My attention has been drawn to the issue of 60 Billion Naira to be spent on phones for farmers, reported in some media sites and papers. The information is absolutely incorrect. My Permanent Secretary was totally misquoted out of context. There is no 60 Billion Naira for phones anywhere. As a responsible Minister, who takes public accountability and probity very seriously, there is absolutely no way in the world that I will even contemplate or approve such an expenditure. All our focus as Government is on creating jobs in Nigeria, not exporting jobs elsewhere.See the rest after the cut...
Let me clarify and explain our policy.
Reaching farmers through phones:
The policy the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is promoting is to get mobile phones to farmers, as part of its agricultural transformation agenda, to connect farmers to information, expand their access to markets, improve their access to savings and loans, and help them adapt to climate change dynamics that affect them and their livelihoods. We are also rapidly modernizing agriculture, and have moved away from agriculture as a development program to agriculture as a business, so we must modernize and use new tools to reach our farmers.
The Power of information:
Agriculture today is more knowledge-intensive and we will modernize the sector, and get younger (graduate) entrepreneurs into the sector, and we will arm them with modern information systems. Whether small, medium or large farmers they all need information and communication systems. Connecting to supermarkets and international markets require that farmers know and meet stringent consumer-driven grades and standards. In today’s supply chains, the flow of information from buyers to farmers must be instant, to meet rapidly changing demands. Unless farmers have information at their finger tips, they will lose out on market opportunities.
Our goal is to empower every farmer. No farmer will be left behind. We will reach them in their local languages and use mobile phones to trigger an information revolution which will drive an agricultural revolution.
Why cell phones?
Nigeria has 110 million cellphones, the largest in Africa. But there is a huge divide: the bulk of the phones are in urban areas. The rural areas are heavily excluded. For agriculture, which employs 70% of the population, that means the farmers are excluded and marginalized. In today’s world, the most powerful tool is a mobile phone. As Minister of Agriculture, I want the entire rural space of Nigeria, and farmers, to be included, not excluded, from advantages of mobile phone revolution.
Below are some of them:
Access to inputs:
First, the mobile phones will be used to scale up the access of farmers to improved seeds and fertilizers to millions of farmers, directly. The federal government succeeded in 2012 in getting seeds and fertilizers to farmers, via the Growth Enhancement Support (GES), which used mobile phones to reach farmers with subsidized inputs. The system ended 40 years of corruption on fertilizers and cut off rent seekers and middlemen who – for decades – have entrenched massive corruption of the fertilizer sector. Government succeeded. The GES system reached over 1.2 million farmers in 120 days in 2012.
We succeeded because we used mobile phones to reach farmers directly and cut off the middle men and those who have cheated farmers for decades. We empowered the poor farmers, with many getting subsidized seeds and fertilizers from government for the first time ever. We brought transparency into what was perhaps the most corrupt system in Nigeria. We ended fertilizer corruption of four decades, in 90 days, because of mobile phone tools we deployed.
Revolutionary tool:
This is a revolution. Nigeria is the first country in Africa to develop such a system. The system has garnered international acclaim. Other African countries now want to learn from Nigeria. Major donors, including Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, DFID of the UK Government, USAID, World Bank, IFAD and the Africa Development Bank, want to scale up the GES system to other countries.
How we will operate:
From 2013, government intends to distribute 10 million phones, so we can reach more millions of farmers with the GES scheme for subsidized inputs. We expect to reach at least 5 million farmers in 2013 with GES for access to subsidized inputs. So, farmers who get mobile phones will be registered and we will use their biometric information to reach them with electronic vouchers for seeds and fertilizers.
Second, mobile phones will allow farmers to have financial inclusion, as financial institutions such as commercial banks and microfinance banks will be able to reach them with affordable savings and loans products. The phones will make the financial inclusion of the CBN in rural areas possible.
Third, the phones will make market price information available to farmers nationwide. Farmers lose a lot in marketing their produce. Middle men make all the profits. Farmers end up selling their products at very poor prices. This is because farmers do not have access to market price information. There is asymmetry of market price information. For many farmers their only sources of market price information are the middlemen. Mobile phones will allow us to get market price information to farmers, improve market access and empower farmers. This will allow farmers to have countervailing power in the market place.
