Main Aim and Objectives of the Training Seminar

The primary aim of the seminar was to enable Nigerian women and youth entrepreneurs, Agro Input Dealers and Agro-allied Dealers across the nation to acquire and enhance their knowledge in sustainable crop production, modern techniques in fish farming, bee keeping (apiculture), forestry (conservation and preservation), animal (small ruminant) farming, poultry farming, and develop entrepreneurial skills in agribusiness required for exploring the vast and endless opportunities that abound in Agro Entrepreneurship.

The Objectives of the Training Seminar 

• To build and develop capacity of women and youths towards embracing agriculture and agribusiness as income-generating enterprises via intensive training on best practices across value chains of various commodities

• To build entrepreneurial skills of women and youths in agribusiness towards attaining financial independence and self-reliance

• To create novel techniques in agribusiness and entrepreneurship capable of curtailing unemployment among women and youths in the country

Participants at the Training Seminar

Participants at the training seminar were drawn from different groups and individuals, which comprised of the following.

Trainees: The trainees consisted of 300 participants (200 males and 100 females) from across the nation. Although, majority of participants under this category came from Kano (250), who attended the training seminar physically; however, some of them (50) attended virtually through zoom, with the support of CITAD. They included individuals that studied various programmes like Agricultural Science, Pure and Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology, Social Sciences, Arts et al., at higher institutions. 

General Public: Participants under this category covered 200 individuals and groups (120 males and 80 females), which included academics, Agro Dealers, Women and Youth Entrepreneurs, Agro Input Dealers, Farmer Groups, Resource Persons, Traditional Ruler, Captains of Industries, and Representatives from Governmental and Nongovernmental Organisations (NGOs). Therefore, the total sum of 500 participants attended the training seminar. 

Resource persons drawn from different organisations and institutions

Given below is a list of professionals, who made presentations on different topics during the Technical Session of the event.

1. Prof. Musa Tukur Yakasai (Consultant to PAL): Presentation of Lead Paper on “The Opportunities for Nigerians in Agro Entrepreneurship”

2. Dr. Bello Abba/Abbas Sherif (Director, NDE, Kano State): “Livestock Production, Processing and Marketing for Wealth Creation and Sustainable Livelihood”

3. Dr. Mrs. Umma M. Nabate (Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil – KUST):“Opportunities in Crop Production and Marketing for Export”

4. Alh. YZ. Yau (Director, CITAD): “Application of ICT in Agro Entrepreneurship” 

5. Mal. Ahmad Muhammad (Audu Bako College of Agriculture, Dambatta, Kano State – ABCOA):“Modern Techniques in Fisheries and Aquaculture”

5. Mal. Abdullahi Rabiu (Audu Bako College of Agriculture, Dambatta, Kano State – ABOA):“Innovative Methods in Poultry Farming”

6. Prof. Ahmad Usman Shuaibu (Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil – KUST):“Rare Opportunities in Agribusiness/Finance”

7. Mal. Ahmad (CITAD): “ICT in Agribusiness” 

Other Very Important Persons (VIPs)

1. Alh. Idris Sani (State Coordinator, National Directorate of Employment – NDE)

2. Alh. Kabir Y (Representative of the Managing Director, Premium Agrochemicals Limited – PAL)

3. His Highness Alh. Abubakar Sule Gaya Dan Goriban Kano (Royal Father of the Day)

4. Alh. Aminu Bello (Registrar, KUST)

5. Mal. Abubakar Musa Garba (Staff, Premium Agrochemicals Limited – PAL)

Invited Media Outfits

The following radio, television, newspaper, magazine and digital social media outfits were invited to give full coverage and documentation of the event.

1. Tardigrade Multimedia Publishers (prints and digital publishing and broadcast)

2. Rahma Radio and Television

3. ARTV

4. Daily Trust Newspaper (Aminiya)

5. Aminci Radio

Opening remarks by Prof. Musa Tukur Yakasai (Convener of the seminar)

The convener of the training seminar, Prof. Musa Tukur Yakasai, warm-heartedly welcomed all participants to the training seminar. During his remarks, he emphasised on the indispensability of the training seminar to the trainees and the general public. He further informed the participants that Premium Agrochemicals Limited (PAL), in collaboration with its partners, had organised and hosted the training seminar as part of its corporate social responsibility to its host communities and the larger society.

His words, “To our distinguished Guests, Royal Father of the Day, Resource Persons, Captains of Industries, New Trainees and Graduating Trainees, Farmer Groups, Agro Dealers, Major Fertilizer Distributors, Representatives of both Governmental and Nongovernmental Organisations, Gentlemen of the Press, I wish to say a very warm welcome to you all. I wish to assure you all that this seminar is packaged with highly educative materials and our resource persons have been chosen carefully from the best of brains. Once again, it is my strong belief that at the end of this training seminar, you will have nothing to regret at all, as it would go a long way in dramatically changing the mind-set of our youths, who hitherto misconstrued agriculture and farming as crude and archaic professions meant for the aged ones and those in rural areas only.”

