Farming

 By Uzair Adam Imam 

Solidaridad, an international organization funded by the Netherlands, has donated potato seedlings to 4,000 farmers in Plateau State. 

The seedlings are resistant to potato blight, a disease that can reduce crop yields.

This is expected to increase the productivity of farmers during the 2024 farming season. 

The product was unveiled during the kick-off of the distribution of seedlings to farmers in Bokkos and Mangu Local Government Areas of Plateau State. 

Programme Manager of Solidaridad, Kene Onukwube, said: “We are starting with 4,000 household farmers. This can be further expanded, as we expect the state government to replicate this programme subsequently. 

“For the prove of concept we started with Bokkos and Mangu local governments, and together with the state ministry of agriculture would be able to show us other locations which is possible to do the same project.’’ 

Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Esther Pwaspo, stated that the state government is committed to improving the agricultural sector and boosting potato production for export.  

This initiative aims to increase the state’s agricultural output and generate revenue.

By Abdulmumini Lawal

The fate of university students in Nigeria undergoes various hiccups and calamities. Among these are the frequent industrial actions by different Academic Unions and Non-Academic Unions, the probability of hike increment in school fees, uncertainty in life itself whether one will even graduate or not,  constant mutable thinking on what tomorrow might bring, and overall, the competitive race awaiting there in the labour market – life after graduation. Economic hardship is another phase of constraint students undergo towards pursuing their academic careers.

However, those above and other threats in academic space have been the main predicaments for Nigerian students and have to serve as a deterrent to one and evolve his perspective approach of who thinks the only way he can excel in life is by obtaining a degree and/or eventually securing a job (white collar one as many say). The limitation of thinking faculty in university students is expected to differ from layman’s, so he has to admit as such.

To my brothers and sisters, preferably those from low-income family backgrounds, I call upon your attention to erase the sense of thinking about when and why you will meet your desired expectations by the government in academia. You have many alternatives to make your life different; the agricultural sector is one of thousands. 

Initially, citing examples from my humble self and being a farmer for ten consecutive years, I decided to embark on farming activities last year. This was a result of the incessant ASUU strike. I vowed to utilise the time I had then positively. During the year, I realised I knew little or nothing among the bounties of opportunities therein. Meanwhile, my ten years of experience in the field is limited. It doesn’t widen the scope of the lucrative opportunities in the farming investment. I strived a lot, putting in the effort I could, most notably money and time, to achieve it.

Alas! So many blessings will never meet you openly but will surely reach you in disguise. To me, the ASUU strike was a blessing in disguise for every university student since this was coming purposely to divert from being affected by the trauma of the ASUU strike.

Subsequently, the outcome was favourable. To sum it up, despite the fertiliser price hike, when I calculated the profit, it multiplied the capital I invested by 4 – 5 times. That’s to say, the profit reached 400 – 500%. I accomplished my dream. I have learnt a lot. There are numerous opportunities there. Many have become what they are today not by the certs they obtained, but by those skills many university students understand. 

Moreover, today’s life is becoming more challenging every day. Today can’t be yesterday, just like tomorrow can’t be today. We see new changes every day, everywhere. It is supposed to be the turn of our parents and guardians to reap from what they have been investing in. Where does our thinking go? Okay, we think they will reap after we graduate and get employed. The uncertainty of securing a job after graduation is a constant gesture. The number of unemployed graduates keeps increasing. Universities keep producing. The white collar jobs are no longer to be found. 

Meanwhile, the incessant government’s negligence in line with education concerns many other threats that have nothing to do with your failure and could never be the reason behind your excellence. Whatever Allah decides for you is a blessing in disguise. It’s either you misuse it or unknowingly leave it untouched.

Let’s wake up! Thousands of opportunities are there waiting for us. Let the cert be the second priority. Strive fervently day and night. For the little chance you have, make use of it appropriately. 

I wish you a better tomorrow in all your endeavours!

Abdulmumini Lawal is a student of Mass Communication at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

By Muhammad Aminu

Jigawa State Government has said it would release over 1, 700, 000 bags of fertiliser for sale to farmers in the state to support this year’s rainy season farming.

This was stated by the Deputy Governor of the state, Alh Umar Namadi who assured that Jigawa State Agricultural Supply Company (JASCO) has already been ordered to commence the sale to the farmers across the state.

Alh Namadi who made the announcement when he received the emir of Dutse, Dr Nuhu Muhammadu Sanusi at the Government House said that the state government is committed to ensuring that farmers got the fertiliser on time and at affordable price this rainy season.

According to him, the agricultural sector has been active as a result of various programmes and policies introduced by the government which has resulted to poverty reduction, jobs creation and food security in the state.

The JASCO’s Managing Director, Alhaji Rabiu Khalid Maigatari, said a bag of NPK 20.10.10 would be sold at N15,000. He revealed that the company has already received the delivery of over 160 trucks which is equivalent to 4,500 metric tonnes of the commodities and distributed to over 45 stores across 27 LGAs in the State.

Farmers in the State had earlier complained of unavailability of fertiliser due to exorbitant prices in the market but find succour in the Government subsidised fertiliser for their farming activities.

By Muhammad Aminu

Subsistent farmers in Kano have decried the soaring prices of agro-inputs particularly fertiliser and herbicides as the farmers commence this year’s rainy season farming activities.

