China's Theft of American Innovation
FBI Commentary
Monday, Dec. 9, 2019 12:00 am
Imagine a scenario:
Two American scientists receive an invitation from Chinese scientists to visit
a research center in the People’s Republic of China that’s directly related to
their agricultural field of study. The American scientists accept the invitation
and travel to China to meet their counterparts. The trip is insightful for the
American scientists, and they leave China after a few days of conferences and
meetings. Upon returning home, the American scientists graciously extend an
invitation to their Chinese hosts to visit their company. The Chinese accept
and dates are set for their visit.
Once in the U.S, the
Chinese scientists take a tour of the American facility and are shown several
proprietary forms of rice. One of the rice strains was designed to produce a
protein that could be used in the medical and pharmaceutical fields to treat a
number of human illnesses.
During the tour of the American facility, a Chinese
scientist grabs a handful of the proprietary rice, places the grains in his
pocket, finishes the tour, walks out of the facility and leaves the United
States. With just a handful of rice, that Chinese scientist steals years of
American investment, research and innovation.
While this may seem fanciful,
you can stop imagining — because it actually happened. The above story was
based on a real investigation conducted by the FBI Little Rock division, which
resulted in multiple federal indictments. This story illustrates one important
fact: What the Chinese cannot create on their own, they steal. Whether it is
through high-tech means or simply grabbing a handful of proprietary grains, the
People’s Republic of China has consistently proven that what they lack in
creativity and innovation, they make up for in outright theft.
The worst part is
that this is only one of many American businesses deceived and violated by the
Chinese government and their proxy businesses.
The simple fact is
that the threat to American intellectual property worsens every day because of
the actions of the Chinese government.
As FBI Director
Christopher Wray stated to the Council on Foreign Relations earlier this year,
“No country poses a broader, more severe intelligence collection threat than
China.” China has pioneered an approach to stealing innovation in any way it
can from businesses, universities and organizations. China is stealing our
intellectual property, our scientific breakthroughs and our technological
advancements through a covert web of intelligence agents, state-owned
enterprises, private Chinese companies, graduate students, visiting researchers
or anyone else with access to what they want. The United States welcomes
healthy international competition. But we will not stand for cheating and
theft.
While critics may
decry prosecutions targeting defendants who are foreign nationals, their
prosecutions nevertheless serve an important role. First, alleged foreign
thieves under indictment will likely never return to the U.S. If they do, they
will be arrested for their alleged crimes and will face a fair and impartial
trial. These prosecutions also signal to the Chinese government that we are
aware of their dishonest schemes. Finally, these prosecutions highlight the
dangers posed to American businesses and research institutions.
The U.S. Department
of Treasury estimates that Chinese theft of intellectual property costs our
nation between $225 billion and $600 billion a year. Universities represent
especially attractive targets. As China continues to steal our scientific innovations
and intellectual property, we will continue to counter their dishonest actions,
and we urge American entities to remain vigilant.
When it comes to U.S.
critical infrastructure, approximately 90% is in the hands of the private
sector. We urge every American business and institution that is involved with
proprietary or classified innovations and intellectual property to assess its
physical and cybersecurity policies and procedures. We would also encourage
them to assess or develop an insider threat program to ensure you are
protecting your interests — and our nation’s security.
We ask
that organizations that fear they have suffered from a cyber intrusion, theft
of intellectual property or face an insider threat immediately report
suspicious activity to their local FBI field office. We will continue to stand
beside and protect American private businesses and academic institutions from
the persistent and evolving threats coming from the Chinese government.
Rice
economy to hit $6.3 billion in 2025
By Gbenga
Akinfenwa
08 December 2019
| 3:25 am
Rice production
•
Combined Improved Seed Production Capacity Stands At 100,000 Tons—Dangote
• Shift From Subsistence To Commercial Agriculture Needs Conscientious Efforts—Dan-Ali
• Research Institutions Need To Develop Nigerian Rice Varieties—Ijewere
• Shift From Subsistence To Commercial Agriculture Needs Conscientious Efforts—Dan-Ali
• Research Institutions Need To Develop Nigerian Rice Varieties—Ijewere
Nigeria’s
Rice economy is estimated at $5.2b and has been projected to hit $6.3b by 2025.
However, the country is far from attaining the feat, as the industry is plagued
by impediments that are capable of jeopardising its potentials.
At the
third Agric Conference & Exhibition of Daily Trust Newspaper, with the
theme: Repositioning Rice, Sugar & Dairy Production For Optimal Yield, in
Lagos, stakeholders ascribed abysmal performance, especially in rice production
to government’s policy summersault, noting that in terms of boosting local
production, there is no clear information on what farmers need to do and how to
do it, adding that there is urgent need for all the players to always put
government on its toes.
President
of Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG), Alhaji Sani Dangote, represented by the
Groups Director-General, Dr. Manzo Daniel Maigari, who spoke on “The Rice
Economy and Value Chain Issues,” said the country’s combined improved seed
production capacity is 100,000 tons, satisfying less than eight per cent of the
national demand.
He said:
“There are some impediments that include: one extension agent to cover
three times the number of Small Holder Farmers (SHFs) recommended by FAO; the
mechanisation rate is at 0.3 horsepower (hp) per hectare, compared to 8hp in
China due to challenges in accessing finance; 70 per cent of SHFs produce over
one cycle due to low access to irrigation schemes; only 10 per cent of SHFs
have clear access to markets through grower schemes and actor linkage platforms
due to limited financing, inefficient data collection and low levels of farmer
literacy.
“75 per
cent of milled rice production is dominated by small scale millers with
rudimentary equipment, thus impeding quality; poor branding and packaging
limits off-take from large scale retailers and high-end consumers and smuggling
of estimated one million tons of rice sold to local millers and retailers due
to restrictive trade policies.”
The
CEO/Editor-in-Chief, Daily Trust, Mallam Mannir Dan-Ali, who said despite
various intervention projects by government, especially under the current
administration, it is pretty obvious that government needs to do more in
certain critical areas in the value chain, added that a report by Price
Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) has shown that the average yield for rice production
in Nigeria remains at two tonnes per hectare, which is almost about half the
average yield in most Asian countries.
“Put the
above statistics side by side the fact that Nigeria is Africa’s leading
consumer of rice and also one of the largest rice importer in the world, then
you know that we need to take much more serious steps to develop the critical
sector of our economy than we have done so far,” he said.
He said
the country couldn’t achieve the desired shift from subsistence to commercial
agriculture, without conscientious efforts by all stakeholders in the entire
production, processing and distribution process.
“There
is a need for a lot more action from both government and the financial
institutions to stimulate increased funding interventions for the agricultural
sector, in order to reposition the sector and enable it to deliver the desired
value.”
The
Co-Chair of the NABG, Mr. Emmanuel Ijewere, who chaired the conference, said to
reposition the rice industry, there is a need for research institutions to
develop varieties of rice that will be known as Nigerian rice.
He noted
that the Agric system has almost collapsed and currently under the Intensive
Care Unit (ICU) and needs urgent attention to rescue it from fizzling out. “The
border closure has put us in ICU, currently more people are eating locally
produced rice and more farmers are cultivating rice…The country is in intensive
care as a result of the border closure, it is we Nigerians that will make it
survive. I believe that the sector is likely to emerge stronger and healthier
from the ICU.”
The
Executive Secretary/CEO, National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Dr. Latif
Busari, who spoke on “The Sugar Economy,” said the country has the potential of
becoming a net exporter of sugar as consumption in the country has been on the
increase since Independence with an annual average growth rate of eight per
cent, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
He
however, said the fact that about five per cent of the national demand for the
commodity is produced locally, while the balance is imported with a huge
foreign exchange on a yearly basis, poses a serious challenge to the
industry.
According
to a communiqué issued at the end of the conference, it was observed that
despite the country’s cattle population put at about 20 million, domestic milk
production is not commensurate with the large cattle population, as only about
2.2 million is used for milk production.
Follow my example, eat local rice - Akufo-Addo
Source: Ghana | Myjoyonline.com
Date: 07-12-2019 Time: 12:12:21:pm
“We must eat what we grow to motivate our
farmers and support the development of the local food industry. Indeed,
Rebecca, my beautiful wife, our First Lady, insists that we eat local rice at
home, and has made sure of it. I call on all Ghanaians to follow my example,
and eat local rice.”
These
were the words of the President Nana Akufo-Addo, at the 35th Farmers’ Day
celebration, on December 6, 2019, held at the Jubilee Park, Ho, in the Volta
Region.
According
to the President, “the success of government’s efforts at ensuring
self-sufficiency in rice production depends largely on the level of consumption
of local rice.”
Speaking
on the theme for the celebration, “Enhancing Small-scale Agriculture towards
Agribusiness”, President Akufo-Addo indicated that it aligns with his
Government’s strategy of focusing on smallholder farmers in modernising and
transforming Ghana’s agriculture.
According
to President Akufo-Addo, through government’s strategic policy for reviving
Ghanaian agriculture, dubbed “Planting for Food and Jobs”, the process of
transformation has gathered steam and is sweeping through every branch of
agriculture.
“Less
than three years have elapsed since Government set in motion the process of
putting Ghana’s agriculture on a sound footing. Planting for Food and Jobs, now
a household catchphrase is achieving considerable successes within the three
years of its implementation It has resulted in a sectoral growth rate from a
low of 2.9% in 2016, to 6.1% in 2017, and is expected to rise to 6.9% in 2019,”
he said.
Since
implementing the programme, its interventions have been designed to enhance
yields of farmers through access to subsidised, improved seeds and fertilizers;
reduce post-harvest losses; increase extension services to farmers; develop the
livestock subsector; develop selected tree crops; introduce greenhouse
technology to improve productivity and quality of vegetable production; improve
mechanization services to farmers; and develop irrigation.
Marketing Arrangements
In
addition to these interventions, President Akufo-Addo stated that government
has also introduced a number of far-reaching measures aimed at promoting the
effective marketing of agricultural produce.
“These
include the construction and imminent completion of eighty (80) warehouses to
increase the national warehousing capacity to help address the perennial issue
of post-harvest losses,” he added.
Aligned
to this, he stressed, is the establishment of the Ghana Commodity Exchange, and
the revamping and support of the National Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO).
“The
swift intervention of the two institutions, following the recently reported
case of excess rice production in the Upper East Region, the President said,
speaks of Government’s readiness to act promptly to assist farmers,” he said.
The
President continued, “I am happy to note that, through the co-ordination of the
activities of stakeholders, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has put in
place measures to avert losses to farmers and processors. It is heartening,
though, to hear, for a change, about excess rice production in Ghana. We are
breaking through”.
Additionally,
the President revealed that Government, through the Ministry of Food and
Agriculture, has imported milling machinery for rice, maize and soya from China
and Brazil, which are expected to arrive by the middle of next year.
This,
he added, will surely provide appreciable relief to farmers, and boost the
grain industry
Government, President
Akufo-Addo assured, will continue to prioritise and support agriculture to make
the sector one of the most viable, major driving forces of Ghana’s economic
development.
Govt acquires $33 million
machinery for mechanised agriculture
President Nana
Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
The country will take delivery of
farm machinery, worth $30 million from Brazil in fulfilment of the government’s
promise to improve the mechanisation of agriculture. 
President Nana Akufo Addo, who revealed this on Friday at the 35th National Farmers Day celebration at the Jubilee Park in Ho, said: “The government through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has imported milling machinery for rice, maize and soya from China and Brazil, which are expected to arrive by the middle of next year. This will surely provide appreciable relief to farmers and boost the grain industry.”
He stated that the machinery, which included 250 tractors, 231 simple farm implements, 141 maize shellers, 35 multi-crop threshers and 58 planters, would be made available to farmer associations, private investors, selected district assemblies at 40 per cent subsidised cost, with the hope of expanding the mechanisation centres.
Good policies
The President, who was speaking on the theme: “Enhancing Small-scale Agriculture towards Agribusiness”, said the measure would bring considerable relief to farmers as it would improve agricultural mechanisation, especially for the grain industry.
President Akufo-Addo pointed out that ineffective policies implemented in the sector over the years had contributed significantly to fluctuations in the food production in the country.
He, however, commended the Ministry of Food and Agriculture for its successful implementation of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) policy.
He pointed out that it was less than three years since the government starting revamping the agricultural sector, adding that PFJ, now a household catchphrase, was achieving considerable successes within the three years of its implementation.
“It has resulted in a sectoral growth rate from a low of 2.9 per cent in 2016 to 6.1 per cent in 2017, and is expected to rise to 6.9 per cent in 2019,” the President said.
The President also re-echoed the need for Ghanaians to consume locally produced foods, especially rice, in an attempt to halt the country’s overdependence on imported rice in order to enhance the livelihood of local farmers.
“We must eat what we grow to motivate our farmers and support the development of the local food industry. Indeed, Rebecca, my beautiful wife, our First Lady, insists that we eat local rice at home, and has made sure of this. I call on all Ghanaians to follow my example and eat local rice,” President Akufo-Addo said.
Planting for Food and Jobs
The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriye Akoto, said government policies on the sector were being pursued with a "sense of urgency and a culture of high accountability" in an enabling policy environment.
He stated that the ministry was implementing its PFJ policy in its Agriculture Medium Term Plan as part of efforts to ensure transformation in the sector between 2018 and 2021.
The minister said his outfit as part of the plan would ensure improved public investment, production efficiency and yields, post-harvest management and enhance the application of science, technology and innovation.
Other efforts include the promotion of agriculture as a viable business among the youth, livestock and poultry development promotion for food and nutrition security and income generation.
Climate smart farming
Dr Akoto cautioned farmers to be mindful of current challenges that threatened the sector, which included how to mechanise farm operations and marketing the produce.
“Handling large volumes of output requires the mechanisation of the harvesting of grains in particular. We cannot rely solely on labour to bring in the harvest".
"Equally important, the bumper harvests require marketing infrastructure and huge working capital to mop up the surplus crops. These challenges are being attended to by the ministry," Dr Akoto assured.
The minister, therefore, urged farmers to adopt smart agricultural mechanisms in the face of challenges such as climate change, which he described as “the single biggest threat to agricultural development”.
He indicated that "the unpredictability of weather patterns is affecting productivity and the livelihoods of many a farmer”, saying “climate change adaptability has therefore become an integral part of planning and investments in the agricultural sector.”
Small-scale sector
The Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, pointed out that the government's numerous interventions and investments had carved a sure path towards the transformation of small-scale farmers to become commercially viable.