“It is my pleasure to inform you that this programme is organised and supported by Premium Agrochemicals Limited in collaboration with its partners – IAED, CITAD and NDE, as part of its corporate obligations.” 

“In synopsis, Premium Agrochemicals Limited (PAL) is one of Nigeria’s prime con­glomerates that has intensified efforts in expanding its operations rapidly in the country’s fully integrated rice value chain. PAL has been persistent­ly facilitating the actualization of the Federal Government’s “Transformation Agenda,” via agricultural productivity.”

“It would please you to know that Premium Agro­chemicals Limited (PAL) has mandated me to assemble a team of agricultural scientists, extension service workers, experts in different fields of agriculture, lecturers of agricultural courses, and insti­tutes of agricultural research to attend this event to deliver lectures on different topics of agriculture, agribusiness, entrepreneurship and value chain. Therefore, I wish you all a happy training time. “

Welcome Address by Alh. YZ. Yau (Director, CITAD)

The Director of CITAD, Alh. YZ. Yau, was unavoidably absent and ably represented by Mal. Ahmad – a pioneer co-founder of CITAD, pleaded that his boss had travelled out of the state for an inevitable reason, and that even though he was absent physically; he was however digitally present with the audience wherever he was.

His words, “It is glaring that my boss, who is supposed to be here physically to perform this function, has travelled out for obvious reasons; however, he is digitally present with us wherever he is at the moment.” Therefore, on his behalf, I wish to thank the organisers of this epoch-making training seminar, Premium Agrochemicals Limited and Institute for Agro Entrepreneurship and Development, as well as their training and research partners – National Development of Employment, and Centre for Information Technology and Development. I want to assure you that agriculture is key to success in life, and information technology is the catalyst to key. This is because it is through agriculture that we get the food we serve on our tables. However, we need information technology to effectively engage in large scale agriculture. Nowadays, information technology has made the distribution of farm inputs such as fertilizers, exotic animal breeds, hybrid crop seeds, et al., very easy,” he said.     

Address by Alh. Abubakar Sule Gaya Dan Goriban Kano (Royal Father of the Day)

The Royal Father of the Day, His Highness Alhaji Sule Gaya, while com­mending the efforts of Premium Agro­chemicals Limited towards successfully organising the seminar, as well as blending high quality slow release Magic Fertilizers in Nigeria, reiterated that the High Quality Magic Fertilizers produced by PAL would go a long way in mitigating the challenges incessantly faced by Nigerian farmers across the nation. He promised conveying the message of what he learnt at the seminar to his people.

His words, “From what I have learnt here, I can attest that Premium Agrochemicals Limited is sincerely and really doing a great job just for the benefit of our people; not for its mere gains. For this reason, I will personally convey the good news of the great works of this great company to my people, and at the same time, encourage them to adopt and patronise all of your fertilizer brands produced with novel technology, and other products,” he noted.

“Once again, it is on this note that I wish to extend my warm appreciation to the management and entire staff of Premium Agrochemicals Limited and organisers of this seminar training, which is quite incisive, educative and of immense benefits to our people. Thank you all,” he concluded.

Sensitisation Training Programme

The three (3) topics covered at the 1-Day Training Seminar included the following. 

• Sensitisation Training Programme for Women and Youth Entrepreneurs – aimed at transforming their mind-set

• Sensitisation Seminar for Agro Dealers on Opportunities in Agro Entrepreneurship – aimed atcreating effective chain of distribution for PAL’s agrochemicals and products; production, marketing and utilisation of crops; small ruminant animals; fish, forestry, and bee

• Showcasing the Efficacy and Superiority of various brands of Agrochemicals Limited Fertilizers over the existing conventional ones to Agro Input Dealers participants at the seminar.

Sensitization Training Programme for Women and Youth Entrepreneurs

In his presentation, Professor Yakasai had advised youths to consider agriculture, especially agribusiness and entrepreneurship as very lucrative business to undertake without demure. Similarly, the lecture was meant to create a change in the mind-set of the trainees, who incessantly look at farming, or better put agriculture, as a mere activity for old people and illiterates, but as a career with pride, which is capable of eliminating unemployment, thus providing gainful jobs to our teeming unemployed youths, including graduates of higher institutions. In the same vein, he reiterated the commitment of PAL in collaboration with its partners to focus primarily on agriculture, animal farming, fish farming, poultry, crop production, agribusiness and entrepreneurial skills training and development to curtail the precarious menace of unemployment among youths in the country. Likewise, he stressed that participants and other stakeholders should, as a matter of urgency, consider agriculture as a business that is of immense benefit to all and sundry. Besides, he had hinted that the training topics would be handled by only academics and professionals in various fields of specialisation. Introduction of high table guests was concurrently done by the convener, Professor Musa Tukur Yakasai. At the end of his remarks, he had briefly discussed the components and efficacy of the various brands of PAL fertilizers (MAGIC 20-10-10, MAGIC 15-15-15, and Golden Grain 20-10-10), as well as urged the participants to patronise them for bumper harvests.

