Monday, September 23, 2024

TRIBUTE TO LATE SENATOR ALI GANI; A VISIONARY LEADER AND CHAMPION OF AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT BY DR. SALISU BALA SARKI, FICEN


 Today, I join the people of Borgu, Niger State and the entire nation in paying tribute to the late Senator Ali Gani, a distinguished leader and champion of agricultural development. His pioneering efforts in initiating farming inputs in the 80s have left an indelible mark on the lives of farmers and the community.

Senator Gani's Legacy;

In the 1980s, Senator Gani's foresight and commitment to agricultural development led him to initiate farming inputs, providing essential resources to farmers. This visionary step;

1.Enhance food security

2.Increased crop yield

3.Improved livelihoods for farmers

4.Stimulated economic growth

IMPACT ON BORGU COMMUNITY;

Senator Gani's initiatives had a profound impact on the Borgu community;

1.Empower farmers to produce surplus crops

2.Created jobs and income opportunities

3.Improved nutrition and health

4.Fostered community development

TRIBUTE;

As a testament to his remarkable contributions, I commend Senator Gani's;

1. Visionary leadership

2.Unwavering commitment to agricultural development

3.Selfless service to the of Borgu

4.Enduring legacy

As an agricultural expert and advocate, I have always drawn inspiration from Senator Gani's pioneering work. His dedication to the well-being of farmers and the community is a shining example for us all.

HONORING HIS MEMORY;

To honor Senator Gani's memory, I pledge to;

1.Continue his legacy of agricultural development

2.Support farmers and agricultural initiatives

3.Promote food security and economic growth

4.Celebrate his life and achievements

CONCLUSION;

The late Senator Ali Gani's contributions to agricultural development in Borgu will never be forgotten. His vision, leadership and commitment have inspired generations.

We will continue to draw strength from his legacy, working towards a brighter future for our farmers, community and nation.

May his soul rest in peace. Amen.

Thursday, September 12, 2024

RE-INTRODUCING NATIONAL FARMERS WATCH PROJECT BY DR. SALISU BALA SARKI, FICEN CROSS THE FEDERATION


 ''Fellow Farmers, esteemed quests and honored

 stakeholders!

Today, I am thrilled to announce the re-introduction of a vital program that has the potential to transform our agricultural sector- the farmers watch project by Grassroots Farmers News.

This project aims to;

*Provide a platform for farmers to share knowledge and best practices

* Offer real-time updates on market trends, weather and pest

*Facilitate access to resources, expertise and support service

*Foster collaboration and collective action among farmers

*Amplify the voices of grassroots farmers in policy-making processes

*Monitor and track farmers' inputs and support from government and other stakeholders

By re-introducing the Farmers Watch Project, we can;

*Enhance agricultural productivity and efficiency

*Improve Farmers' livelihoods and economic prospects

*strengthen the resilience of our farming communities

*Promote sustainable agricultural practices

*Empower farmers to take charge of their own development

*Ensure accountability and transparency in the distribution of inputs and support

Through this project, we will;

*Monitor the delivery of government initiatives and programs

*Track the quality and quantity of inputs received by farmers

*Identify gaps and challenges in the support system

*Advocate for policy changes and improvements

I urge all stakeholders to join us in this laudable initiatives. Let us work together to;

*Revitalize our agricultural sector

*Restore the dignity of farming as a noble profession

*Rebuild our communities from the ground up

Together, we can make a difference and create a brighter future for ourselves and future generations.

Thank you.
 

Thursday, September 5, 2024

SPEECH DELIVERED BY DR. SALISU BALA SARKI, FICEN ON THE IMPORTANCE OF ENGAGING OUR YOUTHS IN AGRICULTURE TO BOOST FOOD SECURITY AND CREATE JOB OPPORTUNITIES IN NIGERIA


 ''Fellow Nigerians,

As we gather today, I want to emphasize the importance of engaging our youths in agriculture to boost food security and create job opportunities. Our nation is blessed with vast arable land, yet we still struggle with food insecurity and unemployment.

I propose that each local government implement initiatives to engage youths in both dry season and wet farming. This will not only increase food production but also provide employment opportunities for our teeming unemployed youths and women.

By engaging in agriculture, our youths can;

*Contribute to food security and self-sufficiency

*Acquire skills and knowledge in modern farming techniques

*Generate income and improve their livelihoods

*Reduce poverty and unemployment

*Enhance their entrepreneurial spirit

LOCAL GOVERNMENTS CAN;

*Provide training and capacity-building programs

*Offer access to land, inputs and linkages

*Encourage private sector partnerships and investments

LET US WORK TOGETHER TO;

*Boost food production and security

*Empower our youths and women

*Stimulate local economic growth

*Build a prosperous future for our nation

I urge all local governments to take action and make agriculture a priority for our youths, we can make a difference and create a brighter future for Nigeria.''