The regional minister described the small-scale agricultural sector as an integral part of the country's agricultural architecture, hence the government's conscious efforts towards instituting and improving strategies and technologies geared towards the small-scale sector.
Nonetheless, he lamented that "most farmers who are engaged in small-scale agriculture do not enjoy the full benefits of their vocation and labour and as such they have continued to live in deprivation and poverty."
However, he indicated that the various transformational interventions by the government were being implemented with the aim of re-writing the narrative to reverse the trend and improve the living conditions of the Ghanaian farmer.
He commended the award winners for their dedication and hard work for which they were being recognised.
President Nana Akufo Addo, who revealed this on Friday at the 35th National Farmers Day celebration at the Jubilee Park in Ho, said: “The government through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has imported milling machinery for rice, maize and soya from China and Brazil, which are expected to arrive by the middle of next year. This will surely provide appreciable relief to farmers and boost the grain industry.”
He stated that the machinery, which included 250 tractors, 231 simple farm implements, 141 maize shellers, 35 multi-crop threshers and 58 planters, would be made available to farmer associations, private investors, selected district assemblies at 40 per cent subsidised cost, with the hope of expanding the mechanisation centres.
Good policies
The President, who was speaking on the theme: “Enhancing Small-scale Agriculture towards Agribusiness”, said the measure would bring considerable relief to farmers as it would improve agricultural mechanisation, especially for the grain industry.
President Akufo-Addo pointed out that ineffective policies implemented in the sector over the years had contributed significantly to fluctuations in the food production in the country.
He, however, commended the Ministry of Food and Agriculture for its successful implementation of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) policy.
He pointed out that it was less than three years since the government starting revamping the agricultural sector, adding that PFJ, now a household catchphrase, was achieving considerable successes within the three years of its implementation.
“It has resulted in a sectoral growth rate from a low of 2.9 per cent in 2016 to 6.1 per cent in 2017, and is expected to rise to 6.9 per cent in 2019,” the President said.
The President also re-echoed the need for Ghanaians to consume locally produced foods, especially rice, in an attempt to halt the country’s overdependence on imported rice in order to enhance the livelihood of local farmers.
“We must eat what we grow to motivate our farmers and support the development of the local food industry. Indeed, Rebecca, my beautiful wife, our First Lady, insists that we eat local rice at home, and has made sure of this. I call on all Ghanaians to follow my example and eat local rice,” President Akufo-Addo said.
Planting for Food and Jobs
The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriye Akoto, said government policies on the sector were being pursued with a "sense of urgency and a culture of high accountability" in an enabling policy environment.
He stated that the ministry was implementing its PFJ policy in its Agriculture Medium Term Plan as part of efforts to ensure transformation in the sector between 2018 and 2021.
The minister said his outfit as part of the plan would ensure improved public investment, production efficiency and yields, post-harvest management and enhance the application of science, technology and innovation.
Other efforts include the promotion of agriculture as a viable business among the youth, livestock and poultry development promotion for food and nutrition security and income generation.
Climate smart farming
Dr Akoto cautioned farmers to be mindful of current challenges that threatened the sector, which included how to mechanise farm operations and marketing the produce.
“Handling large volumes of output requires the mechanisation of the harvesting of grains in particular. We cannot rely solely on labour to bring in the harvest".
"Equally important, the bumper harvests require marketing infrastructure and huge working capital to mop up the surplus crops. These challenges are being attended to by the ministry," Dr Akoto assured.
The minister, therefore, urged farmers to adopt smart agricultural mechanisms in the face of challenges such as climate change, which he described as “the single biggest threat to agricultural development”.
He indicated that "the unpredictability of weather patterns is affecting productivity and the livelihoods of many a farmer”, saying “climate change adaptability has therefore become an integral part of planning and investments in the agricultural sector.”
Small-scale sector
The Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, pointed out that the government's numerous interventions and investments had carved a sure path towards the transformation of small-scale farmers to become commercially viable.
The regional minister described the small-scale agricultural sector as an integral part of the country's agricultural architecture, hence the government's conscious efforts towards instituting and improving strategies and technologies geared towards the small-scale sector.
Nonetheless, he lamented that "most farmers who are engaged in small-scale agriculture do not enjoy the full benefits of their vocation and labour and as such they have continued to live in deprivation and poverty."
However, he indicated that the various transformational interventions by the government were being implemented with the aim of re-writing the narrative to reverse the trend and improve the living conditions of the Ghanaian farmer.
He commended the award winners for their dedication and hard work for which they were being recognised.
A
ten-year plan for rice
(Part 1)
Published December
7, 2019, 10:00 PM
Dr.
Emil Q. Javier
The Rice Tariffication Act (RTA)
is a good measure. Besides being a binding international obligation which we
voluntarily assumed when we joined the World Trade Organization (WTO), it was
intended to serve two national purposes.
The first purpose was to bring
down the retail price of rice to make the staple more affordable to consumers
and thus make poor Filipinos more food secure. This has begun to work and
additionally helped bring down inflation which is of broad benefit to all.
The second purpose was to
push/force our farmers to become more productive and more competitive in the
global market. This requires a re-direction of our efforts and substantial
investments in the countryside but will take a while to execute.
The RTA was long overdue and
should be good for our country in the long run. The worst thing we can do now
is to repeal it or further raise tariffs which will negate its very purpose. We
simply have to persevere and make it work.
Here are three complementary
strategies/directions to make RTA work:
1.
Direct decoupled payments to rice
farmers as immediate relief,
2. Further intensification of
rice efforts in productive irrigated lands, and
3. Diversification of rainfed rice lands into other higher value crops, livestock and fish culture.
3. Diversification of rainfed rice lands into other higher value crops, livestock and fish culture.
Direct decoupled payments to rice
farmers as immediate relief
The entry of cheaper rice from
Vietnam and Thailand brought down the retail price of rice and consequently the
farm gate price of palay and the income of farmers. The farmers are complaining
and rightfully so.
This phenomenon is not unique to
us and had been addressed by many countries in various ways. To date the most
common approach is by direct payments to farmers to compensate them for their
loss brought about by a national policy.
For our rice farmers, these
direct payments should bring them part relief during the transition while
waiting for the other government interventions to improve their incomes to take
effect.
We propose that for the next 10
years, ALL the tariffs collected under RTA be returned to the rice farmers in
the form of direct payments based on area cultivated (decoupled). Payments
based on area are easier to implement since the farmed area is reflected in the
land titles and/or tax declarations.
Rice tariffs under the RTA were
estimated to reach ₱28 billion per year by 2022 (Briones and Tidon, 2015). With
payments limited to rice farms 2.0 hectares and below, the eligible area could
be in the order of 2.5 million hectares. The direct payments could translate to
₱11,200 per hectare per year.
Further intensification
of rice efforts in productive,
irrigated farm lands
of rice efforts in productive,
irrigated farm lands
Rice is cultivated under two
ecological conditions: irrigated versus rainfed. Rainfed fields generally have
inferior yields for lack of eater. With irrigation, application of the
recommended levels of fertilizers and use of high-yielding INBRED SEEDS, our
better farmers produce six tons palay per hectare at a cost of ₱8.00–₱9.00 per
kilogram. At this level of productivity, our properly managed irrigated rice
farms are competitive with imports from Vietnam and Thailand paying tariff at
35%. In fact, farmers planting hybrids report even higher yields of 8–10 tons
palay per hectare.
Our strategy therefore is to
further intensify our rice efforts in the productive, irrigated lands. We
should: 1) continue investing in the development of the remaining 1.28 million
hectares of irrigable lands, and 2) make the existing irrigation systems more
productive through rehabilitation, proper maintenance and management.
To date, we have developed 1.73
million hectares of irrigation systems (national and communal) out of the 3.0
million hectares potentially irrigable lands (57%). However, our realized
cropping intensity is only 1.37 against the design of 2.00 (two crops per
year). We are “missing” each year about 764,000 hectares of unplanted farm
lands because we are not able to maintain and manage our irrigation systems
properly.
Thus tactically, for the next five
years, whatever resources we can afford to devote to irrigation, a good part of
that should be devoted to rehabilitation, maintenance and management.
But experience the world over
have demonstrated that irrigation systems are best managed with the full
participation of the water users (farmers) themselves.
The key therefore are the
irrigators associations (IAs) which the National Irrigation Administration
(NIA) has organized to assume partial responsibility for the operation and
maintenance of the downstream irrigation facilities.
However, of the 2,736 IAs that
have been formally organized, many must not be working because the realized
cropping intensity of NIA irrigation systems is only 1.59. The cropping
intensity of the communal irrigations systems is only 1.29 and so the IAs for
the communal systems are not doing any better.
The programs of the Department of
Agriculture family of agencies, namely NIA, Philippine Rice Research Institute,
Bureau of Plant Industry, Bureau of Soils and Water Management, Philippine
Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization including Land Bank of the
Philippines should converge to make the IAs work.
The delivery of farmer training,
extension services and subsidized credit with which to acquire modern inputs
like inbred and hybrid seeds, farm equipment and fertilizers should be coursed
through the IAs to bring the farmers together and empower their cooperatives.
Jigawa,
Chinese Hunan province sign agreement on agriculture
Last Saturday at 3:24 PM
The Jigawa State Government said it has signed an agreement with
Hunan Provincial Government in the Peoples Republic of China on agricultural
technology transfer.
Jigawa
State Governor, Muhammad Badaru (Daily Trust)
Jigawa
State Governor, Muhammad Badaru (Daily Trust)
Gov. Muhammad Badaru stated this during the launch of the
state’s 2019 Mega Agricultural Economic Empowerment Programme in Dutse on
Friday.
Badaru said the Hunan government has already provided hybrid
rice seed to the state which yields 14.6 tonnes per hectare in the Hunan
province.
He explained that the state government has started pilot trials
of the variety in a pilot scheme field in Yamidi village in Auyo local
government area.
The governor added that the agreement provides for transfer in
agricultural machinery, irrigation technology and land conservation.
According to him, the state is committed to buy into the federal
government’s commitment to carrying everyone along in its bid to revamp the
economy.
“You will notice that almost
all our programmes are derived from agricultural sector, because, for us, it is
the real economy, engaging over 80 per cent of our productive populace.
“I’m also privileged to let you know that we’ve
just signed an agreement with the Hunan Provincial Government in the Peoples
Republic of China on technology transfer.
“They’ve provided us with
hybrid rice seed with which yields up to 14.6 tons in the Hunan province and
we’ve already started pilot trials on this variety in our pilot scheme field in
Yamidi at Auyo LGA.
“The agreement also provides
for technology transfer in agricultural machinery, irrigation technology and
land conservation,” Badaru said.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that mini rice millers, multipurpose
crop thrasher, single and double row multipurpose planters, hand held
rice/wheat harvesters, manual sprayers, power tillers, rice/wheat thrashers
were among the items distributed to farmers.
NAN also reports that among the dignitaries at the occasion
were; Gov. of Kebbi state, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, Central Bank Governor, Mr
Godwin Emeifele, who was represented by his Special Assistant on Development
Finance, Mr Anthony Ifechukwu.
Source: Pulse
Nigeria
WhatsApp: +2349055172167
Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng
Email: eyewitness@pulse.ng
Six More European Countries Join
Iran’s Barter System INSTEX; Future of Indian Basmati Rice Payments?
Despite US sanctions, six more countries recently
joined INSTEX, the Iran Barter system. INSTEX payment mechanism set to bypass
US sanctions and begin trade with Iran. It might be the future of payments of
basmati rice from Iran since India’s negligible crude oil imports from Iran.
The Accession
France, Germany and the United Kingdom, the founding members of
INSTEX appreciated the joining of six more countries in the barter system. The
countries include Belgium, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, and
Sweden.
Established on 31st January 2019, INSTEX
(Instrument in Support of Trade Exchanges) headquartered in Paris to facilitate
non-USD and non-Swift transactions. It allows Iran to import products and
services from European countries in exchange for oil. The six countries
confirmed the importance of JCPoA and declared it as the major contributor to
the stability of the region. The founding members said that the decision
depicts European efforts to promote legal trade between Iran and Europe. The
expansion of the clearinghouse will strengthen INSTEX. They further added that
the decision clearly expresses members’ commitment to the Iranian nuclear deal
of 2015.
After the pullout of the US from the nuclear deal and imposing of sanction on Iran, it began to
exceed some uranium-enrichment limits set under the pact. Concerning this, the
trio declared that now Iran must fully comply with the deal without any delay.
INSTEX a step forward to contain Iran’s nuclear programme without hurting their
economy.
Future of
Basmati Rice Payments
Being the largest importer of high-quality Indian Basmati rice,
Iran accounted for 34% of total Basmati exports during
2018-19 from India. After US sanctions, the Iranian government stopped issuing
Indian currency to Iran importers resulting in delayed payments to the
exporters. This resulted in Basmati prices crashing by about 15%. The payments stuck at
Iran ports negatively affected farmer’s income this harvest season. Therefore,
basmati exports from India to Iran require new payment mechanism. Imports of
crude oil or any other products from Iran are at minimal. INSTEX might be the
answer to payment troubles of basmati exporters to Iran.
The scope of INSTEX payments is confined to humanitarian goods
including food products. Basmati rice falls under food category and INSTEX
method might bypass US sanctions.
Peasant farmers support Ghana government’s decision to ban rice
importation
The Peasant Farmers Association
of Ghana (PFAG) has supported government’s decision to ban importation of rice
by 2022.
The Association in statement
signed by Mr. Abdul-Rahman Mohammed, National President and Board Chairman of
PFAG has, therefore called for show of commitment and steps to be put in place
for immediate ban rather than wait until 2022.
It said adopting Nigeria’s food
importation ban concept would not only help to reduce Ghana’s import bill, but
create employment opportunities in Ghana and stabilise the cedi.
“Concrete measures need
therefore, to be put in place to commence ban on imports such as reduction in
2020 rice imports,” it added.
The statement commended
government for setting aside a day to appreciate the contribution of farmers to
the growth and development of the country.
The 35th edition of Farmer’s Day
is on the theme: “Enhancing Small Scale Agriculture towards Agribusiness
Development.”
The Association has therefore
congratulated all smallholder farmers especially those, who would be awarded
prices at the local level.
It said government should direct
for institutional purchase of local rice by as the school feeding programme,
free SHS, the Military and Para institutions.
It said government should mandate
all banks to increase their loan portfolio with low interest rate on
agriculture.
The statement said, critical
issues on the eve of this year’s celebration have taken the spirit off the
theme.
