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Katsina To Consider Law Banning Open Grazing, collects N6.2 Billion for ranching– Masari

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Kastina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari
Kastina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari
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Following continue clashes between Herders and Farmers,Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, has said that his administration is considering banning open grazing in the state.

Masari who spoke during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, which was monitored in Abuja, faulted the movement of herders from one part of the country to another.

He explained that before the state would create a law banning the open grazing of livestock, the government would make provisions to house the animals.

“We intend to have a law banning (cattle) roaming but before we do that, we would make provisions for where the animals would stay,” the governor said during the programme.

“Herdsmen should stay in one place. Roaming about should not be encouraged. In fact, for us, it is un-Islamic. Why do you have animals that you cannot feed and you have to go to other people’s land and farm and you say that is right? I don’t think it is right.”

He explained that as part of the efforts to kick start the ranching programme, the Federal Government disbursed N6.2 billion for the project.

Masari added, “We already have started. The Federal Government has given us N6.2 billion and as a state government, we are also investing N6.2 billion. The objective is to have Fulanis stay in one place.”

Masari’s comment comes four months after the Southern Governors Forum announced a ban on open grazing of cattle across states in the region.

The governors, after meeting in Asaba, the Delta State capital, asked President Buhari to address Nigerians on the state of the nation.

It also met months later and instructed states in the region to enact anti-open grazing laws in their domain to curb incessant clashes between herders and farmers.

Away from the farmers-herders crises, Governor Masari is also taking measures to combat crime in the North-West state which has had its fair share of banditry and kidnapping.

Last week, the governor introduced some measures – including banning sales of fuel in jerrycans  – to combat criminality, a move Masari said, is already yielding results.

“We are not totally shutting all the filling stations. In local governments, we said two filling stations will operate and in those filling stations, nobody will sell fuel in jerrycans and gallons,” he added.

“There may be some hardship but it is better now to take the hardship now in order to restore normalcy. We have a list of some of these filling stations that are dispensing fuel in jerrycans.”

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Agriculture

Agriculture: Soludo imports two million Malaysian palm oil seedlings, coconuts

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Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo
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…… targets N160 billion yearly profit

Governor Charles Soludo says his government has begun importing one million palm oil seedlings and one million coconuts from Malaysia, hoping to make N160 billion annual revenue for Anambra.

Deputy Governor Onyekachi Ibezim disclosed this while inaugurating the 2023 farming season at Alex Ekwueme Square Awka.

Mr Ibezim, who represented the Anambra governor at the event, said, “We started importation of one million palm oil seedlings and one million coconuts from Malaysia last year. These species have three years maturity period.”

He added, “When this investment fully matures, the off-takers will be processing the fruits of these plants, and over N160 billion will be yearly income from this window.”

The Anambra deputy governor also revealed the state government’s plan to irrigate 10,000 hectares of land for rice farming at Ifite Ogwari community in Ayamelum LGA for rice cultivation, stressing that agriculture can create wealth and employment opportunities for thousands of people.

Mr Ibezim said that based on the abundant opportunities in the sector, the government listed agriculture among the priority areas of investment in the 50-years development plan of Anambra.

He called on farmers to commit to the sector as the government will always support them in their activities.

Foster Ihejiofor, the agric commissioner, said the state’s focus is on “biological farming,” not on producing food.

“It is about preserving our environment and ensuring the sustainability of our food system. Biological farming, aka zero budget, carbon farming or regen-Ag, launched in 2022 by Governor Chukwuma Soludo, is a sustainable agricultural system,” Mr Ihejiofor explained.

The commissioner urged farmers to embrace the new farming system, saying, “Biological farming is not just environmentally friendly, it is also economically beneficial to farmers as it reduces the cost of inputs while improving soil’s health, plants’ health, nutrients, among others.”

(NAN)

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Agriculture

Envoy says modern ranching will curb farmer-herder conflict in Nigeria

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Denmark and Nigeria Flags
Denmark and Nigeria Flags
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The Denmark Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Sune Krogstrup, has called for modern ranching as a way of curbing the perennial farmer-herder conflict and empowering local farmers in Nigeria.

The envoy disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja while unveiling plans for the inauguration of Arla farm, a Danish-designed state of the art commercial dairy farm in Kaduna state.

The ambassador said the Arla farm project which is a public-private partnership with the Kaduna State government will be officially inaugurated on May 25 in Kaduna state.

He noted that the project was part of efforts to deepen strategic bilateral relations between Nigeria and Denmark, thereby reinforcing shared values and mutual cooperation.

