidence is compelling that erful testament of the ca· young people encounter sig- pabilities of Africa 's IfJoung people livlOg in role in the rural economy, it rur areas do not find enough has significant potential to nificant constraints and disad· young men and women . The challenge that we incentives, prOfitable provide solutions to the vantages in their attempt to must take up, as leaders, economic opportunities and current problems of youth engage in agriculture. O n th e conslra in ts ide nU- facilitators , and policyattractive environments in unemploymen t on the makers in Africa 's agricul , wluch to live and work. they continent and slow the pace lied by AGRA Amongst these constraints, tural development is to will continue to migrate to of rural-urban migrabon. the following stand out: Young build the capacities of cities in large numbers and On wha t to do 10 a ttract the people in rural areas, young people - male and the opportunity to atlracl a youth to a grlcuJture steady flow 01 investments Lo Clearly, there is an urgent espeCially the women, are female, and equip them to transform Africa's agpcultural task at hand. As leaders in often disadvantaged with low address the emerging resector will be missed. agricultwal development , levels of education and liter- C(wreOlents of an attracThis trend would not only policymakers and profession- acy. They often have few - tive agricultural and non· contribute to the mega urban- als, we must articulate new er opportunities lor gain- larm rural economy that isation and growing urban visions oJ agriculture that can ful employment in farm - offers prospects for viable unemployment that is already be attractive to young people ing and non-farming rural incomes and good quality under way. but could also af- and align with their aspu-a- agricultura) livelihoods . of life . Young people have fewTo make agriculture atfect global food production. lions and interests . Who will then feed the global The vision of the Alliance for er chances to obtain capi- tractive to the young, we tal or credit and assets : must invest in education population thai is projected to a Green Revolution in Africa reach 9,2 billion people by (AGRA) is a deeply exciting Access to credit in rwal fi- at all levels, support ag20501 one. It is of an agricultural re- nancial institutions is of- ricultural innovation , On why the youths are not naissance, a vision of a food len lied to availability of build market infrast ructaking 10 agricul ture secure and economically collateral (usually land) ture and i mprove the busi· For the most part, farming .. prosperous Africa, marshaling t.hat young people do not ness environment in ways that will raise incomes practices in African agricul- the capacities of a new have . Otheu are access to ex- and expand lhe agrictHtu~ have not changed in gen· generation of agricultwal tension and vocational tural value chain . erations. Lack of support to scientists, extension improve p rod uctivit y and professionals and t raining; access to agrl-
, We must articulate new visions of agriculture that can be attractive to young people and align with their aspirations and interests
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