Agriculture

Katsina launches fertiliser scheme to strengthen 2026 farming season

Katsina State in northern Nigeria's State Government has rolled out its 2026 fertiliser distribution programme, aiming to support farmers ahead of the rainy season and improve food production across the state

The initiative will supply subsidised fertiliser to farmers in 6,652 polling units, ensuring wider reach and easier access.

Governor Dikko Radda officially launched the programme in Malumfashi, describing it as part of his administration’s strong focus on food security and better living standards for rural communities. He explained that fertiliser would be sold at a subsidised rate of ₦25,000 per bag. To make the process more transparent and fair, distribution has been decentralised so that genuine farmers can access supplies directly without interference from middlemen.

The governor outlined how the fertiliser would be shared across the state. Funtua Zone is set to receive 60 bags per polling unit, Katsina Zone will get 50 bags, while Daura Zone will receive 45 bags per unit. In addition, 10 large scale farmers in each of the 361 wards will benefit from the programme.

Beyond fertiliser distribution, the government is taking a broader approach to agriculture. This includes providing tractors, hand tillers, irrigation systems and other essential inputs to increase productivity. Governor Radda revealed that more than 3,000 tube wells are currently being drilled at no cost to farmers, while thousands of solar and petrol powered pumps have already been distributed to encourage farming throughout the year.

He also noted that 361 young people are undergoing training in modern farming methods and agribusiness, preparing a new generation to sustain growth in the sector.

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Lawal Aliyu Shargalle, said the programme is part of a wider effort to revive agriculture in the state and assured that strict monitoring would be in place to maintain transparency.

Community Development Programme Coordinator Kamaldeen Kabir praised the governor’s efforts, saying, “His Excellency has, over the years, done tremendous work in improving the livelihoods and strengthening the rural economy of the state,” Kabir said.

He added, “With the introduction of these hand-powered tillers, the situation has improved considerably, making farming easier and more accessible for the common man,” Kabir said.

East Africa Sets Course for Agricultural Transformation with New Investment Plan Talks (Image credit: Daily news)

Leaders and stakeholders from across East Africa have gathered in Dar es Salaam for a major meeting aimed at shaping the future of agriculture in the region

Organised by the East African Community in partnership with AGRA, the three day session focuses on reviewing and validating the Draft Regional Agri Food Systems Investment Plan for 2026 to 2035.

The meeting, held in Dar es Salaam from April 21 to 23, has brought together policymakers, private sector players, researchers, farmers, youth groups and development partners. Their shared aim is to refine a long term plan that will guide agricultural growth and food systems across the region over the next decade.

Agriculture remains central to East Africa’s economy, contributing over 30 percent of gross domestic product and supporting more than 70 percent of the population. Despite this, the sector continues to face serious challenges, including low productivity, poor access to finance and markets, and post harvest losses that can reach up to 30 percent due to weak storage and distribution systems.

The new plan builds on lessons from the previous Regional Agriculture Investment Plan, which ran from 2017 to 2025. While it helped strengthen regional cooperation, it also faced setbacks such as limited funding and delays in turning commitments into action.

Speaking at the opening, the EAC Deputy Secretary General, Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth, stressed the importance of this moment for the region’s future.

“As we conclude the implementation of the previous investment plan, we have a unique opportunity to reflect, learn, and chart a bold new course. RASIP must go beyond policy—it must be an actionable roadmap that drives real transformation across our agrifood systems,” he said.

He highlighted that agriculture has the potential to tackle unemployment, poverty and food insecurity, but only if countries work together more effectively and invest wisely.

AGRA Tanzania Country Director Vianey Rweyendela also emphasised the need to empower young people.

“As a strategic partner in this process, AGRA is committed to ensuring that RASIP places young people at the centre of agrifood systems transformation. This is about unlocking opportunities across the entire value chain from production to markets creating jobs, driving innovation, and building a new generation of agripreneurs,” he said.

Once finalised, the plan is expected to guide agricultural development, improve food systems and create opportunities across East Africa.

