Peeping at the Research and Development Centres: IAR, NAERLS and NIHORT Successful Fight Against Tuta Absoluta on Tomato Production in Nigeria II

Peeping at the Research and Development Centres: IAR, NAERLS and NIHORT Successful Fight Against Tuta Absoluta on Tomato Production in Nigeria II

The outbreak of Tuta Absoluta in the country resulted into colossal loss of billions of Naira worth of incomes to small-scale tomato producers across the nation. The problem became so alarming that the authority, the tomato producers and indeed the whole nation were disturbed and looking for succor in all directions. It was apparent that something urgent has to be done to curtail the menace otherwise the situation could be calamitous. It was at this moment of urgency that three agricultural research Institutes woke up to the occasion and deployed their expertise to bring succor to the nation. Two of the three Institutes are Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) and National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS). They are both Ahmadu Bello University based research centres under the strict supervision of Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Abuja and coordination of Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN). The duo set up a multi-disciplinary   team of scientists to conduct a study of the Tuta Absoluta affected areas. The study was aimed at identifying the problems, their solutions and measures to prevent future occurrence. The team was similarly expected to ascertain the nature and severity of the moth attack.

The team had to use a combination of research methods to successfully accomplish the task within the time frame of one month allocated to it. Scientific field survey techniques such as Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRR), Focus Group discussion, and key informant interview and questionnaire administration were employed for the study. Three locations in three local government areas were purposely selected as samples of the Tuta Absoluta affected areas. Similarly, a major tomato market was visited in Sabon Gari Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Some of the visited tomato production areas were Galama River Irrigation Scheme in Zaria Local Government Area, Fadama areas in Nasarawa Buhari, Sabon Gari Local Government Area and Maraban Guga in Giwa Local Government Area. Others included Ikara, Kubau and Soba LGAs. At the end of the study, an impressive result was obtained that led to the control of the menace.

IAR and NAERLS assiduously worked to curtail the Tuta menace in the north, which was the most affected area in the country. In similar vein, National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT) was worked through massive campaign to address the problem. NIHORT is the only Horticultural Research Institute in Nigeria and West African with a mandate to carry out research on fruits, vegetables, spices and ornamental plants. NAERLS has the national mandate for disseminating agricultural technologies while IAR has the mandate, amongst other research activities, for improving the faming systems and agricultural practices in North West States of Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Kastina, Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi States. The concerted efforts of the three Institutes revealed the gravity of the Tuta menace as well as offered management techniques for its control.

The study revealed the infested crops as tomato, pepper, Cucumber and carrots. The larvae heavily mined leaves of the plants leaving dry patches and ragged. In most cases the plants were completely defoliated. Within two days of attack, some of the fields were completely devastated leaving a seemingly fire-scorched field. Most fields experienced 100% loss so much so that the farmers abandoned the fields. Where fruits were produced, there were holes and crevices, which served as entry points for soft rot pathogens. Thus, the fruits rotted thereby reducing the market value. Infested cucumber leave looked crinkled, withered, distorted and scorched particularly the younger parts; while the older leaves showed evidence of being mined. Fruits from affected portions develop white skin, skin, become gritty and hard. Such fruits develop bitter taste. Again, the study found that the Tuta larva was voraciously feeding mesophyll tissues, producing large galleries in leaves, burrowing in stalks, and consuming apical buds and green and ripe fruits, which caused a substantial loss of tomato production. In addition, Tuta was suspected to be a vector of virus disease. This is because some of the infected tomato plants on the fields were stunted and showed virus symptoms.

At the end of the field study conducted by IAR and NAERLS, recommendations were made for the farmers to control the infestation. The recommendations are classified into short, medium and long-term measures: The short measures are:

Ø  Application of systemic insecticides e.g. chlorpyrifos, imidacloprid, indoxacarb, Tihan (Spirotetramat + flubendimide), The insecticides should be applied late in the evening NOT in the morning in correct recommended rates (actives ingredient(s) concentration)

Ø  Tomato should be rotated with non-susceptible crops crops to break the pests cycle.

