Showing posts with label Agriculture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Agriculture. Show all posts

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Video - Bandit extortion fuels food insecurity in northern Nigeria



A report by an Africa-focused geopolitical firm highlights cases in banditry-ravaged states like Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, and Jigawa. Farmers say the bandits' actions have forced many to abandon their farms, which leads to decreased food production.

CGTN

Related story: Video - Insecurity in Nigeria's northern regions hampering food production

 

Thursday, February 15, 2024

Video - Nigerian palm farmers eye lucrative opportunities in domestic market



While Nigeria consumes nearly three million metric tonnes of palm oil annually, domestic output is only around 1.3 million metric tonnes, with a considerable portion being imported. Recognizing the immense potential, Nigerian palm farmers believe that with proper support, the sector could significantly contribute to the country's earnings.

CGTN

Related stories: Video - Nigeria eyes $2 billion annual revenue boost from a surging coffee demand

Video - Cocoa grown illegally in rainforest in Nigeria heads to companies that supply major chocolate makers


Video - Nigeria eyes $2 billion annual revenue boost from a surging coffee demand



The West Africa Specialty Coffee Association notes a surge in global demand for Nigerian coffee, especially in countries like Japan and Canada. While current revenues hover around $2 billion, the association projects that with governmental support, Nigeria could further tap into the sector's potential.

CGTN

Related story: Video - Cocoa grown illegally in rainforest in Nigeria heads to companies that supply major chocolate makers

 

Nigeria to remove ‘political farmers’ from database

The federal government, on Wednesday, announced that it is making efforts to modify farmers’ databases to get rid of “political farmers” as it plans to kick off the second phase of dry season farming.

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, disclosed this in a maiden press briefing organised by the Minister of Information and National Orientation to regain public confidence.

According to him, only genuine farmers will benefit from government-subsidised interventions.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Bola Tinubu administration earlier announced that a lot of agricultural policies meant for farmers were enjoyed by ‘political farmers’: persons linked to politicians but who were not real farmers.

Last year, the ministry launched the first phase of dry season farming under the National Agricultural Growth Scheme Agro-Pocket (NAGS-AP) project. The first phase focused on 15 wheat-growing states.
 

I50,000 hectares of rice to be cultivated in second phase

Mr Kyari said following a key evaluation of the first phase of dry season farming, measures have been taken to ensure the success of the subsequent phase.

He said 150,000 hectares of rice would be cultivated during the second phase, noting that 300,000 genuine farmers are targeted for this. The farmers, he said, would benefit from the government’s subsidised interventions such as fertilisers, herbicides and micronutrients among others.

According to him, the farmers would get three bags of these agro-inputs for free after purchasing half bags.

In addition, he said, 30,000 hectares of maize would be cultivated across the 36 states of the federation. The minister expressed optimism, noting that some state governors have shown interest in the scheme.

Mr Kyari also clarified that 42,000 metric tonnes of grains earmarked for distribution to vulnerable households would be at no cost.

“The 42,000 metric tonnes of food from the national food reserves is free,” he clarified. “We’re trying to crash down the prices of food and make it available.”

“So these 42,000 metric tonnes of food will be given to the needy free of charge. It would go directly to the needy at no cost at all.

“We’ve met with the DSS and NEMA to give us the index. This is to gather intelligence on where it is needed the most, and we are going to look at those indices,” Mr Kyari added.

Idris unveils five-pillar agenda to regain public confidence

In his remarks, the information minister, Muhammed Idris, said his ministry has developed a five-pillar agenda in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope vision.

Mr Idris said the agenda is targeted at restoring trust, amplifying policies and programmes, reorienting national values, modernizing technology and talent, and creating an enabling environment for the media.

“The Ministerial Press Briefing Series (MPBS) that we are kicking off today, are in line with our ‘Restore Trust’ and ‘Amplify Policies and Programmes’ pillars. This is a chance for you, the distinguished members of the press, to engage with senior officials of the federal government, on behalf of the good people of Nigeria,” the minister told journalists.

“You will hear first-hand about what the federal government is doing, policies, programmes, targets and objectives, and you will be able to ask questions and receive relevant clarifications. We have also made efforts to ensure that this Briefing Series receives the widest possible coverage, through traditional and digital platforms,” the minister explained.

Mr Idris said the ministry is “determined to restore trust, confidence and credibility to public communications, by engaging in a timely, proactive and consistent fashion with all our stakeholders, across government, the media, private sector and international community, deploying all available platforms and media.”

He noted that the press briefing will subsequently feature other ministers who will be brought before the press to highlight the government’s efforts in stabilising the country.

ByYakubu Mohammed, Premium Times

Related story: Video - Cocoa grown illegally in rainforest in Nigeria heads to companies that supply major chocolate makers

Monday, February 5, 2024

Shell agrees to develop Nigeria gas field for Dangote fertiliser

Shell Plc has made a final investment decision to build a gas supply facility in Nigeria to feed a fertiliser plant owned by Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote, the company said in a statement.

