12 Uses for Sunflower, how to plant, grow and, care for sunflower

SUNFLOWERS

The bright and cheerful sunflower, one of the most popular summer flowers, is one of the most versatile plants in the world. Gardeners love them because they are very easy to grow, low maintenance and quick growing. There are many different varieties to choose from, ranging in assorted colours, sizes and forms.

Image Speaks- Press Conference on Global Shea Alliance for Shea Butter Revamp

GSA & NASPAN 11th Annual International Shea Conference 

EFCC arrests Fed. College Provost

Federal College of Agriculture (FCA), Moore Plantation Ibadan.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested the Provost of Federal College of Agriculture (FCA), Ibadan, Dr. Babajide Akanbi Adelekan and four others for an alleged fund misappropriation in a petition.

Food Crisis Looms As Cheap Flour Runs Out

Maize flour

Maize flour prices are set for a sharp increase after it emerged that millers have exhausted subsidised stocks and farmers are hoarding their produce hoping to cash in on the expected shortage.

12 neglected livestock diseases that have a large economic impact on poor livestock keepers in Africa and South Asia.

livestock diseases

1-African Swine Fever (ASF)

African Swine Fever (ASF) is a highly contagious hemorrhagic disease of pigs, warthogs, European wild boar and American wild pigs.

Sovereign Foods Decision to Protect Public Health, Says Minister

Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi says while it cannot be concluded that Sovereign Foods abattoir is the source of the Listeriosis outbreak, stopping the facility from food preparation was "in the best interest of public health".

"At this juncture, we cannot conclude that the abattoir called Sovereign Foods is the source of the present outbreak. [However] we can conclude that it has Listeria, which can cause illness and hence it was in the best interest of public health that the abattoir was prohibited from further preparing food, pending the cleaning of the environment and meeting certain conditions given to them.

"What concerns us more at this moment is that this particular abattoir was closed two months ago by DAFF [Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries] following the discovery of unhygienic conditions and practices, which of course were not necessarily related to Listeria," said the Minister on Monday at a briefing in Tshwane.

Dr Aaron Motsoaledi

The Department of Health has put the Listeriosis outbreak on high surveillance as 119 new cases have occurred since 5 December 2017 and 61 patients have passed on.

Somber Mood Grips Maize Triangle As Rains Stay Away

farmer

Farmers in the so-called Maize Triangle are holding their breath following the erratic rainfall since November 2017, wondering whether or not they would be able to meet the earlier projection of a 31,000-tonne maize harvest this year.

IAR, NAPRI, NAERLs express impact for agric research

Agric Minister about to give out Federal Government Motorcycle to extension officers from the Northwest zone

·         Minister apologies on poor funding

The four Institutes for agricultural research development under the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria have presented the achievement of their mandates to food security of Nigeria despite lack of efficient funding and other challenges saying they have positively impacted by making available improved technologies to commercial farming in Nigeria. And the Minister of Agriculture, has consented to their request, and even apologized on behalf of government for inaction especially on funding.

Meatco, Brukkaros to Share Norwegian Quota

meat

Meat Corporation of Namibia (Meatco) and Brukkaros Meat Processor are again set to share the 1,600-tonne Norwegian beef export quota, said the Minister of Industrialization, Trade and SME Development, Immanuel Ngatjizeko.

GMO: Minister owns up, ask for experts’ help

Chief Audu Ogbeh at the National Farms' Helpline Centre at NAERLS

·        Trial farms is approval to safety

The Minister, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) Chief Audu Ogbeh has expressed incapability to defend Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) crops saying a lot of petitions have come to his office wanting to know the experts position.

Full text of Agric Minister to four ABU Research Institutes last week.

Minister of Agric, Chief Audu Ogbeh, Prof. I. U Abubakar. Ex.  Director IAR& Prof. C. A. M Lakpini, Ex. Director,  NAPRI 

Ahmadu Bello University has been always home since I left more than 46 years ago. I was in Usman Dan-Fodio hall in 1969, went to Dakar to do a year abroad in 1970, came back to round up in 1972 with teaching at the Institute of education for a while, went for my master degree, and came back 1977 to leave for Makurdi as the head, department of languages at the college of Art and Science before I wondered off to this very tricky business of politics. So it is real joy for me to be here. 

