Ethiopia: Smart Technologies to Ensure Sustainable Farming

farmers

"There is something that we are not doing properly, that is why we keep on falling short of feeding the whole Africa," mutters Dr. Kodjo P. Abassa, trying to get comfy on his chair. Dr. Abassa, former Adviser at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, has worked for more than 25 years in the field of sustainable agriculture and biotechnology.

Zambia Women Contribute to Cassava Growing Boom

Cassava farmer

Born in a small town of Mufulira, on the Copper Belt province of Zambia in 1960, Winnie Nachivula, is making a mark in the cassava production in Zambia which currently stands at over 1 million metric tonnes per year, making it the most important crop grown in Zambia after maize.

Nigeria: Inflation - Mixed Outlook As Food Prices Remain High

farmer

Against the backdrop of deceleration of inflationary pressures announced by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, last week, further insight into price movements in the first quarter of the year has indicated a mixed result.

Nigeria: Obasanjo, Farmers' Group Plan to End Hunger

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has asked Ogun state and Federal governments to give farmers in the country more support in order to end hunger in the country.

Kenya: Worrying Scenario As Bigger National Food Crunch Looms

armyworm

There is a bigger national food crunch than was projected or anticipated due to drought and the armyworm invasion.This is already being reflected in the upward surge of prices of many basic foods.

Uganda: Vicious Circle of Poverty and Food Insecurity

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni

A poor household is usually malnourished, and vulnerable to disease and other evils. Uganda is known to be well endowed with fertile soil and bi-annual rainfall. Yet we have thousands of households that are too poor to produce enough food for their nutritional requirements or to produce anything to generate income.

Nigeria: How Displaced Families in N/E Nigeria Tackle Food Insecurity- Sola Ogundipe

FAO

For almost a decade, conflict spearheaded by the Boko Haram insurgency sparked off large-scale violence and insecurity in the northeastern region of Nigeria, resulting in one of the largest humanitarian crises in Africa.

FG /states to collaborate for turnaround of economy, says- Lokpobiri

Heineken Lokpobiri

The Federal Government is collaborating with interested states through the Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP-3) as vehicle to actualize the speedy turnaround of our economy. This was made known in a press release issued by Deputy Director, Information, in the ministry, Mrs. A.B. Lere-Adams,

Zimbabwe: Tobacco Sales Up 44 Percent

Tobacco farmers at auction floor

Over 20 million kilogrammes of tobacco worth $52,5 million have been sold so far across the country's auction and contract floors, according to statistics released by the Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB).

Zimbabwe: Zim's Fertile Farm Land Lying Idle

Zim's Fertile farm

MORE than half of Zimbabwe's irrigable land is underutilised due to dilapidated state-owned irrigation equipment, posing a threat to the country's food security, a study by the Auditor-General has revealed.

Lack of capital, skills block farmers’ access to benefits-Kwara governor

Kwara state Governor Abdulfatah  Ahmed

Kwara state Governor Abdulfatah  Ahmed   has identified lack of capital, relevant skills  and the absence of adequate information as factors hindering farmer abilities to derive greater benefits from animal production.

Agric College staffs, students accuse provost of mismanagement

College Mechanized Farm

*My accusers are malicious, says provost

 Few days to the 98th anniversary of the Federal College of Agriculture, Moore Plantation, Ibadan, there has been disquiet between the college provost, staffs and students. While the accusers allege that since the arrival of the provost, Engr. (Dr) B.A Adelekan the college had been in deplorable condition, as most of the college’s businesses,  facilities and structures such as the college garri processing unit, the bakery, fisheries unit, amongst others, have become rundown due to poor management of the college by inexperienced hands.

Kenya: Uhuru Orders Disbursement of Sh1.2 Billion to Miraa Sector

President Uhuru Kenyatta receives the Miraa Task Force report from its chairman Geoffrey Nchooro M'mwenda at State House, Nairobi on April 4, 2017.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed the government to release Sh1.2 billion to implement recommendations made by a taskforce towards recovery of the miraa farming sector.

