Sages Consult Limited

Livestock Population 

·        Nigerian Livestock reserve is estimated to be worth =N=60 billion with population estimates of the country's livestock as follows:

chicken             82.2  million

goat                  35.5  million

sheep               22.2  million

cattle                13.9  million

donkeys           0.9  million

horses              0.2  million

camels              0.9  million

pigs                  3.5  million.

National Concord February 23, 1993

 The Livestock sub-sector needs about N957 million under the United Nations Development Project (UNDP) fourth co-operational cycle. A study jointly carried out by the Federal Ministry of Finance and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) indicated that N200 million out of the amount should be spent on the nomadic programmes.

Business Concord March 9, 1993

Total value of Livestock in Nigeria is N60 billion based on mid - 1991 market prices. A report from the survey of livestock resources in Nigeria conducted by a British firm of resource managers, resource inventory and management in collaboration with the Federal Department of Livestock and Pest Control Services (FDLPCS) reveals that there were:

34,500,000            goats

22,100,000            sheep

13,000,000            cattle

31,900,000             other forms of poultry.

8,400,000            chickens

3,500,000            pigs

4,500,000            dogs

3,300,000             cats

1,700,000            rabbits

900,000            donkeys

200,000            horses

90,000            camels

500,000            guinea pigs

60,000             giant rats

11% of total chicken population and 3% of the pig population is accounted for by the well managed commercial sector.  Commercial livestock enterprises are more numerous and contribute a much higher proportion in the southern states than they do in the North.

Business Concord March 9, 1993

Trade in Agricultural Commodities

Trade in Agricultural commodities which enjoyed tremendous patronage at the beginning of the deregulation of the economy in 1986, is now at a standstill owing to the pegging of exchange rate in the 1993 budget. Prices of such traded commodities as Cocoa, Rubber, Cashew Nuts among others, have crashed on the domestic market. The price forCocoa  last December which hit N52,000 crashed last week to N19,000 per ton.  Farmers in Akure and Abeokuta, two main cocoa trading towns said that Nigerian cocoa merchants and processors had suspended procurement, claiming that only alien exporters were making efforts to buy while offering ridiculously low prices of between N15,000 to N19,000 per ton.

Cassava production in Nigeria as well as Africa as a whole has nearly tripled in the last 40 years, according to a recent report of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Oyo State. About 200 million people in Africa are estimated to rely on cassava for up to 60% of their daily caloric intake.  Cassava was introduced to the continent about four centuries ago.  Africa produces about two thirds of global cassava output yearly with Nigeria having the largest output in the world.

Output has gone up from about 52 million tons in 1980 to about 70 million tons in 1991. Worldwide about 81 million tons was recorded in 1992, with Nigeria recording the highest output of 31 million tons thus representing 55% more than the 20.3 million tons achieved in 1991.

The study on cassava, contained in an IITA research publication also noted that cassava is poised to become even more important in African diets because of its ability as a crop to grow on poor degraded soils and produce good yields.

Business Concord June 15, 1993

Prices of palm kernel and palm kernel oil which have continued to appreciate since the beginning of 1993 have further increased by between 10 to 16% as at last week. Palm kernel oil sold at N20,000 per ton as against N18,000 in May 1993 and about N13,000 since April. This has led to closure of many large and small scale palm kernel oil processing companies. Palm kernel price which stood at N6,000 per tonne in April went up steadily until it hit N6,500 at the beginning of May.  A ton of palm kernel as at June 15 sold for N7,000.

Business Concord June 15, 1993

FAO’s aids to the Agriculture sub-sector

The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation has allocated 225,000 US dollars for a fishery terminal port in Lagos, an FAO official said in Lagos on Friday.

Concord February 21, 1994

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) provided 800,000 Dollars in 1993-94 as Technical Assistance for six projects in Nigeria. According to NAN official, FAO provided 268,500 Dollars worth of Technical Assistance for non wheat bread development and extension while wood residue utilisation for charcoal production was allocated 268,500 Dollars. Other on-going programmes under technical co-operation include training and establishment of rural blacksmiths totalling a cost of 245,000 Dollars while 96,000 Dollars is being spent on the establishment of an information centre for inland water resources.

