Anyi3:
See Nigerian youths. Everyone above me didn't read the epistle before commenting. What a shame.

The writer made serious sense. Malaysia imported our palm trees back in the days and are reaping benefits. There's absolutely nothing wrong in importing agricultural raw materials and then developing your economy.

Again big shame that people above me didn't read or don't know how to.

And you are a bigger disgrace! Malaysia took samples and went on to develop, they did not import our palm kernel!
Why cant your country do same. Keep supporting mediocrity shame on you.

A long while ago a country's research team came down to Nigeria and 'imported' our oil palm tree samples. That country today is one of the largest producers of oil palm. My brother who is a farmer was recently contemplating importing elephant grass stems from India to replant for cattle feeding. Even in the long epistle, it was stated that they would be crossbred with local ones but this could be skipped and just simply multiply it since Nigeria has a similar climate with Brazil.

The aim of the agric ministry was to get hybrid grass for local planting (not direct feeding) so that there would be much available in coming seasons and encourage ranch husbandry compared to nomadic husbandry which has been detrimental to cattle, farmland and human lives.

The only blame the ministry has is not carrying along stakeholders which would not have made this issue misunderstood. Do not let your good be evily spoken of dear minister. cheers

Sijo01:
No reason(s) is good enough to import grass when we have abundant of it down south.

Let us eschew partisanship and be objective about these issues.

The government claims that they have discovered Grasses that have 28% Crude Protein, do we have any grass in Nigeria, either in the North or South, that have such high protein? To the best of my knowledge there is none. So what is wrong in importing such highly proteinous gas with a view to domestically grow it.

If government implements this idea correctly animal husbandry in Nigeria would witness a revolution.

Cheers.

oc2fish:
A few seed is all we need to under study the grass importing for consumption is a no go area.

We have research centers that cam develop this grass. Uptill now Nigeria do not utilize places like IITA because the politicians want to eat money.

SAY NO TO IMPORTATION OF GRASSES .

God bless you!

wailing is free, so wailers will freely wail.
Read they cant, common comprehension they are not capable of....new age of illiteracy.
Though its sad, the situations our leaders and we as a ppl have put this country, but if one is trying to proffer solutions to challenges lets encourage or at least criticize constructively.

Na craze world be that oooo

cjfavour:


Understand importation of grass with high nutrient? Which one were d cows eating when roaming about? Abeg dnt support these evil politicians we have in d country and their wacked theories.

Go and educate yourself and stop displaying politically driven ignorance. There is nothing wrong in importing high nutrient grass seedlings for cultivation in Nigeria which has the capacity to explosively multiply both beef and milk production. Grass is not grass, read the freaking article first before you jump into comments; this is standard agricultural practice all over the world and this is the reason people spend years in universities and research institutes studying agriculture. You cannot expect progress when you continue practising archaic agric methods and this is the difference that has always separated Africa from the developed.

despite all explanation, you are still in the dark

teepain:



Let us eschew partisanship and be objective about these issues.

The government claims that they have discovered Grasses that have 28% Crude Protein, do we have any grass in Nigeria, either in the North or South, that have such high protein? To the best of my knowledge there is none. So what is wrong in importing such highly proteinous gas with a view to domestically grow it.

If government implements this idea correctly animal husbandry in Nigeria would witness a revolution.

Cheers.

You r being partisan too! What of our research centres? Why cant ur government get samples of this grass and let them develop it?

chrisie:
Is rearing animals not a private business anymore? Why use government resources to import grass and give it to private individuals for their ruminants. The feeds used to birds in Nigeria are purchased by the poultry farmers and no government helps them. Why can't the ruminant farmers do the importation themselves. Just thinking though.

Later dis same person will say the government is not help the agricultural industry

They voted for change with their eyes open....so welcome to chanji.

Anyi3:
See Nigerian youths. Everyone above me didn't read the epistle before commenting. What a shame.

