Agriculture

AfDB’s President Receives World Food Prize Award, Oct 19

Published

8 years ago

October 18, 2017

The President of African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr. Akinwumi Adesina will lead his bank’s delegation to Iowa State capital of Des Moines in United States of America to attend events at the World Food Prize.
The Communication Officer of AfDB, Mr Emeka Anuforo, said this in a statement in Abuja.
According to him, the Prize is presented every October on or around UN World Food Day, adding that this year’s ceremony will take place from October 16 to October 20 in Iowa State in United States.
Anuforo said that Adesina would be awarded the 2017 World Food Prize on the evening of October 19 tomorrow.
He said that the AfDB president would also deliver the Laureate address at a luncheon on October 20.
Anuforo said that the World Food Prize had become a week-long of events drawing over 1,200 participants from more than 65 countries to address issues related to global food security and nutrition.
He listed the World Food Prize series of events as the Borlaug Dialogue International Symposium, Iowa Hunger Summit, Laureate Lecture Series and presentation of Dr. Norman Borlaug Award.
He said that the Borlaug Award was for field research and application endowed by the Rockefeller Foundation.
According to him, in June this year, the World Food Prize announced Adesina as the 2017 laureate for his work in improving the availability of seeds, fertiliser and financing for African farmers.
The prize was also awarded to Adeshina for laying the foundation for the youth in Africa to engage in agriculture as a profitable business.
“Under Adesina’s leadership, AfDB is accelerating agricultural development through its feed Africa strategy with planned investment of 24 billion U.S dollars over the next 10 years.
“The prize recognises Adesina’s work over the past two decades with the Rockefeller Foundation at the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and as Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.
“On October 18, the AfDB President is speaking at a side event on “Making Farming Cool: Investing in Future African Farmers and Agripreneurs”.
“The event showcases the convergence of agriculture and youth employment.
“The session will draw attention to the role of policy, governance and technology in accelerating sustainable economic growth.
“A number of young African agricultural entrepreneurs supported under the Empowering Novel Agri-Business-Led Employment (ENABLE) Youth program of the AfDB would be at the event.”
Anuforo said that the AfDB President would address a session on the Transformation of the African Savanah Initiative (TASI) at the event.
According to him, TASI is an AfDB programme to bring additional 1.6 million hectares of land under cultivation to double maize, soya bean and livestock production in eight African countries.
He listed the eight countries as Ghana, Guinea, Uganda, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Mozambique and Zambia.
Anuforo said that the AfDB President would also join key nutrition actors, private sector representatives, policy makers and thought leaders at a global panel on agriculture and food systems for nutrition plenary session.
He said that the essence of the session was to push for mutual accountability on leadership, governance and investments for nutrition.

Agriculture

KWASANGLaunches Cassava Processing Factory To Boost Value Chain In Kwara

Published

3 weeks ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

The Kwara State Government has inaugurated the Kwara State Association of Nigerians in UK (KWASANG) APEX CO-OP Cassava Value-Addition Factory in Osin Pakate, Ilorin East Local Government Area, to boost cassava value addition and agro-processing in the State.

Speaking at the event, Alabi, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Afees Abolore Alabi, described the initiative as a cooperative-led programme that aligns with the State’s agricultural development priorities.

He noted with satisfaction that the project demonstrates how farmer organisations, supported by the right policies and partnerships, can drive sustainable agribusiness growth.

Alabi explained that cassava value addition plays a critical role in reducing post-harvest losses, improving product quality, and increasing farmers’ incomes, while also creating employment opportunities for youths and women.

He added that initiatives such as the KWASANG factory contribute to food security, supply of industrial raw materials, and rural economic development.

Alabi acknowledged the partnership of the leadership of KWASANG with diaspora partners, describing their collective investment as a strong signal of confidence in cassava production and processing opportunities within the state.

The Commissioner further noted that cooperative organisation remains a key pillar in the Government’s approach to inclusive agricultural development.

Alabi stated that the role of the Kwara State Government is to provide an enabling environment through supportive policies, infrastructure development, capacity building, and strategic collaboration with cooperatives and the private sector.

He added that the progress being recorded across the cassava value chain reflects the development direction of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, whose administration continues to prioritise agricultural transformation through strategic partnerships and investor-friendly policies.

The factory, according to the Commissioner, is expected to process cassava into products such as Gari, high-quality cassava flour, starch, and other value-added derivatives for household consumption and industrial use.

Alabi stated “The initiative also complements ongoing efforts to strengthen the cassava value chain through improved access to inputs, extension support, and market linkages aimed at increasing productivity and profitability for farmers across the State”.

