By Abiodun Lawal

The Federal Government on Wednesday officially inaugurated the Presidential Initiative for the Empowerment of Youth in Agriculture, known as “The Green Money Project”.

Speaking at the inauguration held at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), the Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Agriculture, Abiodun Yinusa, said that the project would serve as a strategic initiative.

Yinusa explained that it would harness Nigeria’s agricultural potential by empowering youth and leveraging the country’s rich resources and other untapped opportunities within the sector.

He also said that the initiative was in line with Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency on food security.

“It complements the ongoing efforts of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, while encouraging collaboration among key stakeholders to involve youth more actively in agriculture,” he said.

Yinusa outlined the nation’s challenges to include unemployment, poverty, food insecurity and the longstanding under utilisation of the agricultural sector by young Nigerians.

He reiterated the commitment of the Tinubu administration to empower and motivate youth to take a leading role in transforming agriculture.

“In line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu and the national emergency on food security, the initiative aims at empowering young Nigerians through agricultural development.

“The initiative will attract, train, and support youth by equipping them with knowledge in modern agricultural practices, mechanisation, climate-smart farming techniques, and digital technologies.

“The programme will be implemented across selected universities, youth development centres, and technical colleges nationwide, to contribute to the achievement of zero hunger in Nigeria,” he said.

The Project Coordinator, Mr Charles Folayan, said that the project focused on data development, capacity building, resource support, mentorship and market access.

In his remarks, Prof. Olushola Kehinde, FUNAAB Vice Chancellor, expressed appreciation to the Presidency for choosing the institution as one of the partner institutions.

Kehinde described the initiative as a timely and impactful intervention.

The vice chancellor expressed optimism that the partnership would significantly enhance the university’s capacity in food production and value chain development. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Nick Nicholas/Deborah Coker

By Veronica Dariya

Some ginger farmers in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have expressed uncertainty in the 2025 ginger planting season, due to lack of seedlings and other determining factors.

The farmers told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja, that there was need for urgent intervention by government and relevant stakeholders to address the situation.

NAN reports that ginger farmers had in 2023, suffered losses in their production due to a “fungal disease” which led to a significant drop in production and supply of the crop since then.

The Federal Government had estimated the loss to over N12 billion in 2024.

Mr Philip Akuso, a ginger farmer in Bwari, said that the uncertainty in the crop, if planted, would yield a good harvest, was a 50-50 chance.

Akuso said that many farmers lacked access to quality seedlings to plant, as a result of the devastating disease from previous farming season.

He said that the inability to get healthy seedling had affected getting good harvest which had significantly, increased the price of ginger in the market, due to low supply.

According to him, since the 2023 incident, there has been scarcity of ginger in the market and the price has continued to skyrocket.

“As at December 2024, a bag of ginger was sold for N350,000, but earlier this year, its price ranged between N650,000 and N800,000 at some point, but it has come down to about N700,000 now,” he said.

Akuso also said that the situation had become worrisome to farmers in Bwari, who were not only faced with lack of good seedlings, but with funds and insecurity challenges.

He said that while some of the farmers were able to get supplies from the neighbouring producing areas like Kachia and Jaba areas of Southern Kaduna, others could not afford to and were yet to recover from the previous losses.

“If you ask me, I will say only the rich can venture into ginger production presently, because it involves a huge capital, especially having to purchase good seedlings.

“Farmers in neighbouring Kaduna State were successful with the production last year and so, have stored some bags for sale and also have good seedlings for the next farming season.

“Very few of us in Bwari were successful with our production last year and are willing to try again, but others are afraid to try because they lost so much and have not recovered from the effect of the fungal attacks on the crop.

“However, we are hopeful that we will have a good yield at the end of the year,” the farmer said.

Akuso urged the government to be hasty in their research, to find a lasting solution that would salvage the situation.

Similarly, Mr Somo Yakubu, another farmer in Bwari, said that he was lucky to save at least two bags from the previous year’s harvest, with the hope to use it for the upcoming planting season.

Yakubu said that most farmers in Kawu-Bwari where he resided, were also lucky with their 2024 harvest, because the disease did not attack the crops early, until they were almost ready for harvesting.

“There was no remedy of any sort; it was just the grace of God, it is a necessary risk to take, who knows, we might get lucky again this year,” he said.

Yakubu, however, said that the insecurity was another factor that might not allow most farmers return to the farms for fear of being kidnapped.

He appealed to relevant stakeholders to address the situation.

Mrs Phoebe Albert, a consumer, who also produces and sells hibiscus flower drink, commonly called ‘zobo’, decried the high cost of ginger in the market.

Albert said that she recently bought ginger worth N1,000 and was only given four small pieces.

“You cannot even get ginger of N500 now, the sellers might just give you one piece for that amount.

“It is that bad, especially now that a lot of people have come to realise the benefits of ginger in organic foods, herbs and as spices too.

“It is not enough for us local consumers yet, and we are still selling across borders and exporting to other countries.