Fourth, we will use mobile phones to provide extension information to farmers, as part of our total overhaul of the extension system in the country. With a “Farmer Help Line” it will be possible to connect extension workers, colleges of agriculture, faculties of agriculture, and other experts to provide free extension services to farmers by interactive voice mail. This will include when to plant, what to plant, agronomic practices etc. At the dial of a number, the wealth of knowlege of experts will be connected to the farmers, anywhere they are in Nigeria – free of charge. Such a “Farmer Help Line” system is already in use in Kenya by poor farmers, with support from the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Fifth, the phones will allow the dissemination of real time weather information to farmers. It will be possible to alert farmers on drought or floods and reduce vulnerabilities to shocks. In case of the floods we witnessed last year, simple alerts over mobile phones would have saved many lives and helped farmers to know what to do.
Finally, the expanded number of phones in rural areas will support the expansion of rural telephony. Presently, the rural areas are not being served well by mobile operators, and are marginalized. With the expansion of mobile phones to millions of farmers, mobile phone operators will expand the number of base stations they have in rural areas. This will reduce the digital and communications exclusion of rural areas, where agriculture is the main source of income and jobs. The cost of calls in rural areas will also decline.
How will this be financed?
The distribution of the phones will be supported through an MoU signed between the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Communications Technology and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, with the Ministry of Women Affairs. Out of the 10 million phones, 5 million will go to women. The Universal Service Provision Fund (USPF), which supports expansion of mobile operators into rural areas, through a tax, will support this initiative, in partnership with Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. We intend to work with existing mobile operators in Nigeria through a public-private partnership.
Dr. Akinwumi Adesina
78 comments:
Linda ama read all dis long comment because????? Smhhhhhhh
Still makes no sense! Just trying to justify that stupid act, phones wont manufacture food for all i care, they should be adequatly empowered!
I really don't get the "not true" in this.
I'm so happy you clarified the air on the alleged allegation. i believe strongly in your capacity as agricultural minister because i have read your antecedent elsewhere. Thank you for coming out to clarify
Bull crap!! How was ur PM secretary misquoted when u just said same thing with bigger grammer?
These people are jokers, if u construct good roads to these rural areas, give them constant power and water they will be well informed, cell phones are †̥ђε̲̣̣̣̥ least of their problems, †̥ђε̲̣̣̣̥se farmers have more pressing needs. Shuu!! What is wrong with these people?
Hmmmm....Misquoted indeed....10Million phones! Owwk o, we dey look.
Wats d difference between wat he said n wat his perm sec said?
If a gud phn is sold @ 6k do Da maths 6k x 10mil pls wat do we hav!
Pls Let knw body play wit ma head o...
I just hope all the farmers won't join 2Go and start posting "weather for 2" when it's raining instead of planting yams. :D
This man go sit down for gutter,bastards God will one day send brimstone and kill Nigerian leaders ,what do farmers need cell phone for ,who told them the people in the rural areas don't have cell phone ,nonsense and ingredients ,give them good road ,give them electricity ,give them tractors and fertilizer ,super bastard s in government,sometimes I just wish all our leaders in various sector should just be killed by hanging.
its guud dem sabi say its so stupid for a govrnment tu make such an xpenditure,..for GODSAKES,.
IN OTHER WORDS, YOU ARE STILL BUYING PHONES!
foolish fool...
When the news went viral yesterday, i didnt just believe it totally because the Minister of Agriculture is one man i can clearly say is a square peg in a square hole in GEJ's Administration. He has often shown that he is ready and capable of reviving the Agricultural sector. I knew that such brazen waste of public funds to the tune of N60B will never be supported by him. Glad to know that the Perm Sec was quoted out of context.
A wonderful innovation, you deserve a sitting ovation...the #60 billion is farce so you said but you didn't tell us what the expected budget is for these iphones.
Dr. Ebi don call this dude to change mouth because of our fire, im come here dey cap dust...
RUBBISH! GIVE THEM EQUIPMENT AND FARMLAND! WHEN THEY START MAKING MONEY FROM THEIR GOODS, THEY WILL BUY CELLPHONE THEMSELVES!
It is unfortunate that we have people like these to lead us. He says it is not true but 10million phones will be distributed with 5million going to women and this will be funded using tax payer's money so which part of the original statement is false then?
