PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTATION OF PRESIDENTIAL INITIATIVE ON RICE, CASSAVA AND VEGETABLE OIL

DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME INRODUCTION From its inception, the Obasanjo’s administration made

a firm commitment to restore Nigeria’s Agriculture to its past

eminent position in the economy. It was realized that the

contribution of the sector had significantly dropped from

being a major foreign exchange earner and resource

reservoir to the present status of low supply deficits in both

food and industrial crops. On this basis, Mr. President

convened several stakeholders fora on Cassava, Rice,

Vegetable Oil Development Programme (VODEP) and Tree

Crops. This led to the inauguration of various committees

under the chairmanship of the Honourable Minister of

Agriculture and Rural Development that developed the

blueprint for the implementation of the “Presidential

Initiatives on Cassava, Rice, VODEP and Tree Crops. The

blueprint were subsequently approved by the Federal

Executive Council (FEC) with the recommendation that the

take-off funds be made available for project implementation.

1

GENERAL OVERVIEW OF THE PRESISENTIAL INITIATIVES It is important in this presentation to give an overview

of the implementation performance of the initiatives.

RICE Rice production in Nigeria is dominated by small holder

farmers with 0.5 - 1.5 hectare per farmer using manual

labour for virtually all its operations. Presently over 52 rice

varieties with yield potentials of between 2 – 8 tonnes of

paddy per hectare and maturity periods of 95 – 140 days

had been developed by both National and International

Research Institutions. Most of these varieties have been

found to be suitable for cultivation in diverse agro ecological

zones. Current national demand for rice is estimated at 5.0

million metric tonnes of milled rice while the current

production status is estimated at 3.0 metric tonnes leaving a

deficit of 2.0 million metric tonnes. Consequently, the

country resorted to rice importation to bridge the gap. The

national rice import bill was as high as N96 billion in 2002.

However, there was a slight decline in rice import bill in the

year 2004. The enormity of our national demand, and the

need to conserve foreign exchange show clearly that we

cannot depend on the level of production by the small holder

farmers. Thus, the urgent need to address the production

constraints for increasing output to satisfy domestic

2

consumption and even produce for export becomes

paramount.

CASSAVA Nigeria is currently the largest cassava producer in the

world with estimated annual production of about 40 million

metric tonnes. About 90% of this is however, consumed as

food. The country is yet to fully harness the socio economic

potentials of cassava that would translate to higher ranking

of cassava next to petroleum as a major contributor to the

Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The Presidential Initiative

on Cassava has set in motion the process of achieving an

annual income of five billion dollars (US $5.0 billion) from

export of cassava in the next 3 – 5 years. This plan also

aims at building the domestic productive capacity to

efficiently, profitably and sustainably satisfy the new market

demand with the quality and quantity required to realize the

income target. The need to diversify and expand the

alternative uses of cassava viz: ethanol, starch, livestock

feed and household flour to realize the benefits derivable

from domestic markets and as raw materials for industry, as

well as create opportunities for income generation for the

rural populace prompted putting in place the Presidential

Initiative on Cassava, Production and Export.

3

VEGETABLE OIL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (VODEP) The Vegetable Oil Development Programme (VODEP)

was packaged to promote the development, production,

processing and marketing of vegetable oils for ultimately

reversing the supply deficits estimated at 300,000 –

400,000 tonnes per annum. To attain the goals of the

programme, the following strategies and specific activities

were designed for implementation and they include among

others:

Rehabilitation of existing plantings of cocoa and oil palm between 30 years of age

Replanting of moribund plantations of over 30 years of

age

Massive production of oil palm, cocoa soybean, groundnut and cotton.

Capacity building for farmers, processors and extension

agents

Production/procurement of breeder, foundation and certified seeds of Groundnut, cotton and soybean

Rehabilitation of post harvest facilities, processing

plants and infrastructures.

