Nigeria’s Zimbabwean farmers
Nothing like chicken feed

Why commercial farming in Nigeria is so hard


SEVEN years after 18 white Zimbabwean farmers settled on a chunk of land in Nasawara state at the invitation of the then governor, only one family is still there. All the others have given up in despair. Bruce Spain, aged 35, and his father Colin, 66, together with their doughty wives and a pair of toddlers, are hanging on—but only just.

On flat, dry scrubland two hours’ drive east of Abuja, the capital, the Spains and their Zimbabwean compatriots have experimented with a variety of farming enterprises. But crop yields were dismal, mainly due to poor-quality seed and fertiliser. Spares were hard to get when machinery broke down. The Spains’ last hope is a factory that churns out chicken feed. “Until good seed is available and the theft factor is dealt with there will be very little commercial farming in Nigeria,” says the older Mr Spain.

The litany of problems seems endless. “There’s just no organised marketing here,” says the younger Mr Spain. “No marketing boards, nothing—in Nigeria you’re on your own. In Zimbabwe you knew what your pre-planting price was—and the government guaranteed to buy what you grew. There are no support structures…In Zimbabwe you’d send a soil sample to the fertiliser company and they’d tell you what sort would be best. There’s nothing like that here.”

The Spains have no mains electricity, no piped water, no land-line, no trained labour force, no one handy with basic accountancy, no available research facilities, no easy access to agricultural data. Roads are lousy. Theft is endemic.

The biggest initial headache was persuading a bank to make a long-term loan at less than 20% interest. And when a bank did agree, the money might not come through. “It was always next week, then next week,” says the younger Mr Spain. “That’s the general story in Nigeria.” For two of their first five years they did no farming, due to the lack of bank finance. “You always need contacts,” he sighs. “Corruption can be helpful,” he chuckles. “At least it means if you want something done you can get it done—instantly.”

The older Spains, resilient as ever, have built a neat single-storey house surrounded by a tall electric fence on a rocky outcrop. It is reminiscent of Zimbabwe, where their farm was confiscated; during the guerrilla war, before independence in 1980, their homestead had been burned down. Here in Nigeria, in the searing heat, they sleep peacefully on the veranda under a mosquito net. “We get malaria between three and six times a year.” It seems the least of their worries.

http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21576140-why-commercial-farming-nigeria-so-hard-nothing-chicken-feed?fsrc=scn/tw_ec/nothing_like_chicken_feed

Our leaders should bury their heads in shame and we the followers should open our eyes and stop being pathetic minions to incompetent and inept leaders.

Nigerians aint finding it easy either and we've been at it for years!!! talkless of Zimbabeans who just started coming yesterday

After getting free land from the government, they are still complaining? I am disappointed in them. I thought they would boost us.

Seun: After getting free land from the government, they are still complaining? I am disappointed in them. I thought they would boost us.

Did you read the bolded parts? They are used to government functioning in Zimbabwe, it does not function effectively in Nigeria. It is not rocket science- just people performing their duties. Is that too much to ask for?

They are used to being supported by the government and they cannot survive without being coddled by the government. So let them get the hell out of here. We already have farmers who can't thrive without government coddling; we don't need to import such from Zimbabwe.

After getting free land from the government, they are still complaining? I am disappointed in them. I thought they would boost us.

this is the most stupid post ever stupId

phillip001: this is the most stupid post ever stupId

What's stupid about it? The government never gave me any free land, and I am a Nigerian, so why should they get that plus much more?

Seun: After getting free land from the government, they are still complaining? I am disappointed in them. I thought they would boost us.

You should be disappointed in your Govt and your comments above!
Did they beg Nigeria to come here?!
It is disgraceful...... And the bigger picture and message the interview is sending across is that Nigeria is absolutely shambles!

I am honestly disappointed at Seun's comments and not necessarily in Seun himself. I feel you simply reacted to this thread based on bottled anger at those strangers and not the content itself. Factual substances were stated that depicted the sorry state of our agro-economy and comparison made with other "not-lousy-like-Nigeria" country of Zimbabwe but all you see from the excerpts is just your "Omo-Onile-like and Niger-Delta-like strangers-have-come-to-steal-our-oil" attitude and utterance. I do not expect such from Seun nonetheless. I expect that if he has such reaction, he will lay it out where those strangers are wrong with their inference.

arbitrage: I am honestly disappointed at Seun's comments and not necessarily in Seun himself. I feel you simply reacted to this thread based on bottled anger at those strangers and not the content itself. Factual substances were stated that depicted the sorry state of our agro-economy and comparison made with other "not-lousy-like-Nigeria" country of Zimbabwe but all you see from the excerpts is just your "Omo-Onile-like and Niger-Delta-like strangers-have-come-to-steal-our-oil" attitude and utterance. I do not expect such from Seun nonetheless. I expect that if he has such reaction, he will lay it out where those strangers are wrong with their inference.

