Rice production: Kebbi State gets boost - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet:

WACOT Rice Limited’s (WRL) strategy to become West Africa’s leading rice producer got a massive boost from the USAID-funded West Africa Trade and Investment Hub (WATIH). The Nigerian based subsidiary of TGI Group recently signed a co-investment partnership with WATIH to the tune of $10.5 million (about N4.99 billion) to support the company’s Argungu Rice Outgrower Expansion Project based in Kebbi State.

In this partnership, WRL will register an additional 5,143 farmers to complement its already existing outgrower network in the state. These new farmers are expected to cultivate over 5,000 additional hectares of land thereby producing over 20,000 tons of paddy which will be utilised at WRL’s 120,000-ton rice mill in Kebbi.

PAP beneficiary accuses Col. Dikio of abuse of office - NaijaAgroNet: ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet: 

Once again, the recklessness by public office holders under the Buhari led Federal Government has been condemned by a beneficiary of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Mr. Victor Okame, reports NaijaAgroNet.

According to him, “the recklessness by public office holders under the Buhari led federal government has become a cause for concern. The Amnesty Programme which was meant to run for 4 years has become a conduit pipe for enemies of the Niger Delta Region; and unless issues of underperformance are addressed, the Amnesty Programme will just be a wasted effort.”

Nutrition: Why we target children says Lagos State - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet: 

The Lagos State Government has explained the importance of focusing its nutrition efforts on children, reports NaijaAgroNet.

According to the State Nutrition Officer (SNO), Mrs. Olubunmi Braheem, who spoke at the one-day workshop for Officers in-charge of Primary Health Care Centers in the state, held on the theme "The Minimum Package for Nutrition in a Functional Primary Health Care Centre," said their interventions on children nutrition specifically was because of their vulnerability.

Over environmental violations, Globacom dragged to court - NaijaAgroNet: ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

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

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), has initiated a criminal proceeding against Globacom Limited, and its Chairman, Mike Adenuga (Jnr) at a Federal High Court, Ikoyi Lagos for environmental violations, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Globacom, NaijaAgroNet gathered, was constructing and operating telecom masts without conducting site specific environmental audit in violation of Section 5 (2) of the National Environmental (Standards for Telecommunication and Broadcast Facilities) Regulations 2011.

Global recognition for youths from north-east Nigeria - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet: 

Four youths from Maiduguri, Borno State get global recognition for their innovative work in bridging literacy and numeracy gaps among conflict-affected children in North East Nigeria

A team of young people providing basic education classes for vulnerable children and youths in Maiduguri, Borno State has won the Education Category of the 2020 Generation Unlimited Youth Challenge 2.0.

Nigeria LNG shines @ world summit, award - NaijaAgroNet: ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet:

Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has won the most outstanding contribution in the industry award as a joint winner at the ongoing 2020 World LNG Virtual Summit and Award, reports NaijaAgroNet.
 

NLNG emerged the winner alongside Kpler in a nomination group comprising British Petroleum (B.P.), Chart Industries, Natural Gas Company (DEFA), Qatar Petroleum and Sempra LNG. The award was the first of two awarded by summit organiser, DMG Events. According to DMG Events, the Annual LNG Award is awarded to a company from the LNG value chain that has excelled in the previous 12 months and made positive commercial or technical contribution to the LNG business. 

NLNG was adjudged to be one of the two best organisations that have made outstanding contributions to the industry and has shown itself to be an industry leader. 

Reacting to the award, Engr. Tony Attah, NLNG’s Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), stated that the company, which proudly represents Nigeria in the industry, has always been a leading champion in the LNG business and has achieved remarkable milestones in 2020. 

“In the last 12 months, we have been awarded the Company of the Decade by a reputable media group in Nigeria. We also closed 2019 on an excellent footing with the Final Investment Decision for our Train 7 Project. In early 2020, the Coronavirus pandemic outbreak meant that everything would grind to a halt for most companies in the world. Not for NLNG. Despite the challenges from the pandemic, the declining energy market and the resultant economic downturn, we stood firmly by our ambition to grow our capacity to actively play a significant role in the energy transition, in readiness for the future. 

