AU, AfricaRice sign MoU to promote rice sector

In an effect to promote rice sector in Africa, the African Union (AU) Commission and the Africa Rice Centre (AfricaRice) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The MoU would focus on policy research analysis, promotion of production technologies, facilitating dialogue to inform and improve the design and implementation of food and agricultural policies in AU member states.

NaigaAgroNet gathered that while praising the partnership, the Director General of AfricaRice, Dr. Papa Abdoulaye Seck said it would create a political will in moving Africa's Rice sector forward. Read more

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Kenya earned N163.7billion from Tea in 2010

Kenya has earned KES97 billion, an equivalent of N163.718 billion from tea in 2010, thus an increase of 32.8 per cent over the previous year, reports DailyNation.

Kenyan President, Mr. Mwai Kibaki, made this known while speaking at the First African Tea Convention in Mombasa. He advised farmers to produce quality tea since it is the most important commodity, the number one foreign exchange earner and providing income to a large number of Kenyans.

He further said the adoption of more efficient process with regard to emerging opportunities such as leveraging on Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Read more

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Scientists say artificial meat reduces carbon by 96%

Scientists at Oxford University and Amsterdam University, have revealed that eating artificially grown meat could reduce the production of carbon body by 96 per cent in a study recently released.

The research study establish that food crisis would be solved with people feeding on lab-meat, noting that its’ production require less energy and farmland to produce thereby creating more land for other use.

Lead-researcher at Oxford University, Hann Tuomisto, said they could not replace conventional meat with artificial meat as conventional meat could still be used to guide against food shortage. Read more

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Rockefeller boosts Africa food production with N10.6billion

A United States-based think tank, Rockefeller Foundation has set aside $70 million, about N10.667billion to enhance food production in Africa as part of its objectives in proffering solutions to world's most pressing challenges, reports TheObserver.

The grants, the Vice-President of the foundation, Ms Heather Grady, said would sustainably increase agricultural productivity, enhance national and global food security and reduce greenhouse gases.

The foundation, she said, believes that supporting farmers is a priority since agric provide employment for major Africans, as majority of households depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. Read more

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'Seize farmlands not put to productive use’

South African National Congress Youth League has asked farmers to seize farmlands not being put into productive use, reports BusinessDay.

The report also stated that the Congress said this would motivate farmers to make good use of the borrowed farmlands as the success rate of emerging farmers lies between 43 per cent and 57 per cent.

As part of South African government's efforts to guarantee food security, the country with her Land Reform Programme in collaboration with Land Bank is giving out farmlands in form of loan to farmers but the Youth League advised seizure of lands that are not be explored without compensating its victim.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that Dr. Japie, the Land Bank, Adviser said the success rate is a result of lack of business plans on the part of the farmers, hence the need for screening of potential farmers. Read More

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Create incentives for youth farmers - Obasanjo

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has advised that incentives would drive youths to agriculture.

Speaking at the inauguration of the 'Feed African Committee' of the Centre for Human Security he noted that Feed African Community, is a pilot project of the Obasanjo Farms Nigeria (OFN) and Delta State Government aimed at increased awareness and improved skill in the management of poultry to create job opportunities for youths.

TheNations reports that Obasanjo urged government at all levels to create incentives that would encourage interested youths to venture into agriculture, such as loans, land availability, specialized training on crop production with a market for their produce.

Prof Peter Okebukola, the Director of the Centre also advised the government to formulate and implement policy that would eradicate poverty and provide employment for youths through agriculture. Read more

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World Bank votes N45.6billion to boost agro productivity in West Africa

World Bank has voted the sum of US$300M, about N45.6billion facility to boost agriculture in West African, across 12 countries including Nigeria under the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) initiative, reports NEXT.

The report stated that other participating countries are looking up to Nigeria in the project as her agricultural production cost is low compared to others in the sub-region.

Having a high import of food, Nigeria is expected to use her share of the funds, about $51million, about N7.7billion to boost productivity and create direct employment for estimated 1.5 million local young and women farmers. Read More

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Group charges FG on farm settlement to encourage youths

Chairman of Farmers Management Association of Nigeria, Mr. Sunday Mancha, has called on the Federal Government to establish farm settlement to encourage youth’s participation in farming, reports Punch.

He said this at the end of a workshop for young farmers in Plateau State as the agricultural future of the nation lies in the hands of youths.

The federal government was also advised to set-up farm settlement where young people could be trained; saying that this would reduce the rate of unemployment in the country. He cited an instance with the huge number of unemployed youths roaming the streets in search of office jobs when there are lands waiting to be explored for farming.

He said the farm settlement would be of advantage to the nation as the association could only produce two million tons of foods rather than the five million tons needed to feed the nation, and with youths coming into agriculture, it would boost production. Read more

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Experts urge farmers to plant Cocoa, increase earnings

Experts have urged Ghanaian farmers to plant cocoa on the same piece of land with other crops to boost production and increase income generation for farmers at a ten per cent rate.

