Nigeria has been chosen as one of the priority countries to benefit from the US $280 million Partnership for Inclusive Agricultural Transformation in Africa (PIATA) launched today at the 2017 African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire.

In line with the calls by various stakeholders to diversify the nation’s mono-product economy, the Agriculture and Allied Employees Union of Nigeria (AAEUN), at a recent meeting of the forum’s chairmen in Gwagwalada, has called on the Federal Government to increase the budgetary allocation to the agricultural sector to prove its commitment in making the sector the mainstay of the economy.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, on Tuesday, explained why the Federal Government could not arrest sponsors of the quit notice that was previously issued against Igbos residing in the northern part of the country.

Over 500 million people in Africa are estimated to live below poverty line. Yet, many African governments, including Nigeria, despite different policies introduced, have not found solutions to eradicate poverty and hunger. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimated that 233 million people in sub-Saharan Africa were hungry and undernourished from 2014 to 2016.

“With the down turn in the global prices of oil, we now have to prospect our solid minerals. We have to return to agriculture,” President Buhari to members of the Council of Saudi Arabian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

Power supply is our greatest challenge, stable power supply. We don’t want to mention payment of duties because it has been very challenging with the Nigeria Customs

THE Cross River Government says the rice mill project in Ogoja, Ogoja Local Government Area, will be completed before the end of the year. Prof. Anthony Eneji, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, said in Calabar on Wednesday that the project, which also included a rice farm, would serve as production point for Calabar Rice City.

No fewer than 712 farmers in Daura Local Government Area (LGA), Katsina State, have received N90,000 each as funding support from the Federal Government’s Anchor Borrowers Programme.

The Cross River Government says that it has awarded N1.16 billion contract for the commencement of work on a model banana farm project in Akamkpa town of Akamkpa Local Government Area.

THE Federal Government has revealed that N2.98 billion will be needed to fight army worms’ invasion on 700, 000 hectares of farmland in the country.

THE Abia State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Uzo Azubuike, has said that the fertilizer the state acquired for its farmers would be available to them from today.

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) is set to boost exports of Nigerian products through the avenue of standardisation.

The African Union Commission in collaboration with the Government of the Republic of Turkey will host the Turkey-Africa 1st Agriculture Ministers Meeting and Agribusiness Forum in Antalya, Turkey next week .

THE Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has urged poultry farmers in the country to invest in egg powder production as a way out of the prevailing egg glut in the market. Director-General of SON, Osita Aboloma, gave the advise in Kaduna at a training organised by SON for Poultry Farmers Association, Kaduna Chapter and Poultry-allied stakeholders’ in Kaduna

MR Raymos Guanah, a commercial rice farmer in Delta, has urged government to raise its support for farmers to attract more private sector investment in rice production.