Thank you. 

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

BREAKING NEWS; DR. SALISU BALA SARKI, FICEN PROPOSED PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN BORGU TRADERS COOPERATIVE SOCIETY LIMITED AND THE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA TO CRASH FOOD ITEMS IN NIGERIA


 I am Honored today to propose a strategic partnership between Borgu Traders Cooperative Society Limited and the Manufacturers Association Of Nigeria. This partnership aims to foster economic growth, improve the  livelihoods of our people and make a positive impact on our nation.

The Borgu Traders Cooperative Society Limited and the Manufactures Association Of Nigeria share a common goal; to promote economic development and prosperity. By joining forces, we can;

Enhance trade and commerce between our members

Increase access to quality products and services

Support local production and reduce reliance on import

Create jobs and stimulate economic growth

Improve the standard of living for our people

OUR PROPOSED PARTNERSHIP WILL FOCUS ON;

Joint marketing initiative to promote products and services

Collaborate training programs for our members

Joint advocacy efforts to influence policy and create a favorable business environment

Shared resources and expertise to improve efficiency and productivity

Together, we can achieve for more than we can alone. Let us work together to build a brighter future for our nation.

I propose that we establish a joint committee to explore the details of this partnership and make recommendations for implementation.

Thank you.

 

Sunday, September 1, 2024

Tinubu may shake up cabinet as pressure mounts on ministers


 •Two-third of ministers underperforming – Opposition

Strong indications have emerged that President Bola Tinubu is planning to rejig his cabinet to ease out underperforming ministers.

Tinubu has been facing increasing pressure from within and outside his party, the All Progressives Congress, to sack ministers some of whom appeared to have been inactive.

The President had last year set up the Result and Delivery Unit, headed by the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Mrs Hadiza Bala-Usman, to measure the performance of ministers and other top government officials serving in his administration. He warned that any minister or aide that underperformed would be sacked.

Last week, Tinubu replaced the directors-general of the National Intelligence Agency and the Department of State Services after the heads of the agencies resigned their appointments.

The officials, who requested anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter, revealed that some ministers would be dismissed, while others would be reassigned to other ministries for improved effectiveness. 

However, the sources did not disclose the ministers likely to be affected.

“What I can tell you is some (ministers) will go. A few will swap positions, then new people will be brought on board. But the President will be focused more on capacity now; on people who can easily add value to his government”, a source stated.

Another source disclosed that Tinubu’s close associates agreed that the President required a stronger cabinet to implement his policies effectively.

The source stated, “The general concern among some of his aides, friends, and even the public is that the cabinet can be far better than this. There is a consensus among his (Tinubu) close friends that he needs a stronger cabinet to push through with his policies. It is one thing to announce policies and it is another thing for your ministers to deliver the outcomes you want. Oftentimes, it is the capacity of your cabinet members and heads of agencies that determines how you will deliver on those outcomes.

“If you look at the editorial by Financial Times earlier this week, it was not palatable at all. And what they were saying is that, yes, he has taken bold decisions, the reforms are good, but he has a weak cabinet that cannot help him to deliver on those reforms. That is why it appears like we are wobbling. So, he needs to bring in people with more energy and expertise, who are more patriotic and willing to roll up their sleeves and work for Nigeria and turn things around.

“If the past one year has not been eventful, he cannot afford to waste another year. This next one year is very critical. It is the next one year that will define the government.”

‘We expect nothing good from Tinubu, APC’

Meanwhile, opposition political parties have said they are not expecting anything good from the APC-led Federal Government.

He said, “We are not really interested in whether Tinubu changes or sacks his ministers. One of the major areas we thought there would be an improvement in is our demand for electoral reform. If we have an improved electoral reform, it will inevitably give us a good opportunity for credible elections to take place.

“Sacking or replacing your cabinet with new people is an extension of state capture. He will only be replacing them with his loyalists which we know will be a strategy ahead of 2027. But if he is really serious about improving the performance of his governance at the moment, he can start considering reshuffling his cabinet. Quite a number of the ministers are not measuring up to expectations.”

On his part, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party, Ibrahim Abdullahi, attributed the ministers’ woeful performance to Tinubu’s lack of empathy for Nigerians.

Abdullahi said, “It is not about changing the cabinet. When you acquire power through fraudulent and desperate means, it would take a million efforts, programmes, and policies to correct it because something cannot stand without a foundation. So what is the foundation of his presidency? That is the crux of the matter. As PDP, we are not expecting anything good during this period of divine grace, that God will keep him in power.”

The National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Party, Peter Ameh, cautioned Tinubu against making the same mistake as his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, by keeping his ministers for eight years.