His words, “The rate of unemployment across the globe, especially Africa, has been steadily snowballing on daily basis, thus calls for proactive measures by all stakeholders to nib the menace in the bud. Nigeria for instance, the arguably giant of Africa, records high youth unemployment rate of about 24% and 70%. Moreover, the exacerbation of social vices such as terrorism, kidnapping for ransom, trafficking in humans; regional, ethnic and tribal unrests, as well as economic downward spiral in Nigeria, may not be unconnected with the high rate of joblessness among youths.”

“Furthermore, this sensitisation seminar is organised to create awareness, expose and re-orientate Nigerian women and youths on productive engagement in agriculture via robust opportunities in agribusiness, extension service provision and entrepreneurial agriculture in such a way that it would provide huge benefits to communities and the society in general.

“Gone are the days when white collar jobs used to wait for graduates. Today, such jobs have unceremoniously disappeared into thin air. Governments and giant companies in the country and across the globe have decried persistent rise in unemployment annually. Therefore, agriculture has ever remained the only hope and succour to the teeming jobless graduates and illiterates alike.”

“In fact, it is very disheartening that our youths have today relegated agriculture and farming activities to the background. Worse still, they associate it them as jobs for the poor, rural dwellers and illiterates. Therefore, they subject those who practise agricultural activities to objects of opprobrium and laughing stuff. However, nemesis is gradually but surely catching up with them as their preferred jobs are nowhere to be found nowadays. And the same cornerstone rejected by the builder is tending to be the pillar supporting the roof of the building today.”

“Nigeria is a case study, where farmers are seemingly the richest toady. However, mere farming cannot meet the desired results. What is more important is how to commercialise the farming activities in which we engage. To create colossal and real wealth from agriculture has to do with adopting agribusiness and entrepreneurship, as well as appropriate value added chain. All these can be achieved via direct participation in farming activities, choosing appropriate fertilizers, processing the harvested farm produce and adding value to the harvests. With these, high profit is guaranteed.”

“It is glaring that no crop farming activity can be successful without the application of appropriate fertilizers. In essence, fertilizer is the most indispensable factor in crop farming. When it comes to the choice of appropriate fertilizers, Premium Agrochemicals Limited various brands of Magic and Golden Grain fertilizers remain the answer.”

“Ba­sically, there are two types of fertilizer: inorganic and organic fertilizers. The organic and conventional fertilizers are usually applied to crops (two to three times) only when they have grown to certain stage, but for the Premium Agrochemicals Magic fertilizers, application and sowing of seeds are done almost simultaneously. And they are applied just for once; not in repeated doses of two or more unlike the conven­tional ones. This technology is new here in Nigeria, but its adoption and practice has gone far across the globe. For instance, foreign nations like India, France, United Kingdom, Brazil, America, and Senegal (in Africa) have adopted this technology. Therefore, Pre­mium Agrochemicals Limited decided introducing this revolutionary technology to the country to measure its efficacy and suitabil­ity to our soils.”

“Let me give you our success story here in synopsis. We have three demonstration farms – one at Dakasoye, one at Wara­wa near Wudil, and this one here in Gafan. Each of these farms is further divided into eight portions containing different brands of conven­tional fertilizers, which serve as control for the experiment, and Agrochemicals Limited High Quality Magic Fertil­izers (HQMFs) serve as test samples for the experiment. Repeated experiments and outcomes consistently re­vealed that HQMFs are by far better than their conventional counterparts. Moreover, sim­ilar experiments were con­ducted here last year, during rainy season, but this time, we deliberately chose to try it out during dry season farming to compare and contrast the effi­cacy of the slow released fer­tilizers on rice between rainy season and dry seasons. The three brands of High Quality Magic Fertilizers blended by Premium Agrochemicals Limited are MAGIC 20-10-10, MAGIC 15-15-15, and Golden Grain 20-10-10. They are highly scientific in their formulation and working mechanisms. And the innova­tion is primarily made bear­ing in mind the agricultural economics of farmers – that is, minimizing wastes or losses and maximizing or scaling up farm produce and profits. These fertilizers are techni­cally produced in such a way that, if crops are meant to take one hundred days to complete their lifecycle; the fertilizers will not hurriedly deplete their contents, but rather release them slowly until the hundred days elapse. This is contrary to the conventional ones that rapidly leach their contents into underground water or drowned by surface water even before the fertilizer needs of crops arise, thus profusely starving them of basic nutri­ents. The HQMFs have utterly proven their su­periority over con­ventional ones in terms of quality and quantity of crop yields, availability, affordability or cost effectiveness and the colossal profits they attract to farmers.”