They also said that it is associated with a 1.6 per cent decrease in the cost of producing cocoa. Reports AllAfrica.

These were contained in a study by researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia after examination of 300 Ghanaian Cocoa farmers.

“Planting cocoa with other crops on the same land produces more cocoa per hectare than plots with only cocoa,” said John Asafu-Adjaye, a co-author of the study.

A consultant for the Sustainable Tree Crops Programme, Mr. Victor Afara-Sefa, noted that biodiversity conservation is also a beneficiary in inter-cropping of cocoa with other crops.

"Not all tree species are likely to be equally beneficial to cocoa farmer," Afara-Sefa, a Consultant for the Sustainable Tree Crops Program, under the management of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in Nigeria said. Read more

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'Irrigation is Life'

A call has been made by the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Moshe Ram, for Nigerians to embrace irrigation agricultural, reports AllAfrica.

Speaking at the commissioning of the Nigeria-Israel Agricultural Project in Minna, last week, tagged "Irrigation is Life" he noted that the project intends to be a modern drip irrigation farming sponsored by the embassy of Israel for the benefit of Lapai-Gwari Village, near Minna, the host community in commemorating Israeli's 63rd independence anniversary.

The aim of the project, NaijaAgroNet gathered includes to promote season agriculture by applying Israeli experts' unique knowledge, experience and technology to position the village as a Modern Agricultural Model, which would provide opportunities for the community and the state at large. Read more

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AU tasks youths to maximize green revolution with ICT

Young people are the focus of the 2011 Annual Summit of African Leaders and head of states under the auspices of African Union (AU) held in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea's capital during the last week of June, with a charge on maximizing green revolution with Information and Communication Technology (ICT), reports SierraExpressMedia.

They hinged hope on the on-going ICT and mobile phone revolution occurring across the continent with millions of employment opportunities for youths, stressing the transformative role that youths could play in the development of Africa by investing in transport and ICT infrastructure to boost the competitiveness of African agriculture and build trade across the continent.

The report stated that one-third of the continent's population are under the age of 30, most of whom are unemployed with increase in rural-urban migration there are still youths living in the rural areas and seven of ten Africans earn their living by farming.

Farming being the backbone of most African State's economy, with African staple food estimated at over N22.8trillion per annum, couple with a growing import rate of foods and the critical condition of unemployment and farming not receiving the necessary attention it needs to create and sustain jobs. Read More

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N3.04trn loan to boost Soya-bean production in Nigeria

As a demonstration by Sterling Bank's commitment to lending to the agricultural sector in the nation, Sterling bank aided the Karma Milk Industries Ltd with $20m, about N3.04 trillion, for its Soya Bean Processing Mill and Edible Oil Refinery Plant in Abuja.

The aid, which is the main objective of Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS) established by the Central Bank of Nigeria, to provide farmers with funds in order to enhance national food security among others, reports The Nation.

Karma Milk Industries Ltd, the Nigeria-based farm has started the establishment of a N3.04 trillion factory that would take charge of delivery of locally produced soya beans after harvest this year.

It is expected that through this huge investment Sterling Bank will make provision for reposition of soya bean production in the country. Read more

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UK tackles agricultural, food security challenges

The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Department for International Development (DFID) in the United Kingdom (UK), have jointly launched 12 new projects aimed at addressing agriculture and food security in developing countries, TopNews reports.

Speaking at the occasion, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development and Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, UK, Gareth Thomas expressed UK's support for the initiative.

Also, Thomas said that investing in science and research is essential to provide farmers with seeds, knowledge and tools to make a better life for themselves, thereby revolutionizing farming and reducing poverty in developing countries.

Just as Lan Pearson, the UK Minister for Science and Innovations, said that it is a true demonstration of how scientific research could give solutions to the major challenges facing the world and improve quality of life for people in developing countries. Read more

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‘How to address conservation, reduce poverty’

Latest reports emanating from a book on ‘Poverty, Biodiversity and Local Organisations: Lessons from BirdLife International’ has outlined how to address conservation and reduce poverty.

A copy of book made available to NaijaAgroNet, showed that there are steps to be taken combating conservation and poverty reduction through working with local organisations.

The author, Mr. David Thomas gave three examples, siting South America (Bolivia) one from Africa (Uganda) and one from Asia (Nepal), which illustrated how BirdLife’s partners have worked with local organisations as an entry point to achieving conservation and poverty reduction.

He revealed that working in partnership with local organisations ensures that environment and poverty are addressed in a more holistic way, as experienced and understood by local people.

Additionally, they stated that it also has benefits in terms of sustainability, efficiency, legitimacy and respect for rights. Read more

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