Agriculture
In Bauchi, this young farmer is scaling despite spectre of insecurity
When Yettore Farms began operations in 2005, it was responding to a growing demand in Bauchi State for reliable poultry products such as eggs, meat, and manure.
Like many indigenous agribusinesses in Northern Nigeria, the journey has not been smooth. The farm faced early challenges and even suspended operations in 2011, but nearly two decades later, it is still standing — scaling despite economic shocks, insecurity, and policy disruptions that have forced many agribusinesses to shut down.
“We were forced to pause production because of internal operational challenges,” said the Managing Director of Yettore Farms, Adamu Tilde.
“But we revived the business in 2020 with clearer structures and a renewed focus on sustainability and scale,” he added.
Yettore Farms is a multi-product livestock and poultry enterprise that produces eggs, broiler meat, beef, rams, and organic manure. Operating from Bauchi State, the company supplies markets within the state and across Kano, Kaduna, Adamawa, Gombe, Taraba, Yobe, Maiduguri, and Abuja.
At its core, Yettore Farms maintains approximately 50,000 laying hens and has the capacity to hold up to 1,000 cattle and 10,000 broiler chicks at any time, in addition to thousands of rams during festive seasons.
The farm is also developing a permanent 10-hectare site along the Jos–Bauchi Expressway that will include a mini abattoir and cold storage facilities to support processing operations.
“Our goal is to increase egg production to 100,000 birds by the end of 2027,” Mr Tilde said.
Building scale from Bauchi
Strategically located in Tilde, along the Jos–Bauchi Expressway, the farm’s current site has been fully maximised.
“We have currently exhausted our existing space. That is why we are developing a permanent company site and working towards increasing production capacity,” Mr Tilde noted.
The planned expansion will enable the farm to support processing lines for both chicken and beef products, reinforcing its position as one of the larger private livestock operations in Bauchi State.
“At full capacity, we can hold up to 1,000 head of cattle, about 10,000 broiler chicks at any given time, and thousands of rams during festive seasons,” he explained.
Yettore Farms’ structured approach is rooted in professional expertise. Most of its management team are trained animal scientists and veterinarians.
“Professionalism is what sets us apart. When your management team understands animal science and veterinary practice, it naturally influences how the enterprise is run. Our watchwords are quality and reliability. We want to be ethical and sustainable in our approach,” Mr Tilde said.
Daily operations reflect this professional orientation. The Operations Manager, Abdulkarim Adam, supervises production, monitors quality, and ensures safety standards are maintained.
“I review performance data daily, update records, and plan the next day’s activities to maintain productivity and minimise waste,” he said.
Feed and biosecurity are the largest operational costs, and disease monitoring remains a constant challenge.
READ ALSO: ICARRD+20: Coalition calls for end to public financing of factory farming
“One of our biggest challenges is early detection of diseases and identifying causes of mortality. This is made more difficult by limited access to standard laboratories and diagnostic tools,” Mr Adam added.
Yettore Farms supplying markets beyond Bauchi
From its Bauchi base, Yettore Farms distributes products across several northern states.
“Nigeria’s market is large and expansive. We don’t restrict ourselves to a single customer group because everyone consumes eggs and meat,” Mr Tilde said.
The farm is also developing a business line targeting hotels, restaurants, and urban consumers interested in free-range and organic produce. However, distribution is constrained by infrastructure.
“Due to road conditions, we currently use non-temperature-controlled vehicles. We complement this with early morning and late evening deliveries to reduce heat exposure,” Mr Adam added.
While refrigerated vans would be ideal, cost remains prohibitive.
Surviving economic shocks
Rising feed prices, fuel costs, subsidy removal, and naira devaluation have tested the farm’s resilience.
“The last three years have been nothing short of a rollercoaster. We experienced a cashless policy, subsidy removal, and naira devaluation almost back to back,” Mr Tilde said.
He illustrated the impact with input costs.
“Before subsidy removal and naira devaluation, a day-old chick sold for between ₦650 and ₦700 as of April 2023. Today, it is about ₦2,500. A 25kg bag of finished feed (layer mash) cost about ₦7,500 as of May 2023, though this varied by company. Today, it sells for about ₦14,000, and at some point it was close to ₦20,000.”
Despite these pressures, production levels were maintained.