Edo state to create 1,000 jobs through Agriculture

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki

In a bid to tackle unemployment in the state through agriculture, Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has launched 1, 000 hectares of cleared field for maize production in Sobe Farm Settlement  in Owan West Local government of the state.

Nigeria: Agric Secretariat Set to Cut Foodstuff Prices in Abuja

Chief Audu Ogbeh

The FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat has said it is working hard to boost food production and reduce prices of foodstuffs in the territory.

Africa: Feast and Famine in Africa's Dubai

The container terminal at the Port of Djibouti.

As balmy night settles over Djibouti City, the arc lights come on at its growing network of ports as ships are offloaded 24 hours a day and trucks laden with cargo depart westwards into the Horn of Africa interior.

FAO seeks $62 million to boost agriculture in North-East

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has appealed to the UN to release $62 million  to support wet-season farming in the north -eastern part of the country.

Ethiopia Secures U.S.$72 Million From Meat Export

Meat Export

The Ethiopian Meat and Dairy Industry Development Institute said the country has secured 72 million USD over the last nine months of the fiscal year exporting meat to United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia.

Kenya: Maize Farmers Worried As Worms Attack Farms

Army worms have infested maize farms in the North Rift

Uncertainty looms among maize farmers in the North Rift region following infestation of of army worms leading to increased cost of production and anticipated low yield this season.

FG announces new tomato policy, increases tarrif to 50%

tomato

The Federal Government has announced the new policy for tomato aimed at reducing N52 billion spent on the annual importation of 150, 000 metric tons of tomato concentrate through the neighbouring countries into Nigeria.

Uganda: Scientists Now Fight Alien Crop Pest

Scientists

After finding a temporary pesticide combination that works against the fall armyworm, Uganda's scientists now seek a lasting solution to the pests that have invaded more than half of the country posing a significant threat to food security.

Ethiopia: Road That Connects Sugar Projects Takes Off

Sugar

This road will be the sixth project built to develop road infrastructure around Kuraz Sugar Project.

The Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) has started to connect the Omo Kuraz Sugar Project with Turmi, in the Southern Nations, Nationalities & People's Regional State, 656.8Km from the capital.

Saving our Ocean- FAO calls for action

Ocean

From meals on our table and livelihood to healthy living, oceans provide much more benefits to the entire human race and without any doubt crucial to achieving food security.

Dangote soon to be largest exporter of rice in the world – AfDB President

 Aliko Dangote

President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has said that billionaire businessman, Aliko Dangote, may become the largest exporter of rice in the world by 2021.

Uganda: President Calls for Drip Irrigation As a Solution to Drought

Demonstration. President Museveni sets a plastic bottle for drip irrigation at the Presidential Demonstration Farm in Kityerera Sub-county, Mayuge District.

President Museveni has said that about half of the 122 million coffee seedlings distributed to farmers by the UPDF under the Operation Wealth Creation programme have dried up due to drought.

Kenya: Solar Boreholes, Irrigated Crops Throw Lifeline to Kenyan Herders

Cow

Many Kenyan livestock keepers are losing their animals to drought - but some are staying afloat by using solar-powered pumps and growing vegetables.

Benin: Men and Women Farmers in Benin Are Responding Differently to Climate Change

Farmer

As climate change brings with it increased extreme weather events, one of the pressing issues for Africa's farmers will be how to address these challenges. One dimension to be factored in is that men and women farmers are responding to the pressures differently. The Conversation Africa's Samantha Spooner asked Grace Villamor about her research on gender-specific responses by farmers in Benin.

GES: Food prices expected to drop by mid April---Cellulant

Cellulant Nigeria

*Governments, development partners and private sector to collaborate.

There is high indication that food prices are expected to start going down as from middle of April 2017 just as a call went out to government and other relevant partners to collaborate in term of financial support for Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GES).This was contained in a statement made available by Cellulant Nigeria Limited in Abuja.

Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GES) 2016 Dry Season Report Released by Cellulant Nigeria.

Cellulant Nigeria.

The GES program which was launched in 2012 with the purpose of easing farmers access to farm impute resumed in 2016 after a year break in 2015. The FGN took the opportunity offered by the program to promote financial inclusion to farmers. Over 600,000 farmers were financially included and over 450,000 farmers received farm inputs across 30 states in 60 days.

PRESS RELEASE- FG TO BOOST NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL SHOW TO ATTRACT FOREIGNERS

President Mohammadu Buhari

The present administration of President Mohammadu Buhari has re -stated his vision and commitment to invest in agriculture to take the country out of the present economic recession using the National Agricultural Show as a step stone.

Zimbabwe: After Drought, Zimbabwe Contends With Fall Armyworm Invasion

maize

This reporting is part of a special project that explores the impact of climate change on the food security and livelihoods of small-scale farmers in Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal and Zimbabwe.

It was first detected in Africa barely a year ago, yet the fall armyworm, a type of caterpillar whose name derives from its tendency to maraud in vast numbers, has already infested hundreds of thousands of hectares of maize across more than a dozen countries on the continent, presenting a serious threat to food security.

Africa Needs Its Own Version of the Vertical Farm to Feed Growing Cities

lettuce

The Netherlands is building its first large-scale commercial vertical indoor farm. It's expected to serve Europe's largest supermarket chains with high quality, pesticide-free fresh cut lettuce.

East Africa: Why the Horn of Africa Is Starving Again

Drought

The current drought in the Horn of Africa has caused an unprecedented food crisis that is quickly turning into a regional humanitarian disaster.

Early Generation Seed Poses Challenges to Nigerian Green Revolution

Seeds

*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.

Nigeria Pulling Out of Recession Through Agricultural Activities - Presidency

farmer

Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu says efforts to get the nation out of its present economic challenges is beginning to yield positive results, especially in the area of agriculture.The presidential aide said this in a statement issued in Abuja.

Dutch company partners Debiro farms to boost sorghum production

The Executive Director Nigerian  Dutch Multinational Investment  Mr. Henk Wymenga & Mr. Uzodinma Onouh

A Dutch multinational company has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Debiro Farms towards commercial production of sorghum in Nigeria using local small scale farmers as out growers that will be supported with improved inputs as discussion in this light has recently been held in Lagos and Kenya.

Ethiopia: 'My Commitment Made Me Agricultural Investor,' Dereje Belay, Model Agricultural Investor

Dereje Farming Development Enterprise

Dereje Belay is owner of the Dereje Farming Development Enterprise. Above and beyond, he is a model agricultural investor engaged in farming activities at Benshagul-Gumuz State, Assossa District. Dereje works to transform himself and his family, starting with small-scale farming and with the support of technologies in agriculture. Dereje is married and has a child. The Ethiopian Herald has held an interview with him. Excerpts:

‘Research has to continuously develop technology, improved varieties, improved production practices, even the end use of this product…’

Prof. Ibrahim Abubakar, the Executive Director IAR and the Regional Coordinator of the Support for Agriculture Research and Development of Strategic Crop (SARD-SC) in Africa, and Regional Coordinator for West Africa.

African Development Bank (AfDB)’s support to SARD-SC wheat productivity through research innovation platform has helped to increase production from 100,000-400.000 metric tons. In this interview, the Executive Director Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR), Zaria, Prof. Ibrahim Abubakar, spoke on the need for sustainability of the project, for food import bills to become a thing of the past in Africa. Excerpts… 

Cockroaches by the million give Chinese farmer a healthy profit

Wang Fuming, a cockroach farmer from Shandong province in eastern China

Wang Fuming, a cockroach farmer from Shandong province in eastern China, looks on as his 15 million insects devour a ton of fresh vegetable pulp.