He had also disclosed that as part of fulfilment of the company’s corporate social obligation, it was willing to award scholarships for studies in Agriculture-based programmes to eligible Nigerian youths; to sponsor Agro-based research projects; seminar trainings; field work and other relevant events. Likewise, he pledged on behalf of PAL, automatic employment of the potential scholarship awardees upon successful completion of their studies. He also reiterated the company’s readiness to employ fresh graduates of agriculture with demonstrable academic excellence and zeal to put into practice what they studied. In addition, he revealed that the company had recently employed ten (10) Nigerian graduates of Agriculture, chosen randomly from across the nation without gender, religious, age, ethnic or tribal disparity or prejudice.

His words, “As part of its corporate social responsibility, Premium Agrochemicals Limited is willing to dole out scholarship awards to eligible young Nigerian males and females who intend studying agricultural programmes; sponsor agro-based research projects, symposia, seminars and trainings, as well as employ Nigerian youths, who have shown excellent academic performance, and are willing to practise the skills and knowledge acquired. Be it known that, in our job selection, we do not discriminate or prejudice any individual or group on the basis either tribe, religion, gender, ethnic descent. Our major yardstick for selection is based strictly on credibility and competence.”  

“With Premium Agrochemicals Limited fertilizer distribution chains alone, our women and youths can find a very lucrative job to cater for themselves and dependents, he concluded.”

The rationale behind the seminar was to unveil the company’s milestones over the years, as well as showcase its major activities aimed fundamentally at supporting and accelerating the Nigerian government’s strenuous efforts towards attaining colossal rice revolution and integrated value chain within a short time pace in the country. The seminar, which formally commenced with an opening prayer by the representative of Kano State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KNARDA), Alhaji Yakubu S. Rahma, was proficiently and seamlessly coordinated by Professor Ambassador Musa Tukur Yakasai (Consultant to PAL). The opening prayer was immediately followed by introduction of guests and special guests of honor at the event by Professor Yakasai. The event had recorded impressive attendance (over thirty attendees/participants). In his welcome address, the coordinator of the event and consultant to PAL, Professor Yakasai, had thrilled the audience by divulging the company’s groundbreaking feats in the past, the present and the future, which he reiterated, were “all committed to the overall benefit of Nigerian farmers and the populace.” “The Federal Government has developed a programme aimed at intensifying rice production in the country, and all stakeholders, including ministries of agriculture, agricultural agencies, research institutes public and private organizations have been urged to support its actualization.

It is in view of this programme that a new company, Premium Agrochemicals Limited (PAL), has mandated us to assemble a team of agricultural scientists, extension service workers, experts in different fields of agriculture, lecturers of agricultural courses, and institutes of agricultural research to attend this event in order to further confirm to participants the efficacy of the Premium Agrochemicals Limited High Quality Magic Fertilizers and their superiority over conventional fertilizers.

Basically, there are two types of fertilizers – inorganic and organic fertilizers. The organic and conventional fertilizers are usually applied to crops (two to three times) only when they have grown to certain stage, but for the Premium Agrochemicals Magic fertilizers, application and sowing of seeds are done almost simultaneously. And they are applied just for once; not in repeated doses of two or more unlike the conventional ones. This technology is new here in Nigeria, but its adoption and practice has gone far across the globe. Foreign nations like India, France, United Kingdom, Brazil, America, and Senegal (in Africa) have adopted this technology. Therefore, Premium Agrochemicals Limited decided introducing this revolutionary technology to the country to measure its degree of efficacy and suitability to our soils. We have three demonstration farms – one at Dakasoye, one at Warawa near Wudil, and this one here in Gafan.