Guardian February 21, 1994

Volume of Cocoa beans exported through Apapa Port in 1993 rose by 63.7 per cent over the level in 1992. Statistics collated at the port showed that 59,243 tons of the product was shipped through the port in 1992 and 96,974 tons in 1993 an increase of 36,757 tons. The breakdown shows that the highest volume of 46,615 tons of the commodity was exported in January 1993, followed by 15,265 and 4,000 tons in December and August respectively.  The rest are 3,454 tons in May and 3,400 in October while April recorded 3,141 tons, November and September 2,420 and 1,800 tons with the least volume of 710 tons exported last July.

Business Times February 28, 1994

Rubber export rises as Cocoa declines. Export of rubber through the Tin-Can Island Port, Apapa, Lagos between January and August this year increased by 350% as against that of last year.  Records made available to the Daily Times showed that 3,751 tons of rubber were exported via the port while only 794 tons were shipped out of the country within the same period in 1994.  However, while export of rubber is on the increase, one of the country’s major export cash products, cocoa, is drastically descending to a worrisome level.  The port’s books reveal that between January and August, last year, about 8,604 tons of Cocoa were exported while the volume nose-dived to 2,735 tons this year.  This shows a fall of 5,869 tons compared with that of last year.

Palm kernel did not fair well this year as it recorded 13,400 tons against 24,550 tons achieved the previous period.  Review of export activities at the Tin Can Island Port showed that Cocoa export had taken place only three times this year in March, 175 April, 610 and July 250 tons.  Palm kernel recorded five shipments in January, 2,500 tons in February, 4,000 March, 1,000 July, 1,600 while 4,300 were shipped in August.  Rubber enjoyed more activities with six shipments, January 40, February, 100, May 1,355 June 655, July 300 and August 1,301.  Daily Times also gathered that wheat importation has been consistent with 19,601 tons arriving the Tin Can Island Port in August as against none the previous year while fertilizer has absolutely ceased since May.                                             

Daily Times October 20th, 1995

Most agricultural produce exports from Nigeria recorded appreciable increases in the first quarter of this year, compared with the corresponding period last year. However, a few of the produce exports performed badly. For instance, although the quantities of cashew nuts and groundnuts officially shipped out of the country between January and March this year were increments of 88.91% and 82.95% over the figures for the same period last year, cocoa export declined by 14.51% to 44,401.65 metric tons recorded in the same period in 1995.                                                

Guardian July 7, 1996

The development of agriculture has been prescribed as a veritable antidote to the country’s on-going economic depression typified by layoffs and mounting inventories. Addresing members of Ikoyi Junior Chamber- a youth leadership training organization in Lagos recently, Chief Chilo Offiah, chief execcutive of FBN Merchant Bankers emphasised that agriculture remains one of the veritable sources of solution to the Nigerian economy development, achievable through “proper planning, sufficient budgetary allocation and effective monitoring to ensure that set objectives are achieved.

Guardian  July 25, 1996

Nigeria Alerted To Drought

The Director of Meteorology in Federal Ministry of Aviation, Alhaji Yesufu Salahu, has warned of an imminent drought and famine in the country if urgent steps were not taken to stem the incidence of poor rainfall in the remaining part of the year. Salahu gave the warning on the heels of the current shortage of rains and the rather abnormal cold weather which have caused panic among Nigerians especially in the south western part of the country. He described the warning, the second to be issued by his department this year, as apt and timely, adding that it would enable farmers and those charged with the nation’s water resources management to brace up in case of drought. He said the present cold was attributable to meteorological phenomenon known as “EL-NINO” an abnormal movement of atmospheric mass along the Equator which resulted in the temperature of the sea surface becoming cold, and the forming of thick clouds blocking solar radiation towards the earth surface, thereby preventing rainfall.

Daily Times, July 29, 1997 (Page 5)

Cold Wind To Persist Despite Rain, Say Meteorologists

The prevailing cold wind that has enveloped many parts of the state in the south will continue until the middle of this month despite the sprinkle of rainfall experienced late on Tuesday and yesterday. Many people had expected that the sudden manifestation of rainfall after over five weeks cessation meant an end  to the cold wind blowing from the ocean. But meteorologists said yesterday in Lagos that what happened  was a  false rain or  “a little dry season rain in the south .”  However, most northern states from Maiduguri, Potiskum, Kano, Jos and a host of other towns experienced intense, heavy  rainfall in line with earlier predictions.

