WASIL, BIF collaborate to boost maize, soybean production

The West Africa Soy Industries Limited, a subsidiary of the WACOT Limited a member of the TIG Group and Business Innovation Facility (BIF) has collaborated to boost maize and soybean production through the training of 15,000 farmers in Kastina and Kaduna on ways to enhance their productivity.
This was disclosed recently in Kastina, during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of the partnership on improving the country’s maize production.
“WASIL and BIF through the collaboration will create new farmers’ associations and cooperatives alongside expansion of existing cooperatives. Facilitate the involvement and support of relevant public agencies and state governments in formation and registration of cooperatives and self-help groups,” said Ujwalkanta Senapati, managing director, WACOT Limited.
“It will also ensure inclusion of registered farmers into the national farmers’ database and also conduct a joint exercise to mobilize and strengthen farmer cooperatives in areas such as conflict resolution, group functioning, record keeping,” Senapati said.
Under the agreement, BIF will provide WASIL with technical assistance in realizing its objectives. Also, the agreement will help build data base of farmers and cooperatives in Maize and soybean value chain.
While WACOT is expected to provide its current database of existing cooperatives which had been formed earlier, BIF will support the Group in designing a pre-assessment survey form to assess the farmers’ socio –economic conditions, determine the sample size and assist with getting the same administered on ground.
Also speaking during the signing of the MoU, Sadiq Kassim, general manager, corporate affairs of TIG Group said “WASIL is currently working with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development and the Central Bank of Nigeria under the food security programme to improve the productivity of maize and soybeans farmers in a replicable manner.”
“The company has commenced the setting up of a large oil milling facility in Nigeria which will provide off-take of Soybeans from out-grower farmers while its affiliate company, CHI Farms will procure maize for its feed milling activities from the out-grower farmers as well,” Kassim said.
He noted the initiative is targeted to reach 14,000 farmers in Katsina and 1,000 in Kaduna in this cropping season.
Senapati further disclosed that the agreement includes training and capacity building for maize and soybean farmers.
According to him, WASIL will assist BIF in setting up a project office in Funtua, Katsina State and BIF will provide Soybean and maize crops’ experts as resource persons to develop manuals and training resources for the farmers.

 

Josephine Okojie