“We did what needed to be done, managed resources prudently, cut costs where possible, and remained hopeful. But we did not reduce our production volume,” Mr Tilde said, adding that financial discipline has been key.
“Prudent and judicious use of resources has been crucial,” he added.
Spectre of Insecurity
Beyond economic pressures, security challenges have also shaped the farm’s operating environment. Mr Tilde explained that insecurity in Northern Nigeria varies across locations and intensity, ranging from banditry to farmer–herder clashes and insurgency.
“We have had our own share of security challenges, largely due to the incursion of dispersed bandits from the Zamfara axis into southern Bauchi,” he said. He disclosed that he lost his brother during a bandit attack, describing the experience as deeply traumatic.
According to him, the farm has been able to continue operations largely due to the intervention of the Bauchi State Government and security agencies.
“We remained in business because of the prompt and decisive response of His Excellency, Senator Bala Mohammed, the Governor of Bauchi State, to the bandit attacks recorded between 2020 and 2023, as well as the efforts of our security personnel. Since then, there have been few incidents of banditry or any other form of attack,” he said.
Jobs and local economic impact
Yettore Farms employs 57 permanent staff, excluding casual workers and interns. Indirect employment is generated through suppliers, transporters, and off-takers.
“At any given time, the farm is a beehive of activity. Either egg off-takers are loading products or feed suppliers are delivering inputs,” Mr Tilde said.
Workers like Adam Mustapha have grown alongside the farm.
“I started as a hall attendant, feeding and maintaining pens. Later, I became hall in-charge and then assistant manager,” he said.
“From my monthly salary, I can save money and use it to support my crop farming,” he added.
Beyond income, Mr Mustapha highlighted skill development.
“I’ve learned how to manage day-old chicks, identify sick birds, differentiate between laying and non-laying pullets, and handle record-keeping.”
Customer experience and market perception
Retailers like Mas’ud Rimi rely on Yettore Farms for both quality and reliability.
“The products are cheaper and easily accessible,” he said. “It has positively affected my business because of the steady supply,” he added.
Deliveries are largely dependable.
“They deliver to my shop reliably,” he said, while noting that price fluctuation and lack of farm-owned delivery vehicles for wholesalers remain areas for improvement.
The farm’s next phase focuses on gaining greater control of the production value chain.
“Without end-to-end control of production businesses, you will always be at the mercy of middlemen,” Mr Tilde said.
Expansion plans include strengthening feed milling operations and transportation logistics. For Northern agribusiness more broadly, Mr Tilde believes technology adoption will determine competitiveness.
“Integrating advanced technology into production and processing is essential. But access to cheap and patient capital remains the biggest challenge,” he said.
On youth participation in agribusiness, Mr Tilde said that while impact is difficult to measure, he hopes his journey will encourage others.
“There is no metric to measure that. However, I do hope and pray that by sharing bits of my activities on social media, I might inspire some young people to venture into agribusiness,” he said.
He advised aspiring entrepreneurs to focus on practical action rather than online pessimism.
“They should stop listening to talkers and start paying serious attention to doers. Many positive things are happening in the country, and the agribusiness space is vast and barely scratched. If your understanding of Nigeria’s prospects is shaped mainly by social media, you risk misreading the country’s true potential.”
Despite the scale of its operations, Mr Tilde said the farm has not benefited from government support.
“So far, I have not received any form of support whatsoever from the government in the region or country,” he said.
Scaling in Bauchi and beyond, Yettore Farms exemplifies the resilience of Northern agribusinesses. Its growth under rising costs, security challenges, and policy shocks shows how professional management, strategic planning, and local enterprise can sustain jobs, support livelihoods, and strengthen the region’s economy.
“Scaling under these circumstances is not easy, but it is possible with careful planning, discipline, and the right mindset. That’s exactly what we are doing at Yettore Farms,” Mr Tilde noted.
Africa’s next food crisis may not begin on the farm, but in a distant shipping lane. With the Iran war, international attention has focused on oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz and related shortages or price spikes in energy and fuel. Less visible is another vulnerability moving through the same corridor: the fertilisers underpinning global food production.
Fertiliser supply disruptions feed directly into food prices and agricultural output, and most African countries have high import volumes and are ill-positioned to absorb the shock. Domestic production in Africa is insufficient to meet the growing demand.