Each of these farms is further divided into eight portions containing different brands of conventional fertilizers, which serve as control for the experiment, and Agrochemicals Limited High Quality Magic Fertilizers (HQMFs) serve as test samples for the experiment. Repeated experiments and outcomes consistently revealed that HQMFs are by far better than their conventional counterparts. Moreover, similar experiments were conducted here last year, during rainy season, but this time, we deliberately chose to try it out during dry season farming to compare and contrast the efficacy of the slow released fertilizers on rice between rainy season and dry seasons. The three brands of High Quality Magic Fertilizers blended by Premium Agrochemicals Limited are MAGIC 20-10- 10, MAGIC 15-15 15, and Golden Grain 20-10-10. They are highly scientific in their formulation and working mechanisms. And the innovation is primarily made bearing in mind the agricultural economics of farmers – that is, minimizing wastes or losses and maximizing or scaling up farm produce and profits. These fertilizers are technically produced in such a way that, if crops are meant to take one hundred days to complete their lifecycle; the fertilizers will not hurriedly deplete their contents, but rather release them slowly until the hundred days elapse. This is contrary to the conventional ones that rapidly leach their contents into underground water or drowned by surface water even before the fertilizer needs of crops arise, thus profusely starving them of basic nutrients. The HQMFs have undeniably proven their might and superiority vis-à-vis the conventional ones in terms of quality and quantity of crop yield, availability, affordability or cost effectiveness, and the colossal profits they attract to farmers. Obviously, all our discussions here are centered on the losses incessantly incurred by our local farmers and ways to prevent them, and at the same time fathom ways through which their farm produce will accrue more profits for them.

To this end, Professor Yusuf Bala Daraja is, to the best of my knowledge, the only scientist I know, has embarked on a stunning research termed, ‘Rice Intensification Production.’ This system aims at using less energy, less capital and other resources to cultivate rice and gain optimally. Since our local farmers have been habitually toiling with the archaic methods of rice production for centuries without gaining optimally from the enterprise, Premium Agrochemicals Limited has decided inviting and collaborating with Professor Daraja so they could share their wealth of experience and expertise in rice revolution chain programme with farmers and representatives of research institutes present at this event.”

Professor Yusuf Bala Daraja, had during the occasion, explained how his ongoing project termed, “Intensification of Rice Production,” would, if perfectly integrated with the three brands of Premium Agrochemicals Limited Slow Released Fertilizers, turn around the social status and financial fortunes of our local farmers and at the same time increase crop productivity, food security and environmental preservation and protection. His words, “When I was first informed of these High Quality Magic Fertilizers blended by Premium Agrochemicals Limited; fortunately, at the faculty level of the my institution, we are currently undertaking a research on how and why our local farmers use very large doses of fertilizers on farms, but usually end up with poor yields, little profits and great losses on yearly basis.

We had once carried out a research in this area (Kura), Garun Mallam and up to the Bunkure enclave. The research was aimed at determining the concentration of nitrates in the water contained in those wells used by farmers for irrigating their crops, especially rice. The results revealed that the concentration of nitrates in the wells was too high, thus indicating that a larger portion of fertilizers applied on those farms usually got drained into underground water. Research has shown that, if for instance 100kg of fertilizer applied on farm, only 33kg of it is used up by crops, and the remaining 67kg usually gets evaporated into the atmosphere or leached into underground water. By implication, farmers always operate at great loss during fertilizer application on farms – as they waste money purchasing fertilizer, they waste time applying it, and they waste energy and other invaluable resources during the whole process only to end up losing 67kg out of 100kg of fertilizer into underground water.

Therefore, with the invention and introduction of the Slow Released Fertilizers of Premium Agrochemicals Limited, our local farmers will now have a new lease on life, because all this wastage of time, energy, and other resources will cease, and nitrification of underground water too will be tremendously curtailed.

As Professor Yakasai had earlier mentioned, “Intensification of Rice Production” is actually a new system here in Nigeria. It had originally started in Madagascar, but today, other countries like Indonesia and Philippines have graciously embraced the system. It is an entirely different technique from what we practise here. For example, if one is to sow rice on a hectare of land, one is expected to exhaust at least a whole bag of paddy rice for broadcast on the land. But in the system of ‘Intensification of Rice Production,’ only 8kg of paddy rice is required for broadcast on a hectare of land, and it does not require regular water supply or irrigation. It only requires water when the soil gets dried. Also, it does not condone stagnant water within its stem untilit starts flowering or producingseeds. And another good aspect ofit is that, the system produces 8 tonnes of rice output per hectare. Though we are still researching, but from all indications, these High Quality Magic Fertilizers are the most appropriate products for the ‘Intensification of Rice Production’ system. Since it has the mandate for extension services, we are perfecting plans to collaborate with the Kano State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (KNARDA) in the ‘Intensification of Rice Production’ project here in Kano, to weigh and determine the appropriate system to adopt at the end of the project. In the first place, this system minimizes the cost of production; it curtails the frequency and cost of irrigating rice farm; and environmentally, it minimizes the rate at which well water gets polluted as a result of leached fertilizers into underground water. Therefore, in the next the Dryland farming season, we shall we shall collaborate with Premium Agrochemicals Limited, using solely its brands of fertilizers to test how their contents are absorbed by the soil and their adaptive effects on our soils. What most people have failed to understand is that, the harvests our farmers usually make at the end of each farming season are ridiculously low compared with what is obtained under normal circumstances. This is because our local farmers seldom exceed 2 tonnes or at most 3 or 4 tonnes of rice (for the hard working farmer in Nigeria) per hectare whereas the same hectare of land can produce 8 tonnes of rice.