Fabrication of proto-type shellers/decorticator/dryers etc.

Expansion of land under cultivation

Establishment of new plantings.

4

STRATEGIES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THEPRESIDNETIAL INITIATIVES RICE PROJECT COMPONENTS The Presidential Initiative on increased rice production,

processing and export has four components, namely:-

i Production, inputs and crop protection ;

ii. Irrigation and land development

iii. Processing and marketing ; and

iv. Project management.

Project Implementation Institution/Agencies

A number of public and private sector institutions/

agencies are involved in programme activities of the

Initiative. The activities and institutions are as follows:-

Seed Production

- National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI);

- West African Rice Development Association

(WARDA);

- National Seed Service (NSS);

- Seed Companies and seed out-growers; and

- Plant Quarantine Service (PQS).

Extension and Publicity

- Arable Crops Division, Federal Department of

Agriculture;

5

- FDA Field Offices;

- Post-Harvest Technology Division (FDA);

- Department of Agricultural Land Resources; and

- National Agricultural Extension Research Liaison

Services (NAERLS).

Group Mobilization

- Federal department of Agriculture

- Federal Department of Cooperatives

Training

- National Cereals Research Institute

- Nation Center for Agricultural Mechanization

(NCAM)

- ARMTI

- NAERLS

Post Harvest Handing and Processing

- PHTD

- Division for Mechanization & Engineering, FDA.

- Private processing companies.

Irrigation and Land Development - Federal Ministry of Water Resources

- Federal Development of Agriculture

Project Co-ordination

- Federal Department of Agriculture

6

Strategies for Project Implementation

These include:

i. Intensification of production to increase crop area and yield per unit area;

ii. Improved agronomic practices;

iii. Strengthening of the extension delivery system;

iv. Provision of credit to rice farmers from a revolving loan to be deposited at NACRDB;

v. Effective research support;

vi. Rehabilitation of existing large and small scale irrigation schemes;

vii. Construction of small earth dams particularly

through expertise from the South-South Co-operation Initiative;

viii. Timely availability of production inputs;

ix. Improved processing and storage techniques;

x. Strengthening of existing co-operation/farmers groups; and

xi. Use of the R-Box technology which emphasizes

minimum tillage and ensures provision of production inputs.

Activities in 2004

Funding

In addition to the normal budgetary provisions, funding

for project implementation in 2004 was augmented from the

10% surcharge on imported rice.

7

Seed Production

Availability of breeder, foundation and certified seeds

continue to pose one of the greatest challenges in project

implementation. Funds were made available to NCRI and

WARDA for the production of breeder and foundation seeds.

Seed production by WARDA is an effort put in place to

hasten the availability of the much desired NERICA I (FARO

55) upland rice variety. The National Seed Service worked

closely with Seed Companies, Agricultural Development

Projects (ADPS) and out growers to ensure production of

good quality certified seeds for the 2005 cropping season.

R-Box (Rice Box) Technology

R-Box (Rice Box) is an initiative of a private agro-

chemical company, The Candel Company Limited in

collaboration with public and private sector collaborators

namely:-

- Premier Seed (Nig) Ltd;

- Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN);

- Federal Department of Agriculture (FDA);

- National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI);

- National Seed Service (NSS);

- Agricultural Development Programmes (FCT & Niger State); and

8

- West Africa Development Association (WARDA) to introduce for adoptive an improved technology for rice cultivation based on conservation tillage. The technology is to improve the productivity of the

small-scale rice farmers through reduction of drudgery and

high labour cost while increasing yield. The R-Box contains

production inputs needed to plant a quarter hectare of land.

It however, does not include granular fertilizers which are

needed for its successful use. The R-Box technology was

tried on rice farmers’ fields in 2003 in Federal Capital

Territory and Niger State. The trials were very successful

with average yield of 5.0 tons per hectare under irrigated

lowland conditions. The successes recorded in 2003

encouraged the Initiative to conduct more trials in twenty

five states including the FCT in 2004.