“The Final Investment Decision (FID) for Train 7 and award of its Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contracts are very reassuring as they renewed our hope that NLNG will maintain a significant market share in the global gas market and will continue to reap the potential benefits in that market,” he said. 

Engr. Attah stated further that the company was inspired by its ambidextrous vision of “being a global company, helping to build a better Nigeria,” which has fuelled its passion to bring real value to Nigerians and keeping the country on the global energy map. 

He added that NLNG was also leading the advocacy for gas utilisation in Nigeria through its Domestic LPG and Domestic LNG initiatives. He said these initiatives would boost gas utilisation in Nigeria as the energy of the future. 

NLNG is owned by four Shareholders; namely, the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (49%), Shell Gas B.V. (25.6%), Total Gaz Electricite Holdings France (15%), and Eni International N.A. N. V. S.àr.l (10.4%).

Isaac Oyimah/Editor

Pix: “Tony Attah, MD/CEO, Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), giving his acceptance speech after the joint award for outstanding contribution in the industry to NLNG at the ongoing World LNG Virtual Summit & Awards.”

Tinubu: Killing of Zabarmari farmers callous - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet:

The killing of scores of farmers in Zabarmari community of Jere Local Government Area of Borno State by suspected Boko Haram agents, have been described as callous by the acclaimed All Progressives Congress National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, reports NaijaAgroNet.

He said the cold-blooded murder of the innocent farmers, toiling to eke out a living for themselves and their families and provide food security for our nation was not only callous but satanic.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that some 67 farmers were rounded up and their throats slit by the Boko Haram insurgents in the dastardly killing.

Ekiti first lady inaugurates Local Government GBV Committees - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet:

Ekiti State First Lady, Erelu Bisi Fayemi on Monday launched the Obirin Kete Empowerment Programme aimed at empowering and building capacity of Ekiti women, reports NaijaAgroNet

The programme is in collaboration with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Ekiti State office.

Erelu Fayemi said the vision of the Obirin Kete women empowerment programme is a future in which Ekiti Women are prosperous, empowered, productive and engaged.

Association of Sustainability Professionals debuts in Nigeria - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet: 

The Association of Sustainability Professionals of Nigeria (ASPN) would host an industry dialogue to herald its debut with focus on  urgent need for attaining an inclusive economy in Nigeria, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The dialogue woulda also examine the roles that Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) professionals could play as the event holds Thursday, November 26, 2020.

Role of media to end violence against women - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet: 

The Spotlight Initiative in Nigeria and the Ministry of Women Affairs on Monday hosted a webinar on 23 November 2020 at 10:00am to dialogue with senior media practitioners from the public, private and civil society sectors on the role of the media in promoting accountability to end violence against women and girls in Nigeria.

Highlighted of the webinar, NaijaAgroNet gathered, includes the facts and realities of gender-based violence and explored the need for media’s increased participation in policy advocacy, negative social norms change and intensified engagement and action on social media to support ending violence against women and children in Nigeria.

HealthPlus palaver: Ekeh to Mrs. George - save your business, protect other Nigerian startups - NaijaAgroNet: ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet: 

Mrs Bukky George

The Chairman, Zinox Group, Dr. Leo-Stan Ekeh, has refuted any complicity surrounding the troubled Nigerian healthcare firm, HealthPlus and denied any alleged involvement in the company’s crisis with its investors, Alta Semper, a private equity firm, for a takeover, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Senior Special Assistant on Legal Affairs to Ekeh, Barrister Reginald Obiakor, the allegations making a round are unfounded.

Applause for NNPC @Senate on gas projects - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet: 

Senate Committee on Gas has applauded the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on the various gas development initiatives undertaken in the country, especially the Ajaokuta- Kaduna- Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Speaking during the 2021 Budget Defense and Performance Appraisal meeting with officials of the Corporation which held at the National Assembly Complex, Chairman of the Committee, Senator James Manager, expressed satisfaction with the various gas development projects embarked upon by the NNPC despite the impact of Covid-19 on the oil and gas industry, saying: “We are proud of the AKK and some of your other projects”.

He said the interface between the committee and the NNPC would have been more frequent but for the lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic. He seized the opportunity to reassure the Corporation that his committee would undertake an oversight visit to the projects for proper assessment soon.

On his part, a member of the Committee, who is also the immediate past Chairman of the Committee, Senator Albert Akpan Bassey, said NNPC under the leadership of Mallam Mele Kyari has taken the Corporation to a new height by publishing the 2018 and 2019 Audited Financial Statements and for reducing losses by over 95 per cent.

“I want to commend the team led by the present GMD, a team of dedicated and passionate Nigerians. If they can reduce losses drastically within such a short time, I am sure the next report will reveal huge profit to the country. We must give them our support and cooperation,” he stated.

Speaking earlier during a presentation, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, who was represented by the Chief Operating Officer, Gas and Power, Engr. Yusuf Usman, attributed the success of the Corporation in the gas sector to the support and cooperation of the Committee and the entire legislature.

He said gas supply to power has improved significantly, which was evident in the improved power supply currently being witnessed in the country.

“We have significant gas in the network currently, but the challenge however, is transmission,” the COO stated.

On the AKK pipeline project, Engr. Usman told the lawmakers that it was designed to supply 2billion cubic feet of gas per day (2bcfd), stressing that it would be the primary source of gas for the power plants currently being developed in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano.

Report on Green Hydrogen loading - NaijaAgroNet: ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet:

The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) is set to present the finds of the new report on Green Hydrogen: A Guide to Policy Making on Thursday, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The event is coming as part of the IRENA Policy Talks 2020 webinar series, thereby replacing the 6th Policy Day, thus, IRENA Policy Talks 2020 provide a forum for renewable energy policy discussions where experiences and best practices in policy design and implementation can be shared to support the efficient deployment of renewable energy, and the maximisation of the benefits realised.

2021 budget: Nigeria to feed, deworm children with N142.3bn - NaijaAgroNet ...Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet:

The Federal Government of Nigeria has budgeted the sum of N142.3 billion to feed estimated 9.86 million children, deworm seven million children and recount the pupils in 2021, reports NaijaAgroNet.

This budget proposal is to be managed under the Home-Grown School Feeding programme (NHGSFP).

Fish Production : FABDA Holds Stakeholders Meeting In Awka - NaijaAgroNet: ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet:

The Anambra State Government has is committed to boosting aquaculture, as a sustainable industry in line with its agricultural blue print, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Anambra Fisheries and Aquaculture Business Development Agency, FABDA, Mr. Emeka Iloghalu, disclosed this during a stakeholders meeting, in Awka.

Lack of micronutrition attracts costly price on economy – NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet:

Lack of any aspect of the micronutrition deficiencies have a price both on the people and nation’s economy, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Speaking at a one-day media roundtable on micronutrition deficiency control (MNDC) in Lagos State, the deputy director and head of the MicroNutrition Deficiency Unit (MNDU), Family Health Department, Federal Ministry of Health (FmoH), Mr. John Uruakpa noting there are two kinds of nutrition and dietary requirements for man, namely macronutrients and micronutrients.

Integrate biotechnology into Africa’s agricultural development - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet: 

African governments, regional economic communities, and development agencies have been urged to strengthen and harmonize biotechnology policies and biosafety regulations to create an enabling environment for biotechnology development in Africa. 

It was revealed that less than 30 per cent of African countries have functional biosafety frameworks and the number of biotech products getting to farmers is still very low. Hence, a further call was made to fully integrate biotechnology into Africa’s agricultural development agenda to ensure that food and nutrition security is attained across the continent.

White Gold Series to debut November 12 - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet:

White Gold Series, a documentary ready to be aired on CNBC Africa from 9 to 12 November at 16h30 Central Africa time, followed by the West Africa launch via Afrique Media TV from November 16-18 at 7:03pm CAT and November 19 at 6:33 CAT, as well as ITFC Social Media, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Courtesy of the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group, which backed the planned release of the series of four short documentaries on its extensive cotton sector trade finance and development interventions in West Africa, reports NaijaAgroNet.

