SMEDAN re-launches One Village, One Product.

SMEDAN re-launches One Village, One Product. The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has re-launched the One Village One Product (OLOP) programme. Declaring the programme open in Kaduna on Monday, the Director-General of SMEDAN, Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda, who was represented by the agency’s Director of Finance and Administration, Malam Ibrahim Shehu, said the agency was re-launching the OLOP programme in line with the vision of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERPG) of the Federal Government. In a statement released by the agency, Radda said OLOP is a rural economy revitalization plan built around the well known drivers of its globally renowned equivalent One Village One Product which originated from Japan.

7000 corps members establish thriving businesses through SAED.

7000 corps members establish thriving businesses through SAED. Over 7000 serving and past corps members are said to have established various businesses that are thriving after going through the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). Speaking yesterday at the opening ceremony of the maiden SAED festival held in Abuja, Director of SAED, Mrs Mojisola Eboagwu said the successful business corps members learnt their skills through the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme they went through during their orientation course.

ALGON, 16 foreign partners to create 5.9m jobs from new agriculture scheme.

ALGON, 16 foreign partners to create 5.9m jobs from new agriculture scheme. As part of steps to boost agriculture in the country, the Association of Local Government of Nigeria(ALGON) and 16 foreign partners and institutes are expected to float a new scheme which will create 5,959, 800 jobs nationwide. The scheme will lead to the generation of 7,700 jobs in each of the 774 local government areas in the country. But the new initiative called Comprehensive Agricultural Plans for Local Government Areas (CLAP) will begin with a seminar on October 26 and 27. A statement last night said ALGON has initiated the process of C-LAP at grassroots level to prepare a Comprehensive Local Agriculture Plan (C-LAP) through participatory process involving various organizations and stakeholders.

Kebbi girls on agric adventure.

Kebbi girls on agric adventure.They are mostly young girls whose ages range from 10 - 16 years. They are easily identified with the sticks they usually hold with which they re-trash harvested rice at the various farms around Dukku, Makera, Ambursa and Gwadangwaji areas of Birnin Kebbi. Their number often varies but at any given time they are not less than 20. Their mission is to move about the rice farms that have been harvested. When they get there, they divide the rice residues among themselves and re-trashed it to get some rice which they will take home to their parents.

4,000 Anambra farmers to get free agro inputs.

4,000 Anambra farmers to get free agro inputs.No fewer than 4,000 farmers are to benefit from free and subsidized agricultural inputs in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State. The agricultural input to be distributed to farmers free is pro-vitamin cassava stem, while herbicides, insecticides and fertilizers would be accessed at a subsidized rate. The state Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Afam Mbanefo, disclosed this when he delivered trucks load of the inputs to farmers at Ajali, the Orumba North Local Government Area Headquarters.

Oxfam LINE project to empower over 10,000 rural farming families in Bauchi.

Oxfam LINE project to empower over 10,000 rural farming families in Bauchi. The Oxfam's Livelihoods and Nutritional Empowerment (LINE) Project being implemented by Oxfam in Bauchi State with funding from Global Affairs Canada (GAC) is said to be aimed at reducing poverty and improving the lives of over 10,000 poor rural farming families in the state. This was disclosed by Dr Francis Saayinzat, the LINE Project Team Leader, Oxfam LINE Project in Bauchi State while speaking on this year’s World Food Day themed: "Change the future of Migration, Invest in Food Security and Rural Development". Saayinzat said that Oxfam is working with local partners and local communities in more than 90 countries to overcome poverty and injustice.

How to make millions from cucumber farming.

How to make millions from cucumber farming. Cucumber plants grow under tropical conditions and can be grown in house too such as greenhouses.Cucumber farming in Nigeria was hitherto done mainly in the Northern part, now farmers in the southern region plant this type of vegetable. Harvests starts from 36-45 days when hybrid slicing varieties are planted. The demand for fresh cucumbers is quite huge in Nigeria as they are used in preparing salads and other types of food.One acre of land will yield 500 bags of 40kg each (20 tonnes) of fresh cucumbers after 3 months. In the open market in Nigeria, fresh cucumbers are sold in bags. A fully packed yellow bag of cucumbers weigh about 40kg. In the open market, a bag of cucumbers sells for N3,000-N8,000 depending on the season. PROFIT ANALYSIS FOR ONE ACRE OF CUCUMBER – Revenue: 500 bags at N3000 each 1,500,000.00