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Food Crisis: HOMEF, GMOs-Free Nigeria Train Abuja Farmers, CSOs, Others On Agroecology

Published

1 year ago

May 31, 2024

In a bid to address food crisis and climate change occasioned by agricultural model, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) and the GMO-Free Nigeria Alliance trained CSOs and Trainers on agroecology.

The two days training held at Agroforestry Farm in Kwali Area Council, Abuja, was in collaboration with Be the Help Foundation, and it brought together key 15 farmer group leaders/trainers from across the country, focused on the implication of GMOs and inorganic pesticides; practical production of organic pesticides and fertilisers; agroforestry including water, carbon and nutrient cycles, plant and soil health and reproduction; biodiversity improvement; and farm management.

INFO DAILY reports that, as a follow up to the training, the trainers/CSOs will be organising a stepdown training in their various communities.

Speaking at the practical session, the Chief Executive Officer, Be the Help Foundation, Mr. Samuel Kwasari, said to address the use of highly hazardous pesticides in Nigeria’s Agric system, it was “imperative that we critically examine and change our mode of food production and consumption.”

According to him, the sure way to address the use of hazardous pesticides in Nigeria’s agric system is to embrace agroecology which according to him has “proven to not only assure food sovereignty; it cools the planet and helps farmers and communities across the world adapt to the climate crisis.”

“Agroecology strengthens local economies and enforces the right to food and the rights of food producers. A transition to an Agroecological system of farming is crucial at this time,” he added.

He continued: “It is therefore of the essence that our farmers are equipped with adequate knowledge on agroecology to enable them continuously meet the responsibility of producing safe, nutritious and culturally adapted food in the face of the climate crises while sustaining their livelihood as well.”

He described as erroneous Nigeria’s outlook on modern agricultural biotechnology as solution to current food system challenges/food insecurity, adding “this technology doesn’t align with our food system and doesn’t address fundamental agriculture related issues such as insecurity, poor access to land/credit, lack of proper infrastructure for processing and storage, poor extension service, poverty etc.”

Mr. Kwasari, while declaring that Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are not the answer to food insecurity in Nigeria, listed implications in GMOs usage as contamination of local varieties; the need to continuously purchase seeds due to patent rights; lack of accountability, loss of biodiversity, soil degradation resulting from excessive use of herbicides; and health complications.

Participants at the training acknowledged that Agroecology including agroforestry models of regenerative agriculture is the safest and most effective way of solving the food and climate change challenges in Nigeria while empowering local farmers/communities.

They, therefore, recommended that the government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, partner with groups like HOMEF and the BHF to set up agroecology demonstration farms in communities and extend the knowledge/practice of agroecology to more farmers/communities across the country

News

Gombe Wins Northeast Quiz Competition On Legislature, Democracy

Published

7 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

Gombe State has emerged as the winner at the 2025 North East Zonal Quiz Competition on legislature and democracy organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) for senior secondary schools across Northeast on Friday.

Speaking before the commencement of the 2025 edition of the zonal debate which focuses on the legislature, democracy and governance, the Director-General of NILDS, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, said the exercise was to deepen the knowledge of legislative and democratic governance among secondary school students and youth.

According to him, it was also to broaden their knowledge on the history, practice and procedure of the legislature and encourage deeper understanding of civic and democratic governance.

The competition, he added, would stimulate the interest of the young students in politics and make them more proactive in matters relating to the legislature and democracy.

He explained that enhancing the knowledge of young Nigerians in the legislature would not only foster an inclusive and participatory legislature in Nigeria but would also serve as an avenue for citizen engagement in the legislative process.

Represented by Mr Jeremiah Agada, NILDS Northeast Zonal Quiz Coordinator, Sulaiman added that the quiz competition would take place in all the six geo-political zones and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“It is also to inspire young Nigerians to cultivate the interest to participate in legislative governance.

“This 10th edition of the competition is therefore the fourth time the competition has been held at the national level.

