Private sector mainstreams work of RIU Nigeria
1 March 2011
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Four private companies are collaborating with RIU Nigeria in exploring market enterprise opportunities in agricultural input supply and advisory services related to RIU-assisted value chains. This means that the long-term sustainability of these interventions is looking very likely.
ProValue Associates Ltd is coordinating fodder supply to designated grazing reserves in Northern Nigeria. The fodder consists of cowpea, soybean and groundnut hay generated by farmers affiliated with the RIU-assisted Cowpea/Soybean Value Chain Innovation Platform.
The fodder supply opportunity developed primarily as a result of the BBSRC-CIDLID Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Control Project (SOS Nigeria), a major animal health intervention in Nigeria. Making fodder readily available to livestock farmers at affordable prices and at designated grazing reserves during the dry season would reduce the need for the herd owners to migrate across long distances, and thereby reduce the risk of exposing the herds to tsetse fly bites and infection or re-infection with trypanosomiasis.
Wetland Associates Nigeria Ltd, which specializes in the fabrication of agricultural technologies, has produced and supplied 14 fodder compactors to selected groups of legume farmers and fodder marketers in Kaduna and Kano states. Self-employed young people have been trained on how to use the compactors, and they are generating income for themselves from compacting and loading the fodder for suppliers. These activities are part of the test-run for the fodder supply chain being facilitated by RIU Nigeria, as a follow up to the initial successful trial conducted in Kano in July 2010.
So far, about 7.5 metric tonnes of compacted fodder has been procured and supplied to Ladduga, the Kachia Grazing Reserve in Kaduna State, where more than 25,000 Fulani livestock farmers live, which is also one of the sites for the SOS Nigeria.
Utiang Ugbe, Country Coordinator RIU Nigeria said:
Adamore Nigeria Ltd, a leading veterinary pharmaceutical distributor in Nigeria, has committed to the supply of vet drugs related to tsetse control and common animal diseases. ProValue Associates Ltd is setting up supply chain structures at the grazing reserve for warehousing and sale of the drugs, fodder and concentrates. A commission agent from the Fulani community has been employed by ProValue to perform these tasks, while the SOS Nigeria will employ, train and kit out six additional people from the community to undertake tsetse control spraying and minor vet services under the supervision of a qualified vet.
1 March 2011
Tweet
Four private companies are collaborating with RIU Nigeria in exploring market enterprise opportunities in agricultural input supply and advisory services related to RIU-assisted value chains. This means that the long-term sustainability of these interventions is looking very likely.
ProValue Associates Ltd is coordinating fodder supply to designated grazing reserves in Northern Nigeria. The fodder consists of cowpea, soybean and groundnut hay generated by farmers affiliated with the RIU-assisted Cowpea/Soybean Value Chain Innovation Platform.
The fodder supply opportunity developed primarily as a result of the BBSRC-CIDLID Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Control Project (SOS Nigeria), a major animal health intervention in Nigeria. Making fodder readily available to livestock farmers at affordable prices and at designated grazing reserves during the dry season would reduce the need for the herd owners to migrate across long distances, and thereby reduce the risk of exposing the herds to tsetse fly bites and infection or re-infection with trypanosomiasis.
Wetland Associates Nigeria Ltd, which specializes in the fabrication of agricultural technologies, has produced and supplied 14 fodder compactors to selected groups of legume farmers and fodder marketers in Kaduna and Kano states. Self-employed young people have been trained on how to use the compactors, and they are generating income for themselves from compacting and loading the fodder for suppliers. These activities are part of the test-run for the fodder supply chain being facilitated by RIU Nigeria, as a follow up to the initial successful trial conducted in Kano in July 2010.
So far, about 7.5 metric tonnes of compacted fodder has been procured and supplied to Ladduga, the Kachia Grazing Reserve in Kaduna State, where more than 25,000 Fulani livestock farmers live, which is also one of the sites for the SOS Nigeria.
Utiang Ugbe, Country Coordinator RIU Nigeria said:
"This interface between the RIU-assisted cowpea value chain innovation platform and the BBSRC-CIDLID Tsetse Project is an interesting though unexpected development. The spin-off enterprise activities started slowly but, being market-based, are likely to remain self-sustaining beyond the life-span of the RIU programme in Nigeria. The compactors have been produced and contractors have started to offer a compacting service. The compacted cowpea hay is much easier to store, transport and feed rations to the animals. The participating farmers, marketers and herdsmen are gradually adapting to the pricing of fodder according to weight, rather than visual impression. There is still a need to sensitize and train these partners on the advantages of using weight to determine feed rations as well as fodder prices."To complement the dry fodder, RIU has worked with Feed Masters Ltd. The company produces animal feed and has already supplied three batches of feed concentrates to be combined with the dry fodder as fortified rations and supply a balanced diet for the animals.
Adamore Nigeria Ltd, a leading veterinary pharmaceutical distributor in Nigeria, has committed to the supply of vet drugs related to tsetse control and common animal diseases. ProValue Associates Ltd is setting up supply chain structures at the grazing reserve for warehousing and sale of the drugs, fodder and concentrates. A commission agent from the Fulani community has been employed by ProValue to perform these tasks, while the SOS Nigeria will employ, train and kit out six additional people from the community to undertake tsetse control spraying and minor vet services under the supervision of a qualified vet.
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The baler being piloted by RIU Nigeria
Traditional methods way of selling hay and crop residues
RIU baler in operation
Bales can be checked for weight with the merchant or in the field