Farmers Count Swine Fever Losses

Livestock

LIVESTOCK farmers have bemoaned the losses suffered following an outbreak of the African Swine Fever in three provinces in Zambia which has resulted in the slaughtering of almost 10,000 pigs.

One Million Farmers Grow Bio-Fortified Crops in Nigeria - Official

Potato

Dr Paul Ilona, the Country Manager of Harvestplus, an international agriculture organization, says over one million small holder farmers grow bio-fortified food crops in Nigeria.

House Approves Presidential Decree On Joining International Agreement On Olive Oil

Olive Oil

The House of Representatives approved on Monday 8/1/2018 a presidential decree No. 560 / 2017 on joining the International Agreement on Olive Oil and Table Olives, that was adopted in Geneva on October 9, 2015.

Dar Milk Demand Tipped to Double in Three Years

milk

DEMAND for milk is expected to increase in Tanzania from the current average of per capita consumption of 45 litres per year to at least the level that the highest milk consuming country has attained, for instance 100 litres per year.

Farmers Get More Inputs

farmer

Farmers here have started receiving additional inputs for the 2017-18 summer cropping season to ease input shortages which resulted in reduced hectarage for maize, while in some areas they failed to beat the planting deadline.

Image Speaks- Minister of Agric, Chief Audu Ogbeh at the visit to IAR , Samaru, Zaria

Minister of Agric, Chief Audu Ogbeh delivering a speech during his visit to IAR , Samaru, Zaria

Minister of Agric, Chief Audu Ogbeh at the visit to IAR , Samaru, Zaria where all the Directors of ABU agricultural research Institutes table their challenges and the way forward.

Aflatoxin: African experts declare war, lament low awareness

Group Picture at the Country-Led Situation Analysis and Action Planning Validation and Stakeholder Workshop on Aflatoxin, held in Abuja 

As an effort to ensuring food security across the country, experts in the agricultural sector have jointly declared war on “Aflatoxin”, a silent killer, and a threat to food security just as they have agreed to create awareness on the dangers of the fungus to human and animal health.

Meatco Waits to See What Sort of Year Would Be 2018

farmer

The country's meat processing and export company, Meatco, awaits to see how year 2018 would pan out, as the company's board this week start sifting through applications for the position of the chief executive officer, to replace Advocate Vekuii Rukoro who left last year amid controversies.

Minister visits Agric Research Institutes today.

Chief Audu Ogbeh

The Minister, Chief Audu Ogbeh with other management team of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) may today visit the three agricultural research institutes in Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria. This may be the first of its kind by the minister to these institutes since assumption into office.

Mutorwa Blames PS for Farmers' Woes

farmer

The Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, John Mutorwa has blamed the 'suffering' of the Northern Communal Farmers on the Ministry of Works and Transport permanent secretary, Willem Goeiemann.

Lawmakers Urge Rab to Disseminate Research Findings to the Grassroots

farmers

Rwanda Agricultural Board (RAB) has been urged to ensure that its research findings impact Rwandans across the country.

Farmers Stop Ploughing Due to Lack of Rains

Namibian farmers have stopped ploughing due to lack of rains.

Crop farmers in the Zambezi Region have provisionally suspended the ploughing and planting of their crop fields due to a sustained dry spell characterised by a lack of rainfall and low ground moisture.

Livestock: FG, FAO to eradicate PPR disease

PPR disease

In a bit to enhance livestock production of ruminants, the Federal Government (FG) of Nigeria has said that aggressive effort to eradicate Peste Des Petits Ruminats (PPR) before 2030 in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has begun. Chief Veterinary Officer, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) Dr. Gideon Mshelbwala told Food farm News recently in his office.

In Kenya, Struggling Potato Growers Ink a New Deal

Farmers receive training on how to produce potatoes for processors at the Ol Jorok Agriculture Training Center in central Kenya, March 3, 2017.

To deal with climate pressures, farmers are turning to growing contracts to earn more money and get better seed.

