Agro Hub Nigeria

Cassava is one of the most cultivated crops in Nigeria. One of its by product:Garri is one of the most consumed food in the country.   Ways to maximize cassava production include: - Cultivating improved varieties of cassava: Most cassava farmers use varieties which which are low yielding,  very susceptible to pest and diseases and also mature late. There would be increase in production if farmers would adopt improved varieties which are resistant to most diseases, high yielding and mature early. However  farmers should choose improved varieties which are adaptable to the farming environment, for example research has shown that varieties such as TMS8082, TME419, IMO BEST all do well in Imo state. Other improved varieties include NR8082,NR8083,TMS30572 etc. - SPACING : spacing is another factor that contribute to cassava production, while some farmers under use the land some also congest a lot of cassava in a small area of land. The ideal spacing is 1m x 1m by 10cm deep at angle 4

The founder, Afe Babalola University, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), has called on Nigerian leaders to see agriculture as the surest way out of the current economic recession the country 8s going through. He condemned the abandonment of Agriculture after the discovery of oil and said that the agriculture would create a lot of jobs and bussiness opportunities in the country. Afe Babalola who made the statement in Ado-Ekiti recently stressed that, ‘for Nigeria to overcome the present economic problems, we must add business to agriculture. We need to develop our own technology, improve our own farming practice, innovate, invent and create massive and robust markets for our unique African agricultural products’. “Before the advent of oil, Nigeria was self-sufficient in many things. We made good money from agricultural products. Our Naira was stronger than the British pound and the American Dollar. But after the oil discovery in Oloibiri in 1956, we abandoned that all-important income ea

With an estimated income of more than $100 billionannually, agriculture remains Africa’s largest economic sector. Agricultural production in Africa continues to increase graduallyand is almost at par with South America. However, as Africans become more tech savvy, innovationsare on the rise as technology experts turn their attention to creating mobile solutions for the modern farmer. Analysis have shown that by 2025 half of Africa’s population will have internet access with about 360 million smartphones on the continent. Also based on their estimation, internet technology could increase annual agricultural productivity in Africa by $3 billion per annum.Throughout the continent, farmers, NGOs and scientists are developing solutions to boost agriculture and make the business of farming less labour intensive. Here are some of theapps that seek to solve these problems, while also changing the face of agriculture within Africa. 1.i-cow Created by a Kenyan farmer, this SMSand voice only mob

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, has disclosed the plans to boost local production of fish species in an attempt to reduce the huge importation of the product into the country and also to conserve foreign exchange in the fishery sector. He made this known during an interactive session with the Management of Triton Group, one of the leading Stakeholders in Nigeria’s fishery sector, during their courtesy visit to the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development head office in Abuja. Ogbeh said that a whooping $700 million (about N210 billion) is spent annually on the importation of fish and  it is no longer sustainable for the present administration under President Muhammadu Buhari to continue to spend such amount on fish imports at this period when the Nigerian economy had slipped into recession. The Minister stated that more funds would be provided to research institutes to scale up research work into the local production of other species of

There is an Igbo proverb that says, ‘a man needs to consider the size of his anus before swallowing udala seed’. Prior to the discovery of oil in Nigeria, unemployment was not a major macroeconomic threat to the Country as anyone who was agile had no reason to be idle . Food was sufficient and youths were gainfully employed. After the oil boom comes an era plagued with decline in Agriculture's share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as everyone abandoned farming in order to benefit from the national cake. However, while Nigeria as a Nation was busy relishing the crude oil largess, she failed to take into cognizance the end results and ripple effects of oil on the other sectors of the economy. This was the Genesis of unemployment in Nigeria. The National Bureau of Statistics recently reported that 58.3 percent of Nigerians in the labour force, aged 15‐24 were either unemployed or underemployed in the second quarter of 2016, compared to 56.1 percent in the first quarter. Similarly, o

The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has decried the hike in the price of fertilisers by suppliers and other middlemen in the distribution chain. The apex farmers’ body claimed  the subsidy paid by the government does not reflect on the price being sold to the final buyer, noting that the price is being hiked by individuals while farmers are at the receiving end. AFAN, speaking through its National President, Arc. Kabir Ibrahim said it is high time the Federal Government took actions against suppliers who have inflated the price of the commodity, hence farmers encountering difficulties accessing and purchasing it. He also called for proper monitoring of government policies and activities to avoid bottlenecks and sharp practices at all levels. Arc. Ibrahim while speaking during the AFAN National Executive Committee meeting held in Abuja identified the major role the organisation played to revive the Nation’s economy through the agricultural sector. Some of the interventions e