The writer made serious sense. Malaysia imported our palm trees back in the days and are reaping benefits. There's absolutely nothing wrong in importing agricultural raw materials and then developing your economy.

Again big shame that people above me didn't read or don't know how to.

That's because palm trees are cash crops... grass isn't.
There is no amount of explanation or write-ups or essays you can you to defend the importation of grass. Sorry.

lomprico:

And you are a bigger disgrace! Malaysia took samples and went on to develop, they did not import our palm kernel!
Why cant your country do same. Keep supporting mediocrity shame on you.

Bros please read the post and stop disgracing ur family

Nigeria is not importing to feed cows directly..
We will import once and start growing ....in three months they will be ready to be fed to the cows

Anyi3:
See Nigerian youths. Everyone above me didn't read the epistle before commenting. What a shame.

The writer made serious sense. Malaysia imported our palm trees back in the days and are reaping benefits. There's absolutely nothing wrong in importing agricultural raw materials and then developing your economy.

Again big shame that people above me didn't read or don't know how to.

Mr. Man i read d shii, palm fruits n grass, are day d same? D revenue frm d palm fruits, sud b der major source of income, what has grass got to offer us? To feed what? Wen humans r gettin hungrier by d day.

This is the type of minister who will operate a ranch without a cow dung in sight. This minister is bad news.

The Nigerian youth doesn't read.

For those s saying that we have grass in Nigeria, can you give the nutritional values of the grass we have?

I'd love to read that.

If we had at least 50% of the nigerian population like you, nigeria would be a much better place! Keep up the good work. Don't mind these braying oxen!!

obailala:


One of the greatest impediments to the progress of the black man and the black race is our inability to read, our inability to discern and our inordinate urge to 'respond' even before we listen.

The article simply exposes the ignorance of all those castigating the plan to import high nutrient grass seedlings for cultivation in Nigeria. This firstly, is standard practice in agriculture all over the world, but common sense is obviously not too common especially when political sentiments are involved. I can swear on my life that 95% of the respondents above did not read beyond the 3rd line, but mostly read the title and proceeded to comment. Maybe if they read the article, they would have firstly realised it was written by an independent veterinarian and not the minister (as the title implies) and they would have also seen some sensible points.

If it takes decades of research to genetically create a new specie of high nutrient grass which has the capacity to boost beef and milk production beyond our imagination, then my common sense tells me it is definitely silly trying to re-invent the wheel; the sensible thing to do is to take the short-cut by simply obtaining those already optimised grass seedlings and growing them here in Nigeria. Just the same way we imported improved flood resistant rice seedlings some years back which has in no little way contributed to the rice revolution in different parts of Nigeria today. For clarity for those who are oblivious of this, "grass is not grass" and there is a reason why people spend several years studying agriculture in the university and research institutes even when our great grand fathers knew exactly how to sow and reap basic food crops.

A point of note in the article is milk production, Nigeria imports over 90% of the milk it consumes spending over $200m annually on this. A typical Nigerian milk cow produces 200kg of milk annually whereas a typical European milk cow produces up to 6500kg of milk annually, i.e. over 3000% more milk production. The main difference is the nutritional content of the feedstock these cows consume. Ironically, the same people who protest the plan to import improved grass seedlings (for planting) to improve our beef and milk production do not protest the billions we spend importing milk yearly; these same people (probably because of warped political logic) did not also see anything wrong when improved rice seedlings were imported few years back to help boost Nigeria's rice production capacity.

What I find most disheartening about these comments I have quoted is that most of the respondents here are youths, educated youths; and then we begin to wonder why the old have refused to relinquish power. They may claim not to be agriculturists, but that is definitely no excuse for this ignorance because anyone with even partial education should be able to discern these things. If only we can sometimes purge our minds of flimsy political sentiments, then some of these things are just common sense.

It would be very difficult to get these nomads to stop roaming the country in search of pasture for their cattle cos its their culture to roam from place to place. All this long write up would only make sense to the elites among them who keep ranches like mr president.

