UN agencies enter MoU to close SDG gaps - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet:

The two of United Nation's agencies, namely the  Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have renewed their partnership to boost efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, including the goal of Zero Hunger, reports NaijaAgroNet.

FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva and UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay today signed a new Memorandum of Understanding in Paris. It comes more than 70 years after the first partnership signing between the agencies.

"This new agreement opens a new chapter in the relationship between our two organizations," said FAO's Graziano da Silva. "We need to work closer together to accelerate our efforts towards the goals set out under Agenda 2030."

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay welcomed reinforced collaboration between UNESCO and FAO as two key Specialized Agencies of the UN system. "The nexus between education, culture, food and health is at the center of many of the challenges faced in this century", she highlighted. "We are committed to strengthening our collaboration in these areas to create sustainable futures for societies."

Under the partnership, FAO and UNESCO have agreed to support the development of learning modules, teaching aids and practical sessions for agricultural secondary schools, universities and farmer field schools on food security and sustainable food systems. The agencies will also explore opportunities for nutrition education and healthy nutrition in schools.

This builds on the joint work already being carried out in South Sudan's cattle camps, where literacy and numeracy training by UNESCO is incorporated into FAO's Pastoral Field School approach. This means young people can access a formal school curriculum as well as topics on livestock management and livelihoods' diversification.

FAO and UNESCO will also develop a joint knowledge-sharing platform on the nexus between food, culture and peace, and develop special education projects in poor, rural conflict-affected areas.

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Five UN agencies to unveil first-ever consolidated report on malnutrition

NaijaAgroNet:

Five United Nations (UN) agencies have concluded plans to unveil the first-ever consolidated UN report on progress towards eradicating hunger and malnutrition by 2030, reports NaijaAgroNet.

These agencies include the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the UN World Food Program (WFP), the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the unveiling slated for FAO headquarters on Friday, September 15, this year, would see the new edition of The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World with updated estimates of the number and proportion of hungry people on the planet and includes data for the global, regional, and national levels.

“It offers a significant update on the shifting global milieu that is today affecting people's food security and nutrition, in all corners of the globe,” a source at UN disclosed to NaijaAgroNet.

This, NaijaAgroNet further gathered is the first time that UNICEF and WHO join FAO, IFAD and WFP in preparing the annual State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report.

 

NaijaAgroNet reports that this change reflects the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) broader view on hunger and all forms of malnutrition. Stressing the report would include enhanced metrics for quantifying and assessing hunger, including two indicators on food insecurity and six indicators on nutrition.

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PMB applauds security agencies, RedCross, NGOs on release of 82 Chibok girls

NaijaAgroNet:

The President, Muhammadu Buhari has applauded the security agencies, RedCross, non-government organisations on the release of 82 Chibok girls by Boko Haram yesterday, Saturday, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Buhari in his remarks on the release of the 82 Chibok secondary school girls in exchange for Boko Haram members in state security custody, said this is a pleasant 2nd anniversary gift to the people of Nigeria.

“I cannot express in a few words how happy I am to welcome our dear girls back to freedom. On behalf of all Nigerians, I will like to share my joy with you, your parents, your relatives, friends and Government of Borno State on regaining your freedom.

“The Federal Government will like to commend the Security Agencies, the Red Cross, local authorities, local and foreign NGOs and all those who contributed in one way or another to secure the release of our Chibok Girls,” he said.

He reassured Nigerians, especially relatives and friends of the remaining girls that the Federal Government will spare no effort to see that they and all other Nigerians who have been abducted safely regain their freedom.

“Finally, I am very pleased to have personally met you and let me assure you that the Presidency will personally supervise the performance of those entrusted with your welfare and commitments made by the Federal Government on your health, education, security and general well-being,” he said.

Buhari decried that no human being should go through this kind of ordeal. The security agencies and state governments should continue to provide special protection to educational institutions vulnerable to this kind of outrage especially in remote areas.

This administration, he said, is resolutely determined to safeguard the security of all Nigerians at all times.

“Once again, I congratulate you and your parents on your safe return,” he said in a press statement endorsed by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.

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Adesina inaugurates agric boards, commend research institutes

NaijaAgroNet

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has inaugurated 15 boards of agencies and institutes under his ministry in Abuja with a charge to help the country generate revenue internally as well as become a  global player in the food export business, NaijaAgroNet reports.

Adesina said that the board should improve the relations between the management and staff among others things  within a period of nine months and commended the various research institutes, noting that “they are all operated under very harsh conditions, yet are doing very well.”

He said  that Nigeria can feed and sustain itself given its fertile land, labour and highly resourceful people and stressed that agriculture had been reformed from being a developmental activity to become a big business for all stakeholders at all levels.

“We have decided as a country to be more cohesive and efficient in achieving our agricultural dream of making Nigeria a food sufficient and food exporting country,” Adesina said.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the boards inaugurated include, the National Root Crops Research Institute, Abia, National Lake Chad Reasearch Institute, Maiduguri, National Institute for Fresh Water Fisheries Research, Niger, Nigeria Institute for Oil Palm Research, Bank of Agriculture, and National Horticultural  Institute,  the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Cooperation, National Veterinary Research Institute, Agricultural Research Development Council, FCT, Cocoa Research Institute Of Nigeria, National Cereals Research Institute, Ibadan and National Animal Research Institute.

Speaking on behalf of the board members, Chioma Ohakim assured the president of their support and commitment to ensuring the success of his administration’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda.

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Pix:Minister of Agric &Rural Dev. Dr. Akinwumi Adesina