I swear, very daft!
I am disappointed in him for that those comments but i cant do much because its his opinion!

We already know that our government is "in shambles". That is not news. What is news is that these guys have nothing to offer us that we don't already have. We don't need their expertise in whining and complaining about the government. We already have that in vast quantities.

Seun: We already know that our government is in shambles. That is not news. What is news is that these guys have nothing to offer us that we don't already have. We don't need their expertise in whining and complaining about the government. We already have that in vast quantities.

They have nothing to offer us... Did they beg to come here?
Did they forcefully grab your land?!

Table Leg: They have nothing to offer us... Did they beg to come here? Did they forcefully grab your land?!

Those are irrelevant questions. They were given free land because we thought they had much to offer us. Now we know better. That's all.

Seun: Those are irrelevant questions. They were given free land because we thought they had much to offer us. Now we know better. That's all.

Ok by giving freeland only, you think they can churn out truck load of maize or tonnes of trailer loaded with cassava on a regular basis?!

What was sold to them about Nigeria and the facilities available after they got kicked out of Zimbabwe?!

Can you thrive in an "agri-business" with the land alone?

They are bloody farmers for God sake .... If social amenities, structures, policies, capital/finances and incentives are lacking or tedious to come by in Nigeria, how do you think that will hinder what they can offer?!

I am particularly interested in knowing what was sold to those farmers about Nigeria before they left Zimbabwe, and i know you wont have answers to that .. But if your Govt promised them everything they need or are used too outhere, then i dont see any reason why you can conclude that they dont have anything to offer us!

I can go on and on ... but i will stop at above for now

Over to you!

The advantages of corruptions; getting stuffs done instantly must be explore by all Nigerians..the farmer is sustaining himself by mastering the system, though they have a long way but I'm sure they will survive if they can tarry a little longer...b4 dey no know say the governor wey bring dem no get plan for their success but for only political reasons...the guy encourage them to drive their Range Rover Sport @ 200km/hr in a "road closed" full of ditches...Dem self come dey tear speed.

Table Leg :


I swear, very daft!
I am disappointed in him for that those comments but i cant do much because its his opinion!

Obviously this is transfered aggression...soon we will know why?

splashbaby: Obviously this is transfered aggression...soon we will know why?

What are you talking about?

I dont have a problem with Seun!

If you want a problem, i can give it to you though

[/quote]

Seun: After getting free land from the government, they are still complaining? I am disappointed in them. I thought they would boost us.

Am also disappointed @ ur comment- ur opinion though- its ur right. The stated peoblems- light, structure, theft, unavailable tools; research materials and finance, spares, seedlings, ill-trained manpower- where not their inventions. Zimbabwe aside(u cld argue its a whiteman creation) check up little black Ethiopia, google their agri-products exchange, its creating dollar millionaires cuz things work. You also re talkin based on personal experience- battling same hindrances wtout govt help and comin out tops. Yet it doesnt mk the system right.

Table Leg :


What are you talking about?

I dont have a problem with Seun!

If you want a problem, i can give it to you though

You can bring it on dude! You will surely have a "Legless Table" after the encounter....I can assure you that.

Politically and socially, nobody wanted them racist in the first place. Oddly, I am kind of glad that it did not work out for them. Now they can pack their bags and get the Bleep outttttttttttttttt.

Oga Seun- Abeg I disagree with you on this. Sorry you can ban me for stating this. Those farmers have just stated the Nigerian factor here.

Seun: They are used to being supported by the government and they cannot survive without being coddled by the government. So let them get the hell out of here. We already have farmers who can't thrive without government coddling; we don't need to import such from Zimbabwe.

Someone has issues with White Zims. U can smell a Pan Africanist and anti - Western imperialist from a thousand miles.
The isshh here is dat the govt is selling false stories to all these foreign investors; increasin middle class, stable power, credit facilites, free trade zones, tax holidays, increased comsumer spending and all.
Alot of Leventis, John Holt companies etc still litters some major cities in Naija; a testimony of failed businesses.

If Seun is defending our indigenious farmers of the perceived competition these white Zims ar comin wit, then it's understandable, but if from a black supremacist point of view; poo.