It said smallholder rice farmers,
who were keen in agribusiness were apprehensive and despondent as the rice they
produced during the last crop season lies waste and possibly to the vagaries of
harmattan bush fires.
“Farmers are confronted with lack
of access to combine harvesters, lack of storage and exploitation by traders,
who have taken advantage of the desperate situation,” he added.
It said the National Food Buffer
Stock had announced plans to mop up the surplus rice by providing minimum
guarantee prices to farmers, but has not materialised leaving the rice farmers
to their fate.
It said Ghanaian farmers have
proven their ability to produce enough rice to meet domestic consumption.
The statement said this was
manifested by the drastic increase in rice production in 2019 of which greater
quantities still remain unharvested due to lack of harvesting equipment and
guaranteed market.
Unfortunately, only 34 per cent
of Ghanaians consume Ghana rice, while 680, 000 tonnes of rice costing $500
million is imported annually.
The Association believes that the
high appetite for imported rice has significantly contributed to rice millers
lacking market for Ghana rice leading to the current rice glut in Northern
Ghana.
“This phenomenon if not addressed
with the urgency it deserves, can worsen the poverty situation of smallholder
farmers and majority of rural people, who still rank as the poorest in the
country and thereby negatively impacting on the successes the nation chalked in
recent times on the campaign against poverty and food insecurity,” it added.
The statement has therefore
recommended to government to explore new technologies to address aflatoxin and
other post-harvest challenges in rice production.
It said government should bring
storage facilities closer to rice farming areas by first completing the One
District, One Warehouse programme, commission the completed ones and set up
temporary cocoons in the communities.
Source: GNA
of Saturday, 7 December 2019
Source: GNA
Peasant Farmers Association
supports gov't's decision to ban rice importation
The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has supported
government's decision to ban the importation of rice by 2022.
Imported rice
Imported rice
The Association in a statement signed by Abdul- Rahman Mohammed,
National President and Board Chairman of PFAG has therefore called for a show
of commitment and steps to be put in place for immediate ban rather than wait
until 2022. 
It said adopting Nigeria’s food importation ban concept would not only help to reduce Ghana’s import bill but create employment opportunities in Ghana and stabilise the cedi.
"Concrete measures need, therefore, to be put in place to commence ban on imports such as the reduction in 2020 rice imports," it added.
The statement commended government for setting aside a day to appreciate the contribution of farmers to the growth and development of the country.
The 35th edition of Farmer's Day is on the theme: “Enhancing Small Scale Agriculture towards Agribusiness Development.”
The Association has, therefore, congratulated all smallholder farmers especially those, who would be awarded prizes at the local level.
It said government should direct for institutional purchase of local rice by as the school feeding programme, free SHS, the Military and Para institutions.
It said government should mandate all banks to increase their loan portfolio with low interest rate on agriculture.
The statement said critical issues on the eve of this year's celebration have taken the spirit off the theme.
It said smallholder rice farmers, who were keen in agribusiness were apprehensive and despondent as the rice they produced during the last crop season lies waste and possibly to the vagaries of harmattan bush fires.
"Farmers are confronted with lack of access to combine harvesters, lack of storage and exploitation by traders, who have taken advantage of the desperate situation," he added.
It said the National Food Buffer Stock had announced plans to mop up the surplus rice by providing minimum guaranteed prices to farmers but has not materialised leaving the rice farmers to their fate.
It said Ghanaian farmers have proven their ability to produce enough rice to meet domestic consumption.
The statement said this was manifested by the drastic increase in rice production in 2019 of which greater quantities still remain unharvested due to lack of harvesting equipment and a guaranteed market.
Unfortunately, only 34 per cent of Ghanaians consume Ghana rice, while 680, 000 tonnes of rice costing $500 million is imported annually.
The Association believes that the high appetite for imported rice has significantly contributed to rice millers lacking market for Ghana rice leading to the current rice glut in Northern Ghana.
"This phenomenon if not addressed with the urgency it deserves, can worsen the poverty situation of smallholder farmers and majority of rural people, who still rank as the poorest in the country and thereby negatively impacting on the successes the nation chalked in recent times on the campaign against poverty and food insecurity," it added.
The statement has therefore recommended to government to explore new technologies to address aflatoxin and other post-harvest challenges in rice production.
It said government should bring storage facilities closer to rice farming areas by first completing the One District, One Warehouse programme, commission the completed ones and set up temporary cocoons in the communities.
It said adopting Nigeria’s food importation ban concept would not only help to reduce Ghana’s import bill but create employment opportunities in Ghana and stabilise the cedi.
"Concrete measures need, therefore, to be put in place to commence ban on imports such as the reduction in 2020 rice imports," it added.
The statement commended government for setting aside a day to appreciate the contribution of farmers to the growth and development of the country.
The 35th edition of Farmer's Day is on the theme: “Enhancing Small Scale Agriculture towards Agribusiness Development.”
The Association has, therefore, congratulated all smallholder farmers especially those, who would be awarded prizes at the local level.
It said government should direct for institutional purchase of local rice by as the school feeding programme, free SHS, the Military and Para institutions.
It said government should mandate all banks to increase their loan portfolio with low interest rate on agriculture.
The statement said critical issues on the eve of this year's celebration have taken the spirit off the theme.
It said smallholder rice farmers, who were keen in agribusiness were apprehensive and despondent as the rice they produced during the last crop season lies waste and possibly to the vagaries of harmattan bush fires.
"Farmers are confronted with lack of access to combine harvesters, lack of storage and exploitation by traders, who have taken advantage of the desperate situation," he added.
It said the National Food Buffer Stock had announced plans to mop up the surplus rice by providing minimum guaranteed prices to farmers but has not materialised leaving the rice farmers to their fate.
It said Ghanaian farmers have proven their ability to produce enough rice to meet domestic consumption.
The statement said this was manifested by the drastic increase in rice production in 2019 of which greater quantities still remain unharvested due to lack of harvesting equipment and a guaranteed market.
Unfortunately, only 34 per cent of Ghanaians consume Ghana rice, while 680, 000 tonnes of rice costing $500 million is imported annually.
The Association believes that the high appetite for imported rice has significantly contributed to rice millers lacking market for Ghana rice leading to the current rice glut in Northern Ghana.
"This phenomenon if not addressed with the urgency it deserves, can worsen the poverty situation of smallholder farmers and majority of rural people, who still rank as the poorest in the country and thereby negatively impacting on the successes the nation chalked in recent times on the campaign against poverty and food insecurity," it added.
The statement has therefore recommended to government to explore new technologies to address aflatoxin and other post-harvest challenges in rice production.
It said government should bring storage facilities closer to rice farming areas by first completing the One District, One Warehouse programme, commission the completed ones and set up temporary cocoons in the communities.
Jigawa,
Chinese Hunan province sign agreement on agriculture
Last Saturday at 3:24 PM
The Jigawa State Government said it has signed an agreement with
Hunan Provincial Government in the Peoples Republic of China on agricultural
technology transfer.
Jigawa
State Governor, Muhammad Badaru (Daily Trust)
Jigawa
State Governor, Muhammad Badaru (Daily Trust)
Gov. Muhammad Badaru stated this during the launch of the
state’s 2019 Mega Agricultural Economic Empowerment Programme in Dutse on
Friday.
Badaru said the Hunan government has already provided hybrid
rice seed to the state which yields 14.6 tonnes per hectare in the Hunan
province.
He explained that the state government has started pilot trials
of the variety in a pilot scheme field in Yamidi village in Auyo local
government area.
The governor added that the agreement provides for transfer in
agricultural machinery, irrigation technology and land conservation.
According to him, the state is committed to buy into the federal
government’s commitment to carrying everyone along in its bid to revamp the
economy.
“You will notice that almost
all our programmes are derived from agricultural sector, because, for us, it is
the real economy, engaging over 80 per cent of our productive populace.
“I’m also privileged to let you know that we’ve
just signed an agreement with the Hunan Provincial Government in the Peoples
Republic of China on technology transfer.
“They’ve provided us with
hybrid rice seed with which yields up to 14.6 tons in the Hunan province and
we’ve already started pilot trials on this variety in our pilot scheme field in
Yamidi at Auyo LGA.
“The agreement also provides
for technology transfer in agricultural machinery, irrigation technology and
land conservation,” Badaru said.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that mini rice millers,
multipurpose crop thrasher, single and double row multipurpose planters, hand
held rice/wheat harvesters, manual sprayers, power tillers, rice/wheat
thrashers were among the items distributed to farmers.
NAN also reports that among the dignitaries at the occasion
were; Gov. of Kebbi state, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, Central Bank Governor, Mr
Godwin Emeifele, who was represented by his Special Assistant on Development
Finance, Mr Anthony Ifechukwu.
Ghana's rice sector needs more support - Kufuor
Source: Ghana | Myjoyonline.com
Date: 07-12-2019 Time: 09:12:55:am
Former
President John Agyekum Kufuor is urging government to come up with a
presidential policy to improve the production and marketing of Ghana Rice
around the globe.
He
wants government to re-energize its political will for the transformation of
agriculture and the Ghana Rice sector which he says has developed rapidly over
the years.
“Some
years ago, we always thought Ghana rice had stones, packaging also wasn’t very
nice. So, there is this perception in people’s minds that Ghana rice is not
nice. It is not aromatic and it has issues but ten years down the line, things
have changed. It is meeting the international standard,” the former president
who is chairman of the John A. Kufuor Foundation noted.
He
was speaking to representatives of various rice value chain actors who paid a
courtesy call on him at his Accra residence to present to him some new brands
of local rice.
Mr
Kufour some 15 years ago started the campaign to promote produced-in-Ghana rice
under a project which aimed to ensure “sustainable intensification of local
rice.”
Ghana
spends about $600 million annually importing rice. Images of unsold Ghana rice
produced in the north went viral on social media last month sparking a national
campaign to encourage the consumption of Ghana rice.
The
John A. Kufuor Foundation recently organised the Ghana Rice Festival in
collaboration with the Ghana Rice Inter-Professional Body (GRIB) at the Efua
Sutherlands Park in Accra to showcase Ghana rice brands and promote their
consumption.
Mr
Kufuor noted that apart from saving millions of cedis in foreign exchange,
increased patronage of locally grown rice would strengthen production efforts,
lead to increased investments, impact positively on the local economies of
rice-growing areas and help government achieve its objective of ending the
importation of rice by 2024.
He
said Ghana must adopt proactive measures to secure the Ghana rice industry and
ensure a complete ban on the importation of rice to boost sales of local
brands.
The
former president urged “everybody to eat grown in Ghana rice.”
“So
for this Christmas, as you go out to buy your rice, please make sure you are
buying rice which is grown in Ghana. Let’s buy and eat made in Ghana rice,” he
said.
Nana
Ama Oppong Duah who is policy advisor at the foundation thanked the former
president for helping strengthen partnership among rice value chain actors
across the country.
Executives
of the rice value chain actors including farmers, millers,
marketers/aggregators, input dealers, service providers, among others praised
the foundation for helping strengthen partnership among themselves.
President
of the Ghana Rice Inter-Professional Body Nana Adjei – Ayeh revealed that some
years ago, the body was almost dormant.
But
with the support of John A. Kufuor Foundation, “we have gotten the necessary
funds to get it revived and right now it’s becoming one of the most vibrant
organizations promoting rice consumption in the country.”
He
called for a change in public attitudes towards Ghana rice.
“Government can do as much but
critically, at the end of the day, the ordinary Ghanaian also has a role to
play, which is to make the deliberate decision in the national interest that,
we have a problem, we have to deal with it, and we are going to begin to see a
shift in our taste,” Nana Adjei – Ayeh said.
Stone
Free Rice: Farmers, millers call for patience
ON DECEMBER 7, 20198:56 AMIN AGRIC
ON DECEMBER 7, 20198:56 AMIN AGRIC FacebookTwitterEmailWhatsAppPinterestShare Foreign rice seized by Ogun Command All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has called on Nigerians to exercise patience and understanding for the process involved in local rice production to be perfected. Mr Ibrahim Kabiru, President of AFAN, made this call on Friday in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. The AFAN was reacting to complaints by consumers that local rice was no longer stone-free since the closure of borders. Kabiru said that although he was not aware of such complaints, he insisted that rice went through some processes before it got to the final consumer. “If stones are found in our locally produced rice of which I am not aware, it means that the stones must be removed to make it for consumption,’’ he said. The president of AFAN also said rice production took a number of processes after the harvesting stage. ALSO READ: Customs boss seeks separate budget for staff college He said these processes ranged from drying, storing, milling and final processing, including de-stoning. “It could be during these processes and considering the fact that rice must be produced optimally to meet local consumption,” Kabiru said. He added that rice farmers also needed encouragement from the Nigerian public for them to put in their best to feed the nation. He further said that a situation where stones were sometimes found in locally produced rice after border closure was not intentional. “Its a working progress because rice is a staple food for Nigerians and demand must meet supply and the demand is much,’’ he said. Kabiru noted that Nigeria had outgrown the stage of importing foreign rice into the country to meet local consumption. He said Nigerians should exercise patience that the challenge was not just to produce optimally for local consumption but also to produce for exportation. ALSO READ: Nigeria will add rice to export commodities in 2 years — Nanono “Its about time Nigeria started earning foreign exchange from exportation of our locally produced rice. “It is nutritious, straight from the farm, no additives for preservation and safe for consumption, that’s why we
ON DECEMBER 7, 20198:56 AMIN AGRIC FacebookTwitterEmailWhatsAppPinterestShare Foreign rice seized by Ogun Command All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has called on Nigerians to exercise patience and understanding for the process involved in local rice production to be perfected. Mr Ibrahim Kabiru, President of AFAN, made this call on Friday in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. The AFAN was reacting to complaints by consumers that local rice was no longer stone-free since the closure of borders. Kabiru said that although he was not aware of such complaints, he insisted that rice went through some processes before it got to the final consumer. “If stones are found in our locally produced rice of which I am not aware, it means that the stones must be removed to make it for consumption,’’ he said. The president of AFAN also said rice production took a number of processes after the harvesting stage. ALSO READ: Customs boss seeks separate budget for staff college He said these processes ranged from drying, storing, milling and final processing, including de-stoning. “It could be during these processes and considering the fact that rice must be produced optimally to meet local consumption,” Kabiru said. He added that rice farmers also needed encouragement from the Nigerian public for them to put in their best to feed the nation. He further said that a situation where stones were sometimes found in locally produced rice after border closure was not intentional. “Its a working progress because rice is a staple food for Nigerians and demand must meet supply and the demand is much,’’ he said. Kabiru noted that Nigeria had outgrown the stage of importing foreign rice into the country to meet local consumption. He said Nigerians should exercise patience that the challenge was not just to produce optimally for local consumption but also to produce for exportation. ALSO READ: Nigeria will add rice to export commodities in 2 years — Nanono “Its about time Nigeria started earning foreign exchange from exportation of our locally produced rice. “It is nutritious, straight from the farm, no additives for preservation and safe for consumption, that’s why we
have
to be patience for the production process to be perfected,’’ Kabiru said. Mr
Reji George, Vice-President of Olam Group, a leading food and agri-business company
that are also into local farming, milling and distribution of rice, said that
the problem also lay on people who re-bag local rice. George said that they had
two of the biggest mills capable of producing high quality rice and the
standard had not changed. “Mama’s Pride standard is going up but the problem is
that some set of people re-bag and when this happens, there’s bound to be
issues,” he said. He disclosed that on one side of the bag, the production and
expiring date are clearly stated. “We take extra caution on our products
because we know how important our products are to Nigerians. “Our milling
capacity is about 105,000 tons per year and we also have partnership with local
millers in Kano and the standard remains the same,’’ George said.