This further adds credence to my belief that the Black man is incapable of ruling itself successfully whether military or civilian. A Black man is a black man. Greedy, selfish, Lazy, Stupid fuck.....
The man is claiming 10million not 60million. I think this is a welcome development in the sense that it will elude some fraud in the system-fertilizer supply and all that. We are still in Nigeria where anything is possible. Lets cross our fingers and see what will happen.
super story! Wait o, mayb dz is a confirmation to t.b joshua's prediction.
Oya o, dust ur hoes n shovel..over to farming tins nw
OK SO IT HAS BEEN ESCALATED FROM A RUMOUR TO A WELL DOCUMENTED SCAM
Fertilizers, tractors, fertile lands, plzzz minister these are what you should provide for these farmers... 60billion is more than enuf to cover this NECESSARY needs... Cells phones my butt
what is the difference? this is a paraphrase of the permsec's
Rubbish!Empower ds pple by providing them wt more equipments n infrastructural facilities. Give them loans instead of buyn them fones.
I do not understand what he means by its not true. The article clearly says there will be 10Million phones and 5 Million will be given to women. Bottom line is phones will be bought. My question is, is that the issue right now???
Hmmmmp, I am still thinking.
Rubbish!so he's still trying to justify why dey need phones,did they tell him dey don't have phone?even my great grandfather in the village has a phone.God will continue to punish dis govt for the billion and one times!
This Minister na fine man sha. Chai
they want to give poor famers phone, they will still be poor famers with a 3000naira phone, spend that money to invest in roads power and clean water, educate them on better way of farming and how to properly use fertilizer and see if they don't buy their own phone... this guy will award the contract to his friend and the will split the profit
LIB readers,this people are insulting our intelligence.At first, you said your aide was quoted out of context and he further explained and confirmed 10m phones he earlier denied.I have 3 questions for them to ponder on
1.Where are the farmers going to get power to charge the phones or are they going to supply i better pass my neighbor.
2.Are there networks in the rural areas to connect the phones?
3.Which language are the farmers going to use to communicate.
It's just a ploy to get money for 2015 election.I am very disappointed in Adesina,i never expected he could be used for this kind of corruptible tendency.
Because it worked in India does not mean the model would fit our corruptible and docile society.
Enough of this scam proposal. By the grace of Almighty God,everyone that partake in embezzling Nigerian money would spend the money on diseases.
They re just talkin cuz the tory don blow, check later you go hear say they don spend the money finsh.
When the spend trillions on racketteering, what is 60bn.
See profiles on www.afrprofile.com
How about the illiterate farmers that don't know how to read and write..how will they decipher such info on the mobile phone for optimal productivity
I knew something was wrong about the story and the figure 60bN,because somehow this minister doesnt come across as one who would approve such an irresponsible huge expenditure on phones. The plan to buy phones for farmers has been on for long-since early 2012. In essence,what I see is the Minister saying- yes- we are buying the phones but -no- not at such a huge amount.The question is now at what cost?
Correct!
Linda I didn't need to read past the headings, its a Fatal scam, currently in Nigeria , even our street beggars have cell phones!!!
60 billion, will restore electricity in Naija, people open ur eyes , what do we need ????
Nigeria is one of ONLY few countries in the world run by EVIL men/monsters. The job of the government is not to provide services but to bring private money into providing needed services.Our government is a failure when it comes to public projects or providing services. Look at electricity and water supply for instance. Look at road networks and transportation infrastructure in Nigeria.We need to put pressure on the government when we haer about wasteful spending like buying cellphones for farmers. That 60 billion naira should be used to hire young men and women to work in the ministry of Agriculture.The ministry needs workers to go to the farmers and chat with them, see what they are doing and report back to the ministry.
Give dem tractors,fertilizers,improved seed n easy loans ALL DIS MUMU JUST GO SCHOOL TO DEY STILL MONEY,DEM NO EVEN GET COMMON SENSE #maddingcrushonu
Mr novice!did u read d post atall?
This is all crap. How much are u spending on buying and distributing 10 million phones? Are this farmer's learned? This is bullshit?
