Author: Adewale Kupoluyi
The Agricultural Produce Sellers Association of Nigeria (APSAN) has decried the mounting of illegal checkpoints to extort money from its members in the Middle Belt, as one of the factors responsible for the skyrocketing price of food items. The National President of APSAN, Aloys Akortsaha lamented that for over 20 years, the incessant extortion had continued to make food prices expensive for the common man in the country. Akortsaha said that the cost of transporting food commodities from one state to another is far more expensive than the cost of the commodities. According to him, “This is why the prices…
The Ukrainian government has expressed its readiness to establish grain hubs in Nigeria and other African countries to boost bilateral ties. Already, Nigeria has signed the “Grains from Ukraine” project, which would see Nigeria receiving grain imports from the Ukraine. The Ukrainian Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food, Mykola Solskyi, recently led a delegation to the Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mohammad Abubakar, in Abuja. The basis for the decision is to establish a trade-partnership with Nigeria by initiating a grain hub in all of Africa with Nigeria serving as…
A final year Nigerian student from the Department of Chemistry, Federal University Dutse (FUD), Jigawa State, Zainab Bilyamin, has converted sachet water waste to hybrid fuel of kerosene and diesel, as her final year project, which is titled “Conversion of low-density polyethylene and mixed low-density polyethylene with polyethylene terephthalate into fuel”. According to FUD Newsletter, the final result shows that the hybrid fuel produced from the pure water waste products had similar properties as normal kerosene and diesel as it was used to light up a kerosene lamp and power a pumping machine successfully. Ms. Bilyamin said she was motivated…
The Federal Government has announced plans to expand the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) to the 36 states of the federation. The National Project Coordinator of RAAMP, Aminu Mohammed disclosed this during the Agency’s annual retreat and training of staff held in Calabar, Cross River State. At the occasion, Mohammed stated that “RAAMP was poised at making remarkable impact across the country, hence the need to extend the project to all states”. He expressed delight over an increase in the number of participating states, stressing that the successes recorded from the project’s commencement in 2008 in Cross River…
The Federal Government, through the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has empowered various farmers by distributing smart agriculture materials to beneficiaries of the National Adopted Village for Smart Agriculture (NAVSA). These materials were distributed during a 5-day Empowerment Programme, which took place at the Al-Qalam University, Katsina, Katsina State. NAVSA is designed to accelerate massive job creation, economic diversification and growth, facilitate the integration of digital technologies and innovations in the agriculture processes and practices to significantly increase productivity, improve food security, ensure an eco-friendly agricultural practice, attract potential talents and youths into agriculture profession to maximise outcomes. The…
The Federal Government has inaugurated the Presidential Committee on the Implementation of the “Nguru” Ecological Intervention Programme. Nguru is a community in Yobe State, Northeast Nigeria, as the Minister of Environment, Muhammad Abdullahi inaugurated the committee in Abuja on behalf of the Federal Government, which is a collaborative partnerships of all stakeholders including royal fathers for the government alone cannot solve and mitigate afforestation. “You may recall that the Emir of Nguru, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Mustafa Ibn Mai Kyari on behalf of the Forest Farmers (Nguru) Cooperative Society, requested ecological funds for the afforestation of degraded land to mitigate…
Five United Nations agencies have raised alarm and called for urgent action to protect the vulnerable children in Nigeria and 14 other countries worst hit by the food and nutrition crisis. In a press statement issued by the World Health Organisation, conflicts, climate shocks, ongoing impacts of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and rising costs of living are leaving an increasing number of children acutely malnourished while key health, nutrition and other life-saving services are becoming less accessible. According to the statement, “Currently, more than 30 million children in the 15 worst-affected countries suffer from wasting – or acute malnutrition -…
By Sodiq Lawal Scores of residents in Osun State have expressed concern over hike in the prices of bread. A market survey conducted by our correspondent revealed that the small size of loaf of bread is now N150, as against its previous price of N100. The prime loaf of bread is now N300 against its old price of N250, while a premium size loaf is now N250 as against N200. Some of the residents of Osogbo, the capital city of Osun State and Ile-Ife, who spoke on the latest prices of bread, which has become one of essential household fast…
Five United Nations agencies have raised alarm and called for urgent action to protect the vulnerable children in Nigeria and 14 other countries worst hit by the food and nutrition crisis. In a press statement issued by the World Health Organisation, conflicts, climate shocks, ongoing impacts of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and rising costs of living are leaving an increasing number of children acutely malnourished while key health, nutrition and other life-saving services are becoming less accessible. According to the statement, “Currently, more than 30 million children in the 15 worst-affected countries suffer from wasting – or acute malnutrition -…
Scores of residents in Osun State have expressed concern over hike in the prices of bread. A market survey conducted by our correspondent revealed that the small size of loaf of bread is now N150, as against its previous price of N100. The prime loaf of bread is now N300 against its old price of N250, while a premium size loaf is now N250 as against N200. Some of the residents of Osogbo, the capital city of Osun State and Ile-Ife, who spoke on the latest prices of bread, which has become one of essential household fast food commodities, expressed…
