Nigeria is Among the Top 20 Coconut Producing Countries in the World

Nigeria is among the top 20 coconut producing countries in the world. But the government is still losing millions of dollars annually, because of the shortcomings of the federal government and state governments in the productions of the various products made from coconuts, especially coconut oil.

Global market size is currently US$26.39 billion in 2025, and is projected to grow to $36.69 billion by 2030 according to Research and Markets. 

This growth is driven by increasing consumer demand for coconut products, which range from fresh coconuts to various processed items like coconut water, flour, and oil according to Entrepreneurs.ng. 

Key aspects of the coconut market:
Value:

The market was valued at $24.78 billion in 2024, increasing to $26.39 billion in 2025. 

Projected Growth:
The market is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.75% from 2025 to 2030, reaching $36.69 billion. 

Diverse Products:
The market encompasses a wide variety of coconut products, including coconut water, flour, oil, and fresh coconuts, catering to diverse consumer preferences and dietary needs. 

Global Demand:
The increasing demand for coconut products is a major driver of market growth. 

Regional Focus:
Research and Markets indicates that the Asia Pacific region has a dominant share of the global coconut market, followed by other regions like North America and Europe. 

Opportunities and Challenges:
The industry faces challenges like disease management and supply chain issues, but also has opportunities for growth through innovation, product diversification, and technological advancements.

 
Profitability:
In Nigeria, coconut farming can be very profitable, with well-managed farms potentially generating between ₦2.4 million and ₦5 million annually per hectare, particularly when value addition is part of the business.

The virgin coconut oil market alone is projected to reach USD 9.12 billion by 2030, according to a report from Research and Markets.

Key Factors Driving Growth:

Increased health and wellness awareness:

Consumers are increasingly seeking healthier food and personal care products.

Demand for natural and organic products:

Coconut oil is a popular ingredient in natural and organic cosmetics and food products.

Growing use in various applications:

Coconut oil is used in food and beverage, personal care, and pharmaceutical industries.

Regional Breakdown:

Asia Pacific:

The largest regional market for coconut oil, driven by high production and consumption in countries like the Philippines, Indonesia, and India.

Other Regions:

North America, Europe, and other regions are also experiencing growth in the coconut oil market.

Note: The specific numbers and projections may vary slightly depending on the research firm and report.

The estimated total world production of coconuts in 2022 was 62,409,431 metric tonnes.

Nigeria is among the top 20 countries with 225,527 metric tonnes annually.

The Coconut Sufficiency in Nigeria (COSIN) initiative, a government-supported program, is aiming to establish 10,000 hectares of coconut farms across most of Nigeria's states by 2027 to boost domestic coconut production. This initiative aims to increase the supply of coconuts in Nigeria, potentially leading to increased exports and value-added products. While the term "coconut triangle" is commonly used in Sri Lanka to describe a specific region with high coconut production, it's not a widely recognized term in the context of Nigeria's coconut industry.

COSIN Initiative in Nigeria:

Goal:

To increase coconut production and reduce reliance on imports by establishing new coconut farms across the country.

Target:

Plant 10,000 hectares of coconut trees in most of Nigeria's 36 states by 2027.

Focus:

Enhancing the coconut value chain, including improved production, processing, and marketing.

Potential Benefits:

Increased exports, job creation, and higher incomes for farmers and processors.

Key Considerations for Coconut Farming in Nigeria:

Variety:

Using hybrid coconut trees, which offer higher yields, is recommended for commercial farming.

Seedlings:

Access to high-quality hybrid seedlings is crucial for successful cultivation.

Land Use:

Nigeria has a significant amount of land suitable for coconut cultivation, but only a small portion is currently being used.

Infrastructure:

Developing infrastructure for processing and marketing coconut products is important for realizing the full potential of the industry.

Technology:

Adopting improved production technologies and practices, including research and development, is essential for increasing productivity.

Sri Lanka is one of the countries reaping the rewards of this global demand. In 2022, the country exported over 71 million kilogrammes of fresh and dried coconuts, with the United States as one of its largest markets. Coconut products account for 12 per cent of Sri Lanka’s total agricultural exports, contributing significantly to its foreign exchange reserves.

In Nigeria, the market is projected to see continued growth, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 0.59% through 2028. However, challenges remain, including ensuring consistent coconut supply, addressing quality control, and navigating fluctuating prices. 

Here's a more detailed look:

Market Dynamics:

Growing Demand:

The demand for coconut oil in Nigeria is rising, particularly for virgin coconut oil (VCO) due to its health benefits and use in various applications like food supplements, body moisturizers, and aromatherapy. 

Production and Supply:

While Nigeria is a major coconut producer, the demand often exceeds domestic production, leading to reliance on imports from neighboring countries like Benin and Togo. 

Price Fluctuations:

Coconut oil prices in Nigeria can fluctuate due to various factors, including market demand and inflation, leading to price increases, particularly during periods of high demand. 

Key Drivers:

Health Awareness:

Consumers are increasingly aware of the health benefits of coconut oil, which is driving demand.