NaijaAgroNet noted that for over a decade, ITFC has played a fundamental role in supporting cotton production in sub-Saharan Africa, earning it the name, Cotton Bank of Africa. Also known as ‘White Gold’, cotton is a vital export crop for several West African countries thus a key source of foreign exchange earnings. In addition, the cotton sector is the main source of employment and livelihoods for whole communities in these countries. ITFC’s financing efforts in the cotton sector is over US$1.8 billion, with 23 financing operations in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mali. In Burkina Faso and Cameroon, ITFC has since 2008 disbursed over US$840 million to purchase fertilizers and provide early payments or provision of inputs to cotton producers for their cotton yields. On yearly basis, ITFC’s trade financing touches the lives of around 300,000 farmers and their families accross Burkina Faso and Cameroon.

Commenting on the launch of the series, ITFC CEO, Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol said: “Investments in agriculture are impactful, provided they adopt a value-chain approach that enhances productivity, promotes agro-processing, and increases access to markets. We hope that the White Gold Series, particularly now in the times of a major global pandemic, will serve as a reminder and inspiration to global development stakeholders on the need to continue to develop high-impact value chains across African OIC member countries, thereby strengthening the resilience of smallholder farming communities whose lives depend on these key commodities.” 

Catch ITFC’s White Gold Series on CNBC Africa and Afrique Media TV.

Power: NNPC generates 2,538MW in August - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

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

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has said that it supplied 727 Million Standard Cubic Feet per day (mmscfd) of natural gas for power generation to the country in the month of August, 2020, an equivalent of 2,538MW of power, reports NaijaAgroNet.

This represents an increase of 2.80 per cent from the previous month. 

Estate residents debunk report on Tinubu's ownership - NaijaAgroNet: ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet: 

The Royal Gardens Estate Residents’ Association (RGERA) in Ajah, Lagos State has debunk media reports that its owned by the former governor of the state, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Residents, in a public statement available to NaijaAgroNet, insisted the estate is not owned Tinubu, maintaining that there is no evidence to claim.

They went on to described the said report as a "misconception."

Top students to benefit from Apex Industries CSR - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet: 

A 5 year Funding Partnership Agreement with the National University of Equatorial Guinea has been seal with the Apex Industries to award scholarships to top students.

Confirming this development the Head of the oil and gas conglomerate based in Equatorial Guinea, Apex Industries, Don Leoncio Amada Nze, said this is coming as part of the company's social programme.

According to Nze, the company commits to financially support qualifying students during their academic progress for the next 5 years.

WFD2020: FFAA advocates for foodbanking - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet: 

In commemoration of the United Nations (UN) World Food Day, Food for All Africa (FFAA) has advocated for food banking in African countries especially Ghana, reports NaijaAgroNet.

FFAA, NaijaAgroNet gathered, provided over 500 packs of waakye meal, food bags and basic essentials to low income and vulnerable beneficiaries across Accra in commemoration of this year's World Food Day held on October 16, this year.

WFD 2020: CS-SUNN urges Nigerians to choose nutritious foods - NaijaAgroNet: ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet: 

The Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition Network (CS- SUNN) has urged Nigerians to ensure they choose their foods with nutrition in mind, so as to maintain a healthy living, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Executive Secretary, CS- SUNN, Mrs. Beatrice Eluaka gave this charge on the occasion of the World Food Day (WFD2020) in Abuja on Friday.

She counselled Nigerians to choose to eat diverse and healthy diets in order to promote healthy living.

World Food Day 2020:Pope Francis drums support for FAO, UN - NaijaAgroNet: ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet:

The Catholic pontiff, Pope Francis has urged for more support for the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and all UN food agencies' initiatives that promote sustainable and diversified agriculture, and support small farming communities and the rural development of the poorest countries.

He made this known on his message to the occasion of FAO turning 75 and to commemoration of teh World Food Day 2020.

Pope also urgeds UN member states to use the money that buys arms and covers military expenses for defeating hunger and rural development instead would also be a "courageous decision".

World Food Day: Buhari restates commitment to food security, price stability - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet: 

The President, General Muhammadu Buhari retired, has restated the commitment of his administration to ensure self-sufficiency in food production and stability in prices of commodities in the country, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The President gave the assurance in a statement at the launch of Outgrow Hunger, Nigeria, an initiative of a non-governmental organisation, Agricultural Agenda Nigeria Initiative (AANI), founded by Mr Ephraim Odemwingie.