Maize or corn is the third important cereal cash crop in India after wheat and rice. It is a Kharif crop and needs a generous rainfall for its growth. The optimum temperature for growth of maize is 22-30 degree Celsius but it can also tolerate temperature up to 35 degree Celsius. Corn has many health benefits. It - •    cuts the risk of heart diseases as it helps in reducing bad cholesterol in our body •    contains a lot of fibre and thus improves digestion •    keeps eyes healthy •    helps control Alzheimer’s disease •    helps fight cancer and makes our immune system strong •    keeps our skin and hair healthy A large part of corn produced is consumed by poultry. Corn flour, baby corn, sweet corn and pop corn are various forms in which maize is consumed by human population. Corn also makes good fodder for animals. Corn serves as a raw material for various industries: •    Almost one-tenth of total maize production goes in th

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has guaranteed that the agricultural and manufacturing sectors will enjoy single digit interest rates, this  it believes would fast track lending of a reserved special intervention fund set aside for the sectors. The CBN has set aside N235 billion and N750 billion as intervention funds for the manufacturing and agricultural sectors respectively, which it describes as pivotal in the  revitalization of the nation’s recessing  economy. The CBN Director, Banking Supervision, Mrs. Tokunbo Martins, made this known in Abuja, while addressing newsmen on the outcome of Bankers’ Committee meeting. She also disclosed  the joint decision by CBN and Bankers’ Committee to increase limit of banks’ FOREX sale to Bureaux De Change (BDCs) to $50,000 from $30,000 it was two weeks ago. Mrs Tokunbo Martins was accompanied to the briefing Group Managing Director of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Kennedy Uzoka, Zenith Bank Group Managing Director, Peter Amangbo, and Hassan

About 75,000 wheat farmers under the umbrella of  Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria (WFAN) in Kano State are to benefit from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) facilitated borrowers scheme. The registration of farmers for this programme has commenced and beneficiaries are expected to use the loan to cultivate the commodity throughout this year’s dry season. Speaking about the registration of farmers ahead of the programme, the Kano State chairman of WFAN, Alhaji Faruk Rabi’u said the decision to commence the registration was borne out of the  Association’s effort to process the loan early, to enable farmers prepare before the dry season. According to the WFAN chairman, farmers are required to open an account with one of the commercial banks as one of the conditions before accessing the loan. “We want to make sure that all registered farmers fulfill the conditions for accessing the loan before the dry season farming commences,” he said. Rabi’u, however, expressed optimism that the

About 75,000 wheat farmers under the umbrella of  Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria (WFAN) in Kano State are to benefit from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) facilitated borrowers scheme. The registration of farmers for this programme has commenced and beneficiaries are expected to use the loan to cultivate the commodity throughout this year’s dry season. Speaking about the registration of farmers ahead of the programme, the Kano State chairman of WFAN, Alhaji Faruk Rabi’u said the decision to commence the registration was borne out of the  Association’s effort to process the loan early, to enable farmers prepare before the dry season. According to the WFAN chairman, farmers are required to open an account with one of the commercial banks as one of the conditions before accessing the loan. “We want to make sure that all registered farmers fulfill the conditions for accessing the loan before the dry season farming commences,” he said. Rabi’u, however, expressed optimism that the

The Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh has said that The Green Alternative Policy roadmap will help to assemble agro information, harness intelligence & capacity and make knowledge available to farmers for practical implementation. The Minister said this in Abuja at the official launch and public presentation of the Green Alternative. He cited that it is a policy document that would exploit  the sector’s potential for economic development. Identifying the policy as central to the development of the agricultural sector, Ogbeh said it is an attempt to build on a previous foundation and avoid policy somersault. He added that, “we are not throwing old policies overboard but expanding, deepening and adjusting policies where necessary.” The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, speaking at the launch, said the problem has never been with the lack of policy but implementation. He thereby requested for the full participation of everyone as the new policy document navigates eve

 The WorldStage Economic Summit 2016 is set to address the challenges facing agriculture in Nigeria and review strategies to create millions of jobs through the agricultural value chain. The Nigerian agricultural sector has been battling  diverse challenges, especially spending over $1.3 billion to import milk or dairy products despite it's huge potential to produce. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh had insisted that it was unsustainable and unacceptable for Nigeria to spend such a sumv on importing milk with the huge potential she has, not only to produce enough dairy for local consumption, but also for export purposes. The WorldStage Economic Summit 2016 which would be held at Lagoon Restaurant, Lagos on September 7 and 8, 2016 would have in attendance  Senator (Dr.) Abdullahi Adamu, Chairman Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development  as part of the panel discussion session with Sub-Theme “Creating Millions of Jobs through Agricul