The new facility will supply 100 million standard cubic feet of gas per day from the Iseni field to the Dangote Fertiliser and Petrochemical plant for 10 years, according to the deal agreed by Shell and its joint venture partners TotalEnergies,Eni, and the state oil firm NNPC Ltd.

The $2.5 billion plant, Africa's largest urea complex with a 3-million-tonne output per year, accounts for 65% of Nigeria's fertiliser needs and can supply all the major markets in the sub-region.

"The agreement is a critical step in pursuing the development of the gas-rich Iseni field, which is part of the Okpokunou Cluster in Oil Mining Lease 35" in the oil-rich Bayelsa state, Shell's Nigeria chief, Osagie Okunbor, said in an email.

Nigeria holds Africa's largest gas reserves of more than 200 trillion cubic feet and is seeking to develop the reserves to boost supply to industries, power plants, and for exports.

Okunbor said the project will increase the delivery of gas to the domestic market and help stimulate economic growth. 

By Isaac Anyaogu, Reuters



Thursday, December 21, 2023

Video - Cocoa grown illegally in rainforest in Nigeria heads to companies that supply major chocolate makers



As the world's demand for chocolate grows, cocoa farmers in Nigeria are moving into protected areas of a forest reserve that is home to endangered species like African forest elephants. Over the course of two visits and several days, The Associated Press documented farmers harvesting cocoa beans where that work is banned in conservation areas of Omo Forest Reserve, a protected tropical rainforest 135 kilometers (84 miles) northeast of the coastal city of Lagos in southwestern Nigeria. AP Video/Dan Ikopyi.

AP

Monday, December 11, 2023

Video - Analysts want modernization of agricultural sector to overcome food insecurity in Nigeria



Efforts to tackle food security crisis have made some progress in Nigeria. However, analysts believe the country will struggle to cope with the effects of conflict, climate and economic downturns unless its agricultural sector modernizes. 

CGTN

Friday, November 17, 2023

Video - Insecurity in Nigeria's northern regions hampering food production



According to the Food and Agricultural Organization, as many as 26 million Nigerians could face severe hunger by next year. The UN agency says several issues, but mainly insecurity, contribute to the problem. Experts have called on the government to address these concerns to safeguard food production.

CGTN

Wednesday, August 2, 2023

Video - Nigeria mobilizes $500 million to boost food production



Africa's most populous nation has been under intense food insecurity exacerbated by growing inflation. The funds are expected to boost agricultural production in the West African nation.

CGTN

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Nigeria Raises $500 Million to Boost Agriculture Industry

Nigeria’s government has raised more than $500 million to transform food production in Africa’s most-populous nation.

The funds come from sources including multilateral development banks and international financial institutions, Vice President Kashim Shettima said in a statement on Tuesday. The money will be used for “innovation finance for food system transformation, development of Nigeria’s agro value chain and special agro-industrial processing zones programmes,” he said.

President Bola Tinubu’s administration declared a state of emergency last week to allow the state to take exceptional steps to boost food security and supply, as the country of more than 200 million people grapples with inflation accelerating at the fastest pace in two decades. Measures being considered include clearing forests for farmland to boost agricultural output and ease food costs.

Read more: Surging Food Prices Spur Nigeria to Declare an Emergency

The government is also taking steps to improve security in the country, where a decade-long insurgency by Islamist militants and attacks by bandits have curbed farm output.

“The president has already approved the infusion of a huge quantum of funds towards repositioning of our security architecture,” Shettima said. “We are repositioning our security architecture to provide support for farms and farmers.”

Bloomberg

Monday, June 5, 2023

Tomato farmers in Nigeria seek improved storage methods to reduce losses



Tomato farmers in Nigeria are seeking improved methods to reduce post-harvest losses as authorities look to increasing cold storage facilities. Nigeria is the largest producer of tomatoes in sub-Saharan Africa but has been losing over 40 percent of its yield due to poor storage.

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Video - Nigeria to boost wheat production to 6 million tonnes by 2032



The West African nation has for years relied on imports to get over 90 percent of its wheat supply, however, the conflict in Ukraine has caused disruptions, leading to a price surge as it affected the wheat supply chain negatively.

CGTN

Thursday, May 11, 2023

Video - University in Nigeria uses climate-smart methods to increase meat production



The process involves cross-breeding and adaptation of goats and sheep from different parts of Nigeria to come up with a unique breed that's disease resistant, larger, and thus provides more meat, and can survive in difficult environments.

CGTN

Monday, May 1, 2023

Video - Nigeria targets US$500 million from cashews exports in 2023



Nigeria is looking to increase earnings from the export of cashews to 500 million U.S. dollars this year. The sector is said to have a potential of generating up to 1 billion U.S. dollars by 2030. However, experts say the government needs to ensure it explores all the potential of the cashew market if it is to achieve its goal.

