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Showing posts from April, 2016

New project to build commercially sustainable cassava seed system in Nigeria

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A four-year project (2015 – 2019) to develop a commercially sustainable cassava seed value chain in Nigeria, was officially launched recently at a public event at the headquarters of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan, Nigeria. Titled ‘Building a Sustainable, Integrated Seed System for Cassava in Nigeria’ (BASICS), the $USD11.6 million project is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and led by the CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (RTB). Despite being the largest cassava producer in Africa, Nigeria’s average yields of 14 tons per hectare are less than half of what may be realistically attainable. The project aims to help Nigerian producers reach this potential through developing a commercially sustainable cassava seed value chain based on the purchase of quality seed by farmers provided by vibrant and profitable village seed entrepreneurs and basic seed production linked to cassava processors. These seed

Wells-San Carlos farm visits Agric ministery

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Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh (third from right), chatting with Minister of State for Agriculture, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri (left), Mr. San Carlos and the Chairman of Wells-San Carlos Agro Farms Limited, Capt. Idahosa Okunbo (retd) and during the visit of the Wells - San Carlos team on the Minister on Wednesday. 

Gombe Govt. assures farmers of prompt supply of farm inputs

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 Alhaji Dahiru Buba-Biri, former Commissioner for Agriculture in Gombe State and a commissioner nominee for the second term, has assured farmers in the state of prompt supply of farm inputs. Buba-Biri gave the assurance in an interview with newsmen shortly after he was screened by the state House of Assembly in Gombe on Wednesday. According to him, government is planning to supply farmers’ with farm inputs on time and at subsidised rate to boost food production in the state. “Even if farmers do not have money, they can get their inputs on time like in March and April,” he said. He explained that this would enable farmers to prepare well for the season and actualise government’s plans to encourage youth to embrace agricultural activities and be self-employed. ``If lands are available we intend to provide youth with inputs and whatever they require to produce rice and wheat. ``We would particularly provide them with soft loans from the Microfinance Banks in the state, so

Research Institute develops quality protein maize varieties

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 The Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Ibadan, has developed Quality Protein Maize varieties containing 4.015g lysine/100g of protein against 2.96g/100g of protein for normal maize. The institute’s Director-General, Prof. James Adediran, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of Research Extension Farmers Input Linkage System(REFILS) South-West workshop in Ibadan. Adediran said the institute’s primary goal is to ensure self-sufficiency in food and industrial raw materials production within a reasonable time. He noted that they developed and released green maize varieties (AR-SWT-1, 2, 3), with moderate cob size, vitamin A, good taste and disease tolerant. According to him, IAR&T also developed yellow composite popcorn varieties: Corn-pop-co, Corn-pop-C1, and Corn-pop-C2. “They have yield increase of about 29 per cent over the existing varieties, yielding above 2.5 tons per hectare, y

Ebonyi trains 200 youths in horticulture, says Commissioner

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 Chief Sabinus Nwankwegu, the Ebonyi Commissioner for Economic Empowerment and Job Creation, said on Wednesday that 200 youths from the state were undergoing training in horticulture in Abuja. The commissioner told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki that the training was part of government's efforts at ensuring that unemployed youths received requisite skills in agriculture and allied fields. Nwankwegu described horticulture as lucrative and also as an important branch of agriculture that deals with plants, flowers and vegetables. Gov.Dave Umahi He said that the youths, on completion of their training, would be assisted with take- off funds to enable them to establish their own businesses. ``The initiative is part of plans by government to reduce poverty and unemployment among youths. ``It is part of the Gov.Dave Umahi-led government’s drive to eliminate youth unemployment by engaging them in meaningful agricultural activities. ``The trainees,

FG 'll engage youth in food production- Ogbeh

FG 'll engage youth in food production- Ogbeh …as AfDB, IITA moves to support youth with $12.5bn By Gabriel Ewepu ABUJA- THE Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, has maintained that the Federal Government will engage youth in the country for massive food production as it partners with African development Bank, AfDB, and International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, IITA, to kick start the programme. Ogbeh, who was represented by the Minister of State, Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, made the statement at a two-day Youth Programme Design Workshop on ‘Empowering Novel Agri-Business-Led Employment’ ENABLE, organised by the AfDB in collaboration with IITA, frecently  in Abuja. Ogbeh said the government has resolved to ensure that the youth become major drivers of the agriculture sector as a way of economic empowerment to them and stakeholders in food production and security in the country. The minister als

FCT poultry farmers want govt.'s assistance to boost business

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 Some poultry farmers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have called on the government to provide financial support to farmers, to boost poultry business in the area. The farmers made the call on Wednesday in Abuja in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). They contended that such assistance would encourage people especially women and youths go into poultry farming. Mr Felix Wodi, a poultry farmer at Union Farms in Abaji Area Council, noted that one of the major challenges facing poultry farmers in the country was lack of capital. ``There are lots of people especially women who desired to be poultry farmers but lack the necessary fund to go into the business. `` I am appealing that such people should be encouraged especially with this economic meltdown in the country. ``Poultry farming is a very lucrative business if one has enough money to invest in the business. `` Also, Mr Musa Onimisi, a poultry farmer at Ajima Farms along Kuje-Gw

Ajumobi launches major agric programme

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NO FREE LAND FOR GRAZING ZONES IN OYO, AJIMOBI WARNS   …LAUNCHES MAJOR AGRIC PROGRAMME Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has said that the proposed creation of grazing zones across the country is ill-advised, warning that the proposal is against the spirit of the land use act and the overriding public interest. The governor bared his mind on the raging controversy trailing the alleged sponsorship of a bill at the National Assembly for the creation of grazing zones for cattle across the country as a panacea to the perennial clash between trespassing herdsmen and farm owners. Ajimobi spoke during the launch of the ‘AgricOyo,’ the Oyo State agriculture initiative, held at Paago, via Iseyin, in Oke Ogun zone of the state,  on Tuesday . At the event were investors, outgrowers, beneficiaries, institutional partners, outtakers, traditional rulers, and top officials of the state.   Governor Ajumobi The governor said, “This is the time to call a spade a spade. Thos

Greenhouse tech can fill tomatoes production gap in Nigeria--- Walumnbe

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By Jimoh Babatunde The gap in tomatoes production in  the country currently put at about 1.4 million tonnes  can be filled by  the greenhouse technological concept which is capable of creating huge employment opportunity for Nigerians. The Integrated Project Manager – Sustainable Livelihoods, Dizengoff Nigeria, Mr. Oscar Walumbe said  that Nigeria consumes over 2.3 million tonnes of tomatoes annually, while it currently produces about 1.8 million tonnes locally. Speaking at a media field  day in Lagos  during the week, he said only 50% (0.9 million tonnes) of the produce makes it from farm to fork, thereby,  creating an immediate gap of 1.4 million tonnes to filled. Walumbe said the  gap is essentially filled via importation, a scenario which puts more pressure on the demand for the already scarce US dollars. He said  Nigerians can now leverage on the immense opportunity offered by the Dizengoff Farmers’ Kits which can limit the foreign exchange spent on importing tomatoes