Peasant Farmers Association
supports gov't's decision to ban rice importation
Imported rice
The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has supported
government's decision to ban the importation of rice by 2022.
The Association in a statement signed by Abdul- Rahman Mohammed, National President and Board Chairman of PFAG has therefore called for a show of commitment and steps to be put in place for immediate ban rather than wait until 2022.
It said adopting Nigeria’s food importation ban concept would not only help to reduce Ghana’s import bill but create employment opportunities in Ghana and stabilise the cedi.
"Concrete measures need, therefore, to be put in place to commence ban on imports such as the reduction in 2020 rice imports," it added.
The statement commended government for setting aside a day to appreciate the contribution of farmers to the growth and development of the country.
The 35th edition of Farmer's Day is on the theme: “Enhancing Small Scale Agriculture towards Agribusiness Development.”
The Association has, therefore, congratulated all smallholder farmers especially those, who would be awarded prizes at the local level.
It said government should direct for institutional purchase of local rice by as the school feeding programme, free SHS, the Military and Para institutions.
It said government should mandate all banks to increase their loan portfolio with low interest rate on agriculture.
The statement said critical issues on the eve of this year's celebration have taken the spirit off the theme.
It said smallholder rice farmers, who were keen in agribusiness were apprehensive and despondent as the rice they produced during the last crop season lies waste and possibly to the vagaries of harmattan bush fires.
"Farmers are confronted with lack of access to combine harvesters, lack of storage and exploitation by traders, who have taken advantage of the desperate situation," he added.
It said the National Food Buffer Stock had announced plans to mop up the surplus rice by providing minimum guaranteed prices to farmers but has not materialised leaving the rice farmers to their fate.
It said Ghanaian farmers have proven their ability to produce enough rice to meet domestic consumption.
The statement said this was manifested by the drastic increase in rice production in 2019 of which greater quantities still remain unharvested due to lack of harvesting equipment and a guaranteed market.
Unfortunately, only 34 per cent of Ghanaians consume Ghana rice, while 680, 000 tonnes of rice costing $500 million is imported annually.
The Association believes that the high appetite for imported rice has significantly contributed to rice millers lacking market for Ghana rice leading to the current rice glut in Northern Ghana.
"This phenomenon if not addressed with the urgency it deserves, can worsen the poverty situation of smallholder farmers and majority of rural people, who still rank as the poorest in the country and thereby negatively impacting on the successes the nation chalked in recent times on the campaign against poverty and food insecurity," it added.
The statement has therefore recommended to government to explore new technologies to address aflatoxin and other post-harvest challenges in rice production.
It said government should bring storage facilities closer to rice farming areas by first completing the One District, One Warehouse programme, commission the completed ones and set up temporary cocoons in the communities.
President Akufo-Addo urges
consumption of local rice
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo
President Nana Akufo-Addo has urged Ghanaians to increase their
consumption of local rice as part of efforts to ensure the sustainability of
the local rice industry which has faced difficulties in recent times.
Speaking at the 35th National Farmers’ Day celebration held in the Volta regional capital, Ho, President Akufo-Addo the government’s efforts in ensuring self-sufficiency in rice production depends largely on the level of consumption of local rice.
“We must eat what we grow to motivate our farmers and support the development of the local food industry. Rebecca, my beautiful wife; our First Lady, insists that we eat local rice at home and has made sure of this. I call on all Ghanaians to follow my example and eat local rice.”
President Akufo-Addo stated that as part of the government’s moves to support local rice production, the state ordered milling materials from China and Brazil.
The materials are expected to arrive in Ghana in the middle of 2020, to provide “appreciable relieve to farmers and boost the grain industry.”
The President also said his administration will continue “to prioritize and support agriculture to make the sector one of the most viable driving forces of Ghana’s economic development and transformation.”
Government’s action plan
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture’s efforts to improve the production, marketing and consumption of Ghana-Made-Rice started in 2017 through the launch of the Planting for Food and Jobs programme.
But awareness has heightened recently after a campaign started by Citi FM’s CEO, Samuel Attah-Mensah.
Currently, local rice production stands at 460,000 metric tonnes with 640,000 metric tonnes imported annually.
The Fumbisi Valley, which has the capacity to do produce 4,500 metric tonnes is currently producing just 1,000.
The Ministry assured that the capacity will be expanded.
The National Food Buffer Stock has also been instructed to intensify the issuance of license and purchasing of both paddy and milled rice from local producers.
Wienco Ghana Limited and RMG are already purchasing paddy rice from farmers in the Volta Region which will be extended to other regions also.
Also, 10 major rice millers have agreed to buy locally grown rice for processing at 60 percent capacity which translates to 300,000 metric tonnes annually, representing over 23 million bags of home-grown rice.
The government has also communicated plans to ban the importation of rice by 2022.
Speaking at the 35th National Farmers’ Day celebration held in the Volta regional capital, Ho, President Akufo-Addo the government’s efforts in ensuring self-sufficiency in rice production depends largely on the level of consumption of local rice.
“We must eat what we grow to motivate our farmers and support the development of the local food industry. Rebecca, my beautiful wife; our First Lady, insists that we eat local rice at home and has made sure of this. I call on all Ghanaians to follow my example and eat local rice.”
President Akufo-Addo stated that as part of the government’s moves to support local rice production, the state ordered milling materials from China and Brazil.
The materials are expected to arrive in Ghana in the middle of 2020, to provide “appreciable relieve to farmers and boost the grain industry.”
The President also said his administration will continue “to prioritize and support agriculture to make the sector one of the most viable driving forces of Ghana’s economic development and transformation.”
Government’s action plan
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture’s efforts to improve the production, marketing and consumption of Ghana-Made-Rice started in 2017 through the launch of the Planting for Food and Jobs programme.
But awareness has heightened recently after a campaign started by Citi FM’s CEO, Samuel Attah-Mensah.
Currently, local rice production stands at 460,000 metric tonnes with 640,000 metric tonnes imported annually.
The Fumbisi Valley, which has the capacity to do produce 4,500 metric tonnes is currently producing just 1,000.
The Ministry assured that the capacity will be expanded.
The National Food Buffer Stock has also been instructed to intensify the issuance of license and purchasing of both paddy and milled rice from local producers.
Wienco Ghana Limited and RMG are already purchasing paddy rice from farmers in the Volta Region which will be extended to other regions also.
Also, 10 major rice millers have agreed to buy locally grown rice for processing at 60 percent capacity which translates to 300,000 metric tonnes annually, representing over 23 million bags of home-grown rice.
The government has also communicated plans to ban the importation of rice by 2022.
Modular rice mills, boost to SMEs – NIDO
boss
The president of Nigerians in the Diaspora (Asia Group), Prof.
Emenike Ejiogu, has described the introduction of the modular rice milling
machine into the nation’s market as “a blessing to the rice value chain and a
boost to the small scale sector of the economy.”
Ejiogu stated this in his opening remarks at the seminar and
awareness programme on the rice value chain organised recently by NIDO in
collaboration with their Asian partners for stakeholders in Lagos.
Speaking at the event, which major highlight was the
introduction of a compact modular rice milling machine into the market and
demonstration of its usage to rice farmers, millers, sellers, businessmen and
the media, Ejiogu said the Kanryu rice husking and milling machine was
specifically made for the African market and targeted at the small scale
farmers and rice millers.
“The modular rice mill is small and compact. It is also rugged
and durable. Its technology is easy and can be operated by one person. It has a
capacity to produce five tons of rice per day. And it is affordable. This model
by Kanryu Industry, our Japanese partners, was developed in conformity with SON
and NAFDAC standards. Its coming into the Nigerian market will add value to the
government policy on local rice production, create employment and boost SMEs,”
Ejiogu said.
After the demonstration of the usage of the machine by NIDO
officials and the manufacturer’s representatives, stakeholders at the event
commended NIDO for the initiative, describing it as a positive development for
the rice value chain.
According to deputy chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria
(Lagos State), Mr. Shakin Agbayewa, the coming of the modular rice mill is
timely and good for farmers.
“The rice milling machine will help us as a cottage
industry. It is particularly good for small scale entrepreneurs. It
will boost local rice production in line with the current government policy. As
farmers, we are calling on government and banks to support us in terms of
funding to purchase the machines,” he said.
For Mr. Bola Jimson, CEO, Afritrade, a rice processing firm, the
rice milling machine is highly impressive. “With this development, we have no
business with imported rice again. Very soon, Nigeria will get there,” he
stated.
Rice economy to hit $6.3 billion in 2025
By Gbenga
Akinfenwa
08 December 2019
| 3:25 am
Rice production
• Combined Improved Seed Production Capacity
Stands At 100,000 Tons—Dangote
• Shift From Subsistence To Commercial Agriculture Needs Conscientious Efforts—Dan-Ali
• Research Institutions Need To Develop Nigerian Rice Varieties—Ijewere
• Shift From Subsistence To Commercial Agriculture Needs Conscientious Efforts—Dan-Ali
• Research Institutions Need To Develop Nigerian Rice Varieties—Ijewere
Nigeria’s
Rice economy is estimated at $5.2b and has been projected to hit $6.3b by 2025.
However, the country is far from attaining the feat, as the industry is plagued
by impediments that are capable of jeopardising its potentials.
At the
third Agric Conference & Exhibition of Daily Trust Newspaper, with the
theme: Repositioning Rice, Sugar & Dairy Production For Optimal Yield, in
Lagos, stakeholders ascribed abysmal performance, especially in rice production
to government’s policy summersault, noting that in terms of boosting local
production, there is no clear information on what farmers need to do and how to
do it, adding that there is urgent need for all the players to always put
government on its toes.
President
of Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG), Alhaji Sani Dangote, represented by the
Groups Director-General, Dr. Manzo Daniel Maigari, who spoke on “The Rice
Economy and Value Chain Issues,” said the country’s combined improved seed
production capacity is 100,000 tons, satisfying less than eight per cent of the
national demand.
He said:
“There are some impediments that include: one extension agent to cover three
times the number of Small Holder Farmers (SHFs) recommended by FAO; the
mechanisation rate is at 0.3 horsepower (hp) per hectare, compared to 8hp in
China due to challenges in accessing finance; 70 per cent of SHFs produce over
one cycle due to low access to irrigation schemes; only 10 per cent of SHFs
have clear access to markets through grower schemes and actor linkage platforms
due to limited financing, inefficient data collection and low levels of farmer
literacy.
“75 per
cent of milled rice production is dominated by small scale millers with
rudimentary equipment, thus impeding quality; poor branding and packaging
limits off-take from large scale retailers and high-end consumers and smuggling
of estimated one million tons of rice sold to local millers and retailers due
to restrictive trade policies.”
The
CEO/Editor-in-Chief, Daily Trust, Mallam Mannir Dan-Ali, who said despite
various intervention projects by government, especially under the current
administration, it is pretty obvious that government needs to do more in
certain critical areas in the value chain, added that a report by Price
Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) has shown that the average yield for rice production
in Nigeria remains at two tonnes per hectare, which is almost about half the
average yield in most Asian countries.
“Put the
above statistics side by side the fact that Nigeria is Africa’s leading
consumer of rice and also one of the largest rice importer in the world, then
you know that we need to take much more serious steps to develop the critical
sector of our economy than we have done so far,” he said.
He said
the country couldn’t achieve the desired shift from subsistence to commercial
agriculture, without conscientious efforts by all stakeholders in the entire
production, processing and distribution process.
“There
is a need for a lot more action from both government and the financial
institutions to stimulate increased funding interventions for the agricultural
sector, in order to reposition the sector and enable it to deliver the desired
value.”
The
Co-Chair of the NABG, Mr. Emmanuel Ijewere, who chaired the conference, said to
reposition the rice industry, there is a need for research institutions to
develop varieties of rice that will be known as Nigerian rice.
He noted
that the Agric system has almost collapsed and currently under the Intensive
Care Unit (ICU) and needs urgent attention to rescue it from fizzling out. “The
border closure has put us in ICU, currently more people are eating locally
produced rice and more farmers are cultivating rice…The country is in intensive
care as a result of the border closure, it is we Nigerians that will make it
survive. I believe that the sector is likely to emerge stronger and healthier
from the ICU.”
The
Executive Secretary/CEO, National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Dr. Latif
Busari, who spoke on “The Sugar Economy,” said the country has the potential of
becoming a net exporter of sugar as consumption in the country has been on the
increase since Independence with an annual average growth rate of eight per
cent, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
He
however, said the fact that about five per cent of the national demand for the
commodity is produced locally, while the balance is imported with a huge
foreign exchange on a yearly basis, poses a serious challenge to the
industry.
According
to a communiqué issued at the end of the conference, it was observed that
despite the country’s cattle population put at about 20 million, domestic milk
production is not commensurate with the large cattle population, as only about
2.2 million is used for milk production
KVK, Sonitpur organized programmes under APART
December
7, 2019 1:09 pm
A Correspondent
Tezpur: KVK, Sonitpur organized two programmes under APART namely
“Training on Post Harvest Machineries” and “Training and demonstration on Rice
Value Chain” in collaboration with International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)
at KVK, Tezpur Napam Campus respectively.
The Head, KVK, Sonitpur Dr.
Pramod Chandra Deka, welcomed the farmers and dignitaries on both the
occasions. He also emphasized the importance of agricultural machineries in the
context of present agriculture. Prakash Chandra Bora, District
Agriculture Officer, Sonitpur elaborated about the different schemes of the
Govt. by which the farmers can avail the subsidies in purchasing those
agricultural machineries and tools.
