Agriculture
EXPORT: FG Moves To Enhance Living Income For Cocoa Farmers, Inaugurates NCMC
The Federal Government has taken steps to enhance living Income Differential of Cocoa Farmers by inaugurating a National Cocoa Management Committee (NCMC).
While inaugurating the Committee in his office in Abuja recently, the Hon. Minister of Agricultural and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar stated that it would boost Living Income Differential (LID) for the Cocoa Smallholder Farmers, Guarantee Quality, Traceability, Transparency and Sustainability for Cocoa Value Chain as well as meet Export Demands.
He added that the initiative would lead to working out modalities for Nigerian cocoa farmers to start benefitting from the project like their counterparts in Ghana and Cote d’ vorie .
Dr. Mahmood Abubakar charged the committee with the task to come up with an urgent draft charter for the operations of NCMC which would enable an Executive Bill to be forwarded to the National Assembly for legal backing so as to meet the demand of joining the Ghana/Cote d’Ivoire initiative to deliver Living Income Differential (LID) of $400/ ton, which would in turn improve the livelihood of small holder Cocoa farmers in the Country.
He pointed out that the role of the Ministry was to provide enabling environment to ensure that the Committee performed its role effectively and achieve mandate.
The Minister revealed that the Members of Committee were drawn from all relevant stakeholders in the public and private sectors in line with Global Best Practices.
In his welcome address, Permanent Secretary, Dr. Ernest Umakhihe pointed out that ‘‘the emergence of this noble Committee was the outcome of the interactive meeting between the Nigerian Cocoa delegation and Ghanaian Cocoa Board held in Accra, Ghana in May, 2022’’.
Dr. Ernest Umakhihe also re-stated the commitment of the ministry towards making hybrid seeds available to farmers, timely provision of pesticides and other critical Cocoa farm inputs, linking the farmers to financial institutions for financial support at affordable rates, support processors in order to add value to the farm produce.
Responding on behalf of the Committee, the Chairman, Engr. Garuba Abubakar assured that the committee would work assiduously towards achieving its mandate and increase the quality of cocoa production and meets export demand.
The Term of Reference of the Committee includes; develop a framework for the regulation and monitoring of the activities of the Cocoa sector to make the industry more transparent, develop a strategic plan towards the establishment of a Nigerian Cocoa Board, serve as a regulatory body in the Nigerian Cocoa sector, upscale their activities to all cocoa producing states, organise and conduct a national conference for Commissioners of Agriculture from 36 states and FCT to sensitize them on the importance of LID and efforts of the Federal Government towards ensuring that small holder cocoa farmers also enjoy the benefit like Ghana and Cote ‘Ivoire, among others.
The newly inaugurated committee has the Director, Federal Department of Agriculture, Engr. Abduallahi Abubakar as Chairman, Dr. Patrick Adebola, Secretary, while Mr. Olutobaba Ajayi, Mr. Ibrahim Mohammed, Mr. S.O.G Tuayeringha, Mr. James Oyesola, Mr Williams Ifere, Prince Martins Awofisayo, Comrade Adeola Adegoke and Mr. Abolarinwa as members.
Agriculture
Nigeria Has About 600, 000 Surviving Cashew Trees To Boost Export – Group
Agriculture group under the aegis of Cashew Association of Nigeria, has disclosed that the country has abundance of cashew Trees spread across the six geopolitical zones sufficient to boost export .
This was disclosed recently by President Cashew Association of Nigeria, Hon. Ojo Ajanaku during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar in Abuja.
Ajanaku noted that Nigeria had about 600, 000 surviving cashew trees spread across the country.
He maintained that currently 75% to 80% of cashew nuts produced in Nigeria are exported, as only very few companies are involved in the local processing of the produce.
The President, therefore revealed that, cashew can grow in any part of the country adding that 60% of the world cashew growth is from Africa.
On his part ,the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar has reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to collaborate with stakeholders in the Cashew Value chain towards enhancing the quality seedlings, Increase Production and Income Generation.
The Minister stated this during a courtesy visit by African Cashew Alliance (ACA) led by its President, Otunba Babatola Faseru, in his office, in Abuja recently.
He revealed that “the focus of the present administration is the growth of the agricultural sector and once that is achieved we have set a base for economic growth”.
The Minister revealed that “every single value chain in the agricultural sector is important and if they come together, they would make a big difference, in the area of Food and Nutrition Security’’.
Speaking further, the Minister said that the Ministry would continue to support Cashew Value Chain, pointing out that, the Ministry had trained smallholders farmers on Cashew Production, Processing and Packaging of the Product.
He added that cashew had become a national commodity that grows across the 36 State of the Federation, pointing out that cocoa was second in terms of foreign exchange earnings to the economy.
The Minister commended the Association for their efforts towards planning of the 1st ACA conference in Abuja, adding that it would improve the value chain and attract investors.
Dr. Abubakar also assured the association that “the Ministry will be involved to make the forthcoming event a great success”.
Earlier, the President of African Cashew Alliance, Otunba Babatola Faseru stated that ACA is a non-governmental organization created in 2005 with the mandate of promoting a global competitive African Cashew industry that would benefit the entire value chain from farmers to consumers, adding that Africa was losing over 2000 jobs. He noted that Cashew could provide over 1000 jobs in Nigeria.
In his words, ”Jigawa and Kebbi States are doing well in Cashew production”, Otunba Faseru added.
He, therefore, solicited for the support of the Ministry to move the Cashew sub-sector forward.
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