Ø  Burning residues of infested crops and clearing alternate hosts to maintain Field hygiene.

Ø  Adopting Tomato close season in which all residues to tomato plants of previous season will be burnt and discarded to prevent the continuity of the pest.

The Medium-Term Measures are:

Ø  Further research work involving both laboratory and field studies of the Tuta insect in order to understand its biology in Nigeria

Ø  Conduct on-station and on-farm trials using candidate insecticides and integrated management strategies to manage the pest.

Ø  Conduct training sessions to train farmers to understand the biology of the insect and cultural strategies that will help in managing the pest in a sustainable manner. Training should be conducted at States’ ADP zonal levels.      

The Long term Measure involves:

Ø  Undertake efficacy evaluation of different control options individually and in various combinations to come up with an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) package with little or no probability of resistance development by the organism

Ø  Source for alternative pesticides to be substituting/rotating with the available pesticides currently in use to avert resistant strains development,

Ø  Monitor the pest population by trapping to determine when to commence pesticide application

Ø  Monitor the adoption of recommended management practices extended to farmers/ training offered and

Ø   Detect promptly development of resistance to any/some insecticide(s) to allow for quick rotation of insecticides.

While some of these measures were being promoted, NIHORT was vigorously sensitizing farmers on the effective control of the Tuta menace. The sensitization involved the use of campaign materials to educate farmers. Some of the strategies contained in the campaign materials are:

Ø  Use of Trapping: Adult Tuta population are monitored right from nursery to the field continuously to detect infestation before damage becomes severe by setting up Tuta Trap Tray (TTT) to attract and kill adult moth. A wide tray of about 5 cm deep can serve as TTT. The tray is filled with water plus small quantity of detergent and a flat stone placed at the centre of the tray to sit a rechargeable lamp. The tray must be placed on the soil between plants in the field. The lamp should be put on to attract adults in the night when they mate and lay eggs.

Ø  Use of parasitoid and predator: parasitoid is an insect that develops on or within the body of another insect called a host and eventually kills the host.  Predator is an insect that feeds on other insects. Both parasitoid and predator are natural enemies of Tuta Absoluta that can kill the moth before it becomes menace. NIHORT have identified three parasitoids and four predators on Tuta Absoluta in Nigeria.

Ø  Use of Bio-pesticides: Bacillus thuringiensis is registered as Antario (Russel IPM), it is a bio-pesticide and not harmful to Tuta predators and parasitoids. This can be used to control Tuta menace. It is done by mixing 45g of Antario in 100 litres of water and applies on an acre of land. Another bio-pesticide is use of neem seeds or fresh leaves. Mixing 5kg of neem seed or fresh leaves in 100 litres of water for 24 hours, sieve and applies to an acre of land. Substituting the neem seeds or leaves with that of eucalyptus can do similar treatment.

The nation witnessed the outbreak of Tuta Absoluta during the 2015/2016 dry season farming. It caused astounding loss of billions of Naira worth of incomes to farmers and the nation imported tomato paste in the country. No doubt, the efforts of IAR, NAERLS and NIHORT were commendable and helped the country to overcome the menace. However, there is need for continuous vigilance as well as synergy among the three Institutes to accomplish the long-term measures recommended herein.

