Nigerian Ginger: We Need to Fight the Blight for a Brighter Future for our Farmers

Over the last 2 years, ginger farmers in Nigeria have suffered the biggest losses in the last 2 decades with over 80% of their production completely destroyed due to the blight disease. Aside from the revenue loss, healthy planting materials have...

Farmers are Kings but without a Crown!

There is this saying in the Yoruba language, "Oba lagbe" (A farmer is a king). This is because farmers were considered wealthy and healthy and controlled their assets in land and produce. Also, they make all the decisions throughout the production:...

A Broken Food System cannot Guarantee Food Security

Food is a universal language that crosses many demographic and geographic borders; everyone wants to have access to adequate quantities and quality food at all times. However, the desire for food could become unrealised either when the purchasing...

The Journey to Food Security: Knowledge is good but practice is better

Working with the farmers for over a decade and a half, I have seen many interventions focusing on improving knowledge of farmers on good agricultural practices failed with little or no significant impact at the farm level. That is, with the knowledge...

Water Management: There is a Role to Play for Food Security

In our everyday living, water is one of the most important resources we need - whether to eat, bathe, wash our teeth, cook our meals amongst many other purposes. Every sector of the economy also requires water as a means to achieve an important...

Too much talks, Less Actions: The Dilemma of Farmers in Response to Climate Change

The changes we have experienced within our environment in the last decade have been very drastic – which has negatively contributed to the issue of climate change and subsequent insecurity. From unreliable rainfall patterns, to increasing incidence...

Our Food Security Journey: How many more people are hungry (2)

Addressing some foundational issues such as data gathering, data integrity and political willingness to implement life changing policies in the agricultural sector, should be the starting point in our journey to food security. Without strategically...

Our Food Security Journey: How many more people are hungry?

In every nation, achieving food security is key to their economic growth and development, and working towards this goal is not only noble but a must for food sovereignty. However, in recent times, whether one is cultivating crop or raising livestock...

Sustainable Beekeeping: Let’s Keep our Bees Alive

I could write an epistle about why I love bees and the first thing that comes to mind — honey of course. Beyond honey, bees are the major pollinators of our food and the majority of the farmers depend on them for this activity, which is relatively...

Balancing the Food Ecosystem: Taking one Step at a Time

In agriculture, sustainable farming production can only be achieved when a farmer identifies and understands the components of the ecosystem where production occurs and the importance of balancing the ecosystem to achieve higher productivity. Without...

Managing Agricultural Risks has a Cost: Who is Paying for or who should Pay for it?

In recent times, no week passes without a farmer lamenting the situation in the country. The cost of inputs higher, costs of labour unbearable, cost of transport, issues of pests etc. These are not new but the issues are becoming more frequent. In...

Beginning of the End: Bush Burning is a Menace and Threat to Food Security

Bush burning is an age-long practice that involves setting fire on vegetation to partially or completely destroy it for farming or other purposes. This practice is common amongst farmers, especially during the dry season-- at the tail end of dry...