Ag. President intervenes in Poultry challenges

Prof. Yemi Osinbajo

The Poultry Association of Nigeria last week met with Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on the need to speedily intervene in the challenges of the chicken production with payment of compensation to its members affected by the avian influenza outbreak of 2015.

IAR renames cropping scheme, holds annual meeting March 28th-30

Executive Director of the institute, Prof. Ibrahim Abubakar

The Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR), Samaru, ABU, Zaria has changed the popularly known Cropping Scheme to Annual Research Review and Planning Meeting, and this year’s maiden edition under this new name will come up between March 28^th-30 while the Zonal REFILs follows immediately.

SARD-SC project: Can Africa be sufficient in wheat production?

Wheat

Between 27^th February -2nd March, African countries in Sub- Saharan of West Africa participating in the wheat production under the Support to Agricultural Research for Development of Strategic Crops (SARD-SC) came together under the coordination of ICARDA to take a stock of impact of the wheat project towards ensuring food security and checkmating annual import bill of 50 billion dollar annually in Africa with Nigeria alone spending 4 billion.

Senate queries FMARD on budget performance, demands answer to fifty questions.

Sen. BUKOLA ABUBAKAR SARAKI

* Perm Sec transferred, allegedly for incompetence

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) management team under the leadership of the Minister, Chief Audu Ogbeh was tongue-lashed by the senate committee on agriculture with many questions on why the ministry has refused to spend 2016 appropriation to ensuring agricultural production to the benefit of small scales farmers. 

Survey Finds Most Tanzanians Go Hungry, Despite Government Denials

Tanzanian President John Magufuli

Tanzanian President John Magufuli has accused opposition politicians of fomenting a "fake" hunger crisis

Most Tanzanians have experienced hunger in the past three months, with food shortages most severe in drought-hit rural areas, a countrywide survey found, despite government denials of a food crisis.

FG imports grass from Cameroon, spends N 96million on grazing reserves

grass

*NAPRI dissociate self from grass importation

Nigerians especially the farmers who have suffered farm destruction running to millions of naira occasioned by cattle searching for pastures have demanded to know the state of Federal Government’s effort in her insisted bid to import improved seed varieties for grasses multiplication to feed animals in the country.

Anchor borrower programme faces challenges of loan recovery

Godwin Emefiele, Central Bank of Nigeria Governor.

*only N600 m out of N14 billion recovered

The Central Bank of Nigeria may have recorded a very low repayment of N14 billion loan given to cooperative farmers under the 2015 dry season Anchor programme that was launched by President Mohammudu Buhari at Kebbi state .

National Farmers’ Day celebrations tied to Buhari’s Health

President Mohammadu Buhari

What should have been the biggest of all agricultural events in the history of farmers in Nigeria may have been kept on hold until the return of President Mohammadu Buhari who went to Britain on medical vacation since 19th January and recently returned on the 10th March.

As soil science Act is signed...what are the expectations?

soil

The soil science bill presented to the National Assemble almost a decade ago by the Association under the Leadership of Prof. Victor Chude has finally been passed into law by the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo among five others last week.

“NAPRI has the capacity to meet our animal feeds need in Nigeria” says Prof. Joshua Amodu

NAPRI

Professor Joshua T. Amodu is a Feed and Nutrition specialist at the National Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI) Zaria. In the wake of grazing reserve and grass importation controversy Food farm news sought him out to know the reaction of NAPRI on the issue. He was unambiguous in dissociating NAPRI from the grass controversy. Excerpts.

Farmers in Sahel Learn Ways to Avoid Drought Disaster

drought

"We have some very good practices in the region. We just need support to scale them up"

Seydou Walaga, a grey-haired farmer in western Niger, lifts the hatch of his grain silo, a round hut made of sticks and straw, to reveal piles of sorghum and millet.

Editoria- Rescuing agricultural sector with CAADP guidelines

CAADP

The recent developments in the policy planning and implementation in Nigerian agriculture has  become a thing of concern that demands for better ways of doing things for more positive results in term of investment attraction, without let or hindrance.

School Meals a Vital Ingredient in Ending Hunger and Promoting Healthy Diets

FAO

*FAO joins celebrations for International School Meals Day

International School Meals Day, celebrated around the world today, is a timely reminder of the need to promote healthy eating habits for all children through sustainable policies, including sourcing food from family farmers.

Technology Answer to Africa's Food Security Challenge, Say Scientists

GMO

Africa need to embrace modern technology in Agriculture to ensure food security for its citizens.

UN Human Rights Experts Call for Global Treaty to Regulate Dangerous Pesticides

 Pesticides

Two United Nations human rights experts are calling for a comprehensive new global treaty to regulate and phase out the use of dangerous pesticides in farming, and move towards sustainable agricultural practices.

Botswana Shoots At Least 22 Cattle 'Stolen From Zimbabwe'

cattle

Botswana authorities have reportedly shot at least 22 cattle that were allegedly stolen from Zimbabwe's Bulilima district.

