Nutrition: SBN Nigeria overtakes Zambia in growth

NaijaAgroNet:

The Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Business Network Nigeria has overtaken its Zambia counterpart in growth, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The manager, SUN Business Network, Mr. Jonathan Tench, revealed this to NaijaAgroNet at a one-day SUN Business Network convening in Lagos, Tuesday.

According to him, SBN Nigeria at the last count, has 53 members on the network, therefore leading in Africa.

This was the position occupied by Zambia in Africa until Tuesday on membership of Scaling Up Nutrition Business Network.

He also told NaijaAgroNet that the London-based SUN has over 250 companies in Africa that have signed up on its members.

“Nigeria is coming highest in Africa beating Zambia to it, membership of SUN,” he said.

Also speaking, the Team Coordinator for SUN Nigeria, Uduak Igbeka urged Nigerian actors in the nutrition subsector, especially the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to embrace SUN and make their impacts known as far as scaling up nutrition is concerned.

She noted that in less than a year of establishing SBN in Nigeria, it has garnered 53 members on the network.

The event saw two sessions, namely the “Access to Finance for Business in Nutrition” and “Supporting Partnership Sector to Contribute to Nutrition in Nigeria” with professor of Food Science and Technology at Bells University of Technology, Prof. Olugbenga Ogunmoyela.

Other dignitaries that graced the event included the Director, Programmes at Civil Society, Scale Up Nutrition Nigeria (CS-SUNN) Mrs Beatrice Eluaka, Regional Director, Ashoka, Josephine Nzerem, Director, Dangote Foundation, Dr. Francis Aminu, Senior Programme Advisor, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr. Victor Adjero, Dr. Ndidi Nwuneli of Sahel Capital & Partners among others.

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EU signs N22.086trn grant with Zambia, improves access to energy

NaijaAgroNet:

The European Union (EU) has signed up the sum of €65 million, about N22,086,252,500.00, grant with Zambia to improve access to energy, reports NaijaAgroNet.

This programme, NaijaAgroNet gathered would provide access to reliable, clean and affordable electricity services to at least 63,000 households, or about 300,000 people, to social and public infrastructure and to eligible Micro Small Enterprises (MSEs), which will be done through the rehabilitation and expansion of the low voltage distribution network in selected low income areas of Lusaka City with high population density.

The financing agreement for a grant of €65 million was signed today in Brussels by Commissioner for International Development and Cooperation Neven Mimica and the Minister of Finance of the Republic of Zambia Felix Mutati. This took place in the framework of a meeting where Commissioner Mimica and Minister Mutati exchanged views on the very good bilateral relations between the European Union and Zambia.

Speaking on this occasion, Commissioner Neven Mimica said: "This €65 million programme demonstrates the continued commitment of the European Union in collaboration with European Financial Institutions (EFIs) to provide the much needed capital investment for basic infrastructure development, in order to improve the livelihood and social status of poor communities in Zambia. 

"The rehabilitation of the low voltage distribution network and the new connections will allow for the provision of reliable and affordable energy services and economic empowerment. The programme will support the implementation of the European External Investment Plan which prioritises socio-economic development through infrastructure and energy in particular."

The project is co-financed with the European Investment Bank (EIB), which provides additional loans amounting to €15 Million. It is also part of a larger Lusaka Transmission and Distribution Rehabilitation plan, co-financed by the European Investment Bank, the World Bank and ZESCO Limited.

Currently Lusaka faces challenges, because its electricity network infrastructure results in significant energy losses. This is coupled with an increasing population in high density low-income areas, which is unable to access electricity services due to high connection costs. 

Lack of access to electricity services seriously deprives the affected population, in terms of quality of life and exposure to various hazards that go with it (in-door pollution, unsafe cooking, poor social services, low self-esteem etc..), worsening the social inequality gap between the low density and high density urban areas.

In addition to the rehabilitation and expansion of the low voltage distribution network, the programme includes a connection-fee subsidy scheme to encourage new household connections as well as measures to promote productive uses of electricity by women and Micro and Small Enterprises. These will include facilitated access to micro credit lines and training in business management and entrepreneurship.

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World Farmers lights up Zambia with ‘Partnership for growth’

NaijaAgroNet:

The sixth session of the World Farmers Organisation (WFO) General Assembly 2016 commenced in the city of Livingstone, Zambia on Wednesday will last till Saturday, with main theme on ‘Partnership for Growth’ reports NaijaAgroNet.

The theme, NaijaAgroNet also reports was in view to promote the importance of a farmer-centric approach of the sector-lead to the work programme of WFO.

The Secretary General of WFO, Marco Marzano de Marinis, opened the event at the AVANI Victoria Falls Resort, Livingstone, Zambia, bringing together WFO members and non member farmers’ organizations from about 60 countries worldwide, ministers, key government representatives as well as UN officials, academia and research institutions.

NaijaAgroNet also reports that WFO General Assembly built momentum on the status of arts of the organization as well as to set goals and achievements and also to focus on innovative solutions for the upcoming years.