Versatility:

Coconut oil is used in various applications, making it a versatile product.

Natural and Organic Trend:

The increasing trend towards natural and organic products is also influencing market demand for coconut oil. 

Challenges:

Consistent Supply:

Ensuring a consistent supply of coconuts for processing is a challenge, as production can be affected by weather and other factors.

Quality Control:

Maintaining quality control in oil extraction and processing is crucial to meet consumer expectations.

Competition:

Coconut oil faces competition from other vegetable oils, and fluctuating market prices can also pose challenges. 

Future Trends:

Technological Advancements:

Advancements in oil extraction and production technologies could improve efficiency and reduce costs.

Agricultural Policy and Import Tariffs:

Changes in agricultural policies and import tariffs could impact market stability.

Source

Uyai Virgin Coconut Oil 

https://totnaija.blogspot.com/2025/06/uyai-virgin-coconut-for-healthy-hair.html

Empowering Female Farmers in Nigeria

Women in Agriculture in Nigeria

Empowering Female Farmers in Nigeria

The largest labour force in Africa

This is the first time there will be a national community mobilization and sensitization of female farmers in Nigeria for the realization and utilization of their full potential for the sustainable development of agriculture and food security in the country.

Female farmers are the largest labour force in Nigeria.

More than 70 percent of the working population of Nigeria are farmers in the rural areas of the most populous country in Africa .

An estimated 70 percent of them are female farmers working on farms in different villages in the 774 local government areas of Nigeria.

Majority of them are poor and without complete formal education.

They need empowerment for the sustainable development of agriculture for food security and economic stability for the eradication of extreme poverty in Nigeria.

Food security is important to national security, because without food security there will be no national security.

A hungry man is an angry man.

No hungry man can defend his family, community and country.

Only a well fed man can have the strength to fight for his survival and welfare.

An army of hungry soldiers will not have the strength to defend their country in the battlefield.

No food, no power.

Starvation can cause the collapse and destruction of a nation.

Scarcity of food has caused widespread riots and looting on the streets that caused the downfall of a government administration.

Africa has 65 percent of the uncultivated arable land left in the world, to feed 9.5 billion people by 2050. Therefore, what Africa does with agriculture will determine the future of food in the world. “Essentially, food is money. The size of the food and agriculture market in Africa will reach $1 trillion by 2030.

USD $106bn finance gap in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia agricultural business - CABI.org

The Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness (CASA) programme has published ‘The state of the agri-SME sector – Bridging the finance gap.’

A recent report estimates demand for financing, from around 220,000 agri-business SMEs in sub Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia at USD $160bn with banks, impact investors and other financial intermediaries providing only USD $54bn. Furthermore, almost all climate funding is targeted at mitigation measures, rather than supporting ways to for agriculture to adapt to the climate crisis with less than 2% of global climate finance – or USD $10bn – being channelled to small-scale agriculture.

Nigeria has the largest arable land in Africa.
Women make up about 70% of the agricultural workforce in Nigeria. 
They contribute to about 70% of the country's food production.

In Nigeria, according to the World Bank, closing the gender productivity gap could increase GDP by US$2.3 billion and decrease global food insecurity by two percentage points, thereby putting nutritious food on the tables of another 45 million people.

https://www.thecable.ng/nigerian-women-in-agriculture-a-catalyst-for-food-security-economic-growth-and-family-well-being/

Eliciting the Gender Income Influences on Household’s Food Security in West Africa: 

Heliyon

https://www.cell.com/heliyon/fulltext/S2405-8440(23)04616-9?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS2405844023046169%3Fshowall%3Dtrue

Women in Agriculture in Nigeria is a public forum for the empowerment and upliftment of female farmers in Nigeria for the sustainable development of agriculture to increase the cultivation and production of both food crops and cash crops for local consumption and export to other countries.

We are going to launch a national directory and website for all the female farmers in Nigeria who estimated to be over 30 million working on farmlands in the rural areas.

Majority of the farmers in Nigeria are women

Nigerian female farmers are among the most underpaid low income workers in Nigeria, because majority of them are not privileged to own farmlands.

Majority of them are farming on the farmlands of their husbands, brothers or uncles, because daughters are not entitled to any inheritance of lands from their fathers by custom and tradition of majority of the tribes.

Only sons are entitled to be shareholders in the inheritance of lands

Women in Agriculture in Nigeria will empower underprivileged female farmers to unite and form cooperatives for the join-ownership of farmlands and to become joint-venture partners in agroallied ventures such as having silos and factories for processing of crops for the production of flours, cereals and drinks for local consumption and export to other countries.

We are going to introduce Nano drones for farming in Nigeria as female farmers are doing in India.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FnG3TE2qM/

The productions of flours from cassava,maizes, tiger nuts, oranges, mangoes, coconuts, groundnuts, dates, etc have become very profitable agroallied ventures in many developing countries.

