Title: World Cup, Wars & Weather: How Global Events Shape Food Systems Subtitle: FIFA World Cup 2026 • Israel-Iran Conflict • Russia-Ukraine War • Climate Change • Oil Prices • AfCFTA • Dangote Refinery • Insecurity • Education & Development

What do football, war, climate change, oil prices, trade, education, insecurity, and politics have in common? They all shape our food systems.

Welcome to our weekly globaland local affairs discussion, where we connect the dots between major events and their often-overlooked impacts on agriculture, food systems, rural livelihoods, and sustainable development.

At The Lasgidi Farmer Podcast, we believe food systems are shaped not only by what happens on the farm, but also by decisions made in boardrooms, parliaments, international institutions, financial markets, and conflict zones.

In this episode, we begin with the recently concluded FIFA World Cup 2026, exploring why it was far more than a football tournament. We unpack the intricate links between sport, entertainment, food, culture, tourism, trade, politics, anddevelopment, showing how the tournament relied on complex supply chains, farmers, food processors, logistics, hospitality, MSMEs, and public infrastructure. We also examine both the opportunities and the hidden costs for host economies, including public expenditure, food systems, local businesses, and national development priorities.

The conversation then shifts to global geopolitics, examining the renewed Israel-Iran conflict, the prolonged Russia-Ukraine war, and their far-reaching consequences for energy markets, food prices, climate resilience, humanitarian assistance, andvulnerable economies across Africa. We also discuss the growing influence of El Niño and increasingly extreme weather events, from heatwaves and droughts to flash floods in Lagos and Abia States and what they mean for food production and livelihoods.

We also examine the recurring volatility in global oil markets, the role of the Dangote Refinery in strengthening Nigeria's domestic energy security, and the public debate over fuel pricing, affordability, and the wider implications for food production,transportation, and inflation.

Across Africa, we discuss regional integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), ECOWAS' ambition for a single West African currency, and the opportunities andchallenges facing the continent regarding this and also other important issues. Closer to home, we examine insecurity andkidnappings, including the attack at Orire in Oyo State, and how growing fear is affecting farming, investment, and rural development. We also explore education issues such as the WAEC fee increase, out-of-school children, NELFUND, youth development, SME support, and the national debate surroundingthe First Lady's remarks on akara businesses.

This episode is a reminder that food systems are interconnected with every aspect of society. Understanding these linkages is essential to building resilient agriculture, stronger economies, and sustainable development.

Join the conversation as we connect global events to local realities and uncover how today's headlines shape tomorrow'sfood systems.

#FoodSystems #FoodSecurity #Agriculture #Nigeria #FIFAWorldCup #WorldCup2026 #ClimateChange #Geopolitics #DangoteRefinery #EnergySecurity #FoodInflation #AfCFTA #Nigeria #AfricanDevelopment #Policy #Agribusiness #Development #TheLasgidiFarmerPodcast

This important cassava value chain conversation with Oluwole C.E.O of Golden in their operating facility in Ibarapa has long been in the archived to be published, repaired, optimized andsalvaged after being damaged to recording difficulties and transmission error.

We are glad to be able to publish it for listeners to gain invaluable insights on operating challenges within cassava processing for raw materials and value chain activities.

Goldenlad is a business-to-business company manufacturing important cassava raw materials for other companies’ function and production of finished products.

Oluwole enlightened about the business, challenges that help to clarify many of the assumptions we hold about cassavaprocessing.

📣 Last 3yrs when India halted the export of its rice 🌾 the ripple was felt in Africa 🌍 and in Nigeria . This year, fertilizer production disruption in the country had similar effects.

India is an agriculture powerhouse supplying important inputs for Africa’s food production and security. The country attained record grain 357.73 million metric tons (MMT) and horticulture output of 362.08 MMT, becoming world’s 2nd largest producer of rice and wheat.

💰India and Africa conduct a yearly trade of over $100 billion and is projected to double by 2030. She is Africa’s 4th largest trading partner. And Nigeria is India’s largest trading partner in Africa.