The Guardian, August 1, 1997 (Page 1)               

UNDP Boosts Ogun State Fishery Sector With $7.7m

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ipokia Local Government in Ogun State are jointly executing a $7.7 million dollar artisanal fisheries project at Tongeji and Akeke along the Nigeria-Benin coast. Disclosing this to newsmen at Ipokia at the weekend the local government chairman, Chief Michael Adeleke, said the council had contributed about N150,000 out of the N50,000 it is expected to invest in the project. He said outboard engines, storage facilities and other material had been promised by the UNDP while fishermen were already undergoing training in fish handling, processing, preservation, net fabrication and boat making to boost fish production. According to him, various species of shrimps, lobsters and fishes would be cropped in commercial quantities to reduce the country’s dependence on imported fish and for export.

Daily Times, August 7, 1997 (Page 29)

Nigeria Loses N26 Billion to Palm Oil Import

About N26 billion yearly is lost on account of the importation of palm oil and its derivatives. Disclosing this at a press conference, in Lagos yesterday, the Agricultural and Allied Senior Staff Association (ASSA) said the palm oil market started to experience decline last year. ASSA Secretary-General, Mr. Robinson Imade and the national president, Mr. Kelly Olorunfemi, told newsmen that the price of palm oil dropped from an average of N55,000 per metric tonne in 1994 to N25,00 in 1997. Imade, who read the speech said the decline was due to massive importation of tallow, which is palm oil substitute from Malaysia and Indonesia, massive importation of cotton seed oil, dumping of crude, refined and mixed refined palm oil into the Nigerian market and the importation of the product from some West Africa countries.

Daily Times, August 13, 1997 (Page 2)

Water Dam Commissioned

Water Resources Minister Alhaji Jubril Yelwa on Monday commissioned the Awara Dam project capable of supplying 1.8 million litres of water per day to the Akoko community in Ondo State of Nigeria, with a call to contribute towards its maintenance to avoid its collapse. The Minister said the river basin authority had problems in locating large tracks of lands near rivers for irrigation, but noted that his ministry had approached local communities for over 100 hectares of land for the project.

Daily Times, August 13, 1997 (Page 5)

Export: Cocoa Drops and Palm Kernel, Sesame Seed pick up

Nigeria’s current accounts, largely dominated by crude oil sales, may have been enhanced by export of agriculture commodities which rose to 148,760 tonnes in the first half of this year by 11 per cent from 133,130 tonnes achieved in the corresponding period last year. However, the performance was far below 20 per cent increase projected by the government. In fact, the performance, according to market report issued by the Federal Produce Inspection Service (FPIS) in Lagos, was due to a 57 per cent rise in the export of both palm kernel cake and sesame seed. They rose to 62,668 tonnes from 26,987 tonnes and 19,948 tonnes from 8,636 tonnes as against their last year’s corresponding levels. Generally, the other commodities suffered major decline.

The Guardian, August 22, 1997 (Page 17)

Sokoto Pleads with Niger Republic over Blocked Water Channel

Sokoto State Administrator, Navy Capt. Rasheed Raji, yesterday appealed to the Niger Republic authorities to allow water from the River Lamido flow into the Kalmalo lake in Illela Local Goverment Area of Sokoto State of Nigeria to assist in the resumption of irrigation farming in the area. He was addressing the opening of a bilateral meeting between the state and Tahoua State in Niger Republic. In the early 1980s, prior to the construction of Zango Dam by the Niger Republic, the Kalmalo Lake was storing about 24 million cubic litres of water which facilitated the irrigation of about 800 hectares. Apart from the Zango Dam, the Niger authorities are said to have constructed channels to divert the excess water to lands that are not under cultivation, thereby denying the lake of spill-over water from the Zango Dam. Capt. Raji described how the drying up of the lake had brought untold hardship to the communities in the area whose main economic stay is farming.

The Guardian, August 30, 1997 pg. 47

Degradation Of Natural Resources Costs Nigeria N400 Billion

Nigeria loses at least N400 billion yearly due to the inaction of her citizens and successive governments to effectively check the worrisome massive degradation of the nation’s natural resources. The Director General of the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA), Dr. Adegoke Adegoroye, said in Akure: “An assessment we have done with assistance of the world bank in 1991 actually did say the cost of our inaction is $5.1 billion which today in Nigerian currency translates to about N400 billion.” He appealed to the Federal Government to be protective of the nation’s natural resources so as to maximise their exploration.