We will help in increasing the economic growth of Nigerian women in agriculture with significant contribution to the GDP of Nigeria.

Africa Food Trade & Resilience Initiative
Food Security Monitor - AGRA
https://agra.org/publications/food-security-monitor-3/


- by Mrs. Stella Unah,
National Coordinator,
Women in Agriculture in Nigeria (WAN)

About Female Farmers in Nigeria

"Women play a crucial role in Nigerian agriculture, accounting for a significant portion of the farming population and contributing heavily to food production. They are involved in various aspects of the agricultural value chain, from planting and harvesting to processing and marketing. Despite their vital contributions, women often face challenges like limited access to land, finance, and technology, which hinder their ability to fully realize their potential.

Key Roles of Women in Nigerian Agriculture:

Farm Management and Labor:
Women are actively involved in managing farms and providing labor, often performing tasks like planting, weeding, harvesting, and processing crops.

Food Crop Production:
Nigerian women are primarily involved in the production of food crops such as maize, cowpea, melon, pepper, cassava, and vegetables.
Livestock Production:
In some cases, women also participate in small-scale animal production, including small ruminants, poultry, and aquaculture.
Processing and Marketing:
Women are heavily involved in processing and marketing farm produce, contributing to the food value chain.

Challenges Faced by Women in Nigerian Agriculture:

Limited Access to Land:
Traditional land tenure systems and cultural norms often limit women's access to land ownership and control, hindering their ability to participate in agriculture.
Financial Constraints:
Women often lack access to finance, making it difficult for them to purchase inputs, hire labor, or scale up production.

Gender Inequality:
Social norms and gender-based divisions of labor can restrict women's decision-making power and limit their ability to manage farms independently.
Knowledge and Training Gaps:
Limited access to information and training can affect women's ability to adopt modern farming techniques and best practices.

Efforts to Empower Women Farmers:
Government Initiatives:
The Nigerian government and various organizations are implementing programs to empower women farmers, such as the National Women in Agriculture Programme (NWAP) according to Rural 21.

Capacity Building:
Training and capacity-building programs are being offered to equip women farmers with the skills and knowledge they need to improve their productivity and income according to Rural 21.

Financial Inclusion:
Efforts are being made to improve women's access to finance through microfinance institutions and other financial services.
Advocacy and Awareness:
Advocacy groups and NGOs are working to raise awareness about the contributions of women in agriculture and to advocate for policies that support their empowerment. "

Full Text of The Inaugural Address By President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Inaugural Address By President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

 My Fellow Citizens,

The Nigerian idea

I stand before you honoured to assume the sacred mandate you have given me. My love for this nation is abiding. My confidence in its people, unwavering. And my faith in God Almighty, absolute. I know that His hand shall provide the needed moral strength and clarity of purpose in those instances when we seem to have reached the limits of our human capacity.

This day is bold and majestic yet bright and full of spirit, as is our precious nation.

As a nation, we have long ago decided to march beyond the dimness of night into the open day of renewed national hope.

The question we now ask ourselves is whether to remain faithful to the work inherent in building a better society or retreat into the shadows of our unmet potential.

For me, there is but one answer. We are too great a nation and too grounded as a people to rob ourselves of our finest destiny.

This nation’s journey has been shaped by the prayers of millions, and the collective sacrifices of us all.

We have endured hardships that would have made other societies crumble.

Yet, we have shouldered the heavy burden to arrive at this SUBLIME moment where the prospect of a better future merges with our improved capacity to create that future.

To the surprise of many but not to ourselves, we have more firmly established this land as a democracy in both word and deed.

The peaceful transition from one government to another is now our political tradition. This handover symbolizes our trust in God, our enduring faith in representative governance and our belief in our ability to reshape this nation into the society it was always meant to be.

Here, permit me to say a few words to my predecessor, President Muhammadu Buhari. Mr President, you have been an honest, patriotic leader who has done his best for the nation you love. On a more personal note, you are a worthy partner and friend. May History be kind to you.

For many years, Nigeria’s critics have trafficked the rumour that our nation will break apart, even perish.

Yet here we are. We have stumbled at times, but our resilience and diversity have kept us going.

Our burdens may make us bend at times, but they shall never break us.

Instead, we stand forth as Africa’s most populous nation and as the best hope and strongest champion of the Black Race.

As citizens, we declare as one unified people devoted to one unified national cause, that as long as this world exists, NIGERIA SHALL EXIST.

Today, Fate and Destiny join together to place the torch of human progress in our very hands. We dare not let it slip.

We lift high this torch so that it might shine on every household and in every heart that calls itself Nigerian. We hold this beam aloft because it lights our path with compassion, brotherhood, and peace. May this great light never EXTINGUISH.

Our administration shall govern on your behalf but never rule over you. We shall consult and dialogue but never dictate. We shall reach out to all but never put down a single person for holding views contrary to our own.

We are here to further mend and heal this nation, not tear and injure it.

In this vein, may I offer a few comments regarding the election that brought us to this juncture. It was a hard fought contest. And it was also fairly won. Since the advent of the Fourth Republic, Nigeria has not held an election of better quality.

