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Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists have discovered a ribonucleic acid, or RNA, that can increase the thale cress plant’s resistance to stress from drought and salt. The discovery could help illuminate a new pathway to engineering drought- and salt-tolerant plants, including food crops, said Dr. Liming Xiong, AgriLife Research associate professor, Dallas. “This is the […]
A new factory on Praslin, the second-most populated island in Seychelles, is launching a new and innovative way to manage and make better use of seaweed: turning it into agricultural fertiliser. Bernard Port-Louis told SNA that the business, called ‘Seaweed Seychelles,’ is the brainchild of his son Benjamin. “He is currently in his final year […]
On the steep farming slopes of China, Bozhi Wu and his research associates are finding ways to improve economic and environmental stability. The research team studied the use of intercropping – growing more than one crop per season – on hilly land. They focused on a staple grain crop, corn. They compared intercropping the corn […]
Iowa State University researchers have literally, and figuratively, shed new light on the odor problems arising from livestock facilities. Jacek Koziel, an associate professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering, and his team are using black light to help neutralize the volatile components that make up objectionable odors. Shined on surfaces coated with a thin layer […]
The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) has concluded a two-day Induction training course on Biosafety Administration which aimed to increase the functionality of the Nigerian Biosafety system. Director General/CEO of the Agency, Dr. Rufus Ebegba, stated in his opening remarks that this induction will help the staff learn how to effectively execute the regulatory powers […]
Civil society groups have rejected a plan by the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to grow genetically-modified cassava in the country. The Health of Mother Earth Foundation, along with 87 others civil society groups, disclosed their position in a statement. The HOMEF Biosafety Project Manager, Joyce Okeoghene, said the IITA admitted that such approval […]
The Angolan market gained recently two canned food plants of tuna, sardines and horse mackerel, which can soon be exported to the European market, said Friday the Fisheries minister, Victoria Barros Neto in Tômbwa Municipality, south-western Namibe Province. With the rehabilitation of these food plants the country will have on the domestic market canned food […]
Mozambique’s Institute of Agricultural Research (IIAM) is harvesting its first genetically modified maize (GM maize), which has been grown in a test field of Chókwè research station in the southern province of Gaza. According to the daily paper “Diario de Mocambique” the aim is assist the productive sector with drought resistant and insect tolerant seeds […]
As government intensifies energy and resources to diversify the economy and make agriculture its mainstay, two young Nigerian entrepreneurs have developed a state-of-the-art App that will connect farmers, broaden knowledge base of stakeholders in the sector with the ultimate aim of broadening agri-business in the country. Speaking with journalists in Lagos on the new tool, […]
The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) has begin a training programme for farmers in Katsina on how to make biopesticides and fertiliser from neem. The programme is holding at UNIDO Neem Biopesticide Centre at Hasan Usman Katsina Polytechnic. About 50 farmers took part in the pilot phase of the scheme. Neem or nimtree (azadirachta […]
Scientists working on cassava breeding are now using the Semi-Autotrophic Hydroponics (SAH) technology to rev up the propagation of clean cassava planting materials. The SAH involves the use of modified soil which holds plant roots in planting pots with little water. Usually the trays are filled with a little amount of water, and the soil […]
The Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, has developed a high-yield new variety of tomatoes. A statement from the university on Thursday said the new variety, named Eva F1, was cultured to suit the Nigerian market through the collaborative efforts of the School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology (SAAT) and the Teaching and Research Farm […]
Eritrea – Efforts to develop select potato seeds on the part of Halhale National Agricultural Research Institute (HNARI) are producing encouraging outcome, according to Mr. Musie Fekadu, Head of Bio-Technology at the Institute. He further explained that research conducted over the past three years by the Eritrean government in collaboration with partners has enabled the […]
Research being conducted by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in seed yam multiplication holds promise to quadruple yam production in the country. This was disclosed as the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbe, ended a two-day visit to Ibadan last week. Addressing reporters after a tour of IITA facilities, including […]
Dr. Rufus Ebegba, Director General/CEO, National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), has urged Nigerians to always research information from credible sources in order to be adequately informed and prevent misinformation. Dr. Ebegba said this while enlightening some staff and students of the Environmental Health Sciences department of Kwara State University, who paid an educational visit to […]