Earlier, the Chairman of KWASANG Farmers, Mustapha Tunde Salawu, appreciated the Kwara State Government for creating a supportive environment that made the project possible.

He encouraged Nigerians in the diaspora, particularly Kwarans, to look back home and invest as a way of contributing to the development of their communities, Kwara State, and the country at large.

Salawu noted that Kwara State’s vast arable farmland and its strategic location as a gateway between the northern and southern parts of the country made it a highly attractive destination for agricultural and agribusiness investment.

“The KWASANG APEX CO-OP Cassava Value-Adding Factory, is expected to reduce post-harvest losses, improve market access for cassava farmers, and stimulate economic activities within Osin Pakate and surrounding communities”, he said.

Agriculture

Livestock Ministry Empowers Women, Youths For Sustainable Growth

Published

3 weeks ago

January 2, 2026

The Tide

The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering women and youths as key drivers of a sustainable, innovative, and competitive livestock sector in Nigeria.

The Director, Technical, Office of the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Peter Alike, stated this at a Capacity Building Workshop for Women and Youths in the Livestock Value Chain, held in Abuja from Monday, 29th – Tuesday 30th December, 2025.

Alike emphasised that integrating sustainability and innovation across the entire livestock value chain, from feed production and animal husbandry to processing and marketing, is critical to transforming the sector and unlocking its economic potential.

He noted that building the capacity of women and youths remains central to the Ministry’s mandate to reposition livestock as a viable contributor to food security, employment, and national growth.

According to him, the capacity-building initiative is designed as a continuous and transformative programme, equipping participants with practical, hands-on skills that can be directly applied to their farms and enterprises.

He stressed that the training goes beyond theory, focusing on actionable knowledge, mindset change, and long-term competency development to promote sustainable livestock practices.

Alike further explained that the strategic importance of women and youths informed their inclusion as a priority group within the ten pillars of the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy (NL-GAS), the Ministry’s flagship framework for sectoral reform.

In his presentation, an Animal Scientist, Ifeanyi Harry Njoagwuani, described sustainability as a continuous journey driven by science and effective management highlighting the adoption of climate-resilient breeds, improved genetics, precision nutrition through optimized feed formulations, and climate-smart housing systems as critical pathways to sustainable livestock production.

Speaking during a session on biogas production for sustainable livestock development, Ayoade Akande, underscored the need to strengthen extension services and promote private sector investment in modern feed technologies.

He advocated for expanded forage seed distribution networks, support for research and innovation hubs, and enabling policies that promote sustainable ruminant nutrition.

In his closing remarks, the Director of Livestock Extension and Business Development, Joseph Ako Eleojo, urged participants to form cooperative alliances and serve as advocates for change within their communities.

He noted that women and youths were deliberately targeted for the programme due to their strategic role in driving innovation, productivity, and sustainability in the livestock sector.

A major highlight of the two-day workshop was a study visit to De-Dre Solution Poultry Farm, located at Pasali 2, Kuje Area Council of the FCT. The farm, with a capacity of 24,800 birds, produces approximately 650 crates of eggs daily, providing participants with practical insights into efficient and sustainable poultry operations.

Participants at the workshop were drawn from poultry and ruminant farming enterprises across several states of the Federation.

Agriculture

FG, Ogun Distribute Inputs To 2,400 Farmers

Published

1 year ago

October 4, 2024

The Tide

Federal Government and the Ogun State Government, on Wednesday, distributed farm inputs to farmers as part of effort to address food security challenge.
The State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Toyin Ayo-Ajayi, during the flag-off ceremony of Inputs Redemption Under The National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP), in Ogun State, disclosed that beneficiaries of the gesture were primarily rice, maize and cassava farmers across the State.
Ayo-Ajayi commended the Ogun State Government for partnering with the government at the centre for the effort in supporting farmers with inputs that would bring about yieldings for local consumption and likely exportation.
She noted that government is supporting rice, cassava and maize farmers with inputs worth N212,000; N189,000 and N186,000 respectively.
The Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, who represented the Commissioner in the Ministry, Bolu Owotomo, stated that traditional farmers are critical in food production, hence the need to encourage and support them with inputs that would bring about desired results during harvesting.
Owotomo said: “Let us make good use of this opportunity, so that the success of this phase will make farmers benefit more from the state and federal governments of Nigeria.”
Earlier, State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Oluwatoyin Ayo-Ajayi, appreciated the present administration for partnering with the federal government for the initiative, adding that the programme is designed to support farmers at the grassroots level in cassava, rice and maize with inputs such as, seeds, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, to boost their production and enhance their livelihood.