The outcome reflected the will of the people. However, my victory does not render me any more Nigerian than my opponents. Nor does it render them any less patriotic.

They shall forever be my fellow compatriots. And I will treat them as such. They represent important constituencies and concerns that wisdom dare not ignore.

They have taken their concerns to court. Seeking legal redress is their right and I fully defend their exercise of this right. This is the essence of the rule of law.

Over six decades ago, our founding fathers gave bravely of themselves to place Nigeria on the map as an independent nation.

We must never allow the labor of those who came before us to wither in vain but to blossom and bring forth a better reality.

Let us take the next great step in the journey they began and believed in.

Today, let us recommit our very selves to placing Nigeria in our hearts as the indispensable home for each and every one of us regardless of creed, ethnicity, or place of birth.

My supporters, I thank you. To those who voted otherwise, I extend my hand across the political divide. I ask you to grasp it in national affinity and brotherhood. For me, political coloration has faded away. All I see are Nigerians.

May we uphold these fitting and excellent notions as the new Nigerian ideal.

My fellow compatriots,

The Nigerian idea which I speak of is more than just an improvement in economic and other statistics. These things are important; but they can never convey the fullness of our story.

Our mission is to improve our way of life in a manner that nurtures our humanity, encourages compassion toward one another, and duly rewards our collective effort to resolve the social ills that seek to divide us.[/b]

Our constitution and laws give us a nation on paper. We must work harder at bringing these noble documents to life by strengthening the bonds of economic collaboration, social cohesion, and cultural understanding. Let us develop a shared sense of fairness and equity.

The South must not only seek good for itself but must understand that its interests are served when good comes to the North. The North must see the South likewise.

Whether from the winding creeks of the Niger Delta, the vastness of the northern savannah, the boardrooms of Lagos, the bustling capital of Abuja, or the busy markets of Onitsha, you are all my people. As your president, I shall serve with prejudice toward none but compassion and amity towards all.

In the coming days and weeks, my team will publicly detail key aspects of our programme. Today, permit me to outline in broad terms a few initiatives that define our concept of progressive good governance in furtherance of the Nigerian ideal:

The principles that will guide our administration are simple:

Nigeria will be impartially governed according to the constitution and the rule of law.

We shall defend the nation from terror and all forms of criminality that threaten the peace and stability of our country and our subregion.

We shall remodel our economy to bring about growth and development through job creation, food security and an end of extreme poverty.

In our administration, Women and youth will feature prominently.

Our government will continue to take proactive steps such as championing a credit culture to discourage corruption while strengthening the effectiveness and efficiency of the various anti-corruption agencies.

SECURITY

Security shall be the top priority of our administration because neither prosperity nor justice can prevail amidst insecurity and violence.

To effectively tackle this menace, we shall reform both our security DOCTRINE and its ARCHITECTURE.

We shall invest more in our security personnel, and this means more than an increase in number. We shall provide, better training, equipment, pay and firepower.

THE ECONOMY

On the economy, we target a higher GDP growth and to significantly reduce unemployment.

We intend to accomplish this by taking the following steps:

First, budgetary reform stimulating the economy without engendering inflation will be instituted.

Second, industrial policy will utilize the full range of fiscal measures to promote domestic manufacturing and lessen import dependency.

Third, electricity will become more accessible and affordable to businesses and homes alike. Power generation should nearly double and transmission and distribution networks improved. We will encourage states to develop local sources as well.

I have a message for our investors, local and foreign: our government shall review all their complaints about multiple taxation and various anti-investment inhibitions.

We shall ensure that investors and foreign businesses repatriate their hard earned dividends and profits home.

JOBS

My administration must create meaningful opportunities for our youth. We shall honour our campaign commitment of one million new jobs in the digital economy.

Our government also shall work with the National Assembly to fashion an omnibus Jobs and Prosperity bill. This bill will give our administration the policy space to embark on labour-intensive infrastructural improvements, encourage light industry and provide improved social services for the poor, elderly and vulnerable.

AGRICULTURE

Rural incomes shall be secured by commodity exchange boards guaranteeing minimal prices for certain crops and animal products. A nationwide programmefor storage and other facilities to reduce spoilage and waste will be undertaken.

Agricultural hubs will be created throughout the nation to increase production and engage in value-added processing. The livestock sector will be introduced to best modern practices and steps taken to minimize the perennial conflict over land and water resources in this sector.

Through these actions, food shall be made more abundant yet less costly. Farmers shall earn more while the average Nigerian pays less.

INFRASTRUCTURE

We shall continue the efforts of the Buhari administration on infrastructure. Progress toward national networks of roads, rail and ports shall get priority attention.

FUEL SUBSIDY

We commend the decision of the outgoing administration in phasing out the petrol subsidy regime which has increasingly favoured the rich more than the poor. Subsidy can no longer justify its ever-increasing costs in the wake of drying resources. We shall instead re-channel the funds into better investment in public infrastructure, education, health care and jobs that will materially improve the lives of millions.