Am amazed by the explanation of the so call Minister. These guys are completely out of tune with the reality, deaf and dumb on how to drive development. How could someone be talking about phones when the basic infrastructure that drives agricultural development are not there. Where are the experts that you have trained to sustain the development, where are the research institution you have empowered to research into improved crops, where are the tractors, good rural roads, electricity, extension workers etc.
I'm confused that this memo has passed through the executive council chaired by Mr President and no Minister sees anything wrong with dumb idea. Oh, this country is finished under Jonathan.
Can someone please call this Minister to order. Mr Preseident put back your thinking cap!!!!!!
Omg! Lmao
Clap for ur self
Anon 2:40PM,
As a Black man yourself, I'm glad you've included yourself in the "greedy, selfish, lazy, and stupid fuck" category.
Such idiotic generalizations show your lack of intelligence and critical thinking.
***Lush
Lwkmd.....seems the farmers will be pinging and sending BC's that there is harvest and cocoa is ready.
Abeg make all dis politicians dem go play 4 sansan or better still play insid fire, who dem won deceive am sure dat moni is already gone, instead of dem providing water popping machine 4 dis dry season n oder equipment 4 de farmers, God no go joke wit una dis year oo so is better make una change nw wer d tym still dey oo.
Honorable Minister,
With love in my heart for your zeal to move Nigeria's agriculture forward, I ask you to kindly drop this this cell phone idea. This could potentially wipe out all your achievements so far.
A BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY WITH BAD PEOPLE
The majority of comments on this post show how shamefully ignorant and mentally lazy some Nigerians have become. Here is a man trying to make a real difference in govt and the best you people can do is come up with stupid, lame comments.
You people are so backward and oppressed that you wouldn't even know a real change-agent if he was used to hit you on your big empty coconut heads.
What a wasted generation!
My simple prayer for them: may God run their lives the way they are running the affairs of this country.
I wish these our very intelligent leaders will sit bak n listen 2 themselves talk foolishly smtyms. Hw cld he say smfin's nt true n then say d truth wiv little or no diffrence to d lie? Surely, they dnt fink we're a bunch ov kids dt dnt quite knw wat's goin on cz we so do n very much dnt lyk wat we hear n c.
Mr Comissioner You are heading for doom as you will be cursed by the unemployed.
Correct! A black man is a blackman, we need to be re-colonised.
We are Nigerians are naive and ignorant , because of several years of mistrust we just jump to criticism before even doing any homework of our own. If you think outside the box this is indeed a brilliant idea. See documented research on using mobile phone applications for Agriculture.
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INFORMATIONANDCOMMUNICATIONANDTECHNOLOGIES/Resources/MobileApplications_for_ARD.pdf
TB Joshua will hear this.
They cant possibly say that they are not aware that over 99.9% of these aclaimed geniune farmers already have phones or is it that they are not in touch with these farners? They sould change their ways so that God will not run their lives the way they are running this country.
TB Joshua will hear this.
All these niggaz iz funny....cos they tink they smart....tryin to bullshit us...shii is crae.....welcome to naiJA....ping 277DDBCD for clothings nd accsories @ affordable prices.
I hope the phones will be solar powered? Or will they buy them generators for charging too?
So all of you cannot see where this is leading abi? 2015 GEJ posters,then 60billion for PHONES follow immediately.They will buy a few thousand phones and keep the balance for election tings in the following year(2014) !9JA ODE!! 9JA OLODO RABATA!!! IT BEATS MY IMAGINATION HOW WE FORGET SO FAST.SUBSIDY TRILLIONS JUST A YEAR AGO AND NOTHING TO SHOW FOR IT TODAY.HISSSSSSSSSSS!!!!
