Agriculture
FG Establishes 500 Capacity Livestock Farm in Sokoto
The National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) has established an animal husbandry farm with cow milking parlour.
The farm with capacity for 500 cows and cow milking parlour with capacity of 200 cows in a set, sits on a 100 hectares land in Sokoto State.
NALDA said the idea behind the project was to develop a modern animal husbandry farm that would sustain itself and reduce the movement of cows within the area.
The Executive Secretary, NALDA, Prince Paul Ikonne, who disclosed this while speaking with newsmen after inspecting the farm and the poultry feed mill facility, said he was satisfied with the level of work at the facilities.
He explained that the essence of establishing the modern animal husbandry farm, which has cow pens with napier grass on 50 hectares, with the construction of clinics/veterinary sections and a training centre, was to reduce the movement of cattle and end the farmers/herders clashes.
Ikonne said that NALDA was committed to achieving food security and development, as he assured that the farm would generate employment, hygienic milk production and cow fattening for meat.
At the same time, the farm would train and encourage young farmers to go into animal husbandry and animal food formulation, according to the NALDA boss.
Construction workers were spotted at the 100 hectares farmland at the section of the clinic and training centre building where work was ongoing, while the 500 cow capacity pens and the cow milking parlour have both been completed.
Also spotted were those watering the napier grass field using the boreholes provided by NALDA at the farm.
The farm is located at Dabagin-lafia, opposite the Usman Danfodio University farm, while the poultry feed mill is situated in Dayin village along the road to Doba, in Sokoto State.
“NALDA is into partnership with Prime Ranch Ltd, who donated the 100 hectares of land where we are establishing the animal husbandry farm, napier grass field and will cultivate maize and millet on 30 hectares of the said land,” Ikonne stated.
“The establishment of the napier grass field is to ensure feed production for the cows, as that will eliminate the roaming around of the animals in search of feed, thereby curtailing farmer/herder clash.
“The milking parlour will serve both the cows in the farm and other animal husbandry farmers who would want their cows milked in a hygienic way.
“Prime Ranch will manage the farm on completion based on their wealth of experience in animal husbandry. This type of partnership is sustainable, productive and should be encouraged in order for us to achieve food security and development,” he added.
On employment opportunities through the partnership, Ikonne stated that with the establishment of the poultry feed mill, which Prime Ranch provided the land and was managing the 62,000 poultry capacity, there would be feed production for small farmers across the zone and other parts of the country.
He said job opportunities would also be created for those who would work at the milking parlour by attending to the cows.
“The employment chain will not be anything less than 400, consisting of workers who would be directly involved in these activities, outside the output, which is achieving food sufficiency,” he stated.
Also speaking during inspection of both projects, the farms and feed mill, the Founder, Prime Ranch Ltd, Nafiu Yakubi, said the partnership with NALDA was coming into fruition.
“The thinking when we incorporated Prime Ranch years back, is to have a ranch kind of arrangement whereby we grow our animals, grow their feeds, fatten them, and sell them off to the market. The partnership with NALDA is a very cordial one. They support us in all areas that we need support from them,” he said.
On the output from the partnership, Yakubu said, “Arising from this partnership with NALDA, you have seen the feed mill. We are currently producing feed for our poultry and other NALDA poultry farmers.”
He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for encouraging young farmers through NADLA, stressing that the President had called Nigerians to return to farming, as he urged Nigerian youths to yield to the call.
“I am a lawyer and I am back to the farm, so Nigerian youths should go back to farming. It is very profitable and the opportunities are very wide,” Yakubu stated.
Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa has expressed his administration’s determination to support farmers with modern agricultural inputs and techniques to boost farming activities in the state.
Fintiri said this on Tuesday in Yola at the Nigeria Integrated Agriculture Activity, 2023 Agricultural Inputs Fair, organised by Feed The Future, a United States Government’s Global Hunger and Food Security Initiative.
The programme was being implemented by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and partners.
It is also part of USAID’s contributions to the economic recovery and support to the vulnerable population disenfranchised in the North-East by insurgency and who were being re-engaged into farming activities.
Fintiri, who was represented by his Deputy, Prof. Kaletapwa Farauta, appreciated the conveners of the programme and their partners.