MONETARY POLICY

Monetary policy needs thorough housecleaning. The Central Bank must work towards a unified exchange rate. This will direct funds away from arbitrage into meaningful investment in the plant, equipment and jobs that power the real economy.

Interest rates need to be reduced to increase investment and consumer purchasing in ways that sustain the economy at a higher level.

Whatever merits it had in concept, the currency swap was too harshly applied by the CBN given the number of unbanked Nigerians. The policy shall be reviewed. In the meantime, my administration will treat both currencies as legal tender.

FOREIGN POLICY

Given the world in which we reside, please permit a few comments regarding foreign policy.

The crisis in Sudan and the turn from democracy by several nations in our immediate neighbourhood are of pressing concern.

As such, my primary foreign policy objective must be the peace and stability of the West African subregion and the African continent. We shall work with ECOWAS, the AU and willing partners in the international community to end extant conflicts and to resolve new ones.

As we contain threats to peace, we shall also retool our foreign policy to more actively lead the regional and continental quest for collective prosperity.

Conclusion

This is the proudest day of my life. But this day does not belong to me. It belongs to you, the people of Nigeria.

On this day, Nigeria affirms its rightful place among the world’s great democracies. There, Nigeria shall reside forever.

The course of our past and the promise of the future have brought us to this exceptional moment.

In this spirit, I ask you to join me in making Nigeria a more perfect nation and democracy such that the Nigerian ideal becomes and forever remains the Nigerian reality.

With full confidence in our ability, I declare that these things are within our proximate reach because my name is Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and I am the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

May God bless you and May He bless our beloved land.

Women To Take Driving Seat in Nigeria’s Male-Dominated Farming Industry

 Women To Take Driving Seat in Nigeria’s Male-Dominated Farming Industry

Farming collective Alluvial Agriculture is training 50 women in tractor mechanics

The initiative will create female-owned tractor businesses serving women farmers

Programme is part of a joint initiative with Mastercard Foundation, with training from Tata International Nigeria.

Lagos, Nigeria, 4th August 2021 – For the past 13 years, Linda Sheknami Auta has grown rice, maize, yam and soybeans by hand. It is a long and arduous process that has prevented her from expanding her business as quickly as she would like. 

Ploughing her 20 hectares farm in Niger State in Nigeria’s Middle Belt takes the equivalent of five months of hard toiling. With the right specialist equipment and training, this could be cut to just 10 days. But finding the financing, tools and farm workers is tough – especially as a woman.

“Women in my industry are often looked down upon, considered too weak to be doing what is traditionally considered a ‘man’s job,’ so it has been hard to hire labour,” says Linda, 34. “Unfortunately, some men just do not want to work for a female boss.”

A new initiative by farming collective Alluvial Agriculture seeks to level the field for female farmers. The company, which provides education and market access for smallholder producers across Africa, has begun training and financially supporting 50 women across 15 Nigerian states to become tractor owner-operators. 

“For too long, women have been excluded from agricultural finance and mechanisation, despite the fact that they are the backbone of our industry,” said Dimieari Von Kemedi, co-founder and managing director of Alluvial Agriculture. “Our program is an important step in addressing this imbalance.”

Training is being provided by a joint venture between the Indian conglomerate, Tata International, and Alluvial. After the three-week course is completed, each of the women will form partnerships or cooperatives, and each cooperative will be provided with state-of-the-art John Deere tractors and will work on at least 5,000 hectares of female-led farms that are part of Alluvial’s community block farm projects. A percentage of fees earned by the women will be used to repay the loan for their tractor. Based on expected earnings from tractor leasing, the women should have paid for their first tractor within two or three years. Each of the new female-led businesses is expected to own between 20 and 50 tractors by 2028.

“The Mastercard Foundation is very excited about this partnership as it is an opportunity to drive inclusive growth for women in farming,” said Chidinma Lawanson, Nigeria Country Head at Mastercard Foundation. “Training young women to take up space in the male dominated sector is innovative and promotes gender equality. We look forward to many more women gaining such jobs in agriculture a major sector of the Nigerian economy.”

Female farmers across Africa struggle to cultivate their own businesses, cut off from formal financial support and agricultural training – symptoms of continued gender inequality that permeates through African society, says Chijioke Okoli, Nigeria Director for agriculture and construction equipment at Tata Africa Services. 

“Expert training and education in tractor operations will significantly support women in agriculture for the long term,” Okoli said. “We are honoured to be working with Alluvial Agriculture and the Mastercard Foundation to advance women’s economic empowerment.”

Linda is one of the first women to be approved for the new scheme. Once she has received her training, she plans to pass on her knowledge to other women. 

“I never imagined that I would learn to drive a tractor, but I am not one to turn down a challenge – I have a passion for trying things that society believes aren’t for women,” says Linda. “Women in agriculture must be empowered. Only then can we achieve gender equity in farming, afford a better life for our families, and help grow the economy.” 