Peeping at Research and Development Centres: IAR, NAERLS and NIHORT’s Successful Fight Against Tuta Absoluta on Tomato Production in Nigeria

Peeping at Research and Development Centres: IAR, NAERLS and NIHORT’s Successful Fight Against Tuta Absoluta on Tomato Production in Nigeria

Nigeria is ranked as the 14th largest producer of tomatoes in the world. It is also the largest producer of tomatoes in sub-Saharan Africa. Ironically, Nigeria is the eighth largest importer of tomato paste in the world after Iraq and Japan. This is because Nigeria could not produce enough to meet the local demand. For instance in 2009, the Federal Government had to spend a wolfing sum of 16 billion Naira to import tomato paste to support the local demand of the country. Tomato is an important crop in Nigeria responsible for the economic growth of many communities. It is consumed daily by millions of households in Nigeria. Currently, the production is estimated to be about 2 million tons of fresh tomato annually while the national demand by the consumers for fresh tomatoes in Nigeria is estimated to be between 2 and 3 million tons every year. The tomato paste importation is estimated to be as much as 300,000 tons annually from China alone, amounting to millions of USD from the country’s foreign exchange. The reason for the massive importation of tomato paste into the country is directly linked to colossal loss of production as over 50% is lost due to post production challenges. The challenges ranged from poor storage system, poor transportation to lack of processing enterprises. This has made the tomato marketing as the most elastic and volatile market compared to any other agricultural produce in Nigeria. A measure of tomato costing at N300 for instance, can be sold at N3,000 in the same market within one to two months interval. Despite this large production, the tomato production in Nigeria is still below its potential as reported by many research works. The production is beset with many problems, such as diseases, nematodes, insect pests, high flower drop, all these resulting in low yield and poor quality fruits. Every year Nigeria loses about 750,000 tons of tomatoes due to post production and poor food supply chain of the commodity. Certainly, this costs millions of Naira that could make different to the producers and other chain actors along the tomato value chain. It also leads to the inadequacy of tomatoes in the country thereby causing the price volatility. Perhaps, these problems were the driving factor for the international business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote to invest millions US Dollar in the tomato industry.

Few years ago, Aliko Dangote decided to take part in the production and processing of tomato in Nigeria. Dangote, a household name, a multi billionaire has been the richest man not only in Nigeria but the whole of Africa. He opened a tomato processing facility in Gafan village in Kano State. The venture was reported to worth about $20 million investment. According to the plan, the tomato processing plant in Kano should gradually replace the tomato paste importation and meet the local demand through production increase, reduction in tomato wastages and enhancement of income of the tomato producers. The new processing tomato plant was built by a Swiss Company. The plant has the capacity to process and produce about 400,000 tons of tomato every year. The lofty objectives of Dangote were sure to succeed as there are huge tomato markets in Nigeria and the neighbouring countries. In addition, the investment is seen as multi solutions capable of overcoming the problems of tomato production and supply chain.  It was at the point of productioncommencement of Dangote’s tomato plant that a tomato ravaging pest named “Tuta Absoluta” visited Nigerian tomato farms. It was like a thunder falling on a tree; sudden and devastating with colossal destruction.

Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera; Gelechidae), popularly called “Tomato Ebola”, is a leaf miner, a devastating pest that could ravage the whole tomato production and reduce it to near zero in a very short time (within 48 hours). .It is also very difficult to control as it has a high mutation capacity with the ability to develop a resistance to commonly used insecticides. Tuta is a noctuid moth; active in the night and before the day dawns. It mates lay eggs during this active period and can lay as many as 260 eggs individually on the underside of the leaves during its life cycle of 7 to 9 days. Tomato is the main host plant, but Tuta Absoluta also attacks other crop plants including potato, eggplant, pepper, cucumber and other vegetables. It is found also on many weeds. Tuta Absoluta originates from South America, Peru and was first detected in Spain in 2006 It was later found in France, Italy, Greece and Malta. This pest was reported in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya in 2009. It arrived Turkey In 2010. The advance of Tuta Absoluta continued with exponential proportion to the east to reach Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq and Iran. Further advances southward reached Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman and the rest of the Gulf States. In Africa, Tuta Absoluta moved from Egypt to Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya. Its presence was also reported in some West African countries like Senegal. Ghana and Niger. It was first reported in Nigeria possibly in 2014 but became a serious problem in 2015. During the 2015/2016 dry season, Tuta Absoluta was virtually reported from all the states of the North where tomatoes were being produced. The North West and Eastern states of Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Bauchi, Katsina and Sokoto, were all visited by the destructive moth.  