Maldives Voices Disagreement With Seychelles' Stance On Regional Plan to Reduce Yellowfin Tuna Haul

fish

Maldives is the only country to object to Seychelles' request to use 2015 as the reference year to achieve the 15 percent reduction in yellowfin tuna catch, said the Executive Secretary of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC).

What CBN Approved for Katsina Farmers Under Anchor Borrowers Programme

rice

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has approved about N1.5 billion for disbursement to farmers in Katsina State to boost food production and security in the country under Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP).

Drought Emergency Spirals in Ethiopia Amid Major Aid Shortages

drought

Almost 13 million people across the Horn of Africa need aid due to drought Millions of drought-stricken Ethiopians needing food, water and emergency medical care are not receiving it due to funding shortages, the United Nations said, warning the crisis will worsen if spring rains fail as predicted.

Rwf38 Billion World Bank Loan to Support Agriculture

world bank

Agri-productivity could improve thanks to a new World Bank Group's credit line.The Government of Rwanda and World Bank Group yesterday signed a $46 million (approx. Rwf38 billion) loan to support farming across the country.

World Bank Group Mobilises Immediate Response for Nigeria, Five Other Countries

famine

The World Bank Group is set to mobilise immediate response for people threatened by famine in Nigeria and five other countries.

Weather Disasters WorsenZimbabwe Woes

Zimbabwe

INCLEMENT weather is putting immense pressure on cash-strapped Zimbabwe's response to humanitarian crisis as lethal floods affect the same areas that have experienced severe droughts over the past two years.

Sugar Millers Decry Cane Poaching

sugarcane

Sugar stakeholders are requesting their regulator to return zoning rule to avoid undue scramble for sugarcane.

They said the desire by sugar millers to control supply of raw materials in some regions was causing animosity.

UN Declares War On Ocean Plastic

The available data is enough for the United Nations to literally declare war on oceans plastic: more than 8 million tonnes of leaks into their waters each year - equal to dumping a garbage truck of plastic every minute, wreaking havoc on marine wildlife, fisheries and tourism, and costing at least 8 billion dollars in damage to marine ecosystems.

Katsina Revives Seven Irrigation Schemes

Governor Aminu Bello Masari

The Katsina State government says it has made huge investment in agriculture to enhance production and pave way for wealth creation and income generation across the state.

Nigeria Leads in Cowpea Production, Deficit in Consumption - Experts

beans

Experts in cowpea production, processing and consumption have unanimously agreed that despite the fact that Nigeria has been leading in pulses and cowpea production, findings have revealed that the nation's citizens record deficit in consumption.

Factbox-From New Beans to Ancient Plants, Drought-Busting Crops Take Root

Drought-Busting Crops

"Getting new crop varieties into the hands of a large number of farmers quickly is the challenge"

As farmers worldwide experience more frequent drought and erratic rainfall linked to climate change, the race to find and improve drought-resistant crops grows ever more important.

Farm Attacks, Murders to Be Debated in Parliament

Jacob Zuma

Parliament is expected to hold a debate on farm attacks and murders, the FF Plus said on Wednesday.

National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete had reversed her recent decision not to allow a debate on the matter, FF Plus leader Pieter Groenewald said. The debate, to be held next Tuesday, followed discussions with Mbete last week.

Maizegate Scandal - Malawian President Fires Agriculture Minister

Maizegate

Fired Agriculture minister George Chaponda is not reporting for duties at parliament since he lost his job on Wednesday.

Gambia: Exiled Gambian Ex-Leader Jammeh 'To Take Up Farming Full Time'

Yahya Jammeh

Gambia's exiled former leader Yahya Jammeh has reportedly disclosed plans to take up farming "full time".

Australia Provides Therapeutic Foods for IDPs

The Australian High Commission

The Australian High Commission in Nigeria is partnering with a non-governmental organization, Empower 54, to produced Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Foods (RUTF) for thousands of malnourished kids in Nigeria.

Water Scarcity Needs 'Urgent and Massive Response' in North Africa and Near East

water

*Sustainable water use for agriculture requires transforming food systems and diets.

Access to water is a fundamental need for food security, human health and agriculture, and its looming scarcity in the North Africa and Middle East region is a huge challenge requiring an "urgent and massive response," FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva said in Cairo.

FG vows to jail fish smugglers --Lokpobiri

Senator Heineken Lokpobiri

* Association of indigenous seafood task custom to step up board surveillance

                                 

The minister of state for agriculture Senator Heineken Lokpobiri has re-assured Nigerians of Federal Government’s readiness to slam fish smugglers with five years imprisonment or pay fine of $250,000 and in addition destroy the vessel and its products through further clampdown on cold rooms stocked with illegally imported frozen fish across the country. He disclosed this during a media briefing in Abuja.

Kenya: Govt Sets Aside Sh154mn to Mitigate Drought Effects in Schools

Uhuru Kenyatta

The government has set aside Sh154 million to be disbursed to various institutions to bolster the school feeding program in parts of the country experiencing drought.

Eight Die in Zambia Food Stampede

Food Stampede

Some 35,000 people turned up to the event organized by a church group in Lusaka. Droughts across southern Africa have caused a sharp uptick in food prices in a nation where poverty is already rampant.