About Alluvial Agriculture

Alluvial is a highly scalable private sector response to decades of failure by various parties to tackle one of the world’s most pressing issues: food security. We deploy an innovative business model that provides comprehensive support to small farm enterprises and smallholder farmers. This support spans training, technology, land preparation, irrigation, input supplies, and market access within contiguous farms in community and virtual blocks. Our partnership with communities, research and financial institutions, agtech companies, and value chain actors produces several high-quality crops and an enabling environment for farmers to sustain and scale up their activities. More information at https://www.alluvialtrade.com/

About the Mastercard Foundation 

The Mastercard Foundation is a Canadian foundation and one of the largest in the world with more than $39 billion in assets. The Foundation was created in 2006 through the generosity of Mastercard when it became a public company. Since its inception, the Foundation has operated independently of the company. The Foundation’s policies, operations, and program decisions are determined by its Board. For more information on the Foundation, please visit: www.mastercardfdn.org

About the Mastercard Foundation COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience Program

The Mastercard Foundation COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience Program has two main goals. First, to deliver emergency support for health workers, first responders, and students. Second, to strengthen the diverse institutions that are the first line of defense against the social and economic aftermath of this disease. These include universities, financial services providers, businesses, technology start-ups, incubators, government agencies, youth organizations, and non-governmental organizations. More information at: https://mastercardfdn.org/covid19-recovery-resilience-program

For further information, photos, videos and interviews, please contact:

Alluvial Agriculture

Ebiuwairo Uwagboe

+234 810 175 7344

uwagboe@alluvialonline.com

New Markets Media & Intelligence

Gavin Serkin           

+44 20 3478 9710 

gserkin@newmarkets.media

Mastercard Foundation

Nonye Mpho Omotola

Country Lead, Program Communications, Nigeria

nomotola@mastercardfdn.org

Have you tried the Nokia Ovi Life Tools in Nigeria?

I started using the Ovi Life Tools since last Saturday, to see how useful they are and found them engaging for having the latest updates of facts on Health, Education, Agriculture and Entertainment for my news and information blogs.

The Ovi Life Tools were launched in Nigeria last November, 2010, after the successful introductions in India, Indonesia and China.

Ovi Life Tools is a first step toward extending the advantages of today’s digital economy to the whole world at cheaper rates so that everyone can afford the service.

The service has been of immense benefit to over 7 million users so far. Farmers in rural areas in Asia use the tool for agriculture to get vital information on the weather and crops.




Presently the Nokia Ovi Life Tools in Nigeria will be offered on the Nokia 2690 and on the Nokia C1-01 through Zain/Airtel and Glo Mobile, at the affordable prices of N250 for the agriculture service and N200 per month for all other subscriptions and will soon be on MTN.

The service will be available countrywide in Nigeria in three languages – English, Hausa and Pidgin English.

Once activated the service on their phones, it will be free of charge for one service for the next one month. Note that there are 4 services: Agriculture, Healthcare, Entertainment, and Education. The 1 month free service is for only one of these services of their choice. If they choose to activate the 4 services, they will be charged for 3 while the 4 th will be free.

The healthcare service include information and advice on mother & childcare, health, fitness and diseases. Users can tailor the service to their needs by entering their sex, age and other relevant details. The agriculture service allows subscribers to specify the crops or commodities they’re interested in, their location and the preferred language for messages. English learning can be provided in Easy, Medium and Difficult levels, according to the user’s proficiency. The entertainment services includes local and international football information (personalised around the subscriber’s favourite team), music, entertainment news and jokes.

Go try the Ovi Life Tools and Enjoy 24/7.


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT OVI LIFE TOOLS IN NIGERIA


Q: What is Nokia’s Ovi Life tools?

A: Nokia’s Ovi Life Tools is a suite of personally relevant information services providing regular localized information related to Agriculture, Healthcare, Education and Entertainment. The service is designed to work without the need for any GPRS plans or settings, as the updates are delivered via SMS to the OLT inbox in a graphically rich easy to read format in the user’s local language.

Q: Are all of these services/areas be available in Nigeria?

A: Yes, the Ovi Life Tools offering in Nigeria will consist of the Agriculture, Healthcare, Education and Entertainment services.

Q: What do these services actually offer?