🛢️Oil and gas, minerals, machineries and automobiles, etc form huge proportion of the trade. But food and agricultural exports also constitutes 10% of the trade.

⚡️African countries are deepening energy and infrastructural investment -from Nigeria, to Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana, etc. India, dependent on global market for 85% of its crude oil needs was rocked with the recent Middle East supply chains disruptions.

⛽️ The country has daily 5.6 million barrels per day and 192 million standard cubic meters per day crude oil and natural gas. It represents an exciting opportunity.

🚜 We looked at this but also more of agricultural trade -increasing africa’s (and Nigeria’s) export beyond 35% and deficit and to include value added products.

🤝 We also on touched on areas, commonalities, and share perspectives, lessons, and knowledge that improve relationship and trade.

🏦 India does $51 billion annual agricultural exports and with $15 billion trade surplus, and powers by technology and digital inclusion.

We perused what Nigeria and other African countries can learn from this, how can they better leverage technology to improve domestic food production and security, and tap into enticing export markets, for instance India’s import bills of vegetable oils, pulses and fruits.

🧑🏾‍🌾 As there’s dramatical shift to sustainable and urban farming, clean energy and transportation techs across Africa but input still imported but local potential, how can domestic capacity improve with India’s developed capacity in biogas and planting materials from agricultural wastes.

🎙️This discourse was held with a rising Chevening Scholar, Himani Chandel experienced with development, communication, and multiple markets. Himani is a strategic communications professional and a former journalist with over 15 years of experience across media, social development sector, and public policy. She holds a Master's in Communication for Innovation and Development from the University of Reading and has worked with leading organisations in India including Plan International, Kailash Satyarthi Children's Foundation, founded by Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, and Press Trust of India, India's leading news agency.

Chandel with this rich experience, lived-reality, exposure, as well as growing up in a family with deep roots in agriculture, shared reflections to strengthen Nigeria and India relationships.

This discourse was about GMOs, biosecurity, food sovereignty -lessons from Northern America to adapt for Africa food sovereignty, with the continent's food insecurity situation and weak regulation, and how unregulated/dangerous synthetic chemicals (pesticides/herbicides) and food manipulation procedures could have disastrous effects.

The guest Dr. Michelle Perro, is a veteran pediatrician with over 40 years' experience in acute and integrative medicine, focusing on environmental health, pesticides, and GMO advocacy, and children wellness. She has extensively lectured on these both locally and globally. She authored the books "Making our Children Well" and "What's Making Our Children Sick?: How Industrial Food Is Causing an Epidemic of Chronic Illness, and What Parents (and Doctors) Can Do about It". Based in Northern California, she runs Down to Earth Pediatrics and serves as Executive Director of @gmoscience (https://gmoscience.org/), focusing on restoring children’s health through food and reducing toxic exposures. We discussed the current food issues in N/America (the United States in particular), increasing disorders/diseases correlated with GMOs and associated chemicals, and the biosecurity/regulation of the food system. It was discussed vis-a-vis Africa's prevailing realities and Dr. Perro's books/works and about Africa, to advise on actionable ways to strengthen Africa's food system for safer, healthier and rich foods.

The conversation had special focus on children and African children in particular. 👶Fetuses and infants have developing immune system and dependent on their mothers -connected by placenta and breast-feeding.

There’s been reports of pesticides found in breast milk and milk formulas 🧑‍🍼. The chemicals have also been reported to cross blood-brain barrier in developing fetuses.

🦠Gut microbiome play a huge role in the developing immune system of foetuses and infants. However, pesticides, for instance glyphosate, has been shown to have antibiotic effects. Thus, capable of eradicating good microbes in the gut and promoting harmful microbes, leading to microbial imbalance and toxic actions.

🚨Also, when genetically modified microbes (GMMs) are passed on to foetuses and infants from their mothers, horizontal gene transfer can occur between the introduced microbes that may carry resistant genes and and those in the little beings.

