Don’t blame FG for the economic woes of Nigeria

Senator Ita Enang, a Senior Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on the National Assembly, has urged Nigerians to refrain from blaming the Federal Government for the economic crunch bedeviling the nation.

Speaking with journalists in Uyo on Monday, the Senator said other factors like the fall

FG Restates Commitment To Encourage Youths In Agriculture

President Muhammadu Buhari has restated his administration’s commitment to grow the agricultural sector by encouraging the youth to pick interest in agriculture.

He revisited this at the opening ceremony of the 9th regional implementation forum of the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD)-supported projects in West and Central Africa (WCA), with the theme “Investing in rural youth: How do we plant the seeds for the future?”  held in Abuja.

Addressing the grazing challenge

• Fulani cattle

For want of a grazing field, cattle have been invading farmlands. Such invasions have led to clashes between cattle rearers and farmers. Some experts are calling for the establishment of grazing zones in the North to address the problem, DANIEL ESSIET reports.
The livestock sector makes large net contributions to food supply. Red meat provides protein for about 150 million people. The cattle that supply red provides food, and also other products, such as leather, traction and manure.

UN Agencies Partners FG On Economy Diversification, Strengthens Agriculture

The UN says it’s collaborating with the Federal Government to strengthen the agriculture and solid minerals sectors to ensure the success of the country’s diversification programme.

The Resident Coordinator of the UN, Ms Fatma Samoura, stated this at a press conference on UN agencies interventions aimed at addressing poverty through economic diversification.

Strip tillage helps increase wheat production

RANGPUR, Mar 24 (BSS): Experts at a farmers' field day have said adoption of the strip tillage method in sowing wheat seed using Power Tiller Operated Seeder (PTOS) machine substantially increases wheat production at reduced costs. Dinajpur Hub of International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) organised the event on Strip Tillage Wheat Production using PTOS machine in village Sundarban under Sadar upazila of Dinajpur on Wednesday afternoon.

Why We Are Importing Grass By Minister Of Agriculture

The barrage of comments, criticisms, questions and name-calling on the social media that have trailed the announcement of an intention to import grass to improve the business of production of cattle, sheep and goats in Nigeria is rather incredible. Too many of such comments smacked of hasty, hollow and inappropriate responses that betrayed a lack of understanding of the subject, the enormity of the problem, the benefits embedded in the planned intervention and the urgency of the need to adopt that measure. I want to put some facts in public domain and in the right perspective for the public to know.

Lack of political will key challenge to agriculture

Lack of concentration and co-ordination by governments are the major challenges facing the agricultural sector in the country, the Deputy Director, Country and Policy, Agricultural Development at the  Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, James Nyoro, said yesterday.
Nyoro spoke  in an interview with Daily Trust in Abuja on the sidelines of the stakeholders’ dialogue and workshop for the State Partnership for Agriculture organized by Synergos Nigeria with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Eye on Kebbi dry season farming

Our attention has been drawn to a publication titled “Eye on Kebbi Dry Season
Farming” published in the Daily Trust edition of 8th March, 2016. For the avoidance of doubt, the publication falsely and purportedly quoted the Chairman of State’s Program Implementation Committee, Alh. Garba Dandiga, who pointedly denied ever granting an interview to the writer on the program.

BUHARI SAYS AGRICULTURE IS NIGERIA’S ONLY HOPE

Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari said that agriculture is Nigeria’s only hope of economic resurgence. He said that there is need for rapid development in the agricultural and solid mineral resources field as the revenues from crude oil exports keep declining. Buhari said that his administration is fully committed to to the cause so as to save the nation from the harsh effects of dwindling crude oil prices.

Organic produce for export

By using bio-fertiliser, farmers are reviving land and boosting the nation’s agro exports prospect, Daniel Essiet writes.

While many farmers are battling to survive, because of the financial challenge of setting up a modern farm, organic farming method is helping Herny Adigun, chief executive, Yomex Organic Farm, to succeed.

He uses organic fertiliser, mostly green manure. This helps to provide moisture and nutrients. When he began, his knowledge of farming was not much.  Yet his willingness to learn and hard work have paid off handsomely – and he is an example to emerging farmers everywhere.

We’re building an investment friendly environment – Udoma

The Budget and National Planning Minister, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma has reiterated Federal Government’s determination to support the private sector as part of its cardinal move to reflate the country’s economy.

The Minister who was speaking in Abuja on Thursday while receiving a delegation from the Nigerian Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), said a healthy partnership between government and the private sector will see the economy grow much faster.

Acknowledging the private sector as the engine room of development, Senator Udoma told the delegation that the present administration is fully committed to building an investment friendly environment for the organized private sector, which is part of why this year’s budget gave prominence to infrastructure development.

Nigeria, Germany Partner On Smallholder Farming

The German Agency
for International Cooperation has resolved to help tackle the perennial problems associated with smallholder farming in Nigeria.
In a press release made available to The Tide through Agro Nigeria in Port Harcourt recently, GIZ Nigeria’s country Director, Thomas Kirsch disclosed that the agency has initiated a scheme code- named “the Competitive Africa Rice Initiative (CARI)” which will offer matching grants to no fewer than 122,000 farmers in four African countries including Nigeria.