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has launched a Smart Phone Application – “Wetin App” for flood forecasting especially along the Niger and Benue rivers. The application, which will be available on Google App Store is a collaborative project of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI). Speaking at the launch in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Shehu Ahmed, said Nigeria sought the help of the International Agency to develop the application following the devastating flood of 2012 which led to huge destruction of farms, houses and human lives. The Permanent Secretary who was represented by the Ministry’s Director of Agricultural Businesses, Processing and Marketing, Alh. Azeez M. Olumuyiwa added that the country had decided to turn that bitter experience into a blessing by looking at the various ways farmers and government could take advantage of the tech

$56 billion has been approved by  The Board of African Development Bank, AfDB, to scale up industrialisation in Nigeria and other African countries on the content over the next ten years under its Industrialisation Strategy for Africa 2016-2025. The bank in a statement stated: “The Strategy, approved by the Board, represents a roadmap for implementing priority programs to scale up the industrial transformation of Africa. “It addresses key issues such as: (i) Why we need to industrialise Africa; (ii) What it will take to industrialise Africa; and (iii) How AfDB will help to industrialise Africa. “In designing the strategy, the Bank underscored the vital roles that industrialisation plays in development as it leverages all the value chains of economic activity ranging from raw materials to finished products. It catalyzes productivity by introducing new equipment and new techniques, increases the capabilities of the workforce, and diffuses these improvements into the

Africa spends $35 billion a year on food importation says the President of  International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Mr Kanayo Nwanze says This is contained in a statement issued by the IFAD and made available to the press in Abuja. According to the statement Nwanze made  the disclosure at the opening of a three-day African Union-European Union Conference of Ministers of Agriculture, tagged: “Investing in a Food Secure Future.’’ The conference, which was hosted  the Government of The Netherlands,  discussed  how to deepen cooperation between Africa and Europe to mutually invest in food and nutrition security. Nwanze said that investing more in Africa’s rural areas will stem the flow of economic migrants and minimize the acts of desperation that makes the continent’s newspaper headlines. “People are leaving the rural areas of Africa because they can’t find jobs or feed their families and the ripple effects are felt here in Europe. “The irony is that Africa spends $

The President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Kanayo F. Nwanze,  on a visit to Senegalese leaders recently said " .Investing in agriculture and farming technologies will help to change the perception that young people have about farming, making it an appealing career choice that will also contributes to the long-term development of rural communities". He added that with more than half of Senegal’s population under the age of 20, creating employment opportunities for the younger generation needs to be topmost  of the nation’s agenda. “Young people are Senegal’s greatest resource and are the key to the country’s prosperity. We need to channel our investments so that rural areas become vibrant, economic centres that offer attractive employment opportunities. We need to give young people a good reason to stay in rural areas.” He added. Agriculture remains the main source of employment and income for about 70 per cent of the population, most of S

The governor of Osun state, Rauf Aregbesola, has called for a ban on the export of primary farm produce as a way to ensure food sufficiency in the country. Aregbesola who made the call in Osogbo in a statement issued by his media aide, Semiu Okanlawon, stated that the ban would facilitate  the value chain of the nation’s agricultural industry. The governor cited that it is very necessary to provide enough for local consumption before exporting the produce. The governor  also impelled government at all levels to wrk out measures that would make agriculture attractive to  the younger generation. Mr Aregbesola noted that this would be a potent  option towards  diversification of the economy, adding that Nigeria is yet to show serious efforts towards making farming a viable venture. “We should stop exporting primary produce and start adding value. The value of a kilogramme of exported cocoa beans increases 5,000 percent by the time it comes back as chocolate,” he said. Aregbes

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has threatened to shut down any fertiliser plant that makes their product unaccessible to local farmerswhile exporting the same commodities. The minister made this decision following  allegations that one of the two big urea plants in the country is producing for export while selling to Nigerian farmers at a very  high rate, making affordability and accessibility very difficult. The minister disclosed this  in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on media, Dr. Kayode Oyeleye. He said: “Two urea plants are big enough to run the Nigerian demands. We know their capacities. But where there are allegations that some people are exporting instead of putting in the Nigerian market, and prices shot to N10,000 per bag of urea, we became extremely angry with them. Thank God now, many of them have started producing and putting into the market. The price is already dropping.” Ogbeh cited  that the Nigerian market is

