CBA19 registration opens, inspiring global action - NaijaAgroNet

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The registration is live for CBA19! The 19th International Conference on Community-Based Adaptation to Climate Change (CBA19) will take place from 12-16 May in Recife, Brazil. The CBA conference series aims to bring together a community of practitioners that are collectively seeking to enable community-driven climate action. We’re very excited that the conference is coming to Latin America for the first time!

The overarching conference question will be: how can we achieve just and equitable adaptation? 

FAO hosts global conference on animal health innovation, reference centres - NaijaAgroNet

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The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on Monday, opened its first-ever Global Conference on Animal Health Innovation, Reference Centres and Vaccines, aimed at tackling animal diseases costing the world hundreds of billions of dollars annually and posing a threat to human health, global food security and livelihoods.

“The productivity and resilience of livestock systems worldwide are threatened by infectious diseases, emerging pathogens, endemic disease burdens, and climate change,” FAO Chief Scientist ad interim Beth Crawford said in opening remarks. Addressing these challenges calls for “a united effort, leveraging our collective expertise and resources,” she said.

Farmers go to Italy for global forum - NaijaAgroNet

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The Farmers’ Forum would next month, February 12 and 13 assembly in Italy for their global meeting, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The forum is a bottom-up dialogue on rural development and poverty reduction between farmers’ organizations, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and governments and has been scheduled for February 12 through 13, 2024 in Italy.

G20 leaders agreed to tripple global renewable energy capacity - NaijaAgroNet

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The G20 leaders have agreed to accelerate efforts to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030, aligning with recommendations from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) on how the world can move in line with the Paris Agreement targets, reports NaijaAgroNet.

In a declaration adopted on Saturday, the Group cites a joint report between IRENA and India's G20 Presidency, titled Low-Cost Financing for Energy Transitions, which estimates a need for over USD 4 trillion in annual investments by 2030.

Senegal frontlines global climate challenge - NaijaAgroNet

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Senegal is on the front lines of the global climate challenge and will play a critical role in leading Africa’s response, Patrick Verkooijen – CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation said in closing remarks in Dakar, after meeting President Macky Sall on Friday.

Cutting climate finance risks stoking even bigger conflicts down the line. World Bank data indicates that internal climate migration could reach up to 1 million people in Senegal by 2050.

UN global migration pact to avert suffering, chaos - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet:

The United Nations (UN) has commended the global adoption of migration pact, saying it will avert suffering, chaos, especially in developing countries, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Secretary General of UN, Mr. António Guterres, said this in reaction to the adoption of the pact in Marrakesh, Morocco on Monday, describing it as a “roadmap to prevent suffering and chaos”.

Addressing the opening intergovernmental session at the event, Mr. Guterres, said that the compact provides a platform for “humane, sensible, mutually beneficial action” resting on two “simple ideas”.

“Firstly, that migration has always been with us but should be managed and safe; second, that national policies are far more likely to succeed with international cooperation.”

The UN chief said that in recent months there had been “many falsehoods” uttered about the agreement and “the overall issue of migration”. In order to dispel the “myths”, he said that the Compact did not allow the UN to impose migration policies on the Member States, and neither was the pact a formal treaty.

“Moreover, it is not legally binding. It is a framework for international cooperation, rooted in an inter-governmental process of negotiation in good faith,” he told delegates in Marrakech.

The pact would not give migrants rights to go anywhere, reaffirming only the fundamental human rights, he said.

Acknowledging that some States decided not to take part in the conference, or adopt the Compact, the UN Chief expressed his wish that they will come to recognize its value for their societies and join in “this common venture.”

The United States did not endorse the Compact, and more than a dozen other countries either chose not to sign the accord or are still undecided.

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Pix: Secretary General of UN, Mr. António Guterres

SOFIA 2018: Trends in global fish supply - NaijaAgroNet

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The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA 2018) reports that 90.9 million tonnes of fish was captured in the world in 2016, a slight decrease of 2 million tonnes from the year before, mainly due to periodic fluctuations in populations of Peruvian Anchoveta associated with El Niño, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Generally, the amount of fish being captured in the wild plateaued starting in the 1990s and has remained largely stable since. 

Despite that fact, the world has for decades been consuming ever greater amounts of fish - 20.4 kg per capita in 2016 versus just under 10 kg/pc in the 1960s — thanks in no small part to increased production via aquaculture, a sector which expanded rapidly during the 1980s and 1990s. 

In 2016, production from aquaculture reached 80 million tonnes, according to SOFIA 2018 — providing 53 percent of all fish consumed by humans as food. 

While aquaculture's growth has slowed — it experienced 5.8 percent annual growth between 2010 and 2016, down from 10 percent in the 1980s and 1990s — it will still continue to expand in the coming decades, especially in Africa. 

Efforts to reduce the amount of fish being discarded at sea or thrown out post-capture — for example by using discards and trimmings to produce fishmeal — will also help meet ongoing increases in demand for fish products. 


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Global warming is no joke, says Earth Day Network, seeks charity support - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet:

Experts at the Earth Day Network have said that definitely, global warming is not cool as they called for support with new charity T-shirt, reports NaijaAgroNet.

They also said that supports tend to feel good when using the T-shirt, but warned that global warming is no joke.

The proceeds, NaijaAgroNet gathered would be in support for the network’s climate change campaign.

“All proceeds will go to support our climate change campaign,” they said, revealing that the T-shirt is now available in organize 100 per cent cotton.

“Four consecutive years — 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 — saw record heat for planet Earth. Will 2018 break records again? Wear the shirt that asks that question and stand with Earth Day Network as we work to keep our planet green and cool,” they urged.

Also, they pointed out that from normally chilly Ireland, Scotland and Canada to the scorching Middle East to Southern California, hot weather records are being broken this July, just as Denver hit 105.

“In Quebec, at least 54 people died from extreme heat conditions,” the Earth Day team declared.

Even as the Arctic Ocean coast in northern Siberia temperatures saw temperatures soaring to 90 degrees. That’s 40 degrees above normal.

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Two sites added to global agricultural heritage - NaijaaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet:

Traditional ginseng farming in the Republic of Korea and olive tree groves in Italy's Umbria region have been recognized on the register of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), managed by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), reports NaijaAgroNet.

The two sites, NaijaAgroNet gathered, were added during a meeting of the GIAHS Scientific Advisory Group in Rome this week (2-4 July), which is the first time an Italian site has been recognized, and the fourth site in the Republic of Korea. 

NaijaAgroNet reports that the traditional ginseng agricultural system in Geumsan, South Chungcheong Province has been recognized because it relies on a symbiotic relationship between nature and cultivation, and has been in practice for around 1500 years. Farmers use a 15-to-20 year rotation system whereby land is left fallow or used for other crops after harvest, to allow the land's ‘energy' to restore.  Surrounding forests and rivers contribute to micro climate control, and shade structures using natural materials help mimic conditions for wild ginseng cultivation.

"This is not only about the past, but also about the future," said FAO's Yoshihide Endo who coordinates the GIAHS programme. "Becoming a GIAHS site encourages the preservation of these long histories of agricultural practice, but it also recognizes the benefits for future generations in keeping these systems sustainable, promoting knowledge sharing and agrotourism potential and encouraging young people to participate in agriculture." 

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GMG join forces in crafting global compact on migration

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Joint efforts of the 22 United Nations agencies under the aegies of Global Migration Group (GMG) and led by the duo of Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and International Organisation for Migration (IOM) have resulted into crafting a global compact on migration, reports [NaijaAgroNet.

Speaking at the opening of the GMG meeting in London on Wednesday, the two co-chairs of the Group, IOM's Director General, William Lacy Swing and FAO's Director General, José Graziano de Silva, highlighted the importance of the current negotiations of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, and of the Global Compact on Refugees, due to be completed later this year.

DG Swing said: "This is a period of great promise, but also uncertainty. The UN family, working in close partnership with each other, must be ready to support governments and relevant stakeholders at all levels in implementing the outcome of the Global Compact negotiations itself in the coming years."

"Migration can contribute to development, and that should be kept front and centre of public attention" added FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva.

"The GMG brings together the diverse expertise and operational capacity of its members. This is fundamental to harnessing the many opportunities migration brings for development, and managing the challenges that can arise. In addition, the members of the GMG can help states achieve the sustainable development goals which are influenced by human mobility."

The Global Migration Group (GMG) is an inter-agency group comprised of 22 UN agencies working on migration issues. It is co-chaired by FAO and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in 2018, and is providing technical support to the intergovernmental negotiations taking place in New York expected to lead to the adoption of a Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration by December 2018.

The Group discussed ways in which they can help ensure that communication on migration increases understanding, counters xenophobia and ensures a more balanced picture of migration, to give space to governments to develop fact-based migration policies. A number of events highlighting case studies and examples of good practice are planned for coming months.

The GMG's members include the following organizations, in addition to FAO and IOM: IFAD, ILO, OHCHR, UNCTAD, UNDESA, UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNODC, UN Women, UNU, World Bank, WFP, WHO, and the UN regional commissions.

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World Malaria Day 2018: Africa accounts for 90% of global malaria cases, deaths

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Africa presently accounts for over 90 per cent of the global malaria cases and deaths, according to the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership to End Malaria, reports NaijaAgroNet.

They also informed NaijaAgroNet that malaria costed Africa’s economy US$ 12 billion per year in direct losses, and 1.3 per cent of lost annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth.

As the world marks malaria day, today, April 25, 2018, NaijaAgroNet reports that globally progress against malaria are being celebrated in order to encourage political, scientific and personal commitments to end the disease for good.

The Roll Back Malaria partnership equally noted that 25th April marks the tenth World Malaria Day and the culmination of a month of worldwide action against the disease at a time when global malaria cases are on the rise for the first time in a decade.

With the rallying call ‘Ready to Beat Malaria’, the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, NaijaAgroNet reports, is encouraging governments, health bodies, private sector companies and the public to accelerate progress against malaria, making this World Malaria Day even more vital.

“After a decade of success in pushing back malaria, it is on the rise again and will come back with a vengeance if we do not act decisively now,” warns Dr Kesete Admasu, CEO of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria.

“Half the world is still threatened by malaria, an entirely preventable, treatable disease which takes a child’s life every two minutes. Worldwide action is needed to meet the 2030 target of reducing malaria cases by at least 90 per cent. We are delighted that more countries than ever, forty-four, are reporting less than 10,000 cases, however we must ensure we continue to press forward to end malaria – not only in highburden nations but also those on track to eliminate the disease. It is our global responsibility to consign malaria to the history books,” Admasu said.

Dr Winnie Mpanju-Shumbusho, RBM Partnership Board Chair comments, “This month has seen world leaders come together to renew commitments to step up funding and speed up innovations against the disease. It has been a truly momentous time in the fight against malaria, but the battle is not yet won. We also need citizen and community action around the world to drive momentum towards reaching global targets.

“The malaria fight is at a crossroads and we could be the generation to end the disease for good. If we don’t seize the moment now, our hard-won gains will be lost. We’re ready to beat malaria – are you?”

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, says: “World Malaria Day reminds us of the challenges that remain. The declining trend in malaria cases and deaths has stalled and vital funding for malaria programmes has flat lined. If we continue along this path, we will lose the gains for which we have fought so hard.

“We call on countries and the global health community to close the critical gaps in the malaria response. Together we must ensure that no one is left behind in accessing lifesaving services to prevent, diagnose and treat malaria,” DG said.

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WECA left behind in global HIV response - UNICEF

NaijaAgroNet:

After over four decades into the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) epidemic, four in five children living with HIV in West and Central Africa are still not receiving life-saving antiretroviral therapy, NaijaAgroNet reports.

This is coming as AIDS-related deaths among adolescents aged 15-19 are on the rise, according to a new report released Tuesday by the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF).

NaijaAgroNet also reports that while acknowledging progress in several areas, the report Step Up the Pace: Towards an AIDS-free generation in West and Central Africa, jointly published by UNICEF and UNAIDS, shows that West and Central Africa is lagging behind on nearly every measure of HIV prevention, treatment and care programmes for children and adolescents. In 2016, an estimated 60,000 children were newly infected with HIV in West and Central Africa.

Disclosing this to NaijaAgroNet, UNICEF’s West and Central Africa Regional Director, Marie-Pierre Poirier, described as tragic that so many children and adolescents today are not receiving the treatment they need just because they have not been tested.

“We need to make better use of innovations to increase early diagnosis and improve access to HIV treatment and care for children. For example, the point-of-care technology diagnostic brings testing closer to where children attend health services and self-testing can be a good option for adolescents who may be more comfortable with it,” Poirier said.

The region’s coverage of life-saving antiretroviral therapy among children living with HIV, Poirier said, is the lowest in the world because many countries have limited capacity to perform the tests needed for early infant diagnosis of HIV. Without knowing a child’s HIV status, his or her family is less likely to seek the treatment that could prevent the tragedy of a child’s death from AIDS-related illnesses.

The situation is worse among adolescents. The annual number of new HIV infections among those aged 15–19 years in the region now exceeds that of children aged 0-14 years. These new infections occur mostly through unprotected sexual contact and among adolescent girls. Equally concerning, according to the report, is that West and Central Africa has recorded a 35 per cent increase in the annual number of AIDS-related deaths among adolescents aged 15-19 years — the only age group in which the number of AIDS-related deaths increased between 2010 and 2016.

With the region’s youth population expected to grow significantly within the coming decades, especially in countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Nigeria, the numbers of children and adolescents becoming infected with HIV and dying from AIDS is likely to remain high, unless the HIV response – both prevention and treatment – improves dramatically.

The report highlights that the 24 countries that make up the West and Central Africa region are home to 25 per cent of children aged 0–14 years living with HIV worldwide.

“Leaders of the region have endorsed a Catch-Up plan aiming to triple the number of people on treatment in the region – including children – by the end of 2018, the key issue now is to accelerate implementation,” said Luiz Loures, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director. 

“Countries should urgently put in place more effective strategies for early infant diagnosis of HIV, and start reducing inequity in children’s access to treatment.”

The report proposes key strategies that will enable countries to accelerate progress in curbing the spread of disease. These include:

1.    A differentiated HIV response focusing on unique epidemiological and local contexts in each country and community.

2.    The integration of HIV services into key social services including health, education and protection.

3.    Community ownership and local governance of the HIV response including working with families, better placed to help reduce stigma, access prevention and treatment.

4.    Investment in innovations to remove barriers to scale-up including new diagnostic and biomedical approaches such as point of care diagnostics, HIV self-testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis.

UNICEF announced last week that at the current pace of progress, the global 2020 Super-Fast-Track targets to end AIDS among children will not be achieved.

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Fighting malnutrition: Aliko Dangote Foundation joins global leaders, pledges US$100m for Nigeria

NaijaAgroNet:

The Global Nutrition Summit 2017 ended in the city of Milan, Italy, with Aliko Dangote Foundation joining global crusade with a pledge of $100m for Nigeria, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Aliko Dangote Foundation, NaijaAgroNet gathered is on a mission to reduce the prevalence of undernutrition by 60 percent in the most needy areas of Nigeria, specifically the North East and North West.

The summit which convened governments, international agencies, foundations, civil society organisations and businesses to accelerate the global response to malnutrition, underlined the cause of nearly half of all global child deaths.

NaijaAgroNet reports that a major highlight of the Summit was the pledge by the Aliko Dangote Foundation to invest US$100 million over five years to tackle malnutrition in the worst-affected parts of Nigeria.

“The Aliko Dangote Foundation is the philanthropic organization of Aliko Dangote, founder and Executive Chairman of the Dangote Group, Africa’s largest homegrown conglomerate.

The Global Nutrition Summit is the global forum of the United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition (2016-2026).

This year’s edition, NaijaAgroNet reports was held in close partnership with a number of international stakeholders including the U.K.’s Department for International Development, the World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the International Coalition on Advocacy for Nutrition.

The governments of Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Zambia all made commitments to expand their nutrition programmes and the Summit succeeded in galvanizing US3.4 billion according to the organisers.

Malnutrition affects every country in the world in various forms, however Africa is particularly hard hit and Nigeria is home to the highest numbers of malnourished children.

Almost half of the one million children who die before the age of five every year in Nigeria, die of malnutrition as the underlying cause. Without the proper nutrients during the first 1,000 days of life starting from conception up to their second birthday, children are less likely to survive childhood diseases such as malaria and pneumonia, and are less likely to escape poverty as adults.

Experts say, these children become physically and cognitively stunted, a fate that has befallen 11 million of Nigeria’s children under five.

The Aliko Dangote Foundation’s Managing Director and CEO Zouera Youssoufou said: “Nigeria’s high malnutrition rate is undermining progress towards improving child health and survival and putting the brakes on economic development. By investing in nutrition, we aim to directly improve the lives of Nigerian families and to empower our citizens to reach their full potential.”

The Global Nutrition Report 2017, launched at the Summit, showed that, in spite of progress, 155 million children globally are still stunted and the world is off track on meeting internationally agreed nutrition targets. Financing to tackle malnutrition has been alarmingly low. Donors spend about 0.5 percent of overseas aid on nutrition, and countries allocate between one and two percent of their health budgets to the issue.

“The global malnutrition crisis endangers the physical and mental wellbeing of present and future generations” said Kofi Annan, speaking at the summit in his capacity as Chair of the Kofi Annan Foundation. “Progress in tackling both undernutrition and obesity is possible with targeted commitments, like those made here today. We need further urgent investments so that people, communities and nations can reach their full potential.”

Through his Foundation, since 1993, Aliko Dangote has made significant social investments in health, education, economic empowerment and disaster relief. He is now becoming the strongest voice for nutritional leadership nationally and on the continent of Africa. By making this unprecedented US$100 Million commitment, the Aliko Dangote Foundation is on a mission to reduce the prevalence of undernutrition by 60 percent in the most needy areas of Nigeria, specifically the North East and North West, where malnutrition has affected millions of lives and crippled the local economy.

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Africa ranks second in global hungry people with 243m victims

NaijaAgroNet:

The African continent has been ranked second in the number of hungry people in the world which the United Nations (UN) said was 815 million, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The UN in its latest hunger and food security key numbers made available to NaijaAgroNet, which has overall number at 815 million, saw Asia continent with 520 million, over 100 per cent of African quota.

Also, NaijaAgroNet gathered that in the top three continents in the hungriest people in the world included Latin America and the Caribbean with 42 million.

The global hungry population as shared in percentage, NaijaAgroNet gathered showed that Asia has 11.7 per cent; Africa has 20 per cent with eastern Africa lone scoring 33.9 per cent, while Latin America and the Caribbean got 6.6 per cent.

NaijaAgroNet further gathered this was the first time that UNICEF and WHO join FAO, IFAD and WFP in preparing The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report. This change reflects the SDG agenda's broader view on hunger and all forms of malnutrition.

The UN Decade of Action on Nutrition, established by the General Assembly, is lending focus to this effort by motivating governments to set goals and invest in measures to address the multiple dimensions of malnutrition.

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2017 has been re-geared for the SDG era and includes enhanced metrics for quantifying and assessing hunger, including two indicators on food insecurity and six indicators on nutrition.

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Global food prices decline in March

NaijaAgroNet:

… Sugar, vegetable oils slide

The global food prices monitored by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) fell in March amid large available supplies and expectations of strong harvests, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The FAO Food Price Index, made available to NaijaAgroNet showed average at nearly 171 points in March, marking a 2.8 percent drop from the previous month while remaining 13.4 percent above its level a year earlier. 

FAO's Food Price Index is a trade-weighted index tracking international market prices of five major food commodity groups.

FAO also released its first world cereal supply and demand outlook for the year ahead, expecting it to be "another season of relative market tranquillity" with grain inventories remaining at near-record levels.

Meanwhile, NaijaAgroNet gathered that meat prices are exception in general downward trend, according to the FAO Cereal Price Index declined 1.8 percent from February, led down by wheat and maize. It is now roughly par with its March 2016 level.

The FAO Vegetable Oil Price Index was 6.2 percent lower on the month. Palm oil and soy oil quotations both fell in March on the back of improving production forecasts, while those of rape and sunflower seed oils also declined due to higher-than-expected availabilities.

The FAO Sugar Price Index declined by 10.9 percent to its lowest level since May 2016 amid weak import demand and expectations of robust Brazilian supplies entering world markets as a result of strong harvests and slower domestic uptake for bio-ethanol production.

Buoyant milk supplies led to a 2.3 percent monthly decline in the FAO Dairy Price Index, which, however, remained well above its year-ago level.

The FAO Meat Price Index rose 0.7 per cent, led upward by firm import demand from Asia for bovine meat and pigmeat.

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Rice institute, FAO join forces to sustain global rice production

NaijaAgroNet:

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) have agreed to cooperate more closely to support sustainable rice production in developing countries to improve food security and livelihoods while safeguarding natural resources, reports NaijaAgroNet.

An agreement signed recently in Rome, NaijaAgroNet gathered, seeks to better pool the scientific knowledge and technical know-how of the two organizations so that they can expand and intensify their work globally.

The partnership primarily aims to enhance sustainable rice-based farming systems through capacity building activities - including assisting governments draw up and implement national and regional policies and strategies - to the benefit of small-scale farmers, especially women.

"The world faces very significant changes over the next few decades to produce the volume and quality of nutritious food to feed a global population heading for 10 billion people," said IRRI Director-General Matthew K. Morell. 

"Addressing these issues relies on global partnerships, and today, IRRI is delighted to be reaffirming through this Memorandum of Agreement our commitment to work with FAO to enhance sustainable rice-based production and food systems through awareness raising, capacity development, knowledge exchange, and evidence-based analyses for policy support."

For the FAO Deputy Director-General, Climate and Natural Resources, Maria Helena Semedo, with over three billion people across the globe eating rice every day, rice is critical to global food security.

"Ensuring sustainable rice production is a key contribution to the global goal of ending hunger. By teaming up with IRRI, already a long-standing partner, we will be able to scale up, complement and amplify our work towards reaching this goal," Semedo said.

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D-G urges effective implementation of global anti-rogue fishing treaty

NaijaAgroNet:

The recent entry into force of a ground-breaking international accord on illegal fishing is a welcome development but it now requires "strong and effective implementation", says Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Director-General José Graziano da Silva, reports NaijaAgroNet.  

In his speech at the Our Ocean Conference in the United States capital, Graziano da Silva lauded the signatories of the FAO-brokered Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (PSMA).

Also, da Silva provided United States Secretary of State John Kerry with an update on the status of the treaty, which came into force in June.

"In 2014 only 10 nations had ratified the PSMA," Kerry noted in his conference address. "All of us then decided that we could do better and we did ... because more than 60 nations have now ratified the PSMA and that is critical," he said, urging all other countries to follow suit in adhering to the treaty.

"We need everyone to come onboard, otherwise rogue fishing vessels will continue to find ways to land and introduce their illegal catches into the markets of non-PSMA countries," da Silva said.

He likened adherence to the treaty to the international community's commitment to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), "a situation in which no one can be left behind."

NaijaAgroNet recalls that under the treaty, parties are obliged to implement a number of measures while managing ports under their control, to detect illegal fishing, preventing ill-caught fish from being offloaded and sold, and ensuring that information on unscrupulous vessels is shared globally.

FAO has launched a global programme to support countries with the implementation of the treaty and complimentary instruments, Graziano da Silva said. These include the Voluntary Guidelines on Flag State Performance, which spell out a range of actions that countries can take to ensure that vessels registered under their flags do not conduct illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

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Pix: FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva

Global per capita fish consumption rises above 20 kilogrammes a year

NaijaAgroNet:

The new State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture report urged for more work to rein in over-fishing, just as global per capita fish consumption has risen above 20 kilogrammes a year, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Global per capita fish consumption, NaijaAgroNet gathered rose above 20 kilogrammes per year for the first time, thanks to stronger aquaculture supply and firm demand, record hauls for some key species and reduced wastage, according to a new FAO report published today.

“Yet despite notable progress in some areas, the state of the world's marine resources has not improved, the latest edition of the UN agency's The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) says that almost a third of commercial fish stocks are now fished at biologically unsustainable levels, triple the level of 1974,” a press statement from Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) highlighted.

NaijaAgroNet also said that global total capture fishery production in 2014 was 93.4 million tonnes, including output from inland waters, up slightly over the previous two years. Just as Alaska pollock was the top species, replacing Anchoveta for the first time since 1998 and offering evidence that effective resource management practices have worked well.

“Record catches for four highly valuable groups - tunas, lobsters, shrimps and cephalopods - were reported in 2014,” FAO said.

SOFIA also said that there were around 4.6 million fishing vessels in the world in 2014, 90 per cent of which are in Asia and Africa, and only 64,000 of which were 24 meters or longer.

FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said that globally, fish provided 6.7 per cent of all protein consumed by humans, as well as offering a rich source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, calcium, zinc and iron. Some 57 million people were engaged in the primary fish production sectors, a third of them in aquaculture.

Fishery products, FAO said, accounted for one percent of all global merchandise trade in value terms, representing more than nine percent of total agricultural exports. Worldwide exports amounted to $148 billion in 2014, up from $8 billion in 1976. Developing countries were the source of $80 billion of fishery exports, providing higher net trade revenues than meat, tobacco, rice and sugar combined.

"Life below water, which the Sustainable Development Agenda commits us to conserve, is a major ally in our effort to meet a host of challenges, from food security to climate change.  This report shows that capture fisheries can be managed sustainably, while also pointing to the enormous and growing potential of aquaculture to boost human nutrition and support livelihoods with productive jobs," FAO boss said.

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Gender dimension deserves consideration in global agric practice - World Bank

NaijaAgroNet:

The Head of Communications for Agriculture Global Practice at World Bank, Mr. Sarwat Hussain, has called for the consideration of gender dimension to ensure improved global agriculture practice, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Speaking recently at a three-day media workshop hosted by the Africa Media Initiative (AMI) in collaboration with the World Bank in Abidjan, Mr. Hussain said that women have been the link between food, household nutrition and family health.

He also said that this position by women gender deserves encouragement, since of the aforementioned outlines go through women primarily.

Hussain equally said that agriculture is a single opportunity for the transformation of emerging economies, most of which are in sub-Saharan Africa.

Stressing that productive increases in agriculture have all round benefits across the economy as with every dollar investment returns and even more depending on other sectors and other crops.

“… if you have a productive vibrant agriculture is the source of well-being and prosperity as countries have shown by focusing on sustainable agriculture for the benefit of all,“ he said.

 

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Pix: Eric Chinje of AMI and Sarwat Hussain of World Bank at the workshop.