FAO injects N97,117m to fight pests, diseases in Botswana

NaijaAgroNet

The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has said it has injected P281 000 million, about N97,117 million in a bio security joint project with the Ministry of Agriculture to fight pests and diseases in Botswana.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the project which was officially launched at Ramokgwebana border post by the assistant Minister of Agriculture, Fidelis Molao, is expected to clamp down on the risks of unsafe and contaminated plants and foodstuffs from being brought into Botswana, even though the awareness campaign which is targeted at cross-border travelers is expected to educate the public on the importance of bringing into the country plants and non plants which have been inspected and pest free.

According to THEVOICEBW, an FAO representative, David Tibe, said that bio security is critical if Botswana is to maintain and upscale its food security: “Increased travel is also creating more pathways to spread diseases, pests and other hazards that are moving faster and further than ever before,” Tibe said.

Tibe added that the joint project will help the ministry of agriculture and other stakeholders to improve their capacities at all levels to provide public services to plant and animal health as well as food safety, NaijaAgroNet learnt.

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South Africa output decline to affect Swaziland, others

NaijaAgroNet

South Africa, a regional food-basket has recorded a 31 per cent decline in output this year, a situation that is likely to cause a ripple effect across importers: Swaziland, Botswana and Lesotho.

The current maize harvest in South Africa, NaijaAgroNet reports, is "the lowest yield since 2007," the country’s agriculture department said, adding that the country will have to import around 600,000 tonnes of maize to cover the deficit and meet its contractual export obligations. The prolonged dry spells in parts of the region have also reduced grazing land and feed for livestock, and are likely to push up the prices of red meat, milk, chickens and egg.

This was the background as leaders of 15 southern African countries gather for an annual summit from Monday to Tuesday as the region grapples with serious food shortages that have left a record number of people hungry. A toxic mix of erratic rains, abnormally high temperatures and floods have wreaked havoc on farming, writing off the bulk of this year’s crop.

As the region hungrily awaits the outcome of the meeting, NaijaAgroNet gathered, an estimated 27.4-million people out of the region’s combined population of 292-million — or nearly one in 10 people — would be depending on food handouts by the end of the year. Yields of the staple corn have shrunk by up to 90 per cent in some countries of the 15-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC), a June report by the group said.

The World Food Programme (WFP) spokesman, David Orr said Zimbabwe and Malawi were facing their "worst food security crisis" in a decade. Zimbabwe, with a shortfall of 49 per cent, will need to import 700,000 tonnes of the staple corn to feed 1.5-million people.
In Malawi, NaijaAgroNet learnt, floods earlier this year ravaged fields, killing 176 people. Traditionally the third largest producer of maize in the region, this year it is being forced to import from neighbour Zambia. According to official estimates, up to 2.8-million Malawians will need food relief from year end when the food shortages peak.

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Pix: David Orr

Lagos, partners Botswana, Kenya on Eko animal project

Anthony Nwakaegho/NaijaAgroNet

The Lagos state government is partnering with organisations in Botswana and Kenya to fully harness the Eko large Ruminant Animal Project.

This was made known in a release from the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and made available to NaijaAgroNet that the project is to enhance the integration of cognate sub projects such as feeding milling operation to ensure timely availability of quality compound animal feeds in the desired quantities.

It quoted the Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Prince Gbolahan Lawal  as saying that the partnership will assist in carrying out animal slaughtering, processing, distribution and the marketing of processed beef.

Lawal said that members of staff and Butchers Association and selected stakeholders are currently on study tour of these two countries in this respect.

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pix:Lagos State Gov.Raji Fashola