How to Make Nigerian Coconut Rice

Measure your rice into a bowl, and wash thoroughly.
Parboil till its half done (that is, not soft and not too hard). Drain out your rice and run it under the tap before you set it aside.
In a large pan, add your tablespoons of any oil of choice, your chopped onions and sauté till it’s translucent. Add your diced scotch bonnet (Ata rodo) pepper, stir gently for the flavors to be infused well.
Add your coconut milk, chicken stock, ground crayfish, chilli powder and then bring to a boil for about 10mins. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. (You might or might not need to use your seasoning cube(s) and salt).
Add your parboiled rice, cover the pot and allow to boil on medium heat for about 20mins or till the rice is well cooked. occasionally check if it needs extra stock and add if necessary.
When the coconut rice is done, you can garnish with sliced onions, tomato etc., bay leaf, and can be served with Chicken, Goat Meat and Shrimp.

Directions To Prepare

Measure your rice into a bowl and wash thoroughly.
In a large pan, add your tablespoons of any oil of choice, your chopped onions and sauté till it’s translucent. Add your diced scotch bonnet (Ata rodo) pepper, stir gently for the flavours to be infused well.
Add your coconut milk, chicken stock, ground crayfish, chilli powder and then bring to a boil for about 10mins. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. (You might or might not need to use your seasoning cube(s) and salt).
Add your basmati rice, cover the pot with foil, close with a tight lid and let it boil on low – medium heat for about 25 mins.
Turn off heat, let the steam do the rest of the cooking for about 5minutes before opening the lid. Stir together, and your coconut basmati rice is ready. You can serve with Chicken, Goat Meat and Shrimp.

Food Security: National Agricultural Development Fund Launches N19.5billion AgGrow Support

Towards implementing the ₦19.5 billion AgGrow Farm Support Programme, the National Agricultural Development Fund (NADF) has officially launched a digital Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) platform.

According to information released on its website, this scheme is designed to support smallholder farmers across Nigeria by providing essential farming inputs and linking them directly to agricultural processors.

The scheme, which was established by the National Agricultural Development Fund (Establishment) Act 2022 (Act No. 34, 2022),was created by the Federal Government to address the persistent challenge of agricultural financing and to strengthen Nigeria’s food systems. The fund is now rolling out one of its most ambitious initiatives yet, AgGrow, a national farmer support program targeting 50,000 smallholder farmers across the country’s six geopolitical zones.

Further details show that under the AgGrow scheme, farmers in the maize, rice, cassava, and soybean value chains will receive:50% subsidy on seeds, fertilizers, and crop protection products (CPPs),financing of inputs, with repayments of only 50% required from processors after harvest

This means smallholder farmers can produce more without the heavy financial burden of input costs, while processors get direct access to quality produce, cutting out expensive middlemen.

“To ensure efficiency and transparency, NADF has introduced a digital Monitoring and Evaluation platform. This technology will track every seed and input from distribution to on-farm usage, every naira invested in the scheme, real-time results to help fine-tune support and improve agricultural outcomes.Participating farmers will also be:registered using a BVN or National Identity Number

“Geo-tagged and biometrically verified subject to weekly reporting, third-party audits, and strict monitoring to prevent misuse. This data-driven approach ensures accountability and strengthens the credibility of the program across stakeholders in the agricultural value chain.NADF has emphasized that inclusivity is central to the AgGrow program. Of the 50,000 farmers expected to benefit:”

“40% will be women, 20% will be youth. This focus on gender and youth participation supports broader national goals for inclusive growth, employment, and empowerment in rural communities.AgGrow is built around structured outgrower arrangements that directly connect farmers to agro-processors.

“By removing the need for middlemen, the program aims to: improve access to markets for farmers, reduce post-harvest losses, strengthen local raw material sourcing for Nigeria’s growing agro-processing sector, processors, who will repay part of the input costs post-harvest, also benefit by securing a steady supply of raw materials, further enhancing food security and industrial productivity.