‼️This all could pose risk and possibly lead to immune dysregulation and resistance to medications. The presence of these xenobiotics have been correlated to rise in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and metabolic diseases, esp in children.

🧑‍🍼Children interact more with the environment, have broader surface area, and with increased temperature and attending perspiration promote increased absorption of sprayed pesticides accelerated by hot climate of the tropics, this make African and Nigerian children at particular risk.

Dr Michelle talked about what found researching GMOs and pesticides in Nigeria -GMOs adopted and commercialized, flooding the market unlabeled without proper verification of safety based on long-term and balanced study of safety, toxic agrochemicals (toxic at low conc) still sold in the market despite being banned, and also the international great lobby and local actors shoving down these food instruments in Nigeria.

The full conversation features many important topics:

✅ Broader definition of GMMs that’s often hidden and the potential risks

✅ Explanation on how modified microbes and pesticides could pose risks to children

✅ Alleged GMO Ginger and Nigeria export woe

✅ New threat -Glyphosate-Aluminium-Fluoride complex

✅ Pesticides & GMOs and Africa's food security

#DrMichellePerro #GMOScience #TheLasgidiFarmerPodcast #AfricaGMOs #GutHealth #Transgene #Microbiome #InfantHealth #SoilHealth #FoodTechnology #GeneticEngineering #GeneticallyModifiedMicrobes #NigerianChildren #AfricanChildren #FoodSovereignty

In this eye-opening episode of The Lasgidi Farmer Podcast, we dive deep into one of the most promising yet underdeveloped sectors in African agriculture — fish farming (aquaculture).

Despite Nigeria’s huge potential to become a major fish producer, the sector continues to struggle with low yields, high costs, disease outbreaks, and inefficient practices. A major reason? Extremely slow adoption of technology.

Joined by Kenechukwu Anoliefo, CTO of aquaSense+, we explore the real reasons why technology is still missing in most fish farms across Nigeria and Africa. From daily operational challenges faced by small and medium-scale farmers to the practical innovations that can transform the industry, this conversation uncovers both the hard truths and the hopeful pathways forward.

We discuss:

• Why fish farmers are still heavily dependent on manual methods
• The biggest barriers to technology adoption (beyond just cost)
• What “farmer-friendly” technology should look like in rural Africa
• Practical solutions that actually work on the ground
• The role of policy, investors, and farmers themselves in scaling innovation
• Honest lessons from building tech solutions for aquaculture

Whether you’re a fish farmer, agribusiness professional, policymaker, investor, or someone passionate about African agriculture and food security, this episode is packed with valuable insights and actionable ideas.

Guest: Kenechukwu Anoliefo – CTO, aquaSense+Listen now and share with every fish farmer and ag enthusiast you know! Follow The Lasgidi Farmer Podcast for more insightful conversations on African agriculture, agritech, and food systems.

#FishFarming #Aquaculture #Agritech #NigerianAgriculture #AfricanAgriculture #FoodSecurity #AgriTechNigeria #Nigeria#1AgriculturePodcast #aquasense+ #KenechukwuAnoliefo

Genetics and Technology for Better Fish Breeding in Nigeria – Insights from Nofima

In this insightful episode, we sit down with two leading experts from Nofima, one of the world’s top aquaculture research institutes in Norway:

• Dr. Anna Kristina Sonesson – Research Director in Genetics and Breeding

• Marie Lillehammer – Senior Researcher specializing in breeding program optimization

We explore how advanced genetics and breeding technologies can be practically applied to improve catfish farming in Nigeria. Topics include:

• Why genetics is critical for successful fish farming
• The hidden impact of inbreeding depression on African catfish (Clarias gariepinus)
• Practical tools and methods small-to-medium hatcheries can use
• How to balance local genetic diversity with improved strains
• Capacity building and advice for young Nigerians in aquaculture

Whether you’re a catfish farmer, hatchery owner, student, or aquaculture stakeholder, this episode offers valuable, actionable insights to help you produce stronger, healthier fish and improve your farm’s productivity.