The states covered during the year 2004 were Lagos,

Ogun, Ekiti, Ondo, Oyo, Osun, Kwara, Enugu, Ebonyi,

Imo, Cross River, Abia, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Edo,

Bayelsa, FCT, Benue, Plateau, Kaduna, Rivers, Delta, Kogi,

Niger and Nasarawa. The field work had been concluded

and data retrieval for analyses by NCRI had been concluded

also.

Distribution of R-Box

On presentation of the R-Box to Mr. President, it was

formally adopted by him as a Federal Government

production promotional strategy aimed at getting

9

unadulterated production inputs to farmers. The Candel

Company Limited was awarded a contract for the supply of

86,005 R-Boxes for distribution to rice farmers at 50%

subsidy. The unit cost of the R-Box is #6,800.00. Farmers

are therefore expected to pay #3,400.00 per R-Box

purchased. The R-Boxes would be distributed by a State

Committee comprising the State Commissioner of

Agriculture (Chairman), Chairman RIFAN, Director of

Agriculture, Project Manager/Managing Director, State ADPs

and FDA Field Officer (Secretary).

Extension Delivery and Training

Effective extension delivery can only be achieved

through provision of extension materials and training of

Extension Agents. It is in this regard that the NAERLS is

producing extension materials such as Radio/TV

Programmes, extension bulletins, flip charts etc while the

NCRI conducted train-the-trainer workshops on rice

production and processing technologies in all geopolitical

zones for Subject Matter Specialists and members of RIFAN.

Group Mobilization

The Federal Department of Co-operatives in

collaboration with the Federal Department of Agriculture

conducted six workshops for rice farmers co-operatives at

one per geo-political zones in December, 2004. The

workshops were aimed at sensitizing rice farmers to form

10

more co-operative groups to enable them participate

effectively in the Presidential Rice Initiative.

Achievements The following achievements have been recorded to-

date in the implementation of the Rice Initiative:-

i. The implementation plan had been approved by the Federal Executive Council;

ii. A Ministerial Steering Committee is already in place

under the chairmanship of the Permanent Secretary with all Directors as members to provide implementation direction;

iii. R-Box technology had been adopted for promotion of

paddy production;

iv. Inauguration of the Zonal Rice Development Committee for Rice Zone 1 comprising South-Western States and Kwara;

v. The conduct of 6 number Train-the-Trainer

Workshops in all the geo-political zones during which a total of 370 Extension Agents were trained on Rice Production and Processing Technologies;

vi. The holding of 6 No TAC meetings, one per geo-

political zone to discuss modalities and strategies for successful implementation of the Initiative;

vii. The holding of stakeholders meeting to discuss seeds

production, extension, publicity, sensitization and group mobilization at NCRI, Badeggi;

viii. Conduct of Facilitation Training Workshops at 10

venues for 1,250 farmers, 125 Extension Agents and

11

25 FDA Field Officers preparatory to the implementation of the 2004 R-Box trials;

ix. Establishment of Management Training Plots for

continuation of R-Box technology trials in 25 States including the FCT. A total of 1,250 farmers, 125 EAs and 25 Field Officers participated in the programme;

x. Monitoring of the R-Box trials in 9 out of the 25

participating States;

xi. Purchase and distribution of 250 knapsack sprayers to the 25 States that participated in the R-Box trial in 2004;

xii. Supply of 86,005 R-Boxes ordered from The Candel

Company Limited for distribution to States is in progress.

xiii. The holding of two stakeholder’s workshops at Enugu

and Kaduna in December, 2004 to discuss project implementation.