World Food Day: FAO calls for building back better, honours food heroes - NaijaAgroNet

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

Today, World Food Day marks the 75th anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

Born on the wake of catastrophe - World War II, three-quarters of a century later, FAO's mission to end hunger and nourish the world has been made more relevant because of another global scourge - the COVID-19 pandemic, said QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General.

Along the way, the world, and with it FAO, went from growing more food, to getting attuned to its environmental footprints, setting up regulatory frameworks in response, getting animal diseases under control, and, finally, seeing the fight against hunger as inseparable from other development goals. 

Hence, also, this year's World Food Day's theme: grow, nourish, and sustain. Together. 

"The present moment is again fraught with danger, complicated, and demands urgent action. As hunger grows once more, as the COVID-19 pandemic exposes the fragility of our food systems, history is calling upon us once more to rise to the challenge," urged Qu.

The Director-General spoke today at FAO's global 75th Anniversary/World Food Day virtual event in Rome, which brought together Pope Francis; Italy's President; Lesotho's King and Spain's Queen - FAO Special Goodwill Ambassadors for Nutrition; UN's Secretary General; and the heads of IFAD and WFP.

Saluting FAO's anniversary, Pope Francis described the organization's mission as "beautiful and important".

Time to build back better

World Food Day is marked this year as global hunger rises for the fifth consecutive year and a healthy diet is out of reach for 3 billion people. Nearly 700 million people still go hungry, and the pandemic could tip up to 132 million more into hunger by the end of 2020.

This year's World Food Day aims to galvanize and accelerate action towards ending hunger and malnutrition in all its forms, and to make food and agriculture an essential part of the COVID-19 response.

Chief amongst them, as speakers at today's event noted, are global solidarity and building more resilient, robust agri-food systems that can withstand shocks, deliver affordable and sustainable healthy diets for all, and decent livelihoods for all workers along the food supply chain. 

"Now is the time to rethink our approaches and redouble our efforts," said Qu.

Amongst these, Qu highlighted pioneering sciences and technologies, stressing that "Innovation is our ally in re-imagining our food systems and ending hunger, as we are morally and politically bound to do in the next ten years".

Isaac Oyimah/Editor

Flour Mills boss endorses Cognito Micronutrient powder - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet:

Affirming the significance of micronutrients in human nutrition, the managing director of Flour Mills of Nigeria plc Dr Paul Gbededo has commended Micronutrient Laboratories Limited for the introduction of Cognito Micronutrient Powder as a contribution to fighting the threat of infant malnutrition in Nigeria, reports NaijaAgroNet. 

Gbededo spoke on Wednesday 14 October as he unveiled the new micronutrient powder formulation on the sidelines of the 44th annual conference of the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology.

Malnutrition: Nigeria gets Cognito Micronutrient Powder - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet:

Nigeria’s battle against deficiencies in childhood nutrition got a boost Wednesday 14 October with the introduction of a micronutrient fortification product for quick and easy utilisation by families, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Micronutrient Laboratories Limited unveiled its Cognito Micronutrient Powder as a response to the challenge of high infant mortality from poor feeding at the 44th Annual Conference of the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology in Lagos. It was one of the highlights of the annual conference of the nation’s food scientists and technologists.

Ekiti stakeholders take stock of Fayemi's projects - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet:


Ekiti stakeholders including Radio Callers Association and community leaders are taking stock of the projects and various programmes of the Dr Kayode Fayemi administration in recent times, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The stocktaking was part of the tour of the state by the stakeholders as led by the chief of staff, Mr. Abiodun Omoleye, stressing that they are executed based on the needs and yearnings of the people.

Earthshot dangles £50m prize for climate change, restore nature - NaijaAgroNet: ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet:

 

New global prize for the environment has emerged to the tune of £50 million, just as the five challenges at the heart of The Earthshot Prize has been unveiled, reports NaijaAgroNet.

This follows the launch by Prince William seen as the most prestigious global environment prize in history, as the five challenges at the heart of The Earthshot Prize were also unveiled to incentivise change and help to repair our planet over the next ten years – a critical decade for the Earth.