In Egypt for example, farmers make 8 to 10 tonnes of rice per hectare of land simply because they easily adopt modern farm practices, techniques and technologies, as well as proper farm management practices such as selecting and sowing of viable and disease resistant seeds; supply of the right quantity of water and at the right time; selection and application of appropriate brands of fertilizers and at the right time and in the right quantity, and weeding at the right time; soil nutrient tests prior to fertilizer application, etc. But unfortunately, our so-called successful farmers here usually pride themselves with only 2 tonnes of rice per hectare, and they feel they have made it. We know that 8 tonnes of rice are equivalent to 100 plus bags. Ideally, every hectare of rice farm should produce nothing less than 120 bags of paddy rice. And this is practicably feasible. Yes, we can achieve this feat. Very soon, we shall contact KNARDA to choose major rice producing local governments like Kura, Warawa, and Garun Mallam, et al., to commence experiments on ‘Intensification of Rice Production’ project across Kano State. The rationale behind the project is to point out those areas that most suit the new system.” Professor Ahmad Shuaib, in his remarks, revealed two major predicaments bedeviling rice farmers in the state. “Our local rice farmers are usually faced with two major challenges – pre and post harvests losses. As part of pre-harvest losses, due to lack of modern rice harvesting tools, which expedite the process of harvesting, sometimes rice farmers encounter losses from bush fires that gulp a part or the entire farm due to the activities of hunters of bush rats. I had personally witnessed such ugly incidence in the state recently.

As part of post-harvest losses, when farmers employ human energy for rice threshing, huge amount of irrecoverable money is spent, and wastage of rice grains is usually encountered too. Rice thieves are also a threat because they move from farm-to-farm during night hours, scouting for harvested rice kept in open field to dry up, and still it. Having said all that, the government and stakeholders should provide our local farmers with modern farm machinery like combined harvesters to speed up the process of cultivation and harvesting their crops in order to avert those mishaps mentioned above.” Dr. Nasir Ahmad Abdulkadir (H.O.D, Soil Science, KUST), had during his address, had decried the inability of our local farmers to gain access to soil testing kits,and their lack of knowledge and experience to determine a suitable soil for a particular crop, and even the health of the soil. As a soil scientist, he made it clear that, failure or in ability to determine an appropriate soil and its health before cultivating crops is certainly the beginning of failure at the end of the entire farming process. By the time our local farmers cannot test their soil to determine which soil befits which crop, and the health of the soil; they end up making wrong decisions by applying wrong fertilizers on wrong soils, consequently leading to low crop yield and great losses. Therefore, the government and stake holders should make available farm subsidies and kits for testing soil health, and soil nutrient distribution pattern.”

The District Head of Kura Local Government Area, His Highness Alhaji Abubakar Idris Abubakar, while commending the unwavering efforts of Premium Agrochemicals Limited towards the actualization of Rice Revolution in Nigeria, pointed out that the High Quality Magic Fertilizers produced by Premium Agrochemicals Limited (PAL) would go a long way in alleviating the predicaments of farmers in Kura, Kano State and the entire nation. He reiterated that lack of good timing and proper knowledge of selecting appropriate fertilizer at a time, has been the major bane or impediment debilitating against the success of farmers in the area. He said for Premium Agrochemicals Limited to have three demonstration farms in different locations across Kano State (Dakasoye, Wudil and Gafan), but decided to choose that Gafan (Kura Local Government); it was a clear indication of PAL’s unfettered love for our community and people, and it had the plight of his people at heart. He concluded that the gesture was indeed a selfless act worthy of commendation and emulation by others. He further pledged to convey the message of what he learnt and saw to his people. His words, “Following what I have seen here, I can affirm that the company is selflessly doing this purely for the benefit of our people, not for its gains. Therefore, I shall personally take the bull by the horns to create awareness to our people, as well as charge my village and ward heads with the responsibility of creating awareness to their village and ward members to embrace these fertilizers that are imbued with agricultural revolutionary technology. ” “Once again, it is on this note that I wish to extend my warm appreciation to the management and entire staff of Premium Agrochemicals Limited and organizers of this Farmers’ Field Day seminar, which is very educative and beneficial to our people, and has positive short-term effects in repositioning Nigeria’s economy. Thank you all,” the Alhaji Abubakar Idris concluded.