He said CUPP was not surprised by the failure of Tinubu’s ministers, adding that a responsible government would have dismissed them long ago.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, Debo Adeniran, said only less than 15 ministers had met the expectations of Nigerians with their performance.

He argued that for Tinubu to succeed, he must “weed out” ministers underperforming and merge ministries and agencies performing similar functions.

He listed some of the underperforming ministers to include: the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman; Minister of Health, Muhammad Pate; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ekperikpe Ekpo; Minister of Transportation, Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali; and the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu.

Adeniran described some of Tinubu’s appointments as “jobs for the boys” and called on the President to urgently implement the recommendations of the Steve Orosanye report to reduce the size and cost of government.

“Most of the ministers are not performing; they are just noise makers and they seem not to understand the job they have been appointed to do. From our assessment, few of the ministers, less than 15 of them are performing.

“The President needs to weed out more than two-third of the crowd he put together as his cabinet. If he has 48 ministers, we are saying that he should weed out a minimum of 36 of them, so that we will know those that are the performing ministers.

“If he (Tinubu) continues with these people, many of them are pulling him back on what he calls his mission in office and that is why Nigeria is in problem today. Weeding them (ministers) out will stabilise his administration more and make those that will remain to be focused. When he weeds out that two-third, he should not replace them with another, he should just merge the ministries with other ones and supervise others directly”, Adeniran said.

Also speaking, the Secretary of the Joint Action Front, Abiodun Bamgboye, attributed the poor performance of the ministers to the anti-people policies of Tinubu, saying even if the President sacked and replaced them with angels, they would fail.

According to him, the President is trying to save his face by planning to sack underperforming ministers, adding that the poor performance of the ministers was a reflection of Tinubu’s leadership.

“When you look at the current economic situation of the country, it does not suggest that any minister has performed to the expectations of Nigerians, but is not the question of ministers, it is the economic policies that this regime adopted,” Bamgboye said.

An economic expert, Aliyu Ilias, argued that holding ministers accountable by reducing their numbers could serve as a check on performance and improve governance.

Ilias stated that the current administration’s decision to maintain a large number of government officials was misguided.

He said, “We have not seen them sacking or reducing ministers. Rather, we see them praising them by saying that there is a livestock ministry again. This doesn’t make sense. Let’s give the President the benefit of the doubt. Sacking underperforming ministers will help this government and this will be like a check and balance on them to perform well.”


FG MOVES TO INTEGRATE AGRICULTURAL INSURANCE TO NAGS-AP PROGRAM TO ENHANCE SUSTAINABILITY AND FOOD SECURITY


 In a bid to curtail harvest losses due to climate change, Federal Government has expedited action to incorporate the Agricultural Insurance Scheme into the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket Program, NAGS-AP, to enhance sustainability and food security.

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Abdullahi Sabi Aliyu revealed this during the Agricultural Insurance Train-the-Trainer Workshop held at Debbie’s Upper Class Event and Recreation Centre, Orozo, Abuja recently.

He pointed out that the purpose of integrating the Agricultural Insurance Scheme into the NAGS- AP program was to protect the investment and interventions being made by the government and the financing partner, the African Development Bank (AfDB), via NAGS-AP in addressing the sustainability and security of our local food systems.

The Minister recalled that “we commenced this program in the 2023 dry season with wheat cultivation. So far, we have been fortunate to have favourable production due to good weather, resulting in a bountiful harvest”.

“It is more evident than ever that we need a climate risk mitigation solution to close the many protection gaps arising from climate change risks such as floods, droughts, pests, diseases, etc capable of leading to crop failure or harvest losses”, he added.

Abdullahi noted that these risks have now become central issues affecting the government, financiers, and the beneficiary farmers, who stand to lose the most from seasons of bad harvests, adding that such adverse conditions could wipe out investments and the labour invested in the program leading to significant food price inflation as we are witnessing today.

The Minister pointed out one of the unfortunate incidences of the 2023 wet farming season, in which ginger farmers in Kaduna suffered immensely from the outbreak of the ginger blight disease, losing over 90% of their total harvest for the season.

He stated that only a few of those ginger farmers who took the insurance protection received monetary compensation for their harvest losses, noting that these set of farmers could boast of returning to their farms with little or no financial assistance, unlike their uninsured counterparts who had to dip into their meagre savings to be able to continue farming.

In his words, “it was estimated that Nigerian ginger farmers incurred losses amounting to N12 billion due to the catastrophic blight epidemic that decimated their crops in 2023. That is some food for thought and something that we all have to bear in mind; as we are at all times one or two bad harvest seasons away from losing our food supplies.

Furthermore, guidance from the 2024 Annual Flood Outlook report, recently released by the Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation in the first quarter of this year, has alerted us that 148 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in 31 states are high flood-risk areas, while 249 LGAs in 36 States and the FCT fall within moderate flood-risk areas.

