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Ogun plans 150,000 bags of MITROS Rice in December 

Rice bagging progress at Sawonjo Rice Mill. PHOTOS: GBENGA AKINFENWA Ogun State government has concluded plans to roll out about 150,000 bags of its MITROS Rice, for the Yuletide, as part of efforts to ensure food security in the state. This development is as result of the rice revolution, which started in 2013, but was […]

Zainab Ahmed: How AfDB helped Nigeria out of recession

Zainab Ahmed, minister of finance, says the African Development Bank (AfDB) was very instrumental to Nigeria’s exit from its worst recession in decades. The minister explained this on Thursday while speaking to CNBC Africa on the sidelines of the first ever Africa Investment Forum ongoing in South Africa. She explained the role AfDB played in getting Nigeria […]

FIIRO has developed over 250 food processing techs, says DG

Chairman of the House of Reps committee on science and technology, Beni Lar (Left), with the Director General of FIIRO, Prof. (Mrs) Gloria Elemo and other lawmakers and management staff of the institute during an oversight function visit by the committee to FIIRO at the weekend. PHOTO: FEMI IBIROGBA • House committee commends institute, urges […]

Competition for cassava roots raises concern about food security

Cassava Head, Agro-Economy Desk, FEMI IBIROGBA, writes on the concern that industrial utilisation of cassava roots could pose threats to availability of staples derivable from the root crop. The rising demand for the multipurpose cassava roots by industrialists and staple food processors has raised concerns in some quarters that Nigerians might be deprived of staples […]

Expert tasks government on development of agriculture

Audu Ogbeh: Agric Minister Mr Bosun Abodunrin, an Agriculture Economist, says there is no justification for Nigeria to be a major importer of food items going by its agriculture potential. Abiodun told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Omu-Aran on Sunday that the nation was richly endowed with adequate resources and expertise needed to […]

Experts call for more investments in agric research facilities

Experts in the agricultural sector have called on the government at all levels to focus on the improvement of research facilities and step up the rate of food production so that food can be affordable. They said these at the 18th memorial lecture of the Ikorodu Division Resource Development Group (IDRDG), which was held at […]

‘Hibiscus exporters ‘technically’ out of business’

Ban on Nigeria-made hibiscus flowers has left many exporters ‘technically’ out of business, as the ban of the product by the Mexican government is yet to be lifted.   This has caused job loss in the agriculture value chain, even as many farmers depend on cultivation of product for survival.The President of the Association of […]

Sesame seed farmers celebrate bumper harvests in Yobe

Sesame seeds farmers in Yobe are celebrating bumper harvests as the price of the commodity shoots up to N32,000 per bag in the market. Some farmers said that they had the best harvests this year compared to some years back. Malam Ali Gaba, a farmer, said “most of us have good harvests this year unlike […]

No justification for Nigeria to be import dependent – Expert

Mr Bosun Abodunrin, an Agriculture Economist, says there is no justification for Nigeria to be a major importer of food items going by its agriculture potential. Abiodun told the Newsmen  in Omu-Aran on Sunday that the nation was richly endowed with adequate resources and expertise needed to transform agriculture. He maintained that the time was […]

At poultry show, PAN seeks government investment

Poultry Rising from a three-day ‘Nigeria Poultry Show,’ organised by the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), in Abeokuta, Ogun State, participants have urged government, at all levels to invest heavily in the sector and also create conducive environment for private sector to invest. The yearly show brings together owners of poultry farms and its allies […]

USDA report on Nigeria rice importation is “mischief” Agric Minister says

Chief Audu Ogbe Minister of Agriculture, not happy with USDA report on Nigeria’s rice importation By Ginika Okoye The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has described as “mischief” the report credited to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) alleging that Nigeria imported about three million tonnes of rice in 2018. […]

Farmers get implements to boost rice production

Audu Ogbeh, Agric minister By Ginika Okoye The Federal Government has taken further steps to boost rice and animal feed production through the distribution of implement to farmers. The government has started the distribution of farm implements including cattle feed mills and rice milling machines to farmers. The gesture is to increase local rice production […]

Okitipupa Oil Palm workers end strike

palm oil Seed PHOTO:AFP Peace and stable labour activities have finally returned to the embattled Okitipupa Oil Palm Company (OOPC), Okitipupa, Ondo State, crippled for months by strike carried out by a section of its workforce — the cutters and harvesters. The company’s Lead Management Consultant (LMC), Taiwo Adewole, who also doubles as the Chief […]

C:AVA II Nigeria lists gains of alleviating food insecurity 

The Country Manager, Cassava: Adding Value for Africa Phase 2 (C:AVA II) Nigeria, Professor Lateef Sanni has attested to the success of the project in alleviating food insecurity, unemployment and boosting the income of rural farmers in the country. Speaking at a Special Session during the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST) 42nd Conference […]