Nigeria Agricultural Information

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Agric ministry plans strategic partnership with China

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has stated its readiness to partner with the Chinese government in the area of agriculture development.

Sonny Echono, permanent secretary, FMARD, disclosed this recently while receiving Gu Xiaojie, the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.

Apparently to halt the yearly loss of N360 billion to rice importation, the Federal Government came up with a policy aimed at achieving self-sufficiency in local production in 2013. It has a plan to ban rice importation by the end of this year. But, the policy is threatened by smuggling, which has also put investors in the rice value chain under intense pressure. The investors fear their multi-billion naira investment might go down the drain, unless measures are taken now to stem smuggling, writes Assistant Editor CHIKODI OKEREOCHA.

Nigeria: Govt Must Sustain Policies That Are Pro-Agriculture

Dr. Richard Okechukwu is the Project Coordinator of International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) on Cassava Project. In this interview with selected journalists, he spoke on the Cassava Project and the need for a sustained public-private sector initiative in driving the nation's agricultural revolution and the need for government to sustain policies that are pro-agriculture among other issues. Seyi Taiwo-Oguntuase was there.

African agriculture an opportunity for Indian investors: Experts

Going by reports of global consulting firms on African agriculture, Indian investors would need to turn their attention to an area that promises high returns.

A report by the international accounting firm KPMG has said agricultural growth in Africa has failed to reach its potential and there was need for a concerted effort at improving techniques, markets and access to credit for small farmers.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report that agricultural imports declined by 11 per cent from N738 billion in the first quarter of the year to N664 billion in the second quarter, indicates that farmers are beginning to meet food needs. Banks are exploring ways of funding agric business to create jobs and reduce food importation, writes COLLINS NWEZE.

Banks with eyes on the future know where to put their money. Many of them have identified the agric sector and its value-chain as a key area to play in this period of deposit drought and reduced profitability.

Brazil to import less wheat in 2015 –Reuters

Brazil's wheat imports are projected to drop 13.5 percent this year to around 5 million metric tons, in response to lower domestic use and higher Brazilian production, wheat industry group Abitrigo said this week in a Reuters story.

Brazil, one of the world's largest wheat importers, bought 5.78 million tonnes in 2014, according to Abitrigo, mostly from Argentina.

Cumulative imports this year up to August were 3.3 million tonnes, 20 percent below volumes seen in the same period last year. Argentina accounted for 2.7 million tonnes of that, followed by the United States with 300,000 tonnes.

Global Hotspots: Brazil wheat imports, Australia's cattle herd to shrink

Wheat farmers are commencing with the planting of the 2016 wheat crop across the plains, but abysmally low wheat prices are raising questions on how aggressively farmers intend to plant winter wheat this fall.

Small drop in global grains production forecast in 2015-16

LONDON, ENGLAND — Total world grain production in 2015-16 is estimated at 1.99 billion tonnes, about 1% lower than last season’s record, the International Grains Council (IGC) said in its Sept. 24 Grain Market Report.

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has mapped out plans to partner the Chinese government in the enhancement of agriculture development.

The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Arc. Sonny Echono, stated this in Abuja while receiving the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Gu Xiaojie in his office.

Echono, who observed that the Chinese agricultural development model suited Nigeria’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA), said Nigeria was working to improve its milling capacity in rice and cassava.

FAO e-conference: ‘Utilization of Food Loss and Waste as well as Non-Food Parts as Livestock Feed’

Why

Approximately 1.3-1.6 Gtonnes of food is lost or wasted globally every year, which is estimated to have enormous environmental (ca 3.3 Gtonnes of CO2 eq. greenhouse gas emission/year, 305 cubic km water/year, 1.5 billion ha land to grow food that is wasted), social (936 billion US$) and economic (1055 billion US$) costs. Also the food loss and waste has an impact on food security, natural resource availability, and local and national economies. FAO through the “Save Food” initiative is working with partners to develop, plan and implement initiatives for efficient use of resources and harmonization of methodologies, strategies and approaches. Globally many plant resources are being used either as food or as animal feed. This dual purpose use raises questions how to consider a change of utilization of plant resources from food to animal feed within the context of food losses and waste. Similarly if food gets lost or wasted a part of these losses can be converted to animal feed.

Agra Innovate Nigeria

Agra Innovate Nigeria will take place from 24 – 26 November 2015 at the Landmark Centre, Lagos. This event is the country’s leading and only international professional trade platform for the agriculture, poultry, livestock, fisheries & food processing, manufacturing and packaging sector. Launched successfully last year, the event continues to enjoy the full support of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development (FMARD) and the Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG).

Agra Innovate Nigeria provides access to over 2000 serious buyers and distributors from the region and features a high level conference, which attracts senior government and C-level agribusiness professionals

For further information, registration, sponsorship and exhibiter opportunities, go to: www.agra-innovate.com/nigeria

Posted 18 September 2015