10million phones for farmers? How many farmers do we have in the whole of Nigeria like seriously? God go punish these thieves,they are looking for just another avenue to steal more money@the start of a new year. How about using that money to create job opportunities for Nigerian graduates,God will continue to punish our leaders for their selfishnes and wickedness
Pretty Girl
@Anon 10:6pm,think outside the box indeed.The fuel subsidy wasn't it a good idea? But a year after,the thrillions they've stolen cannot be accounted for,don't be fooled my dear,maybe else where in the world these are all brilliant ideas because they will use these resources excellently and bring out positive results,but here in Nigeria,these are terrible ideas because we all know they want to steal some more money,God will punish them for all the pains they've caused us(Nigerians)
Pretty Girl
@Jaja,Your a big fool! You're the idiot who is totally naïve and has no clue about what's going on in this country.That man must be your father,uncle or you were paid for that silly comment.MUMU
Pretty Girl
You Jaja or wat ever u call ursef,u re even d one dats ignorant,nd shamefuly vomiting rubbish out of ur mouth.Mayb u re benefiting 4rm those criminals dats y u can spill out venom. Hw cld u say some 1 dats bringing up way 2 steal money,is tryin 2 make change,re u sure u re OK urself? If u ask me,u re d 1 dats even backward.Becos u can't differeciate change 4rm stealing. God wil judge all d bad govt 1 after d other.I see a better 9ja after d devil must ve wipe all Dem bad govt 4rm d surface of dis earth."na d beginin of bad sickness Dem dey so,if dey dnt change dir ways*smh*
I'm very sure u're part of dose eatin d national cake dt's y u're tlkin like dis.
Honestly!Let us be re-colonised asap!The whites did a better job than this shit!
As helpless Nigerians are oppressed with deliberate negligence by the government, the Rulers in turn continue to battle with the Kidnapping Scourge .
He fine no be small!LOLLL
Jaja or woteva u call ur self, can't believe u actually made such a stupid comment. Mayb it's bcos ure stupid urself or u also benefit frm d national cake. This man just buttressed wot his perm sec said with bigger grammar. Lemme school u a bit in case u didn't go to one, multiply 10mil(no of farmers he claimed dat were to b given these fones) by 6k(assuming dats d cost of d fone). Wot does dat give u? 60 billion. And u are here talking trash. Who does he think he's messing his head with? Abeg they should tell dat 2 d wind 4 all I care. And please jaja, make sure u always hav something sensible 2 say when passing comments next time
hey get lost with you app and farming application nonsense they're pulling the wool over your eyes with BS projections...fact of the matter is that this is a scam. let's try an object based reductionist approach to help you understand just based on the facts...
150million nigerians divided by 10million phones...that is 15
They are projecting that 1 in 15 nigerians is a farmer...absolute false
The most populated state is Lagos and there's hardly a farmer there...in fact i'd go as far as saying there aren't up to 1million subsistence and commercial farmers in the whole country...
Its a white elephant
we have got sick people governing us,
tell the minister not be derailed ,he was on the right part before
E dey pain una ni?
If you had half a brain you would be able to see that the man has articulated his plans and reasons for the project and is trying something different in Nigeria. Similar projects have recorded success in other African countries in the past so give him a chance and stop being so unnecessarily cynical and moronic!
So after buying phones, who will be buying recharge cards 4 them?
Said it before,saying it again..Jaja your just a pathetic ignorant fool,a very shamless one@ that. So you have the nerves to still spew rubbish?!You need proper education.
Pretty girl
Nonsense talk, na phone be de problem?
let's 4get d fact dat they are giving them phones bt hw wil d poor farmer recharge there phone......mstchew
Jaja and Pretty gal, make una go settle una self for one better joint, as for me, I think what we need most in the Agricultural sector is massive influx of tractors and other mechanized equipment even if it will cost thrillions of naira....they days of cutlass and hoe should be regarded as part of the stone age.
What a tractor can do in a day will take more than 30days for a cutlass and hoe to accomplish,and more fuel (food) consumption.
Mekus.
Nice answers in return of this question with real arguments
and telling all regarding that.
my blog ... buy your own solar panels
I don't understand why the phones? Is it the most necessary thing for farmers. Of course the importance of the communication can't be denied, but I guess it's better to make some subsidies. Such big amount of money can be used in better way. But if money is needed for some quick case you can always borrow it. I can recommend a good on-line service that gives money loans. It's a variant to take not a big amount for short period. You need just to fulfill the application on the web-site.
I don't understand why the phones? Is it the most necessary thing for farmers. Of course the importance of the communication can't be denied, but I guess it's better to make some subsidies. Such big amount of money can be used in better way. But if money is needed for some quick case you can always borrow it. I can recommend a good on-line service that gives money loans. It's a variant to take not a big amount for short period. You need just to fulfill the application on the web-site.
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