I had this interesting exchange with the beautiful and brilliant lady MzJackBaueress last night.

MzJackBaueress

Cry me a lagoon Ngwakwe!

Adeshina deserves it! He is the best performing minister in Jonathan's cabinet and Buhari has acknowledged it with through his reference.

Lalasticlala,front page biko! Adeshina needs to be celebrated.

JuanDeDios

Adeshina wasn't the best performing minister of GEJ's. Far from it

MzJackBaueress

who was then?

JuanDeDios

Jonathan had only one good minister - Olusegun Aganga. There are no concrete achievements of Adeshina's to point to. He failed to address the fundamental problems of agriculture. Making noise all about and taking pictures with D'banj doesn't make you a good minister.

MzJackBaueress

You lie!
Every Nigerian,I mean every nigerian knows that Adeshina is the best performing minister in Jonathan's cabinet.
You don't have any concrete proof that he is not the best minister. Not one!!

JuanDeDios

Hahahahahahaha
So this is your response to what I wrote. Well, I have heard a lot of people use this phrase, which by the way is common with fallacies, to describe Adeshina - "Everybody knows. . ." You, like them, didn't task your brain to try to lay a finger on his CONCRETE achievements. You didn't ask me what the fundamental problems with our agric are. I bet you don't even know anything about Aganga's humongous achievements. I guess it's easier to form opinion based on what "everybody" is saying and from seeing someone hugging cameras everywhere without making intelligent assessments for oneself. Goodnight.

______
I often hear “everybody” go on and on about Akinwumi Adeshina. So as someone who’s passionate about agriculture, I have opened this thread to educate myself on the young man’s achievements.

Let me give some background to this to kick off the discussion:

Rural subsistence agriculture: When I was a kid, there was this epidemic that used to sweep the village. Call it goat flu. Whenever it struck, 90-98% of the goats in the village would die. Thirty-something years on I still recall the despair in my grandmother’s face the night her favourite black goat succumbed and breathed its last. The epidemic lasted for weeks, maybe months, yet there was no single government person, from the state or local government, who visited the village to render advice or assistance. Today, thirty-something years later, where are we? Do these rural folks have any phone number they can call upon when this sort of epidemic is raging, killing their goats or chickens? No.

Marketing of agric produce: Joko Oshikanlu, a leading cassava farmer, once narrated how Nigerian farmers were plunged into poverty in 2001 or 2002 (not sure of the exact year now) when the price of cassava crashed so badly that many of them left their tubers on the ground unharvested. Most Nigerians did not even notice – I guess they were just happy “garium” had become “sara”. But the following year we all paid the price because most cassava farmers did not plant and the price or garri went through the roof after Nigeria started to import garri from Benin republic! In serious countries, that is, countries with functional agricultural policies, you can tell how much your crops will sell for at the point of planting. This is achieved through the instrumentality of marketing boards and government guarantees. That is why I nearly flew in the air when I heard that APC ad about “just plant, government buys!” I hope they do it.

Support systems for farming: In serious societies, if you move into a virgin land and are considering what to grow on it or what animals to keep on it, you will pick up soil samples and send it to a laboratory, usually run by the agric ministry but may also be owned by your local university or a private company. The lab will tell you all you need to know about the sand – type, water retention and humidity, temperature – and the type of crop(s) that will thrive on that soil as well as the fertiliser you should use. Or whether you can keep snails on it or use it for cows. What do we have in Nigeria after five years of Adeshina?

Funding: Farmers still can’t get funds in Nigeria. Forget all the noise they make.

Agriculture Data: Farmers need data for planning. I had expected Mr Adeshina to link up with the Federal Office of Statistics to work on this. Some progress has been made here but we are still far from the ideal.

Seeds: Availability of quality seeds is still a huge problem in Nigeria.

Mechanised farming: If you buy some expensive machinery for farming in Nigeria today, you are on your own if it breaks down because you will find no spare parts to buy. There ought to be a system in place to support this.

No, I’m not talking about first world countries only. Some African countries poorer than Nigeria do have all the above.

All I have heard concerning Adeshina is fertiliser this, fertiliser that. As if agriculture is all about maize planting. Countless rural farmers are still not getting the fertilisers anyway. Not that you can’t do agriculture without fertiliser. Fertilizer is just one component.

Another achievement was the cassava bread launched with fanfare by the president. Who has seen it? I haven’t and I live in the city. I wonder if it’s village folks that have access to them.

What else did the man do again? They say rice production has increased but in a country where government lies a lot I won’t be surprised if this is a figment of someone’s imagination. Whenever I go the markets in Lagos all I see is an array of imported rice. But I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt on this. Afterall, i am not saying Mr Adeshina has not made significant achievements in fertiliser and one or two other areas. I’m only saying he has failed to address the fundamental problems of the sector, of which I have highlighted a few basic ones. But maybe the rice is coming. It just hasn’t yet – let’s not lie about that. This morning I ate imported rice with soup made with imported turkey. Oh, someone said we should make CONSCIOUS effort to find and eat local rice. Maybe we should make economics compulsory subject.

So what did Adeshina do again?

Please state them, making your case intelligently. Use facts, not conjectures.

The dangers of GMO as well, Monsanto and all the other big corporations are raking in billions. People need to get abreast of the evils of GMO.
It was under his watch this wide spread use of GMO seeds was embraced.

The Minister might be a brilliant administrator but he was too close to the corporations for my liking.
http://newsrescue.com/nigeria-agriculture-minister-introducing-gmo-seeds-danger-farmers-consumers/#axzz3Z5A45IoC

During the low oil price crisis despite the depression of Naira, Agricultural products where still in its normal price.

