FG, Partners to Spearhead 50 Hectares All-Season Farming in Katsina

The National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with key partners to launch a 50-hectare all-season demonstration farm at the Sabke Dam in Katsina State.

This project, many say, is a major step towards utilising the dam infrastructure for all-year-round agriculture.

The partnership, signed during a formal ceremony attended by the Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Radda, lawmakers, the Sokoto Rima River Basin Authority, and private sector stakeholders including OCP Africa and The Infrastructure Bank, sets out a collaborative framework for the farm’s development.

The MoU defines clear roles and responsibilities for NADF, OCP Africa, the Katsina State Government (KTSG), and the Sokoto Rima River Basin Development Authority (SRRBDA).

The Executive Secretary of NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim, in his remarks, noted that the agreement is a concrete outcome of a strategic public-private partnership aimed at demonstrating the commercial viability of all-season agriculture using Sabke Dam’s irrigation infrastructure.

Speaking at the event, Ibrahim described the initiative as a proof of concept to show how water infrastructure can be optimised for modern agriculture.

He revealed that following a visit to Katsina State, the NADF decided to take concrete steps by first funding “very bankable technical and commercial feasibility for the optimisation of this dam.”

“While that is ongoing, private partners came to us knocking to say we are also interested in seeing how this place can be optimised. And that is why we are here today,” he added.

The farm will feature four staple crops — maize, sorghum, cowpea and soybeans — and serve as a live demonstration site covering the entire agricultural value chain, from land preparation to seed selection, soil nutrition, crop management, harvesting, post-harvest handling, and market access.

“This model farm will showcase an outline of everything from proper land preparation through to seed genetics, plant nutrition, harvest and post-harvest, and hopefully a go-to market strategy,” Ibrahim said. He, however, commended the Katsina State Government for providing a supportive investment environment.

“We would like to express our heartfelt appreciation, not only for receiving us, but for making an investment-ready climate. The Katsina State Government is providing land clearing, mechanization and farm management support for this project,” he noted.

Ibrahim also highlighted the roles of the other partners. OCP Africa, as technical manager, has completed a full soil mapping of the Sabke Dam irrigable area and will lead the development of custom fertiliser blends aligned with specific soil and crop types.

“OCP has done a complete soil mapping and will now utilise that to showcase how blends should be put where they are in tandem with soil and crop type,” Ibrahim stated.

The Infrastructure Bank is acting as a financier for key inputs, while NADF will serve as the overall project manager.

Ibrahim was optimistic about the project’s potential to become a replicable model. “When the studies are out, we will not only have a reputable bankable study, but we will have a model on the ground to showcase,” he said.

While expressing support for the initiative, Governor Radda said: “When the idea of the project was introduced to me, I quickly jumped into it, given the fact that the chain of benefits it will have on the economy of our state and on the livelihood of our people,” he said.

He emphasised the importance of continuous agricultural activity: “We want to have activities in that project all year round, so that we keep our people busy, we keep our facilities busy, and we optimize the use of the resources spent to build that very big dam that has been left fallow for a very long time.”

Dr Alik Orevaoghene of OCP Africa said the farm would serve as a hub for capacity building. “The farm serves as a platform for teaching and for training smallholder farmers on good agronomic practices,” he said.

According to the MoU, OCP is also expected to provide quality fertilisers for the farm and for any out-grower schemes.

Abubakar Malam, Managing Director of SRRBDA, hailed the effort as a revival of dormant infrastructure.

CREDIT – Nairametrics

News

Kogi Table Water Producers Decry Multiple Taxation

The Association of Table Water Producers in Kogi State, Nigeria, has lamented over what it termed excessive and multiple taxation by federal and state revenue agencies, which, according to them, has resulted in the closure of more than 36 factories in Lokoja alone.

In a release signed on Sunday by its state Chairman and Secretary, Mr Moses Momoh and Mr Sadiq Uteno, the association said the growing number of shutdowns had resulted in significant job losses and deepened economic hardship among its members.

“Our members are subjected to a plethora of taxes and levies, which include Signage fees, Haulage charges, Environmental levies, NASDRA certification documentation fees (N70,000) per factory and SON fees (N8,400) also per factory,” the group said.

Speaking further in the release, the group further listed emblem charges of N17,500 per vehicle, vehicle branding at N15,000 per vehicle, and a daily haulage fee of N1,000 per truck as part of the financial burdens crippling their operations.

The statement stressed that the cumulative effect of these taxes has led to a significant increase in production costs, making it impossible for many of its members to remain in business.

“For instance, the cost of a bag of pure water has skyrocketed from N150 to N400 due to these taxes,” the statement added.

According to the statement, the association has written several letters to the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Ododo, appealing for relief and waivers on some of these taxes.

He added, “We urge the government to take immediate action to address this issue and provide a conducive business environment for our industry to thrive.

“We equally appeal to the government to review and rationalise the taxes and levies imposed on our industry, provide relief and waivers to help our members recover from the devastating impact of multiple taxation and also create a favourable business environment that promotes economic growth and job creation.”

The association, however, commended the governor for his people-oriented administration, expressed confidence that the government would favourably attend to their plea.

“Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo is a listening governor who is more compassionate to the well-being of the people,” the statement added.

