Author: Adewale Kupoluyi

The Elerepamo of Pamo, Oba Ayobami Ogunmakinde, in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, has backed the alarm raised by the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, over incessant attacks and kidnappings targeting farmers in the South-West. The monarch made this known while speaking in Ibadan, the state capital. Ogunmakinde called for proactive measures to curb attacks in parts of the region, particularly in remote communities in Oyo State. It was reported that Afenifere, in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, in Ibadan, raised concerns over attacks on farmlands and the kidnapping of residents in various parts of Yorubaland and…

The Federal Government has opened applications for the recruitment of 18 key officers for the National Programme Management Unit of the Value Chain for Northern Nigeria Programme. FarmingFarmersFarms gathered that the recruitment was announced by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, through its Federal Department of Development Partners Projects. The programme, backed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the French Development Agency, is aimed at improving incomes, food security and climate resilience among smallholder farmers and other value chain actors in nine Northern states. The participating states are Sokoto, Kebbi, Jigawa, Zamfara, Borno, Katsina, Yobe, Bauchi, and Kano. Available slots include: National Programme…

The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has raised the alarm over inadequate funding and non-release of capital funds, saying the situation has hampered the implementation of several projects and programmes in the sector. The Director of Information and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, Henrietta Okokon, said that the ministry had not received capital releases since 2024. Okokon said the funding challenge had become a major concern, particularly, as the Federal Government is seeking to develop the livestock sector as a major source of economic growth. “We’ve been having issues of funding. You know, non-releases. Since 2024, we don’t have capital releases,…

The National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NOPPMAN) has lifted its suspension on onion exports from Nigeria to Ghana with immediate effect, following renewed engagements aimed at resolving challenges affecting cross-border trade. The association, in a public notice, signed by its President, Alhaji Aliyu Maitasamu, said the decision followed consultations with relevant stakeholders, including the ministries of trade of Nigeria and Ghana, diplomatic authorities, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and other institutions. NOPPMAN had earlier suspended onion exports to Ghana over unresolved difficulties confronting Nigerian and Nigerien onion traders and exporters in the Ghanaian market. The challenges reportedly centred…

As AGRA, formerly known as Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, marks its 20th anniversary with a continent-wide celebration tour, new evidence has allegedly tells a different story that hunger has risen sharply across AGRA’s focus countries since 2006, even as billions of philanthropic dollars poured into the industrial agricultural model. The Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA)’s General Coordinator, Million Belay and Tufts University researcher, Timothy Wise would present two new reports that show the extent to which Gates-funded model of agriculture devastated the continent., saying food sovereignty movement leaders would ground the findings in their lived…

The Bank of Agriculture (BOA) has said it is strengthening support for women farmers by expanding access to finance and inputs to boost production, strengthen livelihoods, and improve their participation in the agricultural value chain. The bank disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists, highlighting its interventions to address persistent barriers confronting women farmers, including limited access to finance, inputs, technology, mechanisation, and markets. According to the statement, women are widely-recognised as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s agricultural economy, with estimates cited by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of United Nations, placing their share of the agricultural workforce at up to…

Five farmers, comprising four males and one female, have been feared dead after a canoe conveying them to their farmland capsized while crossing River Kuji in the Katcha Local Government Area of Niger State. The Director-General of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba-Arah, disclosed this in Minna, the state capital. Baba-Arah said the incident occurred when the victims left Shaba Woshi village for their farmland across the river. Baba-Arah identified the victims as Yahaya Abubakar, Usman Abubakar, Lamin Hussaini, Baba Ahmadu, and Salihu Aliyu, all residents of Shaba Woshi village. He said the farmers travelled from the village to Katcha,…

Across Nigeria, educators, agribusinesses, and government agencies are asking the same question: How do we make farming interesting to a generation raised on phones, games, and fast food? The answer, they say, is to stop teaching agriculture like punishment and start selling it like an opportunity. With the average Nigerian farmer now over 50, getting kids interested is no longer optional. It is a food security strategy. In some states, schools are partnering with agri-tech firms to set up hydroponics kits, aquaponics tanks, and smart greenhouses. Students use sensors and apps to monitor soil acidity and alkalinity, temperature, and growth. It…

A farmer in China claims to have lost 25 acres of crops overnight after following pesticide advice from an Artificial Intelligence (AI) assistant. The 67-year-old from Chuzhou in Anhui province had been using artificial intelligence software for a year prior to the incident. According to local report, he has been using it to ask for advice on everything from scheduling to fertilising. Initial success led to him trusting the AI and blindly following its instructions without confirming the information with other sources. After asking about the best course of treatment for controlling weeds and pests on sesame crops, the AI suggested a…

The Federal Government has identified five states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for the pilot implementation of its National Ranching Policy. The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Maiha, disclosed this after briefing President Bola Tinubu on the ministry’s activities at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Maiha said the pilot programme would commence at the Wase Grazing Reserve in Plateau State, as a proof of concept for the new ranching model. He identified the six states altogether as Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Adamawa, alongside the FCT. According to the minister, the areas were selected because they have recorded some of the highest incidences of…