Sauraj J. Baishya, post harvest
specialist, IRRI, acted as a resource person who presented the technical
knowhow of different agricultural machineries and tools. Baishya also explained
the farmers about the functioning of some of the machineries and tools provided
to the KVK, Sonitpur under the APART project. The farmers showed keen interest
on machineries showcased in the programme. A short interactive session was also
held between the farmers, APART staff and scientists of KVK, Sonitpur regarding
different aspects of agriculture. Around fifty farmers from different parts of
the district and all officials of KVK, Sonitpur attended the programme. The
programme ended with a vote of thanks by Roji Chutia, SMS (Agronomy), KVK,
Sonitpur.
Back pain and
the placebo effect: ‘I’ll keep taking the pills’
Jim Pearce is certainly convinced.
When we first met, the
71-year-old was confined to a wheelchair and using morphine because of his back
pain.
But after he took part in our
study, taking our convincingly-labelled blue-and-white-striped “new”
painkillers, he seemed like a different person.
The only thing was that he‘d been
taking placebos; dummy pills – they contained nothing but ground rice. But they
worked.
“I just woke up one morning and I
thought, hang about, I haven‘t got a twinge in my back. And it‘s been going
from strength to strength.”
I asked him which he preferred,
my pills or the morphine?
“I got rid of the morphine and
kept taking your blue pills.”
Jim was one of 100 people who
took part in a trial for our
It was a back pain study – with a
twist. The twist being that everyone, unknowingly, was getting placebo? We
wanted to see if people taking the pills would get better anyway?
‘Keep away
from children‘
The placebo effect is well
studied but at the same time something of a mystery. The word placebo comes
from the Latin “I shall please” and is associated with images of quack doctors
selling dodgy cures.
Yet it is also an important part
of modern clinical trials, where patients are given either a placebo (sometimes
called a dummy pill) or an active drug (without knowing which is which) and
researchers then look to see if the drug outperforms the placebo, or vice
versa.
With the help of Dr Jeremy
Howick, an expert on the placebo effect from University of Oxford, we set out
to see if we could cure real back pain with fake pills.
It would be the largest
experiment of its kind ever carried out in the UK, with 100 people from
Blackpool taking part.
Some were asked to act as a
“control” group. The rest were told that they were taking part in a study –
where they might receive the placebo or a powerful new painkiller.
What they weren‘t told was that
they would all get placebos, capsules containing nothing but ground rice.
The pills were authentic looking
and based on years of research. They were blue-and-white-striped, because that
has been shown to have a greatest painkilling effect.
They came in bottles, carefully
labelled, warning of potential side effects and sternly reminding patients to
keep out of the hands of children. All very convincing.
Before the trial, Jim told us:
“I‘m not looking for miracles. It would be nice even if the pain went away a
little bit, to give me more freedom.
“I‘ll try anything and if it
works, I‘ll love you forever!”
‘New
experiences‘
We chose Blackpool because one in
five people there is blighted by their back. Chronic back pain is both common
and hard to treat.
All our volunteers had suffered
for years and felt their current medication wasn‘t up to the job.
When they came to us, they were
randomly split into two groups.
One group received no more than
nine minutes and 22 seconds with the GP to discuss their back before being
given a supply of pills and hustled out – that‘s the length of an average GP
consultation
The other group was given more
than twice as long.
We wanted to see whether spending
a bit more time with a GP makes a measurable difference.
Now, many people believe that the
placebo effect is a con and that it only works on the gullible.
But that‘s not what the science
shows. looking at the characteristics of back pain sufferers who responded best
to placebo treatment, found those who were most “aware” and “open to new
experiences” had the most benefit.
The researchers also carried out
brain scans and found anatomical differences in the “responders” and
“non-responders”.
Among other things they found subtle
differences in areas of the brain, like the amygdala, which controls emotion
and reward,
What exactly this means, no-one
quite knows.
But University of Oxford‘s Prof
Irene Tracey told us that just because a placebo contains no active chemicals,
does not mean the effects of taking it are not real,” she said.
“The average person thinks that
placebo is something that‘s a lie or some fakery, something where the person
has been tricked and it isn‘t real.
“But science has told us,
particularly over the last two decades, that it is something that is very real,
it‘s something that we can see played out in our physiology and
neurochemistry.”
Among other things, research has
shown that taking a placebo can trigger the release of endorphins – natural
painkillers that are similar in structure to morphine.
‘Haven‘t felt
a twinge‘
When we returned to Blackpool
after three weeks, our volunteers went through another round of tests and
questionnaires.
And we found half of them had
found significant relief from taking the pills – even though they were fake.
As well as Jim, we spoke to Joe,
who had told me his back sometimes gets so bad, he had to have morphine and
ketamine “to get me out of the house”.
He said he hadn‘t felt a twinge
since he started on the pills.
In fact, nearly half of our
volunteers reported a medically significant improvement in their back pain.
Considering that, between them,
they have tried every painkiller from Tramadol to morphine, I think that is
pretty amazing.
And the time they spent with the
doctor had a substantial effect on the outcome, with people benefitting from
having a longer consultation with their GP.
So where does this leave modern
medicine?
A recent article in the suggests
that it can be ethical to prescribe placebos, as long as doctors are honest
about what they are doing.
It pointed out there is mounting
evidence, from a number of small trials, that placebos can work even when
patients know that they are taking them.
That way, you can get the
benefits of pain control without the often significant side effects of taking a
“real” drug.
Watch Horizon – The Placebo
Experiment: Can My Brain Cure My Body? – on 2 on Thursday at 21:00 BST
Medical News Today: Whole Grains
Increase Metabolism, May Help Promote Weight Loss
Whole grains have been shown to
be superior in the diet when compared with refined grains, suggests new
research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Whole grains
increased calorie loss by decreasing the number of calories retained during
digestion, while simultaneously speeding up metabolism.
Whole grains, such as brown rice, may help weight loss by decreasing calories retained during digestion.
Whole grains, such as brown rice, may help weight loss by decreasing calories retained during digestion.
Previous research has indicated
that whole grains and high dietary fiber intake have several health benefits,
such as for glycemic control and sensitivity. However, scientists have been
unable to agree whether whole grains and fiber help to regulate weight.
The grain food group includes
rice, oats, wheat, and barley. While whole grains contain the whole-grain
kernel and include brown rice, oatmeal, and whole-wheat flour, refined grains
are starches that are processed and milled to remove the bran and germ to
prolong their shelf life. Examples of refined grains include white rice, white
bread, and white flour.
Milling empties the starch of
dietary fiber, iron, and B . Although iron and B vitamins can be added back
into the refined grains, the fiber is not often reintroduced.
In the , investigators
conducted a study over 8 weeks that included 81 men and women aged between 40
and 65. All food was provided to the participants over the course of the study
and included either whole grains or refined grains. Participants were asked
only to consume the food provided, return any uneaten food, and continue with
their usual levels of physical activity.
“We provided all food to ensure
that the composition of the diets differed only in grain source,” says senior
author Susan B. Roberts, Ph.D., senior scientist and director of the Energy Metabolism
Laboratory at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging.
For the first 2 weeks, all
participants ate the same type of food, and the calorie needs of each
individual were determined. The participants were then randomly assigned to
either a group that included whole grains or a group with refined grains.
The differences between the
whole-grain diet and refined-grain diet were mostly in grain and fiber content.
Type of food, meal structure, and energy and macronutrient composition were
similar in both groups.
The researchers compared the
effects of whole grains and refined grains on resting metabolic rate and fecal
energy losses, in addition to how full or how hungry the participants felt.
Measures of the study included weight, metabolic rate, blood glucose, fecal ,
hunger, and fullness.
Eating fiber in whole grains
increased calories lost per day
Results showed that the group
that ate whole grains had increased resting metabolic rate and greater fecal
losses compared with the refined grain group. Furthermore, the increases in
fecal energy losses were not because of the extra fiber, but from the effect of
the fiber on the digestibility of other food calories.
Participants who consumed whole
grains – an amount that matched the recommended daily allowance for fiber –
lost almost an extra 100 calories per day than the participants who consumed
refined grains without much fiber.
“The extra calories lost by those
who ate whole grains was equivalent of a brisk 30-minute walk – or enjoying an
extra small cookie every day in terms of its impact,” says Roberts.
Roberts‘ colleagues included Phil
J. Karl, Ph.D., first author of the study, an alumnus of the Friedman School of
Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts, and a scientist at the United States
Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine in Natick, MA.
“Many previous studies have
suggested benefits of whole grains and dietary fiber on chronic disease risk.
This study helps to quantify how whole grains and fiber work to benefit weight
management, and lend credibility to previously reported associations between
increased whole grains and fiber consumption, lower and better health.”
Phil J. Karl
The study used commercially
available products that used whole-grain flour. The team hypothesizes that using
foods with whole-grain kernels might affect metabolic rate and fecal loss
further. Fullness, hunger, and diet satisfaction did not appear to differ
significantly between the two diets.
NFA budget amendment will help farmers’
Senator
Cynthia Villar assured the public that her proposed amendment in the 2020
budget of the National Food Authority will mean a bigger budget for the program
providing assistance to small farmers.
Villar,
chairman of the Committee on Agriculture and Food and sponsor of the proposed
budget of the Department of Agriculture, said a bigger budget is needed to help
farmers affected by the initial phase of the implementation of Republic Act
11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law.
She
said this is why she recommended the transfer of P3 billion from NFA to the
Land Bank of the Philippines.
“It
is a given that there are difficulties encountered by the farmers when the law
took effect that is why we are looking for ways how to give more assistance to
them through bigger budget,” Villar said.
Tha
Nacionalista Party senator also allayed fears that the transferred funds will
affect the palay procurement extend program of the agency.
She
said the NFA will continue to buy palay from our farmers.
“They
should do this so that our farmers will no longer go to abusive traders who
will buy their produce at very, very low price,” she said.
Under
the proposed amendment of Villar, P3 billion will be transferred from NFA to
the LandBank for year 2020 to assist the implementation of the Rice
Tariffication Law.
“This
fund will go to 600,000 farmers tilling farms of one hectare or less kaya
sigurado tayo na ang assistance mapupunta talaga sakanila.
Wala nang excuse para hindi makarating ang tulong ng gobyerno
sa kanila,” Villar said.
During
a Senate hearing on the implementation of RA11203, Villar scolded NFA officials
for coming up with excuses such as the lackof machinery and the high moisture
content of palay for refusing to buy fromlocal farmers.
Under
the P10 billion Rice Competitiveness EnhancementFund created under the rice
tariffication law, P5 billion will be spent toprocure farm machinery to be
distributed to more than 900 rice-producing municipalities in the country; P3
billion for the production and promotion ofthe use of inbred seeds which will
increase the production of palay by 50percent; P1 billion for skills training;
and P1 billion for cheap credit whichwill be managed by Landbank and the
Development Bank of the Philippines.
Adopt new technique to
conserve water in paddy cultivation’
TIRUCHI, DECEMBER
06, 2019 20:02 IST
Farmers being oriented to the ‘Alternate wetting and drying
irrigation’ technique at a field session at Sirugamani in Musiri block in
Tiruchi district recently. | Photo Credit: Handout
By adopting AWDI technique,
farmers can save up to 30 % of water without compromising on rice productivity
A group of farmers of Kallur in
Musiri block in the district were exposed to ‘Alternate wetting and drying
irrigation’ (AWDI) technique in paddy, which could help in substantial water
conservation.
The farmers were oriented to the
technique at a training and demonstration session organised under the Tamil Nadu Irrigated Agriculture Modernisation
Project being jointly implemented by Water Technology Centre (WTC), Tamil Nadu
Agricultural University (TNAU) and Sugarcane Research Station, Sirugamani under
Aiyyar Sub-basin which covers parts of Musiri, Thathaiyengarpet, Uppilliyapuram
and Thuraiyur blocks in Tiruchi district.
Under AWDI technique, a PVC water
tube (of 40 cm in length and 15 cm diameter) with holes drilled on it is sunk
into the rice field. The pipe, referred to as Pani pipe is installed in such a
way that the bottom 20 cm of perforated portion remains below the soil surface
and the non-perforated 10 cm above the surface. The perforations permit the
water to come inside the tube from the soil, where a scale is used to measure
water depth below the soil surface. When the water level drops 15 cm below the
soil surface, the field can be irrigated again.
By adopting AWDI technique,
farmers can save up to 30 % of water without compromising on rice productivity,
a press release from the Sugarcane Research Station. About 20 hectares of area
under Aiyyar Sub-basins are being covered for demonstration of AWDI in
selections villages in Musiri, Thathaiyengarpet, Uppilliyapuram and Thuraiyur
bocks.
The training at Kallur on
Thursday was inaugurated by L.Chithra, Professor and Head, Sugarcane Research
Station, Sirugamani. The scientist in-charge of the scheme R. Nageswari,
Assistant Professor (Agronomy), briefed the farmers on the technique and
conducted a field demonstration.
M. Mathialagan and S. Mohan,
Scientists, Sugarcane Research Station, elaborated on management of common
pests and diseases in paddy. S. Ramesh, Agriculture Officer, Musiri block,
urged the farmers to adopt the new technique to conserve water.
TIRUCHI, DECEMBER
06, 2019 20:02 IST
Farmers being oriented to the ‘Alternate wetting and drying
irrigation’ technique at a field session at Sirugamani in Musiri block in
Tiruchi district recently. | Photo Credit: Handout
By adopting AWDI technique,
farmers can save up to 30 % of water without compromising on rice productivity
A group of farmers of Kallur in
Musiri block in the district were exposed to ‘Alternate wetting and drying
irrigation’ (AWDI) technique in paddy, which could help in substantial water
conservation.
The farmers were oriented to the
technique at a training and demonstration session organised under the Tamil Nadu Irrigated Agriculture Modernisation
Project being jointly implemented by Water Technology Centre (WTC), Tamil Nadu
Agricultural University (TNAU) and Sugarcane Research Station, Sirugamani under
Aiyyar Sub-basin which covers parts of Musiri, Thathaiyengarpet, Uppilliyapuram
and Thuraiyur blocks in Tiruchi district.