The Guardian, August 31, 1997 Pg. 1

FG To Stop Fertilizer Subsidy

Farmers in the country have been enjoined to switch over to organic fertiliser before the removal of subsidy on inorganic fertiliser. The Federal Government is set to remove subsidy on inorganic fertiliser from the next planting season and this is expected to raise the price of the commodity. The Ogun State Agriculture Commissioner, Mrs. Olabisi, who advised the farmers to plan ahead said the commodity would cost more. The commission said the subsidy removed would be directed to other areas, which would be beneficial to all. She said the removal of the subsidy was to assist the farmers and would boost the nation’s economy on long-run. The commissioner said three fertiliser contractors were yet to deliver the commodity to the state government, in spite of the ministry’s efforts to retrieve the commodity from them.

Daily Times, September 10, 1997 Pg. 3

High Protein Maize Recommended For Nigeria

High-protein maize, which is already being cultivated in other West Africa countries, fit beautifully in Nigeria, Mr. Christopher Dowswell, Director of Programme co-ordination with the Sasakawa Africa Association has said. Dowswell said in Kaduna that  the maize “was improved for stiff resistance in Ibadan, but you know, we have a lot of red-tape and regulations, so it has to go through a hybrid of committees to get cleared for cultivation. Otherwise, there is no reason why high-protein maize isn’t grown here. It is really high-yielding and in areas where it is already being cultivated on a large scale, it is a good material,” he said.

Daily Times, September 17, 1997 Pg. 27

Scientists Explain New Rainy Season

Only the southern states of Nigeria have experienced an increase in atmospheric temperature this year, in line with last week's announcement by meteorologists that 1997 is the world's warmest year. Meteorologists at the Central Forecasting Office (CFO) of the Department of Meteorological Services, Oshodi, on the outskirts of Lagos, said yesterday that northern Nigeria, however, experienced some cooling, a departure from the global temperature increase of about 5.0 degree Celsius. Besides, they explained that the rainfall being experienced in many parts of the country, instead of a gradual transition to the dry season, is localised, and not an indication of a national change in weather pattern.

The different strokes in atmospheric temperature, between the north and the south, were said to be due to the fact that the south is highly industrialised. It should be warmer, the experts said. Compared to the global temperature rise, however,  there are no indications that there were abnormalities in the factors leading to the increase within Nigeria's air space although the meteorological department's ozone measurement unit does not carry out greenhouse gases measurement.

The Guardian, December 2, 1997 Pg. 1

Nigerian Farmers Lose 90 Per Cent of Yield to Artificial Disasters

Nigerian farmers lose about 90 per cent of their agriculture yields yearly to poor seeds and other artificial hazards, Retired Admiral Murtala Nyako, has said. Addressing a news conference in Kano, Nyako said farmers in the country were compelled to produce below 10 per cent capacity yield per land unit due to the traditional planting of low yield seeds and lack of government support. Nigeria farmers, he said, had been constrained in competing with others at international level because of their low production capacity, adding that the quality of their products was equally not encouraging. The president asserted that farmers in the country were still producing at subsistence level, pointing out that even the large scale farming class had crumbled because their production capacity could not pay the production cost.

Daily Times, December 8, 1997 Pg. 1

Nigeria Loses N36 Billion Revenue From Timber

The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) consultant on tropical timber, Dr. Kehinde Sanwo, says Nigeria loses an average of N3.6 billion on revenue from timber, due to mismanagement and misappropriation. Sanwo told NAN that Ondo State accounted for the bulk of the wood wealth losses. The nation loses between 60 to 80 per cent of its timber revenue from Ondo and Oyo states with the highest concentration of rare species” Sanwo said. Patches of local but organised syndicates supported by foreign firms were identified as the brain behind the loot and plundering of the nation’s wood wealth. He blamed the colonial forest policy still in operation and the conflict in forest conservation and wood management without code of utilisation and management as the bane of the national wood wealth. According to the consultant, the absence of forest practice, logging, machine and equipment workers’ and safety codes were responsible for the nation inability to fully maximise the revenue potentials of wood.

The nation loses N10 billion yearly because of the continuous use of sawdust producing machines, unlike in South Africa, Europe and America that currently use machines that produce chipping for paper and other wood-based products” he said. On deforestation and degradation, Sanwo said that wasteful use of international aid by government agencies had led to the stoppage of assistance, while current assistance through private companies  were being marred by greed. According to him, Nigeria, with a lumber recovery ratio of below 50 per cent has lost it forest heritage and natural ecosystem without benefiting from the huge foreign exchange recorded by individual and private concern. He said that the five km of land per year lost to desertification could be attributed to national “voracious” land hunger and uncoordinated urbanisation.