#CatfishFarming #AquacultureNigeria #FishBreeding #GeneticsinAquaculture #BetterCatfishBreedNG #CatfishInbreeding #CatfishHatchery #AgriculturePodcast #TheLasgidiFarmerPodcast #Nofima #AnnaSonesson #MarieLillehammer #Norway #Nigeria #ImproveFishBreed #AquacultureInnovation

In this powerful and insightful episode of The Lasgidi Farmer Podcast, we sat down with Michael Akinsete, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Ecotutu, a pioneering Nigerian cleantech company transforming cold chain infrastructure.

Widely known as “The Food Systems Guy,” Michael brings deep expertise and passion as he discussed practical ways to tackle one of Nigeria’s most pressing challenges -the massive post-harvest losses that occur due to weak cold-chain logistics.

We dived deep into the staggering ₦3.5 to ₦5 trillion annual food waste crisis. The conversation examined how the lack of reliable cold chain infrastructure, erratic power supply, poor rural roads, high cost of conventional cold storage, and inefficient transportation systems cause large quantities of perishable produce -tomatoes, leafy vegetables, fruits, fish, meat, and root crops -to spoil before they reach the market. These losses lead to reduced incomes for smallholder farmers and aggregators, distress sales, higher food prices for consumers, increased malnutrition, and serious environmental consequences including wasted natural resources and higher greenhouse gas emissions.

Michael explained how Ecotutu is changing the game with innovative solar-powered, off-grid cold storage solutions specifically designed for Nigeria’s challenging environment. He highlighted the company’s flexible “pay-as-you-chill” model, also known as Cooling as a Service, which makes cooling affordable and accessible. Instead of requiring heavy upfront capital, farmers and aggregators can pay only for the cooling space they actually use, making it much more practical for small and medium players in the value chain.

The episode features inspiring real-life success stories from farmers and traders who have significantly reduced their losses, increased their income, and improved the quality of their produce thanks to Ecotutu’s solutions.

Michael also discussed the versatility of the technology -the same solar-powered systems are being used to safely store vaccines, medicines, and other temperature-sensitive medical supplies in off-grid and rural communities where electricity is unreliable.

Throughout the conversation, Michael spoke candidly about the real challenges of scaling clean technology in Nigeria, including financing difficulties, initial resistance from some farmers, supply chain issues, and the importance of community engagement to ensure long-term sustainability. He reflected on the lessons he has learned while building Ecotutu and the significance of being awarded the 2025 Nigerian Agripreneur of the Year by the Consulate General of the Netherlands in Lagos.

He also shared his thoughts on what is needed to scale resilient cold chains across the country -stronger government policies, innovative financing mechanisms such as grants and blended finance, and closer collaboration between the public sector, private sector, and farmer groups.

Michael closed with practical, actionable advice for smallholder farmers and aggregators on simple steps they can take to reduce losses, as well as valuable guidance for aspiring agritech entrepreneurs on how to develop sustainable, locally relevant solutions in Nigeria’s complex market.

Whether you are a farmer, aggregator, policymaker, investor, researcher, or anyone interested in food security, sustainable agriculture, cleantech, and climate solutions, this episode offers rich insights and genuine inspiration.

Guest: Michael Akinsete, Co-Founder & Chief Marketing Officer, Ecotutu | 2025 Nigerian Agripreneur of the Year

Subscribe to The Lasgidi Farmer Podcast for more deep dives into agricultural innovation and food system transformation in Nigeria and beyond.

#PostHarvestLoss #ColdChainNigeria #FoodSecurity #AgritechNigeria #SolarCooling #PostHarvestLosses #Ecotutu #NigeriaAgriculture #FoodWaste #ClimateSmartFarming #MichaelAkinsete #SustainableAgriculture #SocialEntrepreneurship #HealthcareLogistics #LasgidiFarmerPodcast