“As the 2025 NILDS Zonal quiz competition is declared open, I therefore urge all competing students and their teachers to abide by the rules of the game so that the desired objectives of the competition are achieved,” he said.

Also speaking, the Bauchi State’s Commissioner for Education, Dr Muhammed Lawal, said the exercise was a welcome development in the circle of education, adding that it was a ground where students in the zone could be tested among other students in the country.

“This will enable us to improve the quality of our delivery in our various schools to our teeming students across the zone.

“I want them to take it upon themselves that in an engagement like this, there is no loser. You put in your best, and if at the end of the day, you don’t make it up to the top, your efforts will be crowned.

“I hope this will be well covered because it will stimulate other schools to be part of and perform better so that they can come up to this level as well,” he said.

Mohammed appreciated the commitment of teachers and moderators who coached the students to fully participate in the competition and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to revamping the education sector under Gov. Bala Mohammad’s leadership.

Announcing the winner of the competition, the Quiz Master Mr. Lucky Tongs, announced Gombe State as the overall winner of the debate with 75 points

He also announced Taraba State as the first runner up with 55 points and Yobe State as the third position with 50 points, adding that the winner is expected to represent the Northeast sub-region at the National competition in Abuja.

Other states that participated in the competition included Adamawa and Bauchi.

News

Police Arrest Nollywood Production Manager For Assaulting Crew Member

Published

10 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Police have arrested a Nollywood production manager, Anierobi Courage, for allegedly assaulting a crew member.

Anierobi Courage, better known as Nwa South, reportedly assaulted the head of makeup, Mary Chizzy Eze, on October 28, 2025, while on the set of the film “Lagos to Opulence.”

A trending video of the physical altercation showed the production manager pressing Mary’s throat after slapping her, an act that has sparked widespread outrage on social media.

Reacting to the public condemnation, the Nigeria Film Crew Community (NFCC), in a statement released on Thursday, described Courage’s actions as “animalistic behaviour.”

Announcing his arrest, NFCC called on Nollywood producers and other stakeholders to blacklist Courage across all productions.

“The production manager violently hit and strangled Mary Chizzy Eze for speaking up against unequal treatment among the crew. While she has received medical care, he has been arrested.

“This level of disregard for human dignity is unacceptable. We stand firmly against all forms of abuse, assault, and crew maltreatment,” the NFCC said.

News

‘EFCC Collected N10m Before They Released Me’ – Oladips Alleges [VIDEO]

Published

11 hours ago

October 31, 2025

Editor

Popular Nigerian singer, Oladips has accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, of collecting N10 million from him.

The rapper made this known nearly a year after he was arrested by EFCC during a midnight raid in his estate.

Oladips was arrested with some of his neighbors for alleged fraud in November 2024.

He was released after spending five days in detention.

Speaking about his experience with the EFCC, Oladips in his latest interview on Trending podcast, stated that nothing was found on him after the EFCC investigations.

While revealing that the EFCC collected N10 million from him before his release, he lamented that “Nigeria just happened to me”.

“It’s just one smelling place like that. They just packed us there like sardines and they gave us nonsense food. Funny enough it was Zlatan that was sending me food. Zlatan is not even a friend, that’s my blood.

“He was sending someone to buy good food for me because the food there is bad. They just packed us there like sardines. I’m not even supposed to be there first of all. Like, why did I spend four to five days there when you people (EFCC) didn’t find anything on me, not even a single thing. And they still collect N10 million from me before they released me.”

When asked “Is it a thing you can take up against the EFCC later, or you will just allow the sleeping dog lie?”, the singer responded “Who is my father?”

“Who is my father now? At the end of the day, who is my father? It’s just me and my truth. It’s not something I will want to. I don’t just know how the system works. I for dey their page now if to say I dey do Yahoo. They didn’t find anything on me. If they are watching this, they know that I’m saying the truth.

“They collected money from me before they released me. They didn’t find anything on me. So, what was the money for? What was all that stress and suffering for? It’s just Nigeria. Nigeria just happened to me,” he said.

https://x.com/i/status/1983504280972615813