Feed-the-Future, others to help goat producers

Feed the Future, an initiative of the United State government to fight global hunger with the partnership of scientific organisations in order to help U.S. and African goat producers enhance breeding and productivity, reports USDA. 

The goat project is being funded by USAID’s Norman Borlaug Commemorative Research Initiative, African research partners and others.

NaijaAgroNet also gathered that goat DNA and performance measures will be collected from more than 20 distinct goat populations from Africa, the United States, the Middle East and some portion of Asia and Brazil.

Researchers, NaijaAgroNet further learnt will identify unique genes in each population and develop genetic preservation plans.

Also, researchers will consider how breeds differ in performance traits like milk yield and parasite resistance. 

According to the report, the project will associate those differences with the DNA, enabling farmers to more quickly breed healthier, more productive goats than with observing performance traits alone. Read more

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Incorporate science in fight to boost food security - Expert

Following a recent study that revealed a yearly loss of about 1.3 billion tonnes of food, an expert has called for the incorporation of science in order to boost food security, reports Trust.

Carlos Nobre, national secretary of Research and Development Policies and Programmes in Brazil's ministry of Science and Technology made the call as the global population is expected to reach nine billion by 2050.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that he affirmed science as having a fundamental role to play, hence agriculture must become more resilient and the development of scientific knowledge must bolster sustainability and food security.

Nobre who is also a member of the Independent Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change, comprising prominent scientists from 13 countries also made known that one-third of the food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted. Read more

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FAO appeals for N7.8 billion for Horn of Africa

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has urgently appealed for a sum of $50 million, about N7.882 billion in order to assist funding gap for priority agricultural and pastoral activities to be carried out in the Horn of Africa.

FAO revealed to NaijaAgroNet in a press statement that the fund is necessary to execute a 90day plan aim at giving farmers and pastoralists the chances to improve their livelihoods and build resilience to any future shocks.

Commenting on the issue, FAO's Sub-regional Coordinator for Eastern Africa, Castro Camarada said the international community needs to continue to support the most vulnerable households in Somalia and other arid and semi-arid lands in the Horn of Africa to cope with another possible dry spell.

NaijaAgroNet also gathered that some activities like crop and livestock production, and cash-for-work programmes are already ongoing and need improvement.

According to FAO, although the situation in the drought-affected areas of the Horn of Africa has improved significantly in recent months it is estimated 8.1 million people there are still in need of assistance (Ethiopia: 3.2 million; Kenya: 2.2 million; Somalia: 2.5 million; Djibouti 180 000).

Distributions of crop and vegetable seeds form part of the urgent activities planned for the region, and helping implement small-scale irrigation schemes and running cash-for-work activities in order to restore vital agricultural infrastructure.

Despite an end of famine conditions declared a month ago in Somalia, over 2.5 million are still facing food crisis; unable to fully meet essential food and non-food needs, majority of which reside in the southern regions.

NaijaAgroNet further gathered that José Graziano da Silva, FAO Director General on his visit to Somalia recently pledged that the organization will continue to increase its efforts in the region. He also stressed the importance of continued and coordinated actions to build up the resilience of local populations and link relief with development.

"We can't avoid droughts, but we can put measures in place to try to prevent them from becoming a famine" José Graziano da Silva affirmed.

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Increasing food importation, a worry for SA

South African Minister of Trade and Industry, Rob Davies expresses worry over the rate of increase in food importation, reports BusinessDay.

Speaking at a workshop, Rob Davies affirmed that the increase importation dampened the rate of expansion in the sector, leading to slower job creation over the past decade despite South Africa's own capacity to manufacture food products.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that South African's traditional export markets are facing substantial challenges.

"Exports to the traditional markets of the European Union and US have been flat in recent years. Today they are still lower than they were in 2007, before the onset of the global financial crisis," he said. 

Department of Trade and Industry of South Africa revealed that import penetration ratio raised from 9 per cent in 2005 to 13 per cent in 2010. Read more

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FAO predicts 690 million tonnes wheat production for the year

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has forecasted that the wheat production for the year will amount to 690 million tones.

The forecasted wheat production is 10 million tonnes less than 2011 wheat production; this was revealed to NaijaAgroNet in a press statement by FAO.

It was also gathered that planting is on the increase or predicted to increase in many countries this year in response to strong prices.

Further NaijaAgroNet noted that the forecast report revealed an expectation of a return to normal yields in areas where high records were achieved last year.

The report also made known that a global forecast of cereal output for the year is too early.

In Eastern Africa, despite some improvement, the food situation of vulnerable groups remains precarious, especially in pastoral areas affected by earlier drought. The food security situation in the Sudan and South Sudan is of concern following poor harvests. 

On another note, the FAO's Food Price index published on the 19th March, 2012 revealed a 1 per cent increase over January's. There have been also increased imports as a result of weaker US Dollar and plunging freight rates have also characterized world markets since the beginning of 2012.

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