In simple terms, 397 LGAs out of the total 774 LGAs in Nigeria, representing over 51% of our farming areas, are at risk of flooding”, the Minister emphasized

He, therefore, pointed out that the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President is poised to arrest the situation through the deployment of climate-smart agriculture for the establishment of a resilient food security system because climate-smart agriculture remains the only means for adapting to climate change.

“This necessity has driven the Ministry to establish a joint working committee, comprising representatives from the NAGS secretariat of the Ministry, NAIC, and Pula Advisors. This committee has been tasked with creating a practical framework to achieve a national Agricultural Insurance scheme for the NAGS program”.

He added that one of the key deliverables, which the Ministry had approved, was to organize a training and sensitization program on Agricultural Insurance to educate stakeholders on its features and benefits.

The Minister, therefore expressed his gratitude to the Joint Working Committee and looked forward to the outcomes of the workshop and a subsequent report on the next steps towards implementing the Agricultural Insurance component for the ongoing NAGS 2023 wet season and subsequent dry and wet season programs.

In his opening remarks, the National Project Coordinator, National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP), Mr. Isiaku Buba noted that the scheme was designed to broaden its operational horizon to carter and accommodate the interest of the farmers and other relevant stakeholders operating along the production line of the chain.

He stressed that the Agricultural Insurance component of the NAGS-AP Project was being designed and propelled by tested and experienced hands from the insurance industry citing that NAIC and PULA Advisors Limited are present to inform stakeholders of the benefits and the proposed implementation strategies to be followed to incorporate the important component into the programme with a view to achieving the desired goals.

In her goodwill message, the Managing Director, Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation, NAIC, Mrs Folashade Joseph pledged the readiness of NAIC to partner with stakeholders in the Agricultural and other sectors of the economy by providing sound insurance and other risk management expertise with a view to reducing risks bedeviling these ventures and improving national agricultural output towards the attainment of food security.

In attendance were stakeholders from All Farmers Association, NAIC, PULA Advisors, USAID, REX Insurance, and NAIDA, amongst others.

Farmers Return To Subsistence Farming To Survive In Niger State


 Farmers in Nigeria are returning to Subsistence farming to provide for their households.

They say insecurity has kept them from returning to their farms in the planting season.

Farming definitely is not an easy task , especially bending over to make ridges.

A day with these farmers tells me how difficult it is to produce the food  we buy at the  local market  especially for farmers that do not use mechanized equipment in farming. It is tough.

With rising costs of food and growing inflation, Nigeria is experiencing its worst food crisis in 40 years.

Although it is the lean season of June to August according to FAO, the prices of food are biting harder than expected. Medium scale farmers who normally would have so much to spare for sales after harvest are now returning to Subsistence farming getting just enough to feed their families after harvest. For Umaru Musa the challenge is connected to soil fertility.

Over 70 percent of Nigerians engage in agriculture but mainly at Subsistence farming.

Those who hitherto had no interest in farming now feel a sense of need to farm or contend with the rising cost of food in the market.

Conflicts and worsening insecurity in certain regions of the country, especially in the northeast, northwest and north-central have equally disrupted agricultural activities and displaced farmers. This has hindered food production and distribution, as many farmers are unable to visit their farmlands for fear of attacks by bandits or herdsmen in the last decade.

They now live in IDP camps.

The 11th edition of the Global Food Security Index GFSI published  in 2022, shows that Nigeria ranked 107th ,scoring 42.0 points out of 113th countries globally in the food security index.

Nigeria has 70.8 million hectares of agricultural land area with maize, cassava, guinea corn, yam beans, millet and rice being the major crops. According to the National Bureau of statistics, for the year ending in April 2024, the average annual rate of food inflation stood at 32.74 percent, representing an increase of 9.52 percentage points over the 23.22 per cent average annual rate recorded in April 2023.

Harsh weather patterns, droughts, and floods have also impacted agricultural productivity and food production only in Nigeria.

Data from Nigeria’s Meteorological Agency NiMet shows that the duration and intensity of rainfall have changed from normal across some states over the years, with devastating impacts on agricultural practices.

In 2022, Nigeria witnessed one of its worst floods in the last decade as hundreds of villages and farmlands were submerged displacing over 2.4 million people. Addressing food security, requires a concerted effort to tackle these limitations head-on and support for the local food producers.

TRIBUTE TO LATE SENATOR ALI GANI; A VISIONARY LEADER AND CHAMPION OF AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT BY DR. SALISU BALA SARKI, FICEN

 Today, I join the people of Borgu, Niger State and the entire nation in paying tribute to the late Senator Ali Gani, a distinguished leader...