Details from the website further revealed that farmers who want to benefit from the AgGrow support scheme must visit the official NADF website to learn more and begin the registration process:at www.nadf.gov.ng

The AgGrow program is a significant step toward transforming Nigeria’s agricultural landscape. For farmers, agripreneurs, agro-processors, and stakeholders across Africa watching Nigeria’s agricultural reforms, this initiative offers a powerful example of how targeted support and technology can drive inclusive and sustainable growth in the food sector.

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UK Slams 25 Targets Involved in Alleged Smuggling of People

The United Kingdom has sanctioned 25 targets who are allegedly involved in smuggling of people, under a new financial sanctions’ regime targeting those facilitating the travel of refugees and migrants across the English Channel via small boats. The individuals and entities targeted on Wednesday include a small boat supplier in Asia and gang leaders based in the Balkans and North Africa. “Middlemen” putting cash through the hawala money transfer system in the Middle East, which is used in payments linked to Channel crossings, are also targeted.

It is unclear how effective the new sanctions regime will be, since British authorities can only freeze assets that are in the UK, and most of the smugglers are based elsewhere. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said on Wednesday that it was a “landmark moment in the government’s work to tackle organized immigration crime [and] reduce irregular migration to the UK”.“From Europe to Asia, we are taking the fight to the people smugglers who enable irregular migration, targeting them wherever they are in the world and making them pay for their actions,” he added. The move follows legislation being introduced under the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill to ramp up enforcement powers for police forces and partners to investigate and prosecute people smugglers. As part of the new sanctions regime, which was introduced two days ago, the government can now freeze assets, impose travel bans and block access to the country’s financial system for individuals and entities involved in enabling irregular migration, without relying on criminal or counterterrorism laws.

Credit =Aljazeera

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National Mango Day (July 22 in Agriculture History)

1376 According to legend, the Pied Piper got rid of all the rats in the German town of Hamelin. When the townspeople refused to pay, the Pied Piper led all the towns children away. This is the date given by Richard Rowland Verstegan in 1605 – the earliest version in English. In ‘The Anatomy of Melancholy’ (1621) Robert Burton gives the date as June 20, 1484. Other dates range back to 1284 AD.

1461 Charles VII of France was born. His mistress, Agnes Sorel, was a celebrated cook who created several dishes, and had several culinary creations named in her honor. (Agnes Sorel soup garnish, Agnes Sorel Timbales, etc.).

1796 The city of Cleveland, Ohio was founded by General Moses Cleaveland of the Connecticut Land Company. The original spelling of Cleaveland was changed in 1831 when the ‘Cleveland Advertiser’ dropped the first “a” in the name to reduce the length of the newspaper’s masthead.

1822 Gregor (Johann) Mendel was born. Mendel was an Austrian botanist whose work was the foundation of the science of genetics. Working mainly with garden peas (some 28,000 plants over 7 years), he discovered what was to become know as the laws of heredity.

1915 Sir Sanford Fleming died. He devised the present system of time zones while working for the Canadian Pacific Railway.

1926 Dorcas Bates Reilly was born (died Oct 15, 2018). As Campbell’s test kitchen supervisor, she created the classic Green Bean Casserole. She also made hundreds of recipes throughout her career.

1942 Gasoline rationing with coupons began on the Atlantic coast of the U.S.

1952 Frank L. Zybach of Strasburg, Colorado received U.S. patent No. 2,604,359 for a “Self-Propelled Sprinkling Irrigating Apparatus.” This is the now familiar center-pivoting system that waters large circles of crops.

1956 Curnonsky (Maurice Edmond Sailland) died. At the age of 84, he leaned too far out of his window and fell to his death. French writer, novelist, biographer, and gastronome. Curnonsky was known as the “Prince of Gastronomes,” a title he was awarded in a public referendum in 1927, and a title no one else has ever been given.

CREDIT – www.foodreference.com

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Africa’s 8 Most Popular Cuisines

Africa is not just blessed with flora and fauna. The continent boasts a wide array of cultures and traditions, giving it a unique blend of diversity. One of the outstanding heritages of Africa is its culinary variety. Let’s look at the eight (8) most popular cuisines of Africa.

1 Jollof Rice (West Africa): A beloved dish made with rice, tomatoes, and various spices