The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through
its contractor and Chief of Party, Dr. Adams Shafer, has given a thumbs
up to Governor Ben Ayade’s agricultural revolution, noting that Cross
River State is on the verge of becoming the epicenter in rice value
chain in Africa.
Shaffer, who is the Managing Director of Cultivating New Frontiers in
Agriculture (CNFA), disclosed this when he led a delegation Wednesday,
to sign a memorandum of understanding on the Feed the Future Project
between the state government and USAID at the executive council chamber
of the Governor’s Office, Calabar.
The USAID representative who said the US agency was focused on seven key
areas of projects financing, investment, agro-business, aqua-culture,
among others, hinted that Cross River has distinguished itself in the
areas of international best practice, transparency and the willingness
to align with the vision of USAID. He said the state topped the list of
36 states of the high powered delegation from the 36 states of the
federation for the Feed the Future programme.
Speaking shortly before embarking on a guided tour, along with the
Governor, to the Ayade Industrial Park, Shaffer told Ayade of USAID’s
partnership: “In the forthcoming public private sector partnership
(ppsp) on rice value chain and opportunity we intend to bring in
investors and financiers not just within Nigeria but around the world to
invest in Cross River rice and other value chain.
“We will partner with you in bringing the best in terms of finance,
intelligence, experience and broker relationship outside Nigeria for
export potential.”
According to Shaffer, “There are 16 countries that are part of the this
program and Nigeria is one of them. Within Nigeria, there are 11 states
that are the target of all our resources. Four in North East and with a
focus on the remaining seven states, among which is Cross River, which
is at the top of our list.
We also plan to connect with other Feed the Future programmes relevant
to the state.”
While inspecting the rice seedlings and seeds multiplication factory and
other facilities at the industrial park, stunned Shaffer offered: “Well,
I will tell you I have seen pictures of this before, pictures of the
rice factory, but I thought it was outside of Africa, I never thought
that this was in Nigeria, and then when I see it now, I believe it.”
Expressing further amazement at the sophistication of seedlings factory,
the USAID representative said: “I really have not seen such a
consistency from the farm to the set up and I’m looking forward to
seeing the Ogoja rice mill tomorrow (Thursday), but this seedling
factory is state of the art and it is very impressive, very unique and
I’m told it is one of a kind not only in Cross River, Nigeria but
Africa.”
Continuing, he said: “This is a demonstration of the potential that
Nigeria has to feed itself and to feed the region. We need to see five
of this, we need to see the the entire value chain at this level of
technology of digitalization. Digitized agriculture is the future, hand
spreading of seeds is something of the past and it is difficult for
farmers to change. I think the growth rate of both the quality and yield
across the country would be five times and that is what we hope to do
with the digital governor with support from us, and USAID this is truly
an impressive site and I’m very pleased standing here.”
Responding, Sir Ayade said: “I and Adams have come together to serve
humanity and to say yes, we need to feed the future and you cannot feed
the future by waiting for a white man from America or waiting on your
government, it is you and your contributions that can feed the future.”
Emphasizing the import of Shaffer’s visit, Ayade said: “And so, what
Shaffer is here to tell you is that we are ready to support you through
international best practices, assist you with grant.”
The governor who assured of the state’s capacity to deliver on the goals
of Cultivating New Frontiers for Agriculture (CNFA), an international
body with the goal of designing and leading agricultural development and
entrepreneurship initiatives to build a prosperous world without hunger,
noted: “With the caliber of persons we have around us, we have a huge
capacity and practical experience to deliver because the quality of the
people truly reflects the successes factor of whatever project that has
been brought.”
On the Feed the Future Programme, the governor maintained that “it is a
reality and it is coming at the right time. The population of Nigeria
grows in approximately three percent per annum and the implication is
that, Nigeria will in 30 years double her population which is very
scary.
“Today we are 200 million people and in 30 years it will be 400 million
without a corresponding plan on how to feed your future.”
Lamenting the prospect of Nigeria’s population exploding in the next
years, Ayade decried: “As the poverty level increases, child birth
increases. They have an inverse relationship, the higher the wealth the
lesser the children, the higher the poverty, the more the children and
so, you have a situation where Nigerian population is on the rise.
So, the statistics of 2.5 – 3 percent growth is perhaps even wrong. Sad
enough, it is an American that has come to tell us about the need to
feed the future.”
According to the governor, “There is a new programme to prosper Africa
that is being initiated by the American government with the funding of
about USD60 billion set aside to bring prosperity to Africa and reduce
poverty and once that succeeds, the agency will have it huge footprint,
having initiated the right programme and sincerely implementing the rice
value chain to success in Africa, using Cross River as an intermediator
and USAID will stand as the only agency that has taken Africa to a
sustainable future and will grow in lips and bounds translating into
good news for us in Cross River and indeed Nigeria.”
While urging Cross Riverians to tap into the opportunities offered by
the Feed the Future programme, the governor listed such areas as rice
farming, maize, soya beans and other food crops. “All these are the
crops we needed in our agro-value chain. We have a slaughter house that
does six thousand birds per day and we need the maize and soya beans to
sustain the feedmill for our chickens and America is number one in
cereals production in the world so, we need to work with them to see how
we can increase the production of our maize and soya beans.”
According to Ayade, “Very one of us must own a farm and for those of you
who are in my cabinet, you know Cross River has just release USD7
million to a US firm to provide tractorization, mechanization, earth
moving equipment and deforestation equipment for land clearing in
preparation for the expansion of the rice production in Cross River
State.
“So, if you can assist us with a consultant that can articulate all that
we have done based on your own experience going from one factory to
another, seeing clearly what we have done, it will give you an insight
that truly, this is the most serious state you must focus on.”
Assuring CNFA of, and availability of land, the governor said: “Cross
River has 23,000 Square kilometer of arable land and if you encounter
any challenge, technology can address that and I know America is good in
irrigation.
“We believe that we are well positioned by our technology, share size of
our land mass , character and decency of our people coupled with the
exposure that we have, education and integrity and love for strangers,
so, we provide a perfect environment for CNFA to prove indeed that you
are the right contractor selected to drive this process. “So look
nowhere any more because Cross River is the right place in Nigeria for
you to demonstrate your competency.”