Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno on Thursday said the state government had invested about N30 billion to promote agricultural production in the state.   Shettima, who disclosed this while conducting the UN Resident Coordinator, Ms Fatma Samoura, round some of the ranches at the Government House in Maiduguri, decried Nigeria's continued dependence on importation.   The governor explained that agriculture held the key to job creation,.... Read more »

Posted on : Saturday , 2nd April 2016

Twenty thousand rice farmers in Niger would be assisted with a N1.8 billion loan, under CBN Anchor Borrowers Programme within the next four years, Niger Coordinator of Agriculture Graduates Association of Nigeria (AGAN), has said.   The Coordinator, Malam Hussaini Iliyasu, stated this on Thursday in Minna at a stakeholders' meeting.   The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Rice Value Chain Investment Project Multi.... Read more »

Posted on : Saturday , 2nd April 2016

The increase in prices of fish and crustacean, edible fruits and tobacco contributed significantly to the rise of the overall export price index by 4 per cent to 125.3 in the quarter ended December last year.   The sub-index for 'Fish and crustacean, mollusk and other aquatic invertebrate' which account for 9.5 per cent of the total weight increased to 122.4 in the quarter under review representing an increase of 1.2 per cent compared to.... Read more »

Posted on : Saturday , 2nd April 2016

Agricultural Council of Tanzania (ACT) has advised the government to tout more investors in the agricultural sector in order to bring social and economic developments for the nation.   The ACT Chairman, Dr Sinare Yusuf Sinare said 70 per cent of the population in Tanzania engages in agricultural activities in one way or another, thus massive investment in the sector was vital.   He said if the government would meet with.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 31st March 2016

Nigeria has become the largest producer of cassava in the world with an annual output of 45 million metric tons. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Audu Ogbeh, has said.   Ogbe who was represented by the Minister of State of Agriculture and Rural Development, Heineken Lokpobiri made the remark at the sideline of the official launch of the State Partnership for Agriculture, organized by Synergos in Nigeria in.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 30th March 2016

Kenya's Tourism Ministry plans to set up a hotel refurbishment fund as part of plans to boost tourism revenues. Efforts are also being intensified to attract more charter flights.   Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala said the fund would enable investors to obtain credit more easily to give their facilities a face-lift.   "There are many old hotels that can be upgraded to attract more tourists, but their owners cannot.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 29th March 2016

Abakaliki — Not lesser than 50,000 hectares of land have been identified and set aside by the state government across the 13 local government areas of the State for rice farming and production.   Similarly, the state government after procuring 13 graders among other equipment to aid rice production, decided through the State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources to choose three Pilots schools, Girls' Technical College Agba.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 24th March 2016

The Gambia government and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Thursday launched the Technical Cooperation Project (TCP) /GAM/3503; Title "Assistanceto EnhanceCommercialPoultryProduction for Food Security".   The TCP worth USD489,330 or close to D20 million was signed between the Ministry of Agriculture and FAO on 30 November 2015.   In his launching statement, Dr. Duto Sainey Fofana, Director General the.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 23rd March 2016

Kenya and Uganda have agreed to create a common platform to facilitate cross-border trade in fish and fishery products, using Busia border as a model.   The East African Community (EAC) has already developed the regional sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards, the inspectors' guide, standard operating procedures and the sanitary measures to guide in the trade and roll-out plan.   The programme aims to facilitate trade and ease.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 21st March 2016

The Kano State House of Assembly has approved a request by the state governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, to obtain N1billion loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria to boost commercial farming in the state.   During the house emergency plenary on Thursday, the speaker, Kabiru Rurum, presented a letter signed by Mr. Ganduje seeking the house's approval.   Presenting the letter, Mr. Rurum said the request needed emergency approval of the.... Read more »

Posted on : Saturday , 19th March 2016

Freetown — The Government of Sierra Leone and the World Bank today signed a US$40 million credit agreement to support smallholder commercialization and agribusiness development in Sierra Leone.   The project is co-financed by the UK's Department for International Development (DFID) with an additional US$15 million making the total project funding of US$55 million. The project was approved by the World Bank Board of Executive.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 18th March 2016

Edible fats and oils manufacturer Bidco Africa has signed a contract with 9,000 small-scale farmers in Meru County for the supply of soya beans and sunflower seeds as it seeks to boost its production.   Under the terms of the agreement Bidco said it will promptly pay upon delivery the farmers' produce at competitive prices.   Bidco CEO Vimal Shah described the deal as momentous as it bolstered Bidco's mission of inclusive growth.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 14th March 2016