Author: Adewale Kupoluyi

The Federal Government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development-assisted Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP-AF) in Kogi State has distributed agricultural equipment to about 350 farmers, including women, and provided start-up packs to 33 Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), as part of efforts to boost agricultural productivity, promote inclusion and create sustainable livelihoods. FarmingFarmersFarms reports that the intervention, distributed in Lokoja, the state capital, covered farmers involved in production, processing and marketing, as well as women beneficiaries from five local government areas of the state, which include Ajaokuta, Lokoja, Ibaji, Olamaboro, and Kabba-Bunu. The equipment provided to farmers include knapsack sprayers, solar-powered…

No fewer than 311 smallholder farmers in the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State have been trained on the use of digital tools to improve farm management, access to finance, and crop production.The training was organised by agritech company, Crop Cura, in collaboration with Dizengoff and Casava Insurance at the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Secretariat.They had targeted 200 farmers for the activation, but the turnout rose to 311, according to the organisers.The event brought together agricultural officials, farmer representatives, and other stakeholders, including the Director of Agriculture for the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area, Abolade Omidiji.Also present were the State Chairman…

Nigeria’s rising food prices have made feeding the average household increasingly difficult. The cost of tomatoes, peppers, vegetables and other basic food items continues to put pressure on family incomes. While large-scale agriculture remains essential to feeding the nation, Nigerians must also look beyond commercial farms for practical ways to increase local food production. Backyard farming means growing food in available spaces around the home. It can involve vegetables planted in small plots, sacks, containers, or grow bags, as well as small-scale poultry or fish farming where space permits. It is not a substitute for commercial agriculture, but it can help…

The Kaduna State Government says it has reclaimed more than 500,000 hectares of farmland, previously controlled by bandits across the state in the last three years. The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Ahmed Maiyaki, disclosed this during the annual retreat of the Kano Correspondents’ Chapel in Kaduna, saying the recovery followed the government’s combination of military operations, community-based security initiatives, early-warning systems and engagement with traditional and religious leaders. He explained that bandits had previously taken control of several communities, imposed taxes on residents, dictated farming activities, and demanded payments before allowing families to conduct marriage ceremonies. According to him, the restoration of…

The Federal Government has said it would soon end the slaughtering of livestock in uncontrolled environments across the country, as part of efforts to modernise the red meat industry and position Nigeria for the export market. The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, disclosed this in Kaduna at the official launch of Olam Agri’s TruValue Cattle Feed, a beef and dairy concentrate feed. Maiha said the government had already commenced the development of modern abattoirs and would require animals destined for the market to pass through feedlots and meet prescribed standards before slaughter. He said, “We are going to sustain the tempo to…

The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has said that empowering youths and young Nigerians with skills, tools, and opportunities required for modern agriculture, is critical to the future of the sector and the country’s food security. The First Lady also commended the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security for launching the Agri360 Mechanisation Training Initiative, aimed at empowering 5,000 women and youths across the country. Tinubu, represented by the wife of the Vice President, Nana Shettima, spoke at the National Colloquium on ‘The Role of Women and Youth in Advancing Agricultural Mechanisation in Nigeria’ and the unveiling of the initiative at the…

The Osun State Police Command of the Nigeria Police Force, has arrested a man, Taye Kasali, over the alleged murder of his mother, Kudirat Kasali, in Bode-Osi, Osun State. Police said the suspect allegedly killed the woman and buried her remains in a shallow grave on the family farm following a disagreement over the property. The command’s spokesperson, Abiodun Ojelabi, disclosed this in a statement, saying the case began after a report was received that Kudirat and her son were missing. According to the police, the report was lodged at the Bode-Osi Divisional Police Station on September 1, 2026, prompting detectives…

The Federal Government has said its new guaranteed minimum price scheme for grains will affect more than 11.5 million households, as it moves to protect farmers from losses caused by fallen commodity prices. Under the Renewed Hope Guaranteed Minimum Price (GMP) Programme, the government will pay eligible maize farmers N350,000 per tonne, while sorghum and soybeans will also be purchased under the scheme. The Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, Ayo Sotinrin, disclosed this at the launch of the programme in Abuja, saying the intervention was introduced after prices of major cereals, including rice, maize, sorghum and soybeans, fell below import parity in 2024…

A family field record from Prado in Brazil, offers practical lens for examining how soil cover, biomass, propagation and access barriers can indeed shape food-producing capacity. How? When the Trott Bailey Family began planting on visibly sandy ground in Prado, Bahia, the first question was straightforward: which crops would survive? After a year of repeated planting, observation and adjustment, the question became more useful: how many functions can one plant perform while it grows? That shift matters because agricultural performance is often reduced to the harvest alone. Yield remains essential, but a crop can also protect soil, generate biomass, provide…

The Enugu United Palm Products Limited (UPPL), a public-private partnership between Pragmatic Palms Limited and the Enugu State Government, has commenced commercial production of palm oil for the Nigerian market, with plans to expand into refined products and establish a new industrial complex. The development was disclosed by the Managing Director of the company, Prof. George Nwangwu, when he led other directors of the firm to the Government House, Enugu, to brief Governor Peter Mbah on the progress of the company since the commencement of its operations, two years ago. Nwangwu said the company had restored its plantations in Ibite-Olo, Umulokpa and Ugwu-Oba, located…