He reiterated Denmark’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with Nigeria in the area of agriculture and food safety standards through cutting-edge technology and international best practices.

“In terms of Food and Agriculture This is another important area of focus for for us.

” We have a very good cooperation with Nigerian authorities on improving food safety standards and we are also very proud to cooperate closely with Arla the Danish dairy producer.

” In fact, next week (Thursday), I will be attending the formal opening of the Arla state of the art commercial dairy farm in Kaduna state,” he said.

Krogstrup expressed optimism that the farm, first of it’s kind in Nigeria will go a long way in
boosting the local economy, empowering local herders and de-escalating tension between herders and farmers.

He therefore called for the establishment of such farm projects across the country by relevant stakeholders, due to its economic and security benefits.

“Now that farm (Arla) will have a tremendous impact on the local economy and economy in terms of direct and indirect jobs created.

“In addition, when herders setup to become milk farmers, it also reduces tensions over access to land between herders and farmers.

” So in my opinion we need many more projects like this one, he said.

NAN reports that Arla foods, the renowned Danish diary company (makers of Dano milk) recently took delivery of 216 Danish Holstein Heifers (a breed of cow) for its Kaduna dairy farm.

The farm project which started in 2019 as part of Arla’s plan to develop a sustainable dairy sector in Nigeria is set to create thousands of employment for farmers and locals, especially in the area.

NAN also reports that the Federal Government had in July, 2022 announced plans to increase milk production from the current 600,000 metric tonnes to 1.6 billion metric tonnes by 2024.

Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who gave the short-term target, said the government will provide the needed infrastructure to enhance milk aggregation and distribution and that the plan will reduce the 1.3 billion dairy importation bill.

 

(NAN)

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Agriculture

25 Million Nigerians May Face Food Crisis By August 2023 – FAO

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FAO
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Food and Agriculture Organization of the Nations (FAO) has estimated that 25.3 million Nigerians are in danger of experiencing food crisis between June and August 2023 unless urgent steps are taken to scale up and sustain livelihood and food assistance.

FAO said this was contained in its October 2022 Food and Nutrition Analysis.

The analysis reportedly indicates that about 17 million people including internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees in 25 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were in “crisis or worse level” through October 2022.

Of that number, three million are living in Borno, Adamwa and Yobe states, FAO said.

“Furthermore, an estimated 25.3 million people are projected to be in crisis or worse levels during the 2023 lean season (June – August) with 4.4 million in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, if immediate steps to scale up and sustain livelihood and food assistance are not taken,” it added in a statement.

The statement noted that the Government of the Royal Kingdom of Norway renewed its funding cooperation with FAO aimed at helping the most vulnerable populations in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe and Taraba states with a special focus on women-led households.

The three-year intervention will benefit 43,990 households (about 307,930 individuals), according to FAO, with at least 45 percent of them being women as direct beneficiaries receiving items such as agricultural inputs, livestock assets, and energy saving stoves.

The beneficiaries reportedly include IDPs, host communities and returnees of relocated households with special attention paid to women-headed households.

Speaking in Abuja at a signing ceremony to kick-start the project’s implementation, the Ambassador of the Royal Kingdom of Norway to Nigeria, Knut Eiliv Lein said his country remained committed to supporting the efforts to restore the conflict-affected livelihoods in the North-East.

“This project we are signing here today is part of Norway’s larger support to Nigeria in general, including humanitarian efforts specifically targeting those in need in the North-East region.

“We have partnered with many organisations in addressing a number of issues, including health, food security, democracy, gender equality and more,” Ambassador Lein said.

On his part, the FAO Representative in Nigeria and to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Fred Kafeero appreciated the support by Norway, describing it as another milestone in strengthening the commitment in the fight against poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition in Nigeria.

“The new project, whose agreement we are signing here today, marks the continuous and fruitful collaboration, and partnership that exists between the Government of the Royal Kingdom of Norway and FAO in Nigeria,” Mr. Kafeero said.

“Thanks to this collaboration for years now, the conflict-affected populations of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) states have greatly benefited from the agricultural-based livelihoods support that has enabled them to improve their food security as well as build their resilience.”

The support aims at enhancing resilience to the humanitarian crisis, climate variability and change of vulnerable communities; and building resilient livelihoods in the BAY states against the negative effects of climate change, FAO said.

The beneficiaries, who will reportedly receive special training on animal husbandry, farming and agribusiness, are IDPs, host communities and returnees of relocated households with special attention paid to women-headed households.

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