18% of Anambra children under 5 malnourished - NGO

NaijaAgroNet:

The Anambra State chapter of the Nigerian Civil Society Scale-up Nutrition, a Non-Government Organisation (NGO), has alleged that 18 per cent of children in the state under the age of five suffer from malnutrition-based stunted growth, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Local Working Group Coordinator for the NGO, Dr. Moses Ohamaeme, told newsmen at the state capital, Awka at the weekend that a survey conducted in the South east region by the organisation showed that Anambra State is worst hit in child malnutrition.

NaijaAgroNet also reports that Ohamaeme pointed out that malnutrition is severe among children with low milk consumption as well as those whose mothers had limited knowledge of its impact, stressing that malnourished babies have a higher risk of dying at infancy and are more likely to face life-long cognitive challenges capable of leading to poor school performance and chronic health problems.

He equally said that malnutrition in children usually manifest in form of wasting which Ohamaeme described as low weight for height, stunting as low height for age and underweight as low weight for age.

Lamenting this situation in a state like Anambra, reputed for abundant human and material resources, Dr. Ohamaeme emphasized that malnutrition and its related diseases are still an issue in public health in Anambra State. The state also has the lowest median of Exclusive Breast Feeding (EBF) in the zone.

“Even though EBF in the first six months is proven to be effective in preventing children from malnutrition, the practice is still very low in Anambra State,” he said.

The Group Coordinator in Anambra State, further urged the state government to create nutritional budget lines in the state ministries of health, primary health care development agency, education, economic planning, and agriculture.

In addition, the NGO said, local governments and the state House of Assembly should as matter of urgency similarly make certain the inclusiveness of funding for maternal child and adolescent nutrition centre among others.

NaijaAgroNet recalls that on 14 November 2011, the Federal Republic of Nigeria joined the global Scale-Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement with a letter of commitment from then Minister of Health, Dr. Onyebuchi Chukwu.

Noteworthy is that then, Nigeria recognised the role of nutrition as a development issue and had committed to addressing malnutrition with the adoption of a National Health Strategic Development Plan which recognises nutrition as an important component.

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Experts urge GMO protection for Small-Scale Farmers in Africa

NaijaAgroNet

A study by the Friends of the Earth International, African governments must do more to control the planting of genetically modified (GM) crops that could affect smallholders.

The environmental Non Governmental organization (NGO) says international agricultural company exercise too much power over safety and trade legislation related to GM organisms (GMOs) in Africa which result, to many governments ignoring the threats these crops may pose to local farmers, it says.

The report with the title “Who benefits from GM crops?” was released last February 23^rd and looks at the quality of GMO legislation around the world.

It was gathered by NaijaAgroNet that In Africa, only Burkina Faso, Egypt, South Africa and Sudan produce GM crops commercially, according to the report and In contrast, it says, Angola, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe have strict controls on the growth and sale of GMOs.

Author Haidee Swanby, who is a researcher at the South Africa-based African Centre for Biosafety, which campaigns for food sovereignty, says the influence of pro-industry lobby groups lowers safety standards. Laws in many African countries are "essentially GMO-permitting" rather than safety focused, she says.

"The laws are there or are being developed, but they are the wrong laws promoting the interests of the wrong group," Swanby tells SciDev.Net.

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Koffi Annan leads speakers for Green Revolution Forum

Koffi Annan, former UN Sec. Gen.

The former United Nations' Secretary General, Mr. Koffi Annan has been confirmed as one of the key speakers at the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) 2012 slated for 26th through 28th September 2012 in Tanzania.

Melinda Gate, wife of Microsoft's Bill Gate is also one of the key speakers for the forum while Tanzanian President, Jakaya Kikwete and African Development Bank (AfDB) President, Dr Donald Kaberuka are expected to grace the forum.

Other confirmed speakers include International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD's) President, Dr. Kanayo Nwanze, Tanzanian Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, Eng. Christopher Chiza.

The forum would discuss appropriate ways to boost investments and innovations for sustainable agriculture growth and food security alike.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the future of agriculture development in Africa will also form part of the discussions at the forum following the fact that food security now tops global agenda and leaders are beckoning on the continent's agriculture for the rescue.

AGRF 2012 will also have in attendance African heads of state, ministers, farmers, private agribusiness firms, financial institutions, NGOs, civil society and scientists, to deliberate on the right ways to scale up investments and innovation for sustainable agricultural growth and food security.

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IITA boosts food security in Cameroon with cassava varieties

At the presentation of the cassava varieties

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in a bid to boost the agricultural sector in Cameroon on food security has unveiled improved cassava varieties.

IITA revealed to NaijaAgroNet in a press statement that five new improved cassava varieties were released to safeguard the lives of millions of Cameroonians.

These varieties namely with genotypes TMS 92/0326, TMS 96/1414, TMS 96/0023, TMS 92/0057, and TMS 92/0067, according to IITA were developed through conventional breeding by the institute and some other partners.

The improved varieties would improve nutritional values through the provision of caratenoids, iron and zinc as they have an estimated 20 tonnes to 35 tonnes per hectare.

Programme National de Development des Racines et Tubercules (PNDRT), the Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), non-governmental organizations as well as local farmers partnered IITA on this project.

According to the IITA Director General, Dr Nteranya Sanginga, who was quoted as saying that the varieties would help close the yield gaps while improving yield and increasing farmers' revenue especially those that rely on cassava for livelihood.

"IITA will continue to support farmers in Cameroon by offering improved varieties and technologies that address the constraints to development in tropical nations," the IITA boss said.

Cameroonian Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Essimi Menye commended the efforts of IITA in developing these varieties, adding that the new they would assist the nation to take advantage of the opportunities of the crop which is one of the major staples in Cameroon.

As said by IITA, Cassava in Cameroon is either boiled and eaten, or processed into local delicacies such as Mitumba, Baton de manioc, Beignets de manioc, gari, and Ndas among others. Other use includes ethanol production, inclusion in bread production ad glucose syrup production.

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