Food Security: Syngenta Foundation Launches Brand New AVISA Farmers’ Hub

In order to enhance food security and put agriculture on the right trajectory for accelerated economic growth in Nigeria, a leading non-governmental organisation, Syngenta Foundation Nigeria, has launched a brand-new AVISA Farmers’ Hub.

The launch, under the auspices of Accelerated Varietal Improvement and Seed Delivery of Legumes and Cereals In Africa (AVISA), was held in Murya Community, Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

The officially unveiled farmers’ Hub, which has been described by many as a laudable project, came at a time when smallholder’s farmers lack access to knowledge, quality inputs, modern technology, and markets for the purpose of boosting high quality productivity.

Recall that a Farmers’ Hub (FH) is a one-stop shop commercial platform- offering inputs –seeds, seedling, fertilizers, crop protection, products information, price, weather etc. and value-added services such as produce aggregation, cleaning, sorting, and grading, bulk selling, training, equipment leasing and hiring, financing, and trade credit to farmers.

It further provides opportunities for smallholder farmers to transition from a subsistence farming system to a commercially oriented one. The Farmers’ Hub is managed by the Farmers’ Hub Manager or Lead Farmer (an agricprenuer that manages the day-to-day operations/transaction of the hub.

Speaking at the side-line of the event, Syngenta Foundation Nigeria Country Programme Manager, Isaiah Gabriel, noted that: “the Foundation is working towards facilitating the commercialisation of AVISA crops (cowpea, sorghum, groundnut and pear millet) and sensitisation of farmers to provide a platform of offering improve seeds, seedlings, fertilizer, mechanization and among other value-added services to smallholder farmers.’’

Isaiah called on the farmers in the state to make good use of the edifice and services geared towards facilitating improved seeds and service delivery.

Addressing participants, AVISA National Coordinator, Prof. Mary Yeye, gave kudos to the brilliant initiative and emphasise the need for farmers to take advantage of the project and make judicious use of them.

In their separate remarks, a Seed System Specialist from IITA, Prof. Lucky Omoigui; a Groundnut Breeder from Bayero University Kano (BUK), Prof. SG Gaya, and Prof Alhassan Lalihu of Federal University Lafia, among others said the hub would serve as last mile delivery for smallholders farmers and also appealed to government at all levels to intensify effort to subsidise the cost of inputs and improve security of farmers.

They highlighted factors hindering high productivity to include lack of access to improve seed, high cost of fertilizers and insecurity among others.

In response, the Programme Manager, the Nasarawa State Agricultural Development Programme, Emmanuel Alanama, apart from appreciating Syngenta Foundation for considering Nasarawa State for the laudable project, said it would go a long way to address some challenges of improved seedlings and other inputs facing the state.

According to him, “75 to 80 percent of our people are farmers. Anything that will involve agriculture we are rest to partner and receive it.’’

On his part, the Hub Manager, Rowland Alaku, assured farmers that quality seeds are guaranteed at the hub centre.

Expressing gratitude for the kind gesture, most of the farmers expressed delight in participating at the event, as they promised to take advantage of the availability of the hub for their own benefits.

Other dignitaries present were Prof. Johnson Onyibe from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Dr. Teryima Iorlamen of University Of Agriculture, Makurdi, village heads, among others.

Meanwhile, over 150 farmers, stakeholders and government functionaries also attended the occasion.