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Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Action on malnutrition is critical – da Silva

The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Mr. José Graziano da Silva has explained why a global action is paramount on malnutrition, reports NaijaAgroNet.

He gave this explanation at the recently held United Nations General Assembly in the New York city, noting that some 159 million children under the age of five are stunted, which means they have a low height for their age.

“Another 50 million children in that age bracket are wasted in other words, they have low weight compared to their height,” he said.

The FAO boss also pointed out that some 1.9 billion people are overweight of whom 600 million are obese.

“And there is a gender dimension to this, too. Malnutrition continues to disproportionately affect women and girls, who often forgo food for male family members or lack the income to secure adequate nutrition for themselves,” he said.

This estimate, NaijaAgroNet gathered, suggested that maternal and child undernutrition alone cost up to 11 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as malnutrition in early life often results in ill health in adulthood.

Well-nourished children, inversely, are 33 percent more likely to escape poverty as adults. This means that investing in nutrition has significant potential to break endemic poverty cycles and boost economic development by allowing people to live healthy, productive lives.

As with ICN2, stewardship of the Decade of Action lies with FAO and WHO, who together will focus their efforts on two main objectives.

One is assisting governments in building national policies and programs that advance nutrition. The other is to align the efforts of existing global initiatives and social movements towards common goals.

To support concrete action on nutrition programs, both agencies will further organize special meetings to strengthen countries' technical capacities to tackle new nutrition challenges.

One example of this is a symposium on Sustainable Food Systems for Healthy Diets and Improved Nutrition to be held in Rome December 1-2.


NaijaAgroNet recalls that both agencies had agreed to put in place a solid system for reporting and monitor achievements.

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Pix: Mr. José Graziano da Silva

IFAD shops for President Nwanze’s replacement

The International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) is now shopping for the replacement of its current president, Dr. Kanayo Nwanze whose second tenure will end om March 31, 2017, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The President of IFAD, NaijaAgroNet gathered is appointed for four years with a two-term limit. NaijaAgroNet reports that in accordance with the Agreement Establishing IFAD, the Governing Council of IFAD will appoint the President at its forthcoming annual meeting on 14-15 February 2017. The appointed President will take office on 1 April 2017.

Under the direction of IFAD’s governing bodies, the President of IFAD is responsible for conducting the business of the Fund and for organizing its work. The President is the chairperson of the Executive Board, whose membership consists of representatives of IFAD’s Member States.

The Secretary of IFAD Council, Cheryl Morden in a letter addressed to the Governor, with the subject “Appoint of the President of IFAD,” and dated September 27, 2016, said  “I have the honour to inform you that, in accordance with article 6, section 8(a) of the Agreement Establishing IFAD, the appointment of the President of IFAD will be considered at the fortieth session of the Governing Council, to be held in Rome on 14 and 15 February 2017. Information on relevant procedures and modalities for the appointment of the President of IFAD was made available on 20 June and 26 August 2016, and can be found on IFAD’s Member States Interactive Platform.

NaijaAgroNet recalls that the duties and responsibilities of the President are mainly set out in IFAD’s basic documents, just as nominations will be communicated to all Members and the Bureau by the President no later than 21 December 2016.


For the first time, the call for nominations is accompanied by a list of questions to which candidates are invited to respond in writing, bearing in mind that both the responses and the nominations must be received by the Secretary of IFAD by midnight, 1 December 2016, Rome time.

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Tuesday, September 27, 2016

FAO wants UN member states to take concrete action on malnutrition


The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) has called on the government across the world to take concrete action on malnutrition in all its forms, reports NaijaAgroNet.

FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva also said that the United Nations (UN) Decade of Nutrition offers a critical window for advances.

He also pointed out that the 10 years running until 2025, will be a critical time for action to build healthy and sustainable food systems and end malnutrition in all its forms, stressed at the just ended United Nations General Assembly celebrating the United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition.

"The purpose of the Decade of Action on Nutrition is to continue to draw the world`s attention to the importance of combatting malnutrition," he said, reminding governments of their commitments made at the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) in 2014 and called on them to transform those commitments into action through national policies and programmes.

