Agriculture
Wet season farmers in Gombe lament high cost of inputs
With the commencement of wet season farming, many farmers in Gombe State have lamented the high cost of agricultural inputs.
The farmers expressed their concerns in separate interviews with newsmen on Wednesday in Gombe.
Alhaji Musa Arab, a large scale rice farmer, said that farmers were now worried about the prices of fertiliser and other inputs.
According to him, farmers have never found it so difficult to buy inputs.
Arab stated that if nothing was done about the prices of inputs, Gombe farmers’ capacity to engage in large scale farming would be reduced.
He said that many farmers were forced to take loans to embark on farming this wet season, not knowing if the rains would be enough to give them a good harvest.
Mr Bitrus Zaccheaus, a farmer from the Billiri community, said that the high cost of inputs would affect productivity as many farmers were forced to reduce the size of the farmland often cultivated by them.
Zacchaeus said agricultural inputs such as improved seeds, fertilisers and pesticides were now more expensive.
He stated that he was forced to “cut down on the number of fertilisers, seeds and chemicals which he said were critical to successful crop production.”
Alhaji Ibrahim Na-Bingi, a farmer in the Deba community, said many farmers, who cleared their farmlands, could not cultivate them due to the high cost of inputs.
Na-Bingi appealed for support for farmers in the state, adding “it is not too late for the government to still support farmers in Gombe State to cultivate more crops this year.”
“If this is not done, many farmers may become poor because they would have spent a lot to farm and may not get as many returns on their investments.”
Others who spoke to newsmen from Nafada Local Government Area also shared the same experience while calling for urgent support.
It was gathered that the prices of fertilisers at the Gombe main market have increased compared to the previous year.
PK 15-15-15 (50kg) that was sold for between N15, 000 and N18, 000 now sells for between N25,000 and N31, 000 depending on their quality.
Urea (50kg) which was sold for between N11,000 and N11, 500 the previous year, now sells for between N19, 000 and N19, 500.
Also, 4kg of improved maize seed which was sold for N750, now sells for N2, 500; 1kg of improved rice seed increased from N1,200 to N1,700.
(NAN)
The Borno Government has announced the creation of Ministry of Livestock and Fishery Development to align its
Development strategy with Federal Government initiatives, and boost the state’s economic potential.
Gov. Babagana Zulum made the announcement on Tuesday during the swearing in of two commissioners at the council chambers of the Government House.
Zulum underscored the importance of livestock and fisheries as vital sectors with untapped revenue potential.
He emphasised that the new ministry would focus on high-yield livestock breeds, milk production and fisheries, targeting both domestic consumption and export opportunities.
The governor said that “no state government can make substantial money in livestock alone, but we believe with the right investment and political will, the sector can generate significant revenue.”
He said that the growing demand for milk by yogurt companies and the proximity of Maiduguri to Asian and Arab markets, are great opportunities for dairy exportation.
The governor, therefore, assigned the Deputy Governor, Dr Umar Kadafur, to oversee the activities of the new ministry, citing his practical experience and passion for livestock development.
He said “livestock development is not just about academic qualifications, it is about practice and the deputy governor has demonstrated capability in that regard.”
According to him, the ministry will prioritise procuring high-yielding livestock varieties, enhancing milk production and creating sustainable rural projects to support
Local communities.
He said that projects in Mafa, Gajiram and in Southern Borno will soon be launched under the new ministry’s purview.
The governor urged civil servants and ministry personnel to take ownership of the new initiative, adding that the ministry’s success would contribute to the states
Long-term economic stability and self-reliance.
The Port Harcourt Refinery, managed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) through the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited (PHRC) has commenced operations after undergoing rehabilitation and modernisation.
The refinery with 210,000 bpd refining capacity located at Alesa, Eleme, in Port Harcourt, comprises two operational units which were established in 1965 and 1989.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the old plant refines a capacity of 60,000 barrels per day (bpd), while the new plant refines 150,000 bpd.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government, under former President, Muhammadu Buhari, had in March 2021 secured a 1.5 billion dollars loan to rehabilitate the facility which contract was awarded to an Italian firm, Tecnimont S.P.A, a subsidiary of Maire Tecnimont Group.
NAN) reports that Malam Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd. is leading the team to inspect the first lifting of petroleum product from the facility after its rehabilitation.
Alia appoints head of agric company, others
Gov. Hyacinth Alia has approved the appointment of Mr. Donald Aorkwagh Akule as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Benue State Agricultural Development Company (ADC).
The governor also approved the appointment of Dr Aondoakaa Asambe as Principal Special Assistant (PSA) on Livestock Development and Animal Transboundary Disease Control.
The appointments were announced in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Sir Tersoo Kula, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Makurdi on Friday.
According to the statement, the governor also appointed Mr Abraham Agogo as Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Community Mobilisation.
The statement added that the appointments take immediate effect.
It said that Akule brings over 15 years of experience in agricultural systems, community development, research and development, and food processing.
He holds a B.Sc. in Food Science and Technology from Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, and is a Certified Fellow in Agricultural Systems Development under USAID and Lagos Business School.
Meanwhile, Asambe, a member of the Nigeria Veterinary Medical Association and a registered veterinary surgeon with the Veterinary Council of Nigeria, has been a lecturer at Federal University, Dutsima, for the past 12 years.
He holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Agriculture, Makurdi (now Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi).
He also holds a postgraduate degree in Food Animal Medicine at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
OISD Empowers Teachers with Digital Literacy and AI Skills to Revolutionize Education in Nigeria
Commission, journalists partner to revamp water sector in Kaduna
2 ladies docked for allegedly obtaining money by fraud
Facebook, Instagram Temporarily Allow Posts on Ukraine War Calling for Violence Against Invading Russians or Putin’s Death
Nigeria, Other West African Countries Facing Worst Food Crisis in 10 Years, Aid Groups Say
New York Consulate installs machines for 10-year passport
-
Business3 years ago
Facebook, Instagram Temporarily Allow Posts on Ukraine War Calling for Violence Against Invading Russians or Putin’s Death
-
Headlines3 years ago
Nigeria, Other West African Countries Facing Worst Food Crisis in 10 Years, Aid Groups Say
-
Foreign3 years ago
New York Consulate installs machines for 10-year passport
-
Technology4 months agoZero Trust Architecture in a Remote World: Securing the New Normal
-
Entertainment2 years agoPhyna emerges winner of Big Brother Naija Season 7
-
Business7 months agoNigeria Customs modernisation project to check extortion of traders
-
Business9 months agoWe generated N30.2 bn revenue in three months – Kano NCS Comptroller
-
Headlines7 months agoPhilippines’ Vice President Sara Duterte resigns from Cabinet
