The Federal Government plans to tackle post-harvest losses put at nine billion dollars annually through multiple approaches, including setting up of staple crops processing zones.

Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Agriculture, made the disclosure on Thursday in Abuja, at a stakeholders’ conference organised by Akassa Development Foundation (ADF).

Akassa is a community in Bayelsa in the southernmost part of Nigeria.

The theme of the stakeholders’ conference is: “ Sustainable Development and Security in the Niger Delta beyond Oil.’’

The minister, represented by Eniye Amloakederem, Senior Technical Adviser on Agric-business, listed the approaches to include-storage, development of cold chains, improving infrastructure, improving product handling, among others.

He said that staple crops processing zones would be set up in “ areas of high food production.’’

According to the minister, the government will utilise “ fiscal and infrastructure incentives’’ to attract private food manufacturing companies to add value to agricultural produce.

Lokpobiri said that all the investments were structured around smallholder farmers, to ensure inclusion of models that would create wealth and boost development.

He challenged the people of the Niger Delta region to engage in agriculture as the region has the largest wetland with arable land for agriculture.

He said that the area is also suitable for commercial production of varieties of crops, including rice, cassava, yam, okro, ogbonno, cocoyam, maize, pepper, plantain, among others.

He commended the ADF for sustaining community development in Akassa.

Mr Nsima Ekere, Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), who spoke at the event, stressed the need to embrace agriculture as a tool to tackle hunger and insecurity in the Niger Delta.

He said that agriculture, in which the people of the Niger Delta have founded their core preoccupation, “presents the strongest and most rewarding options to fighting poverty and facilitating sustainable development.’’

He said that agriculture “worked great wonders in countries such as Mexico, India and China,’’ adding that Bayelsa alone has the capacity to feed the nation.

“A World Bank study shows that Bayelsa is capable of producing enough rice to feed Nigeria and the rest of Africa.

“How can we exploit these opportunities to fight poverty, which is at the core of continual agitation in the land?"

It is vital to note that tackling and defeating poverty is essential to the urgent need to boost security in the region or in any society,’’ Ekere said.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/fg-establish-staple-crop-processing-zones-lokpobiri/

They should properly implement this. Storage and processing facilities are most essential. We shouldn't still be in the era where crops are sold extremely higher when it season passes.

The previous FG under Adesina had already the implementation of the Staple Crops Processing Zone. This government came and truncated it for two years now they want to form they are bringing in a new idea. Cargill, the largest user of Cassava starch in the world was already on the way to establish a massive Starch and syrup processing facility in the Staple Crops Processing Zone in Kogi State.

[size=16pt]Cargill to produce 90,000 MT of starch annually at KOGI Staple Crops Proessing Zone[/size]


News » Business
Nigeria


20th June 2014

The Vice-President, Cargill West Africa, Mr. Peter Neilson, has said the proposed $100m Cargill Starch Plant in Kogi State will produce up to 90,000 metric tonnes of cassava starch annually when it becomes operational.

He explained that the plant would transform the economy of the state and Nigeria by boosting agric-businesses and industrialisation as well as providing jobs to the teeming unemployed people.

He also said the Cargill Agricultural Production Processing project is a potential investment to support the staple crop processing zone that is planned in Alape, Kogi State.

Nielson spoke on Wednesday at an inception workshop for Cargill Re-settlement Action Plan for the proposed Cargill starch.

According to him, the model for the plant which will occupy over 30,000 hectares of land, is an inclusive farming model that will enable small farm holders to have access to training and fair market for their crops.

The Consultant and Technical Adviser on Agriculture to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. James Awoniyi, said the Federal Government would look beyond farming for feeding purposes for the project.

He added that the government viewed the investment as important. Awoniyi also commended the Kogi State Government for having a robust agricultural policy since its creation.

The Kogi State Governor, Mr. Idris Wada, who was represented by his deputy, Mr. Yomi Awoniyi, said the state government was appreciative of the Federal Government’s support to its agricultural and industrial development programmes.

He noted that the investment from Cargill was a symbol of such support.

He also said the Cargill Agricultural Production Processing project would enable the American investor become the major private sector investor to support the agricultural transformation strategy set out by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and supported by the Kogi State Government.

Wada assured all the parties involved in the project that all transactions relating to land acquisition and land tenure would be conducted transparently and in accordance with established laws and international best practices.

He assured them of co-operation, hospitality and support of the state government and the host community.

That, he explained, was meant to further encourage Cargill and enable the company to expand its scope beyond starch production into the development of value addition for other crops such as rice, cotton, soya- bean and sugarcane

http://logbaby.com/news/cargill-to-produce-90-000-mt-of-starch-annually_20610.html#.WSehXvnyvIU

Recycled news but let's see if he can get a bill passed.