CASSAVA

STRATEGIES FOR PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

(i) Production of 9.2 million bundles of breeder stock by year 2007 by the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike;

(ii) Production of 73.2 million bundles of foundation stock by the Root and Tuber Expansion Programme (RTEP); (iii) Production of 250.0 million bundles of certified stock by the year 2007 by the State Agricultural Development Programme (ADPs). ADPs are to

12

establish multiplication centres to enable farmers have access to improve cassava varieties; (iv) Training of fabricators by the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM); (v) Conduct of Programme Facilitation and Sensitization Workshop for cassava producing states; (vi) Establishment of Federal, State and Local Government Implementation Committees;

(See Annexes 1A, IB, and IC for composition);

(vii) Establishment of Farm-gate Primary Processing Centres for the production of primary products like cassava flour, chips and pellets; (viii) Undertake publicity through the production and distribution of production and processing guides and posters; (ix) Training of state extension staff;

(x) Encourage market development through trade missions, etc.

Suffice to say, that, some of the targets had too

be reviewed/scaled down in line with reduced budgetary

allocation.

These reviewed targets (for year 2004) are as

follows;

(a) Production of breeder stock by the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) Umudike;

13

(b) Production of 72,000 bundles of foundation stock (FS) by the Root and Tuber Expansion Programme (RTEP) Ijebu Ife;

(c) Production of 576,000 bundles of certified

stock (CS) by states’ Agricultural Development Projects (ADP)

(d) Establishment of six (6) No farm – gate

primary processing centres by the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM) and Post – Harvest Technology Division (PHTD) of FDA;

(e) Training of 30 No. Cassava Equipment

fabricators by the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM);

(f) Conduct of Programme Facilitation and

Sensitization Workshop in 2 locations (Ibadan and Lokoja) for cassava producing states;

(g) Undertake effective land management and

soil conservation methods; (h) Publicity through the production and

distribution of:

- 8,500 production guides

- 8,500 posters by the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T) Ibadan

- 13,750 processing extension guides by

the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM) Ilorin;

14

ACHIEVEMENT

The modest achievements recorded so far in year 2004

are as follows:

(i) Establishment of the National Cassava Development Committee (NCDC) and the National Technical Implementation Committee (NTIC). (ii) 27.5ha foundation stocks planted by RTEP to produce 11,000 cassava bundles. (iii) Provision of planting materials to Ekha Agro Farms for the take-off of the planting of its 6,000 ha farm by RTEP. (iv) Programme Facilitation and sensitization Workshop conducted at the Moor Plantation, Ibadan and Confluence Hotel Lokoja from 8th – 12th November 2004 for cassava producing states. 500 participants attended the workshops. (V) 14 fabricators from Anambra, FCT, Lagos, Osun, Ondo, Kwara, Benue, Akwa Ibom, Nassarawa, Sokoto, Taraba, Plateau, Kogi and Niger were trained at NCAM Ilorin in the production of four (4) cassava production/processing technologies namely:- (a) Cassava peeling tool;

(b) Manual cassava harvester;

© Motorized cassava chipping machine; and

(d) Motorized cassava grater

(iv) 48 Subject Matter Specialists (SMSs) from Lagos,

Ondo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti, Edo, Delta, Kwara and Kogi

States ADPs participated in the 1st zonal Train the

15

trainers workshop organised by IAR&T, Ibadan on

behalf of the Federal Department of Agriculture on the

at the Ondo state ADP Headquarters Akure.

(vii) Arrangements have been concluded for the establishment of six (6) farm-gate primary processing centres;

(viii) IAR&T Ibadan has concluded arrangements for the production of 8,500 production extension guides and 8,500 posters for distribution to farmers.

(ix) NCAM is producing 13,750 processing extension guides.

(x) Trade missions were undertaken to Latin America, Europe, six African countries and China to source for market for cassava products;

(xi) Full participation in the cassava Exhibition/Forum for stakeholders at Aso Rock Banquet Hall from 7th – 8th June, 2004.