“If it has that much economic value, then it should be government’s priority to tackle the situation through urgent action,” she said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Maureen Atuonwu

By Olaitan Idris

The Organisation for Technology Advancement of Cold Chain in West Africa (OTACCWA) says Nigeria needs 5,000 cold trucks and 100 cold rooms to tackle its N3.5 trillion annual post-harvest losses.

The association’s President, Mr Alexander Isong, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Isong said Nigeria produces approximately 55 million metric tonnes of food annually with 40 per cent of it lost due to poor cold chain infrastructure.

This, he said, translates into an economic loss of over N3.5 trillion annually.

Isong said Nigeria needs 5,000 cold trucks and 100 large cold rooms, with a 500-tonne capacity each, to enhance the country’s cold chain infrastructure.

According to him, Nigeria has small minute cold rooms at the moment.

“Nigeria is next to zero, we have very small minute cold rooms that don’t scratch the surface. The produce that has some cold room is imported fish,” he said.

Isong said that cold chain can play a vital role in combating food insecurity in Nigeria’s agricultural sector, especially harvest-losses.

“If the government’s primary concern is not combating post-harvest losses, achieving the goal of completely eradicating food insecurity in Nigeria will indeed be challenging.

“The cold chain infrastructure in Nigeria is woefully inadequate, posing significant challenges for organisations.

“The primary obstacle is the lack of adequate cold storage facilities, which severely hampers efforts to address post-harvest losses.

“Cold chain is an integral part of agriculture, and without sufficient investment, the sector’s growth and potential is severely limited

“One major issue is the funding and investment gap. Nigerian banks often lack understanding of the cold chain sector, making it difficult for organisations like OTACCWA to secure loans,” he said.

He also lamented the poor awareness and adoption of cold rooms.

“Many people view cold chain as a “fancy” aspect of agriculture rather than a crucial component,” Isong said.

He said this misconception necessitates awareness campaigns to educate farmers, middlemen, marketers, and the general populace about the importance of cold chain in agriculture.

“The industry faces further complications due to inadequate logistics and market ties. Without a continuous cold chain, produce certification is unattainable, severely limiting export opportunities.

“The goal is to strengthen logistics and increase the appeal of Nigerian produce in the market by establishing solid market linkages and maintaining a consistent cold chain.

“The absence of policy guidance and regulatory frameworks for cold chain in Nigeria is another significant obstacle.

“With various agencies and bodies having fragmented roles, a comprehensive cold chain policy is essential to bring the sector up to par with global standards,” he said.

He explained that the sector’s reliance on small-scale farmers and lack of cooperative aggregation makes it challenging to implement large-scale cold chain solutions.

“Additionally, middlemen who dominate the market may be hesitant to adapt due to limited knowledge or concerns about disrupting their existing business operations.

“The industry faces further complications due to climate and environmental factors, such as extreme temperatures and humidity.

“These factors can cause produce to spoil quickly in the absence of a cold chain. Seasonal production cycles lead to price fluctuations, further complicating the sector.

“Cold chain can help increase the variety of food available in Nigeria, particularly for perishable goods like fruits, vegetables, and proteins,” Isong said. (NAN)

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

By Olaitan Idris and Mercy Omoike

Some Lagos State foodstuff traders and consumers have expressed respite over the price stability of foodstuff during this year’s Easter celebration.

They disclosed this in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos.

A cooked food trader, popularly known as Iya Adetoun, said prices of food items have remained stable despite the Easter celebration.

She, however, complained about the high increase in the cost of pepper.

“The prices of food items have relatively remained the same despite the Easter celebration.

“The prices of rice, beans, garri and other food items have remained constant this season.

“The only problem we have is in the price of pepper. Pepper has become the new gold. We buy a small paint bucket of pepper for as high as N15,000 from the wholesale market at Ile-epo.

“We really need intervention in the price of pepper, the price of tomato has been considerably good, depending on what time to get to the market and how fortunate you are in bargaining.

“There is actually not much difference in the price of food items this Easter,” she said.

On her part, Mrs Lilian Agunbiade, a housewife at Agege area of the state, also corroborated the normalcy in the price of food items this Easter.

“There is not much difference in the price of items I bought two weeks ago and today in preparation for Easter.

“I am glad the prices are stable but I believe the low purchasing power of Nigerians have made the prices stable this year’s Easter.

“Everything I purchased is within the price I expected (usual price regardless of the season) but tomato and pepper have gone up a bit.

“However, prices are not too high. I believe it is just an effect of demand, given that this is Easter weekend.

“A small paint bucket of pepper we used to buy at N4,000 now sells at N25,000 for the same quantity,” she said.

Also, Mrs Antonia Sanwo, a caterer, affirmed the normalcy in the price of food items.

“Relatively, every food item I priced at the market today, were within the usual price range.

“I got to the market late and expected to be ripped off due to the Easter celebration but to my surprise the prices were relatively fair.

“I bought a big bunch of ugu (pumpkin leaves) for N1,000 and a sizeable quantity of water leaf for less than N1,000.

“Even the price of ogbono has dropped, as of two weeks ago, a cup sold for more than N3,000 but presently it sells for N2,000.

