Author: Adewale Kupoluyi
By Omolola Pedro In a bid to address food insecurity in the country, the Federal Government, in a collaboration with the Green Economy Alternative Nigeria (GEAN) and the Nasarawa State Government, has empowered no fewer than 100 farmers with sweet potato vines, in order to achieve sufficient production of sweet potato in Nasarawa State. The representatives of the three collaborators, who were at the inauguration for the distribution of vines for breeders, have high hopes that the production of sweet potatoes would make an impactful contribution to addressing issues of food insecurity and malnutrition in the country. The Director-General, Raw…
By Olamide Tejuoso Amid reports of worsening food shortage situation in North Korea, the state’s leader Kim Jong Un, has mandated that grain production targets in 2023 becomes a top priority. Kim, according to the state media, Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), has urged government officials to engineer a “fundamental transformation” in agricultural production. Doting on the importance of stable agriculture production during the second day of the seventh enlarged plenary meeting of the 8th Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, he noted that the state would have to experience a drastic change in the way it is…
By Olamide Tejuoso A young Ghanaian graduate, Michael Donkor in Accra, the capital city of Ghana, has revealed that pepper farming is extremely profitable. Speaking on the profitability of pepper farming during an interview session with Charles Antwi, Michael, who read Political Science and Philosophy, said he developed an interest for farming at a young age when he used to follow his mother to her rice farm, while his father was away on mission field. Upon graduation in 2017, he started growing gingers after which he ventured into planting pepper seeds. He noted further that habaneros are not seasonal…
By Omolola Pedro The Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullah has inaugurated a new governing council for the National Forestry Trust Fund (NFTF), to tackle the challenges militating against overall forestry development and a sustainable environment in the country. Abdullahi, who presided over the ceremony in Abuja, noted that the government had made a number of crucial moves toward resolving these issues, which include the creation and strengthening of policy as well as making changes to the institutional and legal frameworks. The National Forestry Trust Fund (NFTF) was established in the year 2019 as an example of improved funding for the forestry…
By Omolola Pedro A leading agribusiness organisation in Nigeria, Olam Agri, has launched a Baking Academy to train and empower more women in the country. The Academy, located in Kano State, builds on the pillars of the Seeds for the Future Foundation’s Crown Flour Angels (CFA) initiative, an economic empowerment and wheat-milling business in Nigeria. The academy is aimed at equipping women with baking skills and enhancing their income in order to enable them make meaningful contributions to themselves, families, communities and the nation’s economy. Speaking at the launch of the academy, the Country Head for Olam Agri in Nigeria,…
By Omolola Pedro A European dairy cooperative, Arla Foods and the Nigerian government have signed an agreement to jointly develop the dairy industry in Nigeria. According to Arla, a delegation from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), led by Dr. Ernest Umakhihe, and representatives from Arla Foods, signed a new five-year agreement that “builds on the foundation from previous years” at the company’s Innovation Centre in Aarhus, Denmark. The new agreement, which is also a representation of modifications, states that both parties are dedicated to developing the local dairy sector by encouraging cooperative business structures among nomadic herders,…
By Omolola Pedro A non-governmental organisation, the Lift Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO), said it has improved the capacity of rural farmers and business owners, through on-farm demonstrations, workshops and training programmes, which it organised. LAPO also revealed that its N70 billion credit facility provided to farmers and rural residents, between 2007 and 2022, had improved the productivity, income, and standard of living of beneficiaries. According to the Executive Director of LAPO, Dr. Honestus Obadiora, the loans were made available to 262,977 farmers through the LAPO Agricultural and Rural Development Initiative (LARDI). He disclosed further that loans were disbursed to farmers…