This credit shouldn't be given to Adesina but due hate towards GEJ, we fail to appreciate his efforts.

Thanks you know. ...

I think u are right I keep hearing that he is the best butt im puzzled as to what he did.

Sir that is nothing of his power or might. he didnt go to d market to tell d traders to sell low or neither did he go to d north to tell d onion lorries to supply in low cost. I dont think it has anything to do wit gej. there r grapevine talks about his works im yet to find out about.

ifyan:
During the low oil price crisis despite the depression of Naira, Agricultural products where still in its normal price.

This credit shouldn't be given to Adesina but due hate towards GEJ, we fail to appreciate his efforts.

Thanks you know. ...

GMB my HERO!
AMEACHI my ROLE MODEL!!

JuanDeDios:
I had this interesting exchange with the beautiful and brilliant lady MzJackBaueress last night.

.

Ain't nothing brilliant about dat woman.

Back to topic, I have continually drummed it into thick skulls and sentimental minds that Adeshina is just a regular joe and there is nothing sterling in his performance!

we keep eating foreign rice, foreign produced and packaged tin tomatoes, geisha, sardines, vegetable oil, etc yet some dudes will keep howling at the top of their voices that the minister is the next best thing after slice bread.

His greatest ahievement to me was the way he manage the massive flood period......there was a great fear of total food shortage but it wasn't so

Do you know that food prices have been relatively stable despite devaluation of the naira?

Did you notice any 'astronomical' increase in food prices during the festive period?

Do you know how food crisis was managed despite the 2013 flood crises?

Have u heard of the e-wallet system to deliver fertilizer and improved seed varieties directly to farmers?

Do you know that more farmers can access loans now @ least compared to before (agricultural lending as a share of
total bank lending rose from 0.7 % to 5% within
two years)?

Do you know that many wealthy nigerians have started to look seriously into agriculture? Eg Tony Elumelu etc

Do you know that new foreign investors are seriously looking @ agriculture in nigeria? Eg The largest
development bank in the world, KfW of
Germany just invested 30 million euros in the
$100 million Fund for Financing Agriculture in
Nigeria, the first-ever private equity fund
for agriculture in the history of Nigeria

Have u heard of the scams revolving around fertilizer in nigeria and how this have been significantly reduced ( though still a lot of work has to be done)?

Have u noticed the relative stability in prices of vegetables ( tomato, pepper, leaves cucmber etc ) ever heard of dry season farming?

Do you know that cocoa and cashew export by nigeria has increased( increased foreign exchange earnings) compared to past years?

Have you heard of The Staple Crop Processing Zone (SCPZ) ( though not yet reached it full capacity )

Have you heard of Agricultural Equipment Hiring Enterprises, AEHE initiated and in 2014 with a 2year plan some
states eg Zamfara have started benefiting form it?

Have you heard of Akinwumi Adesina Magaga
Irrigation Farm initiated by an 'APC governor
In honor of the 'PDP' minister?


Do you know the effect of some of this program recently initiated eg SCPZ, AEHE wld still take time to reflect that's if the incoming administration can follow thru?



NB: Am indifferent about the agric minister and I won't tell you he is the 'best' performing minister but I can say that compared to past agric ministers...........

Op I also feel the issues resolved by Mr Adeshina could be said to be scratching the surface of the problems in the Agricultural sector of the country and actually nothing spectacular but his e-wallet system broke the barrier between the government and the farmers

jemype:
Sir that is nothing of his power or might. he didnt go to d market to tell d traders to sell low or neither did he go to d north to tell d onion lorries to supply in low cost. I dont think it has anything to do wit gej. there r grapevine talks about his works im yet to find out about.

My bro you are truly funny appreciating the workers of a company but failing to thank the management for a job well done.

Seriously l think you are funny.

You know. ....

oluks05:
Do you know that food prices have been relatively stable despite devaluation of the naira?

Did you notice any 'astronomical' increase in food prices during the festive period?

Do you know how food crisis was managed despite the 2013 flood crises?

Have u heard of the e-wallet system to deliver fertilizer and improved seed varieties directly to farmers?

Do you know that more farmers can access loans now @ least compared to before (agricultural lending as a share of
total bank lending rose from 0.7 % to 5% within
two years)?

Do you know that many wealthy nigerians have started to look seriously into agriculture? Eg Tony Elumelu etc

Do you know that new foreign investors are seriously looking @ agriculture in nigeria? Eg The largest
development bank in the world, KfW of
Germany just invested 30 million euros in the
$100 million Fund for Financing Agriculture in
Nigeria, the first-ever private equity fund
for agriculture in the history of Nigeria

Have u heard of the scams revolving around fertilizer in nigeria and how this have been significantly reduced ( though still a lot of work has to be done)?

Have u noticed the relative stability in prices of vegetables ( tomato, pepper, leaves cucmber etc ) ever heard of dry season farming?

Do you know that cocoa and cashew export by nigeria has increased( increased foreign exchange earnings) compared to past years?

Have you heard of The Staple Crop Processing Zone (SCPZ) ( though not yet reached it full capacity )

Have you heard of Agricultural Equipment Hiring Enterprises, AEHE initiated and in 2014 with a 2year plan some
states eg Zamfara have started benefiting form it?

Have you heard of Akinwumi Adesina Magaga
Irrigation Farm initiated by an 'APC governor
In honor of the 'PDP' minister?


Do you know the effect of some of this program recently initiated eg SCPZ, AEHE wld still take time to reflect that's if the incoming administration can follow thru?



NB: Am indifferent about the agric minister and I won't tell you he is the 'best' performing minister but I can say that compared to past agric ministers...........

My bro thanks.

You know. ......