News

Tackling Food Scarcity: Minister Urges Adoption of Tech Innovations

Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has tasked farmers and agriculturists in general to consider introducing technological innovations into their farming practices to tackle food scarcity in the country.

Kyari made the call on Wednesday at the ongoing 9th Annual Conference and 68th Annual General Meeting of the Association of Deans of Agriculture in Nigerian Universities (ADAN), held in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.

Speaking at the event which is being held at the Federal University of Lafia and tagged ‘Transforming Agricultural Education for Sustainable Food Security and National Economic Growth’, Kyari, who was represented by the Director of the Federal Department of Agriculture Extension, Ayodele Olawumi, assured Nigerians of the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to tackle food scarcity in the country.

Declaring the annual conference open, the minister noted that the Federal Government had initiated new agricultural innovations through the Renewed Hope Agenda, geared towards enhancing productivity among farmers, especially those in rural communities.

Kyari challenged the deans of agriculture at Nigerian universities to harmonise their curriculum in line with national policies to produce the next generation of agro professionals and innovators for sustainable food security in the country.

He stressed the importance of agriculture in achieving economic growth, maintaining that the present administration of President Bola Tinubu had prioritized the sector.

The minister, therefore, tasked all stakeholders in the agriculture sector to leverage the various policies and programmes of the federal government to address the challenges of food insecurity.

“Developing strategies to ensure food security through the promotion of training, research and innovative agricultural techniques, and enhancing agricultural entrepreneurship and job creation are some of the ways to modernise the agricultural sector of the country.

“Under President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda, we will continue to work towards ensuring that Nigerians have enough food, through digital agriculture and the various technological innovations,” he added.

Speaking on the theme, “Capacity Building and Entrepreneurship Development for Agricultural Transformation”, the keynote speaker, Professor Abu Godwin, noted that the under-funding of agricultural institutions had severely constrained the institutions from developing world-class training and research capabilities.

He lamented that many faculties of agriculture operate with obsolete equipment and have poorly maintained laboratories and inadequate demonstration farms, which creates a sharp contrast between classroom theory and the reality of modern agriculture best practices.

Professor Godwin, therefore, emphasised the need for a paradigm shift in agricultural education to address the challenges of food security and national economic growth.

Also speaking, the president of the Association of Deans of Agriculture in Nigerian Universities, Professor James Joyeoba, lamented that the current system of agriculture education in the country is faced with significant challenges, hence the need for the urgent transformation of agriculture education to empower more Nigerians, especially the youth and women, with the practical knowledge on how to enhance crop and livestock production.

The vice chancellor of the Federal University of Lafia, Professor Shehu Abdul Rahman, earlier in his welcome address, urged the participants to be innovative in sharing ideas in order to identify strategies that could help to improve agricultural production for food security and the economic development of the country.

News, videos

Strange Happenings: The Day It Rained Fish in Teiran

On May 24th,2020, a strange incident occurred as a social media viral video showed fish falling from the sky like rain in Yasuj, Iran. This rare happening, which many attributed to storms or tornadoes, involves fish falling during rainfall. Similar occurrences of animals raining down have been reported globally, including snakes.

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/193KnBS4av

Numerous videos are going viral on social media, capturing the extraordinary sight of fish raining from the sky in Yasuj, a city in western Iran. These clips depict fish falling onto the ground, as well as one showing a man catching fish as he witnesses this rare event. Although fish rain isn’t a new phenomenon, it’s still fascinating to understand how it happens.

Source: www.economictimes.indiatimes.com

Tips & Tricks

How To Make Pancakes

Pancakes are a tasty and versatile breakfast food made from a batter of flour, eggs, and milk, cooked on a griddle or frying pan. They can be sweet or savory, topped with fruits, syrups, whipped cream, or even meats and vegetables.

Health Benefits

1. Energy boost: Pancakes provide carbohydrates, which give you energy for daily activities.

2. Nutrient-rich: Depending on ingredients, pancakes can contain essential nutrients like protein, fiber, and vitamins.

3. Mood booster: The tryptophan in pancakes helps produce serotonin, regulating mood.

4. Customizable: Pancakes can be made healthier with whole wheat flour, fruits, and nuts.

Easy Pancakes Recipe for Beginners

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons melted butter or vegetable oil
Optional: vanilla extract or other flavorings (e.g., cinnamon)

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt until well combined.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg and then add the milk and melted butter (or oil). If desired, add a splash of vanilla extract or other flavorings for extra taste.

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spoon or whisk until just combined. It’s okay if the batter is slightly lumpy. Let the batter rest for about 10-15 minutes.

While the batter is resting, preheat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat.

Once the skillet is hot, adding a little more butter or oil to the skillet then scoop 1/4 cup of batter onto the skillet for each pancake. Use the back of the measuring cup or a spoon to spread the batter slightly into a round shape.

Cook the pancakes until bubbles start to form on the surface, which usually takes about 2-3 minutes. This indicates it’s time to flip the pancakes.

Carefully flip each pancake with a spatula and cook for another 1-2 minutes on the other side, or until both sides are golden brown.

Remove the cooked pancakes from the skillet and keep them warm. You can place them on a plate in a low-temperature oven (around 200°F or 95°C) while you cook the remaining batter.

Adding a little more butter or oil to the skillet and repeat the process with the remaining batter

Serve the pancakes warm with your favorite drinks.

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