Nigeria faces growing palm oil gap amid rising domestic demand

Nigeria is grappling with a widening gap between palm oil production and local consumption, as demand continues to outpace supply

The Federal Government recently revealed that the country produces about 1.4 million metric tonnes of palm oil each year, while domestic demand has risen beyond 2.5 million metric tonnes.

This concern was highlighted by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, during a stakeholders meeting in Abuja focused on strengthening Nigeria’s palm oil production capacity. Represented by his senior technical assistant, Ibrahim Alkali, the minister described the gathering as an important moment for clear direction and collective action to revive the sector.

Reflecting on the past, Mr Kyari noted that Nigeria once dominated the global palm oil market in the 1960s, contributing over 40 per cent of worldwide supply. At that time, palm oil played a central role in exports, rural livelihoods and industrial growth. However, the country’s output has steadily declined over the years.

“Today, Nigeria produces approximately 1.4 million metric tonnes of palm oil annually, while domestic demand exceeds 2.5 million metric tonnes,” he said.

The resulting shortfall of more than one million metric tonnes each year has forced the country to spend heavily on imports.

“What this means is that we are exporting opportunities and importing what we have the capacity to produce,” he said.

Despite the challenges, Nigeria holds significant potential. The country has over three million hectares of land suitable for oil palm cultivation, much of which remains unused. At the same time, global demand for palm oil continues to expand, with the market valued at more than 70 billion dollars annually across industries such as food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and biofuels.

Mr Kyari stressed that the issue is not a lack of resources but the need for stronger coordination and scaled efforts. He added that the government is prioritising agriculture as part of its broader economic diversification plan and is working to reposition the sector through a validated national development strategy.

Stakeholders at the meeting echoed the need for collaboration, with a shared goal of boosting production, supporting rural economies and improving food security.

Diana Orembe CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, NOVFEED (Image credit: How we made it in Africa)

Tanzanian entrepreneur Diana Orembe is on track to push her company NovFeed past the US$1mn mark in sales this year

The business, which produces fish feed and organic fertiliser, has grown steadily since its launch in 2020. Her recent win at the Africa’s Business Heroes competition brought both recognition and funding, helping her scale production and sharpen her long term vision.

Orembe’s journey began near Lake Victoria, where she observed the struggles of small fish farmers, including her uncle, who often complained about the high cost and limited availability of fish feed. While studying microbiology at the University of Dar es Salaam, she explored the aquaculture sector more deeply and realised these challenges were widespread. Tanzania relied heavily on imported feed, making it expensive for local farmers.

Using university lab resources, she developed an affordable alternative by converting food waste into fish feed through fermentation. This process also created a liquid byproduct that could be sold as fertiliser. What started as a small operation producing 30 tonnes per month has now evolved into a much larger enterprise.

Reflecting on entrepreneurship, Orembe says, “If you talk to a woman selling vegetables on the markets, she will tell you how hard it is to run her business. If you talk to a person running a conglomerate, he will just say the same [about] how difficult it is to run that very huge, big business. If you talk to a medium-scale business person who is even running just a store, they will tell you the same [about] how it’s difficult. So what I was just reminding myself this morning is that all businesses are difficult.”

Selling the product proved to be the biggest hurdle. Rather than focusing on technical details, her team highlighted affordability and results. “I have learned along the journey that the message you’re giving your customers really matters. When you tell a person that this is bacteria-made fish feed, everyone will run away.”

By 2024, repeat customers confirmed the product’s value. “It doesn’t matter how good your product is, if you can’t retain the customers, it will always be one of the signals that your product is not working,” she explains. “So for us, the moment we started seeing the customer is buying and is coming back, that was a good sign.”

With new funding, NovFeed now produces over 20 tonnes daily. Yet growth brings new pressure. “I’ve never been able to produce 20 tonnes of feed per day ... Now where am I going to look for a customer who can access that per day?” she says. “Being able to produce [is] just one thing. But at the end of the day, you have to sell. That’s the most, most difficult part.”