Agric & Biotech

The Oyo State Commissioner for Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development, Mr Oyewole Oyewumi, has called on erosion-prone communities to engage in organic farming to minimise soil erosion. Oyewumi gave the advice at the ongoing National Organic Agriculture Business Summit (NOABS) 2018 on Thursday, July 12, 2018 in Lagos. The summit is themed: “Organic Agriculture: Abundant Opportunities for Health and Hospitality ...

The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) and the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) have welcome the Federal Government’s ranching plan across 10 states. They hailed the plan in Abuja on Thursday, July 12, 2018 while briefing journalists at the end of a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting between the associations. Speaking at the briefing, the National ...

Director General/CEO of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), Dr. Rufus Ebegba, has advised retailers across the country who sell products that contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to formalise their dealings or face the wrath of the law. Dr Ebegba, who gave the advice in a meeting with representatives of retail store owners in Abuja on Wednesday, July 11, 2018, ...

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and World Food Programme (WFP) on Wednesday, July 12, 2018 established joint support to augment food production for conflict-affected people in the northeast. WFP Representative in Nigeria, Myrta Kaulard, and the FAO counterpart, Suffyan Koroma, made this known in a statement issued in Abuja by Ms IngerMarie Vennize, the Head of Communication ...

The Consul General of Switzerland in Lagos says the Consulate will continue to strongly support sustainable organic sector development in Africa. Yves Nicolet, Consul General, represented by Mrs Ngozi Anyanso, said this at the 3rd National Organic Agriculture Business Summit, 2018 organised by the Ecological Organic Agriculture (EOA) Initiative in Nigeria in collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture. ...

The Climate Adaptation and Agribusiness Support Programme (CASP) has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) on sustainable land management activities in seven states. Mr Abdullahi Surajo, the Communication Officer of IFAD-CASP, made this known via a statement on Tuesday, July 10, 2018 in Abuja. NAN reports that the MoU was ...

The Director of Technical Services Network at the National Environment Agency has disclosed that exposure to pesticides and chemicals in farmlands, rice-fields and gardens has a high toll on human health especially the farmers and gardeners. According to him, The Gambia has recognised this need to explore safer alternatives to synthetic pesticides for use in agricultural activities. Dr. Dawda Badji ...

United Nations biodiversity negotiations are underway in Montreal, but a key African expert is missing from the fray. Ali Tapsoba, President of the organisation Terre à Vie in Burkina Faso, was planning to speak at two events on behalf of Burkinabé civil society, who oppose the release of gene drive mosquitoes, a controversial new biotechnology, in their communities. His visa ...

The world’s top cocoa producer, Cote d’Ivoire, said on Monday, July 2, 2018 that it would invest nearly $1.1 billion over 10 years to replace forests that were razed to grow the bean. The West African country supplies two million tonnes of cocoa to the world market annually and the commodity is a mainstay of the economy. Mighty Earth, an ...

The State Programme Coordinator (SPC), International Food for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Benue State, Mr Emmanuel Igbaukum, has warned farmers against diversion of farm inputs given to them by IFAD and other supporting agencies. Igbaukum gave the warning on Monday July 2, 2018 in Taraku, Gwer Local Government Area of the state during the flag-off of the 2018 distribution of ...