Under AWDI technique, a PVC water
tube (of 40 cm in length and 15 cm diameter) with holes drilled on it is sunk
into the rice field. The pipe, referred to as Pani pipe is installed in such a
way that the bottom 20 cm of perforated portion remains below the soil surface
and the non-perforated 10 cm above the surface. The perforations permit the
water to come inside the tube from the soil, where a scale is used to measure
water depth below the soil surface. When the water level drops 15 cm below the
soil surface, the field can be irrigated again.
By adopting AWDI technique,
farmers can save up to 30 % of water without compromising on rice productivity,
a press release from the Sugarcane Research Station. About 20 hectares of area
under Aiyyar Sub-basins are being covered for demonstration of AWDI in
selections villages in Musiri, Thathaiyengarpet, Uppilliyapuram and Thuraiyur
bocks.
The training at Kallur on
Thursday was inaugurated by L.Chithra, Professor and Head, Sugarcane Research
Station, Sirugamani. The scientist in-charge of the scheme R. Nageswari,
Assistant Professor (Agronomy), briefed the farmers on the technique and
conducted a field demonstration.
M. Mathialagan and S. Mohan,
Scientists, Sugarcane Research Station, elaborated on management of common
pests and diseases in paddy. S. Ramesh, Agriculture Officer, Musiri block,
urged the farmers to adopt the new technique to conserve water.
Sudan’s first female football stars push for women’s rights
Within months of
Sudan’s first women’s football league kicking off, the championship’s emerging
stars are being hailed as icons for equal rights in a country transitioning to
civilian rule.
Orjuan Essam, 19, and Rayan Rajab, 22, of Khartoum-based Tahadi
women’s club, have scored several goals already in a tournament that would have
seemed unlikely when autocrat Omar al-Bashir was in power.
“I was thrilled to see that authoritarian rule was finally
turning into civilian and that women’s rights could now be achieved,” said
Essam, her long hair flowing freely as she trained at a stadium in the capital.
Sudan was once a football pioneer, joining FIFA in 1948 and
co-founding the Confederation of African Football with Egypt, Ethiopia and
South Africa at a meeting in Khartoum in 1957.
But women’s football faced an uphill battle after the country
adopted the Islamic sharia law in 1983, six years before then-brigadier Bashir
seized power in an Islamist-backed coup.
Bashir’s 30 years of ironfisted rule ended in April after he was
ousted by the army in a palace coup following months of protests, triggering
hopes that more liberal, pro-women policies would emerge.
Women were at the forefront of anti-Bashir protests, expressing
anger against centuries of patriarchal traditions and laws that severely
restricted their role in Sudanese society.
Sudan is now ruled by a joint civilian-military sovereign
council, which has been tasked with overseeing the transition to civilian rule
as demanded by protesters.
– League pushes women’s rights –
Last month the new authorities scrapped a decades-old public order law, which primarily targeted women for “immoral acts”.
Last month the new authorities scrapped a decades-old public order law, which primarily targeted women for “immoral acts”.
During the rule of Bashir, thousands of women were flogged or
fined under the law.
Today, the launch of women’s club football is seen as a
much-needed boost for women’s rights in Sudan.
Essam, who plays left midfielder for Tahadi, said the world
would now know that Sudanese women are not just “meant for raising children and
doing household chores”.
“Women’s rights are much more than that,” she said.
Rajab, wearing a tracksuit at the practice session, said the
tournament was the best thing to have happened to Sudan, showcasing the
country’s talented female footballers.
“We badly needed it,” said Rajab, whose aim is to score in every
match.
“Hopefully, I will become a professional player overseas and
return to the Sudanese team, if they choose me to represent Sudan in the next
World Cup,” Rajab said.
For Essam, who reads the Koran every morning and wants to become
a dentist, football remains a hobby.
Since the championship began on September 30, both players have
won praise for their positive team spirit, with Sudanese newspapers splashing
their photographs on the sports pages.
“I play as a striker… Orjuan is a left midfielder. We coordinate
and make passes to each other,” Rajab said.
Their coach Ahmed al-Fakki said the two always have a
countermove to any plays their opponents make on the field.
“Their goals speak for them, they were very beautiful goals,”
Fakki said, as Rajab dribbled the ball behind him.
– Family support –
Essam and Rajab say they owe their new-found glory to understanding parents.
Essam and Rajab say they owe their new-found glory to understanding parents.
Essam said her father, a football enthusiast himself, is her
biggest supporter and personal coach, often correcting her mistakes during
training.
“Women are now competing with men at all levels, they are even
taking ministerial positions,” said her father, Essam al-Sayed, who is a
banker.
Rajab took a liking to football at a young age, mostly playing
with her brother.
“My parents had no objection, they kept telling me to push on
with sports,” she said.
With the success of the league and the attention the two girls
have brought to the championship — which has 21 clubs participating — organisers
now want to tap more talent.
“We have convinced the ministry of education to open schools for
training girls in football, and we have contacted FIFA to help bring football
to young children,” said Fakki, who is also involved in organising the league.
Essam and Rajab, however, remain special to him.
“Orjuan and Rayan are capable of becoming professional
footballers,” he said.
“I tell them to show the world that Sudan has the talent and it
is only professional players who can help develop the sport.”
(AFP)
Pawan
Kalyan gives three-day ultimatum to State govt Hans News Service
| 9 Dec 2019 3:24 AM IST
HIGHLIGHTS Jana Sena chief K Pawan Kalyan gave an ultimatum to the State
government that it should address the problems of farmers within three days of
the...
Kakinada: Jana Sena chief K Pawan
Kalyan gave an ultimatum to the State government that it should address the
problems of farmers within three days of the winter session of the State
Assembly which begins on Monday. He warned that he will take part in a fast on
December 12 in Kakinada if the State government failed to provide solutions to
farmers' issues. Pawan Kalyan visited East Godavari district on Sunday to
interact with the farmers and discussed issues with them.
He alleged that Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan
Reddy was neglecting the farmers and depriving them of the Minimum Support
Price (MSP) for their produce. The Chief Minister failed to utilise the
services of 150 party MLAs to solve problems of ryots, he pointed out. Pawan
said Padayatras should not be aimed at garnering votes but they should be
utilised to study problems faced by farmers. The Jana Sena chief alleged that
the YSRCP government was showing caste bias while selecting tenant farmers as
beneficiaries under the YSR Rythu Bharosa scheme. He pointed out that tenant
farmers representing some castes have been ignored by the government.
ADVERTISEMENT He said that if the farmers give up cultivation, the people in
the country would not have any food and the rulers should notice it and take
decisions for their welfare. Pawan found fault with the YSRCP for distorting
his statements. "It is not proper to distort my statements. The government
should take up the farmers issues and work for their redressal,'' he said. The
Jana Sena chief urged the government to take up welfare measures for farmers
and prevent them from taking the extreme step of committing suicide.
ADVERTISEMENT Farmers explained to Pawan that they incurred losses due to
natural disasters like heavy rains and floods. They pointed out that they had
to take up paddy transplantation four to five times. They complained of delay
in payment after they supplied rice to rice millers and government. The
government credited money into their accounts just a day ahead of the Jana Sena
chief's visit, they said.
https://www.thehansindia.com/andhra-pradesh/pawan-kalyan-gives-three-day-ultimatum-to-state-govt-588303
https://www.thehansindia.com/andhra-pradesh/pawan-kalyan-gives-three-day-ultimatum-to-state-govt-588303
Innovate or Perish: The future of the paddy
farmer
December 8, 2019, 9:20 pm
By D. C. P. Amarasekere
By D. C. P. Amarasekere
In Sri Lanka, the paddy farmer who
is central to the ‘nation’ has been cruelly displaced in national policy for
decades. Most Sri Lankan political leaders remember the farmer in cycles, and
it typically coincides with an election. Every election season the farmer makes
a come-back, front and center, on election agendas. The candidates vie for the
2 million plus farmers’ votes almost like in an auction, each outbidding the
other, by using bigger and better subsidies and handouts. The fertiliser
subsidy and the buying rate for paddy are the two most salient grievances that
dominate political debates.
To set the record straight, there
is a wide gap between the "farm-gate price" (the price that farmers
get for selling paddy), and the price which consumers pay for rice. However,
this is always exaggerated. While the gap between the consumer price and the
farm-gate price ranges between 20-30%, the farmers, politicians, and NGOs
imagine this to be as high as 100%. The exaggeration may not have an empirical
basis, but it helps demonize the exploitative forces such as banks, millers,
retailers and other intermediaries in the paddy-rice value chain. The seasonal
demonization helps with self-preservation, not limited to-, but particularly of
politicians. The symbiotic relations between politicians (at all levels) and
business interests notwithstanding, political candidates market themselves in
theatrical fashion as brave soldiers fighting to eliminate the exploiters from
the paddy-rice value chain and restore the rightful dignity of the Sri Lankan farmer.
After the elections, the status quo resumes.
Given that the newly-elected
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa presented the most comprehensive set of policies,
programmes and initiatives in the area of agriculture during his campaign, it
is important that we hold him, the Minister of Mahaweli, Agriculture,
Irrigation and Rural Development in the interim cabinet – Mr. Chamal Rajapaksa,
the State Minister of Agriculture – Mr. Vidura Wickramanayake, and the
government accountable to deliver on the much-needed reforms in agriculture.
The newly elected President has walked into a putrid political system as well
as an economy at the brink of a collapse. However, some quick measures need to
be taken to address the crisis in agriculture in Sri Lanka. This article is
intended to highlight a couple of "stylized facts" about income and
labour of paddy-farming households in order to push the agenda beyond the
fertiliser subsidy and the farm-gate price. The declining welfare among farming
households and opportunities for farmers give a clear indication that we have
to innovate in order to survive.
Farming Households Always Operate
at a Loss
First, let us look at the basic
balance sheet of a farmer. This calculation carries two disclaimers: 1) the
numbers are derived from day-to-day conversations with farmers over the past
couple of decades in a village in the Hambantota District, but accurately
reflect the figures for the Maha season of 2018; and 2) perhaps contrary to
popular understanding, the vast majority of smallholder paddy farmers employ
agricultural labour for most farming-related tasks. In this village, on
average, a farming family cultivates between 1-1.5 acres of paddy land. From
cultivation to harvesting, a paddy season lasts roughly 5 months. On average, to
cultivate one acre of paddy, a farmer incurs the following expenses (per acre
of paddy):
Second, let us calculate how much
the paddy farmer (who cultivates one acre of paddy), earns at the end of the
5-month season. Based on national figures, the paddy harvest per acre during
the 2019 Maha season was roughly 1,900 kilos. If the farmer sells his harvest
to the government at the current price of Rs. 38, he/she will earn an income of
Rs. 72,200 at the end of the 5-month season.
It is interesting to note that the
farmer’s average monthly income during the season seem to be barely above
Official Poverty Line (OPL) in 2016 which is Rs. 4,166. In conversations with
farmer households (consisting of two adults and two children), the monthly
expenditure was recorded as follows:
This means, farming households incur a loss of Rs. 431/day, Rs. 12,930/month, and roughly about 1.5 lakh per year. This loss is always settled by incurring debt, borrowed mostly from local loan sharks at exorbitant interest rates. Year after year, the debt increases, as the earnings are rather low. While this is a simplified view of the infamous ‘farmer debt’ issue, it gives a rough idea of the sustained nature of debt in farmers’ lives. Many of them die indebted to a number of creditors, and not all of them are banks. A Sri Lankan farmer, at the end of his life, may owe 2-3 million or sometimes even more. The debt that is owed to individuals who typically tend to be ‘strongmen’ in the area, is automatically transferred to the wife and the children of the farmer. Farmer debt is a never-ending cycle that is of inter-generational nature.
Alternatives and the Role of the
Government
One cause of this bleak situation
of the paddy farmer is the extremely low productivity. Compared to other South
Asian and Southeast Asian countries, Sri Lanka’s productivity is significantly
low. But one should not be fooled to think that improving ‘productivity’ simply
means an increase in rice production. ‘Improving productivity’ means increasing
yields and cutting the cost of production simultaneously. In fact, producing
more and more rice is counterproductive. An excess supply of rice to the market
causes prices to fail, which in turn does not help the farmers’ situation. If
the price falls below the cost of production, the farmer incurs losses and
struggles to pay the debt he had accumulate during the season and any arrears
from previous seasons. One important point that current and future policymakers
need to understand is that the demand for rice is flat. In other words, there
is only so much rice that we can eat, and for the past 20 years, the average
annual consumption of rice has been approximately 110 Kilos per person. This
means the domestic consumers are incapable of absorbing a glut of rice on the
market.
While the next option is to export
rice to foreign markets, it is easier said than done. For decades, the global
market preferences have been in favour of long-grain cultivars such as Thai,
Pakistani and some Indian rice varieties. The demand for the Sri Lankan short-grain
varieties is comparatively very low as they do not appeal to the palette of
rice consumers in most other countries, nor can they be used in recipes in the
gourmet food or fast food products. A new demand, however, can be created
(globally) on the basis of the health benefits of eating Sri Lankan varieties
of rice, but this would require a well thought out and medium- and long-term
branding and marketing programme at the national- and international levels. As
the investment on such a strategy would be substantial, we must maximize our
usage of rice and its by-products such as paddy husk, rice bran, and broken
rice.
Approximately 575,000 metric tonnes
of rice husk is produced in Sri Lanka every year, and utilizing and disposing
this low-value by-product as been a challenge for millers and farmers. However,
paddy husk has been successfully used as a soil conditioner for mulch, and as a
biofuel for furnaces. It is also used for insulation and as packaging material,
a cleaning agent for steel and iron, a raw ingredient in producing cement, and
fillers for the plastic industry. Paddy husk has been used as fuel in several industries,
especially in rice processing mills. Furthermore, rice bran has been
successfully used to produce rice bran oil which has a number of health
benefits as well as a growing demand in the international market. Similarly,
broken rice can be used to make cereals and health drinks. Rice can also be
used to make liquor such as sake in Japan. Regrettably, most of these ventures
are not undertaken in Sri Lanka. These ventures may be too capital-intensive
for farmers to undertake, but they offer new avenues of income for millers and
other intermediaries. The idea is not to demonize the millers and the other
intermediaries in the rice value-chain in Sri Lanka, but to create
opportunities and markets for all stakeholders. Having said that, the millers
and other intermediaries need to be regulated, taxed, and their employees must
be paid EPF/ETF. An uncontrolled mushrooming of millers has led to frequent
fluctuations of millers’ income, which in turn has led to a high degree of
precarity in the labour they employ. If they are given opportunities to produce
new value-added items for export, it could create a win-win situation in which
the millers’ incomes are increased and stabilized, and the state coffers gain
foreign exchange. As the millers do not have the technological wherewithal, the
government must take the initiative to introduce small production plants that
are used in other parts of the world to entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka. Last week,
the new President, in an interview on the state’s role in supporting technological
innovation spoke convincingly about the state’s role in putting in place the
basic infrastructure that is necessary for such innovation. This suggestion, I
believe, fall under the umbrella of the ‘basic infrastructure’ that is
necessary for innovation in agriculture. The state, together with the private
sector, would have to assist with marketing new agricultural products in the
global markets until the required marketing skills are inculcated in the new
generation of agricultural entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka.If producing more rice does not necessarily improve the lot of farmers, what can the government do to help their household economies? The key to cracking this lies in maximizing farmers’ labour. A farmer works only 20 days in a 5-month period. This goes back to a point made earlier in this article that the vast majority of smallholder paddy farmers employ agricultural labour for most farming-related tasks. One might ask, what he/she does during the remaining 130 days. The blunt answer is – nothing. This has been the pattern over the years, and regrettably, it has become a part of the rural farming culture. The solution to improving farmers’ incomes lies not in increasing the value of handouts or free inputs of production, but in allocating their under-utilized time for producing high-value agricultural products.