Better governance on nutrition globally, he said, "starts at country level" emphasizing that nowadays, one in three people worldwide, pointing out that nearly 2.5 billion people suffer from at least one form of malnutrition, ranging from hunger to obesity to a lack of critical nutrients.


"FAO has maintained a great synergy with WHO in leading the efforts in the fight against all forms of malnutrition. WHO is the lead in nutrition and FAO is here to complement that work. FAO has developed a work plan focused on the promotion of healthy food and healthy diets through nutritional education and the transformation of food systems," said Graziano da Silva.

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Monday, September 26, 2016

Njeri Kabeberi leads Greenpeace Africa

The Kenyan born Njeri Kabeberi, is to lead the Greenpeace Africa as its has been named as Executive Director, reports NaijaAgroNet.

This, NaijaAgroNet gathered came as the outcome of an extensive search for a combination of skills required to drive the organisation towards a people –powered movement.

According to the Greenpeace Africa Board, Brain Kagoro, Africans are hungry for a new story, one with a better take on nature, on humanity, their livelihoods, their future and their connection to the earth. “It was critical to find someone who embodies passion, activism and understands the context of environmental justice in Africa and we are confident that Njeri represents that” Kagoro said.

Greenpeace currently runs campaigns on four key issues on the continent, to protect the Congo Basin from large scale deforestation, stop overfishing in West Africa, promote ecological farming in the horn of Africa as well as demand a shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources in South Africa in order to reverse the impacts of climate change.

With a long history in human rights activism, Njeri will be leading Greenpeace Africa into a new wave of environmental justice for Africans by Africans.

“We will continue to work on our flagship campaigns but more so, we shall be working closely with communities to ensure that our campaigns speak to the local realities on the continent and can effect change in the day to day life of our people” said newly appointed Greenpeace Africa Executive Director Njeri Kabeberi.

“Africa has a major role to play in the global efforts to reverse climate change, protecting its vast natural forest and safeguarding its rich ocean resources is centre to the continent’s contribution in averting the catastrophic effects of climate change. It is important that the continent works together to push for an end to illegal logging, unsustainable fishing and a shift from industrial agriculture to ecological farming to ensure that our biodiversity is protected” added Njeri.

Njeri joins Greenpeace after serving as CEO of the Civil Society Reference Group and as the immediate former Executive Director of the Centre for Multiparty Democracy.  She is also a member of the board of advisors of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) and chairs the board of the International Centre for Policy and Conflict.

Njeri is passionate about social justice and women’s rights, and in 2010, amongst others, received the ILO Wedge Award.  She also has extensive INGO leadership and management experience and was on the Board of the Kenya Human Rights Commission for many years. 

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Friday, September 23, 2016

Anambra can feed Africa - CBN

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has commended the Anambra State government over what it tagged  the capacities of becoming Africa’s food basket, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Director, Development Finance Department, CBN, represented by the bank’s Awka controller, Mr. C.M. Sokari assured the state and participants at the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) in Anambra State, in Awka, that several intervention programmes have been floated by the government.
NaijaAgroNet recalls that CBN in collaboration with the Federal Government is diversifying the nation’s economy from crude oil.

The launch of the programme, he said would reposition agriculture in the country.

“To fund the programme, the CBN had set aside N40 billion from the N220 billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund for farmers at a single-digit rate of nine per cent.

“…Nigeria, as we may all know, is a mjor rice producer with over 20 key rice producing states in the country most of which cultivate during both wet and dry seasons. Rice is one crop in which the country has comparative advantage to easily become self-sufficient, given the huge potentials that exist.


“The Central Bank of Nigeria has set the ball rolling and shown commitment to this programme and, therefore, expects that farmers and all relevant stakeholders in Anambra State would reciprocate by contributing their very best towards ensuring the successful implementation of this laudable programme,” he said.

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Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Malnutrition: Why Aisha Buhari got involved?

Indications have emerged on why the wife of President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari recently got involved in issues surrounding malnutrition in the country, NaijaAgroNet reports.