“The only item with a high price is crayfish. The price keeps soaring. A paint bucket now sells above N14,000 as against N9,000 sold weeks back,” Sanwo said.

Mrs Doris Nwaigwe, a businesswoman at Dopemu area of the state, said only the cost of vegetables was on the high side in comparison to other food items.

“The cost of vegetables for making fried rice is quite expensive. I got few strands of spring onions for N500, few pieces of carrots for N1,000 and green peas cost almost an arm and a leg.

“Apart from that, other food items have stable prices, it does not seem like Easter celebration is ongoing.

“The price of frozen food like chicken and turkey are the same, I bought a kilo of chicken for N5,900 as usual, so the Easter celebration does not have so much effect on the price,” Nwaigwe said.

Another resident at Surulere, Mrs Ifeoma Achaku, owner of a store at Lawanson Market, said a bag of rice costs between N75,000 and N85,000, depending on the type.

Achaku noted that there were some price fluctuations in the price of rice, which posed inability to have a fixed price.

“Rice prices differ based on grain type, with long-grain and short-grain options available. I focus on local rice, as it’s more budget-friendly compared to imported rice.

“However, price fluctuations pose a major challenge, making it difficult to set fixed prices.

“Prices change frequently making customers to complain about instability.

“Despite this, sales have increased ahead of Easter, although they are not as high as before,” Achaku said.

Also, another vendor at the Idi-Araba market, Mrs Ibironke Enimola, reported a significant price drop for palm oil and groundnut oil.

“A small refill bottle of palm oil now costs between N1,600 and N1,800, while groundnut oil sells for N2,200 to N2,500.

“The larger bottles are priced at N2,500 to N3,000 for palm oil and N3,500 to N4,000 for groundnut oil.

“Refill bottles are popular among customers due to their affordability, with palm oil costing N1,600 to N1,800 and groundnut oil selling for N2,200 to N2,500.

“Sales have also increased due to Easter preparations,” Enimola said.

Mrs Iyabo Abiola, a grocer seller at the Censors Market in Surulere, said that condiments are relatively affordable, particularly when compared to supermarket prices.

“If you are not buying from a supermarket, condiments here are considered cheaper.

“The price difference can vary depending on the type of condiment, with some locally produced spices being cheaper than imported ones,” Abiola said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng )

Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

By David Adeoye

The Federal Government has released improved varieties of pepper, tomato, and 27 other crops to farmers.

This is aimed at enhancing food production and provide farmers with access to high-yielding, disease-tolerant crops.

The release was made at the 35th Meeting of the National Committee on Naming, Registration, and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds/Fisheries.

In addition, eight pasture varieties, comprising six grasses and two legumes were approved for retroactive registration.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting, organised by the National Centre for Genetic Resources and Biotechnology (NACGRAB), was held at Lafia Hotel, Ibadan.

Chairman of the National Variety Release Committee (NVRC), Prof. Soji Olufajo, who presided over the session, announced the registration and release of the 29 new crop varieties based on recommendations from the committee’s technical sub-committee.

The technical sub-committee, led by Prof. Shehu Ado, had earlier deliberated on the proposed varieties during its 38th meeting held on Tuesday at the same venue.

Following extensive consideration, the sub-committee recommended all varieties for release, which were subsequently approved by the NVRC.

Olufajo noted that the newly registered varieties were submitted by research institutes, universities, and private seed companies.

The crops include pepper, tomato, maize, rice, cowpea, millet, wheat, sesame, barley, and soybean.

Among the new releases are two pepper varieties—HORTIPEP1 and HORTIPEP2—developed by the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), Ibadan.

These were approved based on high yield potential, medium maturity, strong pungency, and aromatic qualities.

Two tomato varieties, also developed by NIHORT, were released due to their superior fruit quality, tolerance to fruit cracking, and adaptability to open-field rainfed cultivation.

Six rice varieties—ETG M401, ETG M601, SAMMAZ 77, 19C11934 (SC451), 16C34878 (SC563) and 18C2450 (SC618), were additionally released for their high yields, high zinc content, and good grain quality.

Other varieties approved included cowpea: UAM15-2157-4 and ALKAM Super, Barley: LACRISAMBarley4, LACRISAMBarley5, and LACRISAMBarley6 and Hybrid Rice: FARO 71, FARO 72, and ADVANTA 8200.

The primary considerations for registration and release were high yields, early maturity, and disease resistance.

Representing the farmers, Mr Samuel Adeyinka called on the committee to collaborate more closely with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to ensure farmers were informed about and had access to the newly released varieties.

He emphasised that the committee’s efforts would only be meaningful if the improved varieties reach the farmers who need them.

Adeyinka also encouraged farmer associations to stay alert for newly released crop types that could enhance productivity.

In his remarks, NACGRAB Director, Dr Anthony Okere, expressed optimism that the new varieties would support the Federal Government’s goal of achieving national food security.

He added that the retroactive registration of pasture varieties would support improved ranching systems, potentially reducing farmer-herder conflicts.

NAN reports that the meeting was attended by researchers, plant breeders, scientists, university representatives, seed companies, officials from the Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Science and Technology, and farmer representatives. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa