Agriculture

NIRSAL facilitates N148bn investments for agriculture, agribusiness

February 12, 2021 Tope Sunday 0

The Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) has facilitated  over N148billion in finance and investments for agriculture and agribusiness. Similarly, the outfit also aggregated over 3,000 agro geo-cooperatives with 500,000 farmers on nearly 800,000 hectares of land. The body also enrolled 1.4 million persons onto innovative insurance products it designed in collaboration with a consortium of agricultural insurance Read More

AFAN leadership crisis: No end in sight?

January 31, 2021 Editorial IV 0

There seems to be no end in sight to the leadership tussle that continues to bug down the activities of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), JOHN OBA writes.  The Genesis All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), an initiative of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who brought three farmer associations namely FOFAN led by Dr Shettima Mustapha, NFAN led by Read More

Increase PWDs in agric projects, El-Rufai urged

January 26, 2021 AbdulRaheem Aodu 0

  Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna state has been urged to increase the number of People living With Disabilities (PWDs) as beneficiaries in agricultural intervention projects in the state. Dr Busra Zakariya’u made the call during an interactive meeting on Harmonisation of Needs Assessment and Formulation of Livelihood Package for People with Disability and Special Needs (PWDSN) organised by the Kaduna state Read More

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We ‘ll focus more on ICT, mechanisation to drive agriculture- Odedina

January 6, 2021 Hakeem Adegbenro 0

Ogun state Government has said that it is focusing on Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Mechanisation among others to drive its various Agricultural programmes in year 2021. Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Adeola Odedina revealed this while fielding questions from newsmen on plans of the ministry for year 2021 in his office in Oke Mosan, Abeokuta. “There are two things you Read More

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Ministry of agric gets new Permanent Secretary

December 31, 2020 John Oba, 0

Mr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe has assumed duty as the new Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Addressing directors and management staff of the ministry Wednesday, in Abuja, Mr. Umakhihe while receiving the handing over notes from the sit-in Permanent Secretary, Hajia Karima Babaginda, Director, Federal Department of Agriculture,  stressed on the need for team work and cooperation Read More

NASC and digitalisation of Nigeria’s seed sector

December 21, 2020 Editorial IV 0

There is no doubt that technology has brought a whole lot of innovation in every aspect of human existence. And this is the line the National Agricultural Seeds Council, (NASC) is toeing to digitalise all its operations, and also the seed sector; JOHN OBA writes. Technology in the last decade has changed the way things are done globally through the adoption of tools Read More

FG, NHRI train 150 Delta youth in farming

December 6, 2020 Amaechi Okwara 0

  The federal government through the National Horticulture Research Institute (NHRI), has trained about 150 youth in Telfairia (Ugu) and tomato production in Delta state to ensure food security in the country. The trainees cut across three local governments that make up Ndokwa/Ukwuani federal constituency, which include, Ndokwa west, Ndokwa east and Ukwuani local government area of the  state. The trainees who Read More

Countering recession with rabbit farming, NALDA model

December 6, 2020 Editorial IV 0

As Nigeria continues to grapple with the recession that has exacerbated youth enjoyment, JOHN OBA, x-rays  the National Agricultural Land Development  Authority NALDA model of rabbit farming as a way out. Currently, youth unemployment in Nigeria is at its peak and this has compounded the security situation, while the recent plunging of the economy into one of the worst recessions in the Read More

Nasarawa sets to implement national livestock transformation plan

December 3, 2020 Mohammed Yangida 0

The Nasarawa state government, Thursday, said it would implement the national livestock transformation plan, a project aimed at tackling farmer/herders clashes in the state.Governor Abdullahi Sule stated this at the two-day stakeholders meeting on the implementation of National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) and peace building efforts in the state, organised by Center for Democracy and Development in Lafia. The governor who Read More

Reps query agric research institute over flawed audit report

November 30, 2020 Joshua Egbodo 0

The Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), an arm of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) has been placed on status inquiry by the House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts.Chairman of the committee, Hon. Wole Oke, dropped the verdict at the end of an investigative hearing into the audit query issued by the office of the Auditor General of Read More

Soybeans, maize scarcity may shut down poultry industry – PAN

November 29, 2020 John Oba 0

  The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) has raised the alarm that the industry is on the verge of shutting down by January 2021 if urgent action is not taken to address the constant rising cost of meal. The association said the rate at which Soybeans and maize are being exported out of the country may crash the industry. Highlighting Read More

Recession: Tapping into the livestock economic potential

November 22, 2020 Editorial IV 0

Nigeria has announced it has officially slipped into another recession, but, be that as it may, exploring the livestock sector economic potential can turn things around, JOHN OBA reports. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in its third quarter GDP report, released Saturday, the economy contracted by -2.48 per cent, an indication that the country has recorded two consecutive quarters Read More

