The Vice-Chancellor of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University (UMYU) Katsina, Prof. Idris Isa has said that the institution had distributed 4.2 million tree seedlings to farmers in the state in the last three years. Speaking during the 3rd convocation ceremony of the University on Saturday, he said that as part of the university’s efforts to control desert encroachment in the state, the tree seedlings were produced through 344 private nurseries in the state. According to him, 8,460 farmers were also trained on nursery practices and agro-forestry management by the university, a project under the European Union (EU) Grant Project coordinated by the…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)—assisted Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) has said that it would expand its operations to other parts of Ebonyi state. The programme is currently operational in only five Local Government Areas (LGA) of the state, namely: Ohaozara, Ikwo, Izzi, Ishiellu and Afikpo South. The National Programme Coordinator (NPC), Mr Ameh Onoja said on Saturday in Abakaliki during a mid-term review of its activities in the state. “The programme is on a six-year period and with the midterm review after three years of intervention, we will review our activities to determine issues such as expansion…
Six members of late Danladi Bawa family in Gitata village of Nasarawa state have been paralysed by an undiagnosed disease. According to the eldest of the six, Danlami Danladi, the family always suffer the affliction when they turn 18 years, adding that their father died in 1990, while their mother died in 2017 but not from the disease. “My name is Danlami Danladi, I am 38 years old; as you can see, our parents are late. My father died in 1990 after a brief illness and our mother died in 2017 from malaria and typhoid attack. Our parents did not die of…
The Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Malaria (BACATMA) has treated 2,234 Tuberculosis (TB) patients from 2016 to date. Dr Marnsur Dada, Executive Chairman, BACATMA made this known on Saturday at a ceremony to mark the 2018 World TB Day in Bauchi with the theme: “Wanted Leaders for Free Tuberculosis World.” The UN General Assembly high-level set March 24 as Word TB Day to accelerate efforts in ending TB and reach all affected people with prevention and care. According to him, the state TB prevalence is 322 per 100,000, in 2017. “From 2016 to date, 2234…
Commissioners of agriculture in Nigeria’s cassava growing belt have declared weeds as major drivers of low yield in cassava and the main constraint limiting the competitiveness of cassava farmers in the country. The declaration was made in a communique signed by 14 commissioners of agriculture and issued at the 2018 Annual Review & Work Planning Meeting of the IITA Cassava Weed Management Project themed: “(Unveiling of new Technologies for Weed Control in Cassava Farming Systems),” in Ibadan, 19- 20 March 2018. Dr Kenton Dashiell, Deputy Director General, Partnerships for Delivery at IITA said the declaration was a step in the…
Nigeria’s Country Coordinator of the Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB), Dr Rose Gidado has disclosed that Nigeria had concluded plans to apply biotechnology as a tool to improve agricultural production as well as hike its economic development. Making the disclosure on Thursday in Abuja, she stressed that the measure would go a long way in enabling Nigeria to employ biotechnology with a view to attaining Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as feed its growing population. “With this modern technology, we can create employment in line with the goals of the Federal Government. Also, with biotechnology, we can grow…
By Abdallah el-Kurebe World richest Bill Gates, African richest Aliko Dangote and six northern governors on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding on improved access to immunization across Northern Nigeria. Governors Aminu Waziri Tambuwal of Sokoto; Kashim Shettima of Borno; Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano; Muhammed Abubakar of Bauchi; Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna and Ibrahim Gaidam, who was represented by the state Commissioner for Health signed the MoU at a ceremony in the Government House, Sokoto. Health Minister, professor Isaac Adewole also witnessed the signing ceremony. Delivering the opening remarks, Tambuwal said all the states were committed to improving vaccine availability as well…
The Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN) and the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) have agreed to collaborate to promote lending to the agricultural sub-sector and its value chain. The Managing Director of DBN, Mr Tony Okpanachi said this after signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday in Abuja that under the partnership, NIRSAL would provide risk mitigating credit guarantees. According to him, the bank would provide funds for onward lending to Micro, Small and Medium Entreprises (MSMEs) in the agricultural sub-sector and its value chain. “The MSMEs if well managed have the potential to achieve…
WHO on Wednesday warned Nigeria and 15 other African countries of a listeriosis outbreak that started in South Africa in 2017, confirming its support for their preparedness and response to the disease. The other African countries are Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Listeriosis is a bacterial infection most commonly caused by Listeria monocytogenes. It can cause severe illness, including severe sepsis, meningitis, or encephalitis, sometimes resulting in lifelong harm and even death. Listeria is ubiquitous and is primarily transmitted via the oral route after ingestion…
The National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) says it will soon set up a modern seed market to check the poor quality of seeds in the country. The Council’s Director General, Dr Philip Ojo made this known in an interview in Abuja on Monday when he disclosed that some unscrupulous seed entrepreneurs were defrauding farmers by selling fake seeds that had resulted to poor yields in the country. He explained that it was illegal for anyone to sell seed in open containers without clearance by the seed council, adding that the Seed Act N0 72 of 1992 mandates only the Council…