COP 28: Africa's peculiarities must be considered towards net-zero future - NaijaAgroNet

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As conversations on finding sustainable solutions for a decarbonized energy future continue to hold globally, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), NNPC Ltd., Mr. Mele Kyari has said the African Continent needs “a just, differentiated transition” to enable it to harness its resources for today for the benefit of its future generations.

The GCEO made this known while speaking at a Regional CEO Panel organised by McKinsey & Company on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations Conference on Climate Change (UNCCC), also known as the COP28 Conference, in Dubai, UAE, on Monday.

Feed the future Nigeria visiting scholars programme extends deadline

NaijaAgroNet:

The Feed the Future Nigeria Agricultural Policy Project visiting scholars programme for 2018 has gotten a new deadline extension till February 28, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The programme, which seeks application from the all states across the federation, entails successful applicants will visit the Michigan State University.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that at least, five graduate students visiting scholars will fill the positions for the academic year 2018 starting in August till May 2019.

Also on offer, NaijaAgroNet gathered, are three at the Masters level and two (2) at the PhD level.

The Masters Level positions will be awarded for a maximum 1 semester, and the PhD Level, a maximum of 2 semesters.

The student’s primary research supervisor who must be from a Nigerian University is expected to actively participate in the programme.

The advisor will be invited (and funded) to visit MSU for a period not exceeding 30 calendar days.

Those who meet the criteria and are interested, are advised to submit the materials as specified in the documents for the programme funded by USAID Nigeria Mission.

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General Motors targets autonomous future vehicles

NaijaAgroNet:

The General Motors (GM) is targeting to launch the autonomous future vehicles, come Monday, November 30, 2017, in San Francisco, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) General Motors, Mary Barra made this disclosure while reviewing the automaker’s third-quarter earnings.

Although she did not provide details, according to agency reports, quoted Barra as saying GM would launch a mix of at least 20 new all-electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles globally by 2023, including two in the next 18 months.

“We are committed to an all-electric future,” Barra said during the third-quarter conference call, stressing that GM is “confident” it can make the vehicles profitable.

According to the reports, GM shares have surged about 30 per cent this year to record highs since the company began trading shares at $33 a share in November 2010.

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'The Future of Everything is here @SDG'

NaijaAgroNet:

The joint meeting of the United Nations General Assembly Second Committee and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) will have a special focus on “The Future of Everything—Sustainable Development in the Age of Rapid Technological Change” reports NaijaAgroNet.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres also called artificial intelligence “a new frontier” with “advances moving at warp speed.

He pointed out that nowadays, driverless cars, advanced medical diagnosis, 3D printing, artificial intelligence is playing an increasing role in the economy today, and it can fundamentally reshape global and local economies in the years to come. The impacts on communities and societies could be profound.

To place the issue of artificial intelligence on the international agenda, experts from Governments, academia, business and civil society, will gather at UN Headquarters in New York on 11 October, to identify options to harness the potential of rapid technological change and innovation towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

The life-like robot “Sophia,” he noted has made many public appearances, and will also participate in the event.

“Artificial Intelligence has the potential to accelerate progress towards a dignified life, in peace and prosperity, for all people,” said Mr. Guterres. “The time has arrived for all of us – governments, industry and civil society – to consider how artificial intelligence will affect our future.”

The UN discussion is intended to identify options on how the potential of technological change can be harnessed to achieve sustainable development. The experts, covering a range of areas, will discuss the key trends in technology and innovation in recent years, and how they have had differential impacts on people and prosperity.

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FF, AUC say leadership, partnership key for Africa’s agricultural transformation

NaijaAgroNet

 
A panel co-hosted by the United States government's global food security initiative, Feed the Future, and African Union Commission (AUC) have said government leadership and partnerships with the private sector as well as civil society are crucial for Africa to achieve food security, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Held recently in Addis Ababa, the panel was a side event of the Third Finance for Development Conference aimed to highlight how the commission's Comprehensive Agricultural Development Program (CAADP) set the foundation for enhanced engagement for the governments throughout the continent with the private sector as well as how non-state actors could play a role in advancement of country-led approaches towards food security.

Deputy Chairperson, AUC, Erastus Mwencha, in his keynote said, "Since the initiation of CAADAP we have seen a tremendous transformation in agriculture sector."

Acting Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID),  Ambassador Alfonso Lenhardt, on his part, said that "the possibilities are truly endless" when the private sector, the civil society and all relevant stakeholders are engaged in ensuring food and nutrition security, NaijaAgroNet learnt.

He went further to say, "We are on a critical part of the post-2015 agenda. And we must work together" towards the transformation of the agricultural sector."

In support of  Lenhardt’s position, NaijaAgroNet reports, was a panelist, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ethiopian Government's Agricultural Transformation Agency (ATA), Khalid, Bomba who said "increase production and productivity, manage risks and disaster as well as work on commercialization, we must work together to translate policies into action. We must engage the private sector and civil society groups."

Cyriacus Nnaji/GEE

 
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