State of the Nation

[migiets]

Originally Posted by laso

This is d time 4 we farmers 2 enjoy our own subsidy. The urban populace have been enjoying subsidy on petrol 4 years & we never complain may b bcos we have no acess to
social media. How i wish dis minister wil continue in dis post 4 d next 6 years or more. He is d best thing 2 have happend to farmers in nigeria. Ride on Dr Adesina.!

Gbam. It is our turn. Last year was the turn of #OccupyOjota to enjoy fuel subsidy. This year is the turn of my peasant farmer parents to enjoy their own subsidy since they have been buying fuel at more than N97 despite subsidy. Just came back from home and had to buy fuel at N110 even at NNPC filling station. So where is the fuel subsidy as championed by #OccupyOjota or do we need to #OccupyMyVillageSquare before we get our own fuel subsidy

[eniyanman]

Originally Posted by Waves

The President and His Ten Million Farmers, Articles | THISDAY LIVE

So this story of "GSM Farming " is true. This Adeshina man is a joke.

The guy likes grand posturing. For example, in a country with a very high (perhaps disproportionate) level of consumption of starchy carbohydrates, he introduces cassava bread. For decades, we have successfully immunised kids in rural communities and what technology did they use? Mobiles? No, public enlightenment, word of mouth, radio, field workers etc. Why can't he use this available resource? May be it's not sexy or grand enough.
Of course, there are benefits to using a phone but there are also opportunity costs? Perhaps the govt should give us all mobile phones. We'll get health diagnosis from WebMD, free tutoring from Coursera, market access from EBay and everything else from Google.

The mobile phone, another name for Nigeria agriculture's Higgs boson!

[dr dowell]

Originally Posted by manemi

Kano earmarks N100m for mass wedding

This is ridiculous! Why can't they just dash these women the money, or better still use the money to teach the women some craft so they can fend for themselves. Women are unmarried for various reasons, including having husbands that do not have jobs, and cannot support a family. In fact can't the Kano State Government determine how many of the earlier batch that they helped to marry are still married?

My question is does these money get to the grace root. It is either this type of news or 500 million naira budgeted on Ramada breaking of fast. This may all be avenue to siphon money out of the system.

[dr dowell]

Originally Posted by eniyanman

The guy likes grand posturing. For example, in a country with a very high (perhaps disproportionate) level of consumption of starchy carbohydrates, he introduces cassava bread. For decades, we have successfully immunised kids in rural communities and what technology did they use? Mobiles? No, public enlightenment, word of mouth, radio, field workers etc. Why can't he use this available resource? May be it's not sexy or grand enough.
Of course, there are benefits to using a phone but there are also opportunity costs? Perhaps the govt should give us all mobile phones. We'll get health diagnosis from WebMD, free tutoring from Coursera, market access from EBay and everything else from Google.

The mobile phone, another name for Nigeria agriculture's Higgs boson!

I use to think that agricultural extension officers should be closer and easily Accessible to this farmer to get information of better farming technique. Once their out put improves revenue will also improves and they can buy those phone themselves. How many of those phones where Used during the groundnut pyramide or cocca era of the 1960s. Well 2015 is approaching and money most be made through logical and illogical means

[Picolena66]

Originally Posted by laso

This is d time 4 we farmers 2 enjoy our own subsidy. The urban populace have been enjoying subsidy on petrol 4 years & we never complain may b bcos we have no acess to
social media. How i wish dis minister wil continue in dis post 4 d next 6 years or more. He is d best thing 2 have happend to farmers in nigeria. Ride on Dr Adesina.!

Hmmm..........I couldn't agree with u more he is trying his best within the Ministry with the tools he as to work with!!!

But it seems we Nigerians are so used to Negativity...........we have stopped believing in any Positivity that may come our way in any shape or form....Regardless how minimum it's impact is Nationally......

[wanaj0]

Originally Posted by Waves

The President and His Ten Million Farmers, Articles | THISDAY LIVE

So this story of "GSM Farming " is true. This Adeshina man is a joke.

Right there is why we will always have the likes of Anenih and co ruling us. We are in the habit of rubbishing people with genuine interest and desire. If Adeshina is a joke, what will you say of Dele Momodu the writer of the peace. Same people that collected money to organize protest against subsidy removal in London. Same man using his Ovation to promote the rogues! Same man who is so good that his wife could not even vote for him.

Adeshina is minister for agriculture and RURAL DEVELOPMENT. Not all his policies are for farmers. By the way he has DENIED the purported N60bn for GSM! Of course people with agenda like Momodu will do anything to get performers out of government while promoting rogues and crooks.

Same people got Nnaji out of the power sector. They have tried with ministers for finance and Petroleum. Guess Agriculture is the next one. They have smelt blood with the various import restrictions.

[wanaj0]

Originally Posted by dr dowell

I use to think that agricultural extension officers should be closer and easily Accessible to this farmer to get information of better farming technique. Once their out put improves revenue will also improves and they can buy those phone themselves. How many of those phones where Used during the groundnut pyramide or cocca era of the 1960s. Well 2015 is approaching and money most be made through logical and illogical means

Lovely logic! We better go back to how we use to do things in the 1960s! You can throw away the machine you are using to post on this forum to start with.