In a bid to facilitate the government’s efforts to diversify the country’s economy from being sole oil dependent type to a more reliable, agriculture based type, Agric House Ventures has established Basanyin Integrated Farm Estate (BIFE). BIFE hosts an Agric Academy, which would help train and empower youth in farming, agric tourism, aquaculture, poultry farming, crop farming and animal husbandry. The Agric Academy, which was established in 2013, responds to the need to reverse the negligence in the agricultural sector and the unemployment crises in the country. According to the initiator of the Academy Mr. David Kayode, it aims to partner with the current administration in its effort to create five million jobs annually through agricultural diversification. He added that the Academy is expected to form a network of farmers across the nation to meet the food needs of the nation and produce financially independent and self sustaining farmers. Kayode said that BIFE has great potential

The Federal Government in it's effort to provide food and employment , is set tostart its Graduate Farmers’ Scheme as the Minister of Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman H. Adamu starts  off the programme. Engr. Adamu launched the first Graduate Farmers’ Scheme recently at Kampe Irrigation Scheme (Ejiba), Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State. It would be recalled that the Federal Government of Nigeria in June 2016 signed an agreement with the Songhai Nigeria Farms on Graduate Employment Scheme/Farm Settlement Schemes. The scheme would be located across the 109 Senatorial District. They will facilitate the ability of the River Basin Development Authorities (RBDAs) to package their water services with the provision of complementary basic rural infrastructure which would improve agriculture and food security. According to the Director of River Basin Operations and Inspection of the ministry, Dr. Musa Ibrahim, the project is anchored by the Lower Niger Basin Development Author

A research by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has revealed that the importation of rice from the United States to Nigeria has dropped by 300,000 metric tons in the last six months. According to the report, Nigeria’s rice imports dropped by 300,000 tons due to federal government's policy to limit the commodity importation between January and June, 2016 on prospects for a larger crop. Nigeria, the world’s second largest rice import market, accounts for the largest share of the decline in the global rice trade since the beginning of the year. And as the largest grower of rice in West Africa region, Nigeria is projected to harvest 2.7 million tons of rice in 2016/17, according to USDA. The USDA report revealed that foreign rice consumption is expected to decline in 2016/17 in China and Nigeria. It noted imports by Nigeria would fall 17 per cent in 2016, due to the recent increase in import tariffs, declining oil revenues, and foreign exchange restrictions.

In view of achieving self-sustenance in agriculture, the Imo State government has put in place  a policy tagged “BACK TO LAND FOR AGRICULTURE”. This initiative became important because the state can no longer depend on monthly allocation from the federal government. The Imo State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha disclosed  the “Back To Land For Agriculture” policy in a courtesy visit by the state traditional rullers under the aegis of Royal Fathers in Agriculture. He said the State Executive Council has given approval to the new policy. The “Back to Land for Agriculture” Programme would enable public servants in the state work from Mondays to Wednesdays, and use Thursdays and Fridays for agriculture (farming), while Saturdays can be used for ceremonies. This directive takes effect from Monday August 1, 2016. However, the governor exempted public servants on essential duties like teachers, nurses, doctors and people involved in Internally Generated Revenue drive. Political appointees

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, says it will start the ranch development (growing of special grasses for cattle) in August. He said that the ministry has began importing the special seeds of grass (Fodder seeds) into the country. Ogbeh made this known at an interactive session with the press on Wednesday in Abuja and said that after some time, Nigeria would become an exporter of the grass to earn foreign exchange. He said “The Saudi Arabia is asking that if Nigeria can grow enough grass they will buy to feed their cows”. He assured that with the paddock development, the clash between farmers and herdsmen in the country would be stopped, PM news reports. “The clash between farmers and herdsmen has been getting worse by the years and by the grace of God I will bring it to an end,” He said. Ogbeh also said that no farmer would allow his crops to be eaten by cattle. He also noted that the problem had persisted because over the years, successive govern

