The problems the grassroot farmers encounter, how agriculture is the main source of survival and poverty alleviation in the rural community. Seeing these problems from the view of rural Tanzanian guinea pea farmers.
Azikel Refinery to commence operations in 2018
Wednesday,
November 2, 2016
Dr.
Eruani Azibapu, a Nigerian businessman who signed into existence Azikel
Refinery with Ventech Engineering LLC in Houston Texas, has expressed optimism
that the project would come on stream in 2018. Eruani, who is the Group
President of Azikel Group, signed on behalf of Azikel Petroleum Nig Ltd,
alongside the Director of Investment and Strategy, Mr Richard Howarth. The
Executive Director Operations, Mr Presley Asemota, the contract for the
construction of a 12,000 BPSD Hydro-skyming Refinery with the world global
leaders of Modular refinery construction/manufacturing, Ventech Engineering LLC
in the United State of America. Azikel Refinery is among the recent 22 licensed
Private refinery by President Mohammad Buhari in 2015, in line with his
administration's goal of creating value for the Nigerian crude oil industry to
achieve self-sufficiency in refined product and employment generation.
Azikel
Refinery, situated adjacent the Gbarain-Ubi Gas Gathering Facility in Bayelsa
State, in Obunagha-Gbarain, Bayelsa State. Observers believe the proximity of
the Azikel Refinery to the feed stock from Shell has given it a very clear
advantage to early start and completion towards meeting the planned
commencement of operations in 2018.
For
its part, Ventech Enginering LLC, the World leader in Modular Refinery
construction, and has manufactured several refineries currently in operation in
different parts of the world. At the contract signing ceremony in Houston, the
President of Ventech, Ian Anderson, emphasised that the firm's usual high
degree of professionalism would be deployed in the construction of the Azikel
Refinery, to ensure that products specifications from the facility meet
international standards. According to him, Azikel Refinery will produce high
value variants of LPG, Petrol, Kerosene, Avaition Fuel, Diesel and Heavy Fuel
Oil. The General Counsel Laura Hotard and The Busines Development Manager, Mr
Brian Swientonioski. The event was witness by executives of international
banks, Export Credit Agencies, US businessmen and organisations as well as the
Nigerian community and friends of Azikel Group in the United States.
The
funding for the refinery has been secured from Exim Bank, Export Credit
Agencies and EPC Project Finance funding. Mr Dada a US based Nigerian, who has
provided international funding of billions of US dollar into Africa was present
at the event in Houston. According to him, securing the funding from
international organisation is the key success factor for the refinery. Dada
said the construction of the project will create immediate economic stimulus in
the Nigerian economy, in addition to creating immediate employment during the
construction phase and long term employment from its operation. Dada expressed
optimism that export credit agencies funds would be available in the US,
European and other parts of the world for viable project like Azikel Refinery
and encourage more Nigerian businesses to follow suit.
Recall
that Azikel Petroleum upon the award of the license to Establish (LTE) in 2015,
demonstrated a strong zeal and focus towards the completion of the refinery.
Among the 22 licenses approval during the period, Azikel Refinery has moved
from the first stage licensing (LTE)to the second Stage licensing of Approval
to Construct (ATC) at the 22 licenses given by government only four private
refinery licenses have been able to secure the second license. Other licensed
refineries include Amakpe International Refinery, Resources Petroleum &
Petrochemicals, Hi Rev Oil LImited and Azikel Petroleum Limited.
Obtaining
the ATC licensing is seen as measure of seriousness and commitment to the
establishment of the refinery. Promoters of Azikel Refinery believe it is still
in the lead of the four other companies, having completed land
clearing/de-stumping of 50 Hectares of land for the refinery, a reclamation/
sand-filling campaign which lasted for over ten months.
Azikel
Refinery plot been completely laid out, with secured fencing completed, roads
and Utilities completes. At the operational site of Azikel Refinery,
construction of Crude Oil feed stock tanks and refined products tanks have
reached a 55% completion. The Execution now of the ISBL Unit, which is the main
Modular Hydro-Skimming Refinery from Ventech, when completion of the
construction and transportation to the site, will keep the project in tight
schedule for operations in the 2018.