Tuta Absoluta causes losses of up to 100 % of the production through mining of leaves and burrowing into tomato fruits.  Nigerians were severely affected by the scarcity of tomatoes during the ravage of this nocturnal moth. Tomato, a key ingredient in most of the delicacies prepared in many Nigerian households became a scared commodity, where it was available, became unaffordable to many Nigerians. The price of the fruit increased by more than 400 percent; Nigerians were paying around 200 Naira for the same quantity of tomatoes that was hitherto 50 Naira few months ago. The economic loss caused by Tuta Absoluta was beyond imagination as there was   no reported study on the monetary loss to the nation. However, report from Today, an online newspaper indicated that Tomato growers in Kano State lost over N2 billion to Tuta Absoluta, the pest which ravaged their tomato farms in 2016. The paper quoted the Kano state Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Alhaji Nasiru Gawuna, made the revelation when the governments of Kano, Jigawa and Kaduna states were signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Rockefeller Foundation on the implementation of the YieldWise project. The YieldWise project is a three-year programme that is aimed at reducing post-harvest losses in the tomato value chain in the country. He said that the state government was able to estimate the loss after setting up a committee under Kano State Agricultural and Rural Development Authority to evaluate the damage caused by Tuta Absoluta to tomato farms across the state. “We are happy to say that this season, a lot has been done and we have not heard any reports of an outbreak of the disease,’’ he was quoted by the newspaper.  Kano state, with its vast irrigated land and the biggest public owned irrigation project; Kano River Irrigation project (KRIP) is refuted to lead other states in tomato production. If N2 billion Naira worth of tomatoes were lost then the nation must have lost N5 to N6 billion Naira as a result of Tuta Absoluta in 2016.  This is because there are 9 major tomato producing states in Nigeria. They are Kano. Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Jigawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Sokoto and Taraba states, respectively. How was the fight against Tuta Absoluta won in 2016? What were the joint roles of Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), National Agricultural Research and Liaison Services (NAERLS)? What was the role of National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT) in the fight against Tuta? To be continued next week

            

Bio-energy Revolution in Nigeria: Ahmadu Bello University Zaria Leads the Pace II

Bio-energy Revolution in Nigeria: Ahmadu Bello University Zaria Leads the Pace II

In my last week article, it was reported that ABU was being forced to source for alternative energy as a result of unaffordable and unsustainable electricity bill the university shoulders monthly. However, the university looks beyond the payment of electricity bill but moves to turn this adversity to prosperity. Use the technology to build human capacity for the nation. Can ABU succeed?

X-raying the human resources and infrastructure at the university’s disposal, ABU requires only technical and financial supports to succeed in this venture. In fact, ABU is one of the leading Ivory Towers known for championing a technological development for the benefit of Nigeria and humanity in general. For instance, in recent times, ABU was reported to have designed and successfully built a mini-refinery using locally sourced materials for economic and academic usage. The motivations for the building of the refinery were the concern of the university for the huge foreign exchange invested to repair and undertake the so-called turn-around maintenance of the refineries in the country. This was succinctly captured by Prof. Ibrahim Ali Mohammed-Dabo, the team leader of ABU Refinery Research Team who was quoted by Daily Trust, a national daily in its edition of 26^th January, 2017.  He said, “One of the refineries located in Kaduna was built by Chioda, a Japanese Chemical Engineering Company. Ironically Japan is not an oil producing country but has invested hugely and developed a petroleum refinery technology exporting it to other countries. Another motivating factor is that whenever some components or sections of the Nigerian state-owned refineries develop faults the original designers have to be called upon to rectify the problems”. No doubt, this feat is the first of its kind in Africa as stated by Prof. Dabo “This ABU mini-refinery is the second refinery housed within a university globally. The first is in Spain. Many universities have facilities for oil and gas related teaching, research and development but domiciled in laboratories unlike our own which is completely in the field mimicking the real industrial set-up”. The acquisition of technical-know–how to build refinery with local materials has huge potential for foreign exchange earning to the nation. Ordinarily, this area should attract investors.