Milk Prices in Uganda Shoot Up As Supply Drops Due to Drought

milk

The ongoing drought experienced in many parts of Uganda has hit milk supplies hard, pushing up prices.

Industry players say supplies have dropped by as much as a quarter and that rising farm gate prices are forcing processors of milk and milk products to mark up their own prices.

Somalia: Antonio Guterres Raises Alarm As Hunger Crisis Worsens

As governments in the horn of Africa and other parts of the continent declare famine, the question is whether the world has learnt from previous droughts.
In 2014 hundreds of people lost their lives and livestock due to the untimely response…

The UN chief has urged international support to alleviate Somalia's worsening hunger crisis during an emergency visit to the country.

Famine Declared in Parts of South Sudan

Famine

Thousands of people at the epicentre of a man-made famine in South Sudan emerged from the safety of the swamps this past weekend hoping to receive emergency deliveries of food.

FLASHBACK- African Green Revolution Forum 2016 Commitments Press Conference

African Green Revolution Forum 2016 Commitments Press Conference

Kenya: U.S. Envoy Robert Godec Challenges State to End Food Insecurity

Robert Godec

US Ambassador to Kenya Robert Godec has challenged the government to come up with a permanent solution to drought-related disasters.

Early Generation Seed Poses Challenges to Nigerian Green Revolution

seed

*Stakeholders Cry over scarcity of breeders, condemn seed importation.

Scientists and other stakeholders have identified early generation seeds as serious challenge to agricultural development in Nigeria, just as scarcity of breeders in research institutes was spotted with condemnation to seed importation.

Press Release- Chi Farms marks 10th year anniversary in poultry genetics

Chi Farms

Chi Farms Limited has announced landmark ten years of business relationship with Aviagen this week, the global market leader in poultry genetics and owner of the popular 'Arbor Acres' broiler brand. A direct result of this partnership has made Chi Farms Limited the leading Grand Parent Integrator and distributor of quality day-old chicks in Nigeria.

Nigeria will regain lost glory in agriculture says LOKPOBIRI

Senator Heineken Lokpobiri

The good news in the lips of all Nigerians especially the dynamic effort of the Federal Government under the present Administration is that Nigeria shall definitely regain her lost glory through Agriculture.

Nigeria Targets Seven Million Tonnes of Rice By 2018

Chief Audu Ogbeh

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, says the Federal Government is targeting the production of seven million tonnes of rice by 2018.

GE's Gas Engine Technology Provides Cost-Effective, Grid-Stability Solution for Cameroon Poultry Hatchery

Douala, Cameroon. AGROCAM, a leading poultry hatchery located in Douala, previously used a diesel generator to ensure routine operation of its hatchery, which proved to be costly. According to Noutchogouin Philippe, managing director, AGROCAM, "GE’s natural gas-fired Jenbacher gas engine now produces nominal electrical output to power the hatchery and egg tray production facility, providing a highly efficient, economical solution to meet our needs and realize substantial annual savings."

• Given the critical nature of poultry hatcheries, a half-hour power outage can completely cripple a business, leading to a complete overhaul of the hatchery installations

• Sold through Distributor Clarke Energy, GE's Jenbacher J316 Gas Engine is an Economical Alternative to AGROCAM's Backup Diesel Generator
• Solution Provides More Sustainable Supply of Electricity for the Customer and Cameroon 

Africa: Oslo Conference Calls On Donors to Fight Famine, Starvation

United Nations

An international donor conference in Oslo, Norway aiming to raise a chunk of the 1.4 billion euros the United Nations says it needs to address deepening food insecurity in the region this year. Earlier this week the United Nations said 1.4 million children were in danger of dying because of famines in Nigeria, South Sudan, Somalia and Yemen.

Uganda: Government Gives Shs15 Billion More for Food Relief

Uganda.

The government has allocated Shs15 billion more towards addressing the food crisis in several parts of Uganda.

South Africa: Launch of Operation Phakisa On Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development

Jacob Zuma

Address by President JG Zuma on the launch of Operation Phakisa on Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Roodeplaat, Pretoria

Zimbabwe: 'Whites Want Us to Keep Working for Them' - Mugabe

farming

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe says he's worried that whites "have taken over once again" - especially on some farms.

South Sudan: EU Responds to Famine in South Sudan With €82 Million in Emergency Aid

European Commission

The European Commission announced an emergency aid package worth €82 million as famine is declared in South Sudan for the first time since the country gained independence in 2011.

Sudan: First Vice - President Informed On Preparations for Winter Harvest Season

Sudan

The First Vice - President of the Republic, Lt. Gen. Bakri Hassan Salih, received in his office Tuesday the Minister of Agriculture, Prof. Ibrahim Al-Dekhairi, and discussed the preparations for the winter agricultural season, especially regarding wheat which was cultivated at an area of 627,000 feddans (acres).

Liberia: WFP-Supported Smallholder Rice-Producer Project

Rice

With funding from the Government of Japan, the project titled, "Community based sustainable food security of smallholder rice producer farmers in target countries of West Africa" is jointly implemented by the World Food Programme and the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) in Liberia's central region of Bong County.