Production capacity exists in parts of North and West Africa, driven by massive phosphate deposits and natural gas reserves. Morocco leads in phosphates, accounting for over 50 per cent of Africa’s supply and ranks among the top five global phosphate fertiliser exporters, while Nigeria, Egypt and Algeria dominate in nitrogenous (urea) fertiliser production.
A significant share of global fertiliser output is tied to energy-rich regions, particularly in the Gulf. The Middle East is a major hub for nitrogen-based fertilisers, reflecting the local availability of natural gas, which underpins ammonia and urea production.
The Strait of Hormuz connects these production hubs to global markets through a single, highly exposed shipping route. Almost 50 per cent of the globally traded sulphur used in phosphate fertilisers moves through it, making it a critical corridor for global agricultural inputs.
In parts of the Gulf, fertiliser plants have reduced output or paused operations. Even major producers like Morocco’s OCP Group are affected.
Fertiliser production relies on critical inputs like sulphur, much of which is sourced from the Persian Gulf, particularly the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, regions entangled in these disrupted trade routes. As sulphur supply tightens, production cannot be scaled up, even where phosphate reserves are abundant, and domestic logistics remain intact.
Constrained production will also erode export revenues for Africa’s major fertiliser exporters. Morocco and Egypt, together accounting for roughly 70 per cent of the continent’s fertiliser exports, could be disproportionately affected. At the same time, net importers, like Ethiopia, Côte d’Ivoire, Zambia, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, face heightened risks of food inflation and declining crop yields.
The combined effect is a dual shock: export earnings weaken for producers, while import-dependent economies absorb rising costs and agricultural stress, amplifying macroeconomic and food security pressures.
Urea prices have surged from just under $500 per tonne before the conflict to above $700 per tonne in recent weeks. In South Africa, where roughly 80 per cent of crop production inputs are imported, and fertiliser constitutes a major share, grain farmers face input cost increases of up to 35 per cent. As Africa’s largest supplier of packaged foods, these pressures will likely transmit through the food system, worsening inflation.
Disruptions place disproportionate pressure on Africa’s low-industrialised farming systems. Fertiliser use remains far below global levels, averaging just 17 kg to 23 kg per hectare compared with a global average of 135 kg per hectare, reflecting persistent constraints on affordability and access. Reduced access to fertiliser is likely to lower application rates, with direct knock-on effects on crop yields and overall production across the growing season.
The stakes are particularly high given the central role of agriculture in African economies. The sector employs between 60 per cent and 70 per cent of the workforce, with rates exceeding 80 per cent in countries like Burundi, Malawi and Madagascar. However, it is dominated by smallholder farmers with limited capacity to absorb rising input costs or supply disruptions, making them acutely vulnerable to fertiliser shocks.
The lesson is not only about exposure tied to price volatility risks. It is also one of the structural vulnerabilities and untapped capacities. Africa holds many of the inputs required to reduce this dependency: natural gas reserves in Nigeria, Mozambique, Tanzania and Senegal; significant phosphate resources in Morocco and Tunisia; and rapidly growing demand driven by the need to boost agricultural productivity and contain food crises.
Converting this resource base into production and supply capacity is achievable, but requires focusing on three priorities.
First, production must be scaled strategically. Not every country needs to produce fertiliser, but a core group with comparative advantages could anchor regional supply. Second, markets must be integrated. Without efficient cross-border trade, lower transport costs and reliable distribution, increased production won’t translate into access. The African Continental Free Trade Area agreement provides a ready framework, but it must be operationalised.
Third, fertiliser policy must extend beyond production. Supply depends on functioning ecosystems: storage, blending, transport, finance and last-mile delivery. Without these, fertiliser will not reach farmers at scale. These segments create space for local entrepreneurship. The growth of agri-tech platforms such as Hello Tractor and Apollo Agriculture shows what’s possible, but these remain the exception, not the norm.
Self-sufficiency is neither feasible nor necessary. However, the current disruption exposes the cost of leaving a strategic input to external markets. Greater regional capacity would not eliminate global exposure, but would reduce the extent to which distant crises dictate African food systems.
The Hormuz shock is a warning about the fragility of supply chains. It exposes a persistent blind spot in agricultural policy debates. While financing gaps and farm-level productivity dominate the agenda, less attention is given to upstream supply chains that shape access to critical inputs such as fertiliser.