Back to the bio-energy revolution in Nigeria, Biogas is one of the alternative sources of fuel that can supply both electricity and cooking need. Some of the advantages of Biogas in addition to electricity and fuel for cooking, the waste generated from the digester is a rich and refined organic fertilizer. Use of bio fuel for cooking automatically eliminates the use of fuel wood by the rural farmers thereby reducing deforestation, a menace with serious ecological consequences. Above all, biogas is cheaper than all forms of conventional energy in Nigeria while improving agricultural productivity and sustaining the environment. Hence, biogas technology is the most reliable and adequate means for a sustainable livelihood that should be championed by all and sundry.

In Nigeria, there are pockets of biogas projects scattered nationwide as reported in my previous articles, some private sectors are also involved such as NASRUN Nig. Ltd. This company has facilitated the establishment of the largest Biogas Plant in Nigeria; the Kutunku Farms, Minna, Niger state. The Biogas Plant size occupies about 140 m³. The biogas project in Nigeria becomes necessary because the household sector has consistently accounted for over half of Nigeria’s total domestic energy consumption. It is based on this premise that the ABU – BIONAS partnership, consummated by signing of MOU rekindles hope and make ABU in the spotlight of the bio-energy revolution. During the groundbreaking ceremony for signing of the MOU, the Chief Executive Officer, BIONAS Nigeria, Umar Sani Gambo was quoted saying “the essence of the collaboration with Ahmadu Bello University is to transfer technology under the BIONAS brand. BIONAS is planning to develop a Centre for Excellence that would provide a training platform for the industries”. While appreciating the warm reception and encouragement from the ABU management, the BIONAS CEO said the company agreed to partner with ABU for national growth and development. He was similarly quoted saying “in order to reposition the firm well in Nigeria; it forged a relationship with the Federal Ministry of Environment”. Ms Zurina Amnan The Group Chief Executive Officer of Bionas worldwide was among the BIONAS delegation at the occasion in the University’s VC chamber.

ABU has found a good partner in BIONAS for achieving its lofty objective of sourcing alternative energy as the firm is refuted to be credible as a vanguard for green energy globally. BIONAS is present in over 50 countries driving the Jatropha Value Chain for bio fuel production. Its activities were widely reported last year indicating vigor to boost Nigerian economy through huge investment. It has started investing through a plan to establish a $2.5 billion factory for the mass production of bio-fuel from the Jatropha plants in Zaria.  The Group Chief Executive was reported saying that “Jatropha Plantation would soon be set up, while processing machines would be installed at Zaria Factory in short while as we don’t want to repeat the past mistake again.” Accordingly, BIONAS Nigeria plans to train over 200,000 Nigerians for the project, especially graduates of science or engineering and to acquaint them with the latest energy technology for bio-fuel supply and distribution. These trainees are expected to implement the Jatropha programme in other African countries, as there are huge markets for the bio fuel across the continent. In addition, BIONAS plans to invest in housing units, commercial clinic, schools, across the nation. However, the main focus is to build a new town for Jatropha project in Nigeria, while making BIONAS seeds available to farmers where Jatropha plants are produced for making bio fuel including aviation fuel, which sells at the same price with fossil fuel.