COVID-19: Sudan takes delivery of 3,000 personal protective gear - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet:  

Sudan has received medical boost with the delivery of estimated 3,000 personal masks Siemens in collaboration with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ) reports NaijaAgroNet.

This, NaijaAgroNet gathered, was delivered last month to assist in the battle against Covid-19, and is the partnership's latest humanitarian investment initiative aimed at improving living standards in Sudan through the Ministry of Health.

COVID-19: Five media outlets benefit from Bloomberg, Ford grants - NaijaAgroNet... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet:

To strengthen regional journalism at a time when communities urgently needed access to accurate, local information on COVID-19, the Bloomberg Media Initiative Africa (BMIA) and the Ford Foundation have awarded their latest round of funding to some five media entities on the continent, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The beneficiaries cut across Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa will receive grants from the BMIA Community Media Fund (BMIA-CMF) to improve training and support the production of independent, reliable news content on issues impacting local communities. 

Afi-Antonio partners Feminine Star to empower women - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet: 

The Afi Antonio Foundation in partnership with Feminine Star Africa has hosted a women empowerment programme in Anloga, Ghana, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Empowering women to be key change agents is an essential element to achieving the end of hunger and poverty.

The theme for the programme was "Empowering Women And Girls For a Better Tomorrow" with focus on training women for equity on income generating skills that will help them realize their financial goals and overcome persistent gender based barriers.

Bridging African medicare gaps with technologies - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet:

Omnia Health Live Africa set to bring together policy drivers, thought leaders, expert clinicians and decision-makers to transform healthcare's most pressing challenges through collaboration and empowerment.

The international healthcare community sits at a critical juncture, particularly with the COVID-19 pandemic placing a spotlight on some of the industry’s biggest resource challenges.

African Oil Week: US, Africa collaboration leads agenda - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet: 

The participation of US Department of Energy’s Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy and the US Development Finance Corporation’s Chief Development Officer in AOW Virtual highlights the importance that the United States places on fostering relationships with the continent, reports NaijaAgroNet.

When the US government launched its Prosper Africa initiative in December 2018, it did so with a vision to open markets for American businesses, grow Africa’s middle class and promote youth employment opportunities. Securing the continent’s energy future – either with its own resources or imported ones – and facilitating electrification for those Africans not yet connected to the grid have been crucial to the initiative since its inception.

CS-SUNN launches Let us do more campaign - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet: 
Nigeria at 60 anniversary got a boost on Thursday with the launch of “Let us do more campaign” by the Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), reports NaijaAgroNet.

According to the Secretary to the Board of Trustees at CS-SUNN, Prof. Ngozi Nnam, the launch was in commemoration of the nation’s independence and a wake up call to nutrition stakeholders in the country.

ARC, Insuretech Pula to deliver agric index insurance products - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet: 
The commercial subsidiary of African Risk Capacity Group (ARC Group), the ARC Ltd, has entered a partnership with Pula to deliver best-in-class agriculture index insurance products to protect African farmers from climatic risks, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Every farming season, African farmers are exposed to a wide range of climate risks including drought, excessive rainfall, pests and diseases, and several other perils that negatively affect their yields. 

As an aggregator specialising in meso and micro parametric insurance in agriculture, Pula provides the levers to connect participating farmers with regional insurance companies and global reinsurance firms to underwrite such risks.

Fish seller wins Princewill ‘Hard Worker’ award for September - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet:

After a keenly contested month, a fish seller, Destiny Abraham Nelson, has emerged winner of the monthly Princewill Trust Help the Hard Worker competition put together by the Princewills Trust, reports NaijaAgroNet.

A Rivers State-based one hundred level student of the University of Uyo, who turned fish seller to enable her pay her school fees, emerged the winner of the September, 2020 edition, after a very well contested competition, beating Nimi Jack and Oscar Nyesom to win the N100,000 cash prize.

UNICEF receives 115,800 COVID-19 test kits from IHS - NaijaAgroNet: ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet: 

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has received the delivery of 115,800 COVID-19 test kits to support the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, courtesy of IHS Nigeria, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Testing remains the mainstay of the response led by the Presidential Task Force and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the first step towards diagnosing the infection. Tests enable health officials to understand the COVID-19 status of an individual and link that person to care, support and treatment while contributing to the protection of families and communities.