Covid-19 protocol for Animals: Nigeria as pacesetter

November 15, 2020 Editorial IV 0

Nigeria becomes the first country in the world to launch Covid-19 protocol for animal protection, John Oba, reports. As the world continues to grapple with the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic, despite scientific research that it emanates from animals, no countries in the world, but Nigeria has seen it necessary to get a protocol to guide veterinarians practices.  Veterinary Council of Nigeria Read More

2021 budget: Agric ministry to buy N100m project vehicle, install street light worth N800m

November 8, 2020 Editorial IV 0

As the National Assembly continue to assess the 2021 budget as presented by President Muhamadu Buhari, stakeholders in the agric sector has raise concern over several questionable items in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development budget. Analysis of the ministry’s budget revealed the allocation of N100 million for the purchase of project vehicle with no specifications of project Read More

Over 9m Nigerians in northern states face acute food shortage – Report

November 8, 2020 John Oba 0

  The Cadre Hamonise (CH) report on food security and nutrition analysis was released on 5 November 2020 for 16 states across the country including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). It shows that more Nigerians in northern states are pushed to acute food shortage crisis mainly due to floods, climate change effects and the ongoing decade-long armed insurgency.  This is Read More

African agric ministers pledge commitment to achieving food security

November 1, 2020 Blueprint 0

African Ministers of Agriculture at the largest ever FAO Regional Conference have expressed their committed to ‘raise ambitions and accelerate actions’ towards achieving food security, at the close of the three day event. FAO in it’s release on it website said 900 delegates including 95 ministers and other government officials from 48 countries met in the context of rising food Read More

Kano cattle market to gulp N300m

November 1, 2020 Blueprint 0

Kano State government under the Agro Pastoral Development Project, has said it plans to expend N300 million, on upgrade of five cattle markets infrastructure in the state. The benefitting cattle markets are Dambatta, Gwarzo, Falgore, Dunbulum and Wudil all located in five different local governments. Malam Ibrahim Garba Muhammad,the State Project Coordinator, made the disclosure during the proposal opening for Read More

Groups call for more action to protect food systems

November 1, 2020 Blueprint 0

The GMO-Free Nigeria Alliance and Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) in commemoration of the World Food Day 2020 has called for more action on protection of food systems. The coalition in a statement recently said, the country need to free the food systems from corporate take-over and support the small scale farmers who hold the key to food security Read More

NYSC, NALDA to partner on farming, value chains creation

November 1, 2020 John Oba 0

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has declared its readiness to partner National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) in its effort of achieving food security in Nigeria. The NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim stated this in his office in Abuja when the Executive Secretary of NALDA, Prince Paul Ikonne paid him a courtesy visit. General Ibrahim disclosed that the Read More

NGO launches agric empowerment initiative in Abuja, Kaduna

November 1, 2020 Editorial IV 0

In line with the federal government’s drive to empower Nigerians in the agricultural sector of the economy, Reap Africa Initiative, a non-governmental Organisation will on Monday launch project Komanoma.Komanoma is an hausa maxim which means back to agro. The project according  to organisers was aimed at empowering 50,000 unemployed and employed youths with professional training on agro production, processing and marketing Read More

Nigeria needs livestock ministry – Prof Yahaya

October 23, 2020 AWAAL GATA 0

Mohammed Kuta  Yahaya is a professor of agricultural extension at the University of Ibadan. In this interview with AWAAL GATA, the extension communication expert and former secretary to the government of Niger state said a ministry for livestock and aquatic development needs to be created in Nigeria, to optimise its agricultural potentials. How would you appraise the agricultural policy of Read More

How 12, 500 farmers benefitted from interes-free loan in Akwa Ibom – AFAN

October 21, 2020 Uko Etim 0

No fewer than 12, 500 farmers in Akwa Ibom benefitted from the dtate government interest-free loan to ensure food security in the state, state Chairman of All Farmers Association in Nigeria (AFAN), Mr Bassey Inwang, has said. Inwang who stated this in Uyo recently, said the loan was given to vegetables, maize and cassava farmers during this year’s planting season. Read More

NACHCARD calls for improved agriculture for post Covid-19 food security

October 15, 2020 Editorial IV 0

The National Committee of Heads of Colleges of Agriculture and Related Disciplines (NACHCARD), has called on the federal and state governments to ensure the sustainability of the gains made in food production in the country and guarantee food security as Nigeria moves towards post COVID-19 era. NACHCARD made the call during its general conference held in Abuja, Wednesday.To reposition agriculture Read More

2021 budget: Awomolo, Ali, Ozekhome seek improved judiciary funding

October 11, 2020 Ameh Ejekwonyilo 0

Top lawyers in the country have urged the National Assembly to increase the 2021 budget estimate for the judiciary. President Muhammadu Buhari had Thursday last week presented N13.08 trillion 2021 budget before a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representative, where the sum of N110 billion was earmarked for the judiciary. However, some Senior Advocates of Nigeria Read More