THE African Union Commission (AUC) and the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA) have been urged to facilitate the mobilisation of investment finances required for the operationalization of the Malabo Declaration on Accelerated African Agriculture Growth and Transformation (3AGT).

Preliminary results from experimental plots carried out by researchers working under the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) led Cassava Weed Management Project show that by switching to improved weed management practices, Nigerian cassava farmers can double current national average yield of 12-13 tons per hectare.

When African leaders endorsed the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) as a New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) program in July 2003, the overall goal was to “Help African countries reach a higher path of economic growth through agriculture- led development, which eliminates hunger, reduces poverty and food insecurity, and enables expansion of exports.”

When African leaders endorsed the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) as a New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) program in July 2003, the overall goal was to “Help African countries reach a higher path of economic growth through agriculture- led development, which eliminates hunger, reduces poverty and food insecurity, and enables expansion of exports.”

West Africa has unprecedented opportunities for agricultural growth, but making the most of them will require more effective regional integration, says a new report by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

“Nigeria farmers have not had it well in terms of having a farmer as their minister that will pilot affairs of the ministry and having rural farmers at heart when making policies.

As the Dangote group plans to invest over $200m in the area of Rice and Sugar production in Jigawa state, the the President of the group of companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has called on governments at all level to focus on agriculture. Speaking during an interactive session with journalists in the Dutse, Aliko Dangote said agriculture is a sustainable means of economic development and growth for the country.

THE Registrar,Veterinary Council of Nigeria, VCN, Dr. Marcus Avong, has disclosed that the proposed N300 million veterinary specialist hospital will boost human capital development in agricultural sector. Avong disclosed this in Abuja while explaining the huge expectations from the livestock sub-sector, which people rely on for food, job creation, and revenue generation.

A total of N738 billion worth of agricultural products were imported into the country in the first quarter of 2015, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its latest foreign trade reports. Agricultural imports increased by N132.1 billion or 21.8 percent from N606 billion in Q1 2014 to N738 billion in Q1 2015, the data show.

One question on the lips of many followers of the African Development Bank (AfDB) before its just concluded 50th Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire last week was who will come top in the development bank’s Presidential elections. The question became imperative because of the gripping nature of the race and the lobbying that followed the high level power play against the credentials of the eight candidates that vied for the position.

Olam management has re-instated its commitments to helping Nigeria advance its journey to self sufficiency in rice production by bridging the gap in local production and importation. This is coming on the heels of the company call for caution in the handling of excessive import duties and levies on rice as it might lead to smuggling of cheaper rice from neighbouring countries which will be counter productive to the protection of domestic rice producers and local rice investors.

Fertilizer suppliers who participated under the Federal ministry of Agriculture’s Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS) are appealing to the government to redeem the N52 billion (Fifty Two Billion Naira) being the subsidy portion they are being owed by both the Federal and State Governments. The Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS) is a Federal government initiative to actualise the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA). It is also aimed at subsidising the costs of major agricultural inputs, such as fertiliser and seedlings for farmers.

Fertilizer suppliers who participated under the Federal ministry of Agriculture’s Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS) are appealing to the government to redeem the N52 billion (Fifty Two Billion Naira) being the subsidy portion they are being owed by both the Federal and State Governments. The Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS) is a Federal government initiative to actualise the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA). It is also aimed at subsidising the costs of major agricultural inputs, such as fertiliser and seedlings for farmers.

Olam management has re-instated its commitments to helping Nigeria advance its journey to self sufficiency in rice production by bridging the gap in local production and importation. This is coming on the heels of the company call for caution in the handling of excessive import duties and levies on rice as it might lead to smuggling of cheaper rice from neighbouring countries which will be counter productive to the protection of domestic rice producers and local rice investors.

ABUJA-THE government Poland has concluded plans to partner with Nigeria in fish production in order to achieve self sufficiency in producing the commodity. This was disclosed by the Deputy Minister of Economy of Poland, Andrzej Dycha, during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina in Abuja.