Post-COVID-19: FAO reiterates mandate delivery despite pandemic - NaijaAgroNet: ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet:

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has reiterated delivery on its mandate while safeguarding the health and wellbeing of its employees, especially since the early days of the pandemic, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The UN agency, NaijaAgroNet gathered had in July, presented the FAO COVID-19 Response and Recovery Program aimed at preventing a global food emergency during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, while working on medium- to long-term development responses for food security and nutrition.

On the normative side, the International Code of Conduct for the Sustainable Use and Management of Fertilizers and the Ten Elements of Agroecology were adopted by the FAO Conference; and the FAO Climate Change Strategy is being implemented.

On the operational side, FAO continued to support its members in combatting plant pests and animal diseases that affect lives and livelihoods of millions of people such as the Desert Locust, a threat that remains a priority for FAO with the pandemic making activities on the ground more difficult.

"Between January and August 2020, over 760 000 have been controlled across 10 countries from the Horn of Africa to Yemen," official hinted.

FAO said that in this area, control operations have averted the loss of an estimated 1.52 million tonnes of cereal in the region, stressing that this amount of grain is enough to feed 9.88 million people for an entire year and is valued at $456 million.

In some countries, including Ethiopia and Somalia, FAO and governments are currently fighting the second generation of a widespread desert locust surge. National governments continue to lead control and surveillance operations supported by FAO through the provision of pesticides, bio-pesticides, equipment, aircraft and training.

FAO has also launched the Global Action for Fall Armyworm Control for a strong and coordinated response to the rapid spread of the Fall Armyworm at all levels.

Additionally, the UN agency said, its providing assistance for a Peste des Petits Ruminants-free world, and measures aimed at countering African swine fever and other major animal diseases.

Isaac Oyimah/Editor

Renewable Energy Jobs grew to 11.5m worldwide - NaijaAgroNet ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet: 

The renewable energy sector has continued to bring socio-economic benefits by creating numerous jobs worldwide, according to the latest figures released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), reports NaijaAgroNet.

The seventh edition of Renewable Energy and Jobs – Annual Review shows that jobs in the sector reached 11.5 million globally last year, led by solar PV with some 3.8 million jobs, or a third of the total.

United for global biodiversity agenda - NaijaAgroNet: ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet: 

Ahead of the UN biodiversity summit later this month, a partnership of environment and development organisations – including IIED – are urging world leaders to ramp up ambition on action for nature, climate and development.

COVID-19 has proved that transformative action is possible with political will, so a breadth of organisations are calling on world leaders to take action to stop biodiversity loss (Photo: Tomas Munita/CIFOR via Flickr, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

In June and July this year, IIED joined 27 partners – ranging from UN agencies to business groups to Indigenous Peoples’ organisations – to co-convene a series of “Virtual biodiversity dialogues”. The purpose of the dialogues? To explore some of the issues under consideration in the emerging post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework and to highlight common concerns and priorities for global leaders to take into account during the negotiations.
Making the most of COVID-19 constraints.

The partnership of environment and development organisations was established in anticipation of the IUCN World Conservation Congress being held in France in June 2020. The original purpose of the partnership was to co-organise a series of side events at the congress, located in a joint ’pavilion’.

All events were to focus on the new framework due to be agreed at the Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), that was due to be held in October 2020.

COVID-19 obviously put a halt to both the IUCN and CBD gatherings but the ’Post-2020 Pavilion Partnership’ decided to make the most of these global meetings being postponed and organised a series of online events instead.

Overall, nearly 900 people from all corners of the world participated in the series of 10 dialogues discussing issues ranging from the scope and content of ambitious global goals for nature to governance for transformative change; from synergies with other conventions and the Sustainable Development Goals to intergenerational equity.
Equity and justice at the heart of a new biodiversity agreement

Perhaps one of the most significant outcomes of the dialogues, from an IIED perspective, was the clear message that rights, equity and justice must lie at the heart of the post-2020 framework. These are issues that IIED has long advocated for, particularly through our work on equity in the context of protected area management. We recognise the urgent need to tackle biodiversity loss and to protect the world’s remaining intact habitats.

