Index to Nigerian Newspapers

Cocoa and Plaintain Farmers Association of Nigeria (CPFAN) has concluded plans to establish food processing factories in all the six geopolitical zones in the country. Speaking in Akure, at the second anniversary celebration of the group, the national president, Ayodele Ojo, asked for the assistance of the government for the production of the two crops across states where they thrive. CPFAN commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the supportr given to the group from inception, disclosed that the group demanded N25billion from the Anchor Borrowers Scheme to boost their farms, and  expected the money to be released in May,this  would be shared among members across 26 states in the federation.

Nigeria beans farmers over the years have been atloss as they keep planting the same variety of beans which has long maturity time low yield as subceptible to pest attacks. with commercial release of this bean variety ,beans farmers in the country received the seed while the AATF trained extention Agent worked, directly with the farmers  in their fields.Nigeria Migbacknere Eugenia an extention worker of the African Agriculture Technologies foundation. Enugu state, The performance is very marvellous and the growth and encouraging the local variety .I Have contacted the head master of the school that cchildren dropped out of that  my kids are coming back as proceeds from planning to expand their farms because of the bumper harvest.

A commericial maize farmer in Benue state Tabongo utiralls  has said that insecurity is fueling cost of food because most farmers  are in the north are now living  in internally .displaced persons camp these are no farmers are in their  place to produce all  these food that is why  the price of food items is high .for femi Abioye the president of Igangan Agro park investors  Asco claton AIPIA. generally if the investment increase in high infrastructre provision then the cost of food will come down .some people have totally run away , so insecurity is part of what is pushing up the cost of food because we now have less farmers and population keeps growing so there is food competition.

 

Stakeholders have criticised the launch of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) rice pyramid unveiled by President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, describing it as a political jamboree. They questioned the exclusion of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and other relevant research institutes, and alleged that part of the rice used to build the pyramid was imported from northern Cameroun, Cotonou, the Republic of Benin; Niger and Togo. An agriculture expert, Dr. Bello Musa, said the CBN and the handlers of the ABP must explain to Nigerians where the rice and maize they unveil in pyramids were cultivated, as insecurity in the major rice and maize producing states is forcing farmers to keep off farmlands. The National President of Maize Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Edwin Uche, said the pyramids are symbolic and to show that efforts are being made to ensure that maize is grown and that the challenges associated with maize farming are being addressed gradually.

Recent happenings in the country has raised a signal that hunger, which has been a daunting challenge in Nigeria  is set to increase with farmers  in harvesting crops while imported food inflation has forced many households to skip meals. with a recent forecast by Nigeria meteorological Agency NIMET that in the coming days, there would be cloudiness, rainfall and thunder storms across the country, farmers, especially those on the coasts in several states, have begun to prematurely harvesting their crops to reduce the prospects of losses. in response to the climatic projection, communities in rivers state as well as seven local governments of Anambra state have raised concern on the risks posed to their land.

The renewed illegal importation of rice is threatening local production of the commodity in the country, thus placing the massive investment by the federal government and other stakeholders on edge, Daily Trust investigation revealed. Our correspondents gathered that smugglers have stockpiled tons of rice in neighbouring Benin and Niger republics, some of which have found their way to the Nigerian markets. The federal government had at the twilight of the Buhari administration reopened some of the closed borders, with sources saying foreign rice is now finding its way into the country apart from what is being brought in through hundreds of illegal entry points. Efforts to talk to the presidency to know its policy direction on land borders and rice importation through such channels were not successful. 

THE Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, has distributed certified rice seeds to smallholder farmers in the southwest region. The distribution exercise, which was held in Ibadan, Oyo State, recently, had clusters of smallholder rice farmers from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti States as beneficiaries. In his address, the Director of Agriculture, Mr Abdullah Abubakar, represented by Mr Dauda Ayeleke of the Rice Value Chain unit, urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the input to increase rice productivity in order to enhance their livelihoods. Abubakar noted that Nigeria, being the highest rice-producing country in Africa, must sustain its production level and increase to achieve desired self-sufficiency target in food production.

Researchers and farmers have called on the government to revive agricultural extension departments in each state of the federation as part of measures to tackle various challenges retarding agricultural productivity and efforts to ensure food security. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted farming activities, supply chains and food inflation. The cost of food in Nigeria increased 17.21% in November 2021 over the same month in the previous year, and the yearly food inflation rate rose for the 24th consecutive month to 20.75%. Reviving agricultural extension services would help farmers boost productivity and more food in circulation, while understanding the problems of farmers and relaying them to researchers would help resolve the problems associated with food production. Nigeria is food-insecure due to production deficits and low farmers' productivity, leading to persistent food inflation. Reviving extension services is key to achieving food self-sufficiency and surplus for export.

Researchers and farmers have called on the government to revive agricultural extension departments in each state of the federation as part of measures to tackle various challenges retarding agricultural productivity and efforts to ensure food security. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted farming activities, supply chains and food inflation. The cost of food in Nigeria increased 17.21% in November 2021 over the same month in the previous year, and the yearly food inflation rate rose for the 24th consecutive month to 20.75%. Reviving agricultural extension services would help farmers boost productivity and more food in circulation, while understanding the problems of farmers and relaying them to researchers would help resolve the problems associated with food production. Nigeria is food-insecure due to production deficits and low farmers' productivity, leading to persistent food inflation. Reviving extension services is key to achieving food self-sufficiency and surplus for export.

Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum on tuesday distributed 312 tractors and 600,000 bags of fertilizer to farmer in the 27 local government areas to boost food security and production, during the distribution of items at the Farm Centre, Maiduguri he said every council would be given five tractors. The fertilizer will be sold to farmer at 25 percent while those to be given tractors on loan will pay 50 percent of the cost. The Ministry of Agriculture Permanent Secretary Bulama Gana said the state government provided over 1000 tractors