Jatropha curcas is a resilient shrub, which grows in a range of terrain including area considers as wasteland, sandy soil and saline soil where many crops cannot be grown. It is considered to be a drought tolerance plant, which requires relatively smaller quantity of water to survive. It does not require any particular soil type for growth and   can   perform   on   diverse   soil compositions. Jatropha cultivation is gaining popularity while scientists are actively investigating its suitability for the economic advantage over other crops as source for bio fuel. Research has indicated that Jatropha oil yield in Nigeria is above 40%. Nigeria has deforested and large chunks of wasteland mass, which can be utilized for the Jatropha cultivation. Hitherto, Jatropha was used essentially as a boundary plant for fencing farmlands and compounds in rural areas of Nigeria especially in the far north.

Coincidently, the ABU – BIONAS partnership is certainly to benefit from impressive research results on Jatropha conducted by Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), one of the oldest and most formidable agricultural research centre in the country. IAR is one of the twelve research centres under the authority of ABU. IAR is the only research Institute in Nigeria with mandate to genetically develop Jatropha alongside other crops. Already, IAR has characterized more than varieties of Jatropha in the country. Similarly, many research works on Jatropha has been going on in a nearby research centre; National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT), Zaria. Additionally, there is another formidable stakeholder; National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), which another ABU centre with national mandate for agricultural extension. NAERLS ability to mobilize farmers for mass crop production is splendid. Presently, NAERLS is directly working with over 7, 000 farmers under the adopted village concept within the three local government areas surrounding ABU. With these three research and extension centres in Zaria, ABU – BIONAS partnership is heading for success when these stakeholders are brought on board.

Bio-energy Revolution in Nigeria: Ahmadu Bello University Zaria Leads the Pace

Bio-energy Revolution in Nigeria: Ahmadu Bello University Zaria Leads the Pace

In the event of fire outbreak, an involuntarily action of every sensible person is to bring water to quench it, what if the water catches fire? In this case, what one needs to do to address the situation is beyond the sensibility of an ordinary person. It is a situation when water is being made to release heat energy in form of fire. It is simply a product of science and technology. My readers may remember one of my articles on vehicle using water instead of petrol to energize it. The article was published in June, 2016, which reported the breakthrough of an Israeli company for developing a unique technology that uses metal, air and water to power a vehicle. The technology has enormous potential for revolutionizing the world’s use of energy from water, which geographers say occupies over 70 % of the earth’s surface. The uniqueness of this technology is that instead of vehicle owners refilling their tank with petrol every several hundred kilometers distance travel, or having to recharge or exchange a battery in case of electric/solar vehicles, the only necessary ingredient for refueling the vehicle is water- a commodity, abundantly available, and of course, much cheaper than petroleum products. When this technology is perfected, it will certainly make vehicles operation highly cost-efficient. Other equally efficient and environmentally friendly source of energy is the bio-energy, which is obtained from biogas as alternative to petroleum. This alternative source of energy is gradually coming to Nigeria; Ahmadu Bello University Zaria is in the forefront for championing this noble cause.

Ahmadu Bello University Zaria is one of the first generation universities in Nigeria. It was established in 1962 by the Government of the then Northern Region of Nigeria to impart knowledge and learning to men and women of all races without distinction on the grounds of race, religious or political beliefs. The founding fathers expected the University to aspire to the highest international ideals of scholarship and to provide learning of a standard required and expected of a university of the highest standing while reflecting the needs, the traditions, and the social and intellectual heritage of the society in which it is located. The University was taken over by the Federal Government of Nigeria in 1975 and has since then assum a national mandate although its ties with the 19 states created out of the former Northern Region remain very strong and ever glued

In the over forty years of its existence, ABU has grown to become the largest, and the most influential and diverse university in Nigeria. It consists of over 100 Academic Departments, twelve Faculties, and twelve Research Institutes and Specialized Centres. The University offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in diverse fields of Agriculture, Public and Business Administration, Engineering, Environmental Design, Education, Biological and Physical Sciences, Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, the Humanities, Law and Social Sciences. The university has two campuses; Samaru and Kongo covering an estimated area of 7,000 hectares of land. Another unique feature of the University, as opposed to other Institutions of its type in Nigeria, is that it has both staff and students from all nooks and cranny of Nigeria, neighboring countries and few other countries across the continents. The university alumni cut across the social classes from former Nigerian President, Vice President, serving and former governors/Deputy governors of virtually all the 36 governors plus Federal Capital Territory, Abuja down to hundreds of local government councilors and ordinary graduates of different specializations nationwide.