Azikel
Group which is the sponsor of Azikel Refinery through Azikel Petroleum is
committed to the creation of employment, industrialization of Nigerian and
sustainability. Azikel Group has create several successful business in the
dredging industry with Azikel Dredging Nigeria Ltd. Azikel Group is also a
player in the Avaition Sector of the Nigerian economy, with operations of
Helicopter Offshore Operations in the Oil and Gas Industry, Schedule and
Unscheduled flights, with the Airline Operation Certificate(AOC) granted to
Azikel Air, the company has created lots of employment. Also Azikel Group aims
at sustaining infrastructural development with Energy sufficiency, the Group is
also investing into power generation. The President Mohamend Buhari,
administration licenses Azikel Power, which is part of Azikel Group, with
on-grid Power generation license of 500MW. It is the hope of Azikel Group, that
Nigeria will be self sufficient in petroleum products and Electricty Generation
and Nigeria will occupy her prided place in the Committe of Nations in Development.
SOURCE: THE SUN
Sustainable Agribusiness & Food Value Chains
Small-scale producers provide over 70% of the world’s food needs, while agribusinesses are one of the main generators of employment and income worldwide. Improving the sustainability of food value chains can massively benefit the rural poor. Florence Tartanac, Senior Officer of the FAO Nutrition and Food Systems Division together with Eva Gálvez Nogales, Agribusiness Economist of the FAO Agricultural Development Economics Division explain the importance of Integrating smallholders into food value chains to reduce poverty and improve food security for millions of poor households in developing countries. They describe the FAO policy work, including key policy messages. This video forms part of a series of policy and governance videos being produced by FAO in 2016.
12 SIGNS YOU HAVE THE WRONG JOB
Having a job is different from enjoying what you do.
Fulfilment should come with how you earn a living. You should be proud of
yourself if you are doing what is right for you. Passion drives success, it’s
easy to stay motivated and inspired if what you find yourself doing is right
for you. There are few signs that could make you know if you have the wrong job
and if you need to consider other options that could be right for you.
Health
hazard: if your job affects your health or makes you sick
all the time, you might need to consider an alternative.
Boredom:
if you are constantly bored at work and you don’t find the process interesting
or beneficial, you might need to consider other options.
Passion:
if you are not passionate about the work you do and you always need an extra
push to do the job right, your job is not right for you.
Unaligned
goals: if your vision and that of your company are
completely different or if you can’t relate to your company’s vision and set
goals, you might need to reconsider your options.
Little
wage:
if what you are being paid is way lower than the work you do, you might also
need to look for a better job.
Time
consuming: if your job doesn’t give you enough time to do
your own thing or spend time with your friends and family, you might need to
quit your job for a better one.
Terrible
boss:
if you work for terrible bosses that always stress you out, quitting might not
be the worst option.
Future
plans: if your job doesn’t give you the opportunity to
improve yourself or do some other life developing projects, you have a wrong
job.
Underutilised
skill: if your skill is being underutilised and you can
do more than you are being asked to do, you can also consider other options.
Better
opportunities: if you have better offers or
opportunities coming your way, quitting your job is understandable.
Terrible
environment: if your colleagues are bizarre and you
find working with them mentally draining, it is a good reason to leave also.
Less
motivation: if your job doesn’t motivate you and you feel you
are not where you are meant to be. Quitting isn’t the worst thing either.
Staying on a wrong job is as worse than staying
jobless. Be sure your job isn’t affecting you negatively and consider quitting
if necessary.
5 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS
As time goes on, there would be need to improve
your business and do some homework to take your business from your present
level to the next level. There are several measures that can be put into
consideration to improve your business and profitability.
BE ACTIVE: for a
business to be successful, you have to be active and consistent. The people you
want to do business with are impatient and there are many competitors out there
who would gladly take your customer away from. Regular availability is a must
if your business is going to keep improving.
OFFER QUALITY: people are particular about the
quality of product and services they go for these days. If you are not willing
to offer good quality services, there are competitors out there who are willing
to give your customers the best services they require. Quality sets you apart
in business. It distinguishes you and helps you keep your customer.
ADD VALUE: there are so many people who do the same
thing that you do. This is why it is important for you to add value to your
service and product. You need to be exceptional if you want people to keep
coming back to you. You have to give them a reason not to go to your
competitors.
MAKE IT EASY: adding opportunities or ways to your
business that makes it easier for your customers is another direction to take.
Be flexible, be dynamic. Delivery services, home services are some of the
strategies you can adopt to improve your business.
OFFER DISCOUNT: as time goes on, when your business
gets better and you make more money, you can consider offering discounts and
different packages that can make your customers happier and that can earn you
referrals.
You can improve your business and take your brand to
the next level if you can adopt the above strategies.
