GNVC will produce 120,000 tonnes of groundnut worth N24bn – Adesina

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has said that the Groundnut Value Chain (GNVC) will produce 120,000 tonnes of groundnuts worth N24 billion to the sub-sector.

Adesina said this at the inauguration of the GNVC project in Abuja on Monday.

He said the project, which targets 1.8 million farmers, would be implemented in 15 states across the Northern part of the country.

Adesina explained that the main objective of the project was to drive the development of groundnut subsector, improve production, processing, marketing and export of the produce.

“The groundnut value chain will produce an additional 120,000 tonnes of groundnut grains valued at N24 billion (US$ 155 million) and supply to small, medium and large scale processors.

He said the project would be implemented in 15 states: Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Gombe, Kebbi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Taraba Yobe and Zamfara.

“Our goal is to reach 1.8 million farmers,’’ he said.

Adesina said this would be achieved by improving the profitability of groundnut production through broadening of the genetic base, promoting improved cultivars and agronomic practices that meet farmers’ needs and market requirements.

He said the value chain would collaborate to develop groundnut seed supply systems to ensure timely access and availability of seed to the farmers.

The minister also stated that the project would develop more efficient market linkages to reduce transaction cost, including policies to boost groundnut production, processing and value addition.

Adesina said groundnuts were special to Nigerians, saying that a significant part of the nation’s economy in the 1960s revolved around groundnut pyramids in Northern Nigeria.

He said Nigeria at the time was the largest producer of groundnuts, with a market share of over 40 per cent of shelled groundnuts globally.

The minister added that between 1956 and 1967, groundnut was one of the country’s most valuable export crops, exemplified by the famous groundnut pyramids in Kano, Zaria and other major towns in Northern Nigeria.

He recalled that groundnut products, including groundnut oil and cakes, accounted for 70 per cent of Nigerian export earnings before the oil boom.

He said after the discovery of crude oil, Nigeria’s exports of shelled groundnuts plummeted from 502,000 tonnes in 1961 to 291,000 tonnes in 1970, and to zero by 1980.

Adesina said groundnut pyramids disappeared due to several factors, which included drought, aflatoxin contamination of groundnut and its by-products.

He, therefore, said that the development and deployment of rosette-resistant, high-yielding groundnut varieties with appropriate duration was important to enhance and stabilise productivity.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Sen. Emmanuel Bwacha, recalled that during the 2013 budget defence, the committee had challenged the minister on ground nut production in the country.

Represented by Sen. Joshua Dadani, a member of the committee, Bwacha said the inauguration of GNVC was commendable, describing Adesina as a man of his words.

He promised that the committee would do everything possible to ensure the success of the GNVC project in all the 15 states.

Bwacha expressed regrets on the continuous decline of budgetary allocation to the sector, saying that goodwill and policies were not enough without sufficient money for implementation.

He said it was a thing of concern for the senators, adding that if there was an avenue for improving budgetary allocation to the sector, the Senate would graciously exploit it.

Dr William Dar, Director-General, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropic (ICRISAT), said Nigeria benefitted most from the works of ICRISAT than other countries in Africa.

Dar said the country had benefited from works done in sorghum, groundnut and millet, adding that they had strengthened relationships with various research institutes and universities in the country.

He said the institute was happy to work with Nigeria to ensure the groundnut pyramid returned to centre of the nation’s export commodities.

He gave assurance that ICRISAT would continue to be a strategic and reliable development partner, and would contribute to the realisation of the Federal Government’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda.

In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs Ibokun Odusote, said the GNVC was capable of returning the country to its glorious days in groundnut production.

Represented by Mr Olumeko Jide, Director, Strategic Grain Reserve, Odusote said the nation’s cropping calendar was being strengthened as groundnut production was being incorporated in to dry season activities.

Odusote expressed optimism that the efforts being made by stakeholders would surely move the groundnut industry to greater heights.

She appreciated the support of the Senate and House Committees on Agriculture and all Ministries, Departments and Agencies, for giving the agricultural sector the desired attention it required nationwide. (NAN)

One Comment

1. 

   Ubah Wudil

   February 25, 2014 at 3:57 pm

   Mr Minister, I salute you. As signs of His wisdom, God brings forth worms (serious people like you) from corpses (such as this government).