In an interview with The Daily Reality, some farmers said that prices of fertiliser and herbicides have skyrocketed to over 100% increase in some cases which would consequently affect their financial strength to afford the products necessary for better agricultural production.

The farmers lament that the inflationary nature of the prices would have adverse effects on their farming capacity amid tough economic situation in Nigeria.

A survey of Bata Market where fertiliser and other agro-allied products are sold in Kano by The Daily Reality revealed that Urea and NPK brands of fertiliser have recorded above 100% increase compared to their prices the previous season.

A 50kg of Urea and NPK fertiliser that sold at between N9, 000. 00 – N13, 000.00 in the previous rainy season now cost between N19, 000.00 – N 25, 000.00. To be precise, a 50kg of Indorama Urea fertiliser costs N22, 000. 00 against N11, 000. 00 last year; Dangote Urea sells at N19, 000.00 more than twofold of previous year’s value of N9, 000.00; Waraka Urea was sold N16, 000.00 in 2021 and now stands at N25,000.00 per 50kg bag.

For the NPK fertiliser, 15:15:15 Nagari and Golden Penny brands currently cost N25, 000. 00 each unlike last season’s N12, 000.00 and N13, 000.00 respectively while Kasco 20: 10: 10 brand now sells N15, 000.00 against N10, 000.00 last year.

The story remains the same for herbicides especially popular brands such as Vinash, Glycil, Paraforce, Dragon, and Bushfire among others. In 2021, their prices did not exceed N1, 800.00 at the extreme against current range of N2, 500.00 –N3, 000.00 per litre.

A marketer, Alh. Mustapha Zakari, said the price rise becomes inevitable because they also supply the products at exorbitant prices. “It is not our fault. We get the product at very expensive price and we have to get some profits for our effort. We are only middlemen. When we get it cheap, we sell cheap but when we get it expensive, we sell at high price too.”

Like most Nigerian states, Kano has significant number of rural folks whose primary means of production and earning a living is agricultural. Thus, both the rural and urban people are directly or indirectly connected to agriculture.

With the sharp changes in prices of agricultural inputs in 2022, many farming communities are finding it extremely difficult to afford fertiliser and herbicide which are very crucial in their agricultural activities that are being threatened by desert encroachment, deforestation and climate change.

Consequently, many farmers are now seeking for alternates to fertiliser in organic manure through use of refuse, human excrement, cow pats, chicken droppings, goat and sheep dungs in their farms.

According to Malam Musa Adamu, a subsistent farmer in Gano, Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area, “even the organic manure is now difficult to obtain.” He told The Star that “last year by this time, I purchased 15 bags of both NPK and urea fertiliser. But this year, when I went to the market with similar amount of money, I returned home with only six bags.” He wanted to have respite in organic manure but it also seems hard to collect in large quantity and convey it to the farm.

For Bala Sani, farming is becoming disenchanted to him despite his enthusiasm for agriculture. “I bought a litre of herbicide between N1, 500.00 to 1,800.00 last year. It now costs between N2, 500.00 to N3, 000.00. In fact, I reduce the size of my farm this year because everything costs more. It is better I farm small area that I can take care of it very well,” he said.

Nasir Ali whose farm in Kura village did not get adequate fertiliser last year, he said Allah’s rain would be sufficient both as water and fertiliser to grow his farm plants. He rhetorically asked “I am battling with how to survive with my family where can I get money for fertiliser?”

Although he did not dismiss the efficacy of fertiliser in farming, his position seems that of a hopeless and hapless farmer that only leans on his faith to the Supreme Being for bumper harvest “Our land isn’t as fertile as it used to be but there is nothing I can do. I would just accept whatever God gives me during the harvest. Even our refuse and animal waste aren’t available; and you have to buy and pay for transporting it to your farm,” he complained.

There are many stories of subsistent farmers whose lives and their entire communities depend on age-old agricultural methods to produce food for the state’s fast exploding population. With virtually absence of support from all the tiers of governments to bona fide farmers who are mostly rural based, food sufficiency or food security would continue to be a tall dream.

According to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Nigeria requires around 7 million metric tons of fertiliser to adequately cater for the needs of its farmers. Currently, Nigeria does not produce the required quantity and the Russian-Ukraine war has affected importation of both finished fertiliser and some raw materials for domestic plants which ultimately affect the price.

Pundits contend that Russia-Ukraine war portends adverse consequences on Nigeria’s and Africa’s agriculture because they heavily rely on Russia for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in their fertiliser plants which Euro-American sanctions make it inaccessible.

Although Africa’s richest billionaire Aliko Dangote’s 2.5$ billion fertiliser plant is estimated to produce 3million metric tons when completed which, alongside other producers, can serve the entire West African region, price of the product will still be a daunting challenge for rural dwelling farmers living below poverty line to afford the important product necessary for modern agriculture.

Hence, due to population explosion and diminished soil fertility, there is a need for a modernised, mechanised and improved agriculture to expand frontiers of food production to feed the fast expanding Kano population which subsistent farmers are already partners.

Relevant authorities, especially the state government needs to genuinely invest in agriculture; to modernise it and empower its poverty-stricken far bymers for a food-sufficient, job-creating and agro-exporting Kano.