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Before transmitting the 2021 budget to President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Assembly added several controversial projects, as well as increased and slashed the budget of some ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), a PREMIUM TIMES appraisal of the budget has shown.
The 2021 budget proposed by President Buhari to the lawmakers was N13.08 trillion. But upon passage, federal lawmakers used their legislative powers over the budget to up the bill to N13.6 trillion, an increment of over N500 billion.
By this increase, the legislators made the proposal larger than the actual estimates. They also inserted new, controversial projects to the budget, numbering over 1000.
Oluchi Chibuzor, in this report writes that the Nigerian Stored Products Research Institute’s free distribution of 100 hermetic drums will significantly reduce post-harvest losses in the country
With post-harvest losses in the country currently estimated at about N3.4 trillion based on the statistic released by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Nigeria’s drive at meeting key international treaties like Sustainable Development Goals 1, 2 and 3 across the country is hinged on efforts directly aimed at tackling food security.
Post-harvest loss, which is seriously affected by climate change and other associated factors, contributes to food insecurity and reduces the income of smallholder farmers and processors as for about 20 per cent loss for grain, 20 per cent for fish and 50 to 60 per cent for vegetable, fruits, tuber respectively.
Daily Trust gathered at the market that despite the hike in price, certain varieties – like the brown and the milk coloured beans – are in short supply and the little available is in high demand.
About 10 truckloads of beans leave the market weekly, according to sources, but the quantum now in the market is just a fraction of what was harvested last year.
Even the bean chaff used for livestock feed, which was sold at N1000 now goes for between N3000 and N4000 per 100kg bag.
Most of the farmers who supply beans to the market are those who fled insurgency from Borno and Adamawa states.
Acting Head of Nigerian Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), Oyo State, Mr Adebiyi Adebayo (left); first winner, Adeboye Aanuoluwapo; Executive Director, NSPRI, Dr Patricia Pessu; second winner, Celine Alozu; Zonal Coordinator, NSPRI Ibadan, Dr Grace Otitodun and representative of the Coordinator, NYSC, Oyo State, Mrs Hadiza Bello, during presentation of grants to the corps members, recently.
As NSPRI empowers two ex-NYSC members with N4m
Attracting youths into agriculture requires ingenuity, resourcefulness and careful designs. Though most youths jump training opportunities, not all are interested or passionate about food production or allied businesses. Thus, reducing unemployment through agriculture cannot be done successfully without good strategies. It requires calculated means.
According to her, over the past decades in developing countries, 95% of resources were allocated to production while a little over 20% was committed to post-harvest management.
“Nigeria produces less sufficient food to meet the demand of its current population yet the nation’s insufficient supply of over 1 billion tons of food are lost or wasted every year.
“The highest level of food loss or waste occurs in perishable crops. No doubt food losses and food waste not only have an adverse impact on the region’s food security, but also negatively impact on the environment,” she said.