Author: Adewale Kupoluyi

To tackle food insecurity and rural unemployment, the National Agricultural Land Development Authority has commissioned a 5,000-hectare farm estate in Ora, Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, with projections to directly and indirectly impact about 10,000 livelihoods. Speaking during the launch of the project, the Executive Secretary of NALDA, Cornelius Adebayo, said the initiative forms part of a broader national strategy under the administration of President Bola Tinubu to boost food production, create jobs, and curb insecurity through agriculture. Adebayo explained that the farm estate model, which clusters farmers within a secured and structured environment, is designed to enhance productivity while addressing…

Unemployment continues to be a major concern for young people in Nigeria, with many graduates struggling to find stable and rewarding jobs. At the same time, agriculture remains one of the most promising, yet underutilised sectors in the country. The integration of technology into agriculture is a game-changer that can significantly transform youth participation and make farming more attractive, profitable, and sustainable. Agriculture, which some people see as a labour-intensive and an outdated profession, is now evolving due to technological advancements. Tools such as drones, mobile applications, and smart farming systems are redefining how farming is done, making it more efficient and…

 The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), has urged the Federal Government to swiftly address the structural bottlenecks in food supply chains, as food inflation continues to exert significant pressure on household welfare. This was contained in a press statement on Inflation Rebound, Business Presure, and Poverty Risks, issued by the Director-General of LCCI, Dr. Chinyere Almona.Almona noted that the body observed the uptick, largely driven by increase food inflation, 14.31% and transport cost, 16.9%, as well as a rise in core inflation to 16.21%, which reflects renewed underlying price pressure within the economy, saying that there is urgent need to…

Unemployment remains one of the most pressing challenges facing young people today, especially in developing countries like Nigeria. Every year, thousands of graduates enter the labour market with high hopes, only to encounter limited job opportunities. In my view, one of the most practical and sustainable solutions to this growing problem is youth involvement in farming. Agriculture, often underestimated and overlooked, holds immense potential, not just for food production, but for employment generation and economic transformation in many ways. First, farming offers immediate and accessible employment opportunities. Unlike many white-collar jobs that require years of specialised training or limited vacancies,…

The President of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria, Dr. Olugbenga Adebola, has called on the government to establish a strong policy to guarantee investment in the waste disposal sector. Adebola noted this during a recent event in Lagos, hosted by the Property and Environment Writers Association of Nigeria. He said, “It is not just about money, because there is a lot of policy inconsistency and that is where we are. We are where we are. So, everything should be good, and it should be used by the private sector. The government has no business being in business. The government in…

Policymakers, researchers, and development partners have charted a coordinated pathway for transforming Nigeria’s agri-food system, with a strong push for aligning policy, evidence, and implementation to deliver measurable impact. They converged at a recent policy dialogue in Abuja, organised by the International Food Policy Research Institute, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, and other partners, which brought together representatives from more than seven federal ministries, including Agriculture and Food Security, Water Resources, Women Affairs and Social Development, as well as Youth Development. Speaking at the session, Country Programme Leader, IFPRI-Nigeria, Oliver Kirui, said the engagement came at a critical moment…

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency has warned of thunderstorms, rainfall, and strong winds across parts of the country on Monday, April 13, urging residents and operators to take safety precautions. In its forecast released, NiMet said northern states will experience sunny conditions in the morning, with isolated thunderstorms over Adamawa and Taraba expected later in the day. It added that hot and sunny conditions will prevail in most areas during the morning, before giving way to localised rainfall, lightning, and gusty winds in the afternoon and evening. For the central region, the agency projected cloudy conditions in the morning with intervals of sunshine,…

The European Union, alongside the Federal Government and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, has called for urgent action to end food waste and promote sustainable consumption and production. They groups noted that when food is wasted, the water, energy, and labour that went into producing it are also wasted, while accelerating climate change and undermining global efforts to build a zero-waste circular future. This was disclosed in a statement by the EU delegation to Nigeria and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Speaking in Abuja, during the commemoration of this year’s International Zero Waste Day, with the theme “Food waste reduction: Minimisation…

The Senate has intensified efforts to reposition Nigeria’s agricultural colleges and research institutions by seeking support from key global partners for reforms, technology transfer, and investment. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agricultural Colleges and Institutions, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja, saying the committee had engaged diplomatic missions of Malaysia, Brazil, China, Germany, India, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, as part of broader plans to revitalise agricultural education and research in the country. He noted that the National Assembly is committed to leveraging international expertise to improve productivity, strengthen institutional capacity, and promote…

Global food commodity prices rose for a second consecutive month in March, driven largely by higher energy costs linked to escalating conflict in the Near East. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations said in its report released. The FAO Food Price Index, a benchmark that tracks monthly changes in international prices of a basket of globally-traded food commodities, averaged 128.5 points in March, representing a 2.4% increase from February and standing 1.0% higher than its level a year earlier. “Price indices across all commodity groups, such as cereals, meat, dairy, vegetable oils, and sugar, rose to varying degrees, reflecting not…