ICMG boosts soybean production with 5,000 out-growers scheme

In line with the Federal and State Government diversification efforts to ameliorate the effects of dwindling oil revenue, ICMG Commodities has launched a 5,000 out-growers scheme to boost soybeans production in the country.

Each farmer on the out-grower scheme is expected to cultivate a minimum of one hectare, by implication, a minimum of 5,000 hectares are expected to be cultivated to boost soya beans production in the country.

The soya bean initiative is another addition to rice production, which has been gaining traction in the state as part of efforts to reduce the country’s 4 million tonne deficit. In the last dry season planting, Kebbi State has engaged over 78,000 out-growers for rice production with strong advisory support from ICMG.

Garba Dandiga, commissioner for Agriculture, Kebbi State, stated that the state is poised to produce about 1.5million tonnes of rice in 2016 representing a growth of 50 percent over the figure achieved in 2015, having already achieved a production target of 1million tonnes of rice from the just concluded dry season farming.

“The decision to move massively into soya beans and other grains production processing aligns with the strategic fit of the organisation to support the economic diversification efforts of the Federal Government as exemplified by the stellar performance of Kebbi,” said Frans Ojielu, global financial advisor, ICMG.

Ojielu further explained that the company is poised to play in the entire agric value chain of production, processing and trading of major commodities in Nigeria, having been advisers to Kebbi State Government for over 12 months in the agric value chain revitalisation programme which has recorded tremendous success in production of rice, wheat and other grains.

The production support to Kebbi includes project design, technology support, improved farm practices, farmers’ education and attraction of investors (local and international).

The agric value chain revitalisation programme is challenged by electricity supply, especially as farmers often rely on fuelling their electricity generators to power irrigation pumps. The situation was worsened in the early part of the year when farmers had problems obtaining fuel to power their irrigation pumps.

The incidence, which would have marred the programme, was saved by the swift intervention of Atiku Abubakar Bagudu, executive governor of Kebbi State, who went out of his way to secure fuel for the farmers and ensured availability of fuel throughout the period of scarcity.

Arising from that experience, ICMG and one of its technical partners, Caps Clean Energy Limited, are in the process of testing solar energy as alternative power source as part of reducing input costs for the farmers. The technology will also ensure that farmers have uninterrupted operations with salutary effects on production volumes.

Judging from the magnitude of ICMG support and the commitment of the governor with his agric- value chain revitalisation team, Kebbi State will be producing about 50 percent of Nigeria’s rice requirements by 2017 with a view of Nigeria being a net exporter of rice by 2020, perfectly aligning with the” Green Alternative” programme recently unfolded by the Federal Minister of Agriculture.

ICMG has stated it is committed to making agribusiness attractive to the teeming Nigerian youths, thereby contributing to employment generation. It is currently in discussions with its technical partners to develop the next sets of agric-entrepreneurs who will see farming as a rewarding business relying on modern technology, implements, mechanization and appropriate work-dresses reflecting health and safety as applicable to large industrial enterprises.

The uniqueness of the ICMG commodities support to Kebbi is that it is a one-stop solution, which involves the deployment of innovative practices, technology, on-farm assessment and deployment of corrective measures working with global bodies. In this respect, ICMG is already in discussion with key multinationals with a view to investing in Nigerian Agric production.

CALEB OJEWALE