Tag: Agriculture

FG Launches GMO TELA Maize Seeds in Nigeria

19Jun

By adminNo Comments

Agriculture, Nigeria, Science

FG Launches GMO TELA Maize Seeds in Nigeria

Nigeria’s federal government has launched a new Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) maize variety named TELA, despite widespread concerns and opposition from citizens. The initiative, ostensibly aimed at boosting maize production, has been criticized as prioritizing corporate and governmental interests over public health and ecological safety. The TELA maize was developed at the Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR) at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in collaboration with the African Agriculture Technology Foundation (AATF). The project received funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and other partners. See Also: Nigeria: Why I Spoke Directly to Nigerian Leaders – Bill Gates At the launch event in Abuja, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sena...

The U.S to Support Nigeria’s Cocoa Value Chain with a $22million Project

24Sep

By Osaretin BalogbanNo Comments

African Development, Agriculture, United States of America

The U.S to Support Nigeria’s Cocoa Value Chain with a $22million Project

The United States and Lutheran World Relief are both in a cooperative agreement to support the cocoa value chain in Nigeria. See Also: World Bank To Fund $900 Million Development Projects In East Congo The Program indicated as the U.S Department of Agriculture’s Food for Progress is valued at $22 million. The program will be followed through the next five years with roughly 68,000 farmers across Abia, Cross River, Ekiti, Akwa Ibom, Ondo, and Osun State benefiting from the program. It is focused on farmers in high-density and high-producing communities as well as those in low productivity but sited in highly promising areas. The program aims to increase cocoa productivity, improve access to inputs, and improve processing and export markets. Speaking on the program's a...

20 Million Farmers In Africa To Benefit From $1.5 billion Emergency Food Facility

21May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Africa, African Development, Agriculture, News

20 Million Farmers In Africa To Benefit From $1.5 billion Emergency Food Facility

The African Development Bank has approved a $1.5 billion emergency food production facility for 20 million farmers on the continent. This is aimed at reducing the looming food crisis driven by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the bank announced on Friday. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is further disrupting a global and liberalized food system that was already undermined by COVID and the unfolding climate crisis. Read Also: Kwara State to Partner AfDB on Infrastructure Devt., Women Empowerment The funding is meant to assist Africa overcome a shortage of at least 30 million metric tonnes of food due to the disruption of global food supplies caused by the conflict in Europe, especially for wheat, maize and soybeans imported from Russia and the Ukraine. The facility was designe...

From 7 To 70: Why Are They Not Talking About This? By Femi Adesina

22Apr

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Agriculture, News, Nigeria

From 7 To 70: Why Are They Not Talking About This? By Femi Adesina

Femi Adesina Last week on this platform, focus was on the fact that adversaries of the Muhammadu Buhari administration were hiding behind the smokescreen of insecurity to vent their spleen. We stressed that security was everything, and noted that while robustly confronting the monster of insecurity, President Buhari was equally taking giant strides on many other fronts, which the caterwauling crowd deliberately ignores. Today, let’s dwell on something they have deliberately refused to see, hear, and chose not to talk about. But whether they see it or not, talk about it or ignore, it is there, as conspicuous as a tiger in a tea shop. A fortnight ago, members of the Fertilizers Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (FEPSAN) visited the President at State House, Abuja. A...

Agriculture MD Released In Honour Of Ramadan —Terrorists

7Apr

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Religion, Security, Terrorism

Agriculture MD Released In Honour Of Ramadan —Terrorists

Gun men Kidnapped Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, Alwan Ali-Hassan, was released in the spirit of Ramadan, his captors have said. The terrorists made this known in an 81-second video posted on Twitter by a Senior Conflict Analyst at the Tony Blair Institute, Bulama Bukarti. In the video, Ali-Hassan was flanked by four heavily armed men dressed in military camouflage. After a short prayer and praise of God and his prophet in Arabic language, one of the terrorists said, “We are the ones who kidnapped the people on the train. We decided to release this man (Ali-Hassan) because of the honour of the month of Ramadan and because he is old. He has been pleading since we kidnapped him. Read Also: Insecurity: Buhari’s Govt Overwhelmed – Obasanjo “The government sho...

