Ifdc quarterly report 4

Quarterly Newsletter

IFDCNigeria AN OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2014 OCTOBER – DECEMBER

1. Roll Out of Agro-Input to Production Expansion (APEx) Project 2. Closure of NAIS Project 3. Mid-Term Review of the 2SCALE Project 4. Facilitating Gender Mainstreaming in Project Activities 5. Inclusion of Urea Super Granules in GES 6. IFDC Showcases Technologies on World Food Day 7. Success Story from NAIS

Roll-Out Of Agro-Input to Production Expansion (Apex) Project

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n October 2014, the Agro-Input to Production Expansion

2Scale’s Mid-Term Review

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nnual midterm review/planning workshop for 2SCALE was held between 5- 8 November 2014 in Accra. All 2SCALE focus countries in West Africa with project

(APEx) project was awarded by the United States Agency

staff and Chief of Party, Regional Coordinators and Regional

for International Development to IFDC. The project’s aims to

Administrative staff were in attendance. Activities carried out

improve the efficiency of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and

so far in 2014 were reviewed and target for 2015 re-examined

Rural Development (FMARD) Growth Enhancement Support

towards implementation. Ã

Scheme, while supporting the development of the Private Input Sector. Other targets include the mainstreaming of gender, improving access to finance and monitoring and evaluation.Ã

NAIS Project Ends

IFDC/MARKETS II team leader explains UDP technology to the Minister

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he Nigeria Agricultural Input Support (NAIS) pilot project which began in May 2014 ended in December 2014. The project supported maize and rice farmers

in Kaduna, Kwara and Niger states. It targeted maize farmers in Kaduna state, and rice farmers in Kwara and Niger states.

Facilitating Gender Mainstreaming in Project Activities

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n December 2014, a gender coaching session was conducted in Oyo state to foster gender mainstreaming within the 2SCALE project activities in Nigeria.

The five-day session brought together participants from A lead farmer on one of NAIS demonstration plots in Nigeria and Benin and Kaduna State. focused on concepts and rationale for gender mainstreaming, cluster gender sensitive mapping, and action planning exercise. The coaching session targeted the learning objectives through participatory, interactive, hands-on and practical tools.Ã

Inclusion of Urea Super Granules in GES

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he Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development approved the introduction of Urea Super Granule (USG) fertilizers as one of the agro-inputs

to be distributed under the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) scheme in the states of Kano, Kebbi, Jigawa, Niger and

The selection of the various states was based on the high rate

Sokoto on a pilot base. The USG fertilizer is a component

of production in the various states of intervention.

of the Urea Deep Placement (UDP) technology introduced in

In November 2014, the project conducted mass field days to showcase to stakeholders the benefits of Syngenta solutions. Representatives present included the staff of the State Agricultural Development Program (ADP), State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, National Cereal Research Institute (NCRI), FADAMA III, Quarra rice mill and RIPMAPP rice mill. Through various sensitizations and trainings the project increased awareness of more than 19,000 farmers on Syngenta solutions.Ã

Nigeria by IFDC but currently being promoted United State Agency of International Development (USAID), Maximizing Agricultural Revenue in Key Enterprises and Targeted Sites II (MARKETS II) project. The UDP technology is a one-time application of urea (briquettes) 5-7cm deep into the soil in between four transplanted rice stands. This technology which is mainly practiced under irrigated system enables farmers to minimize production costs, use less quantity of fertilizer, increase yield and reduces runoff and volatilization rate of urea. The urea briquettes are produced using briquetting machines.Ã

IFDC Showcases Technologies on World Food Day

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o commemorate World Food Day, IFDC attended the National Agricultural

show on the 15th and 16th of October 2014.

The event began on the 13th of October with a symposium and ended on the 16th October 2014 with an exhibition of agricultural products.

Attendees of the event included actors from research institutes, non-profit organizations, agro-allied companies, farmers and traders in agricultural produces.

