… As FMAN, CBN support 150,000 wheat farmers in 15 states***

The Chief Judge of Lagos State, Hon. Justice Kazeem Alogba, says Small Claims Courts will benefit Micro Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSMEs) in the GIZ-SEDIN partner states if effectively operated.

Alogba made the remarks at the opening of a three-day peer learning and capacity development workshop on Tuesday in Lagos.

The newsmen report that the workshop was organised by the German Agency for International Corporation (GIZ)-SEDIN in partnership with the Lagos State Judiciary.

The workshop with the theme; “Strengthening the Operation of the Small Claims Court in the GIZ-SEDIN Partner States” had in attendance participants from SEDIN’s partner states.

It was organised to strengthen the operation of the Small Claims Court in the SEDIN’s partner states for an enhanced and effective commercial dispute resolution system in the focal states.

Alogba said: “I am optimistic that the progress recorded in Lagos State can be replicated in other GIZ-SEDIN partner states.

“It is also expected that MSMEs in those states will benefit significantly from the effective operation of the court.

“Having a training programme of this kind in Lagos State is most appropriate; and so on behalf of the Lagos State Judiciary and on my own behalf, I sincerely thank GIZ-SEDIN for their sponsorship and for this remarkable initiative.

“It is my hope and belief that this initiative will not be a one-time event, rather it should be a continuing exercise and the training should be extended to all the states in the country.

“For the establishment of small claims courts in these other states and the incorporation of best global practices in the operation of the courts in Nigeria.

“I hope that the knowledge the participants obtain, and the skills and techniques participants develop here, in this programme, will enhance their abilities to excel and make good success in the operation and establishment of the Small Claims Court in their respective jurisdictions,” he said.

Alogba said Lagos state, being the centre of judicial excellence, and always the pace setter in judicial reforms in Nigeria, was the first to establish the Small Claims Court in Nigeria and this was done on April 23, 2018.

“The objective of the court is to provide easy access to an informal, inexpensive, and speedy resolution of simple debt recovery disputes in the Magistrates’ Courts.

“The Court is designed to provide judicial determination of disputes involving small amounts of money quickly and cheaply, with or without legal representation,” Alogba noted.

The Head of Policy and Strategy Unit, GIZ-SEDIN, Mr Akin Omoware, while giving an overview of GIZ-SEDIN’s programmes in Nigeria said that the objective of SEDIN was to increase sustained employment and income generation in MSMEs.

Omoware said that the target groups of SEDIN were the owners and employees of MSMEs as well as members of other economically active low-income households

He said that SEDIN projects were implemented in the federal, state and local levels in Niger, Ogun, Abia, Plateau, Lagos, Oyo, Kaduna, Kano and Edo states.

Omoware added that one of the key indicators used by investors globally in assessing national and states economics was the ease of enforcing contracts, hence, the need to improve the framework for contract enforcement in states.

Newsmen report that some of GIZ-SEDIN partner states like Oyo, Plateau and Kaduna are yet to establish a Small Claims Court.

In the meantime, the Flour Milling Association of Nigeria (FMAN) on Tuesday says it has provided support to 150,000 farmers to accelerate wheat cultivation across 15 states in the country.

Dr Aliyu Samaila, FMAN’s National Programme Manager, Wheat Development Project, stated this during the Green Wheat Farmer Field Cay at Zindi plantation in Misau Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

Samaila said the FMAN wheat programme is being implemented through the Anchor Borrower Programme (APB) initiated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

He listed the states to include Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Kebbi, Sokoto, Bauchi, Adamawa, Katsina, Gombe, Plateau, Taraba, Zamfara, Niger and Yobe.

The Programme Manager said the programme adopted proactive farmer support services to sustainably encourage wheat production and yields per hectre, to enable it compete with rice and other dry season crops in the  2021-22 dry season activities

Samaila said the programme had encouraged the cultivation of 500 demonstration farms across the 15 states to provide training on Good Agronomic Practices (GAP) to the farmers.

The programme, he said, plans to expand the scope of its direct outgrower through provision of input loans to 2,000 wheat growers in Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kaduna, Bauchi and Gombe States.

He said the programme would also expand seed production in collaboration with certified seed companies to produce 5,000 outgrower for dry and wet season seed production.

According to him, the programme is cultivating a 10-hectare research farm in Jigawa for testing new seed varieties and improved agronomic practices.

He added that the project was in collaboration with Lake Chad Research Institute, International Centre for Agricultural Research and Development (ICARDA).

He said that FMAN equally provided grant funding to the National Agricultural Seeds Council to expand their capabilities to test seed quality, certify seed production and train farmers to differentiate high-quality seed from others in the market.

“Our number one role is to provide a market for wheat farmers in Nigeria: we are expanding our procurement as an industry across the wheat producing states through additional aggregation staff and warehouse capacity.

“Specifically, we are establishing procurement centers across 15 northern states to offtake all wheat grain from 150,000 farmers under the ABP.

“Transforming wheat production in Nigeria requires a strong vision backed by clear roles and responsibilities for all stakeholders.

“To this end, we will be organising state-wide Farmer Field Days in all our major areas of operations to bring together key stakeholders to address realtime challenges and learn from each other, as well as a Wheat Farmerx Yield Championship at the end of the season to recognise the highest performing farmer,” he said.

Samaila reiterated commitment to partner with organisations across the value chain to improve farmer yields through high quality seeds, expanded extension services, and improved access to irrigation.

In his remarks, Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, lauded the initiative, saying it would encourage productivity towards achievinh self sufficiency in wheat cultivation.

Mohammed, represented by Mr Jidauna Tula, Commissioner for Agriculture, said the state government had introduced viable programmes to reinvigorate agriculture and enhance farmer support services.

While assuring government support to the programme, Mohammed urged the farmers to use what they would learn during the farm demonstration exercise to improve their productivity.

Also speaking, Salim Salim, National President, Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria, commended FMAN and CBN for the wheat farmer support programme.

Salim, represented by Sale Adamu, North East Zonal Coordinator of the association, tasked farmers to avail themselves the opportunity to boost their productions and ensure sustainability of the programme.

Some of the beneficiaries, Salisu Hussani and Balarabe Chari said they received fertilisers, seeds and chemicals under the programme to cultivate their farmlands.

They also commended the FMAN and CBN for the introduction of improved variety seeds and new farming techniques to enable them increase their yields.