The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), through a new initiative known as the Start Them Early Program (STEP), is introducing agrobusiness training in secondary schools in Oyo State. To promote interest in agriculture and learning among the secondary-school aged children, IITA has launched a modern agribusiness training facility at Fasola Grammar School in [...]
Edo State Concerned Farmers Association (ESCFA) on Monday asked the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and anti-graft agencies to probe alleged mismanagement of N144 billion loan for agricpreneur project in the state. The farmers protested in Abuja, bearing placards asking government officials to answer how the loan was managed. Addressing newsmen after peaceful protest at [...]
You might already be familiar with the recommendation to drink at least eight glasses of water daily in order to stay properly hydrated. However, drinking eight glasses of water to stay hydrated is not enough, knowing the specific times that drinking water can actually boost your overall health and cognitive functioning is equally as important. [...]
People choose to be vegans or vegetarians because of health concerns, religious restrictions or moral concerns about harming animals. The difference between going vegan versus vegetarian primarily centers on the role of animals in food production. While both diets focus on eating more plant-based foods, vegetarians are allowed to include eggs, honey, and dairy. Vegans [...]
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed all authorised dealers to discontinue the processing of Form M for the importation of maize with immediate effect. The CBN made this known in a circular signed by Dr Ozoemena Nnaji, the Director of Trade and Exchange Department of the apex bank in Abuja. Form M [...]
Nigerian farmers and agricultural scientists have warned that ‘political farmers’ should not be permitted to hijack the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN’s) ‘Agric for Food and Jobs Plan (AFJP)’ and the zero-interest loans meant for smallholder farmers in the frantic efforts to prevent food shortage, hunger and unemployment post-COVID-19. The apex bank, on June [...]
For Nigeria to do well in global hibiscus flower market, there is need to focus more on cultivation and processing, to fully harness potentials of the crop and boost the country’s forex earnings. Despite being a profitable, hibiscus has not received adequate attention of growers and investors. Despite its many uses and potentials, many do [...]
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum has engaged 6,111 farmers in the state’s mega farm scheme in 10 councils. According to him, the scheme will encourage farmers and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to return to their communities and fully engage in farming. Also, the governor has supported 2,500 farmers in five councils with N12.5 million [...]
When Governor Udom Emmanuel set out to lubricate the once virgin well of agriculture in Akwa Ibom State with the establishment of Africa’s biggest coconut oil refinery, most people had no idea of coconut’s enormous potentials. But the Governor went ahead, displaying his propensity to plan towards an economy beyond crude oil, as if he [...]
GBfoods, a global leader in culinary product manufacturing, in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Kebbi State Government and the Emirate of Yauri recently built a 20 billion naira Tomato processing factory, in Kebbi State. The factory is the second largest in Nigeria and the only fully backward integrated plant in ECOWAS. It [...]
For the past decades, Africa has been grappling with the sustainable diffusion of improved cassava varieties due to a weak and uncoordinated dissemination strategy. Consequently, improved varieties have often failed to reach the hands of farmers, forcing the yields of cassava in Africa to remain low. However, the project— Building an Economically Sustainable, Integrated Cassava Seed [...]
An egg a day could help to keep the doctor away. Eggs remain one of the best and cheapest sources of protein. Eggs also contain antioxidants, calcium, vitamins, and amino acids which are all beneficial to the body. Boosts the immune system The immune system benefits greatly from the consumption of eggs as they boost [...]
Babatunde Fashola, minister of works and housing, says some countries asked Nigeria to supply them food during the COVID-19 lockdown measures. Speaking during an Instagram live chat with City People Magazine on Saturday, Fashola said President Muhammadu Buhari told the countries to wait because Nigerians must be well-fed first. He said the countries, which [...]
The recent approval of the Pod Borer Resistant Cowpea (popularly called beans) developed by the Institute for Agricultural Research, (IAR) Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, has continued to generate reactions, creating more anxiety than applause over the innovation. Recall that in late January, the Federal Government through a decision document issued by the National Biosafety Management [...]
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday opened a 200,000 capacity yam facility at the Zaki Biam International Market in Benue State. The market is assumed to be the biggest yam market in the world, accounting for about 70% of the yams cultivated in the country with over 200 trucks loading two million tubers of yams weekly. [...]
Hussain Ibrahim, Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), says his agency has developed technology to optimise kilishi production. Kilishi is a dried form of kebab made from cow, sheep or goat meat. While appearing before the senate committee on science and technology in Abuja on Monday, Ibrahim listed it as one [...]
Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is affecting fish and seafood trade. Future consequences will be far-reaching. Ahead of its yearly international conference to be held in Alexandria, Egypt, the African Chapter of the World Aquaculture Society has raised concerns on the impact of the pandemic on sustainable aquaculture, DANIEL ESSIET writes. For the African Chapter of the World [...]
Nigerian farmers were on the verge of planting the newly released Pod Borer Resistant (PBR) cowpea before the outbreak of COVID-19. The Regional Director, African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), Dr Issoufou Kollo Abdourhamane, speaks on the impact of the pandemic on the release of the cowpea variety. COLLINS NNABUIFE brings excerpts. HOW has [...]
The federal government is to secure €995million worth of agricultural equipment for Nigerian farmers. These agricultural machineries comprising tractors and other agricultural machineries will be leased out to farmers. This is coming under the in-kind facility for agricultural mechanisation to develop agricultural mechanization, recently approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC). The in-kind facility is [...]
Governor Udom Emmanuel has ordered the immediate shutdown of all livestock markets in Akwa Ibom state, for the rest of May 2020. This is according to a statement by Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem, the secretary to the state government. “By this announcement, no new consignment of livestock – goats, cows and rams, will be allowed [...]