UPCOMING EVENTS {{ IFDC Nigeria to participate in World Fertilizer Program to be hosted in March {{ APEx {{ Participate in John Deer and TATA’s event in kaduna, Kano and Sokoto state

During the event IFDC showcased its current project and increased awareness of IFDC’s contributions to agricultural development in the country. The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs Ibukun Odusote attended the event and visited IFDC’s booth where she learned about IFDC’s projects and technologies At the end of the event, about 90 spectators visited the IFDC’s booth. Ã

{{ Networking of new rice farmers in Niger and Kano state {{ SSPs training of 125 youths in Cross River and Ondo state {{ Group dynamics and Leadership skill training {{ NAEC training for agro dealers

{{ Participate in WAFP workshop in March {{ Follow up on partnership agreement with Indorama {{ Follow up on partnership agreement with TATA {{ Identification, mapping and networking of agrodealers under the APEx project {{ Conduct agro-dealer training for identified agrodealers

2SCALE {{ Follow up on LAPO in Benin on next steps for scaling up on access to credit/outcome of pilot in Pampaida {{ Follow up with Psaltry on cassava farmers {{ Training cluster actors on solar Drier {{ Business meeting with EWIT

MARKETS II

{{ Meeting with Psaltry management of issues raised by farmers

{{ UDP step down training to benefiting rice farmers for the 2014/2015 dry season GES in Niger, Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto and Kebbi states

{{ Meeting with BSS to integrate specific activities on gender into ongoing action plans and those pending

{{ 2014/2015 dry season GES monitoring and supervision in Niger, Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto and Kebbi states

{{ Meeting with BSS on M&E related issue/Mfarm

{{ Site assessment and selection for UDP/DPS demo plots in Niger state {{ Establishment of UDP/DPS demo plots in Niger and Kano state

{{ Baseline data collection in Psaltry cassava clusters {{ Follow up on Established Demos {{ Follow up on Partnership Agreement with Miva Rice

Nurturing Agriculture: from Culture to Business

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illage in Markarfi LGA, Kaduna state. She became engaged in agriculture as a child, accompanying her parents to their family farm to help weed and prepare the land for planting. Now Maryam is married, with five children and is doing what she knows best - farming.

In May 2014, Maryam learned about the Nigeria Agro-Input Support (NAIS) project through an agro-dealer in her village.

He convinced her to participate in the project’s activities to i m p ro v e h e r knowledge on new farming methods. Under the NAIS project, Maryam was selected as a lead farmer, and since joining the project she has introduced more than 200 women to the project. She and her colleagues participated in several agricultural training programs delivered by NAIS. These trainings include: how to read pesticide labels, understand their contents and functions, how to apply herbicides, how to know and apply the right agrochemical.

Maryam donated one-eighth of her

farm to serve as a demonstration plot, showcasing to farmers the results obtained from using Syngenta’s set of solutions in combination with good agricultural practices. Her colleagues were amazed that she harvested five bags of maize harvested from such a small portion of land and that she did not need to weed throughout the planting season because she used the right type of herbicide. According to Maryam, “I have always thought I had to spray my farm field three to four times to get rid of weeds, which used to be a major problem for me. Now I know better. Through the trainings I got to learn about several agrochemicals such as Apron Plus, Fusilade, Gramaxone, Solito, Touchdown, among others.”

Last year, Maryam harvested six bags from her 1.2ha farm field, meaning that she will, more than triple her yields in the next season.

“With the proceeds from my field I will purchase the needed herbicides and pesticides next year along with other inputs. I am looking forward to practicing all the good agronomic practices that I have learned on my whole farm field. “This will increase my yields and profits, making farming my business.”Ã

Mrs E. Bassey Head, Information Unit Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority Abuja

IFDC Nigeria #6 Ogbagi Street, Off Oro Ago Crescent Garki 2, Abuja, Nigeria.