Daily Times, December 10, 1997 Pg. 25

COPAN Floats Fund To Reactivate Cocoa Production

Worried by the disturbing reduction in cocoa output occasioned by the ageing cocoa, the Cocoa Processors Association of Nigeria (COPAN) has instituted a lifeline fund to rejuvenate cocoa cultivation in the country. COPAN president, Mr. Ayo Bakare said the fund was part of a revival strategy being adopted by the association to bring cocoa farming back to its glorious past. He said the main thrust of the revival programme centred on assisting cocoa farmers, through the provisions of technology support and easy access to loan facilities. According to him, the dwindling fortunes of cocoa in recent time had forced some of the processing companies to close shop, adding that, out of the 17 that were active in the industry, only six are functioning at present. These six, he said, now operate at less than 25 per cent of their installed capacity. He put the total investment of the functioning companies at N12 billion, pointing out that, except members of the association act fast, such huge investment would go down the drain. He however, enjoined government to create an enabling environment that would help the cocoa industry to thrive.

Daily Times, December 10, 1997 Pg. 26

Enriched Salt Lick Block For Export

Nigeria is predominantly an agriculture country in spite of the availability of petroleum resources. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Nigeria in 1994 for the agricultural sector (crops and livestock) was put at about N345 billion, whereas that of petroleum sector was put at N240 billion. There are in Nigeria, according to the 1995 report of the Federal Office of Statistics an estimated population of 80 million ruminants (grass eating) livestock, made up of cattle (16 million), sheep (19 million). Others include horses, donkeys and camels. With a projected increase of ten per cent annually, Nigeria's Livestock resources are worth over N300 billion.

The Guardian, January 2, 1998 pg. 17

FG Bans Chicken Import From South-East Asia

Taking a cue from other countries, the Federal Government yesterday banned the importation of live or frozen chicken and eggs from Hong Kong and South East Asia, following reports of a strange disease that kills consumers of the products particularly in Hong Kong. A statement announcing the ban, was issued in Abuja yesterday by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, that as a result of transmission of flu to humans the importation of live, chilled or frozen poultry product and eggs from Hong Kong and South East Asia should be suspende forthwith until the infection is wiped out.”

Thisday, January 23, 1998 Pg. 3

Cement Firm Sued Over Low Crop Yield

A farmer, Mr. David Oduntan has taken the West Africa Portland Cement Limited (WAPCO) to court over an alleged air pollution and vibration caused to his farmland during the company's daily production process. In a N118,681 suit filed at the Shagamu High Court, in Ogun State of Nigeria, Oduntan is alleging that the defendant's operations caused vibrations on his farmland, during the defendant's "blasting activities."  Oduntan deposed to a 60-paragraph affidavit and averred that the vibrating effect from the defendant's blasting operation had shaken the grounds of his farm, resulting in cracks on his farm building and their structures. He claimed that the air pollution effect of the defendant company had caused his plants to stop yielding fruits and that the vibrations caused his fishes to die in the pond, while chickens died en-masse, making him lose huge sums of money. Oduntan asked the court to restrain the defendant from hindering his farm production, stating that his products have been adversely affected by the defendant's cement making operation.

The WAPCO, in its defence, averred that the plaintiff had refused to apply fertiliser products, following which the crops’ produce low quantity, "as the soil fertility had been reduced”. The defendant deposed that Officials of the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA), and the Federal Ministry of Mines and Power, had visited its premises and had never expressed dissatisfaction over its operation standard.

Daily Times, February 2, 1998 Pg. 3

FG Releases N9 Billion For Agriculture

In a bid to boost food production, the Federal Government has released N9 billion agricultural grant to the 36 states, the Minister of State for Agriculture, Dr. Franklin Adejuwon, said in Lagos yesterday. Adejuwon, who visited the state Administrator, Col. Mohammed Marwa, declared that the Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, would give more assistance to states which showed prudence in the management of resources.