Thai Borneo Energy Ltd, Thailand,and  Anambra Government are collaborating to attract agricultural investment projects worth up to 400 million dollars to the state. The Managing Director, Anambra State Investment Promotion and Protection Agency (ANSIPPA)Mr Billy Ekwunife made  this known  to the press after a meeting with the business group and others in Awka. Ekwunife stated that the main focus of the investors was massive farming and production of rice and oil oil palm for both  local consumption and for  export. “The state government will provide the land and some other logistics for the investment, while Thai Borneo Energy Ltd will finance the project through their partners, the Bukham Group. Their rice specie is quite different from the rice we have in the country, which will be harvested three times a year. The oil palm tree to be introduced is three times better than what is obtainable in Nigeria,” he said. Ekwunife cited that the investment will create jobs for unemployed

FADAMA has made  plans to send 855 Lagos youths to South Africa for training to get skills in agri-business. The body is collaborating with the National Image Company, the organiser of the on-going Agro-Business youth training and empowerment programme in which over 5700 youths had so far been trained in Lagos State. According to the Lagos State Project Coordinator for FADAMA, Mr. Ajijola Folusho, 15 trained youths who are interested in farming would be selected from each of the 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs of Lagos for further training in South Africa and be empowered upon return to Nigeria. Folusho said in a statement that the screening process began last Monday and would be concluded on Friday at the Lagos State FADAMA Coordination Office, Lagos State Agricultural Development Authority Complex, Agege, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria. He said the selected participants would be sponsored under the World Bank assisted projects and urged unemployed you

Research has shown that the smell from a live chicken could help protect against malaria. Ethiopian and Swedish scientists found out that malarial mosquitoes tend to avoid chickens and other birds. The experiments, conducted in western Ethiopia, included suspending a live chicken in a cage near a volunteer sleeping under a bed net. According to UN Last year alone malaria killed nearly 400,000 people in Africa. Infection and death rates are declining but health officials are continuing to look for new ways to prevent the spread of the disease. The malaria parasite, which initially hides in the liver before going into the bloodstream, is carried from person to person by mosquitoes when they drink blood. The scientists, whose research was published in the Malaria Journal, concluded that as MOSQUITOES make  use of their sense of smell to locate an animal they can bite there must be something in a chicken’s odour that puts the insects off. Addis Ababa University’s Habte Tekie, who wo

This is a great Agricultural business idea that can turn your waste to a lot of Fortune and fetch you extra money .To produce this fertiliser is very easy. The Rabbit’s urine is put into a 25 litre container and mixed with 500 ml drops of sugar fluid, 240 ml of EM4 (bacterial decomposition), and also add one litre of water of thick rice washing( If you wash broken rice with water,the resulting suspension which is milky suspension is the rice washing ) or 100g of corn starch in one litre of water, corn starch mixture to help feed the micro-organisms..Then seal the container , but the lid is perforated and attached with a hose.In order for the fluid of fertiliser fermentation to remain sterile, the hose is dipped into a bottle filled with water.The fluid of fermented urine should be stirred at least once a week to dissolve evenly and not precipitate.After three weeks,this liquid will change its colour and smell.The colour will change to black, and smells like wine, not urine smell anymo

The Federal Minister of Environment, Amina Mohammed has told Nigerians not to panic over the issue of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO). She said presently no genetically modified organisms are officially grown in the country .The Minister stated that, “what we have approval are for field trials”. “All officially approved GMOs in Nigeria are under experimental fields, citing the insect resistant cotton for commercial release will still be subjected to further processes for the next two years, she added. In a statement released by the Minister today in Abuja, she stated that the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), established in 2015, under the Federal Ministry of Environment was charged to among others, ensure proper regulation of modern biotechnological activities and genetically modified organisms so as to protect the lives of Nigerians .According to her, with the Act in place, Nigeria has taken laudable strides in order to adopt the necessary legal biosafety framework and

In 2015 a student of Egerton University in Kenya Pauline Njeru developed a mushroom growing system based on affordable readily available materials. Njeru’s innovation offers farmers a low cost method to prepare sterilized substrate, the material in which mushrooms are grown. Maize stalks and wheat or rice straw are chopped, packed into jute sacks (gunny bags) and soaked for 12-24 hours. Other ingredients such as wheat fibre and agricultural lime are then added, before the sacks are sterilized by steaming them in oil drums. Having added a spoonful of mushroom spawn (seeds), (this can be obtained from federal or state ministries of agriculture, it's also available at Yaba college of Technology) , the sacks are placed in a dark, well ventilated room or shed in order for the mushrooms to fully colonise the substrate. According to Njeru, a simple outdoor shed constructed from maize stalks and roofed with banana leaves or grass, is a perfect option for this ‘incubation room.’ Farmers a