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(Nigeria) Nigerian military troops have intercepted over 2,000 cows after a fierce gun battle with armed bandits in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State, PRNigeria reports. Before the interception, the bandits numbering over 500 from the Birnin-Gwari axis in Kaduna State in a convoy of about 100 motorcycles had raided several communities in Mariga. A local community leader, Adamu Warari said that the terrorists, wielding dangerous firearms, had operated ‘freely’ in several communities, razing places of worship, looting houses, killing men, abducting women, and rustling cattle before security agencies were alerted. Adamu Warari said: “The bandits came through Birnin-Gwari crossing to Mariga, Kasuwan Garba, part of Kontagora, Kwimo and then cross Magadan Daji, Yungo, Argida and Chubadi where they continued to mop up hundreds of cattle before they were intercepted by troops from Bangi at Kwimo". Confirming the development, a defence intelligence source said that the mili...

(Nigeria)  Permanent Secretary , Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr . Ernest Umakhihe has said that the Nigeria's Livestock subsector has a huge economic potential worth over N33 trillion annually , which should be explored and harnessed. Umakhihe disclosed this during the inauguration of the Edo chapter of Animal Science Association of Nigeria , ASAN   in Benin City, Edo State on Monday . He noted that the subsector was estimated to contribute about 17 percent of the Agricultural Gross Domestic Product , (GDP) and five percent of the National GDP. "As we all know ,   the livestock sector is very vital to the socio - economic development of the country and it represents an important source of high-quality animal protein. "It provides about 36.5 percent of the total protein intake of Nigerians, generates employment, income, and earns foreign exchange for the country. "The Edo S tate government through the M inistry of Agriculture a...

* L-R: Bayelsa State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Chief David Alagoa, an official of Fidelity Bank, Chairman, CSS Group, Prof. John  Okpara, Governor Douye Diri, House of Reps members, Dr. Fred Agbedi and Fred Obua, during the graduation of 200 Bayelsa State-sponsored trainees at the CSS Global Integrated Farms in Nasarawa State , weekend. (Nigeria) Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has assured of his administration’s commitment to building the capacity of youths of the state in order to make them self-reliant. Governor Diri gave the assurance at the weekend during the graduation of 200 trainees in integrated farming at the CSS Global Integrated Farms in Nasarawa State. The beneficiaries, who were sponsored by the state government, underwent a two-week intensive training in poultry production, fish farming, plantain/cassava farming, rice/maize farming, feed-mill processing, greenhouse and hydroponics as well as in ruminant fattening,agricultural...

(Nigeria) The UK has announced that it will spend £15 million of emergency humanitarian funding to provide vital food and nutrition assistance for vulnerable people in North-East Nigerian states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. The money will fund the United Nations Children’s Fund , UNICEF , and World Food Programme , WFP , to deliver life-saving activities to respond to crisis and emergency levels of food insecurity and malnutrition for vulnerable people, including malnourished women and children. This food assistance funding is part of the UK’s wider commitment to prioritise life-saving humanitarian aid to communities around the world who are most vulnerable due to the ongoing combination of crises. Acting British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Gill Atkinson said: “As conflict continues, 4.1 million people are facing a food crisis in North-East Nigeria. Through this emergency funding, the UK has allocated £15 million of humanitarian assistance to tackle food insecurity and malnut...

(Nigeria) Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State, on Wednesday, toured 10 farmlands in the outskirts of four local governments: Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Jere, Mafa and Dikwa to monitor farming activities. During the separate unscheduled visits, Zulum, a University Professor of irrigation farming, interacted with farmers, asking them of problems they face so he could address them.  With rainy season in place, majority of the farmers were seen weeding and planting across most farmlands when the governor paid them the visits. Zulum explained to farmers that unlike in other states, Borno State was not able to procure and allocate NPK fertilizer to farmers because there was an existing ban by the federal government through office of the National Security Adviser. “We have long been in receipt of a security letter from the office of the National Security Adviser which placed ban on the usage of urea as well as NPK across Borno State because insurgents use these fertilizer componen...

The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund has approved a $4.3 million grant to fund capacity building within Ethiopia’s finance ministry and related government departments, to enable the country tackle declining growth and other economic challenges. The Ministry of Finance will implement the project. The African Development Fund is the concessional lending arm of the African Development Bank Group. The Board’s approval came on July 15. The project will support capacity strengthening of the Government of Ethiopia in research and policy analysis, underpinned by a well-managed public investment program. It will support Ethiopia’s goal of developing a cadre of government staff with stronger capacity in research as well as policy analysis and formulation to facilitate the implementation of the country’s Ten-Year Development Plan and Homegrown Economic Reform Agenda. The project will support capacity strengthening of officials in the Ministry of Finance, the National Ban...

