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The National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) is setting up greenhouses across major cities to increase the availability of vegetables all year round in the country.

The Executive Secretary/CEO, National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) Cornelius O. Adebayo while inspecting one of the projects at the University of Abuja yesterday said the aim was to make sure vegetables are grown closer to the major markets.

‘Here we have about 20 units, with one nursery. In Shagamu, in Ogun State, we have 30 with one nursery also. You can see we have a parking house, where you can clean and package the produce. And we have cold storage also attached to the parking house. It’s fully solarized (solar energy functionality). The idea of this greenhouse is to make vegetables available closer to the people,’ Mr Adebayo said.

The ES said the agency strategically put one in Shagamu targeting Lagos, which is the biggest market for vegetables.

Mr Adebayo said the agency is also supporting other greenhouse owners along the Shagamu-Ekpe Cluster to increase their capacity adding that most of these facilities are not going to be run by NALDA but given to young people that understand how to run them.

In addition to the greenhouses project, NALDA said it was embarking on the open field vegetable production targeting a minimum of 10 hectares per federal constituency, which would be run mainly by women.

‘You can see this one is targeted at the youth. But the ones in the constituencies are mainly targeted at women,’ Mr Adebayo stated, adding that for every 10 hectares, about 100 women can be engaged.

‘So we’re providing land clearing. We’ve already picked 16 locations. First, we went to Kwara, Taraba and Plateau, where we are rolling out this open field initiative.

‘And they are currently clearing those lands. Now, we are going to provide irrigation for the women. We are going to provide parking houses and cold storage.

‘We believe that with this three-layered approach, we would be able to solve a lot of the vegetable availability problems. As you know, during a certain period in Nigeria, you have a high price of tomatoes, high price of pepper. So with this, I think we can decentralize production, make things closer to the people, and reduce the cost of transportation,’ he added.

Farmers, research organizations, entrepreneurs and technology developers across the country are set to showcase their products at the 17th national agricultural show in the coming weeks.

Chairman, National Agricultural Foundation, Architect Kabiru Ibrahim, told journalists in Abuja that this year’s events promises to create lots of value for the stakeholders.

He said this year’s show is expected to bring together all research institutes under the coordinator of Agricultural research council, states and local governments, inputs providers, entrepreneurs, new technologies developers and other actors in the sector.

Arc. Ibrahim appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to attend this year’s edition to boost the morale of farmers, adding that the last time a president attended the agric show was during President Obasanjo’s administration.

‘I am asking Mr. President to spare the time and come. We have not had any president come to that show since Obasanjo. So, if President Tinubu, who is passionate for agriculture and all the windows that he has opened for the food system, finds time to come, even for one day, it will make a whole world of difference,’ he said.

He said what the show was trying to do over the years was to bring to the fore the need for Nigeria’s agriculture to be showcased by smallholder farmers and large-scale producers, and people in processing come into one arena where they showcase what they have been able to do for others to see and to model.

‘As far as we are concerned today in Nigeria, the engine room for production is actually the smallholder. Mechanization is yet to set in to such a level that we have fully commercialized farms or industrialized outfits.

‘So even the theme of this year’s show will be empowering smallholder farmers to restore the value of what they do and to ensure productivity for the attainment of food security in Nigeria. So you can see that working with the smallholder farmers and the small-scale producers, we want to take Nigeria’s agri-food system to a sufficient level to be able to provide food sufficiency for even the envisaged population of Nigeria that will almost double by 2050. We think it is very important and prudent to bring out what we are going to do in about a month or so, because the show will be between 24th and 28th.

‘And we have shifted it from the last two years to November because in October most of our farmers are still harvesting. But in December everybody will have time to come because judging from the last edition, we saw that the quality of participation was a lot higher than in the previous ones. And we hope that this year the quality will be even higher,’ he said.

he Command’s Public Relations officer , DSC Abubakar Rabiu Muti, said even in the face of violent confrontation that eventually led to the damage of their patrol vehicle, the officers exercised restraint.

‘On October 16, 2025, at approximately 9:22 am, our personnel were attacked by hoodlums while attempting to arrest suspects engaged in illegal mining activities. Despite being attacked, our personnel exercised restraint and pulled out of the area without escalating the situation.

‘We wish to clarify that there was no loss of life or injury to civilians during this incident. Our personnel acted professionally, and the damage reported was limited to our vehicles.

‘The NSCDC Niger State Command urges the public to disregard the false information being spread and appreciates the support and understanding of the general public in this matter. We remain committed to protecting the nation’s critical assets and infrastructure,’ Muti said.

_: The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has opened up on the recent delay in the payment of Ration Cash Allowances (RCA) to soldiers deployed in various military operations across the country.