‘Dangote’s $2.5 billion Fertiliser Plant Services U.S., Brazil, Others’

23Mar

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Agriculture, News, Nigeria

‘Dangote’s $2.5 billion Fertiliser Plant Services U.S., Brazil, Others’

Aliko Dangote President Muhammadu Buhari alongside other dignitaries yesterday, predicted an agriculture and economic boom for the country following the coming on stream of the $2.5 billion Dangote Fertiliser Plant in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos. They spoke during the inauguration of the plant, with an installed capacity of producing three million metric tonnes (mt) of urea yearly. Specifically, President Buhari noted that the plant is already exporting fertiliser to the United States of America (USA), India and Brazil, among other countries and is expected to trigger huge job creation opportunities, wealth, and secure the country’s agricultural future. The plant, situated on 500 hectares of land in the Lekki Free Trade Zone, is reputed as Africa’s largest Granulated Urea Fertilis...

Ogun Governor Signs Anti-open Grazing Law

30Sep

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Agriculture, Judiciary, News, Nigeria

Ogun Governor Signs Anti-open Grazing Law

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has signed into law, the anti-open grazing bill in the state. On Thursday, the governor assented to the bill during a Security Council meeting at the state secretariat at Oke Mosan, Abeokuta. The law, titled HB No. 045/OG/2021, is - Law to Regulate Animal Grazing, Establishment of Cattles Ranches in Designated Grazing Areas of Ogun State and for other matters incidental thereto and connected therewith. He called on the security agencies to swing immediately into action and enforce provisions of the law. According to him, the subject matter has been discussed along the length and breadth of the country stating that southern governors have also discussed and endorsed it. Cattle owners, according to Abiodun, have a six-month period of gra...

Bandits Occupy Farms In Katsina, Force Villagers To Supply Fertilisers

25Sep

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Agriculture, News, Nigeria, Security

Bandits Occupy Farms In Katsina, Force Villagers To Supply Fertilisers

Some farmers in Katsina State have lamented the negative impact of banditry on farming activities in the state. According to them, bandits have stopped them from going to their farms to cultivate food items. The farmers, in an interview with Daily Trust, stated that bandits stormed their farms to either abduct them, kill them or tax them before they could even cultivate on their farms. They further said every household in the Batsarin-Alhaji area had to pay N500 to the bandits from the last farming season. Thereafter, the bandits demanded that the villagers supply them with fertilisers. The villagers had to tax themselves to purchase the fertilisers. A 65-year-old farmer, Sa’adu Nuhu Batsari, said he stopped tilling three of his farms of 20 hectares each for over two year...

Akwa Ibom Assembly Passes Anti-open Grazing Bill

15Sep

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Agriculture, Legislature, News, Nigeria

Akwa Ibom Assembly Passes Anti-open Grazing Bill

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has passed the anti-open grazing bill into law in the state on Tuesday. The bill entitled, “A Bill for a law to prohibit open rearing and grazing of livestock and provide for the establishment of ranches and Livestock administration, regulation and control, and for other matters connected therewith” was passed after it was read the third time on the floor of the House during the plenary, presided over by the Speaker, Mr. Aniekan Bassey. Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture, and member representing Ikono State Constituency, Asuquo Udo, presented the report of Joint House Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources, Lands and Housing to the House. The lawmakers adopted the recommendations of the Joint House Committee on Agriculture an...

Nigerians Susceptible To Widespread Hunger Under Buhari – NSA

20Aug

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

Agriculture, News, Nigeria

Nigerians Susceptible To Widespread Hunger Under Buhari – NSA

The National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, has the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has been battling to surmount the country’s food crisis amid the prevailing hunger in the country. The president has vowed to tackle the country’s widespread poverty at a security meeting attended by Osinbajo, security chiefs, and some ministers in Abuja on Thursday, Monguno said. NAN quoted him as saying, “The last National Security Council meeting we had was on June 8. From that time till now, a lot has happened within the security domain. Mr President called for this meeting. It was actually supposed to be for next week, but he drew it back for today, for obvious reasons.” Meanwhile, the Buhari’s regime has always claimed to have the country in a better economic situation than bef...