CGTN

Wednesday, April 12, 2023

Video - Bug infestation devastating Tomato businesses in Nigeria



A tomato bug infestation has devastated thousands of farms in Nigeria. Tomato is a key ingredient in West African cuisine. But as prices rise, the quality of one of the region's best-known dishes is being affected. Al Jazeera's Ahmed Idris has more from Kano, Nigeria.

Al Jazeera

Tuesday, December 13, 2022

Video - New yam varieties developed by scientists in Nigeria to boost harvest



Scientists in Nigeria have developed new yam varieties that are helping to increase output for the world’s biggest producer of the crop. They say the new, more robust and sustainable yams will also help to cut farmers’ losses, reducing hunger and poverty. Al Jazeera's Ahmed Idris reports from Ibadan, Nigeria.

Al Jazeera

Thursday, October 13, 2022

Cameroon, Nigeria request to join Ivory-Ghana cocoa initiative

Cameroon and Nigeria requested to join the Cote d’Ivoire-Ghana Cocoa Initiative (CIGCI), a joint body spearheading the interests of the two countries in the cocoa trade, the head of the initiative Alex Assanvo said on Wednesday.

The initiative was set up after a 2018 declaration by Ivory Coast and Ghana, the world’s first and second-largest cocoa producers, on willingness to define a common sustainable cocoa strategy that would raise prices paid to farmers.

It was created with the view of including other African countries.

Representatives from Cameroon and Nigeria were invited to a CIGCI meeting in Abidjan to begin the process of joining the initiative, Assanvo told reporters after the meeting.

“With Cameroon and Nigeria we are going to represent around two-thirds of global cocoa production,” Yves Brahima Kone, chief executive of the Ivory Coast Cocoa and Coffee Council, said at the meeting.

“This will allow us to have more leeway in discussions with the industry on imposing a decent price for our cocoa farmers.”

Reuters

Wednesday, May 11, 2022

Video - Nigerian palm oil farmers seek government input to maximize output



Nigeria is one of the largest producers of palm oil globally with small-scale farmers being essential to the country's annual output of more than one million metric tons. However, the farmers and industry players are struggling to realize their full potential due to various reasons. CGTN Africa spoke to stakeholders in the Nigerian capital Abuja to find out the reasons behind their struggles and what can be done to improve it.

Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Nigerian billionaire Dangote launches $2.5 billion fertilizer plant as prices soar

Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote opened a 3-million-tonne fertilizer plant at a cost of $2.5 billion on Tuesday to target African and foreign markets even as the war in Ukraine has driven up prices for natural gas, a key ingredient for making urea.


Dangote said exports from the plant will go to Brazil, which relies heavily on Russia for imports of fertilizer. Shipments will also go to the United States, India and Mexico, he said at the launch.

Fertilizer prices have been rising at a time when planting usually picks up around the world, especially after Russia, the world's biggest exporter of fertilizer, invaded Ukraine last month. The war has also disrupted shipping.

The plant, commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari and located at the Lekki Free Zone in Lagos State, is designed to produce 3 million tonnes of urea per year and supply all the major markets in sub-Saharan Africa.

Many in Nigeria hope the Dangote plant will help alleviate chronically low crop yields in Africa's most populous country, partly due to insufficient access to fertilizer.

Agriculture accounts for 20% of Nigeria's gross domestic product, with crop production contribution the highest with the farming subsector.

However, low fertilizer production and the high cost of importing fertilisers has reined in seed production. Fertilizer consumption in Nigeria ranks below its African peers.

According to the World Bank, Nigeria consumed around 20 kg of fertiliser per hectare of arable land in 2018, compared with 73 kg in South Africa and 393 kg in China.

The Central Bank of Nigeria has barred the use of its foreign exchange for fertiliser imports as part of a raft of controls aimed at boosting domestic production.

Other producers in Nigeria include Notore (NOTORE.LG), which has the capacity to produce 500,000 metric tonnes per annum of urea, and Singapore-owned Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Ltd, which plans to double its annual output of urea fertilizer to 2.8 million tonnes.

Reuters

Related stories: Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote transforming Nigeria into an export nation

Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote is building the world's largest refinery in Nigeria

Dangote Refinery to employ over 250,000 Nigerians

Video - Aljazeera speaks with Africa's richest man Aliko Dangote

 

 

 

 

Friday, March 18, 2022

Video - Nigeria bans foreigners from buying farm produce directly from local famers

 

Nigeria has banned foreigners from purchasing agricultural products directly from local farmers. This means that only registered local buyers can purchase from farm gates - and then sell to foreigners. The government says the policy is geared towards mitigating the exploitation of local farmers. CGTN's Kelechi Emekalam reports.