Making agriculture work for biodiversity

NaijaAgroNet:

By incorporating biodiversity as a priority in agriculture chain could yield multiple benefits, says experts at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), reports NaijaAgroNet.

FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva made this call for transformative changes on how to produce food, grounded in sustainable agricultural systems capable of producing healthy and nutritious food while simultaneously safeguarding the planet's biodiversity.

"Biodiversity is essential for safeguarding global food security and nutrition, improving rural livelihoods, and enhancing the resilience of people and communities," he said in keynote remarks made at the start of a three day international dialogue (on mainstreaming biodiversity into agricultural policies and practices.

Healthy ecosystems provide a number of key services upon which humankind relies, such as water quality maintenance, nutrient cycling, soil formation and erosion control, and carbon sequestration. And healthy agricultural ecosystems provide the ecological foundations for food production, and the biodiversity of crops and livestock plays a critical role in humankind.

But today planetary biodiversity — genetic diversity at the level of organisms; diversity at the species level; and diversity ecosystem level — faces a number of threats, the FAO Director-General noted.

"The way we are producing our food is a big part of the problem", he said.

"Today, the world still produces food mainly based on the principles of the Green Revolution that started more than 50 years ago, and implies the use of high chemical inputs at a high cost for the environment," according to Graziano da Silva.

Yet he also noted that massive swaths of the Earth's surface are being used to grow food, raise animals, capture and farm fish, or produce forest products. This means that if managed sustainably — with biodiversity as a priority — the agricultural sector can make significant contributions to protecting biodiversity.

This renders promoting and facilitating the mainstreaming of biodiversity across all agricultural sectors "fundamental," FAO's Director-General argued.

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Makinde advocates monitoring of biotech development in Africa

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The Director, African Biotech Network of Expertise (ABNE), Professor Diran Makinde, has posited that African countries should have reliable systems to monitor developments in biotechnology to ensure successes in health, food security, biodiversity and trade, NaijaAgroNet reports.

The Dr. Makinde said that in the face of opposition and activism, evidence based decisions is germane to sustain the tempo in public awareness on the safety of  Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) adding that what Africa needs to do is monitor local seed companies so that seeds are not adulterated.

He took this position at the three-day biotechnology short course organized by the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) agency Africa Biosafety Network of Expertise in collaboration with University of Ghana (UG) Legon, and Michigan State University (MSU).

The course, NaijaAgroNet gathered, seeks to provide a platform that would empower key stakeholders within the Biosafety systems in Ghana and Nigeria with current information on safe management of modern biotechnology to enable them effectively support regulatory process.

Expert pointed out that with 65 per cent of Africa's labour workforce employed by agriculture coupled with aging farmers, climate change, drought and famine and the youth shunning agriculture, Biotech stands to optimize productivity and contribute to food, feed and fiber security.

NaijaAgroNet further reports that Biotechnology is the use of living organisms to produce a product or service such as tools of tissue culture, molecular characterization for identification purposes in plant breeding, diagnostics, fermentation and genetic engineering.

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First Bank, NCF partner to protect environment

 NaijaAgroNet

First Bank Nigeria and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) have come together tocreate awareness on the need to preserve wildlife and biodiversity among school children in Nigeria, reports NaijaAgroNet.

To give added impetus topromoting environmental sustainability, NaijaAgroNet learnt, the bank flagged off the conservation initiative recently with the planting of 120 trees at the Lagos State Civil Service Model College, Igbogbo, Ikorodu, where it also formally set up a conservation club in the school.

The Head, Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability in First Bank, Mr. Ismail Omamegbe said it was part of the bank's long-term approach to sustainability and minimizing direct and indirect impacts on the environment. The conservation initiative, NaijaAgroNet gathered, lays emphasis on tree planting and students' conservation clubs which will serve as vehicles to drive environmental protection and conservation.

"This has made us focused on three priority areas which are minimize carbon footprint, carbon offsetting, conservation and preservation of wildlife and biodiversity," he said.
Mr. Omamegbe stated that First Bank's partnership with the NCF is strategic because NCF's leadership role in promoting environmental conservation and sustainable development in Nigeria tallies with the bank's desire to see the environment sustained because it is a socially responsible entity, NaijaAgroNet reports.

Dr. Joseph Onoja, NCF's Director, Technical Programmes, had earlier stated that NCF  “is pleased that Lagos State Civil Service Model College, Igbogbo, Ikorodu will be the pacesetter for the conservation clubs. Today we are going to plant 120 trees in commemoration of First Bank's 120 years in existence”.

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MDGs attainable says FAO boss

FAO Director General, Graziano

The Director General of the United National Food and Agriculture Organisation, Graziano da Silva has affirmed that the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) is still within reach provided countries set up efforts towards hunger reduction.

Da Silva disclosed this at a session of Committee on World Food Security (CFS) recently that the developing world recorded a significant drop in hunger from 23.2 per cent to 14.9 per cent.

Although there are still about 870 million people facing hunger globally, but da Silva said the drop is an important progress.

He also made known that process targeted at reducing the rate of hunger in the world, especially in Africa and the Near East has been on since 2007 following the rise in food insecurity in Africa and the Near East.

"As we renew and increase our commitment to reach the Millennium Development Goal for hunger reduction," da Silva said that there is need to look beyond the MDG, towards the total eradication of hunger.

"When it comes to hunger, the only acceptable number is ‘zero'," he said.