Many innovations can be proposed in
this respect. For example, in the dry zone where kohomba (azarirachta indica)
and mee (madhuca longifolia) trees grow in abundance, farmers’ can be allocated
state land to grow mee for medicinal purposes and kohomba for timber. Kohomba
and mee seeds can be used to produce fertilizer, cosmetic products and
biofuels. Similarly, farming cooperatives can be encouraged to produce wood
apple and other fruit and vegetable varieties that are indigenous to the area.
Ranawara, Beli flowers, Murunga and other herbal parts can be processed into
fine teas for which there is increasing global market demand. Cultivating rare
and indigenous plant and flower varieties that have international market value
(such as cactus) is another viable enterprise. A quick glance at the trees,
herbs and flowers that grow in the northern and southern dry zones in the
country suggests that many value-added agricultural goods can be produced by
farmers in both regions. With two international airports in the southern and
northern tips of the country, these products could be easily transported by air
to any country in the world. State support for farmers to move into value-added
agricultural products should open up opportunities to unite farming interests
of the south and the north of the island. Those who are inclined to use their
time on manufacturing non-agriculture related products can be encouraged
towards brickmaking and producing cement blocks for construction. To guard
against an over-supply of agricultural produce of the same kind in a given
season (eg. an excess of pumpkin because everyone is growing pumkin), the state
can regulate by maintaining an upper limit of production for each crop. The
point is to make productive use of farmers’ underutilized time and encourage
them to move into value-added agriculture, however, guarding against them
flooding the market with the same kind of produce. All this needs careful
planning, taking into consideration the terrain, climate, soil, access to
water, and the skills of farmers in a given region. Monetary support for such
ventures can be implemented through Anyonyadara Samithi in rural areas that
already operate as community development mechanisms.
The options are many. It is the
government initiative and the support in terms of creating markets and branding
that is much needed. The job of the President who is committed to agriculture
and competent Minister and State Minister of Agriculture must be to explore
these avenues of innovation and work with farming communities to diversify
agricultural production. It is the responsibility of the Minister and the State
Minister of Agriculture, in collaboration with the private sector, to find international
markets for these products, work on a long-term branding plan for Sri Lankan
agricultural products, and improve connectivity to transport the products from
the farm to the table. In other words, there is a lot more we could try as a
country before we call agriculture a "failure".
The farmers also have to do their part and meet the government halfway. They have to snap out of the dependency mentality. The dependency of farmers is not figment of capitalist imagination. It is a reality created by politicians to exercise control over the farming population over decades since the country’s independence. The fertiliser subsidy in Sri Lanka dates back to 1962 is a case in point. Its main objective was to make access to fertiliser easy and affordable to farmers, thereby stimulating high-yields in paddy. Since then, however, despite both the contribution of agriculture to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) being just 7%, and the massive expenditure on providing the fertiliser subsidy (currently Rs. 15 billion), no government has moved to suspend the system. This is because as much as one-third of the labour force is employed in the agricultural sector, and the large voter base of farmers (around two million) immediately made the subsidy into a highly ideological political tool crucial to state-building. In addition to fertilizer, other inputs of production, are also subsidized, if not provided free of charge. We have now reached a point at which the farmers’ safety net has turned into a hammock that lulls able-bodied people into lives of complacency and dependency. Most Sri Lankans would agree on the basic level of not wanting their tax rupees used to fund complacency and further indebtedness among farmers. The farmers have to realise that and take control over their lives that have been on autopilot for too long.
If the new President and his
government are serious about making any noticeable difference in the farmers’
lives, the agenda has to go beyond the fertiliser subsidy and the purchasing
rate of paddy. It is time to step out of this comfort zone, and explore
creative ways to secure the vote-base of farmers. Some proposals above may not
be the most comfortable options in the short-term, but they are necessary if we
are to envisage a future of agriculture in Sri Lanka. The government’s and
farmers’ failure to innovate in agriculture will only expedite the process of
transitioning to the hands of global agribusiness. Before we know it, our land
and labour will be controlled by global agribusiness, especially in the face of
agreements such as the MCC. But if we utilize our land and labour more
effectively, this process can be slowed. The choice is ours. Innovate or
perish.
No
room for mediators in paddy purchase: JC G Lakshmisha Hans News Service
| 9 Dec 2019 12:03 AM
IST HIGHLIGHTS East Godavari
Joint Collector G Lakshmisha said that mediator system in purchasing of paddy
was being totally abolished and the farmers can get... Kakinada: East Godavari
Joint Collector G Lakshmisha said that mediator system in purchasing of paddy
was being totally abolished and the farmers can get Minimum Support Price
without involvement of the mediators. He launched paddy purchasing process for
Khariff at Mandapet on Saturday. He said paddy is being purchased based on
variety as the government wants to supply Swarna rice to ration card
beneficiaries. Swarna is cultivated in high quantity in East Godavari and the
government would purchase this variety of paddy in huge quantity for the
purpose of public distribution system. ADVERTISEMENT He said that the mediators
have been drastically come down in recent times due to stringent steps by the
district administration. He said that 306 paddy purchase centers have been
opened for purchasing the paddy and the farmers need not go to the PPCs as the
PPC personnel would directly go to the fields and make moisture and quality
tests and purchase the paddy from the fields.
The price for paddy will be
directly credited to their bank accounts within two to three days. He said that
the government has set a target of 6.7 lakh metric tonnes of rice in Khariff
and the rice millers are expected to complete their Custom Milling by March,
2020. He said that the farmers can contact by dialing 0884-2354341 for getting
other details.
Rice Hits N25,000
Per Bag; Millers Warn Against Panic Buying
The price of locally
produced rice has hit N25,000 per bag even as the Rice Millers Distributors
Association of Nigeria (RiMIDAN) has warned Nigerians against panic buying;
assuring that there will be adequate supply of the commodity during the
yuletide season.
Before the closure of Nigeria’s
land borders in August, a bag of rice was sold for about N18,000 per bag.
Speaking in a chat with SHIPS & PORTS, RiMIDAN
Secretary General, Shuiab Muhammed, also assured that the association will
ensure that appropriate pricing was enforced and that no marketer hoards the
product as adequate rice has been produced to meet demand of Nigerians.
He said following the border
closure, millers have doubled their capacity to address the shortfall of about
500, 000 metric tonnes of rice, adding that in the next two years, Nigeria will
not only attain self-sufficiency in rice production but would also be
exporting the product.
“Nigerians should not panic buy
because everybody just fears that because the border is closed, rice is going
be scarce. We still have two more weeks to Christmas and if we can grow for the
two more weeks, by the end of the year, the prices will begin to come down and
there will be stock in January and we will have rice. So people should not
panic buy and think that rice is going to get more difficult to get.
“Anybody that plans to hoard is
actually trying to shoot himself in the leg because in a week or two, there
will be panic sale because prices of rice will come down,” he said.
Speaking on the hike in price of
rice, which currently sells at N25,000 per bag at the local market, Muhammed
said it was as a result of additional charges introduced by middlemen, whom he
described as “influencers” between the millers and distributors.
“Rice processors agreed to sell
rice between N14,000 and N14,500. If they are selling directly to the
distributors, whatever they add to it would not be more than N1,000 so the
price of rice should not be more that N15,000 to N16,000 in the open market but
because of these influencers, that is why the price is high. But it is just a
one-off thing. I am sure that by next year, the capacity of rice millers will
double and there will be rice all over the place,” he added.
We reach a critical point in rice tariffication
Introspective
We are ending the last quarter of
the year, which is our main harvest season and when palay prices are seasonally
at their lowest. Farm prices had fallen at an unprecedented rate since the
1970s during this quarter. Surely, the combined effects of the harvest season
and rice import liberalization have caused the decline of palay prices and farm
incomes. Have they bottomed out, or are they still falling even now in the
major rice producing areas?
If I follow their movement within
a given year, rice and palay prices should start climbing up again until they
reach their seasonal high in the third quarter of the following year. But I
realize the rice import liberalization would leave an important impact on this
pattern. Their levels are lower compared to previous years for both rice and
palay prices, reflecting the import liberalization and the clipping of the
regulatory powers of the NFA.
But it is also possible that the
traditional seasonal pattern of rice and palay prices may change for good. The
seasonality of palay prices may no longer be as pronounced as when we have the
rice QR in the form of the NFA’s monopoly in rice imports. The rises of prices
within the year are smoothened by the rice imports that come in. The plunges
during the harvest season like what we just had may no longer be as deep
because perhaps domestic rice production had been substantially replaced with
rice imports.
In the past, we stabilized the
penetration of rice imports at about 10 % of local consumption. Secretaries of
Agriculture of the past had tried to even suppress the figure with their
respective versions of rice self-sufficiency programs. But in the end since
doing so would just raise rice prices, hurting our rice consumers, we ended up
living with this extent of import penetration.
With the RTL, any of us are free
to go into the rice import business. And when rice prices start to go up
because of the seasons, some of us may decide to import and derive some income,
tapering off the seasonal climb of prices. And if they do so, then increasingly
our local rice prices would be tied more closely with the world’s, except for
the 35% tariff rate or occasional special safeguard duty that the Secretary of
Agriculture may impose following our Safeguards law.
The import penetration of rice in
our domestic market would start to rise to levels that remain to be seen. My
own reading is that it could go up to 20%, and stabilize there. Or it may stay
at 10% depending on how successful we are in our programs designed to increase
the productivity of our rice farmers, the increase in rice consumption induced
by cheaper rice, or both.
These developments would impact
stakeholders differently. Because rice prices would be more stable and lower,
rice consumers where ever they are would benefit. And yes, many of our rice
farmers, perhaps the bottom 60% of them, who hardly have marketable rice
surpluses, and would purchase rice most time in a given year, would benefit too
from this regime.
Lower and stable rice prices are
among the major benefits of the rice tariffication law. With this reform, the
government had weakened the cord between rice prices and inflation. Food costs
would tend to be low, which in turn would boost government’s effort to fight
poverty in our country.
The rice farmers, whose
businesses are primarily tied to the level of palay prices, would be worse off.
Those of them who are more productive may survive the ensuing stronger
competition with imports. But the rest, or those who had survived in the past
because farm prices were raised by the rice import QR precisely to make them
stay in rice farming, would tend to be displaced. It should be pointed out that
they benefit from lower rice prices as consumers, but they have to find other
sources of incomes to replace the income from rice farming, which in the first
place was something they could not depend strongly on because their farms are
small and their yields low.
The rice millers and rice
traders/creditors are similarly situated as the rice farmers. In the past under
the rice QR, all these stakeholders are assured of a decent return to their
business because of higher rice prices. As a matter of fact, most of the price
premium that rice consumers pay because of the import QR, are captured by them.
One study by Jandoc and Roumasset in 2017 estimated that only about a fourth of
that premium goes to rice farmers. The rest are allocated to millers,
traders/creditors, and simply logistics waste.
Like rice farmers, there are
millers and traders who may just have survived in the past because of the price
premium due to import controls. But with that reduced by import liberalization,
and seasonal rise of rice prices that they stock up rice for, dampened, some of
them may have to leave the rice milling and trading businesses.
This appears to be the cruel part
of the reform: some of us would have to reinvent their businesses, or if they
can’t for a long period of time, the poor farmers plunge deeper into poverty.
The richer traders and millers may be more likely to succeed and start a new
business, or be content with lower earnings from their respective trading and
milling businesses.
But this is one lesson we need to
hang on: Going back to the past is not the solution. The past is a slow plunge
into poverty for our rice farmers, and for most of our poor particularly in
urban areas, who are spending at least a fifth of their family spending on
rice. The past has larger cost for most of us to pay.
We are this crossroad! We could
sustain the benefit of RTL in the form of stable and lower food cost, and get
all rice-related businesses more productive, and higher incomes for producers.
Or we could have the first benefit, and see more poverty in the countryside.
Is there something we can do to
make this reform inclusive?
We are off to a good start with
the RTL. Our lawmakers set aside the revenues from rice tariffication for
programs to make this reform inclusive. That’s by the way is the easier part of
the work.
But this is the challenge.
Another lesson we may learn from the past is that increased budget is important
but by themselves do not deliver the higher productivity in rice farming,
milling and trading. Increasing them even more would still fail to do so.
We had ACEF before and AFMA,
which are funds designed to make our farmers in general, and rice farmers in
particular more productive. But since we started giving out these higher
budgets to the DA, since we became a member of the WTO in 1995, we still are
hearing the same concern that farmers are not ready for more import
competition. So monies are not the critical inputs to making our agriculture
more productive.
The RTL has its own version of a
funding program to make our rice farmers more productive and competitive, and
earning higher incomes. This is RCEP, which is at least ten billion pesos a
year, sourced from the tariff revenues on imported rice. Consumers pay for
that, but are still better off because of the lower rice prices that RTL
entails.
Our lawmakers allocated the fund
to farm mechanization, better technology in the form of seeds, improved
extension services, and credit access. If the fund exceeds 10 billion, the
additional money, the government can use that for farm diversification and
conditional cash transfers.
Is there something that we need
to do now, so we do not replicate the failed programs in the past? I don’t
know, and I want to learn as we move forward.
Yesterday, I was with a small
group of friends and two farmers from BARM and Isabela to discuss about the
options of our country to make a good difference this time for the sake of our
farmers, particularly those who are likely to be displaced because of the
reform.
