Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Sule has made case for the inclusion of sugarcane in the value chain initiative of the iFAD/FG Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP).
According to him, such a move will stop importation of raw sugar from Brazil.
He disclosed this when he hosted a delegation led by the Country Director, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Mrs. Dede Ekoue at the Government House Lafia.
The governor explained that, currently Nigeria consumes about 1.4 to 1.6 metric tones of sugar, with 96 percent imported as raw sugar from Brazil to be refined in the country‘s three sugar refineries owned by Dangote, Bua and Golden Penny.
He noted that including sugarcane as part of the crops to be covered by the VCDP will also create employment opportunities for 500,000 people.
“Today, Nigeria consumes roughly about 1.4 to 1.6 metric tones of sugar. This quantity of sugar about 96 percent is imported as raw sugar from Brazil and refined at our three refineries that we have owned by Dangote, Bua and Golden Penny. Assuming we are going to do the entire value chain in sugarcane in Nigeria for this 1.6m metric tones. You will create employment opportunities for nothing less than 500,000 people,” he stated.
Citing Kenya as examples of countries where sugarcane value chain is producing excellent results, Governor Sule said Nigeria can tow similar line by encouraging small farmers to produce sugarcane to be taken to the three factories for crushing and sugar production.
“It is something that you can help in order to ginger some of the big companies in order to take it more seriously. The big companies are doing their best through what they called outgrowers scheme but it is very minimal. We have the refineries here. If we do the complete value chain, easily we can have nothing less than half a million people who are working on those farms,“ he added.
He pointed out that the advantages of value chain in sugarcane are enormous and include but is not limited to power generation and animal feed production.
He therefore appealed to representatives of the federal government handling the programme to include sugarcane aside from the cassava and rice covered by the VCDP.
While appreciating the VCDP for the successes recorded on development agricultural in the state, he assured that governors from the Northern states are working hard to support the food security initiatives of the federal government.
“From what you have seen so far, Dr. Adigizi and her team are doing a fantastic job. They are going in there, they are not producing billionaires but they are actually producing people who are now becoming more and more independent, participating in the food security initiatives of the country,” he said.
He appreciated the IFAD/FG for selecting Nasarawa State as part of the nine states covered by the VCDP.
“I want to thank you sincerely for selecting Nasarawa State. Indeed, as all of you have mentioned, we pride ourselves as an agricultural state. We joke with that. Benue is the food basket of the country. We are the food producers to put in that basket. We will continue to produce the food for that basket,” he said.
Speaking during the visit, Dede Ekoue, Country Director IFAD, commended governor Sule for his commitment to the programme which led to the successes recorded in the state.
She particularly appreciated the governor for the prompt payment of the counterpart funds for the programme.
“We know that we attracted more than 4300 farmers in the state. It is not only about producing raw products. It‘s also about processing. We have been privileged to visit the processing centre and it is also about ensuring that we promote agriculture in a way that is also sustainable. We have been impressed with the way the women are working on the initiative of waste to wealth, transforming residue from rice production into briquettes. That is really important,” she said.
Ekoue further appreciated the governor for making financial contribution to support women and youth groups under the VCDP, aimed at empowering them and to enable the beneficiaries produce more and earn more.
She said the delegation is on its 11th Mission to the state, with experts from various countries, including Nigeria, who will help the IFAD assess the progress of the VCDP, as well as proffer actionable opportunities for more and better results.
Also, Dr. Fatima Aliyu, who represented the National Coordinator of the VCDP, said the purpose of the visit was to assess the performance of the programme in the state.
Aliyu said the value chain development has been a programme that has impacted on various households and communities across the nine states participating in the initiative.
„We have seen what is happening in Nasarawa State. I don‘t think we made a mistake by coming here. Nasarawa State is an agrarian state and we can see what is happening in the fields. We have been seeing what is happening. That is the reason we want to take it back to the ministry to show our principals what is going on,“ she said.
On her part, the State VCDP Coordinator, Dr. Yunis Adigidzi said the programme objective is to increase food security and reduction of rural poverty on a sustainable basis.
Adigidzi said the programme is successful in the state mostly because of the support from the state government.