The 3 Decisions That Will Change Your Financial Life
Tony Robbins shares insights from his just-published book, Money Master the Game, about how a trio of choices frame your outlook and influence your chances at success
4 STRATEGIES TO BEAT HARD TIMES
Being an entrepreneur is one of the toughest
situations in the world. It comes with a lot of challenges and problems. So
many decisions and risks have to be taken from time to time. You go through
different emotions as a rising entrepreneur, happiness, stress, anxiety, fear
and many more. It is almost difficult to stay consistent with your emotions.
Facing challenges is a must for any entrepreneur especially in your start up
days. Here are some strategies that can be adopted to go through difficult
times without being swallowed up in it.
BE PURPOSEFUL: when you go through hard times as an
entrepreneur, let your vision motivate you. Your end game and what you need to
achieve should motivate you to keep going. There needs to be something you are
working towards, this is your purpose and this is what you should hold on to
when challenges come knocking.
BE SUPPORTED: having a support system is another way
to go through hard times. Your friends, families, mentors are people you can
talk to for advice and encouragement. Socialising with friends, going out more
often, talking to people with experience can help you go through hard times.
Just make sure your support system truly supports you.
TAKE A BREAK: it might look like you need to keep
pushing or you need to keep searching for answers but at times, a break is all
you need to get things figured. Take a break for work and engage your mind with
other activities. Get refreshed and come back better.
DONT GIVE UP: tough times don’t last, tough people
do. Your mindset is a crucial weapon for beating hard times. Remain optimistic
and steadfast. Don’t let tough situations make you weak. Consistent efforts and
perseverance always break through.
Challenges are inevitable in life, having the right
attitudes and strategies to go through them is what determines the outcome.
Emerging African Entrepreneurs
Emerging African Entrepreneurs Paul Ndiho is a Ugandan – American video journalist/ executive producer, Africa Innovations & Technology based in Washington D.C with interests in innovation, technology and entrepreneurship in Africa. He is passionate about mentorship and developing the next generation of Africa’s young leaders.
Agric: Nigeria to achieve self-sufficiency in food production by 2017
Monday, October 31, 2016
Minister of Agriculture and
Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, is optimistic that the nation will achieve
self sufficiency in food production by 2017.
Ogbeh,
who was represented by a Permanent Secretary, Dr. Shehu Ahmed, last week at a
roundtable meeting of Rice Supply Chain of the Agribusiness Supplier
Development Programme (ASDP) jointly organised by the Ministry, United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) and the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing for
Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), said the Federal Government has banned the
importation of rice and there is currently surplus across the country.
According
to him, this means, it shows that the farmers and all government's policies are
aiding agriculture produce, saying that there have been improvement in the
production of food especially as strategic implementation of government
programmes has helped in reducing post harvest losses in the country.
He
added: "By 2017, Nigeria will be self-sufficient in rice production. We
are getting close as there is improvement on what we have been getting before.
This will boost our economy. The Federal Government had approved the Growth
Enhancement Support Scheme (GES) for input supply to farmers and the Ministry
was working with the African Development Bank (AfDB) to reposition the Staple
Crop Processing Zone."
He
hinted that rice value chain was topmost in the agenda in attracting both local
and world class companies to invest in the sector, adding that the
implementation of the Agribusiness Supplier Development Programme would lead to
an increase availability of domestic agro-inputs supply, enhance production and
reduce post harvest losses.
The
minister reiterated the readiness of the Ministry to support and encourage the
private sector to take the lead, giving assurance that government will provide
the enabling environment through policy constituency, appropriate legislation
and oversight to ensure effective diversification, import substitution and food
security in the nation.
The
Representative of the Country Director of the United Nations Development
Programme, Dr. Robert Asogwa, said that there was renewed interest and
priorization of rice production and processing by governments at the national
and state levels.
He
stated that rice and cassava are two crops with enormous comparative advantage
across the country, which can generate economic multiplier benefits. Saying
that improving productivity in agriculture required new strategies and creative
solutions.
He
said food self sufficiency, predictable foreign exchange earnings and
stimulated industrial and manufacturing production would be achieved if the key
supply constraints in the agricultural sector is addressed.
He
maintained that the African Agribusiness Supplier Development Programme would
improve the productivity of small holder farmers and link them to off-takers.
Meanwhile,
the Niger State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Aliyu
Abdullahi, said the state government was working towards developing the entire
rice value chain to boost the quality of rice cultivated locally.
He
said the state was endowed with abundant land, water and human resources that
could be harnessed for increased productivity of rice to satisfy local demand
and for exportation.
SOURCE: THE SUN
DRIVING INNOVATIONS IN AGRICULTURE / EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES IN AGRI BUSINESS
Different agribusiness ideas, innovations directed towards poverty alleviation and economic sustainability.
5 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR CONSULTANCY BUSINESS
SPECIALIZATION IS REQUIRED: it is important for you
to understand yourself and know what you are capable of giving people. You can’t
be vague about the types of services you can offer if you want people to do
business with you. Establishing professionalism is crucial. Know your area of
expertises and don’t try to go beyond your limit while establishing your
business. This will give you the opportunity to map out your target audience
without wasting time.
ONLINE PRESENCE: in the world of today, the
conventional way is no longer efficient to do business. Having a good website
and developing online strategies needed to attract the types of audience you
need is crucial if you are going to do business successfully. Coming up with
good content and finding ways to demystify your information are strategies you
need to adopt to place your business at the peak.
NETWORKING: this is a crucial factor for every type
of business out there today. It is important to network if you want to increase
your business potentials. Collaborating with experts in related fields and
coming up with beneficial ideas are some of the ways one can network properly.
KEEP LEARNING: the world keeps changing, growth and
development are inevitable. This implies that as a consultant, you have to be
well informed. Keep learning and keep growing. You need to keep getting better
at what you do and keep improving your knowledge and understanding. This will
help you stay relevant and up to date in the business.
Consultancy business has its benefits, aside from
making money, you get to help people and at the same time, develop yourself.
Putting efforts into doing your business right guarantees you success and
improvement.
How to Start A Business in Agriculture, in Nigeria.
Explore the endless possibilities in agriculture in Nigeria. Hear from the players in the industry and learn about available opportunities you can take advantage to start your agriculture business today.
4 STRATEGIES AGAINST BUSINESS DISTASTERS
Its okay to think your business cannot run down but
then, terrible things do happen. No matter how much resources or efforts goes
into starting up your business and running it effectively, something could
always go run along the way. Here are few ideas on how to prepare for failure
or business disasters and making sure you are not sinking at your first punch.
SAFETY PLANS: there should be plans in place in case
of emergency situations. Every business or outlet should consider safety
measures for lives and properties when setting out for business. Design your
business in such a way that there are safety measures in place in case of
emergency.
BACK UP PLANS: it is also important to have back up
for your files, documents and all important programs. This ensures that you
have something to fall back on when a disaster happens. This is mostly
applicable for e business and e commerce set ups.
RE-EXAMINE AFFECTED ITEMS: amidst disaster, people
get carried away that they completely ignore or neglect valuables. This
shouldn’t be so, things might not be as bad as they seem. Items should be re
examined to know if they are completely damaged or could be reprocessed.
DONT BE DISCOURAGED: challenges and problems are inevitable
in life, it is important for you as an entrepreneur not to be discouraged.
Brace yourself up, calculate your lose and find a way to come back. Ofcourse you
have to learn from your mistakes and work on preventing future reoccurrence.
Disasters happen but it doesn’t have to kick you
down. You can dust yourself up and keep on going. Success is never for the
weak.
Yobe to flood Nigerian markets with vegetables - Agric. Commissioner
Sunday, October 30, 2016
The Yobe commissioner for agriculture, Mustapha
Gajerima, on Sunday, said anticipated bumper harvest of vegetables from the
state, would make vegetables available and affordable in Nigerian markets.
Gajerima in Dayama, Yobe, said that the state
recorded increased irrigation farming of onions, pepper and tomatoes this
season.
"This season looks very different and promising
right from the flowering to the yields, there are indications of very good harvests.
"The other advantage we have this season, is
that many people have engaged in irrigation farming, starting with vegetables
after which they will go into crop cultivation.
"I have personally cultivated 11 hectares of
onions, pepper and tomatoes here in Dayama which also provides training
programme to youth with interest in farming.
"Some national legislators, members of the
state assembly, my colleagues in the state executive council and elites have
also engaged in irrigation farming to promote food security, job creation and
revenue generation" he said.
Gajerima said the growing number of irrigation,
livestock and fish farmers in the state would increase production to meet the
food, beef, dairy and fish needs of Yobe and beyond.
"We will commence harvest of the vegetables
this week. We are expecting two more harvests after which we will cultivate
rice and wheat on the same farm under the irrigation scheme" the
commissioner said.
He assured that government will encourage farmers
with inputs to irrigate the basins along the 765 km Yobe river.
"Irrigation farming looks more promising here
in the state, we will make good use of the available resources to ensure food
security and diversify the economy" Gajerima said. (NAN)
SOURCE: VANGUARD
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