Author: Adewale Kupoluyi
Oluwole Okunola, a graduate of the National Open University Nigeria (NOUN), is the Chief Executive Officer of Haremex Farms. He is a fish farmer and spoke on a number of issues bordering on how he started the catfish farming business, why fish farming is good, successes recorded so far in the venture, challenges associated with fish farming, contributions of fish farming to the Nigerian economy, words of advice to young farmers, and the role expected of the government in that line of business. More importantly, he has made a case for rich database in Nigeria on loan opportunities, equipment and technology for fish farmers to excel. Excerpts: Can…
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Abubakar has formally inaugurated the National Council on Animal Welfare (NCAW) with a charge to ensure the regulation of animal welfare in Nigeria in line with global best practices. According to the minister, “It is our duty to ensure that animals are treated humanely, responsibly and devoid of stress, hunger, anxiety and pain”. He added that the Nigeria Animal Welfare Strategy was developed and approved by the National Council on Agriculture and Rural Development (NCARD) in 2016 and in furtherance of the implementation of the policy, the ministry stepped up efforts…
The Federal Government has taken steps to enhance living income differential of cocoa farmers by inaugurating the National Cocoa Management Committee (NCMC). While inaugurating the committee in Abuja, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Mohammad Abubakar stated that the effort would boost living income differential (LID) for cocoa smallholder farmers, guarantee quality, traceability, transparency and sustainability for cocoa value chain as well as meet export demands, added that the initiative would make Nigerian cocoa farmers to start benefiting from the project like their counterparts in Ghana and Cote d’Ivorie. Dr. Abubakar charged the committee to come up with…
The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) has called on the Government of China to partner with the Nigerian government to domesticate Juncao technology in the nation’s universities of agriculture. The Chief Executive Officer of AUDA-NEPAD, Nigeria, Princess Gloria Akobundu stated this in Abuja at a three-day workshop on the application of Juncao technology and its contribution to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Juncao technology is an environmental-friendly system that empowers smallholder farmers and entrepreneurs to grow mushrooms from dried, chopped grasses without cutting down trees and damaging the environment. The technology could also be used for producing cattle…
The President, African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has revealed that his bank is set to deliver climate-adapted, certified wheat and other staple crops seeds to 20 million farmers. Adesina made this known in a document titled, “Averting an African Food Crisis: The African Food Production Facility”. He said the initiative, which was part of activities by the bank, would tackle food crisis in African countries, including Nigeria. The President said the delivery of seeds and increased access to agricultural fertilizers would be done through the bank’s African Emergency Food Production Facility. Dr. Adesina said within the next two…
The Chairman, Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) Regional Steering Committee, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Mr. Ernest Aubee has said that organic agriculture is generating lots of resources globally. Aubee said this at a two-day national stakeholders meeting on reporting achievements of EOA in Nigeria to the government and national stakeholders. “ECOWAS Commission is promoting organic agriculture in West Africa. We, as a region, want to benefit from the high turnover in terms of resources so that our farmers can also benefit. Organic agriculture is the best way to adopt because it is promoting sound health for the…
Pet Agro Farms is to invest about N150 million in the production and processing of oil palm, cashew, soybeans and other agricultural production as part of its backward integration initiative to produce local raw materials. The agro-firm stated that the initiative had become necessary in view of forex instability in the country, adding that it would rather be targeting the foreign market to earn forex for the country. The Director of Pet Agro Farms, Ms. Rehab Danladi said the farm was working closely with the Bank of Industry for the local market production while talks are ongoing with the Nigerian…
Stakeholders in the non-oil export sector have stressed the need for a combined effort to boost the non-oil export sector in Benue State. Some of the agro-exportable commodities in the state, commonly referred to as the Food Basket of the Nation, include yam, citrus, sesame and soybean, among others. Speaking at a one-day seminar on “Appropriate and Quality Assurance of Agro-Allied Products as a Panacea for Increased Export”, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Mr. Emmanuel Jime said “This enlightenment programme is very important to the Council as it serves as an avenue to bring stakeholders together for cross-fertilization of…
The Ogun State Government has distributed 10,000 cocoa seedlings to farmers in the state, which were given free of charge to over 3,000 farmers in Ijebu East alone, towards meeting up with the target of distributing 100,000 cocoa seedlings. According to the Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Adeola Odedina, the gesture was part of government’s plan to continue the sustainability of good quality cocoa seedlings to enhance cocoa production in the state. Dr. Odedina, while presenting the seedlings, explained that the administration of Prince Dapo Abiodun was poised to boost the production of cocoa in Ogun State in collaboration with Tulip…