At a press briefing on Thursday, Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Magnus Kangye, attributed the situation to technical and financial system glitches rather than any deliberate act by field commanders or the military high command.

He said the delay was not due to negligence or withholding of funds by any officer but rather a result of temporary transaction issues within the financial system.

Kangye emphasized that the welfare of troops remains a top priority for the Armed Forces of Nigeria and assured that every soldier entitled to the allowance would receive payment once the technical hitches were resolved.

‘No field commander will be given money to pay allowances or feed his troops and then refuse to do so. That would be against the morale and operational efficiency of our forces,’ he said.

He acknowledged that, in some cases, payments could be delayed for a short period due to system-related challenges, but he stressed that such instances were not unusual.

‘Yes, there may be a delay of a day or two in some instances because of transaction or system issues. Nothing is perfect, but the important thing is that the allowances will definitely be paid,’ he added.

Maj.-Gen. Kangye compared the delay to everyday banking experiences where electronic transfers do not immediately reflect on recipients’ accounts due to network or technical errors.

‘Just like when you send money to your family and it takes a while to reflect, the same thing can happen within the financial system. It doesn’t mean the funds are missing or being withheld,’ he explained.

He urged soldiers and the public to avoid misinterpreting such situations as deliberate attempts to deny personnel their entitlements, noting that the military hierarchy remains committed to improving the welfare and morale of troops in the field.

Kangye added that troops of Operation Delta Safe have foiled crude oil theft worth N98.8 million and apprehended 13 suspects in the last two weeks.

He said the troops uncovered and destroyed 11 illegal refining sites, seven dugout pits, nine boats, 14 storage tanks and seven refining ovens during recent raids across Delta and Rivers States.

Recovered items, according to him, include 992,500 litres of stolen crude oil, 1,505 litres of sodium hydroxide, 660 litres of condensate and 5,000 litres of PMS valued at about ?98.8 million.

Kangye said that 13 suspects were apprehended, while weapons, ammunition, vehicles and boats were seized during the operations.

Kangye reaffirmed the military’s resolve to sustain pressure on oil thieves, economic saboteurs and secessionist elements.

He said the troops had remained vigilant and determined to restore lasting peace across all regions

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 18:43:04 WAT

The national leadership of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, a Fulani socio-cultural association, has suspended its state chairmen in Taraba, Bauchi, and Adamawa states.

This is contained in a statement issued by Mallam Mohammed-Suleiman, National Public Relations Officer of the association, and made available to newsmen on Thursday in Keffi, Nasarawa State.

Suleiman said the decision was taken by the association’s National President, Alhaji Abdullahi Bodejo, following investigations into several complaints received from Fulani pastoralists in the affected states.

‘After thorough scrutiny and consideration of numerous complaints from Fulani pastoralists, the National President has suspended the following state chairmen: Bammi Bello-Jane of Taraba, Muhammed Hussaini -Buzaye of Bauchi, and Usman Abubakar-Yirlabe of Adamawa, with immediate effect,’ he said.

He said that the suspension followed allegations of poor performance, lack of representation, and neglect of members’ welfare by the affected chairmen.

Suleiman said the decision was aimed at restoring members’ trust and confidence in the association’s leadership.

He also said the National President had directed all relevant security agencies and stakeholders to desist from engaging with the suspended chairmen, as they were no longer authorised to represent the association.

‘We urge all members and stakeholders to recognise and respect this decision.

‘Any attempt by the suspended chairmen to parade themselves as leaders or members of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore will attract prosecution in accordance with the law.

‘The association will not tolerate any act capable of bringing it into disrepute or undermining its integrity,’ he said.

Suleiman added that the National President reaffirmed his commitment to the welfare of all members and assured that the association would continue to promote the interests of Fulani pastoralists across the country. (NAN)

Nigeria’s agricultural sector faces numerous challenges ranging from erratic rainfall patterns to the long-standing herder-farmer conflicts that have ravaged rural communities for too long. At the heart of this dispute lies the issue of livestock feed, with herders forced to migrate in search of pasture, often resulting in destructive clashes. A breakthrough crop may hold the key to transforming not only the livestock sector but also the nation’s approach to food security.

For what feels like centuries, Nigerian herders have relied on open grazing, while dairy and poultry farmers have struggled with the high cost of imported feed concentrates to meet livestock nutritional needs. Alfalfa, a high-protein forage crop, known globally as ‘green gold,’ is now being tested in Nigeria, particularly in Plateau State, with promising results. This legume, rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals, could potentially reduce feed costs, increase livestock productivity, and ease the farmer-herder conflicts that have long plagued the country.

