Agriculture
Agriculture is Critical for Nigeria’s Survival, Says AfDB President

By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The President of African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina has described agriculture as being critical for the survival of any nation.
Speaking at the official launch of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones in Nigeria yesterday the AfDB President stated that the most important role of any nation is feeding its people.
Akinwumi Adesina also stated that with the vast agricultural resources in Nigeria, its citizens have no business being hungry.
The AfDB Boss, who commiserated with the Federal Government on the flooding that is devastating the country, recalled how he had to deal with the worst floods in Nigeria when he was Minister of Agriculture.
He said while floods may wash away some land and harvests, the government must not let the hopes of farmers to be washed away.
He said, “Food is a fundamental human right. Africa faces huge challenges in meeting its food needs, with 283 million people that go hungry annually.
“Yet Africa has massive agricultural potential. With 65 per cent of the uncultivated arable land left to feed over 9 billion people in the world by 2050 being in Africa, what Africa does with agriculture will determine the future of food in the world.
“The story is no different in Nigeria, despite positive efforts that have been made to improve the agricultural sector. Food is now beyond the reach of many
“Hunger in Nigeria cannot be justified. Nigeria has the land, with 34 million hectares of arable land with rich and diverse agroecology.
“It has the water. It has the labor. It has great sunshine. Nigeria must achieve zero hunger. There is no reason for anyone to go hungry in Nigeria,” he added.
To help turn this situation around for African countries, Adesina recalled that he prioritized agriculture when he was first elected President of the African Development Bank in 2015.
He said since then, the African Development Bank has committed $25bn to investments in agriculture.
In the past six years, he said the Bank’s financing for agriculture has provided over 76 million farmers with improved agricultural technologies for food security.
Through its Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT), he added that the Bank has also provided 12 million farmers with improved climate smart agricultural technologies within three years.
“The African Development Bank is also supporting Nigeria, through TAAT, to produce more wheat, rice and maize.
“This support will allow Nigeria to cultivate by next year 900,000 hectares of rice, 250,000 hectares of wheat and 107,000 hectares of maize.
“If Ethiopia can do it, Nigeria can do it. If Sudan can do it, Nigeria can do it. However, to achieve these results, Nigeria must decisively tackle insecurity challenges that prevent farmers from going to their farms.
“The private sector cannot invest when there is insecurity. Food security needs national security. The African Development Bank is strongly supporting Nigeria. We have always done so,” he stated.
Adesina put the African Development Bank’s portfolio in Nigeria at $4.6bn, stating that this shows the high priority that the bank accord to Nigeria, across several sectors.
To boost food production in Nigeria, he noted that the bank is already investing $522m, with additional co-financing of $420m from partners.
For the project, he said the African Development Bank is providing $210m for the development of the SAPZs in Nigeria.
“We are delighted with our partnership with the Islamic Development Bank which is co-financing with $150 million, and with the International Fund for Agricultural Development which is co-financing with $160 million.
“The SAPZ program in Nigeria is the largest in Africa. The commitment of the Minister of Agriculture is strong. The commitment by the Minister of Finance is strong.
“The commitment by the State Governors is very strong. The SAPZs in Nigeria are being developed closely with the State Governments,” he added.
Agriculture
Tiv Monarchs Give Herders Ten Days Ultimatum To Vacate Tiv Kingdom

By David Torough, Abuja
The Tiv Area Traditional Council during its emergency meeting held yesterday in the palace of the Tor Tiv in Gboko requested the Governor Hyacinth Alia led administration to create an enabling environment to allow herders’ peaceful exit of farmlands in Tiv Kingdom to facilitate resumption of farming activities.
Consequently, the Council directs political and traditional rulers in each local government area of Tiv Kingdom to peacefully engage the herders to ensure their exit from the local government areas to allow farming resumes.
The Council which was chaired by the Tor Tiv himself, HRM Prof James Ortese Iorzua Ayatse CFR equally appealed to all herders in Tiv Kingdom in Benue State to vacate all Tiv lands before the end of May 2025 to allow farmers return and cultivate their farms in order to avoid the looming hunger in Nigeria.
According to a Communique signed by the Secretary of the Council Mr Shinyi Tyozua which deliberated particularly on the security situation in Tiv Kingdom the Council enumerated the communities worst affected to include those in Kwande, Katsina Ala, Logo, Ukum, Guma, Makurdi, Gwer West Gwer East and Buruku Local Government Areas.
The Council lamented that farming activities in the kingdom have ceased due to the occupation of farmlands by herders for grazing and attacks and killings of farmers who fled stressing that if the situation continues it will ultimately result to hunger in Tiv Kingdom and Nigeria as a whole.
Agriculture
Ondo Govt. Destroys 200kg Seized Cocoa Adulterants