It’s a reminder that agricultural stability and food security depend not just on seeds, rainfall and land, but on whether Africa can build the industrial foundations that address the fertiliser system deficit and make food production less vulnerable to external dependencies.
A previous version of this article was published in Africa Tomorrow, the blog of the ISS African Futures and Innovation Programme.
Julia Baum, Website Consultant and Marvellous Ngundu, Research Consultant, Institute for Security Studies (ISS).
(This article was first published by ISS Today, a Premium Times syndication partner. We have their permission to republish).
The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) says it has ordered the suspension of four new transgenic cotton hybrid varieties in Nigeria.
The varieties are MIC 561 BGII, MIC 563 BGII, BIOSEED-FIYAH CH1001, and BIOSEED-FIYAH CH1002. They were allegedly registered by the National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds and Fisheries on 26 March 2026 without the requisite approval of NBMA.
In a statement issued Tuesday and signed by NBMA’s Head of Information and Public Relations, Gloria Ogbaki, the agency said its regulatory surveillance and compliance-monitoring mechanisms identified “serious compliance abnormalities” in the varieties.
“The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) wishes to inform the public of recent developments concerning the registration of four new transgenic cotton hybrid varieties in Nigeria – MIC 561 BGII, MIC 563 BGII, BIOSEED-FIYAH CH1001, BIOSEED-FIYAH CH1002,” the statement said.
Background
Genetically modified (GM) crops are plants whose DNA has been altered using genetic engineering to introduce desirable traits such as resistance to pests, diseases, or environmental conditions, as well as improved nutritional value.
In Nigeria, the adoption of GM crops has remained contentious. While proponents argue that the technology can boost food production and enhance food security, critics have raised concerns about environmental and health risks, weak regulatory enforcement, and inadequate labelling.
According to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), more than 30 major food crops have been genetically modified globally. Nigeria has approved four crops—maize, cowpea, cotton, and soybean—for commercialisation and is among six African countries leading in biotech crop adoption.
In 2024, the government approved four varieties of Tela maize, further intensifying debates over GM crop safety and transparency.
Concerns also persist over farmers’ limited knowledge of GM seed characteristics, potential dependence on seed companies, and the broader impact on traditional farming systems.
An investigation by PREMIUM TIMES and international partners in 2024 revealed how the U.S. government, through the now-defunct USAID, funded pesticide and GM-related advocacy campaigns in Nigeria, including efforts that profiled critics of GMOs.
As debates continue, the suspension of the new cotton varieties underscores ongoing challenges around biosafety compliance and regulatory oversight in Nigeria’s biotechnology sector.
Findings
The agency said its findings confirmed that confined field trials and related activities involving the varieties were conducted without prior authorisation, inspection, or regulatory oversight.
“At no time did the National Biosafety Management Agency grant any approval for the confined field trials, multi-locational trials, or commercial release of the new GM cotton varieties,” the statement said.
Under the NBMA Act, the agency said, no person or institution is permitted to conduct confined field trials, multi-locational trials, or the commercial release of genetically modified organisms without its explicit approval.
It added that any action outside this framework constitutes a violation of national biosafety regulations.
NBMA said it has directed the National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds and Fisheries to suspend further action on the varieties pending the outcome of ongoing investigations.
READ ALSO: BUA Foods Posts N1.77 Trillion Revenue, announces N28 Dividend
“The Agency will apply all appropriate regulatory measures and sanctions as provided under the law,” the statement added.
The agency assured Nigerians that it is handling the matter with seriousness.
“There is no evidence at this time of any immediate risk to public health or the environment and all necessary steps are being taken to ensure continued safety and regulatory integrity,” the statement said.
NBMA reiterated its commitment to ensuring that biotechnology activities in Nigeria comply with national laws and international best practices, adding that the public will be kept informed as investigations progress.
The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) says it has ordered the suspension of four new transgenic cotton hybrid varieties in Nigeria.
The varieties are MIC 561 BGII, MIC 563 BGII, BIOSEED-FIYAH CH1001, and BIOSEED-FIYAH CH1002. They were allegedly registered by the National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds and Fisheries on 26 March 2026 without the requisite approval of NBMA.