Researchers to unveil techniques for controlling weeds in cassava

Deputy Director-General, International Institute for Tropical Agriculture(IITA),Ibadan, Dr Kenton Dashiell; Project Leader, Cassava Weed Management Project, IITA, Dr Alfred Dixon; Senior Programme Officer, Bill &Melinda Gates Foundation, Lawrence Kent; and the Technical Advisor,(Africa & Middle East) ,Agronomic Product Development, Bayer CropScience, Dr Mohammed Elsherif, at the 2017 Cassava Weed Management Project annual workshop at IITA, Ibadan on Monday.

Researchers working under the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture led Cassava Weed Management Project (IITA-CWMP) will this week share findings and recommendations on how to tackle weeds in cassava farming systems.

Four local improved breed chickens to soon join Shika brown for commercial registration

chicken

Four others locally breed chicken birds with Shika brown are going through agro ecological character traits test that will be presented to the committee for improved varieties registration on livestock at National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB), Ibadan.

PRESS RELEASE; YOUTHS IN AGRICULTURE WILL RESTORE NIGERIA AS GIANT OF AFRICA- OGBEH.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. Chief Audu Ogbeh

 

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. Chief Audu Ogbeh has assured the youths of the country that they embracing agriculture will be the foundation and break through the nation has been waiting for to take the leadership position as the Giant of Africa.

PRESS RELEASE: FG /STATES TO COLLABORATE FOR ECONOMIC PROSPERITY. LOKPOBIRI

The Minister of state for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpbiri

Another opportunity to make positive impact in the living standard of Nigerians, especially the rural farmers is President Muhammadu Buhari's led administration's commitment and support to Agriculture which is the most veritable next alternative for economic prosperity.

Lack of Presidential approval stalls research Institutes bosses’ confirmation

Chief Audu Ogbeh

 Twelve months after conduction of interview for the posts of Executive Directors of eight agricultural research institutes, the final approval on the part of the President may have hindered the confirmation of successful candidates sent to him by the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh.

Dogara visits: Premier Seeds MD pleaded FG payment against retrenchment

National Assembly House of Representative Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and The Managing Director, Premier Seeds Nigeria Limited, Prof. Oyediji Ogungbile

The Managing Director, Premier Seeds Nigeria Limited, Prof. Oyediji Ogungbile had during the National Assembly House of Representative Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara’ s visit to the premises at Zaria pleaded to the Federal Government to pay some of the debt  outstanding of the company so as to avert the sacking of  workers .

Buhari appointed MD arrived BOA for N500 capitalization

Head, Corporate planning Department BOA, Mr. Auta Jamaka

The New Managing Director, Bank of Agriculture (BOA) Dr. Kabiru Mohammed has officially took over the management leadership of the bank last week Thursday, and this is towards ensuring the N500 billion recapitalization meant to address credit challenges to both small and large scale farmers for the actualization of the new green revolution policy of President Mohammudu Buhari.

FG domesticates Malabo declaration

Delegates of the National Agriculture Investment Plan (NAIP) formulation pose for a group photo

The Federal Government has, in line with the ‘Green Alternative’ policy, started the domestication of ‘Malabo Declaration’ in the agricultural sector.

An outlook performance of SAA2000 for 25 years in Nigeria

Sasakawa African Association in Africa (SAA2000)

A cake was cut to celebrate the 30 years of existence of Sasakawa African Association in Africa (SAA2000) and 25^th in Nigeria, and this brought to the fore the impact it has made in Nigeria agricultural technologies transfer from the Research Institutes to farmers and processors in the last 25 years especially when the country’s ADPs extension services is almost gone extinct, at the departure of the world bank assisted programme.

CBN to restructure BOA for preparatory to recapitalization

Chief Audu Ogbeh

*Apex bank to inject N500 billion

A team of officials from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) may be soon be deployed to Bank of Agriculture (BOA) for thorough over hauling and repositioning of the organization before the handing over of about N500 billion as recapitalization fund.