Will the African farmer survive COVID-19?

by Dr. Daniel Kyalo Willy

Mr. Wycliff Wephukhulu has just retired from a very productive day at his 5-acre farm.

Covid 19: 2020 planting season under uncertainty

• AFAN VP demand clarity

Almost one month of Presidential directives on economic lock down in three states and others, the air is yet to be cleared on the modality of farmers’ pass towards unrestricted movement for 2020 planting season which is already threatened by climate change challenges.

Kenaf: Government Official raises alert on $50m imports

An official of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has hinted that Nigeria can sufficiently  produce enough kenaf to checkmate annual  $50 million being expended on jute bags importation.

Covid-19: President orders mitigation actions on 2020 planting season

As the economic lock down has been extended for another 14 days starting today, President Muhammudu Buhari has ordered the Presidential Taskforce on Corona virus to pally Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), National Food Security Council and Presidential Fertilizer Initiative  for effective food production for 2020.

Food Crisis: AGRA warns Africa against COVID-19 aftermath

•Says 250 million people are vulnerable

The  Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) has called upon African continent to become more conscious of the food crisis impact that the pandemic Corona virus disease might leave behind, saying about 250 million people in Africa are already sleeping without food.

PRESS STATEMENT -FG APPOINTS PREMIER VC FOR NEWLY ESTABLISHED UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, ZURU, KEBBI STATE

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of a Vice Chancellor for the newly established University of Agriculture, Zuru, Kebbi State in the person of Professor Musa Isiyaku Ahmed.

We partner NCAM to reduce farming drudgery, says NAMEL

• NCAM Boss insists on local adoption

The Nigeria Agricultural Mechanization& Equipment Leasing Company (NAMEL) has said all its imported equipments for farmers’  land clearing, and foreign consultants for trainings on implements maintenance  are well certified by the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM).

COVID 19: FACAN President says is lesson to food security

• Disagree on grants for exporters

The National President, Federation of Commodity Association of Nigeria (FACAN) Dr. Victor Iyama has said the pandemic corona virus disease should be seen as a call to rightly reposition our food productivity value chains for sustainable supplies against hunger and enhanced food security, saying that produce exporters should be given free tax loan as against grants to cushion losses effect.

Editorial- COVID-19: A call for deliberate food action plans.

We wish to commend President Muhammadu Buhari for his directive to the task committee on COVID 19 that 6,000 metric tons of food from the National Grains Reserve in the strategic silos be released to cushion effect of scarcity and increasing food prices in at least the three states of the federation namely, FCT, Lagos and Ogun that have been officially locked down, with movement restrictions for 14 days;

Interior minister orders farmers' back to farm

Despite the directives of the Federal Government (FG) for everyone to remain at home pending the fast spreading  novel Covid-19 is curbed across the country, the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola has ordered farmers back to their farms.