In a statement issued Tuesday and signed by NBMA’s Head of Information and Public Relations, Gloria Ogbaki, the agency said its regulatory surveillance and compliance-monitoring mechanisms identified “serious compliance abnormalities” in the varieties.
“The National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA) wishes to inform the public of recent developments concerning the registration of four new transgenic cotton hybrid varieties in Nigeria – MIC 561 BGII, MIC 563 BGII, BIOSEED-FIYAH CH1001, BIOSEED-FIYAH CH1002,” the statement said.
Background
Genetically modified (GM) crops are plants whose DNA has been altered using genetic engineering to introduce desirable traits such as resistance to pests, diseases, or environmental conditions, as well as improved nutritional value.
In Nigeria, the adoption of GM crops has remained contentious. While proponents argue that the technology can boost food production and enhance food security, critics have raised concerns about environmental and health risks, weak regulatory enforcement, and inadequate labelling.
According to the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA), more than 30 major food crops have been genetically modified globally. Nigeria has approved four crops—maize, cowpea, cotton, and soybean—for commercialisation and is among six African countries leading in biotech crop adoption.
In 2024, the government approved four varieties of Tela maize, further intensifying debates over GM crop safety and transparency.
Concerns also persist over farmers’ limited knowledge of GM seed characteristics, potential dependence on seed companies, and the broader impact on traditional farming systems.
An investigation by PREMIUM TIMES and international partners in 2024 revealed how the U.S. government, through the now-defunct USAID, funded pesticide and GM-related advocacy campaigns in Nigeria, including efforts that profiled critics of GMOs.
As debates continue, the suspension of the new cotton varieties underscores ongoing challenges around biosafety compliance and regulatory oversight in Nigeria’s biotechnology sector.
Findings
The agency said its findings confirmed that confined field trials and related activities involving the varieties were conducted without prior authorisation, inspection, or regulatory oversight.
“At no time did the National Biosafety Management Agency grant any approval for the confined field trials, multi-locational trials, or commercial release of the new GM cotton varieties,” the statement said.
Under the NBMA Act, the agency said, no person or institution is permitted to conduct confined field trials, multi-locational trials, or the commercial release of genetically modified organisms without its explicit approval.
It added that any action outside this framework constitutes a violation of national biosafety regulations.
NBMA said it has directed the National Committee on Naming, Registration and Release of Crop Varieties, Livestock Breeds and Fisheries to suspend further action on the varieties pending the outcome of ongoing investigations.
READ ALSO: BUA Foods Posts N1.77 Trillion Revenue, announces N28 Dividend
“The Agency will apply all appropriate regulatory measures and sanctions as provided under the law,” the statement added.
The agency assured Nigerians that it is handling the matter with seriousness.
“There is no evidence at this time of any immediate risk to public health or the environment and all necessary steps are being taken to ensure continued safety and regulatory integrity,” the statement said.
NBMA reiterated its commitment to ensuring that biotechnology activities in Nigeria comply with national laws and international best practices, adding that the public will be kept informed as investigations progress.
Arsenal Ready First Bid For Morgan Rogers
APC denies involvement in killing of Accord Party member in Osun
Rangers Face ‘Difficult’ Transfer Negotiations To Land Swap Deal
Simi Sanya and Femi Dapson Are Now Legally Married and It Is Beautiful to See
FCT Area Council Election: Live results from polling units
Premier League Set-Piece Goals (2025/2026)
-
Sports22 hours agoFIFA Allow Rainbow Flags at World Cup ‘Pride Match’ Featuring Iran vs Egypt
-
Sports2 days agoThomas Partey Could Be Blocked From Knockout Tie
-
Sports15 hours agoRaphinha’s Wife Debunks ‘Financial Problems’ Claim From World Cup Winner
-
Sports1 day agoRory McIlroy Risks Breaking PGA Tour Rule That Led to One-Year Ban
-
Sports22 hours agoUruguay Players ‘Revolt Against Marcelo Bielsa’ Ahead of Spain Game
-
Sports2 days agoJon Jones Names UFC Opponent Who Hit Him the Hardest
-
Sports2 days ago
Jon Jones Names UFC Opponent Who Hit Him the Hardest
-
Sports1 day agoTrent Alexander-Arnold Could Have Played For the USMNT Instead of England