Daily Times, February 3, 1998 Pg. 1

Experts Alert On Spreading Cocoa Pests

Cocoa experts are seeking new ways to stop about 40 per cent of the commodity’s total yearly production being lost to pest and diseases. The problem formed the fulcrum of the experts’ meeting reportedly held last month in the Cote d'Ivoire where calls were made to identify new ways to boost Cocoa crops by eradicating pests and diseases which will allow farmers to halt "slash and burn" farming that has destroyed rain forests. Five major diseases may kill as much as 40 per cent of annual crops, according to report by Europe's chocolate industry group, Caobisco, presented at the seminal. The threat comes from a host of Capsid and Mirid insects, Fungae, Blights and cocoa pod rots. Black pod disease (Phytopthera Palmivora) hit Africa and other areas and account for 44 per cent losses caused by the five diseases.

Croup analysts fear a strong strain, Phtopthera Megakarya, could one day hit Cote d'Ivoire. The fungal disease known as Witches Broom (Crinipelis Perniciosa) has already slashed crops in Brazil, a key producer, by one-third to 230,000 tonnes in 1995/96 from 353,000 tonnes in 1980/81. It causes 21 per cent of overall crop loses.

The Guardian, February 6, 1998  pg.17

Elephants Destroy N20m Farm Produce

Farm produce worth N20 million were destroyed in Anka emirate, Zamfara, by a herd of elephants numbering more than 10 between September 1997 and January this year, the Emir of Anka, Alhaji Attahiru Mohammed, has said. The Emir said at the weekend in Anka, that the rampaging elephants ate up rice, maize, millet, guinea-corn, cassava and fruits ready to be harvested by the farmers in the area. Attahiru said the matter had been reported to the state government and added that the emirate council contracted the services of hunters in January to scare away the elephants.

Daily Times, February 9, 1998 Pg. 1

West-Coast Exports Face Fresh Hurdles

Exports to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), through the formal and informal sectors are facing setbacks, exporters from both sectors have alerted Business Concord. Investigation at the weekend revealed that this year’s non-oil export to EOCWAS may as a result, be the worst ever owing to factors that could not be immediately rectified. These include:

The depreciation of the Naira against the CFA a fortnight ago which had worsened the low-tide cross border trade since January in the informal trade sector. The Naira depreciation was reported to be a contributory factor that prevents traders from the neighbouring countries such as Benin Republic, Togo, Ghana, among others from coming as far as Nigeria again for procurement.

Secondly, the traders claim that Asian importers are fast extending their tentacles to the West African Sub-region, thus given stiff competition to Nigerian-produced seasoning products, baking ingredients, automobile tyre products, as well as various plastic wares and products.

Despite the spate of price reductions going on amongst Nigerian Manufacturing companies, the situation may not improve as some of the products such as beer and building materials record more imports into Nigeria than the much desired improvement in non oil-export Business Concord, learnt.

Export managers of multi-national and large scale manufacturing companies who spoke with Business Concord, at the weekend in Lagos cited the intensified harsh security search on goods and citizens as further instrument of frustration to legal businessmen and women.

Business Concord, March 2-7, 1998 Pg. 3

FG Moves to Boost Agriculture

The Federal Government has granted loans to various communities and other related banks in the country to boost agricultural activities. Speaking in Port Harcourt at a workshop organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Practising Farmers Association (PFA) the Vice President of the body, Vice Admiral Murtala Nyako (rtd), advised the farmers to ensure that the loans be used strictly for agricultural purposes. He said the workshop was aimed at encouraging urban, rural and riverine farmers on ways to boost cash crop production, expected to lead to increased yields and profits through the application of the research project, agricultural activities, cottage industries and farmers get-together. Nyako blamed the failure of some of the Federal Government’s initiatives to boost food production in the country on the un-preparedness and nonchalant attitude of some Nigerians to support these programmes.

Daily Times, March. 19, 1998 Pg. 5

Nigeria Produces More Maize than Cassava, Yam

Although Nigeria is the acclaimed world’s greatest producer of yams and cassava, it currently produces more maize, a publication of the Federal Office of Statistics (FOS), has revealed. The publication titled “National Agricultural Sample Census 1993/94” says that maize is mostly grown in Nigeria, with 54 per cent of all holdings in the country cultivating it. The document showed that Imo State recorded the highest figure of maize production with 93 per cent, followed by Edo and Anambra, which grow 90 and 98 per cent respectively. All other states recorded relatively high figures with the exception of Jigawa, Sokoto and Yobe which recorded less than 10 per cent each,” the FOS said. The FOS said that 48 per cent of the holdings were cultivating guinea corn, adding however, that the intensity of production decreased roughly in terms of its distance from the northern part of the country. It said for instance, 90 per cent and more were recorded in the North, the Middle Belt has a figure of between 60 per cent and 70 per cent, whereas there was no cultivation at all in some southern states. It said that cassava, with a production of 47 per cent, was the third largest crop grown in the country, but that unlike guinea corn, states in the north did not cultivate much of it, adding that Yobe, Borno, Jigawa, and Katsina, all in the far north, had low figure of 2 percent, 3 per cent and 5 per cent respectively.