(xii) Participation in the Presidential meeting with Flour Millers and Bakers and other stakeholders on the legislation of the inclusion of 10% cassava with wheat flour from January 2005 at Aso Villa. Flour millers are already aligning with this policy as attested to by the Flour Mills of Nigeria advert in the Punch Newspaper of December 27th 2004.

CONSTRAINTS

Identified constraints include;

(i) Inadequate and untimely fund release for

programme execution despite identified socio –

economic benefits of the programme;

16

(ii) Lack of funds to procure essential processing

machinery and equipment which will create

increase demand for cassava root;

(iii) Non-establishment of State/Local Government

implementation Committees.

WAY FORWARD

(i) There is need for increase funding of the programme to meet set targets.

(ii) Funds should be released on time, as agricultural

activities are time specific. In this light, we are

suggesting that, 50% of funds be released in 1st

quarter, 25% in 2nd and 25% in 3rd quarter of

every year;

(iii) Due process need to be accelerated;

(iv) State and Local Government Areas (LGA’s) should as a matter of urgency constitute State and Local Government Implementation Committees;

(v) Government should put in place machinery that

will ease producers, processors and marketers access to credit;

(vi) Government should facilitate increase farm

mechanization through the sale of tractors/machinery at subsidized rate to reduce production cost;

(vii) State and Local Governments should increase

level of funding for cassava development.

17

PRESIDENTIAL INITITATIVE ON VEGETABLE OIL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (VODEP) GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The action plan of the Presidential Committee covered

5 crops namely: oil palm, groundnut, cotton, soyabean and

cocoa. The major goals to be achieved under the crops are

presented hereunder:

A. Tree crops Based Oil Seeds

i) Oil Palm – Development of 1 million hectares of oil palm capable of producing 15 million Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB), or 2.25 million tonnes of palm oil; ii) Cocoa – to catalyze the production of cocoa butter through promoting the replanting of about 80,000 hectares of existing holdings, input supply and sustenance of compensation credit to farmers. B. Arable Crop Based Oil Seeds i) Groundnut – Development of 6.25 million hectares of groundnut capable of producing 5 million tonnes of groundnut; ii) Soyaben – Development of 678,000 hectares capable of producing 678,000 tonnes of soyabean; iii) Cotton – Development of 1.25 million hectares capable of producing 1 million tonnes of seed cotton.

18

KEY PROGRAMME ACTIVITIES/STRATEGIES The strategies and specific activities proposed to bring

about the attainment of the goals of the VODEP programme

between 2003 and 2007 are as follows:

Oil Palm i) Rehabilitation of existing plantings (125,000ha) below 30 years of age; ii) Replanting of moribund plantations of above 30 years of age (62,000ha); iii) New plantings (203,000ha);

iv) Massive production of seedlings (58.5 million);

v) Establishment of 5ha seed garden at NIFOR;

vi) Capacity building for farmers and processors;

vii) Responsive organizations are FMA&RD/FDA, NIFOR, organized private sector (producers and processors) and network of out-growers. Cocoa i) Replanting of moribund plantations of above 30 years of age (80,000ha); ii) Massive production of cocoa seedlings (about 88.5 million) and plantain suckers (about 20.63 million); iii) Procurement of critical inputs iv) Fiscal incentives required for profitable production;

19

v) Responsible organization are: FMA&RD/FDA, NCDC, CRIN, organized private sector (producers and processors) and relevant out-growers. Groundnut i) Procurement of foundation, certified and breeder’s seeds; ii) Expansion of land under cultivation to 6.25 million ha; iii) Support for rehabilitation of post harvest facilities and processing plants; iv) Capacity building targeted at smallholders; v) Responsible organizations are: FMA&RD, NSS/Plant Quarantine Service, IAR/ABU, ADPs and private sector processors. Soyabean i) Production of 25 tonnes of breeder seed by NCRI; ii) Production of Foundation Seed by Out-growers; iii) Rehabilitation of obsolete mills and provision of post- harvest facilities such as dryers, threshers and cleaners; iv) Expansion of land area under cultivation; v) Capacity building for small farmers; vi) Responsible Organization: Private Sector Processors, Out-growers, Seed Association of Nigeria, National Seed Service, NCRI etc.