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group, has approved a $134 million loan for the National Agriculture Growth Scheme, Agro Pocket programme in Nigeria to scale up food production and boost livelihood resilience. The programme will support fast-tracking of the implementation of key policy and institutional reforms and boost private sector participation in agriculture. This will help increase cereals and oil grains production by 7 million tonnes to 35 million tonnes. It will also increase average cereal yields from 1.42 tonnes to 2 tonnes per hectare during the September 2022-December 2023 implementation period. The program aligns with the Bank’s African Emergency Food Production Facility and will support Nigeria’s efforts to mitigate the impacts of the war in Ukraine. Food prices have been rising rapidly due to higher volatility caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, aggravated by the war. The program also aligns with the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy as it promotes cl...

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group, has  approved a €121 million loan to Senegal for implementation of an emergency agricultural programme that will benefit 850,000 small farmers, 35 percent of whom are women. "Senegal's dependence on the outside world for basic commodities and foodstuffs is a real bottleneck and poses a threat to the country's food sovereignty, which has been sharpened  by the war in Ukraine," said Mohamed Chérif, the Bank’s Country Manager for Senegal. "This operation is intended to mitigate exogenous financial, economic, social and climate shocks and to maintain the upward trend in cereal production seen in recent years, especially by focusing efforts on the availability of key inputs including seeds and fertilizers to producers," he added. This loan is the first approved under the African Development Bank’s $1.5 billion African Emergency Food Production Facility, an initiative to avert a looming food crisis exac...

(Nigeria) Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Tuesday, said the attack by terrorist on St Francis Catholic Church Owo, Ondo State, was unacceptable. IPOB in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, entitled, "Fulani terrorists attack on Christians in Nigeria unacceptable," said:  "We the global movement and family of IPOB, under the command and leadership of our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, condemn the Fulani terrorists attack on St Francis Catholic Church, Owo Ogun State June 5, 2022. "IPOB had repeatedly suggested that Christians should stop their dependence on government of Nigeria for security of life and properties, our reason for this stance is that the current regime has only one interest and that is Fulani interest, they will pretend that they are condemning the attacks of Christian, but in the real sense, they are in support of the attackers. "This action of Nigerian Federal government has emboldened a Fulani terrorist...

*The graduands (Nigeria) The over 260 young farmers who left Enugu for Keffi, Nasarawa State, two weeks ago for training at CSS Global Farms, under the sponsorship of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s administration, have returned safely to the state, thanking Ugwuanyi for rebranding and enhancing their skills in the agricultural value chain. The excited and fulfilled-looking beneficiaries, including Reverend Sisters, who arrived Enugu at about 3:04pm on Wednesday, moved straight to the Government House in a joyful mood to appreciate Ugwuanyi for the “wonderful opportunity” his administration gave them. Speaking on their behalf, Ikenna Ugwuanyi thanked the governor for believing so much in the youth constituency and extolled his administration’s commitment to youth empowerment in Enugu State. Ugwuanyi described the training as “two weeks of dedication; two weeks of rebranding; two weeks of mental training; two weeks of intense agricultural practice”, disclosing that “there is no on...

(Nigeria) Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Tuesday, said the Nigeria government deploying troops over alleged missing cows in the South East, was to ploy pave way for actualization of Fulani 200 years old agenda of conquering the South East. IPOB also alleged that the Nigeria was deploying military and police personnel to South East to clear the way for the Fulani jihadists and terrorists to invade the region in actualization of their recent threat to take over South East land. It also dismissed alleged missing of over 300 cows in South East IPOB in a stamen by it's Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful,  "We, the global family of IPOB, under the command and leadership of our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to raise the alarm over the deployment of terrorists in the South East region under the guise of security agents by the Federal Government of Nigeria. "The Government of Nigeria has  started once again to deploy more military and police personne...

(Nigeria) Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Dr. Mohammad Abubakar will on April 28, 2022, unveil the Hello Tractor innovative “Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) tractor financing for increased Agricultural Productivity and Job Creation in Nigeria”. The main launch scheduled to hold at the International Conference Centre Abuja, follows an earlier soft launch which witnessed the presentation of seven tractors to beneficiaries across three locations in the country (Nasarrawa, Abuja and Enugu states). The PAYG tractor financing is an innovation to support smallholder mechanisation, food security and rural entrepreneurship in the country. The initiative is facilitated by Hello Tractor in partnership with Heifer International. Hello Tractor is an award-winning agricultural technology and social enterprise company with the vision to transform the agricultural ecosystem in Africa by creating efficiencies that generate inclusive growth, reduce poverty and build stronger and stable economie...

*Chief Adesunbo Onitiri (Nigeria) The constitutional amendment on indegeneship now before the National Assembly should not be used to re-introduce RUGA by the All Progressives Congress, APC, administration because Nigerians have rejected it ab initio, says , Chief Adesunbo Onitiri. In a statement, yesterday, he said: “So, the National  Assembly should be cautious that any attempt to impose settlers on the Indigenes might create crises, difficult to manage, a renowned socio-political activist and critic.” He lampooned those behind the constitutional amendments, alleging that they had a hidden agenda to re-introduce RUGA. He pointed out that if the amendment sailed through, the state governors who were the custodians of land under the Land Use Act, would be powerless.  "All the forests and Forests Resources under the control of the state governments would easily be taken over by armed herdsmen, Boko Haram, and bandits who were already dislodging the indegenes from their ...

*Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN (Nigeria) Amid tight fiscal revenue generation, especially in the states of the Federation, agriculture can be a significant contributor to government coffers, boosting resource mobilization. All it takes is the hardwork and dedication of all stakeholders in the sector, says Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN. He spoke while interacting with a delegation from the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria, DAWN, Commission, who was on a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Tuesday. Prof. Osinbajo who spoke after listening to a presentation on the Commission’s framework for sustainable agricultural transformation in the states said, “agriculture can be the solution to a lot of our IGR needs and a lot of our resource needs; it has been proven so many times that it is possible.” Making reference to what was obtainable in the 1950s and 60s in the agricultural sector in the then regional governments, the Vice President noted that “the truth of the m...

(Nigeria) Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Monday said its plan to ban in April on cow meat in South East was a necessary step to stop the unprovoked attacks by killer herdsmen in South East and not a declaration of war against the North, as being misrepresented by some irritants. IPOB in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, explained that it did not ban the eating of cow meat in South East, but herdsmen bringing cow that destroys farms, involved in raping women and girls in South East. It noted that it was not threatened by the ranting of a group of bigots, who called for the boycott of all Igbo products in the North, noting that their action had further confirmed the belief that the atrocities of terrorist and rapists herdsmen in Biafra and other parts of Nigeria is a common agenda of the North. IPOB said: “The attention of our global movement and family ably led by our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has been drawn to the latest ranting by a Ful...

*President Muhammadu Buhari (Nigeria) The Senate on Tuesday received the Finance Bill 2021, transmitted by President Muhammadu Buhari to the National Assembly for consideration and passage. The request by the President seeking the passage of the bill into law was contained in a letter dated December 7, 2021,  which accompanied the bill. Buhari in the letter explained that the request for the passage of the bill was made pursuant to the provisions of Sections 58 and 59 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).   He explained that the Finance Bill, 2021, seeks to support the implementation of the 2022 Federal Budget of Economic Growth and Sustainability by proposing key reforms to specific taxation, customs, excise, fiscal, and other relevant laws. He added that the bill provides for enhanced Domestic Revenue Mobilization efforts to increase tax and non-tax revenues; and ensure Tax Administration and Legislative Drafting Reforms, particularly to ...

*Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN (Nigeria) The Nigerian economy is set for effective growth and job creation with a renewed focus on digital economy, significant value addition in agriculture, other sectors including oil and gas, while boosting productivity generally, says Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN. He added that there would also be specific attention to review trade policies that are rather too broad and expand the supply sides in revenues, foreign exchange, and electricity. He spoke on Monday during a virtual interaction at the World Economic Forum, WEF, Country Strategy Dialogue on Nigeria. According to the VP, “The cornerstone of our strategy is boosting productivity by focusing on value addition as the guiding principle for all sectors, especially agriculture, manufacturing, solid minerals, digital services, tourism, hospitality, and entertainment.” The WEF Dialogue series held in select countries is aimed at promoting productive conversations about key axes of growth an...

(Nigeria) A university don, Dr. Innocent Osagie, has urged Edo State people to commend Governor Godwin Obaseki “for insisting that due process and robust consultations must precede the passage of any anti-open grazing law”. Speaking in Benin, he said sarcastically that “if that makes Obaseki a bad leader, then carry on with your good leaders who do not see any reason to carry their people along”. The University of Benin lecturer, who attended one of the stakeholders' meetings in Benin organised to discuss the issue, said: “What are the issues, and why the intense negative comments that almost seem so coordinated to paint as black anything that this man does? I am not and will never be a political apologist. “On this matter, what is the hoopla about taking time to consult with the people involved in various aspects of the meat production value chain? “After observing proceedings from this event, I left with a renewed sense of anger and frustration at some of the comments I h...

*Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State (Nigeria) Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, has signed the bill prohibiting open cattle grazing in the state into law. He signed the bill into law on Monday. The governor’s media aide on print media, Wale Ajetunmobi, made this known. “Breaking! Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, this afternoon, signs the bill prohibiting open cattle grazing in Lagos into law,” he posted on Facebook

*Adesunbo Onitiri (Nigeria) Activist and critic, Chief Adesunbo Onitiri, has commended members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, for the timely passage of the controversial Anti-Open grazing bill into law.  Onitiri in a statement on Thursday, said the lawmakers have done well for responding to and obeying the voice of wisdom, reasoning of elders, yearnings and  aspirations of the entire people of the state.  Onitiri, said: “The Southern governors, it will be recalled had at meeting in Lagos recently, in their resolutions gave September1, 2021,  ultimatum to all their states Assemblies to enact Anti-Open Grazing laws to checkmate the unabated killings, maiming, kidnappings of farmers, raping of their wives and children and destruction of farm produce by arms- wielding Fulani herdsmen in various parts of the southern  states.  “Since the resolutions were adopted, many of the states have passed the law, while others are yet to give effect to the...