Farmers Stop Ploughing Due to Lack of Rains

Namibian farmers have stopped ploughing due to lack of rains.

Crop farmers in the Zambezi Region have provisionally suspended the ploughing and planting of their crop fields due to a sustained dry spell characterised by a lack of rainfall and low ground moisture.

FG TO SUPPORT KOGI STATE GOVERNMENT ON ITS AGRIC VENTURES.

Chief Audu Ogbeh

The Federal Government has promised to offer support to the Kogi State Government on its Agricultural intervention programmes through the supply of agricultural equipment. These equipment include rice harvesters, millers, threshers and tractors.

From Thorny to Tasty - UN Agriculture Agency Looking At Cactus As Climate Resilient Food

Thorny

With the reality of climate change becoming more real by the day, including its impact on food sources, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is urging communities around the world not to take the prickly cactus for granted.

Staffs recruitment killing research

research

·       NAERLS boss speaks

The challenges in the research system in Nigeria may have added another feather from the usual lack of fund to recruitment priority given to administrative and accounting staffs over scientists and agricultural superintendents that are core to ensuring availability of improved technologies for best global practices.

No GMO proposal yet says NACGRAB boss

GMO

·        OFAB says registration in progress

The high expectation to register at least two genetically modified industrial cotton and cowpea seeds with the National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties domiciled at National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB) by the end of 2018 projection for commercialization have been hazy as proposal towards such has not been received, the Chief executive Officer, Dr. Sunday Alalade said in a telephone conversation with Food Farm News.

PRESS RELEASE- AGRICULTURE WILL ENRICH RURAL POPULACE AND STABILISE STRUCTURE OF THE COUNTRY --OGBEH

Chief Audu Ogbeh

The Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh has said that Agriculture   is the biggest and fastest way of enriching the rural populace and stabilizing the polity.

Alarm on Milk With High Levels of Bacteria

Farmer milks his cow in Busia, Kenya

The Kenya Dairy Board (KDB) has raised concern over unsafe milk sold by dairy farmers that contain high residues of drugs such as antibiotics, pesticides and preservatives.

Sponges, Urban Forests and Air Corridors - How Nature Can Cool Cities

City

As China battles the twin challenges of rapid city growth and extreme weather, it is adopting a new tactic: Turning its cities into giant sponges.

South Africa Poultry Group Calls for Probe of Forced Labour in Brazil

poultry

South Africa's poultry industry body has asked the government to investigate allegations of forced labour in the sector in Brazil, the world's largest poultry exporter.

Fish Traders Protest Plans to Have Selected Nile Perch Distributors

fish

Nile Perch is one of the most enjoyed fish species in Uganda with many engaged in selling the delicacy.

Agricultural Enterprises Are Killing Lake Victoria

Fishermen in a boat in Lake Victoria.

Agricultural effluent and untreated wastewater being discharged into Lake Victoria are major contributors to the destruction of its fragile ecosystem.

FG, states to train cattle breeders on artificial insemination

Chief Audu Ogbeh

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) will soon in partnership with about ten states of the federation embark on artificial insemination training for select cattle breeders. Food Farm News recently finds out.

PRESS STATEMENT

The Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh

                                

The Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh has expressed sadness at the continued spate of killings across the country.

Bauchi to Produce 8,000 Metric Tonnes of Wheat

Wheat

A pilot dry season wheat production project in three local government areas of Bauchi State is expected to provide 8,000 metric tons of wheat for Nigerian milling companies to meet the needs of confectionaries in the country.

Govt Targets 350 000 tonnes of Wheat

Wheat

Government is targeting 350 000 tonnes of wheat in the next three years to guarantee sufficient domestic wheat supplies and to reduce reliance on imports. Zimbabwe needs about 400 000 tonnes of wheat annually but produced only 65 000 tonnes last year.

Nigeria: Sugar Council Says N9.4 Billion Levy Domiciled With BoI, BOA

Sugar

The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has revealed that it has N9.4 billion sugar levy fund domiciled with the Bank of Industry (BOI) and Bank of Agriculture (BOA) for management and lending to players in the sugar sector.