Browsing category
Smallholder cocoa farmers and other stakeholders are happy over the establishment of an elaborate cocoa processing plant in Ede, Osun State, and the third largest cocoa producing state in the country. They are happy that the plant will be able to check the bleak future of the business which is presently facing stiff international competition […]
Soil sampling According to experts, soil sampling is a basis for fertilizer application. Soil pH, salt content, zinc and phosphorus can be found in soil samples and potassium values can be taken when the soil is frozen. Soil tests Soil tests are an important aspect for crop production. Experts recommend obtaining a soil test to […]
Owning farm machinery for small farms can be expensive and many small farmers struggle with justifying the investment. This is particularly true with specialized tractors and implements that are used on a limited basis over the course of the year. I thought we could explore this a little further in this article to see if […]
Non-oil export is generating controversy as some Nigerians argue that the export of agricultural produce like yam would create scarcity in the local market and lead to price hike. Some even argue that Nigerians don’t have enough of the agricultural produce to eat not to talk of exporting. But the Minister of Agriculture and Rural […]
Top 10 Concerns Of Young Farmer, At any roundtable of young and beginning farmers, a few common themes seem to bubble to the surface as folks share stories and concerns. Here are 10 of the biggest top-of-mind challenges, along with some ideas on how to deal with them. 1. WHEN LAND IS NOT AVAILABLE An important […]
We live in an age of technological revolutions and breakthroughs across all sectors of the economy are deeply intertwined and complement each other. For instance, technology and agriculture have proven to go hand in hand, these innovative achievements are successfully being employed in the agricultural sector across Africa. The examples are rather vivid. In Benin, […]
The FarmLogs’ On-Farm Research Network is a collaborative program, which is dedicated to organizing and conducting unbiased research and independent analysis, and is open to row-crop farmers across the country. The company says the goal of this initiative is to accelerate agronomic learning cycles, influence FarmLogs’ product development, and improve prescriptive recommendations for FarmLogs customers. […]
To say that the discovery of crude oil in the late 1950s in Oloibiri community of Bayelsa State, Nigeria, was the last straw that destroyed the Nigerian agricultural nerve is to state the obvious. Before the discovery of this product that has been given different names including black gold, Nigeria ran an agrarian economy with […]
The present public forest estate which was acquired between 1900 and 1970 embraces 100,000km2 or 11 percent of the total land area of the country. In spite of their importance, the tropical forest resources have diminished very rapidly and most areas have been transformed into unproductive land. The forest resources survey 1996 – 1998 revealed […]
An expert in food and crops production, Jude Ohanele, has appealed to government at all levels to provide more farm inputs and implements for enhanced food production for farmers in Imo State. Ohanele, who disclosed this in Owerri, emphasised the importance of consuming Vitamin ‘A’ cassava, stressing that its production in large quantity would help […]
Agriculture has been a beneficiary of steps to counter effects of dollar shortage Young men, ageing widows and local chiefs — even civil servants — have taken to the fields to work in rice paddies that stretch for miles around Tarasa, a village in north-west Nigeria. Two years ago the land in one of the […]
Africa is set to experience a unprecedented boom in demand for animal foods over the coming decades that if not properly managed could lead to the spread of new diseases, damage the environment and affect people’s livelihoods, experts say. The United Nations forecasts demand for meat, milk and eggs in Africa will almost quadruple by […]
Bashir Wali (acting Managing Director and CEO of NEXIM Bank) writes on the need for more actions aimed at diversifying the economy and foreign exchange earnings through increased non-oil exports Neither government agencies nor private sector businesses can do enough in supporting the agenda for diversifying the sources of foreign exchange earnings for the country. […]
The weight of a bag of feed – in extra calf weaning weight seems like a worthy goal. It could add up to $100 per cow to your sales. The following four cow/calf experts give their best low-cost tips on how to get an extra 50 pounds. 1. Rachel Endecott, Extension beef specialist, Montana State […]
Ever wonder how to break though yield barriers? Or maybe how to tweak your crop rotation to make sure it’s firing on all cylinders? A panel of farmers at an event sponsored by Stoller at this week’s Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas, did just that. 1. Plant Soybeans Early So far, a warm winter […]