But efforts to protect biodiversity that ride rough-shod over local people’s rights to own and manage their resources are not acceptable, and we share concerns with human rights groups as to the potential implications of calls for 30% of land to be protected by 2030.

The dialogues made clear that this year must mark the start of a pivotal moment in human history when we reset our relationship with nature. COVID-19 has shown just how catastrophically misaligned we currently are. Last year’s IPBES Global Assessment highlighted how nature underpins the delivery of all the SDGs. And our own work emphasises the development implications of biodiversity loss.

The drivers of both biodiversity loss and the emergence of infectious diseases such as COVID-19 lie in our mismanagement of nature – in unfettered land conversion and habitat destruction driven by our global food system.

Reflecting this, a further clear message from the dialogues was that world leaders must adopt an ambitious global goal for nature that commits the world to halting further loss of nature and restoring what we have already lost. Participants discussed the concept of ‘nature positive’ as a parallel to ‘carbon neutral’ in the climate negotiations and in one session agreed we would like to see a global ambition for an equitable, carbon-neutral and nature-positive world.
Calling on world leaders to do better

Achieving this ambition would require transformative change in many areas. In our financial systems, food systems, trade systems, and in governance – from international to local levels. If COVID-19 has shown us anything at all it is that transformative action is possible when the risks of inaction are perceived to be great enough. Governments can take actions that previously might have been thought impossible.

One of the objectives of the virtual biodiversity dialogues was therefore to recognise the moment of opportunity that COVID-19 presents amid catastrophe and to collectively craft some key messages for the UN Summit on Biodiversity on 30 September. The heads of the partner organisations have signed a call to action (PDF) aimed at the world leaders participating in the summit.

The call outlines four key measures we would like leaders to take, to deliver an ambitious post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework and contribute to the achievement of the SDGs and the Paris Agreement.

The Post-2020 Pavilion partners are not the only organisations issuing a call to action ahead of the UN Biodiversity Summit. Other sectors of society are also calling for ambitious, collective action for nature, climate and development including (but not limited to) business, humanitarian organisations and youth.

Will world leaders respond to these calls or will it be just business as usual? Critical agreements on nature and climate will not be forged until next year. But this month’s summit provides an opportunity for heads of state and government to set the tone for the negotiations to come.

Let’s hope that the tone in the statements that will emerge from the UN summit reflects the high ambition we need, and is accompanied by commitments to real action and change (yes, even the transformative stuff), not the lip service we’ve been used to.

Read the joint press release where hundreds of organisations – including businesses; environment and development organisations, humanitarian organisations; faith groups; local and regional governments; Indigenous Peoples; and youth – call on world leaders to ‘Act on nature’.

Contributed by Dilys Roe, a principal researcher in IIED's Natural Resources research group, Dilys Roe, 
@dilysroe

SDGs: FAO's Committee on Agriculture focuses on livestock sector transformation - NaijaAgroNet: ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet: 
The agricultural sectors and livestock farming in particular must shift towards sustainability to enhance their contribution to food security, nutrition and healthy diets and build back better to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and other challenges, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu has said, reports NaijaAgroNet.

In his opening remarks to the 27th session of the Committee on Agriculture (COAG), the DG called for an integrated agri-food systems approach to better address food insecurity and malnutrition amid COVID-19.

Africa oil sector to leverage technology for optimisation - NaijaAgroNet: ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet: 

The ‘Leveraging the Power of Technology for Oilfield Optimization’ webinar was organized by Microsoft in partnership with Africa Oil & Power and the African Energy Chamber, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Participants also foresee lower production costs are paramount to a revamped global oil sector with technology to spearhead cost reductions. 

LMMS performs ground-breaking for multi-specialty trauma centre - NaijaAgroNet: ... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

NaijaAgroNet:

The Loveworld Medical Missions and Services (LMMS) has performed the ground breaking for a multi-specialty hospital that will improve trauma care and emergency services in Nigeria, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The proposed facility to be known as the "Loveworld Medical Centre," will be situated at Aseese, along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Ogun State and will boast of modern equipment and highly skilled personnel dedicated to service, reports NaijaAgroNet.