Category archives: Agriculture

Agricultural stakeholders in Nigeria have emphasized the need to use the remaining 60% of the country’s underutilized arable land to address food security concerns effectively. Currently, only 40% of Nigeria’s arable land is cultivated, a figure experts argue is insufficient to combat the nation’s food and poverty issues. Speaking at the Policy Dialogue Series on […]

The recent Cadre Harmonisé report indicates that 26 Nigerian states, alongside the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), are anticipated to experience severe food shortages from June to August 2025. This crisis is projected to impact over 33 million people across the country. The analysis, carried out with input from agencies including the UN’s FAO, the World […]

Nigeria aims to boost its wheat production self-sufficiency from the current 10% to 70% within the next five years, according to Dr. Oluwasina Olabanji, former executive director of the Lake Chad Research Institute. He shared insights at the West and Central Africa Wheat Collaborative Network’s second regional summit in Abuja. Dr. Olabanji emphasized the importance […]

In response to the devastating ginger blight that struck major ginger-producing states in Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, under the directive of the Vice President’s office, has taken significant action. Senator Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, inaugurated a task force, led by Engr. Abubakar Abdullahi, to tackle the […]

Since the harvest began weeks ago, grain markets across Nigeria have experienced increased trading activities, with dealers tracking farmers even to villages to buy grains. For example, in Niger State, maize is sold at varying prices depending on its dryness, ranging from N42,000 to N48,000 per 100kg bag, while local rice is sold for N150,000 […]

In a bid to revamp Nigeria’s livestock sector, which is valued at N33 trillion but contributes less than 3% to the GDP, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inaugurated the Presidential Livestock Reforms Implementation Committee in July 2024. The committee, co-chaired by Professor Attahiru Jega, delivered its inception report, providing strategic recommendations to address challenges in Nigeria’s […]

The overflow of the Alau Dam has led to severe flooding across Maiduguri, Jere, and Mafa in Borno State, submerging hundreds of farmlands. Thousands of hectares of rice fields and other crops have been destroyed, leaving farmers in distress. The floodwaters have not only washed away crops but have also left many fields waterlogged, causing […]

Female farmers in Gombe State, under the Smallholders Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON), have called on the state government to increase its agricultural budget allocation in accordance with the Malabo and Maputo declarations. During a consultative meeting on the 2025 agricultural budget, SWOFON spokesperson Airudia Mamman urged the government to allocate 10% of its […]

Sesame farming is on the rise in Katsina State as local farmers increasingly invest in the high-demand cash crop. Farmers in the region are shifting their focus to sesame due to its profitability, especially amid economic challenges. Harisu Abdullahi, a farmer in Kurfi LGA, shared that sesame has become a valuable crop, serving as both […]