They shld go bk to their country If they r finding it difficult in naija na

Dreamflyin: If Seun is defending our indigenious farmers of the perceived competition these white Zims ar comin wit, then it's understandable, but if from a black supremacist point of view; poo.

Dreamflyin:

Someone has issues with White Zims. U can smell a Pan Africanist and anti - Western imperialist from a thousand miles.
The isshh here is dat the govt is selling false stories to all these foreign investors; increasin middle class, stable power, credit facilites, free trade zones, tax holidays, increased comsumer spending and all.
Alot of Leventis, John Holt companies etc still litters some major cities in Naija; a testimony of failed businesses.

FOR SURE!
Let them white racist gettt out and go to the uk or germany where their ancestors come from.

We sef no de find anything easy here o...

Seun: After getting free land from the government, they are still complaining? I am disappointed in them. I thought they would boost us.

I don't understand how everyone is angry at this statement
YOU ARE 100% RIGHT!!!

What's silly about it? The government never gave me any free land, and I am a Nigerian, so why should they get that plus much more?

if you are a Nigerian,then you don't need any land from FG.
secondly, are you a farmer? if yes, then you don't know what you need but if no, rest your case bro

This country sef. Does any thing ever work? What of the ones that went to Kwara state? Any latest on them?

If u are starting a business, u'd do ur feasibility studies, have a business plan after discovering what u are up against. Calculate the risk factors taking all variable that affect ur business into consideration. Get valid detailed data/statistics u can base judgment on.

Apparently, they came with a mind of having edge over the local farmers based on govt attention. Now its obvious they didn't expect a leveled playing field. On what soil, under what conditions do d local farmers do their business? What special bank does d local farmers borrow from?

You can't move from one country to another and expect things exactly the same.

In my opinion, they are opportunists seeking easy profits. Real business men face &overcome risks and challenges!

So in my view, seun's comment is not silly.

And pls, I don't understand the below excerpt: who ask you? How many times do the indigenes get d same malaria? Of what relevance is this if not to attract sentiments. Good riddance!

maclatunji:

...“We get malaria between three and six times a year.” It seems the least of their worries.

Syenite: This country sef. Does any thing ever work? What of the ones that went to Kwara state? Any latest on them?

I was of the opinion that those ones are doing better than their Nasarawa counterparts but after reading the following I am not so sure:

Shonga Farmer Facing Bankruptcy – BBC

The popular Shonga Farms has channelled investment to the 13 farmers from a group of Nigerian banks.

For the past few weeks a flood in Lagos has stopped the company that buys all of one of the farmer’s (Mr Jack) milk sending a tanker. The discussion is about the mounting interest rates which the banks now insists Mr Jack pay if he wants more funds.

“It’s been very, very tough,” Mr Jack says. “But if we didn’t think we’d be successful, and that the rewards would come later on, then we wouldn’t do it.”

Importing a dairy farm into Nigeria has been hugely expensive.

Each of the cows which Mr Jack shares with his son-in-law have been flown in from South Africa at a cost $4,000 (£2,400) each. That, coupled with higher running costs, means a pint of milk from this herd costs twice as much as it would in Zimbabwe.

“Nigeria’s never really had agriculture in the last 40-odd years, so no-one really understands agriculture,” he says. “Once we get up and started everything else will fall into place.”

Mr Jack has not given up hope of making money, but says to do so he needs to double the amount of milk he produces.

The third group of farmers have tried to grow crops.

The driving force behind the Shonga Farm project from the Nigerian side was former Kwara State governor Bukola Saraki.

For him the Zimbabwean farmers became a personal project, and he helped to ensure that they received electricity, roads and – crucially in Nigeria – a shortcut through the bureaucracy.

Having served his two terms as governor, Mr Saraki is now a senator.

His successor Abdulfatah Ahmed brushes aside the farmers’ concerns over funding and says he is convinced Shonga Farms is already a success story and a model for the rest of Nigeria.

“They are all Africans and we feel that it doesn’t matter where they’re coming from,” he says.

“We could have brought in Koreans or Chinese. What matters is that they’re bringing in expertise to transform our economy.”

Mr Ahmed says Nigeria’s central bank has recently changed lending terms to favour agriculture, and confidently predicts that over the next five years the country will take large steps to start feeding itself.

Back at Shonga Farms, while the men struggle to make a profit their wives are adjusting slowly to their new lives in rural Nigeria.

“The men work extremely hard so we haven’t got any entertainment. No hairdressers, no shops to go to. Nothing like that.”

http://www.kwaranews.com/home/shonga-farmer-facing-bankruptcy-%E2%80%93-bbc