Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State on Monday advocated home-grown solutions to Africa’s food security challenges.

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) on Tuesday trained coconut farmers in Edo on coconut value addition, packaging and quality control.

The National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) on Sunday inspected ongoing projects at the 100 hectares of land donated to the Federal Government for the Farm Estate in Agbeyangi community in Kwara.

The Ambassador of Nigeria to the State of Qatar, His Excellency, Yakubu Ahmed, on Monday paid a courtesy visit to the Headquarters of Hassad Food, one of the biggest players in the food industry in Doha, Qatar.

Alhaji Abubakar Garba, Chief Operating Officer, Silvex International, a Kano based commodity trading firm, said that Nigeria has the potential of becoming a leading producer of sesame in the world.

The National Fish Association of Nigeria (NFAN), on Monday, pledged its commitment to increase fish production so as to meet the annual national consumption requirement of 3.5 million metric tonnes.

The Founder and Executive Director of WOFAN, Hajia Salamatu Garba, has emerged the winner of Value4her Women Agriprenuer of the Year 2021 (WAYA2021) at the 2021 Africa Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) held in Kenya.

The Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL Plc) has restated its commitment to realising its vision of “transforming the economy, delivering inclusive growth and positively impacting the lives of Nigerians”.

Jigawa is poised to expand its existing cattle grazing reserves, Gov. Muhammad Badaru has said.

The assurance is contained in a statement issued by in Dutse on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Relations, Alhaji Habibu Kila.

Kila said Badaru gave the assurance when he received the state’s Chairman of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, a sociocultural and economic organisation, Alhaji Umar Kabir, in Dutse on Friday.

“As a result of our recent working tour to The Netherlands, plans are underway to expand the existing cattle routes and gracing reserves which will provide enough all-year grass for nomads,’’ the governor said.

The governor also called on the group to support its fight against vices among the Fulani, especially the youths, who engaged in criminal activities.

The aide added that the governor also promised to continue to provide qualitative education to all citizens of the state, including nomads.

“In addition to about 400 nomadic schools across state, this administration will establish 200 more of such schools.

“It will also employ 10 Fulfulde-speaking teachers from each of the 27 local government areas of the state to ensure effective teaching and learning,’’ the governor said.

In his remarks, Alhaji Kabir lauded the state government for ensuring peace in the state.

He promised that the group would do everything possible to maintain the peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders in the state.

The chairman assured that the group, with the support of government, would assist in fishing out bad eggs among Fulani in the state.

Jigawa’s Farmers and Herdsmen Board announced in April that it would demarcate 95km of land as grazing reserves as part of measures to tackle farmers/herders clashes in the state.

Its spokesman, Malam Zubairu Sulaiman, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) then that the reserves would be carved out in Babura, Birninkudu, Gagarawa, Gumel, Gwaram, Buji, Maigatari, Suletankarkar, Kafinhausa and Kirikasamma Local Government Areas.

He said the state government had released more than N7 million for the exercise.

On Jan. 1, 2008, former Gov. Sule Lamido established 400 grazing reserves, 50 of which have already been gazetted.

The decision to establish and demarcate grazing reserves in Jigawa was part of a multi-dimensional approach adopted by Lamido to address incessant clashes between pastoralists and farmers.

As part of efforts to encourage and enhance the vocation of pastoralists, Jigawa vaccinated 3,438,590 cattle against diseases between 2007 and 2014. 

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed National Land Development Authority (NALDA) to establish integrated farm estates in all the senatorial districts to boost food production across the country.

• Federation of Agricultural Commodity Association of Nigeria (FACAN)
• Mr Enahoro Ojiefoh

Read more: Nigeria exported N41.9bn sesame, N13.7bn cashew in 1Q 2021 – FACAN Chairman