Cultivation of cassava is very intense in the south-eastern states with Imo, Anambra, Abia, And Akwa Ibom recording 98per cent, 97 per cent, 93 per cent respectively. Beans, groundnut, millet and yams made figures of between 30 per cent and 40 per cent each, while beans millet and groundnut were mostly cultivated in the north, and yam mostly grown in the Middle belt, the FOS said. It said also that nine out of every 10 holdings, representing about 94 per cent in the country were involved in crop farming, 70 per cent of which were into livestock farming, while only two per cent and one per cent respectively were involved in fishing and forestry activities. It said that with the exception of Lagos State, with 58 per cent of holdings involved in crop farming, all other states recorded figures above 80 per cent, adding that high figures of involvement in livestock farming were recorded mostly in the northern part of the country. The publication noted that Kano, Jigawa, Kastina and Bauchi states had records of 95 per cent, 94 per cent, 91 per cent and 86 per cent respectively of livestock production, while the lowest figure of 15 per cent was recorded in Delta State.

Daily Times, March. 19, 1998 Pg. 19

LASU Embarks On Fish Hatchery Project

Lagos State University (LASU), in a bid to improve the study of Fishery in the university, has embarked on the construction of a research and production hatchery complex expected to be completed soon. The vice chancellor of the University, Prof. Fatiu Ademola Adesode, disclosed recently that the hatchery is part of the design to encourage fish production and increase intake of protein among the populace. The hatchery is expected to produce 20,000 fingerlings daily, which will be sold in commercial quantities to fishmongers to boost fish production in the state. “The university has undertaken this project because of the aquatic nature of Lagos and the need to boost fish production in the state,” Akesode said. The project which he noted “is the first of its kind in the country, is being financed through the internally generated revenue of the university.”

Thisday, March 26, 1998 Pg. 25

Three Per Cent Nigerians Practice Farming

The Federal Office of Statistics (FOS) said only three per cent of Nigerians below 25 years are engaged in farming activities. According to an FOS publication titled “National Agricultural Sample census 1993/94’ the number of farmers aged between 25 years and 44 years stands at 46 per cent, while 33 per cent represent those whose ages range between 45 years and 59 years. It said that the dis-aggregated by marital status showed that only four per cent of those engaged in farming were not married, whereas 84 per cent of them were married as against 12 per cent of those who were widowed, divorced or separated. The figure also showed that 59 per cent of farmers in Nigeria had primary education, as against 28 per cent, nine per cent and four per cent who possess secondary education, post secondary education and those who never went to school respectively. The document indicated that Nigerians whose primary occupation was agriculture constituted 90 per cent: two per cent practice agriculture as secondary occupation, while eight per cent were primarily engaged in agriculture but had other secondary occupations. According to the FOS, only 37 per cent farmers in Nigeria use chemical fertilisers in their farms, with farmers in Kaduna State constituting 88 per cent of them, while to Cross River, Ogun, Delta and Edo states below 10 per cent use the commodity. It said that while 19 per cent get their fertiliser supplies from government sources, six get theirs from co-operative societies, adding that majority, representing 60 per cent get their fertiliser supplies from the open market. It also said that 52 per cent of non-user blamed it on high cost, while 23 per cent did not know any source of procuring the chemical substance. Nigerian farmers, the FOS said generally do not use insecticides or pesticides, except Katsina State, which recorded 23 per cent use, while other states recorded less than 20 per cent usage of the materials for their farming activities. “The states with the highest figures of non use include Akwa Ibom, 99 per cent, 97 per cent for Edo and Abia, while Adamawa, Cross River and FCT each with 95 per cent, the statistics office said.

Daily Times, March. 26, 1998 Pg. 20

Farmers Warned on Extreme Weather

Meteorologists have warned Nigerians of extreme hot weather condition never witnessed in recent times. Director of Nigeria Meteorological Service, Alhaji Yusufu Salahu told Business Times, in an interview that the current intensity of the weather was the most devastating in the last 10 years and linked it to that in 1984 when there was a similar severe weather condition. Salahu lamented the current intense heat experienced in most parts of the country with the accompanying dry weather, and attributed the development to El-Nino Affair (a weather phenomenon) and also the position of the inter-Tropical Discontinuity (ITD) which he said was presently situated at a disadvantaged position. The director forecast that the extreme weather situation would persist for most part of the second quarter, warning that temperature as high as 42 degrees centigrade were recorded in some parts of the country (especially Abuja) this year and might possibly be above that later in the year. He added that a corresponding severe dry wind in the later part of the year across the country would occur. Salahu observed that if the forecast for the first quarter of the year “is any thing to go by”, an equally extreme wet situation should be expected during the rainy season and other weather pattern in the season in spite of its sparse drop following the early onset. He therefore, warned farmers as well as all other Nigerians to bear in mind the weather condition while planning their projects.

The meteorologist cautioned farmers on higher volume of rainfall and its accompanying flood as well as operators in the construction industry and other economic activities to beware of the prevailing weather condition. The director explained the rationale behind the weather phenomenon around Abuja area, where the temperature is currently observed to be hotter than other areas previously regarded as more warm temperature area, as the effect of the El-Nino affairs where weather situation around the Pacific are very uncommon. Salahu identified other factors aside from geography, saying the population increase around Abuja area and the attendant human activities were partly responsible for the development.

Business Time, April 13, 1998 Pg. 1

Farmers Decry Neglect of Agriculture

The National President of the Practising Farmers Association of Nigeria, Vice Admiral Murata Nyako (rtd) has attributed the shortage of food in the country to lack of adequate attention to agriculture and motivation of farmers. Speaking when he called on Enugu State Administrator, Col. Sule Ahman, Admiral Nyako regretted that good agricultural programmes of the past governments, huge financial allocations to agriculture and ideas from the research institutes in Nigeria could not help the nation in finding solution to her food problem. The former chief of naval staff said that most farmers were oblivious of the existence of research institutes and other federal agricultural agencies. He said that these agencies include the River Basin Development Co-ordinating Unit (FACU), National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) and other World Bank-assisted Agricultural Programme and their activities. “Food security is a very important aspect of national security and without it, there is no security at all”, he explained.

Daily Times, April 21, 1998 Pg. 20

Group Wants River Niger Dredging Project Stopped

Nigeria Environmental Study and Action Team (NEST) has called for the suspension of the on-going project on the dredging of the lower River Niger, being funded by the Petroleum (Special) Trust Fend (PTF) to the tune of N8.3 billion in the first phase, until the due process as set out in Decree 86 of 1992 is followed. At a one-day open-forum held at the University of Ibadan, NEST reiterated that the decree stated that before such projects could be embarked upon, all the primary stakeholders, that is the states that lie along the River Niger course must be consulted. Besides all Nigerian have a stake in the project.

ThisDay, April 15, 1999 pg.3

Katsina Development Foundation Distributes Implements To Farmers

The Katsina State Development Foundation has distributed farming implements worth N15 million to 340 farmers in the 34 local government council of the state. This was made known by the secretary of the foundation, Alhaji Dauda Sule Kankarofi during the presentation of the implements to the farmers in Katsina recently. The secretary further informed the board, that since the inception of the foundation, which began in 1991 with a sum of N51 million, the fund can now boast of  about N165 million in its kitty while a sum of N73 million has been expended to buy various items including books and computers which had been distributed to various organisation in the state as donations. The chairman of the Board of Directors is former Head of State, Major General Muhammed Buhari.

ThisDay, June 15, 1999 pg.34

Cocoa Traders Raise Alarm

Cocoa Traders Association has alerted the Standard Organisation of Nigeria on the presence of impurities in cocoa beverage drinks produced by cottage and medium scale industries in the country The general secretary of the Ondo State branch of the association,  Mr. Patrick Adedapo Aisida told Business Concord in Akure that slack in the supervision of manufacturing activities at that level could lead to more contamination and epidemics. He disclosed that the association had been concerned about the proliferation of various packaging by the lower echelon of the society in recent times.

Business Concord, June 15 –20, 1998