A: The services offer the following to users:




Healthcare Services: (total of 7 subscription services)
• Mother & Child
o Subscription service #1: Pregnancy advice – This service keeps the user informed on what to expect from pregnancy and parenthood along with the nutritional and developmental needs of oneself during the entire course of pregnancy. Information delivered to the user is specific to the week of pregnancy and geography determined by the expected date of delivery and the location (6 geographical zones in Nigeria) provided by the user.
o Subscription service #2: Child care advice – The service provides information on the nutritional, hygiene, immunization, and developmental needs of the child linked to the important milestones related to child growth up to 5 years of age. Health tips are relevant to the age of the child determined by the Date of Birth input by the parent.
• Health and Fitness
o Subscription service #3: Women’s Health – The user will receive gender, region and age specific health tips on nutrition, hygiene, fitness and well being to help the user stay fit. Daily content delivered in local language specific to the age of the user.
o Subscription service #4: Men’s Health - The user will receive gender, region and age specific health tips on nutrition, hygiene, fitness and well being to help the user stay fit. Daily content delivered in local language specific to the age of the user.
• Disease Information
• Daily health tips to user based on the important disease conditions prevalent in the geography. Information will help user in prevention, prolonging onset and living better with the condition. Health tips related to medical, co-morbidities, lifestyle, fitness and safety based on the condition chosen by the user. In keeping with the healthcare industry practices, the tips are preventive in nature and not diagnostic or prescriptive advice is offered.

Agriculture Services:

• The Agri service covers the 25 major crops/commodities at launch. More will be progressively added. Market Prices for 111 marketplaces in Nigeria, with 3 market places for each state in Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
• There is one agriculture subscription service which packages the news & tips, weather and market prices. The user makes the selection of the 3 crops/commodities that she wishes to be informed regularly about. This hyper local service is personalized to those 3 crops for user’s region.
1. News & Tips: The user will receive daily crop tips based on the choice of crop/commodity and agriculture news that is relevant to the location of the user. The crop tips are hyper localized advice based on crop life cycle & agro climatic aspects prevalent in the user’s location. Tips also will contain best practices & techniques around increasing the yield of the crop/commodity.
• Market Prices: The user will receive market prices twice a week for a choice of 3 crops/commodities from 3 nearby & relevant markets for the crop/commodity.
• Weather: The user will receive weather forecast for the day specific to the location. The weather information will include general outlook around Temperature, Rainfall, Humidity & Wind.

Education Services:

• Learn English – This service allows users to learn Conversational English with the help of their local language via daily messages. The service comes with a choice of three levels - Easy, Medium & Difficult allowing the users choice of learning levels. The service also allows choice of languages – English, English with Hausa and English with Pidgin. The learning outcomes of the Easy level are 70% common conversational words and 30% common phrases using simple sentences; the learning outcomes of Medium level are 30% intermediate vocabulary, 40% common phrases and 30% on constructs like verbs, tenses etc.. using simple sentences, while the Difficult level focuses on 50% on advanced vocabulary and 50% on constructs like verbs, tenses etc.. using intermediate sentences. Each of the three levels – Easy, Medium, Difficult are separate subscription services to enable the users to choose the service based on their current knowledge.
• General Knowledge - This service allows users to keep themselves updated with general knowledge, important information and vital facts about their state, country and the world via daily messages. This service focuses 60% on region or state level, 30% on national level and 10% international information.
• Exam Results – This service allows users to get their exam results for WAEC by providing their registration number.

Entertainment Services:
• Football: This service allows users to keep themselves updated on the latest happenings around their favorite football club. The daily updates will be around news, match dates, transfers, gossip etc. around the club and the players. On match days, the users will receive 8 updates during the match time spaced from start to end of the match covering key items like goals, score updates, penalties and final result. The users have a choice of 12 football clubs, national and international.
• Music: This service allows the user access to a variety of music services like MonoTones, TrueTones, PolyTones categorized into Naija Top 10, World Top 10, HipHop, Oldies, Gospel etc.
• News: This service allows the user to keep up-to-date with the latest International, National and Sports news.
• Horoscope: This service allows user to access daily predictions based on Sun Signs of choice.
• Jokes: This service allows user access to a daily dose of humor in the form of jokes.
• Entertainment Gist: This service allows user to keep up-to-date on the gossip around the entertainment industry and popular personalities.

Q. Why do you say Ovi Life Tools is personalized and hyper local?

A: The learning and information services in Ovi Life Tools are specific to user profile and choices making them personalized and hyper local. Various services allow relevant personalization by users, for example:
• The agriculture services allow the user to specify the crop/commodity of choice, location and language of messages.
• In healthcare services the user is allowed to input details like Gender, Date of Birth and relevant details (expected date of delivery or last menstrual period) to personalize the service content to exactly match the profile of the user. The user also has the choice of language of content for all services and location for pregnancy, men’s & women’s health.
• In education services, for Learn English the user can choose the level of difficulty of learning English by subscribing to Easy, Medium and Difficult levels based on their current proficiency in the language. Furthermore, the user can choose to learn English with via English or English + Hausa or English + Pidgin.
• In entertainment services, for Football the user has a choice of 12 popular football clubs to choose from and similar choice are available in other entertainment services too like Sun Signs in Horoscope, wide range of options in Music, etc...

Q: Which Operators will support Nokia’s Ovi Life Tools in Nigeria?

A: We will support all operators to ensure the benefits of the service are available to all mobile users in Nigeria. To start with, Zain/Airtel and Glo Mobile are live. We are in discussions with other operators and will endeavor to work with them to get the benefits of Life Tools to a larger base of mobile users in Nigeria.