The Women Leader, Kura Local Government Women Farmers’ Association, Hajiya Rahamatu Sale, had in her address acknowledged that female farmers in the area have been perennially faced with a lot of challenges ranging from lack of access to adequate fertilizers to poor information on improved farm techniques. She added that before, the Field Day seminar was organised by PAL, no individual, organisation or fertilizer blending company had ever paid them a visit to create awareness on new farm practices and what type of fertilizer to apply and in what quantity and at what time. Therefore, she had on behalf of members of her association, thanked the management of Premium Agrochemicals Limited for and organisers of the event for coming up with such lucrative initiative of blending and distributing such novel and unparalleled fertilizers in the country. The representative of Sasakawa (alias Hunger Eradicator), Alhaji Idris Saidu Garko, had lamented on the high wave of strange ailments among local farmers nowadays, which he attributed to frequent use of fertilizers alleged to contain toxic substances. “In those days, hardly would you hear or find our local farmers frequently patronizing hospitals seeking for medical attention due to strange sicknesses. But today, the trend has dramatically changed because the prevalence of illnesses of unknown sources among our local farmers is just unbearably so high that one cannot imagine. I am not saying they should not fall sick when it is inevitable, but the rate these days is just too high, and the sources are usually unknown. This is what triggered some scientists and medical experts to undertake different research, and the findings proved that the source of such illnesses may have been from foods cultivated with fertilizers containing toxic substances,” Alhaji Garko stressed. He added further that as his organisation, Sasakawa, is fondly referred to as Hunger Eradicator, the battle against hunger in the Kano State and the entire nation is being gradually but surely won in all fronts. For instance, he cited the adoption of modern farming techniques and use of specialized fertilizers such as PAL’s High Quality Magic Fertilizers (Magic 20-10-10, Magic 15-15-15, and Golden Grain 20-10-10) as ways of eradicating hunger in the country.

“If a farmer cultivates rice on a small piece of land, with proper farm management such as adopting proper farm management and application of Premium Agrochemicals Ltd Magic fertilizers; I hope, he/she should make nothing less than 20 to 40 bags of paddy rice. At least, this should be able to sustain a single family household,” Alhaji Garko added. “Our job principally is to tap from the stunning findings of research and agricultural organizations or companies like Premium Agrochemicals Limited, which are capable of increasing farmers’ productive output or yield, profit. Local farmers and in turn trained and thought these tapped skills and knowledge for optimal productivity and profit. Therefore, we are so glad with PAL for its great innovations. Also, I am pleased to inform you that, we shall use your products to experiment on different crops, especially various species of rice, as well as convince our local farmers and partners to patronize your products (fertilizers),” he concluded.

Mr. Qasim Abdulhafiz (Representative of National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria – ABU), while speaking at the event, requested appreciated the innovative technology made by Premium Agrochemicals Limited, and requested the management of the company to make formal request to his organisation for mutually beneficial research cum business synergies. “Our job is to partner with any agro-based company in research, showcasing of products, business ties, as well as find possibilities of liaising with end users for patronage, and creating markets for such products if they meet our quality. All I would like the management of PAL to do is to write formally to us, requesting fort research and business collaborations,” Mr. Qasim concluded.

The representative of Premium Agrochemicals Limited (PAL) at the event, Mr. Musibau Wasiu, in his remarks, said, “In addition to the address of the Consultant to PAL (Professor Yakasai), in line with the Presidential order banning the importation of fertilizers and rice into the country, the management of Premium Agrochemicals Limited has constructed a very large fertilizer blending plant located in Lagos, Nigeria, where it currently blends and distributes three brands of highly scientific fertilizers, namely Magic NPK 20-10-10, Magic NPK 15-15-15, and Golden Grain 20-10-10. These fertilizers have many unique features, which give them a superlative status and leading edge over their counterparts – conventional ones. However, a few of them include the following:

they are applied not more than once on the farm for a particular farming season; they do not have any residual effects on soils, among others.” Similarly, he had unveiled the company’s plans to award scholarships to two indigenes of Kano (one female and one male) to study Agronomy at the Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil (KUST). Likewise, it pledged automatic employment for the scholarship awardees upon successful completion of studies and graduation. Also, it pledged giving Kano State priority during its nationwide mass employment slated to hold later in the year.