We all agreed that the RTL is
wanting of good ideas how to translate RCEP into higher productivity and higher
incomes of our farmers and those in the rice-related businesses. The onus is on
DA Secretary Dar. He came to the DA at this precise moment that he could
potentially make the difference that was not there in the past.
Our discussion among friends and
two farmers pointed out the need of a good summing up of the strategies we had
pursued in past designed in the name of farmers. We need to validate what went
wrong and how we can move on.
The two farmers who were with us
yesterday belonged to groups of farmers whose members are ready to collectively
take up the challenge of stiffer competition. They appear optimistic, but
knowledgeable that there are a lot of challenges that we have to hurdle. There
may be more pockets in the farming community, like the groups that our two
farmers represent. We need to identify more of them, so we can support them. I
should say they may be the future of our rice farming in our country;
organized, more productive, with access to markets and inputs, etc. and more
importantly applying the technology including mechanization correctly to a
wider area of rice farms.
Our group also recognized that
Secretary Dar is going into an organization at both the national and local
levels where governance and integrity maybe weak. The strong pressure to spend
the money is tempting enough to take the road more travelled in the past by
other Secretaries: just spend the money for what the law has directed them to
do, and worry about results later.
There are many things we need to
know about this process. But one thing is clear. The benefits of this reform
can be much, much higher if we can make a good difference in translating RCEP
into real gains of those this reform appears to have excluded.
Christmas: We are capable of meeting demands —Nasarawa Rice
Millers
Local rice
The Nasarawa State Chapter of Rice Millers and Dealers
Association of Nigeria says it has enough local rice to meet demands of
customers during Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Mr Adamu Ibrahim, the state’s Chairman of the association gave
the assurance in an interview with the News
Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Lafia.
“With the closure of Nigerian borders and ban on importation of
foreign rice, rice dealers in the state have improved the quality of locally
produced rice.
“Rice processed in Lafia mill is stone-free and very
nutritious,’’ he said.
READ ALSO: At least 43 killed in Delhi factory fire
The chairman commended the Federal Government for the ban on
importation of rice.
He said the action had boosted local production of rice as well
as increased employment opportunities in the state.
“When there were no restrictions on importation of rice, our
members in Lafia hardly record sale of one truck in a week.
“Since the ban on foreign rice, we sell up to six trucks in a
day amounting to millions from Lafia rice mill alone,” he said.
Ibrahim added that there were other rice mills in Asakyo,
Ashagwan among others.
He explained that the leadership of the association had its
warned members to ensure that the rice produced in the state was of high quality.
According to him, the rice mill in Lafia alone has more than 28
000 workers involved in various stages of processing.
RDB set to
distribute $50M to rice millers to sustain paddy market
Thou Vireak |
Publication date 08 December 2019 | 23:28 ICT
Share
A woman works in a rice processing factory in Battambang province. Heng
Chivoan
The state-owned Rural Development
Bank (RDB) has announced that it will distribute $50 million in loans to
private rice millers to sustain the paddy market for farmers.
The Cambodia Rice Federation
(CRF) said the funds will be used to purchase nearly 300,000 tonnes of paddy
during the post-monsoon harvest season, which ends at the beginning of next
year.
The additional loans come after
the CRF asked the government to provide $200 million in loans to rice millers
late last month.
On Wednesday, the RDB said in a
statement that it had received the $50 million from the Ministry of Economy and
Finance, which was to be used as capital to buy paddy for additional stockpiles
during the harvest season.
The funds will be released from
Monday onwards to serve the agricultural sector – to stabilise prices, and for
processing and export, it said.
“Rice millers and other buyers of
paddy will continue to purchase the crop at reasonable prices for storage,
which are to be used as collateral for the loan in accordance with the RDB’s
requirements,” it said.
RDB CEO Kao Thach told The Post
last week that capital shortage in the rice sector is between $200 million and
$250 million. To help remedy the issue, he has called on commercial banks to
lend more to the sector.
The CRF said in a statement that
it hopes the loan will help rice millers and the agricultural community –
especially CRF members – continue buying various types of paddy from farmers
during the harvest season.
“It will help stabilise the paddy
market for farmers and increase the demand from rice millers and farming
communities for additional paddy to process and export to domestic and
international markets,” the CRF said.
CRF secretary-general Lun Yeng
told The Post on Sunday that its members are ready for the RDB loans to be
released.
Of the CRF’s 100 rice millers,
only 44 are currently able to purchase additional paddy for stockpiles, he
said. “Most CRF members have already prepared their applications for the
funding to buy paddy from farmers.
“These funds will urgently help
address the private sector, which wants to buy more paddy, despite facing a
shortage of working capital,” Yeng said.
The CRF statement called on its
members to work closely with the RDB and farmers. “All farmers and farmer
communities that have either finished or will soon finish their harvest and do
not have a market [for their paddy], please contact nearby rice millers,” it
said.
According to an official report,
in the first 11 months of this year, rice exports to the international market
totalled 514,149 tonnes. This was a 3.4 per cent increase compared to the same
period last year, which stood at 497,240 tonnes.
China was the Kingdom’s leading
export market in the first 11 months of this year, with 195,242 tonnes. The EU
imported 174,397 tonnes and the Asean region 69,239 tonnes. The balance was
exported to Africa and other destinations.
Contact author: Thou Vireak
Sustaining food exports’ growth
From the NewspaperDecember 09, 2019Facebook Count
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Food exports are growing. But can this trend be sustained in coming
years?
That depends on whether the government succeeds in reviving
agriculture and food security issues are addressed without disturbing food
exports.
During the first four months of this fiscal year, food exports grew
to $1.36 billion from $1.17bn in July-October last year. The increase came
primarily from larger shipments of rice-fish and other seafood, meat and meat
products and sugar besides a rise in export prices of fruits and vegetables.
Pakistan’s food export earnings have never crossed $5bn. They
peaked at $4.8bn in 2017-18 before slipping to $4.6bn in 2018-19. It seems food
exports in 2019-20 will remain below $5bn.
Sustaining a high growth rate in food exports requires a few
things: one, we need more surplus rice, wheat and maize, which is not possible
without increasing their per-hectare yields; two, we need to export more
confectionary and other value-added sugar-based food items instead of raw
sugar; three, we need to improve the pathetic conditions of fisheries to
increase seafood exports; four, we need to cut pre- and post-harvest losses of
fruit and vegetable crops to obtain a larger exportable surplus; five, we need
to revamp the livestock sector to boost dairy and meat production and find new
export markets for meat and meat products; six, we need to invest in all food
processing industries to diversify the base of exportable food items; and
seven, we should diversify export markets.
Above all, while pursuing a food export growth policy, it is
crucial to ensure that this does not add to existing problems of food security.
Seafood has huge potential. But fishing continues to lack
investment in nets and boats, processing and packaging. That is why our average
per-tonne export price is $2,200 — less than half of India’s
That, in turn, requires more effective coordination between the
federal and provincial governments as well as among the provinces. Under the
PTI government, the federal-provincial working relationship and
inter-provincial coordination are far from ideal. For example, the federal government
has involved Sindh in only four of the 13 projects launched under its
much-trumpeted Rs277bn National Agricultural Emergency Programme. Grievances of
the smaller provinces about the judicious distribution of irrigation water also
refuse to go away. A lack of effective day-to-day coordination between Punjab
and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa recently aggravated a wheat flour crisis across
Pakistan.
The wheat and wheat flour crisis also betrays the government’s
seriousness in ensuring food security. The crisis happened at a time when we
had 7m tonnes of carryover stocks. Delays in decision-making on maintaining
strategic reserves and exporting surplus wheat are common. By the time exports
are allowed, international prices don’t remain lucrative enough for exporters.
Besides, owing to poor storage facilities wheat stocks of the old
crop do not remain fit for human consumption and a wheat crisis hits local
markets.
These and countless other issues need to be resolved.
In July-October, rice exports grew 16.2 per cent to $634m from
$445m a year ago, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). Data
released by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) shows that exports to a dozen
countries accounted for 60pc of the total export earnings. These 12 countries
were: Afghanistan, China, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Mozambique, Oman, Saudi Arabia,
Senegal, United Kingdom, United States, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. The
remaining 40pc rice export earnings came from all other countries.
The concentration of rice exports in a dozen markets cannot be
helpful in sustaining double-digit exports’ growth. Penetrating deeper into
other markets is necessary. To make this happen, exporters need continuous
support of our trade missions abroad.
PBS statistics reveal that exports of fruits and vegetables are
growing primarily because of an increase in the per-unit price. This is partly
because of firmer prices in global markets. Also, some of our exporters have
improved packaging and quality of export items. If this trend persists,
Pakistan can easily earn a billion dollars a year from exports of fruits and
vegetables.
Exports of fruits and vegetables fetched $652m in 2018-19 and $191m
in the first four months of 2019-20. Enhancing fruit and vegetable exports more
through value-added products and less through direct exports is necessary to
avoid the spells of scarcity in local markets when exports peak. At the same
time, reducing post-harvest losses of 30-40pc in case of some fruits and
vegetables ought to be reduced. This requires investments in farmers’ training
and modern harvesting technology and storage facilities.
Seafood has the potential to emerge as a big foreign exchange
earner within our food exports. But sadly, both marine and inland fishing
continue to suffer from a lack of investment in nets and boats, fish processing
and packaging. That is why we continue to export seafood cheaply to the world
and earn about $440m a year by exporting some 200,000 tonnes of fish and fish
products. This brings the average per-tonne export price to $2,200 — less than
half the average per-tonne export price of $5,000 for India’s fish and fish
products.
It seems our exports of meat and meat products, which brought in
less than $250m in 2018-19, are likely to fetch $300m in 2019-20. The problem
is the concentration of export markets. Pakistan exports 90-95pc meat and meat
products to Afghanistan and six Gulf countries i.e. Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman,
Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Unless export markets are diversified and a number of large
integrated meat processing facilities are set up, foreign exchange earnings cannot
rise. Our exports of spices and frozen food also remain heavily concentrated in
a dozen countries where a large number of overseas Pakistanis reside. —MA
Published in Dawn, The Business and Finance Weekly, December 9th,
2019
1,740kg of adulterated chilli powder seized in Lahore
LAHORE: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) claimed Sunday to have
seized 1,740kg adulterated chilli powder in the Walled City and sealed a
grinding unit.
The grinding unit was supplying adulterated chilli powder to
hotels and food points with an attractive packaging. Punjab Food Authority DG
Irfan Memon said that red chilli was being produced by adding coloured red
chilli, whole peppers and husk of rice to it. Besides, the chilli was kept
without taking any safety measures. He said the grinding unit was functional in
the densely populated area of Lahore in Akbari Mandi.
The DG said the use of adulterated and substandard spices in food
dishes caused stomach and gastrointestinal problems. The PFA will not
compromise on the quality of food and violators would be dealt with an iron
hand, he said and appealed to the general public to use homemade eatables for a
healthy lifestyle.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/580637-1-740kg-of-adulterated-chilli-powder-seized-in-lahore Envoy hosts spectacular Thai food night
ab khan
Pakistan’s
gastronomy is so rich in itself that it is hard to peek into other national
cuisines and develop a taste. Fast foods as well as Chinese food fall into the
category of “acquired taste” and not every average Pakistani is prone to these
food diets. Roti, Daal and Chawal is one what we all crave for soon after
landing home from a trip abroad.
As our taste buds are prone to high level of
spices, Thai cuisine too has managed to manoeuvre some space within the
Pakistani food lovers and the admirers graph is on the ascending order. The
credit for this increasing clientele goes to the Thai spices which make the
Pakistani pallets friendly enough to savour the Thai flavours.
A spectacular Thai food Bonanza night was
hosted by the Ambassador of Thailand Pornpop Uampidhaya and General Manager
Marriott Hotel Islamabad Maurizo Romani to spice up the taste buds of the crème
de la crème of Islamabad.
Thai cuisine has very strong aromatic
components and a spicy edge. It demands a convolution combination of texture,
colour, taste and presentation which makes the job of a chef much more
difficult. “Thai food rejects simplicity” a very apt response to Thai cuisine
by one of the guests at Nadia Coffee shop.
The chef at Marriott hotel lived up to the
expectation of the Thai food lovers as an array of Thai multi colour dishes
were put on display. “Traditional Thai cuisine usually falls into four
categories and the food we prepare revolve around these basic four concepts,”
informed a Thai diplomat while sipping Tom Yum Goong soup.
Thanks to Executive Chef Lee, a better
understanding prevailed while savouring the flavours of the dishes as now I
knew that Tom means boiled dishes, Yam spicy salads Tam pounded food and Gaeng
means curries.
The starting point for this food fiesta was the
flamboyantly garnished and highly aromatic bowl of spicy and slippery glass
noodles salad sprinkled with crushed peanuts. Glass noodle salad is a staple
dish in any Thai home with an amalgamation of refreshing crunchy vegetables.
Many Thai believe that is also good for the
weight watchers not because they are healthy but because the glass noodles
absorb a lot of water so one needs only a little bit of noodles to fill the
bowl.
It was love at first spicy-tangy –sweet
forkful. The starter encapsulated much of what Thai cuisine is all about.
The fresh flavour of squeezed lime, balance
between crunchy and chewy, the pungency of the fish sauce and just enough heat
to set your tongue tingling, it was divine.
Another point that the spicy glass noodle salad
secured was for its elegant simplicity.
The seasoned noodles were the loadstar at the
salad bar.
The other dish making a statement at the Thai
food festival was the red duck curry with pineapple.
Although Pakistanis are not too fond of
experimenting meat with fruit but this infusion is a must try. The bright
sweetness of the pineapple and tomatoes, combined with the abundant fresh herbs
and spicy curry paste, lightens the richness of the duck making it flavoursome.
“The duck is pre roasted so the curry perfumes
the broth with the fragrance of pepper and other Thai seasoning,” added the
chef while explain how the bird is cooked. The interplay with richness of the
duck and intensity of pineapple was the perfect canvas giving the dish an
undercurrent of sweetness.
The love story of and the marriage between the
duck and pineapple did not end here, the chef Lee took his culinary experience
to another height while introducing mango sticky rice to the food lovers. It
was quite a risk for the chef to dare the taste buds with sticky rice which are
used to eating the finest quality of rice cultivated in their very own home
country.
It is cooked in a small pot with some fresh
mango slices and mixed with coconut sauce.
However you will only fall in love with this
Thai dessert if you either Love sticky rice or Thai mango. The three day Thai
extravaganza will end on the 8th of December.
–The writer is a freelance contributor
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