[color=#006600][/color]

pyxon:
Hahaha. That's how pests and insects that are alien to Nigeria will follow the grass and enter our beloved and bring both plant and animal diseases that we never used to suffer before

They should know there is zika virus

We have a vast expanse of uncultivated land in the south which can be converted to cattle range rather stealing under the guise of importing grass. Another questionable APC policy

Runx:
This is the type of minister who will operate a ranch without a cow dung in sight. This minister is bad news.

Why leave money on the ground when it could be composted to refertilise soil or processed for organic manure.

Mboi:
APC and Buhari will finish this country and some idiots will be foolishly and blindly supporting them.
Those who voted for APC and change are the people that put Nigeria in this mess because either they were charmed or they were loosing their senses then. A normal thinking person knows that transformation is better than change. Change can be positive or negeative, now the change you people voted for is negeative, you should've asked before voting...

Go get yourselves an education first and stop exposing your black man ignorance.

demzey:

Mr. Man i read d shii, palm fruits n grass, are day d same? D revenue frm d palm fruits, sud b der major source of income, what has grass got to offer us? To feed what? Wen humans r gettin hungrier by d day.

Bros...I dont realy no wat to say to

Did u just say that wat does grass got to offer?

Did just say that the livestock shud not be taken care of so human can eat?

So wen there is no livestock wat shud human be eatin

I fear opposition o

pyxon:
Hahaha. That's how pests and insects that are alien to Nigeria will follow the grass and enter our beloved and bring both plant and animal diseases that we never used to suffer before

now that is a valid complaint i was expecting to hear. however proper quality inspection can resolve that concern.

Nigeria virtually imports everything ... from Rice to toothpicks... now Grass!! pathetic!

what's wrong with growing ours here... there are countless of land space in the country. import kel cos u want to exploit !

Logically, it will stop herdsmen from roaming around with there cows and destroying farms. With this, live will be save. Reading the article is a great idea but we have many agricultural university in Nigeria. I am sure they can bring up idea of breeding high nutritional value glass instead of importing.

macaranta:
I won't read that crap..no amount of explanations justify importation of grass.WTF is wrong with this administration sef

please try to be reasonable

The same insane, ignorant and crazy fellows that brought APC into power will still be d same idiots crying at the end of the next 3yrs. What is the justification, mentally, economically or otherwise, that anyone will have to import grass?? Its a pity dat all the crazed APC apologetics and fanatics will come here and still insist dat grass importation is the way to go. Let me ask all d proponents of this idea a question........Is it sensible to close the borders to rice importation without boosting our local production, but sensible to import the grass that cows will eat?? What nutritional value does that imported grass have that Nigerian grass doesnt?? Is it the Grass of Life?? Doesnt the so-called wise researcher know dat breed is the first thing u consider in agriculture before feed?? And he calls himself an agronomist and people are here lauding him.....Shame on u all.
Why doesnt the government bring out time to research on strengthening our breeds or will the 'grass' boost production to 6500kg per year?? Joker.
As the government seeks ways to continue impoverishing us, i watch and wait for all u fanatics to start wailing again, cos na una logo!!!

teemy:


now that is a valid complaint i was expecting to hear. however proper quality inspection can resolve that concern.

I don't want your approval

Insanity is defined as doing same thing over & over but expecting a different result. Let give this a try . Nomadic way of raising livestock is very archaic. That we are sure will put permanent end to cattle herdsmen clashes with farmer. Let us begin to think out of the box.

lomprico:

You r being partisan too! What of our research centres? Why cant ur government get samples of this grass and let them develop it?

In your own wisdom, please answer this question; Is it sensible to re-invent the wheel?

If for instance, it takes 18 years of research and development to create a hybrid, high nutrient crop, just in case you do not know, the ONLY sensible thing to do is to obtain already improved seedlings and plant it in your farm. That is how the world works, and I would be shocked if there is anyone who doesn't know this.

cc: dynamix101, just2endowed, locosis007