Author: Adewale Kupoluyi

Pap, popularly known as Akamu or Ogi, is one of the most widely-consumed traditional foods in Nigeria. Loved for its smooth texture, mild sour taste, and nutritional value, pap has remained a staple breakfast meal in many Nigerian homes for generations. Whether served hot with akara, moi-moi, bread, or milk, pap is valued for being affordable, filling, and easy to digest. Beyond its role as a comfort food, pap also contributes significantly to agriculture and the local economy because it is made primarily from maize, a major crop cultivated across Nigeria.What is pap?Pap is a fermented cereal pudding made mainly…

The Federal Government has unveiled plans to raise N200billion in share capital for a proposed Cooperative Bank of Nigeria, as part of efforts to strengthen financial inclusion, support farmers, artisans and small businesses, and reposition the cooperative sector as a key driver of economic growth. The disclosure was made during the North-West Zonal Engagement of the Ministerial Advocacy Tour on the Cooperative Bank of Nigeria Share Capital Mobilisation and Cooperative Sector Digitalisation Drive, held at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Hall, Kaduna. Speaking at the event, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security and Supervising Minister of Cooperative Affairs, Senator Aliyu Abdullahi,…

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS), in collaboration with AFAAS national chapters in Kenya (KEFAAS), Liberia (LIFAAS), Nigeria (NIFAAS), and Uganda (UFAAS) have launched a joint effort to explore how generative artificial intelligence (AI) can strengthen agricultural extension systems across Africa. The collaboration builds on IFPRI and AFAAS’s shared commitment to evidence-based innovation in agricultural advisory services. Through IFPRI’s Generative AI for Agriculture (GAIA) initiative, the partners are conducting design workshops to inform emerging AI applications that can support farmers and extension agents with timely, localised, and trusted information. These activities bring together, extension professionals, researchers,…

At first glance, the words “Deserting” and “Desertification” sound almost identical and together seem not to make any sense. Ironically, however, especially as intended here, they are the antagonists, who jointly tell us what we must do to save life on Earth. Sorry, let me explain. It was my elementary school Mathematics teacher, who first taught me that when a negative number is multiplied by another negative, the resulting answer must be positive. This, I had to concede later, isn’t a conspiracy. If it were, it would never have been corroborated by our English teacher. The two core-subjects’ teachers were…

The Federal Government has inaugurated a Technical Working Group on Agricultural Produce Residue Standards to address recurring export rejections of Nigerian agricultural commodities arising from non-compliance with Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) and other sanitary and phytosanitary requirements. The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi, said the initiative was part of efforts to strengthen food safety systems and improve Nigeria’s competitiveness in regional and international agricultural markets. This was contained in a statement issued following the inauguration ceremony, held at the ministry’s conference room in Abuja. According to the minister, the inauguration marked another significant milestone in the Federal Government’s commitment…

Nigeria’s agriculture sector appears to be brimming with more opportunities for foreign investors, and from mechanisation to dairy and food processing. Wait a minute. The same market that promises scale and demand also presents real challenges. For international farmers and agribusinesses eyeing Nigeria, understanding these hurdles and the government’s push to address them is key to turning potentials into profit. Insecurity remains the most immediate threat to agricultural investment. Attacks on farms and disruptions along rural supply routes have weakened food distribution and driven up rural inflation to 16.36%, going by official statistics. Foreign investors cite security risks as a…

In a move to strengthen Nigeria’s food security drive, the Equipment Leasing Registration Authority and the National Agricultural Development Fund have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at expanding access to agricultural machinery through structured leasing arrangements. The agreement was signed in Abuja by the Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of ELRA, Donald Wokoma, and the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of NADF, Mohammed Ibrahim. In a statement issued by ELRA’s Head of Media and Corporate Communication, Adebola Sunday, the partnership is designed to improve access to tractors, harvesters, irrigation systems, processing equipment, and other agricultural assets for farmers, cooperatives, and agribusiness operators. The statement quoted Wokoma as saying…

The State of Israel has disclosed that it has ongoing agricultural cooperation with Nigeria, noting that Israeli technology and seedlings are already being deployed by Nigerian farmers. Speaking in Abuja during Israel’s 78th Independence Anniversary celebration, the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Michael Freeman, said Israeli companies are already operating in Nigeria. He added that while the seeds being planted were Israeli’s and supported by Israeli technology, the land and workers remained Nigerian. He added that the cooperation between both countries was expanding across innovation, agriculture, healthcare, security, education, and skills development, describing the initiatives as investments in a shared future. “When…

The Cocoa and Coffee Farmers Alliance Association of Africa has identified persistent market volatility, as one of the biggest threats to the sustainable development of Africa’s cocoa sector, warning that fluctuating prices continue to undermine farmers’ livelihoods and slow investment across the value chain. Speaking ahead of the Cocoa and Coffee Fiesta Lagos, Nigeria 2026, scheduled for October 7th and 8th, the Global President of COCEFAAA, Adeola Adegoke, said African cocoa farmers have demonstrated remarkable resilience despite years of unstable prices that have adversely affected income, productivity and sectoral growth. According to him, Africa remains the world’s leading cocoa-producing region, accounting for…

The Federal Government, through the Bank of Agriculture, has unveiled a series of interventions aimed at boosting food production and supporting more than 1.2 million farmers across the country during the current wet season. The Managing Director of BOA, Ayodele Sotinrin, disclosed this in a statement issued by the bank’s Team Lead, Corporate Communications Department, Ruth Didam. Sotinrin said the interventions formed part of President Bola Tinubu’s agricultural agenda to strengthen food security, improve farmers’ incomes, and expand financial inclusion. “The wide-ranging initiatives reflect the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting farmers whose labour ensures Nigerians do not go hungry”, Sotinrin said. He said…