20

Cotton i) Procurement of 13,500 tonnes of cotton for planting in 2003 season; ii) Production of breeder and foundation seeds by IAR/ABU and increase in yield/ha by 50%; iii) Expansion of land under cultivation to 1.25 million hectares; iv) Procurement of chemicals and labeled packaging bags; v) Capacity building for small farmers; vi) Responsible organization: Cotton Revolving Fund Management Committee, IA/ABU, Private/Public Sector out-growers. ACHIEVEMENTS Oil Palm i). Inventorization of Mills/Plant Machinery

ii) Raising of 112,841 seedlings

iii) Upgrading of NIFOR’s Seed Production Capacity and 55ha seed garden iv) Support for privatization of Ore-Irele, Ayip-Eku and Ihechiowa

(v) Training of Nursery Operators and SSPE fabricators (vi) Bench Mark Survey of fabricators/extractors

21

Cocoa

i) Raising of 258,250 cocoa seedlings production and 60,000 plantain suckers ii) Operational assistance to PBDP

Groundnut

i) Production of 500kg breeder seed

ii) Buyback of 29.27 tonnes of foundation seed from

SEEDAN

iii) Buyback of 55.79 tons of certified seed from SEEDAN

iv) Certification of seed farms and quality control

v) Fabrication of (2) groundnut oil expellers

vi) Bench mark survey of fabricators and extractors in

(18) States

vii) Production of jingles and replication into 18 copies

Soyabean

i) Buyback of 24.71 tonnes of certified seed from SEEDAN in liaison with NSS

ii) Buyback of 7 tons of Foundation seed from NCRI and

SEEDAN

iii) Buyback of 715kg breeder seed from NCRI

22

iv) Fabrication of two dyers seed certification and quality control

v) Production of jingles and replication into 20 copies

Cotton i) Buyback of 175.12 tonnes of pure cotton seeds (foundation/certified) from NSS out-growers by CRFMC ii) Production of 1.800kg breeder seed of six cultivars iii) Procurement of 70,000 CRFMC labeled packaging bags iv) Procurement of seed dressing chemical (apricot or apron star) v) Train-the-trainer course

vi) Chemical seed dressing of 131.34 tonnes of pure cotton seed vii) Conduct of Cotton Forum CONSTRAINTS Major constraints associated with the programme include: i) Inefficient and ageing milling/processing equipment and inability to procure and install new ones due largely to high off-shore costs; ii) High cost of farm machineries and other production inputs; iii) Fluctuations in the price of vegetable oil due in part, to importation of vegetable oils of all sorts into the country; iv) Delay in Due Process certification of projects;

23

(v) Inadequate and untimely funding of the programme. WAY FORWARD i) The Committee should explore other sources of funding to complement the provisions by Government. The private sector agencies should be encouraged to make financial commitments to the programme; ii) Every effort should be made to expedite Due Process Certification of projects and subsequent release of funds to the programme. CONCLUSION Modest achievements have been recorded in the

programme implementation at the Federal level despite the

inadequate and untimely release of funds for programme

execution.

The States and Local Governments are yet to be aware

of their responsibilities of this programme due to non-

inauguration of Implementation Committees at the State

and Local Government levels, this continue to give the

impression that the Presidential Initiatives are exclusive

programmes of the Federal Government. Timely

inauguration of these committees will give the programme a

national outlook which is needed for successful

implementation of the programme.

24

Furthermore, sources of funding to compliment the

provisions by the government should be looked into, while

private sectors and agencies should be encouraged to made

financial commitments to the programme.

It is my hope that awareness created today on status

of implementation of the Presidential Initiatives at this

Conference will accelerate programme implementation.

25