NaijaAgroNet recalls that on Thursday, July 21, 2016, she launched an advocacy campaign ‘Get Involved’ under her Future Assured project, aimed at contributing to the acceleration of efforts to end preventable maternal, new born and child deaths.

This, NaijaAgroNet gathered, was to strengthen the accountability mechanisms in order to enhance the peace and development of the country.

The “Get Involved” NaijaAgroNet noted serves as quick interventionist programme which focuses on preventing annual death of thousands of malnourished Nigerian children living in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in the country.


The project, NaijaAgroNet learnt, envisaged the active participation of civil society, private sector and non-governmental organizations in response to the alarming outbreak of malnutrition in the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, believing that jointly there will be a better Nigeria.

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Paris Agreement edges toward enforcement

VIDEO: Paris Agreement edges toward enforcement - World leaders gathered at United Nations Headquarters in New York to bring the Paris Agreement closer toward entry into force. Here’s a summary of how far it has come.


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Tuesday, September 20, 2016

$5m vote to combat rogue fishery says FAO

The sum of $5 million, about N157,6247,836.60 to combat rogue fishery according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), reports NaijaAgroNet.

Graziano da Silva disclosed this at the Our Ocean Conference in the United States capital, said, FAO has secured $5 million for this global programme, including funding from the organization's own resources.

FAO is also collaborating with Google to develop new platforms and research methodologies to support countries in improving their monitoring, control and surveillance of fishing activities.

Each year, illegal, he said, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is responsible for annual catches of up to 26 million tonnes, with a value of up to USD 23 billion.

This, he also said, undermines efforts to ensure sustainable fisheries and responsible fish stock management around the world.

In order to boost small-scale fisheries, Graziano da Silva highlighted to participants the need to increase support for small-scale fisheries on which 110 million people - 97 per cent of them in developing countries - depend for their livelihoods.

"They are among the poorest communities in the world and they risk to be further marginalized," the FAO Director-General warned.


He invited donors to support an ongoing FAO initiative that is aimed at providing policy support, promoting the sharing of experiences and empowering small-scale fisheries communities in the context of poverty eradication. Some $2.5 million have already been secured for this work, but more support is needed.

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Monday, September 19, 2016

Ghana chefs plan Happi Festival 2016

Ghanaian Chefs have concluded plans to host a weeklong African Chefs United Haapi Festival, reports NaijaAgroNet.

A press statement from the interim committee of the Chefs Association Ghana (CAC) under the auspices of Ghana Tourism Federation and Ghana Tourism Authority invite the public to the  African Chefs United HAAPI  Festival –Ghana 2016,a project that celebrates Africa’s indigenous food, exotic drinks, arts and heritage.

Hospitality All African People Imbizo is an initiative of Chef Citrum Khumalo, founder of African Chefs United and was launched in Johannesburg on 19th September, 2008.

The aim of the festival, NaijaAgroNet is to address some of the critical aspects of African heritage in the way food and beverages.

Also, NaijaAgroNet reports that nutrition and biodiversity will ensure that tourism is positioned as the best in the world.

This programme, NaijaAgroNet further reports would enhance skills development, create network and social cohesion amongst African culinary professionals as well as career guidance to young people.

“The objectives of HAAPI 2016 is to unite Africans, create the African festive atmosphere and improve interaction between African culinary specialists.


HAAPI GHANA 2016 is scheduled to take place officially from Mon. 26th-29th September, 2016.

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D-G urges effective implementation of global anti-rogue fishing treaty

The recent entry into force of a ground-breaking international accord on illegal fishing is a welcome development but it now requires "strong and effective implementation", says Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Director-General José Graziano da Silva, reports NaijaAgroNet.  

In his speech at the Our Ocean Conference in the United States capital, Graziano da Silva lauded the signatories of the FAO-brokered Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (PSMA).

Also, da Silva provided United States Secretary of State John Kerry with an update on the status of the treaty, which came into force in June.

"In 2014 only 10 nations had ratified the PSMA," Kerry noted in his conference address. "All of us then decided that we could do better and we did ... because more than 60 nations have now ratified the PSMA and that is critical," he said, urging all other countries to follow suit in adhering to the treaty.

"We need everyone to come onboard, otherwise rogue fishing vessels will continue to find ways to land and introduce their illegal catches into the markets of non-PSMA countries," da Silva said.
He likened adherence to the treaty to the international community's commitment to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), "a situation in which no one can be left behind."

NaijaAgroNet recalls that under the treaty, parties are obliged to implement a number of measures while managing ports under their control, to detect illegal fishing, preventing ill-caught fish from being offloaded and sold, and ensuring that information on unscrupulous vessels is shared globally.

FAO has launched a global programme to support countries with the implementation of the treaty and complimentary instruments, Graziano da Silva said. These include the Voluntary Guidelines on Flag State Performance, which spell out a range of actions that countries can take to ensure that vessels registered under their flags do not conduct illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

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Pix: FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva

Friday, September 16, 2016

NEPAD says support for under-5 children, mothers dynamics to achieving 2025 zero hunger

The Senior Advisor on Programme Development to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), Mr. Martin Bwalya, has said that support for under-5 children and mothers as one of the dynamics of achieving zero hunger on the continent by 2025, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Bwalya said this at the formal launch of the Zero Hunger Report 2025 by NEPAD in conjunction with Pardee Center for International Futures in Pretoria, South Africa, outlining some conditions that must be met in order for Africa to realise this goal.

As said by him, the demand side on agriculture produce is increasing access, including incomes, consumer subsidies, prices, school feeding programmes, support to under-5 children and mothers, as well as pregnant women.

This, he said will not happen without the supply side which is productivity and production by way of expansion of cropland, yield increase, livestock heads and reduction of post-harvest losses.

Bwalya pointed out that overall, the food availability needs to be increased by 437 million metric tonnes by 2025 or 47 per cent of current demand.

“To do this requires cropland to increase by 1.5 per cent; crop yields need to increase by 3.2 per cent, and livestock head size needs to increase by 5.8 per cent year,” he said.

Insisting that in order for Africa to attain its goal by 2025, a wide range of actions by different actors to bring about the necessary substantial change in the dynamics of demand and supply is requisite, just as any efforts to eliminate hunger will have to factor in robust risk assessments, including climate change.

Corroborating Bwalya, the Regional Director for World Food Programme in Johannesburg, Chris Nikoi, emphasized that “If we continue on the current trajectory, we will not be able to achieve the Malabo Declaration target of ending hunger by 2025 and eliminating child stunting. Conditions for success include political will, as well as addressing the challenges of the impact of climate change and weather shocks.”


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Pix: Senior Advisor on Programme Development to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), Mr. Martin Bwalya

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Indonesia’s first certified timber enters Europe

Indonesia and the European Union (EU) have signed a agreement to issue the world's first Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) timber licence as a major achievement in the fight against illegal logging, reports NaijaAgroNet.

This is coming as the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has given its support to the initiative to combat illegal logging and boosts sustainable livelihoods.

NaijaAgroNet also reports that as of 15 November, the FLEGT licence could accompany shipments of timber exported from Indonesia to EU member states to certify that the timber has been harvested, transported, processed and traded according to Indonesian law.

"Indonesia has taken important steps to strengthen forest governance, combat illegal logging, modernize its forest sector, and improve business practices," said Robert Simpson of FAO's FLEGT Programme, which supports tropical timber-producing countries engaged in FLEGT initiatives.

"In addition to helping to limit the environmental damage caused by illegal logging, demonstrating timber legality opens the door to promoting the sustainable livelihoods of forest communities and increasing access to international wood markets," he said.


NaijaAgroNet recalls that Indonesia supplies one third of tropical timber imports by value to the EU, one of the world's largest consumers of timber products. Since 2013, the EU Timber Regulation has prohibited European companies from placing illegal timber and timber products on the EU market.

