The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday said the world recorded over 100,000 new cases of coronavirus over the last 24 hours. This was announced by the WHO director-general, Tedros Ghebreyesus, during a press 0conference at the agency's headquarters, Geneva. “We still have a long way to go in this…

A recent study by researchers at the National Institutes of Health says particles of the coronavirus released by an infected person while talking can remain in the air for 8 to 14 minutes, a warning sign that airborne transmission might be more contagious than previously anticipated. The scientists behind the…

A biotech firm, Moderna, has reported 'positive' results from its COVID-19 vaccine trial. The firm said its 'closely watched early-stage human trial for a coronavirus vaccine produced COVID-19 antibodies in all 45 participants used in the trial." An antibody is a protective protein produced by the immune system in response…

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has alerted the world over the possible emergence of a rare inflammatory disease in children that may be linked to the coronavirus. This was disclosed during a news conference at the agency's headquarters, Geneva, on Friday. The Head of WHO’s emerging diseases and zoonosis unit,…

With Nigeria one of 36 countries at the risk of an acute food crisis in Africa, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) says it has scaled up its outreach to 1.2 million people monthly in the northeast region of the country in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. WFP's…

Easing coronavirus restrictions and reopening the economy too quickly could lead to a “vicious cycle” of economic crisis and health disasters, Mike Ryan, executive director, World Health Organisation (WHO) emergencies program, has said. Mr Ryan, who disclosed this on Wednesday at a press conference at the organisation's headquarters, Geneva, said…

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a loan facility of $1.2 billion to finance the mechanisation of agriculture in the country. Sabo Nanono, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing State House correspondents after the virtual FEC meeting anchored from the Council Chamber…

The National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) has certified 81,000 metric tons of seeds across the country, Philip Ojo, the director general, has said. This was disclosed by the official while addressing journalists in a virtual meeting, Tuesday. "Today as I speak with you, the industry has available at the disposal…

While climate change contributes to the upsurge in disease outbreaks across the world, the current rate of environmental degradation and biodiversity loss will worsen future pandemics like the coronavirus, scientists have said. Even though climate change did not cause the emergence of COVID-19 they said it could indirectly make the…

The novel coronavirus that emerged in Wuhan wet-market of China over four months ago has since mutated and the new, dominant strain spreading across the United States, appears to be more contagious, a new study has said. The 33-page report, published Thursday on BioRxiv by researchers at the Alamos National…

The federal government Friday directed the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) to fully resume its export certification duties at all ports immediately, so as to cushion the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on Nigeria's agricultural sector. This was disclosed in a statement signed by Gozie Nwodo, head of communications…

On Thursday, a 5-year-old boy passed away from complications believed to be caused by COVID-19, Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, has said. The governor who disclosed this on his official twitter account Friday said New York is investigating how COVID-19 impacts children after a 5-year-old boy in New…

World food commodity prices declined for the third month in a row in April due to significant fall in the demands for many commodities as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, this is according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation Food Price Index (FFPI) of the United Nations. The index…

The governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has said the Northern States Governors’ Forum is determined to end the Almajiris’ system of education in the north, amidst the spread of COVID-19 among the children. Many of the street kids searching for Islamic knowledge across the north have been infected by…

Nigerian poultry farmers have complained of recording huge losses due to the restriction of movement by the federal and state governments to curtail the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic. The farmers, who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES  within the week, said the lockdown and the decline in the purchasing power…

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation has issued six ways countries can efficiently support smallholder farmers to prevent the breakdown of food supply chains. The organisation shared its recommendations in a video published on its official Twitter handle Friday. https://twitter.com/FAO/status/1256135141472296960 According to the FAO, during this COVID-19 pandemic, smallholder…

The Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has said the distribution of relief packages in the state for the month of May, would be targeted at people who recharge their phones with less than N200 airtime a month. Mr El-Rufai, who spoke Saturday on The Platform on Channels TV, said coronavirus-impact…

The Kwara State Fish Farmers Association (KWAFFA) has raised concern over the rise in the cost of fish feed amidst the coronavirus pandemic. The fish farmers, who seek government intervention, said they have observed increases in the prices of feed due to scarce forex and other factors. This was contained…

The Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Landing (NIRSAL) has called on smallholder farmers and other agricultural stakeholders to enroll in a new programme it has launched to ease access to finances, training, inputs and other incentives in the sector. NIRSAL said the package has a target of enrolling…

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje on Wednesday said Kano State has not recorded any 'strange' deaths in the wake of the coronavirus scourge ravaging the state and other parts of the nation. He was reacting to Daily Trust newspaper report that 150 persons have been buried in Kano in the last five…

Over 135 million people in 55 countries and territories were faced with acute food insecurity in 2019, and this requires urgent action, the 2019 Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) has said. The report said the situation could worsen this year due to the impact of COVID-19, but the precise…

The testing capacity for coronavirus in Ekiti State is zero, Governor Kayode Fayemi has said. The governor disclosed this on Tuesday on a Channels Television programme, while speaking on COVID-19 and the state's containment measures amidst the rapid spread of the virus. The governor, who expressed worry over the current…

Nigeria's minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has said the country does not have the capacity and resources to absorb Nigerians abroad who want to come home immediately due to the crisis caused globally by the coronavirus pamdemic. The minister disclosed this on Tuesday during “Channels TV Politics Today show”…

President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono and other key players of the sector to join the already existing 12-member Presidential Task Force (PTF), as a strategy to minimise the impact of COVID-19 on the year's farming season. President Buhari disclosed this on…

Amidst the upsurge of the coronavirus pandemic, the Nigerian food system would be strained in the coming weeks and months, some agricultural experts have posited. The experts, who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES, also suggested ways the country can navigate this period of uncertainty and ensure food security, especially in the…