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Don proffers solution to fertilizer problem
- By Super Admin
- Published 04/17/2008
- Newsday Weekly
- Unrated
Prof. Placid Njoku, former Vice-Chancellor of Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike, has called for a public-private sector partnership in fertiliser procurement.
Njoku told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the approach was the only viable option of meeting the over 250-million-tonne fertilizer requirement in the country.
He said that a major factor hindering the availability of fertiliser was the users' expectations that the federal government ought to provide all the fertiliser requirements of the country.
``The three tiers of government cannot afford to procure the required amount of fertiliser, as other areas calling for attention will suffer if they do,'' he said.
Njoku, therefore, advised the government to start a process of quitting fertiliser procurement by creating a conducive environment for private investors to participate in fertiliser procurement and supplies.
He said that the proposed arrangement would be cost-effective ``because the private sector would
never allow the kind of abuse that existed in the government distribution system to happen.
``Because of investors' funds, every movement of the fertiliser would be monitored to ensure that it gets to the end users,'' he said. Besides, Njoku decried the use of three brands of fertiliser in the country in the past 30 years.
According to him, the soil needs to be treated and tested for fertilizer usage because nutrients differ from one ecological zone to the other.
``This is because if Urea/NPK works in Enugu, it does not mean that it will work in Maiduguri or other
parts of the country,'' he added.
Njoku stressed the need for the government to focus more attention on fertiliser application processes because of its consequences on the environment and soil health. ``Over 70 per cent of Nigeria's farmlands were depleted of soil nutrients. It is, therefore, important to tailor fertiliser application to soil
nutrients and contents,'' he said.
He also stressed that improving seeds with nutrients to produce the needed grains must also be part of the country's agricultural development programme. (NAN)
Njoku told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the approach was the only viable option of meeting the over 250-million-tonne fertilizer requirement in the country.
He said that a major factor hindering the availability of fertiliser was the users' expectations that the federal government ought to provide all the fertiliser requirements of the country.
``The three tiers of government cannot afford to procure the required amount of fertiliser, as other areas calling for attention will suffer if they do,'' he said.
Njoku, therefore, advised the government to start a process of quitting fertiliser procurement by creating a conducive environment for private investors to participate in fertiliser procurement and supplies.
He said that the proposed arrangement would be cost-effective ``because the private sector would
never allow the kind of abuse that existed in the government distribution system to happen.
``Because of investors' funds, every movement of the fertiliser would be monitored to ensure that it gets to the end users,'' he said. Besides, Njoku decried the use of three brands of fertiliser in the country in the past 30 years.
According to him, the soil needs to be treated and tested for fertilizer usage because nutrients differ from one ecological zone to the other.
``This is because if Urea/NPK works in Enugu, it does not mean that it will work in Maiduguri or other
parts of the country,'' he added.
Njoku stressed the need for the government to focus more attention on fertiliser application processes because of its consequences on the environment and soil health. ``Over 70 per cent of Nigeria's farmlands were depleted of soil nutrients. It is, therefore, important to tailor fertiliser application to soil
nutrients and contents,'' he said.
He also stressed that improving seeds with nutrients to produce the needed grains must also be part of the country's agricultural development programme. (NAN)