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NEPAD, Pardee: Zero Hunger in Africa by 2025 is possible

The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) has reiterated determination of Africa Union on the possibility of having zero hunger in the next nine years, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The NEPAD Agency’s CEO, Dr Ibrahim Mayaki, gave this indication on the premise of the goals set in the 2014 Malabo Declaration through the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), is ending hunger in Africa by 2025.

Speaking in Pretoria, South Africa at the unveiling of the Zero hunger in Africa by 2025 in collaboration Pardee Center for International Futures, he noted that nearly one in five people is hungry, even as hunger has decreased steadily since the mid-1990s, due to population growth, but has actually increased in absolute numbers.

In addition, Mayaki said, net food imports since the early 1990s have grown to about 14 per cent of the total demand, maintaining that one of the goals set in the 2014 Malabo Declaration through the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), is ending hunger in Africa by 2025.

He emphasised that success in Africa will therefore be through regional integration, be it in ending hunger, agriculture or infrastructure, highlighting the major levers in policies, investments, technologies as well as human and institutional capacities necessary to sustain desired levels of supply and demand-access to food.

“We cannot continue doing business as we are doing it today, since growth in Africa has not been inclusive enough. We need improved capacity to implement various interventions to do things differently if we are to deliver on Africa’s Agenda 2063 and the goal of eliminating hunger by 2025,” Dr. Mayaki underscored.

Dr Lindiwe Sibanda , CEO of the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN), noted that hunger affects women and children disproportionately, while women are the backbone of agriculture in Africa.

“The face of hunger in Africa is that 32 percent of under-5 children are stunted – the numbers have stagnated instead of going down. If the cognitive capacity of children in Africa is reduced for life, who are the future leaders for the continent? Agriculture needs to be more nutrition sensitive. Hidden hunger challenges are therefore critical and need to be addressed,” Dr. Sibanda said.

Speaking at the same event, Lynette Chen, CEO of the NEPAD Business Foundation also maintained that food security and the trajectory of economic growth need to be balanced with nutrition sensitive agriculture.

During the launch of the report on ending hunger in Africa, it was recognised that while the goal of eliminating hunger by 2025 might be very ambitious, it is not impossible. Steve Hedden, Research System Developer from Pardee Center maintained that how we define hunger will dictate how we get there and how we reach our targets.

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CTA's AgriBusiness TV showcases 3 videos


Video 1: Burkina Faso - Maths teacher and farmer
Francis Wendpanga IMA, 34 years, is the director of the college of Bagré (Centre-East of Burkina). He is also involved in crop and livestock farming, as well as the transformation of rice.

Watch the video here: http://bit.ly/2csn9db

Video 2: Mali - Taking over the abandoned family farm
Hawaou Mariko, holds a degree in enterprise management. In 2014, she takes over the abandoned family farm, and makes it a diversified agricultural enterprise. 

Watch the video here: http://bit.ly/2coV1UP

Video 3: Mauritius - Joining forces to build a business empire

Two brothers, Magen and Kanen Chinatamby founded a company to supply high quality fruits and vegetables in Mauritius. 

Watch the video here: http://bit.ly/2bX1uoQ
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Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Dickson commends FG’s water project in Ogbia

The governor of Bayelsa State, Hon Seriake Dickson has commended the efforts of the Federal Government leading to recent completion and commissioning of the Central Ogbia Water Project at Otuoke in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Governor Dickson, who gave this commendation when the Minister of Water Resources, Engr Suleiman Adamu, paid him a courtesy call in Yenagoa, expressed delight that the project would meet the water needs of several communities in the area.

He stressed the need for those, who occupy positions of public trust to show true commitment to the completion of projects they inherited, pointing out that, the infrastructural deficit confronting most states and the Federal Government is as a result of reckless abandonment of government policies and programmes.

"This is the type of cross-party collaboration and continuity that should inform government policies. So, I like to thank the Federal Government for establishing this water project and the present administration for seeing to its completion for the beneficiary communities and people of this state to benefit," he said.

Highlighting the importance of water for both domestic and industrial use, the Governor said his administration would spare no effort to ensure the provision of potable water for the people of the state, despite the environmental challenges posed by the terrain and oil spills over the years.