Also speaking at the session of the intergovernmental body, the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon called on stakeholders to stand up to the global challenge of food security.

According to him, everybody is at the heart of the next big push in eliminating hunger in its entirety. One of the objectives of the 'Zero Hunger Challenge' includes a world where everyone has access to food.

Food at pregnancy and early childhood, and greater opportunity for small scale farmers also forms part of the objectives of the Zero Hunger Challenge.

CFS, NaijaAgroNet gathered was established in 1974 to enable the consideration of all viewpoints in making decision to address issues that affect food security, nutrition and economic crisis as well as the rising demand for food. 

CFS Chair Yaya Olaniran said finding agreement on issues of food security takes time and that the results of such agreement are policies that are grounded in reality and have everyone's backing.

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New species of frogs debut in Southern Leyte

A team of scientist recently discovered two new species of frogs in the forests of Southern Leyte, reports ABS.

The new species, NaijaAgroNet learnt was discovered while conducting a biodiversity resource assessment.

The new species belong to the genus Platymantis, which inhabit the mossy forests of the Nacolod Mountain Range in Southern Leyte.

This shows different body sizes, coloration patterns, and advertisement calls compared to other known species of Philippine Platymantis frogs. 

NaijaAgroNet further gathered that the two species are allied to two different species groups, the Platymantis guentheri group and Platymantis hazelae group and was unveiled at the Marble Hall of the Museum of the Filipino People.

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Climate change makes biodiversity conversation more expensive - Studies

A piece of land affected by Climate Change

Three new studies by a group of international researchers, have attributed discussions on climate change as making biodiversity conversation more expensive.

The studies said, this has shown an increase in the cost of conserving biodiversity, clean water and clean air by more than 100 per cent, reports PhysOrg.

The studies NaijaAgroNet learnt was named 'Wake-up Call for cost-efficient biodiversity conservation and climate stabilizations' and was conducted in South Africa, Madagascar and California by Conservation International.

The lead author of the studies report, Lee Hannah, senior scientist for climate change biology at Conservation International said specific effects of climate change on species in South Africa, Madagascar and California are very different.

The costs of conserving climate change effects, Lee said will certainly increase considerably in all the regions examined.

"We can have a healthy planet and keep extra costs to a minimum by acting quickly to cut emissions and incorporate climate change into conservation plans," Lee Hannah said. 

Climate scientist and associate vice president for Environmental Defense Fund, Rebecca Shaw while commenting on the report of the study said the set of studies from around the world is a wake-up calls as people have been struggling to conserve the nature we depend on for clean air and clean water without climate change.

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UNDP says human index on sustainability may reduce drastically by 2050

The Human Development Index (HDI) may be lower than 8 per cent by 2050 given the prevailing environmental challenges, says the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in its 2011 sustainability report on HDI.

 This, UNDP said could be obvious looking at the baseline in an environmental challenge scenario which will capture the adverse effects of global warming on agricultural production and access to clean water by 2050.

The Human Development reports for 2011 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) focused on sustainable, equitable progress and how environmental degradation intensifies inequalities through adverse impacts on already disadvantaged people.

The 2011 annual report made available to NaijaAgroNet affirmed the need to address sustainability - locally, nationally and globally in ways that are equitable and empowering order to promote human development.

The 2011 report also revealed that there is a potential future deterioration in environmental degradation as there are increasing points to widespread environmental degradation around the world.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the United Nations Development Programme is trying to ensure that poor people's aspirations for better lives are fully taken into consideration in moving towards greater environmental sustainability.

There are also ranges of predictions and insight of human development which also points that the extent of future changes is uncertain.

The simulations for the report also gave the impression that the Human Development Index would be 8 per cent lower than in the baseline in an environmental challenge scenario which will capture the adverse effects of global warming on agricultural production and access to clean water by 2050.

UNDP also affirmed that the environmental disaster scenario will lead to a turning point before 2050 in developing nations if nothing is done to halt or reverse the current trends.

Part of the projections of the present trend as gathered by NaijaAgroNet is that the most disadvantaged people will bear the repercussions of environmental deterioration even though they contribute little to the problem.

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Biodiversity: Ban Ki-moon warns mass extinction affects everyone

The United Nations’ Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon has warned that mass extinction will affect everyone.

Ban Ki-moon gave this warning at the launch of the UN Decade on Biodiversity, saying the growing of human family hangs on biological diversity couple with the vital goods and services that it offers.

Ban Ki-moon who was represented by Kiyo Akasaka at the event in Kanazawa Japan also affirmed that the poor will be the first to suffer from biodiversity loss and that every society also stands a chance to lose from this mass extinction.

"There are also the opportunity costs; what cures for disease, and what other useful discoveries might we never know of because a habitat is destroyed forever or land is polluted beyond all use," he said.

Additionally, he said people consider natural capital as an endless reserve instead of the limited and fragile resource they have come to be known.

"Fortunately, it is not too late to stem the tide," he said, emphasizing that considering the targets as realistic, the achievement of the 20 Aichi Biodiversity Target included in the 2011-2020 Strategic Plan for Biodiversity calls for greater engagement by all relevant actors and partners.

He commended Japan for its leadership in the support of Strategic Plan and the Decade, submitting that all the parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and related conventions should rally round the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity.

"Let us work together to live in harmony with nature. Let us preserve and wisely manage nature's riches for prosperity today and for the future we want," Ban Ki-moon.

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