How to end herdsmen, farmers clashes, By Malcolm Fabiyi & Adeleke Otunuga

Summary

• Nigeria has 22 million cows that consume about 1 billion gallons of water per day and 500 million kilograms of grass and forage crops. The stock value of Nigeria’s cattle population is about N3.4 trillion or $16.2 billion at N150, 000 per head.
• The intensification of the Boko Haram crisis in the last five years has caused nomadic Fulani herdsmen to abandon their foraging grounds in the North East
• Climate change has caused desertification in the far north, and has led to extended drought and an estimated 20% drop in crop yields across the rest of Nigeria.

AfDB and Japan Announce US$3 Billion Private Sector Development Initiative to Boost Growth and Reduce Poverty in Africa

The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Government of Japan have set a joint target to provide US$ 3 billion for private sector development in Africa during the next three years, substantially increasing the resources devoted to boosting economic growth and fighting poverty in the region. The resources will be provided under the third phase of the Enhanced Private Sector Assistance for Africa (EPSA) initiative. 

Japan will target to provide US$ 1.5 billion over 3 years through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The AfDB expects to finance at least an equal amount. On top of this, Japan is ready to provide an additional special allocation of US$ 300 million for co-financing with the AfDB to help African countries access the best low emitting clean coal technologies available. 

FG launches New Agricultural Policy, ‘The Green Alternative’.

In actualisation of President Muhammadu Buhari’s vision to diversify the Nigerian economy away from oil, the Federal government today launched a new agricultural policy, ‘The Green Alternative’ a roadmap towards diversifying Nigeria’s economy. The event which had in attendance Deputy Governor of Anambra State, Members of the National Assembly, Ministers of Water Resources, Labour, Environment, Women Affairs, Science and Technology, Defence and Solid Minerals was chaired by the Vice-President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo.

Federal Ministry of Agric Launches Smart Phone App for Flood Prediction

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has launched a smart phone application – “Wetin App” for flood forecasting especially along the Niger and Benue rivers. 

The application, which will be available on Google App Store is a collaborative project of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI).

Agric Minister Reads Riot Act to Fertiliser Plants on Sharp Practices

The Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development – Chief Audu Ogbeh has threatened to shut down any fertiliser plant that denies local farmers access, while exporting the same commodities. The minister made this known following allegations that one of the two big urea plants in Nigeria is producing for export while selling to Nigerian farmers at skyrocketed prices, making affordability and accessibility difficult.

“Two urea plants are big enough to run the Nigerian demands. We know their capacities. But where there are allegations that some people are exporting instead of putting in the Nigerian market, and prices shot to N10,000 per bag of urea, we became extremely angry with them. Thank God now, many of them have started producing and putting into the market. The price is already dropping,” Chief Ogbeh observed.

Global Research Competition on Aid Effectiveness in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Health and Agricultural Sector

Are you researcher from an Africa-based institution with a proposal on aid effectiveness in sub-Saharan Africa and a focus on health or agriculture? Read on, an amazing opportunity awaits.

GDN is launching a Global Research Competition (GRC) on the theme of aid effectiveness in sub-Saharan Africa in the health and agriculture sectors. Supported by USAID and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the competition offers teams of early-career researchers from research institutions, networks or consortia based in Africa the chance to win USD$24,000 to conduct a 12-month research project on aid effectiveness in one of the two selected sectors, in the context of sub-Saharan Africa.

Expressions of Interest are now being accepted, with the last date for submission on the 11^th of September, 2016, midnight Nairobi time (GMT+3).