The motivation for ABU to source for alternative energy came from the university’s desire to drastically reduce the monthly electricity bill being paid to PHCN. The bill runs to tens of millions of Naira, which is hardly affordable and certainly unsustainable to this giant citadel of learning in the face of academic recession. This is why the Vice Chancellor, Professor Ibrahim Garba is inexorably exploring all avenues to make the university self sufficient in power generation and even supply to the surrounding communities at a “give away price” as part of the university’s corporate social responsibility. The university is pursuing three of such efforts vigorously. The first one is the Nigeria-German Energy Partnership for the construction of 10 Mega watts from solar energy source. This is being implemented with a financial assistance from Tertiary Education Trust Fund. The second one is through a collaborative project with a Hungarian firm; Agrar-Biothanol Company to generate power from farm produce and human waste (faeces). The ABU- Agrar-Biothanol Company project targets to produce 2.66 million litres of ethanol per annum, 1,333 tons of liquid organic fertilizer per annum and 1.2 Mega watts of electricity. The third equally important effort is ABU-BIONAS project whose Memorandum of Understanding  (MOU) between the university and BIONAS, a Malaysian Firm, were signed two weeks ago. The company will work with the university intelligentsia to produce and train students and entrepreneurs on renewable energy technology transfer to industries. These are initiatives of the Vice Chancellor immediately after resumption of office in 2015 when he was welcomed by the mounting challenge of paying sky-rocketed electricity bill of over 80 million Naira monthly. He was quoted during a groundbreaking ceremony of one of these laudable projects at the university’s main campus in Samaru saying, “that independent power generation became imperative and necessary to the university because ABU could not sustain the N86 million monthly electricity bills. ABU seeks to address these issues by building a bio-ethanol and biogas plant for the benefits of the university and the surrounding communities”.  Before these recent efforts, one of the units of the University, National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS) in 2014 constructed on bio-gas digester in Nasarawan Buhari village, one of the adopted villages of NAERLS.

As written in one of my articles titled “NAERLS – WAAPP (Nigeria) – GAWAL Collaborative Effort: Pushing Biogas Technology in Nigeria”. It was mentioned that in Nigeria, the biogas technology was limited to research works in Universities and Research Centres where its generation and use were investigated, verified and in most cases kept on shelves. However, an effort was made by West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP-Nigeria) and NAERLS of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria to disseminate the biogas technology to farmers in Nigeria. Already, biogas digesters were built in Enugu, Ondo, Edo, Kwara, Oyo, Plateau states and Abuja for the biogas production. The plants are working efficiently. These digesters were built with active participation of rural dwellers, notably farmers. The idea was to pass the awareness and the knowledge of the technology to the beneficiaries thereby increasing its adoption. That was how the digester was built and tested to the admiration of the people of Nasarawan Buhari and their then Giwa Local Government Chairman. That effort would have gone far and Nigeria would have been reaping the benefits of biogas technology but for lackadaisical attitude of then government at both state and local government levels. The biogas technology is today famous in China and India because of the high energy for small-scale industries and domestic requirements of the population especially in the rural areas. The Chinese people discovered they need great amount of energy to run many of their country-side (cottage) industries at the minimal cost in order to break even. Thus, the intensification of research in this area by the Chinese government: the efforts have today yielded the result of a bio organically managed gas generation technology.

The ABU efforts in addressing its energy bill has necessitated the university to lead the country for accessing alternative source of energy at the same time championing bio energy revolution in Nigeria. What is the prospect of ABU succeeding? (To be continued next week)