He, however, called for more collaboration between the state, Federal Government and other development partners within and outside the country, noting that, the magnitude of work and financial resources required to meet the potable water requirements of the people was beyond the reach of the state government.

Governor Dickson, who also solicited the support of international organisations with the requisite financial and technical expertise, appealed to the National Assembly and the executive arm to carry Bayelsa along in their annual budgetary allocations for water projects across the country.

"If you look at Bayelsa from the outside, you will think there is so much water to drink. But the sort of water we have here, has its challenges because of the prolonged environmental issues that have arisen as a result of our being host to most of the oil producing companies.

"In the past four years that we've been here, we've tried a number of initiatives in terms of getting the right technology. So, we want to work closely with the Federal Government, its agencies and all partners across the globe, who have the capacity both in terms of financial muscle and technical expertise to ensure that we make potable water available to our people," Dickson submitted.

In his remarks earlier, the Minister of Water Resources, Engr Suleiman Adamu, who was accompanied on the visit by the House Committee Chairman on Water Resources, Hon Aliyu Pategi, the Managing Director, Niger Delta Basin Development Authority, Hon. Onoye Beredugo among other top officials said his team was in the state to commission the Central Ogbia Water Project, which was initiated by the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration.

He noted that, the project would be handed over to the state after the commissioning for beneficiary communities to use.


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Pix: Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson

Monday, September 12, 2016

NEPAD, Pardee Zero Hunger report for launch

The chief executive officer of NEPAD Agency, Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki, would lead a group of expert speakers to launch the NEPAD PARDEE Zero Hunger study on Tuesday in South Africa, NaijaAgroNet reports.

According to the Senior Communications Officer, NEPAD Agency, Ms Mwanja Ng’anjo, the launch will herald the efforts of agency towards eliminating hunger in Africa by 2025.

Dr. Mayaki would be joined on Tuesday, September 13, at the Conference room, ISS Pretoria, Block C, Brooklyn Court, 361 Veale Street, New Muckleneuk, Pretoria, South Africa, by Dr Jakkie Cilliers , Head, African Futures and Innovation, ISS, Jay Naidoo, GAIN, Dr Lindiwe Sibanda, FARNPAN, and Chris Nikoi, Regional Director, World Food Progrramme (WFP).

She also said that the new report by the NEPAD Agency and the Frederick S. Pardee Center for International Futures analyses the ‘conditions for success’ if Africa is to achieve the target set by African Union in Agenda 2063 and the 2014 Malabo Declaration on agriculture transformation.

The study, she said, puts the magnitude of the task into perspective and highlights the major levers in policy, investment, technology as well as human and institutional capacity needed to sustain access to food.


This launch, NaijaAgroNet gathered, is hosted jointly with the New Partnership for Africa’s Development Planning and Coordination Agency (NEPAD Agency) and the Pardee Center for International Futures. 

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Rice production breaks new record with 496m tonnes

The rice production globally is expected to hit a new record this year at almost 496 million tonnes, reports NaijaAgroNet.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), this is owing to favourable weather conditions in much of Asia and on more United States (U.S.) farmers shifting to the crop as a result of its more attractive relative price.

NaijaAgroNet also reports that FAO did not materially change its forecast for world cereal utilization in the coming year, which is expected to grow by 1.6 per cent, led by maize - and to some extent lower-quality wheat supplies - used as animal feed.

The FAO trade forecast for cereals in 2016/17 has been scaled up by almost 9 million tonnes on the back of abundant export availabilities of wheat and coarse grains. 
 
On the coarse grain global output for 2016, NaijaAgroNet reports that estimated 1,329 million tonnes, 2.1 per cent higher than in 2015, buoyed by higher forecast maize output in several countries, in particular the U.S.


Further, NaijaAgroNet reports that the wheat output forecast was also raised to 741 million tonnes, driven by large upward revisions to projections for Australia, North America, India and the Russian Federation. Russia is poised to become the world's largest wheat exporter in 2016/17, overtaking the European Union, where wet weather has hampered this year's crops.

