Human health: Five new chemicals under surveillance

NaijaAgroNet:

Some five new chemicals are currently under consideration by the Chemical Review Committee (CRC) of the Rotterdam Convention, reports NaijaAgroNet.

CRC arising from its 13^th meeting revealed that three more chemicals were recommended for inclusion in the Rotterdam Convention, whilst two more are recommended for inclusion in the Stockholm Convention, thereby bringing to five some new chemicals under consideration.

The 13^th meeting of the Chemical Review Committee (CRC) of the Rotterdam Convention, which was held back-to-back with POPRC and which concluded, successfully and recommended to the Conference of Parties (COP) the listing of phorate, acetochlor and hexabromocyclododecane in Annex III of the Convention. 

Acetochlor, a selective herbicide, has been used on maize in Sahelian West African countries. It poses a high risk to aquatic organisms as well as long-term risks to herbivorous birds and to humans.

Phorate, a pesticide, has been used for example in Brazil as an insecticide in cotton, potato, coffee, beans and corn and is considered one of the most toxic organophosphate AChE inhibitors.

Ogochukwu Nebenanya/GEE
... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

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.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

Five ways Nigerians eat and enjoy rice

NaijaAgroNet:

Rice is one of the most common food in Nigeria. Every single ethnic group or type has a local dish either made from or eaten with rice, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Generally, this is because rice is commonly inexpensive and easy to make, thus we share five (5) of these local Nigerian meals with rice varieties. For instance, the white rice is classic, but the recipes below also work with brown rice or other varieties of rice.

Tuwo  Shinkafa
A rice meal popular in the Northern regions of Nigeria, Tuwo Shinkafa is a fufu recipe prepared with the soft rice variety. Although usually prepared with short local rice that can be easily mashed to make a mass of Fufu, the meal could also be made with rice flour. It is usually served with Northern Nigerian soups including Miyan Kuka, Miyan Taushe and more. It can also be paired as swallow with other Nigerian soups.

Masa/Sinasir
Another Northern Nigerian rice recipe consumed mostly by the Hausa people, Masa or Sinasir is simply rice pancakes. Prepared with the same soft variety of rice used for Tuwo Shinkafa, the meal is simply made by blend the rice till smooth, adding yeast and onion, sugar and salt after the mix has risen, then frying in oil. It is traditionally made into an oval shape. It is popular and seen at most Suya stands.

Jollof Rice
A popular rice recipe in Nigeria. Jollof rice is very tasty and consumed by all and sundry. It is hard to attend an event or occasion in the country without encountering this meal on the menu as its attractive colour and plush taste makes it the preferred dish. It is usually paired with moi- moi, vegetable salad or fried plantain.

Kunun Gyada
A light porridge from Kunun Gyada is much like pap (Akamu or ogi) except that it is made from raw groundnuts and rice instead. To prepare the meal, simply boilgroundnut milk and add to rice blended with cool water. The technique can also be reversed and the rice poured into the hot groundnut milk.

Rice and stew/sauce
Rice and stew is a very common meal combo in Nigeria. The rice is simply boiled with salt and paired with either tomato stew or any other sauce ranging from Ofada sauce, Ofe Akwu, vegetable sauce and even broths like pepper soup and gravy. From Bukkas to hotel restaurants, rice is served as a combo with different types of local stews, sauce and soups.

*Contributed by Nkem Ndem, PR Associate at Jumia Travel
... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

Nimbo attack: Police arrests five suspected Fulani herdsmen

NaijaAgroNet:

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) said it has arrested five suspected Fulani herdsmen implicated in the recent invasion of Nimbo community in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area (LGA) in Enugu State, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Olabisi Kolawole, in a public statement, said the Police is resolute on ridding Nigerian society of criminals and all forms of criminality.

According to Olabisi, the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) under the office of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) based on credible technical intelligence gathered on the attack, swooped in on the suspects and arrested the following people: Mohammed Zurai, Ciroma Musa, Sale Adamu, Suleiman Laute and Haruna Laute.

The Police said it also recovered one Gionee L88 mobile phone with a memory card containing the video recording of the massacre in the community.

Suspected members of Fulani herdsmen who attacked Nimbo community in Enugu State recently.
L-r -R: Mohammed Zurai, Ciroma Musa, Sale Adamu, Suleiman Laute and Haruna Laute. ...
courtesy: TEO

... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology