1,100 youths for IT, mechanized farming training

 NaijaAgroNet

The AkwaIbom State governor, Udom Emmanuel, said arrangement is in top gear aimed at giving training to about 1100 youths of Akwa Ibom origin in information technology skills and mechanized farming, reports NaijaAgroNet.

He made this revelation in Uyo, when he said; "I am in discussion with Oracle to train at least 1,000 youths in AkwaIbom State on Oracle Database Software Management System."

The Governor who identified that most people employed by banks and companies were those with Oracle certification, NaijaAgroNet gathered, reasoned that Akwa Ibom youths must be equipped with skills that would make them self-reliant.

"I want to make sure that our youths acquire skills so that they can mostly be on their own. We want to facilitate this to help some of our youths to also acquire skills. One thousand is a good number and we can see how we can train them in Uyo to reduce the cost instead of moving them to Lagos,"  he stated.

The governor, the information further hinted said that the state government would send 100 Akwa Ibom youths to Israel by the end of July for training in mechanized farming, describing Israel as an outstanding country with a track record in agriculture: "By end of July, we will send about 100 youths to Israel to acquire some skills and also at the same time do pilgrimage as well.

"Those people that will come back are those that will actually back up our mechanized farming in agriculture. We know, when it comes to agriculture today, Israel is one of the greatest,” NaijaAgroNet reports.

Cyriacus Nnaji/ GEE

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Agribusiness solutions make ‘farming cool’ for Kenyans

NaijaAgroNet

A British multinational, Balton CP, is offering advanced agricultural solutions, which seek to change the youth mindset towards agribusiness, while empowering them with the technology: knoMaking farming 'cool' for Kenyan youthledge, skills, support and financing, to engage in modern agribusiness, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The agribusiness inclined company has been around as a major driving force in the agricultural sectors of many countries throughout Africa for over 25 years. They can be credited with being the first to introduce drip irrigation technology in several African countries in the late 1970s, greatly boosting the sector.

The group's 'Farming is Cool' campaign was launched in Kenya in 2011 by its subsidiary Amiran Kenya and following several years of activity, became its pan-African 'Farming is Cool Africa' Initiative. Over the last few years, NaijaAgroNet gathered, the campaign has allowed Amiran Kenya and its partners including the government, donors, NGO communities and private sector to place the Amiran Farmers Kit in over 1,000 primary and secondary schools throughout Kenya and in more than 300 youth polytechnics in the country.

NaijaAgroNet also learnt that AFK is an award winning, modern agribusiness unit anchored on a holistic approach that offers the farmer the tools, training and support required to engage in successful, sustainable agribusiness.

This unit has allowed over three million Kenyan children and youth to be exposed and willingly take up modern agribusiness using the most advanced, cutting edge technologies and methods available in the market tody.

In Kenya  and indeed  most  African communities, NaijaAgroNet  learnt, youth view agriculture as an unbefitting occupation often practised by older people in retirement or by those in 'shags' (rural areas) who have to farm to survive. More so, many schools often use agriculture as a form of punishment for deviant behavior.

Cyriacus Nnaji/GEE

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University don invents yam tubers growth regulators

NaijaAgroNet

A senior lecturer, Crop Protection and Environmental Biology, at the University of Ibadan (UI) Dr. Monrufat Balogun, has invented a technology for the production of Dormancy-Controlled Yam Seed Tubers reports NaijaAgroNet.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the technology is not a genetic modification and had no zero detection of plant-growth regulator, which would ensure increased availability of yam seedlings to all yam farmers to allow them, cultivate yams for more than one cycle.

"We want to see how yams can be grown anytime in the year and not necessarily only at the season.This technology would yield more income for farmers,” she said.

The expert speaking on assurance of the technology to the growth of the agricultural sector also said the research started in November 2014 and took two years to perfect it.

“We soak the tubers in some substances that are called ‘Growth Regulators’. After this, we check whether there is difference in sprouting between the ones soaked and the ones not soaked. After checking the tubers at the lab we found out that zero amounts of the substances were detected, so it is safe and people should not fear.” Balogun said.

She also said they are planning on training all stakeholders in yam production and consumption on this new technology.

The invention, NaijaAgroNet learnt, was in collaboration with Prof. Wayne Curtis of the Pennsylvania State University, under the United States National Academies-partnership for Enhanced Engagement in Research, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and would be fully out by 2016.

Daniel Nsolibe/GEE/Ed, Ops.

 
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Over 1200 Stakeholders gather in Morocco for worldwide 3rd symphos

NaijaAgroNet:

A group of phosphate industry professionals, OCP Group, has assembled over 1,200 stakeholders in the city of Morocco for the third worldwide International Symposium on Innovation and Technology in the Phosphate Industry (Symphos) from Monday, 18th to 20th of May 2015 in Marrakesh, with the theme “Innovation to serve sustainable agriculture” reports NaijaAgroNet.

Participants, NaijaAgroNet reports are from all corners of the world, representing over 45 countries. 

The Symphos 2015 is a forum for meetings and discussions between the major international players in the phosphate and phosphate derivatives industry, and will build on the previous events, with greater focus on innovation to serve sustainable agriculture. In particular, this year’s event will cover themes regarding industrial processes, elements of value, fertilizers of the future and slow & controlled releases.

The African Press Organization in a press statement on behalf of OCP, noted that the event has become an international benchmark in the sector, offering a forum that promotes diversification, modernisation and development of the phosphate industry and support for the development needs of worldwide agriculture.

Aware that innovation is the primary tool for rational and sustainable exploitation of phosphate reserves, OCP Group uses Symphos to highlight its commitment to sustainable and prosperous agriculture throughout the world. By bringing together the global phosphate community to share expertise, skills and experiences, Symphos aims at contributing to the emergence of the ideas of tomorrow, and taking up the major challenge of soil and resource conservation for sustainable agriculture.


@Isaac Oyimah
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Technology key for productivity in Africa

NaijaAgroNet

Technology has been described as a major factor for improved productivity in Africa, so said Dr. Hannah Bissiw, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) in charge of Livestock in Ghana, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Dr. Bissiw,NaijaAgroNet gathered, stated this at the opening of Ghana/Kenya Trade and Investment Mission in Accra, stressing the need for African countries to expand trade among themselves.

She also said that as most African countries depend largely on their agricultural sectors to lead the transformation of their economies, “we cannot but strive to improve our agricultural sectors through the application of science and technology,” NaijaAgroNet learnt.

Dr Bissiw further said that the mission provided both countries the opportunity to elaborate cooperation in the MOU and put in place a plan of action to realise the ideals.

The Mission follows the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in December 2014 in Nairobi to promote trade, investments, exchange of science and technology and knowledge between Ghana and Kenya.

President John Dramani Mahama during an official visit to Kenya last year, NaijaAgroNet learnt, also signed seven bilateral agreements with the country to ease the conditions for doing business and boosting bilateral trade relations.

Cyriacus Nnaji/ GEE

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