Marinis also noted that last year represented a crucial year for the international community works towards the achievement of a global sustainability, pointing out that the WFO has been very much involved in the overall negotiation process for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including representing the voice of farmers in the six interactive dialogues organised in 2015, in consultation with the United Nations Member States.

WFO further commended the farmers’ advocacy work, stressing that an entire goal number 2 is dedicated to food security and agriculture.

NaijaAgroNet reports that in recognition of the central role played by the WFO during the negotiations for the SDGs and Agenda 2030, as well as, its active participation in ECOSOC work, the WFO was invited to address the plenary session of the 2015 United Nations General Assembly in New York, on 26th September 2015.

At COP21, WFO, as leader of the farmers’ constituency, attended with a huge delegation and was actively engaged in a series of activities to raise awareness of the critical role agriculture plays in climate change mitigation and adaptation actions.

For WFO President, Evelyn Nguleka said that the 2016 General Assembly of the WFO held under the overarching theme of Partnership for Growth, with a view to promote the importance of a holistic approach to the agricultural sector, where different actors stand together for the same goal implementing sustainable food systems; ensure that farmers of the world gain an effective position in the food chain; look after the environment; implement together the Sustainable Development Goals and the Agenda 2030.

“Establishing effective partnership is and remains a great priority of the WFO” she said.

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Ousmane Badiane, Eric Kaduru win 2015 Yara Prize

NaijaAgroNet:

The Director for Africa, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Dr. Ousmane Badiane and the Founder  and standing Chief Executive Officer (CEO), KadAfrica, Mr. Eric Kaduru, will be honoured with the 2015 Yara Prize in a ceremony  today in Lusaka, Zambia, NaijaAgroNet.

The Yara Prize Committee selected the two prominent African laureates for their work related to African agricultural development, food security and the continent's green revolution. Both laureates have, through their personal commitment and special efforts, translated ideas on the development of African agriculture into impactful results in their respective areas of work.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the 2015 awards recognize effective entrepreneurial work, which has helped build communities of resilient young women actively engaged in commercial farming and honor African thought leadership, which has been instrumental in transforming the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme  (CAADP)  agenda from a mere concept into decisive actions.

The President/CEO, Yara, Svein Tore Holsether, said, "Africa needs to do more to foster entrepreneurial agriculture and the interests of women and youth in agriculture.  More smallholder-oriented policy changes are needed to meet growth and poverty alleviation targets in rural areas. In 2015, the Yara Prize honours the two leading African change agents with transformational power. I wish to extend my personal congratulations to both laureates."

Mr. Kaduru is awarded the prize for his vision, his great courage and commitment to changing the lives of young out of school girls in Uganda. Through his comprehensive approach to passion fruit farming, he has managed to strengthen these girls' belief in themselves as entrepreneurs. Mr. Kaduru's passion for engaging African youth in agriculture as a positive and sustainable livelihood is exemplified through the fact that in less than two short years he has partnered with more than 1,500 out of school girls (aged 14-20) to begin their own passion fruit farms, NaijaAgroNet learnt.

Dr. Ousmane Badiane is awarded the prize for his important leadership role and influence on strategic debate and collaboration in Africa on agriculture and food security. Dr. Badiane is a first-class scholar and leading authority on African development with 30 years of professional experience in economic and agricultural development. Dr Badiane has been instrumental and played a pivotal role in the shaping of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP agenda from concept development to implementation.

The Yara Prize for an African Green Revolution seeks to contribute to the transformation of African agriculture and food availability, within a sustainable context, thereby helping to reduce hunger and poverty. The Yara Prize is based on nominations of candidates who are carefully evaluated by the Yara Prize Committee. The Yara Prize consists of USD 60,000, which will be split between the laureates.

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Pix: From left: Mr. Eric Kaduru,Dr. Ousmane Badiane

Zambia benefits from DuPont’s investments to increase farmers’ productivity

NaijaAgroNet

One of the world’s foremost agricultural businesses, Dupont Pioneer, recently in Zambia, opened a new warehouse and office facility which will increase maize storage capacity and meet farmers’ demand for both local and export markets to Kenya, Tanzania and other markets in Africa, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Worede Woldemariam, East and South Central Africa senior business manager of DuPont Pioneer stated, “Zambia could emerge as the breadbasket for southern Africa provided an enabling agricultural environment is fostered.”

“The warehouse will allow DuPont Pioneer to develop and produce more seed locally as well as enhance the global competitiveness of the maize industry. Better quality seeds and more advanced farming practices can improve nutrition, the standard of living, and overall agricultural productivity,” says Woldemariam.

NaijaAgroNet further learnt that the country currently has an average maize yield of about 2.4 metric tons per hectare, which is slightly above the average 2 metric tons per hectare of maize yields in Africa and 10 tons per hectare in the U.S.

 Zambia produces excellent seed quality, and the new facility will ensure world class quality standards are maintained in the region. The latest investment is part of ongoing efforts by DuPont Pioneer to invest in resources and infrastructure in Africa.

DuPont (NYSE: DD),  NaijaAgroNet learnt, has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders solutions could be found to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere.

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