Plans to allocate 250 hectares of land for agricultural development in Kwara State

The state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr.  Goke Bamidele, went to inspect the arable farmland at Ejidonugari in Moro Local Government Area of the state for the plans to cultivate 250 hectares of land for 2017 Off-Takers Demand Driven Agriculture exercise (ODDA).

According to him “The major purpose of this exercise is to earmark 250 hectares of land for the 2017 Off-Takers Demand Driven Agriculture exercise across the state. The farm land was identified by the Kwara State House of Assembly members, who desire to participate in the ODDA scheme as a group”.

Inadequacy of cold storage space for potato crop - Bengal farmers

Potato farmers in West Bengal, which is the second largest producers of potato in the country after Uttar Pradesh, is in severe shortage of cold storage capacity which may cause rural level socio-economic crisis in many districts of the state if not properly managed.

As the potato sowing and reaping timeline goes, farmers start loading their produce at cold storages during March by paying an advance to procure storage authorization known as ‘bond.’ The stock starts coming out of storage from May onward depending upon market demand and pricing level.

Hydroponics Technology

Farmers are leveraging on hydroponics technology which is the growing of plants in a soil less medium, or an aquatic based environment unlike the Orthodox agriculture that requires working tiresomely with hoe and machete

An Agropreneur, Angel Adelaja, describes hydroponics as a process of growing plants without soil in water, saying it is a technology that makes nutrients readily available to plants for better and healthier growth.

Sugar output to fall 19% this season

The Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) said harvest in the 2016-17 season beginning October would be about 20.3 million tones, compared with 25.1 million tonnes in the earlier season. In January this year, ISMA had forecast production of 21.3 million tonnes. 

  

"Considering the opening balance of 7.75 million tonne, and an estimated production of 20.3 million tonnes and consumption of 23.8-24 million tonnes, the closing balance in the current season would be 4-4.2 million tones,” ISMA said in a press statement. “This balance will be enough to meet the domestic requirement until almost end of November 2017." 

FG To Organise Seminar on International Women’s Day

The Federal Government has said it would organise a day seminar on food packaging and group formation in Sokoto State to observe this year’s international women’s day celebrations.

In a release by the Office of the Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Hajia Aisha Abubakar, the seminar tagged “Be Bold for Change” hopes to positively impact the lives of the women and help build their capacity for sustainable enterprises.

BUA offered Interest Free Loan to 2,000 Rice Farmers

BUA Rice Milling Company, Kano, exhibited their commitment to boost rice farming by offering a non interest loan of enhanced rice seeds, pump machines and other tools worth Two Hundred and Eighty eight thousand naira (N288,000) to each of the 2000 targeted rice farmers in Kano State, Nigeria.

In an interview with the Chief Executive Officer of BUA Rice Milling Company, Kano, Alhaji Kabiru Isyaku Rabiu, he expressed optimism to the mutual relation between the rice farmers and the rice milling company.

Dangote Tomato concludes arrangement with Gombe, Sokoto farmers

The Dangote Tomato Processing Company, Kadawa, Kano state has concluded arrangement to purchase fresh tomatoes from farmers in Gombe and Sokoto States.

The Managing Director, Alhaji Abdulkarim Kaita disclosed this in Kano.

Japan Contributes to Emergency Food Assistance in Libya via WFP

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has welcomed a contribution of US$700,000 from the Government of Japan that will provide vital food support to tens of thousands of Libyans affected by ongoing conflict since 2011.

 

“As we speak, over one million people are suffering from displacement and major food shortages in Libya,” said WFP Libya Country Director Wagdi Othman. “This timely contribution from Japan is a vital step towards easing the increasingly worsening food shortages affecting too many families.”

Agriculture University cautions farmers against Aphid damage to wheat crops

The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has advised the farmers to remain observant and regularly monitor their wheat crop for aphid damage.

Cloudy weather without any rainfall is highly favourable for their development cautioned RS Gill, head, Department of Entomology, Punjab Agriculture University.

Government hikes minimum wage for agriculture labourer

Labour ministry has nearly doubled the minimum wage for agriculture labourers including those hired on contract, barely six months after a significant increase in minimum wages for non-agricultural labourers. Centre had on August 1 last year raised minimum wage of non-agricultural workers by 42% 

According to a labour ministry notification, an unskilled agriculture labourer would be entitled to get a minimum wage of Rs 300 per day in C-category towns as against Rs 160 now while those in B and A category towns will get Rs 303 and Rs 333 respectively. 

Washington State Professor Lav Khot Finds Sky-high Opportunities for Drones in Agriculture

The work of researchers like Dr. Lav Khot is showing that we’ve only scratched the surface of what this relatively new technology can do for agriculture.

Khot works for Washington State University’s Center for Precision and Automated Agricultural Systems and in the agricultural automation engineering research emphasis area of the Department of Biological Systems Engineering.

Peter Tiu Laviña resigns as National Irrigation Administration (NIA)

Chief Peter Tiu Laviña the former campaign spokesperson of Duterte, was appointed as National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Chief in November.

Laviña has resigned from his post amidst corruption accusations. Laviña on his Facebook page on Tuesday said “All the while I thought I would just leave and move on. He he he we need to fight off the intrigues!” 

"Paalam!
I have been vilified in the past; my name used, abused and maligned. Recently, there had been efforts to discredit me again. There are rumors circulating that I have asked money from NIA contractors. These are not true!" he said in a separate post.