Among the guests, special guests of honour and participants, who attended the occasion included

Alhaji Abubakar Tijjani Abubakar (District Head of Kura Local Government Area, Kano State);
Professor Yusuf Bala Daraja (Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Kano University of Science and Technology, Wudil – KUST);
Professor AhmadShuaibu (Head of Department, Agricultural Economics and Extension, KUST);
Dr. Nasir Ahmad Abdulkadir (Head of Department, Soil Science, KUST);
Dr. Shamsu Ado (Department of Crop Production Technology, Audu Bako College of Agriculture, Danbatta – ABCOA);
Dr. Kabir Dawaki Dauda (Department of Crop Science, KUST);
Engr. Bello Abdul Saleh (Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development);
Alhaji Ibrahim Garba (Representative of Hon. Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and
Deputy Governor of Kano State, His Excellency Dr. Nasir Yusuf Gawuna);
Alhaji Yakubu S. Rahama (Representative of Kano State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority – KANARDA);
Alhaji Idris Saidu Garko (Senior Thematic Coordinator, Crop Productive Enhancement, Sasakawa Global 2000/Sasakawa Africa Association);
Hajiya Rahamatu Sale (Women Leader, Kura Local Government Women Farmers’ Association);
Mallam Sani Danladi Yadakwari (Chairman, Tomato Farmers’ Association, Kano State Branch, and National Secretary, Tomato Farmers’ Association);
Mr. Musibau Wasiu (Representative of Premium Agrochemicals Limited – PAL);
Mr. Qasim Abdulhafiz (Representative of National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS),
Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria – ABU);
Alkasim Mukhtar Tsoho (Field Officer, PAL),
Dr. Bashir (Representative, Centre for Dryland Agriculture, Bayero University, Kano – BUK), among others.

Congruently, the event was fully covered by the following public and private media outfits:

Abubakar Rimi Radio and Television (ARTV);
Radio Kano Broadcasting Corporation;
Rahma Television, and
Tardigrade Publishers (Tardigrade Magazine – Digital/ Online and Tardigrade Magazine – Prints).

SOIL AND CROP SPECIFIC FERTILIZER FORMULATIONS BASED ON SOIL FERTILITY

Whichever of these is produced, there is need to conduct field studies to determine the optimum rates for different crops under different soil fertility conditions.  Certain parts of the country may have specific needs that are different from the recommended formulations.  Specific formulations may be recommended for such areas.

Fertilizer Blending Facilities

With further development of soil testing programme in Nigeria, and farmers’ acceptance of the idea of soil testing for fertilizer recommendation, there will be need for fertilizer-mix formulations that correspond accurately with soil test recommendations of individual fields (particularly for medium and large-scale farmers).  Therefore, it will become necessary to use bulk blending plants for formulations of fertilizer compounds.  It would be desirable to have fertilizer mixing plants in different parts of the country, such that it will be possible to have a blending facility in close proximity of the intended clients.  Initially, one bulk – blending plant is suggested for each of the six main ecological zones of the country, which will later be increased to one per State at  the minimum.

Specific Nutritional Problems

Information is required on some specific nutritional aspects in certain crops which have otherwise been fairly intensively studied.  For example, studies on the micro-nutrient need of maize, groundnut and cotton need intensifying, especially, in the Savanna and Sudan zones.  There is currently inadequate information on the effects of long-term, continuous application of the major nutrients on the soil properties, including the balance of minor elements.

Investigations are needed to test the effectiveness and economics of rock phosphate as a possible source of phosphorus for tree crops in place of single super-phosphate, especially in the southern parts of the country.  There is also the need to evaluate the lime requirements of acid soils of Nigeria.

Nutrition in Crop Mixtures

Intensive work on the agronomy of crop mixtures within Nigeria is new and is concentrated on answering two questions: Whether or not mixtures yield more than equivalent sole crops, and the rationale behind mixtures. Only within the last few years have trials shown whether crops within mixtures respond to fertilizers in the same degree as sole crops. Most serious efforts should be directed towards determining the rate, timing and method of fertilizer application.

Fertilizers in Forest Production

Probably because of the administrative set up whereby forest management has always been separated from that of field and pasture crops, fertilizers are rarely used in commercial forest production.  Accurate statistics about the total fertilizers used annually on forest production are hard to come by, but the amounts are likely to be much less than field crops.  However, with the growing importance of forests and forest products in the national economy, it is imperative that attention be given to the role of fertilizers in commercial forest production.  Some studies along this line have recently engaged the attention of researchers at the Forestry Research Institute., Ibadan. There is the need to encourage such studies.

Source of Nitrogen

The bulk of the nitrogen used in Nigeria should preferably be in form of urea, DAP and/or calcium ammonium nitrate.  A substantial quantity of ammonium sulphate is however used in many parts of the country especially on crops like oil-palm.  It is presently not clear whether its apparent preference is as a result of the sulphur content (23% S) or any other effect.  Investigations are, therefore, necessary to determine the possibility of sustaining high yields of these crops using non-acidifying fertilizer sources.

Meanwhile, suitable sulphur containing sources e.g. single super-phosphate or any sulphur-bearing compound fertilizer formation should be used as sulphur sources for areas and crops needing sulphur.