He also expressed his administration’s readiness to partner with any government and non-governmental organisation that was ready to contribute its quota to the transformation of agriculture and other human endeavours in the state.
Fintiri urged farmers to ensure that their certified seeds were well stored after harvest.
He appealed to the partners to devise means of providing farmers with good natural fertilisers.
“This is to protect the crops as well as the health of the farmers and the entire citizens against the negative effect of chemical fertilisers,” he said.
Chief of Party, Feed the Future Nigeria Integrated Agricultural Activity, Mr Prakash Silwal, said that no fewer than 30,000 farmers had been trained on modern farming techniques.
He noted that the fair was an opportunity for producers of various crops, seeds and food, among others, to sell their products.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Dorathy Augustine, noted that the initiative had impacted positively on the agriculture production in the state.
She said that the improvement was made possible by the awareness raised among farmers on the importance of quality and improved seeds production.
Umar Hamidu, a participant, said that the knowledge acquired on modern farming techniques and improved seedlings had boosted his agricultural activities. (NAN)
The Nigeria Young Farmers Network (NYFN) has advised the Federal Government to divert large percentage of funds saved from fuel subsidy withdrawal to National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF).
Dr Abubakar Musa, the National President of the organisation, gave the advice in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday.
Musa said that this would foster sustainable agricultural practices and support the growth and development of the nation’s agricultural sector and enhance food security.
NADF is aimed at giving critical financial support that would facilitate rapid and sustainable growth in various aspects of the nation’s agricultural sector for the benefit of all citizens.
NADF signed into law by the immediate past administration has as part of its functions provision of money to support agricultural development taking into consideration food production and food security in all ramifications.
These include crop production, livestock, fisheries, poultry and agro-forestry.
Musa, who said that the Tinubu administration took a bold step to withdraw fuel subsidy, commended the government for the action.
The president, who emphasised the importance of agriculture in the nation’s
economy, implored the federal government to invest in its long-term sustainability.
“The diversion of the fuel subsidy payments to the National Agricultural Development Fund will enhance agricultural productivity, promote technological advancements and improve the livelihoods of farmers across the country.
‘The funds redirected from subsidies should be allocated to various key initiatives within the agricultural sector.
“These initiatives may include, research and development: investing in research programmes to enhance crop varieties, improve farming techniques and develop
innovative solutions that address agricultural challenges, ” he said.
Musa said that diversion of subsidy withdrawal payments to NADF would support agriculture programmes through the provision of financial assistance,
training, and resources to small-scale farmers, to enhance their productivity and ensure sustainable agricultural
practices.
He listed other areas to includes investing in critical agricultural infrastructure such as irrigation systems, rural roads, storage facilities and processing centres to facilitate efficient value chain management and post-harvest losses reduction.
“I emphasise that this diversion of funds does not signify the abandonment of the need to address the concerns and
welfare of the people.
” It is rather, a strategic reallocation of
resources to address the long-term needs of the agricultural sector which ultimately benefits the entire nation.
“We believe that this decision will contribute significantly to the realisation of our agricultural potential, food security, rural
development, and economic diversification, ” he said.
Musa further said that it was the collective
responsibility of both government and stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria’s agricultural sector thrives,
providing sustainable livelihoods for young farmers and contributing
to the overall economic growth of the country. (NAN)
The Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), has advised Nigerians to use antibiotics responsibly in the dairy industry, to prevent production of milk with antibiotic residues.
Dr Gloria Daminabo, National Publicity Secretary of NVMA, stated this in a statement to commemorate the World Milk Day on Friday in Abuja.
Daminabo said responsible use of antibiotics in dairy products or cow, would go a long way in curbing the menace of anti-microbial resistance in the country.
The spokesperson who said the day was to encourage people to drink milk and stay healthy, advocated for safety of milk.
“Milk is known as an important global food. The day is to spread awareness on the challenges of the production and distribution of milk.
“The theme emphasized the industry’s commitment to reducing its footprint while providing nutritious food and sustainable livelihoods.
“As we join the world to say enjoy dairy, we also advocate for safe milk,’ she said.
Daminabo said the day was set aside to celebrate the dairy industry for feeding humanity.
World milk day is commemorated on June 1 and the theme for 2023 is “Sustainable Dairy”(NAN)
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