Q. In which languages is this service be available?

A: The service content will be available English, Hausa and Pidgin English. .

Q. Is Ovi Life Tools be available to the whole of Nigeria?

A: Yes, Nokia’s Ovi Life Tools is available nationwide in Nigeria.

Q: Is this available on all Nokia devices in Nigeria ?

A: The Nokia Ovi Life Tools service in Nigeria is available on select Nokia devices. It will initially be pre-installed on the Nokia 2690 and the Nokia C1-01. The service will be available on additional Series 40 & Series 30 devices in 2011.

Q: When did you start working on this project in Nigeria?

A: We have been working on this project since the second half of 2009.

Q: Why do you think this service will be popular in Nigeria?

A: OLT addresses the basic needs of people. Aside from this, the service aims to improve people’s livelihood. It will also provide information which will help people make informed decisions that will improve their lives.

Q: What type of support have you had from the Government in Nigeria?

A: Courtesy visits were made to the management team of Nigeria’s telecom industry regulator, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), as well to the Minister of Information (which is the supervisory ministry of NCC), Prof. Dora Akunyili, in September 2010, during which they were briefed on the OLT service. They are very excited about the service and we will work together to take the partnership further.

Q: What are Nokia’s expectations for take up of the service in Nigeria and by when?

A: Based on our experience in other markets, we are confident that Nigeria consumers will find this service attractive and affordable. We will start off slowly with only a few devices linked to the service and add more next year. We will take continuous feedback from the market and constantly improve the service.

Q: Aren't these low-end phones on which OLT is being offered no longer meeting demand - even in rural areas - for multimedia touch devices at affordable prices?

A: It is important that we deliver the total solutions at an affordable price, so we are starting with some of the well known and affordable devices. We will add a larger range of devices in the future giving consumers even more choices.


FACTS ON SMS

Despite the flexibility of email and the ever-so-fashionable Twitter, SMS (text) messages remain the most popular messaging choice of mobile phone users around the world. Here are five textual facts:

The first text message was sent on December 3, 1992 using the UK’s Vodafone network. It read ‘Merry Christmas’.

Six per cent of texts are never read by their recipients.

Researchers at the Queensland University of Technology found that texting was addictive as smoking, with around a fifth of people suffering increased heart rate and anxiety levels when deprived of their phones.

Around 2.5 trillion text messages were sent worldwide in 2008 – a 20 percent increase from 2007.

The phrase used in Guinness World Record speed texting attempts is “The razor-toothed piranhas of the genera Serrasalmus and Pygocentrus are the most ferocious freshwater fish in the world. In reality they seldom attack a human.” Time to beat? 41.4 seconds.

Haiti's rural agriculture, rural poverty reduction, and the potential of small holder agriculture

25 Jan 2010 13:03 Africa/Lagos

Haiti's rural agriculture, rural poverty reduction, and the potential of small holder agriculture / IFAD / List of accredited media and organization for the press videoconference


LAUSANNE, January 25, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- List of accredited media and organization for the press videoconference on Haiti's rural agriculture, rural poverty reduction, and the potential of small holder agriculture held on January, 25 – 11:00 (Paris Time) :


Agridev-CTT - Tunisia


Columbia University - United States


Daily nawaiwaqt & Aaj tv - Pakistan


Ethiopan News Agency - Ethiopia


Frequence Teranga FM - Senegal


Ministry of Agriculture of Cameroon - Cameroon


Radio France Internationale (RFI) - France


Radio Rural - East Timor


The Nationa - Nigeria


Thomson Reuters - United Kingdom


Tickertxt - Germany


TOF Radio - Kenya


Trinity Broadcasting Namibia - Namibia


Voice of America - United States


Xinmin Weekly - China


Yossif Ayoub (Freelance) – Egypt


More information : http://appablog.wordpress.com/2010/01/20/haiti%e2%80%99s-rural-agriculture-rural-poverty-reduction-and-small-holder-agriculture-press-videoconference/

Prior to the World Economic Forum annual meeting (Davos), the President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), an International Financial Institution and a specialized agency of the United Nations, will hold a press videoconference regarding Haiti’s rural agriculture, rural poverty reduction, and the potential of small holder agriculture.


How to rebuild Haiti’s rural agriculture?



What’s the role of the private sector in rural poverty reduction?



How to draw the attention of Davos business leaders to the potential of small holder agriculture?


ASK YOUR QUESTIONS THROUGH VIDEOCONFERENCE


WHO : Dr Kanayo F. Nwanze, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)


WHEN : January, 25 – 10:50 (Paris Time)


LANGUAGES : English


HOW DOES IT WORK : This service is FREE and requires only the use of a computer connected to Internet.


APPLICATION : http://www.apo-opa.org/contactvideoconf/contact_video_conf.html?vc=IFAD


This press videoconference is organized by the African Press Organization (www.apo-opa.org).


CONTACT :
- African Press Organization : +41 22 534 96 97 / +33 661 797 718 / sec.sg@apo-opa.org



Source: International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)


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