The Ondo State Government, on Thursday, destroyed 200kg adulterants used for adulteration of cocoa beans, seized from a merchant in Ondo West Local Government Area of the state.
Mr Segun Odusanya, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Forestry and produce sub section), supervised the destruction of the 200kg bags of seized adulterants.
Odusanya explained that the destruction was part of government efforts to ensure that the state maintained quality cocoa production in the country.
“Mr governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has reiterated the commitment to ensure the state remains the highest producing state with good cocoa quality
“Anyone caught engaging in illegal activities will be prosecuted accordingly.
“Moreover, this action was embarked on to warn cocoa merchants, who intend to engage in illegal activities, to rethink before getting into it.
“We are going to seal any store caught in such illegal activities, the products will be burnt while the merchant will be prosecuted according to the laws of the land.
“If we are saying we are the highest cocoa producing state and we continue to encounter this scenario, it will give us a bad publicity.
“The bad publicity will be in the country and extend to the international market, and we don’t want that,” he said.
The permanent secretary, therefore, commended Aiyedatiwa for graciously approving the recruitment of 60 new staff to checkmate the activities of cocoa merchants in the state.
“Mr governor has supported us, he has said we should recruit more people to guide against any adulteration and ensure we have a good quality cocoa beans.
“I must commended our task force committee for ensuring that the state holds its position in the country and the international market,” he said.
Earlier, Mr Tunji Akinnadeju, a Director of Produce (DP3) in the Grading and Allied Department of the ministry, said the adulterants were intercepted at Ondo West Local Government Area of the state.
Akinnadeju said that the owner of the adulterants took to his heels at the time of arrest.
“As we all know that cocoa is being sold in weight and after adding all these things, it will be sold at high prices, which is not good enough.
“So, doing that will bring a lot of damage to the image of the state and the country at large in the international market,” he said.
Also, Mr Sunday Adegbola, a Director of Produce Licensing in the ministry, said the merchants’ actions could affect people during consumption of the cocoa products, if care was not taken.
Adegbola, who pledged that the ministry would not rest until the state was free from adulterated cocoa beans, said the nefarious action could be attributed to the price tag at the international market.
“It is the price at the international market and the price is better for the farmers, not for the people who use adulterants.
“With this action, many people will drink cocoa as a chocolate powder and other materials from cocoa beans which has been adulterated.
“The consumption of these chemical products will also affect humans,” he said. (NAN)
Agriculture
NNPC Foundation Empowers Vulnerable Farmers in Oyo, Osun

No fewer than 500 farmers on Tuesday benefited from the NNPC Foundation agricultural training initiative for vulnerable farmers in Osun and Oyo States.
The training, marking the flag-off in the South-West zone of Nigeria, was held at the Ilora Baptist Grammar School, Ilora, Oyo State.
The foundation manages the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives of NNPC Limited, focusing on education, health, environment and energy access to communities nationwide.
The Managing Director of the foundation, Mrs Emmanuella Arukwe, said the initiative demonstrated the commitment to food security and economic empowerment for Nigerian farmers.
Arukwe, who was represented by Dr Bala David, the foundation’s Executive Director, Programme Development, said the project aimed to build resilience, boost productivity and promote sustainable agriculture.
“We are training 6,000 farmers across six zones in climate-smart practices, modern techniques, quality inputs, and market access,” she said.
She, therefore, urged farmers to participate actively and embrace the opportunity to help secure Nigeria’s food and economic future.
Mr Olasunkanmi Olaleye, Oyo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, commended NNPC Foundation for the training and empowerment programme.
Olaleye, who was represented by Mr Olusegun Ezekiel, the ministry’s Director of Regulation and Enforcement, said empowering vulnerable farmers was crucial in addressing national food security challenges.
He added that the initiative aligned with Oyo State’s agricultural transformation agenda of Gov. Seyi Makinde.
“We remain committed to supporting initiatives that uplift farmers and improve productivity and livelihoods,” Olaleye said.
He encouraged participants to make the most of the training opportunity to improve their practices.
He also called for future collaboration between the foundation and the ministry to achieve greater impact.
The training consultant, Prof. Daniel Ozok, described vulnerable farmers as smallholders with an under-five-hectare farm size, mainly made up of women, youth, and the elderly.
“These farmers are most affected by climate shocks, hence the need for focused training,” Ozok said.
According to him, training equips them with modern techniques and strategies for improved productivity and market access.
Some of the participants expressed gratitude to NNPC Foundation and promised to apply the knowledge gained from the training.
NAN reports that a medical screening exercise was organised by the foundation for participants on the sidelines of the training.
Training initiative would later be held for farmers in Ekiti and Ondo States on a date different from that of Ogun and Lagos States. (NAN)