Nigeria to stop rice importation in 2018: president

LAGOS, Jan. 1 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday announced that the country would stop importation of rice from 2018, to encourage the production of local rice.

The president, who said this in his address to the nation in Abuja to mark the beginning of 2018, said it is in view of this reality that in 2015 he appealed to people to go back to the land.

IITA donates 35,930 kilograms ‘Seeds of Renaissance’ to Nigeria to address humanitarian crisis

Borno, Nigeria - The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) today donated about 35,930 kilograms of seeds to the Borno state government as part of efforts to cushion the humanitarian crisis in the northeastern part of Nigeria.

Nigeria: We Have Drought Resistant Seeds for North-East - Premier Seeds

Premier Seeds Nigeria Limited, a producer of a wide range of improved certified agricultural seeds, said it has developed maize and sorghum varieties that are drought resistant.

Mr. Afolabi Samson, the company's Research and Development Manager, who spoke exclusively with our reporter, said the special varieties can do well in those areas with low rain fall.

"For the North Eastern part of the country where drought is a problem, we have maize and sorghum varieties that are drought tolerant and resistant that can do well in those areas," he said.

"For the tropical rain forest down south, where there is long term rainfall, we also have varieties that are adapted to rain forest that can do well in those areas too," he said.

Mr. Afolabi said they have a department in charge of research and development that develops all the varieties they have. He noted that they have a quality control team and quality control laboratory which tests the varieties before they are sent out.

Kano farmers celebrate return to commercial wheat production

Many farmers in Kano State are now reaping the benefits of wheat production, recording huge successes this year with the recent official launch of the harvest season by the state government.

Wheat (Alkama) production in northern Nigeria dates back to centuries in

Nigeria to export yam to China, other countries soon

(Ecofin Agency) - The Nigerian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, has disclosed that the Chinese government is interested in importing dry yam from the country to meet industrial and domestic demands.

The Minister, who revealed this in Abuja on Thursday, noted that although Nigeria remains one of the World’s largest producers of yam, it was still not among yam exporting countrie

University Of Agriculture Makurdi Can Champion FG’s Diversification Drive – Akande

Mr Akinloye Akande is the national president of the Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi Alumni. In this interview withTARKAA DAVID, he speaks on ongoing effort being made by the Alumni to transform the institution from a mere citadel of learning to an economic hub where the country can benefit immensely in terms of the diversification drive of the federal government.

You became the national president of UAM in October 2015 for a three-year term. How have you been coping so far in steering the affairs of this association?
Well, as it is with every other organisation, it is not easy but it has always been the grace of God because for one to really count his achievements in office, he or she will need time. There are lots of things that need to be addressed. Since the federal government can no longer meet the funding required of this institution it behoves on us to get in touch with other alumni members to help build their alma matter. For you to achieve any feat, you must be seen to have time, you must be someone who is in the forefront in meeting with other alumni members to bring something of importance. I have been making

Announcement: Call for Applications for the 2017 Short-Term Visiting Scholars Program at Michigan State University under the Feed the Future Nigeria Agricultural Policy Project

We are pleased to share with you a recently released Call for Applications for the 2017 Short-Term Visiting Scholars Program at Michigan State University under the Feed the Future Nigeria Agricultural Policy Project

Announcement: Call for Applications for the 2017 Short-Term Visiting Scholars Program at Michigan State University under the Feed the Future Nigeria Agricultural Policy Project

We are pleased to share with you a recently released Call for Applications for the 2017 Short-Term Visiting Scholars Program at Michigan State University under the Feed the Future Nigeria Agricultural Policy Project

Announcement: Call for Applications for the 2017 Short-Term Visiting Scholars Program at Michigan State University under the Feed the Future Nigeria Agricultural Policy Project

We are pleased to share with you a recently released Call for Applications for the 2017 Short-Term Visiting Scholars Program at Michigan State University under the Feed the Future Nigeria Agricultural Policy Project

Minister tasks states over Ondo millenium abattoir

Federal Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has declared the semi-mechanised abattoir built by Governor Olusegun Mimiko, as up to the standard of World Health Organisation (WHO), just as he challenged other state governments to emulate Ondo.
In the same vein, the Council of Nigeria, and Professor of Veterinary Public Health and Provost Federal College of Animal Production and Health, Vom, Jos,

CBN directs banks, MfBs, DFIs to disburse N220b agric funds

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday appointed Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), Microfinance Banks (MfBs) and Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) to disburse N220 billion targeted at the Anchor Borrowers’ PThe apex bank also released guidelines for the implementation of ABP which it said was established in line with its developmental function.

NIHORT empowers farmers, youth on food security, waste management for wealth creation

The National Horticultural Research Institute, in fulfilling its drive to develop horticultural produce and products for local and export markets with attendant health, industrial raw materials and employment generation benefits, organised a two-day training workshop for more than 200 people in Ibadan, Oyo State, toward increased income and prosperity.