Adesina: Nigeria Recorded Rise in Food Production

Nigeria will continue to record a rise in food output as the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, yesterday disclosed that the country recorded a growth in the food production last year to the tune of eight million metric tonnes over 2012 figures.

The figure, according to him, “represents over 70 per cent growth of the target set for 2015 by government”. He made the statement while declaring open the Third NIAS-ASAN joint annual meeting held at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan.

He spoke at the event where new members of the Nigerian Institute of Animal Science (NIAS) were inducted.

Adesina described it as significant because “it marks yet another major milestone in our drive to modernise agriculture and ensure that

Jonathan directs CBN to set aside N50bn for agric mechanisation fund

A new fund worth N50 billion and  specifically to aid the mechanisation of agricultural practices in Nigeria is expected to be set up in a matter of months if not weeks by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

This will allow for the speeding  up  of the full establishment of the 1,200 private sector driven Agricultural Equipment Hiring Enterprises (AEHE) across the states of the Federation.

The directive was given by President Goodluck Jonathan at the commissioning and flagging off the 100,000 metric tons grains Silos at Sheda, Federal Capital Territory (F. C. T.) and the Agricultural Equipment Hiring Centers in Nigeria. Jonathan was represented by Vice President Namadi Sambo.

Government hopes the new initiative will further his quest for a revolution in the country’s