ThriveAgric partners Mercy Corps to launch its first multipurpose grain cleaning and milling facility in Gombe

ThriveAgric, a leading agri-tech company committed to advancing food security in Africa in collaboration with Mercy Corps has unveiled its Multipurpose Grain Facility project in Nasarawo Industrial Layout in Gombe State.

The project, which is under the Feed the Future Nigeria Rural Resilience Activity (RRA) initiative is intended to enhance the local economy, empower smallholder farmers and improve the agricultural value chain.

It Is also expected to contribute to Nigeria’s self-sufficiency and economic diversification goals.

As part of the project, a multipurpose rice cleaning and milling facility was established at the layout.

Inaugurating the facility on Wednesday, Gov. Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State who was represented by the state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Animal Husbandry and Cooperatives, Dr Barnabas Malle, said that the facility would help to reduce post-harvest losses.

Yahaya said that such losses often caused huge financial losses to smallholder farmers.

He said that the project would complement the State Government’s commitment toward strengthening agriculture and enhancing the lives of smallholder farmers.

He said that rice production plays a crucial role in food security and local livelihoods.

“Our farmers have often faced serious challenges, from post- harvest losses to limited access to modern facilities.

“This new facility, made possible through the collaborative efforts of ThriveAgric and Mercy Corps under the RRA, is a direct response to these challenges.

“It will enhance our ability to process rice efficiently, improve the quality of our yields, and minimise losses that impact both income and food availability.

“This is a catalyst for economic growth as this facility is set to create value addition to the commodity,” he said.

The governor commended ThriveAgric and Mercy Corps for their support, adding that it would reduce poverty and ensure farmers get good returns on their investment.

The Chief Executive Officer of ThriveAgric, Mr Uka Eje, said the initiative was one of the many partnerships aimed at supporting smallholder farmers through value addition.

Eje said that value addition remains a necessary tool to helping farmers to earn more from their labour.

According to him, the project launch symbolises ThriveAgric’s commitment to building an Africa that feeds itself and the world, adding that “by enabling local processing, we’re addressing a core challenge in the agricultural value chain – post-harvest losses while empowering farmers with the tools needed to produce high-quality grains that command better market prices.

“For us, we want to make sure that the farmers are rightly incentivised to go back to farming in order to earn more.
“Agriculture is beyond a cultural activity, it is largely commerce and through this work and initiative, we want to ensure that it is profitable commerce for the smallholder farmers.

“This launch is a groundbreaking achievement as ThriveAgric’s first multipurpose grain cleaning and milling facility.

“We’re not just building infrastructure; we’re creating a sustainable solution that positions Nigerian agriculture for greater economic impact and resilience,” he said.
He said that the rice processing facility would impact 20,000 farmers directly and indirectly.

Also, the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Manager of Mercy Corps, Mr Shadrack Gideon, said that the initiative was business model to help drive investment into the state.
Gideon further said that the move would improve smallholder farmers’ incomes, hence he urged them to embrace the initiative.

A rice farmer from Billiri, Mrs Blessing Stephen, said the initiative would greatly assist smallholder farmers, reduce wastage during rice processing, improve rice quality and farmers’ incomes.

Stephen said: “I am happy that we now have this facility where we can clean and process our rice to look like foreign one, this will help us to sell them quickly with more profits.

“It usually took me months to process 100 bags of paddy rice manually.

“And because of the stress, I ended up selling them at give away prices, but now within days I can process all my paddies.”
Our Correspondent reports that the multipurpose grain cleaning and milling facility which is a state-of-the-art facility with a processing capacity of 15-20 metric tonnes will enhance the quality of grains such as rice, maize, and millet by removing impurities like stones and dirt.

The advanced equipment, including temperature and humidity control systems will also ensure that farmers can access premium markets with a projected income increase of up 30 per cent.

With over 50 local job opportunities directly created through the new facility, and an additional boost for agri-SMEs engaged with the One-Stop Shops, the project is set to drive economic empowerment, especially for women and youth.

ThriveAgric partners Mercy Corps to launch its first multipurpose grain cleaning and milling facility in Gombe

YOSG debunks the allegation of ₦3.8 billion expenditure on sitting allowance, presidential charlets

By: Yahaya Wakili

Yobe state government has debunked the alledged story published by Sahara Reporter that zero expenditure on basic education while $3.8bn was expended on sitting allowance and construction of presidential charlets in Yobe state.

In a press statement issued and signed by Alhaji Mamman Mohammed, Director General Press and Media Affairs, to Governor Mai Mala Buni CON, made available to newsmen in Damaturu.

Mamman said, Journalism is no doubt a noble profession that seeks to inform and educate the public objectively and, obviously, a veritable tool that promotes accountability in governance for the common good of the people. However, it becomes a poison when wrongly used to parade deliberate lies and falsehood with flagrant abuse to its laid-down ethics.

The statement further said, In an attempt to garnish the flask, a document was deliberately published in tiny and almost unreadable characters that are very unfriendly and discouraging for readers to read the content.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Yobe state government had in the last three quarters of the year expended over $3 billion on procurement of instructional materials and rehabilitation of classrooms and hostels in over 10 schools. Noted that the sum of over $1.5 billion was paid for tuition and registration fees, while another $3.5 billion was paid to UBEC as counterpart funds, to mention but a few.

Adding that, for those who took the pain to thoroughly scan the document, it showed the sitting allowance and construction expenditure reflected, while the alleged zero expenditure on basic education expenditure is conspicuously missing and not reflected for the reader to make an independent comparison, assessment, and judgement.

According to him, using one’s common sense of judgment, zero expenditure on basic education suggests that all schools in the state are closed. In contrast to the unholy suggestion by the publication, schools across Yobe State have indeed recorded an increase in enrolment generally and are running with great improvement.

YOSG debunks the allegation of ₦3.8 billion expenditure on sitting allowance, presidential charlets

Zulum Pledges Enhanced Trade and Business Cooperation with Chad

By: Bodunrin Kayode

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has expressed commitment to the strengthening of economic ties with the Republic of Chad in a bid to revive trade and socio-economic activities disrupted by the lingering Boko Haram insurgency.

The Governor made the announcement while hosting a Chadian delegation led by General Abdulkarim Idris Derby Itno, who visited to express sympathy over the recent flood disaster in Maiduguri.

During the visit, Zulum assured that he would pay a reciprocal visit to Chad to meet with President Mahamat Idris Derby Itno to discuss regional economic and trade issues.

“I will soon pay a visit to Chad to discuss matters of mutual interest, particularly the restoration of waterway transport between Baga town and Chad to facilitate commerce,” Zulum stated.

In addition to trade, Zulum said he would coordinate with the chambers of commerce of Chad and northeastern Nigeria to bolster economic partnership between the two countries.

In a statement signed by his spokesman Dauda Ilya, the Governor hinted that he intends to fast track the planned repatriation of Nigerian citizens currently taking refuge in Baga Sola, Chad.

Zulum commended President Derby’s leadership in the fight against Boko Haram and extended his condolences over the recent loss of Chadian troops ambushed and killed by daredevil insurgents at the fringes of the lake Chad.

Responding, General Abdelkarim Idris Derby Itno conveyed President Derby’s sympathy to the people of Borno following the recent flooding.

He described people of Borno and Chad as one who share similar cultures and traditions.

According to him, the President is personally leading the war against Boko Haram following the brutal killing of over 40 soldiers by insurgents.

Zulum Pledges Enhanced Trade and Business Cooperation with Chad