Farmers need credit facilities—NOUN

Prof. Nda Mundi, Dean, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, National Open University of Nigeria(NOUN) has said farmers need affordable credit facilities in order to enhance their productivity.


Mundi, who made this call while delivering the 11th Inaugural Lecture of NOUN in Abuja, said such facilities would address the problem of poverty especially in rural area.

The theme of lecture is “Agricultural Innovations and Rural Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria.”

The professor of Agriculture Extension said such facilities should comprise farming innovations, provision of and improved extension services.

“Specific recommendations of package of innovation practices for the cultivation of high yielding varieties for farmers of all categories should be made separately instead of only one set of practice.

“There is need to increase the level of awareness of rural populace to the importance of education as majority of rural women are not educated. This will make the rural women to use the various opportunities that may open to them to get out poverty.”

Mundi emphasised the need for philanthropists and government at all levels to foster opportunities for rural farmers, especially in the area of infrastructures and credit facilities.

He said credit facilities through banks and cooperatives should be made available well in advance to the farmers and the procedure should be made very simple.

The don noted that innovation and education was important in boosting the yield of farmers.

On his part, NOUN’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Abdalla Adamu, said inaugural lecture was critical to the life of every university. He said the topic was apt as agriculture played a vital role in the country.

Adamu challenged other professors in the university that had yet to deliver inaugural lectures to come up with topics for the academic exercise.

“We need more professors to come up with what they are doing and topics so we can organise in­augural lectures for them.

“We are ready for inaugural lectures; NOUN is no longer a sleeping dog but a roaring lion in the intellectual community,” the vice-chancellor said.

NAN




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Agric forum to encourage greater technology use by women

Image
Organizers of a one-day agricultural forum for women in Benin, the Edo State capital, have said the event will focus on increasing the awareness of available agricultural and outreach technologies for women in agriculture. The forum which will be anchored by Market Development Programme in the Niger Delta (MADE) with funding from UK Aid, is collaborating with Markets II, funded by USAID and Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta, PIND and the Edo State Cooperative Farmers’ Agency is being held for womenas part of activities to mark this year’s International Women’s Day. Mr. Fidelis Ekom, MADE’s Communications and Advocacy Manager, in a statement at the weekend said the forum also seeks to facilitate mindset change for women in the adoption of modern technologies and to facilitate engagement between women in agriculture and relevant value chain actors. Ekom said the forum will bring together women farmers in aquaculture, cassava, palm oil, poultry, hon
Read more

7 FEPSAN members to produce 1m tonnes under Presidential Fertiliser Initiative

Image
Seven active blending companies within the Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN) have been revived and are among the 1st of five batches that would produce 1 million tonnes of fertiliser under the Presidential Fertiliser Initiative, Thomas Etuh, President of FEPSAN has said. Etuh who disclosed this while speaking on Presidential Fertiliser Initiative noted that most of the plants owned by FEPSAN members are being revived after being dormant for over a decade. He expressed the hope that more plants would join the initiative before the end of April “Some of the blending plants which have already been supplied with raw materials including phosphate from Morocco and are blending include Fertiliser and Chemicals Ltd, Kaduna, producing 300,000 metric tonnes; Al-Yuma Fertilizer Company (300,000 metric tonnes) in Madobi-Kano; Kano Agricultural Supply Company, supplying 15 trailers daily and Golden Fertiliser based in Lagos. “Others blending plants ha
Read more

Over 100 exhibitors from 18 countries register for agrofood Nigeria 2017

Image
Fairtrade, the German trade fair specialist organisation, has said more than 100 exhibitors from 18 countries have confirmed their participation at the agrofood Nigeria, making it a record participation. The event which will take place from 28 to 30 March 2017 at the Landmark Centre in Lagos has attracted exhibitors from Austria, Benin, China, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Italy, Kenya, Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, South Africa, Taiwan, Togo, Turkey and the United Kingdom. agrofood Nigeria consists of the following exhibition topics: Agriculture, Process & Packaging, Food Ingredients, Food & Drinks and Foodservice Equipment. “For the third year, the French agrofood association adepta leads a delegation of French companies to agrofood Nigeria”, said Aude Roelly, Area Sales Manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, adepta. “From farm to fork, companies specialized into equipment and know-how for agriculture, livestock, food processing and packaging offer their
Read more