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African govts, banks, IDPs pledge $30bn on agric development

The week-long 2016 African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) ended at the weekend, with some $30 billion, about N9,467,550,000,000 trillion investment pledged by the governments, financial institutions and International Development Partners (IDPs), reports NaijaAgroNet.

These pledges, NaijaAgroNet gathered came on the wheels of the theme "Seize the moment: Securing Africa's Rise Through Agricultural Transformation" and will spur commitments to African farmers and agriculture sector on the continent for new and more broad opportunities for economic growth.

NaijaAgroNet also reports that AGRF 2016 which attracted over 1,500 delegates from 40 countries, included some African Heads of State, global business leaders, government ministers, farmers, agribusiness firms, financial institutions, civil society groups, scientists, and International Development and Technical Partners (IDTPs).

According to NaijaAgroNet, most of them pledged in excess of US $30 billion dollars in investments over the next 10 years to increase production, income and employment for smallholder farmers and local African agriculture businesses.

As said by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) which acts as the secretariat of AGRF and led by its president, Dr. Agnes Kalibata, the pledges are the largest single package of financial commitments ever delivered to African agriculture.

“It is backed by the broadest coalition ever assembled to support a transition from subsistence to income-earning agriculture in Africa,” she said.

The AGRF partners, Kalibata noted afforded the meeting to embrace a detailed action plan that commits to achieving specific milestones over the next 16 months as part of the “Seize the Moment” campaign that served as the theme for AGRF 2016.

NaijaAgroNet recalled that “Seize the Moment” was first launched in April at the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Plan (CAADP) Partnership Platform in Accra, Ghana. It has quickly become a rallying point for accelerating work around the African Union’s 2014 Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Speaking at the auditorium of the United Nations Office in Nairobi, Kenyan President, Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta, said the transformation of Africa will only work if Africans transform agriculture.

“This meeting has been not only important, but also very urgent, because we are coming together at a time when our continent is filled with incredible opportunity, but at the same time it also is faced with profound threats in almost equal measure,” he said.

Kenyatta championed the pledges by declaring that his government will invest US $200 million, so that at least 150,000 young farmers and young agriculture entrepreneurs could gain access to markets, finance and insurance.

The Rwandan President, Mr. Paul Kagame who accompanied Kenyatta on stage, challenge African leaders and around the world to harness the potential of agriculture to fight hunger and poverty on the continent.

Rwanda, he disclosed emerged as a strong example of what investments in agriculture can achieve, stressing that according to the World Bank, Rwanda under his leadership achieved dramatic reductions in poverty, “owing largely to increased productivity and commercialization in the agriculture sector.”

“We should not only seize the moment but continue the momentum for the transformation of agriculture and economies on our continent,” President Kagame, emphasising “Agriculture is not just one sector of the economy amongst others – it’s the backbone of the economy.”


Equally speaking at the closing ceremony, Kenyan Agriculture Cabinet Secretary, Mr. Willy Bett, commended President Kagame and President Kenyatta for their commitment to the forum, and urged delegates to “do our part and drive this agenda forward.”

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Sunday, September 11, 2016

Maize, wheat and rice crops have improved harvest prospect


The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has declared that staple food prices rose in the month of August even as grain prices fell and the outlook for global cereal production improved on maize, wheat and rice, NaijaAgroNet reports.

The FAO Food Price Index, released at the weekend, NaijaAgroNet reports, averaged 165.6 points in August, up 1.9 per cent from July and almost 7 per cent from a year earlier. The monthly jump was mostly driven by cheese and palm oil quotations, while those for wheat, maize and rice all fell.

FAO raised considerably its world cereal production forecast for 2016 to 2 566 million tonnes, up 22 million tonnes from July projections. FAO's Cereal Supply and Demand Brief, also released today, attributed the increase primarily to anticipation of a record global wheat harvest this year and a large upward revision to this year's maize crop in the United States of America.


The expected increase in grain output is forecast to boost inventories and push up the global stock-to-use ratio to 25.3 percent, an "even more comfortable (supply and demand) situation than predicted at the start of the season," FAO said.

Isaac Oyimah/GEE 
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