[Picolena66]

Originally Posted by wanaj0

Lovely logic! We better go back to how we use to do things in the 1960s! You can throw away the machine you are using to post on this forum to start with.

Bloody Excellent...........

[dr dowell]

Originally Posted by Salida

Wada Returns to Hospital for Post-Surgery Check-up, Articles | THISDAY LIVE

I thank God for this Governor. It would have been tragic to have loss Two serving Governor in accident in a year but for his merciies. We should continue to pray that God will avert such disaster in our Country this year. However our political Class should be more careful in their way of live because Judgment is hanging on the air. He who have ear let him hear.

[Picolena66]

BBC News - Hyundai paid Nigeria kidnap ransom, police say

[dr dowell]

Originally Posted by wanaj0

Lovely logic! We better go back to how we use to do things in the 1960s! You can throw away the machine you are using to post on this forum to start with.

My Oga U don't argue with results. If nigeria was doing well doing 1960s in term of Agriculture. U had the Groundnut. Pyramids in the north. The cocoa era in the west. The palm oil in the east and the Rubber in the mid west. We saw what was done with the resources. ABU was built with resources from groundnut. OAU was built with resources from Cocca. Nigeria was leading exporter of palm oil thought malaysia palm oil production then and malaysia improved on it to be world greatest exporter now. I am not saying that you can not get to Abuja from Lagos through different route, all I am saying is that we have Travelled though a route before which was Good to Us let develop that route. Period.

[laso]

Originally Posted by wanaj0

Right there is why we will always have the likes of Anenih and co ruling us. We are in the habit of rubbishing people with genuine interest and desire. If Adeshina is a joke, what will you say of Dele Momodu the writer of the peace. Same people that collected money to organize protest against subsidy removal in London. Same man using his Ovation to promote the rogues! Same man who is so good that his wife could not even vote for him.

Adeshina is minister for agriculture and RURAL DEVELOPMENT. Not all his policies are for farmers. By the way he has DENIED the purported N60bn for GSM! Of course people with agenda like Momodu will do anything to get performers out of government while promoting rogues and crooks.

Same people got Nnaji out of the power sector. They have tried with ministers for finance and Petroleum. Guess Agriculture is the next one. They have smelt blood with the various import restrictions.

Initially,i gave d man away as somebody who wil not make any impact in dat ministry whe he was speaking grammar. Alas, adesina is a real performer as my folks in d village could feel his impact. Not dat alone im now a cassava farmer & have joined cassava farmer association.While d elites keep grumbling about d taste of cassava bread,some are already making money using govt imroved cassava stem & govt money @ single digit interest rate. Very soon,dey wil pay more 4 our gari & We
sincerely dont send them.

[netotse]

Originally Posted by dr dowell

My Oga U don't argue with results. If nigeria was doing well doing 1960s in term of Agriculture. U had the Groundnut. Pyramids in the north. The cocoa era in the west. The palm oil in the east and the Rubber in the mid west. We saw what was done with the resources. ABU was built with resources from groundnut. OAU was built with resources from Cocca. Nigeria was leading exporter of palm oil thought malaysia palm oil production then and malaysia improved on it to be world greatest exporter now. I am not saying that you can not get to Abuja from Lagos through different route, all I am saying is that we have Travelled though a route before which was Good to Us let develop that route. Period.

My dear Doc, I hope you are not trying to compare the two periods just like that?, a lot of things have changed and not just in terms of technology.

Information has always been power, if giving cell phones to farmers will improve their chances of getting better deals in terms of transportation, storage, processing of their crops, then what's there to complain about?

[Dicobody]

Originally Posted by laso

Initially,i gave d man away as somebody who wil not make any impact in dat ministry whe he was speaking grammar. Alas, adesina is a real performer as my folks in d village could feel his impact. Not dat alone im now a cassava farmer & have joined cassava farmer association.While d elites keep grumbling about d taste of cassava bread,some are already making money using govt imroved cassava stem & govt money @ single digit interest rate. Very soon,dey wil pay more 4 our gari & We
sincerely dont send them.

We/they are already paying for it.except u anticipate continuious increase.

[wanaj0]

Originally Posted by laso

Initially,i gave d man away as somebody who wil not make any impact in dat ministry whe he was speaking grammar. Alas, adesina is a real performer as my folks in d village could feel his impact. Not dat alone im now a cassava farmer & have joined cassava farmer association.While d elites keep grumbling about d taste of cassava bread,some are already making money using govt imroved cassava stem & govt money @ single digit interest rate. Very soon,dey wil pay more 4 our gari & We
sincerely dont send them.

The elites will gang up against him now. Those behind the importation of rice etc will fight back. The agriculture CABAL have started work!

[eniyanman]

Originally Posted by dr dowell

I use to think that agricultural extension officers should be closer and easily Accessible to this farmer to get information of better farming technique. Once their out put improves revenue will also improves and they can buy those phone themselves. How many of those phones where Used during the groundnut pyramide or cocca era of the 1960s. Well 2015 is approaching and money most be made through logical and illogical means

Exactly. We have these resources (agric extension/primary health care etc) workers, why not improve their utilisation at almost zero costs while achieving most (perhaps all) of the 10 million mobile give-away goals?

Originally Posted by wanaj0

Right there is why we will always have the likes of Anenih and co ruling us. We are in the habit of rubbishing people with genuine interest and desire. If Adeshina is a joke, what will you say of Dele Momodu the writer of the peace. Same people that collected money to organize protest against subsidy removal in London. Same man using his Ovation to promote the rogues! Same man who is so good that his wife could not even vote for him.

Adeshina is minister for agriculture and RURAL DEVELOPMENT. Not all his policies are for farmers. By the way he has DENIED the purported N60bn for GSM! Of course people with agenda like Momodu will do anything to get performers out of government while promoting rogues and crooks.

Same people got Nnaji out of the power sector. They have tried with ministers for finance and Petroleum. Guess Agriculture is the next one. They have smelt blood with the various import restrictions.

How much did they collect to protest in London? Abi, dem don short-change awon boys?

According to Budgit - The Nigerian Budget Made Simple - Nigerian Budget made Simple (BTW, a fantastic website), the Ministry of Agric has an allocation of N83B in the 2013 budget. This includes funding for the various colleges of Agriculture. Adesina needs to explain clearly how he intends to fund this project, naira for naira.

The issue at stake is not the removal of Adesina. To him $300M isn't much. In fact, it isn't. But to a developing country, it's an enormous amount. The issue is it is not apparent if alternatives have been exhaustively considered. Grand does not mean Great! His fertilizer initiative is actually good. Unfortunately, the cassava bread and phones for farmers policies leaves much to be desired.

Originally Posted by netotse

My dear Doc, I hope you are not trying to compare the two periods just like that?, a lot of things have changed and not just in terms of technology.

Information has always been power, if giving cell phones to farmers will improve their chances of getting better deals in terms of transportation, storage, processing of their crops, then what's there to complain about?

Live on a desert island and have information that a tsunami is on its way. If you (or potential rescuers) have no infrastructure (boat, helicopter, landing pads etc) to get you out of there, you'll be gone. Remember to put the footage, from your mobile, on YouTube though

Moral? Infrastructure is the first rung on technology's ladder!

[eniyanman]

Which of the goals of the 10 million mobiles give-away can't be achieved much cheaply and using existing resources (or cheaper mods)?

[laso]

Originally Posted by Dicobody

We/they are already paying for it.except u anticipate continuious increase.

by d simple law of demand & supply,d price of gari wil continue 2 go up in d short 2 medium term. There is a huge demand 4 cassava & its products right now. And dont forget d bakers are just using btw 5 -10% substitute now and not all of dem have started. By d time everyone of them jumps in...and wit d fact dat we ar targeting close 2 30% substitute...

[dr dowell]

Originally Posted by netotse

My dear Doc, I hope you are not trying to compare the two periods just like that?, a lot of things have changed and not just in terms of technology.

Information has always been power, if giving cell phones to farmers will improve their chances of getting better deals in terms of transportation, storage, processing of their crops, then what's there to complain about?

My Oga I really appreciate your argument it is really rich, however it is somehow deficient in some areas. I would like to ask what type of farmers is he targeting? The mechanized farmer is literate and already rich and can afford those phones. I believe his target should be the less Educated who can improve with better information dissemination. My Question is can this group be able to assess information using phones. The augment now is wouldn't it be better to have Agric Extension officer. Posted to this areas who can meet the farmers One on one listen to the farmer and show the samples of good quality farming technique and receive fed backs from the farmers. The problem with phone interaction is that it can be misinterpret even in the hand of educated talk less of the uneducated. We should always put into consideration our environment while enacting policies.

[Waves]

Originally Posted by wanaj0

Right there is why we will always have the likes of Anenih and co ruling us. We are in the habit of rubbishing people with genuine interest and desire. If Adeshina is a joke, what will you say of Dele Momodu the writer of the peace. Same people that collected money to organize protest against subsidy removal in London. Same man using his Ovation to promote the rogues! Same man who is so good that his wife could not even vote for him.

Adeshina is minister for agriculture and RURAL DEVELOPMENT. Not all his policies are for farmers. By the way he has DENIED the purported N60bn for GSM! Of course people with agenda like Momodu will do anything to get performers out of government while promoting rogues and crooks.

Same people got Nnaji out of the power sector. They have tried with ministers for finance and Petroleum. Guess Agriculture is the next one. They have smelt blood with the various import restrictions.

If you had concentrated on the issue of Distributing phones to rural farmers, we have had a healthy discussion. We may have been able to compare notes on the efficacy of the policy of distributing fertilizer subsidies through GSM phones implemented during the last farming season. We may also have discussed on the limited impact even the most effective Agric minister can have on Agric in Nigeria simply because Agric is essentially a state govt issue. For now, your post is simply a Ad homenen attack on Otunba Momodu - a person I have little regard for.