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Showing posts with label GCP21. Show all posts
Showing posts with label GCP21. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Researchers target at agribusiness


Research activities in the agricultural sector over the last 12 months are majorly targeted at improving productivity of the sector as well as improving the lives of farmers, particularly the small holder farmers.
Just recently was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), to unleash the potential of agriculture and natural resources in Africa.
The MoU is to help in building the critical human capital to address present and future challenges like climate change, pest and disease of the agricultural sector. It will also look into the development of the sector while engaging the youths and giving them the needed tools to be fruitful.
The 2012 edition of Global Cassava Partnership for the 21st Century (GCP21) held in June in Uganda had over 300 global leading cassava researchers in attendance who discussed the ways to improve productivity of cassava with the use of scientific research and development approach.
As a body working on research and development of cassava crop, GCP21 has 45 member institutions conducting research about the crop.
NaijaAgroNet recalled that researchers at the GCP21 urge concerned stakeholders dialogue with farmers and other stakeholders using scientific and technical meetings that farmers can actually leverage on research and development for a better productivity.
Other issues discussed during the conference include seeking smart strategies, funding opportunities and catalyzing solutions to tackle technical challenges like cassava genomics, and bringing about a significant transformation in cassava in order to impact people’s lives, especially those that depend on the crop for survival.
On the other side, The Wellcome Trust late 2011 granted the sum of £500,000 about N128.044 million for a research on how humans influence domestic dogs.
The study which happens to be the largest studies into the relationship between man and dog looked into the way man breed, feed, train and socialize with dogs.
Also earlier in 2012, the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) hosted a gathering of United Kingdom (UK) Parliamentarians and Civil Servants, African farmers, international donors and scientists which called for a reshape of agricultural research which would serve as developmental goals and work towards public good.
Items that topped the agenda of the gathering include plant breeding and seed selection, options for managing soil fertility, options for developing accessible markets, ways of governing, organising, funding and practising research.
The types of policies needed to transform Africa’s agriculture, comprising changes to tenure, subsidies and investment were also discussed.

Yinka Awosanya/LS
... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Friday, August 10, 2012

‘Africa produces 50% of global cassava’


Of all the total cassava produced globally, Africa accounted for 50 per cent followed by Asia with 30 per cent and Latin America 20 per cent.
Despite the fact that African farmers recorded the lowest output per hectare, it still took the lead as every countries in the Western, Central, Eastern as well as North-South regions of the continent produced cassava on a land mass of 12.5 million hectares to beat Asia using 3.5million hectares and Latin America with 3million hectares.
Africa land mass contributed to the volume of Cassava produced as productivity is still very low with 10tones per hectare compared to Asia and Latin America with 19 tonnes per hectare and 12 tonnes per hectare respectively.
A Cassava fact sheet by the Global Cassava Partnership of the 21st Century (GCP21) made available to NaijaAgroNet revealed that more than 250 million Sub-Saharan Africans rely on cassava as their major source of calories while over 700 million people globally rely on cassava as a staple crop.
Also, NaijaAgroNet gathered that Asia recorded the highest growth in cassava production from about 15 tonnes per hectare in 2002 to about 18 tonnes per hectare in 2008, while Africa recorded 11 tonnes per hectare in 2008, showing a growth of 3 tonnes per hectare over 8 tonnes per hectare recorded in 2004.
Thailand on the other hand recorded a sharp drop from 25 tonnes per hectare in 2004 to about 22 tonnes per hectare in 2008.


Yinka Awosanya
... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Monday, June 18, 2012

300 leading cassava researchers to attend GCP21


About 300 global leading cassava researchers and stakeholders would attend Global Cassava Partnership for the 21st Century (GCP21) scheduled to hold between June 18 and 22, 2012.
The international cassava conference to be held in Uganda would focus on improving cassava productivity through scientific research and development.
The organisers in a press release made available to NaijaAgroNet stated that GCP21 consists of 45 member institutions working on research and development of cassava.
The Cassava Global Partnership, NaijaAgroNet learnt advocates for cassava issues while leveraging research and development by facilitating dialogue among farmers and stakeholders through scientific and technical meetings.
The partnership also seeks smart strategies, funding opportunities and catalyzing solutions to technical challenges like cassava genomics.
The chairman of GCP21-II, and scientist at NaCRRI, Dr. Yona Baguma said the greatest reward of his life time would be to bring about a significant transformation in cassava to impact on peoples' lives especially those who depend on the crop.
GCP21, in 2011 had initiated several research projects totaling over $60 million, about N9.6 billion in grants in the areas of cassava genomics, genetic engineering, biofortification, genetics and biology.
The report of the research projects would be presented at GCP21-II.
Participants will exchange knowledge and experiences in the areas of socio-economics, biodiversity and genetic resources, post-harvest, starch modification, nutrition, genomics, molecular genetic markers and gene discovery, tissue culture and transformation, biotic and abiotic stresses, participatory research and technology transfer.
Yinka Awosanya/LS
... Linking agrobiz, people & technology