World Bank’s Agriculture Funding In Nigeria Hits N75.2bn

LEADERSHIP

Fresh facts have emerged that not less than $380 million, about N75, 240 billion has been spent by the World Bank on the development of agriculture in Lagos and some other states of the country in the last eight years.

The Lagos State commissioner for agriculture, Prince Gbolahan Lawal, who made the revelation at a press conference in Lagos said the $200 million National Fadama Development Project (FADAMA) grant was accessed by six states while the remaining $180 million was accessed by five states including Lagos.

Nigeria: Monsanto's Plot to Take Over Nigeria's Agriculture

Allafrica

As everyone knows, one American company called Monsanto has been on a determined march to take over agricultural production all over the world and enslave all farmers and countries to their commercial blood sucking logic. They have finally found a bridgehead into Nigeria where a door has been opened to allow them enter and takeover. They have been allowed to initiate so-called experimental farms to produce cotton and maize. Their point of entry has been the irresponsible National Biotechnology Development Agency, which has been compromised by Monsanto to provide an entry point to take over our agriculture.

This week, I write to support the great work currently being carried out by Nnimmo Bassey and his team at the Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) to resist the dangerous takeover of our agriculture by Monsanto. The Foundation has exposed the fact that GMOs have been approved to be grown in Nigeria and that the approval was surreptitious. There is an argument whether the approval was for a two-year trial process or for permanent production and for me, both must be opposed. At no time has the Nigerian Government taken a policy decision to approve GMOs and given the health dangers alone of this technology, it is irresponsible to allow this. We cannot allow the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) to sell our future for some temporary inducement they have received from Monsanto. How was it allowed that Monsanto Agriculture Nigeria Ltd would register in the country and start production without explicit approval the Federal Executive Council and the National Assembly?

US partners Nigeria on agriculture with $2m

THE PUNCH

The United States Agency for International Development says it has earmarked $2m to support the Nigerian government’s effort to develop the agricultural sector.

It added that it would partner local agribusinesses – Babban Gona and Hello Tractor – to assist farmers in accessing smart tractors and improved seeds.

The US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission, Mrs. Maria Brewer, according to a statement on Monday, spoke in Abuja at a gathering attended by the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh.

AGRICULTURE: A FORBIDDEN KINGDOM FOR NIGERIAN YOUTHS?

By Kunle Oguntegbe

Renowned Development Economist, Arthur Lewis once said, ‘if Agriculture remains stagnant, industries cannot grow’. For an agrarian economy with a total population of 183 Million, 70 percent of which are youth, isn’t it amazing to know that only 23 percent of the youth are involved in Agriculture? What an irony!

Prior to the discovery of oil in the 1950s, Nigeria used to be a top exporter of food and agro-allied products. However, due to the economic mismanagement, laziness on the part of the youth, relative neglect of agricultural resources as well as population upsurge amongst others, the country has lost her top position among agro-food exporting countries in the universe.

Lokpobiri Assures Nigerians of Bumper Harvest.

Source: Agro News Nigeria

The Minister of State for Agriculture, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, on Monday gave an assurance that the country would have sufficient food in the next harvest season

Lokpobiri the assurance while speaking with State House correspondents after he led a foreign agro-investor, Wells –San Carlos Agro Farms Ltd., on a courtesy visit to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The attributed the current high cost of foodstuff due to the lack of investment in agriculture in 2015 due to the change in government.

“That is why you are seeing a scarcity of rice and the price has gone up to about N25,000 a bag.

“But this year, the President (Buhari) has given us all the support we have requested to see how we can support farmers the little way we can.

Nigeria to launch N59.7 billion Youth-In-Agriculture Scheme

NIGERIA TO EMPLOY MORE YOUTH INTO AGRICULTURE

The Director-General, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA, Nteranya Sanginga, on Sunday said the Federal Government would launch N59.7 billion Youth-In-Agriculture Scheme in September.

Mr. Sanginga, who disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Ibadan, said the scheme would be sponsored by the federal government and the African Development Bank, AFDB.

The director-general said IITA would train those enrolled in the scheme, adding that beneficiaries would be trained on how to make agriculture a business with good networking.

“The programme tagged “Enable Youth Empowerment Agribusiness programme, will engage youths in agribusiness for 18 months to enable them learn how to make agric business plan.

“Each will be given between 25,000 US Dollars and 300,000 US Dollars as loan to start a business.

CBN agrees to 5% lending rate for farmers – Ogbeh

CBN agrees to 5% lending rate for farmers – Ogbeh

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has agreed that loans by banks to farmers in the country should attract only five per cent interest, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, said Tuesday.

Mr. Ogbeh made this known on Tuesday, while delivering a keynote address at the opening of a two-day national workshop on a “New Agricultural Policy for Nigeria”.

The workshop was organised by the National Agricultural Foundation of Nigeria (NAFN) in collaboration with the ministry and All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN).

According to the minister, the agreement followed discussions with key officials of the apex bank on Tuesday morning.

“Just this morning, I have talks with key officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria to bring the lending rate to five per cent

“With those rates, I assure you as a man, who has been in this business – agriculture – since the age of seven years, you cannot make profit in agriculture,’’ Mr. Ogbeh said.