The Plateau Pilot: A Step Toward Transformation

In May 2025, The Alternative Bank, alongside Plateau State University (PLASU) and the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, launched a groundbreaking pilot project in Plateau State, testing the viability of cultivating alfalfa in Nigeria. The project, conducted in Bokkos, a highland region with a temperate climate – which is ideal for alfalfa’s growth – has delivered very promising results. At the recently held Green Field Day, researchers affirmed that germination rates exceeded 85%, with plants reaching 66.5 cm in just 13 weeks, and projected yields suggest the crop could produce 18-20 tonnes per hectare annually under rain-fed conditions. These outcomes align with what is achieved in established alfalfa-growing regions across the world.

The significance of this project is immense. Professor Hosea Finangwai, the lead researcher from PLASU, confirmed that these results meet global benchmarks, showing that alfalfa can be successfully cultivated in Nigeria’s diverse climates. Furthermore, laboratory tests revealed that the protein content of the locally grown alfalfa was at par with international standards. This is a crucial breakthrough, as it would allow Nigerian farmers to access high-quality feed that has previously been imported at a high cost.

At the Green and Brown Field Day events organised to showcase the trial, farmers and herders from the region witnessed the positive impact of alfalfa firsthand. Many had never heard of the crop before but were eager to learn about its potential. Herders, who attended the brown field day, saw alfalfa as a solution to reducing the need for cattle migration, which often leads to conflicts with farmers. For farmers, the introduction of alfalfa promised a new income stream and a way to improve livestock health, thereby increasing productivity.

The Time to Make That Move is Now

The success of alfalfa trials in Plateau State is, in more ways than one, a call to action. Nigeria has shown that it can cultivate this ‘green gold’ successfully, but to fully unlock its potential, we must make that move. This is the moment for all stakeholders, from policymakers to farmers and investors, to come together and drive this transformation forward.

The introduction of alfalfa in Nigeria has the potential to create ripple effects that extend beyond the livestock sector. By making alfalfa readily available, Nigeria could address several critical challenges. First, the availability of reliable fodder could significantly reduce the need for pastoral migration, which is one of the root causes of the ongoing farmer-herder conflicts. By transitioning from open grazing to ranching, Nigeria could establish a more settled livestock system, fostering peace between herders and farmers, particularly in regions like the South-West, which has seen rising herder incursions on farms.

Secondly, alfalfa’s nutritional value could boost livestock productivity across Nigeria. Dairy cows fed alfalfa could produce more milk, while beef cattle could reach market weight faster. This would help close the productivity gap between Nigeria and other global livestock producers, ultimately improving the profitability of Nigeria’s livestock sector. With improved feed at lower costs, livestock farming could become more affordable and profitable, helping meet the growing demand for meat and milk in Nigeria. Furthermore, alfalfa farming offers an opportunity for income diversification. Farmers in semi-arid regions of Nigeria could plant alfalfa, providing an income stream that is less vulnerable to climate risks than traditional crops. The growth of fodder markets could create new business opportunities in hay processing, seed production, and feed marketing. Additionally, alfalfa’s environmental benefits such as soil improvement and drought tolerance could help Nigeria achieve its climate-smart agriculture goals by reducing soil erosion and improving land rehabilitation.

The progress seen in Plateau is only the beginning. For alfalfa to truly transform Nigeria’s agricultural landscape, we must scale up efforts. Government policies must be aligned with initiatives to support alfalfa cultivation across the country. Private sector investment is crucial in creating sustainable seed production systems and ensuring that farmers have access to the resources and knowledge they need to grow this crop successfully. Farmers must also take the next step by adopting new techniques and exploring the potential for alfalfa-based business opportunities.

Scaling Up: Overcoming Challenges

While alfalfa’s potential is clear, several challenges must be addressed to scale it nationwide. Alfalfa thrives in cooler climates, and other regions of Nigeria may require irrigation or modifications to planting techniques. Further trials are needed in northern Nigeria and other areas with different climates to assess its adaptability. The establishment of a local seed production system will be essential, as current reliance on imported seeds makes alfalfa cultivation expensive. In addition, farmer education will be key to ensuring that they know how to properly cultivate and harvest alfalfa for maximum productivity.

The Nigerian government’s support is also crucial. The National Feed and Fodder Policy should be fully implemented to provide farmers with the tools, financing, and incentives they need to transition to alfalfa farming. Public-private partnerships will be necessary to facilitate the widespread adoption of alfalfa and ensure that the crop becomes a key component of Nigeria’s agricultural strategy.

The Alternative Bank has begun discussions with parties to explore the potential of scaling the initiative to other states and regions, particularly those facing the most severe herder-farmer conflicts. By extending the pilot project’s success, the Bank aims to encourage state governments and private sector partners to invest in alfalfa cultivation as a viable solution for livestock feed and rural economic development. This expansion could also serve as a foundation for developing modern ranching systems, ensuring a steady supply of nutritious fodder while reducing the environmental and social costs associated with open grazing.