African youths to discuss challenges, policies of agriculture

African youths would today commence a three-day conference in Accra-Ghana to discuss changes, challenges and policy implications for the development of agricultural sector on the continent.

The conference with the theme “Young People, Farming and Food,” organized by the Future Agricultures Consortium in conjunction with the Institute of Statistical and Social Economic Research (ISSER) of the University of Ghana scheduled holds in Accra, Ghana between 19th and 21st March, 2012.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the conference would examine how young people engage with the agricultural sector in Africa as producers, entrepreneurs, employees, consumers and citizens.

Changes in the sector and what this means to young people would also top discussions, even as the conference would look at the implications for young people of alternative policy approaches to the development of the agri-food sector.

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FAO finalizes negotiations on land tenure, access issues

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has finalized negotiations guidelines for responsible governance of land tenure and access rights.

The proposed set of voluntary global guidelines as revealed to NaijaAgroNet in a press release made available by FAO also covers issues of fisheries and forest resources and the guidelines are set for approval from the Committee on World Food Security (CFS).

In a reaction to the proposed guidelines, the chairman of CFS, Yaya Olaniran said the guidelines will be voluntary once approved as they have been drawn up in such a comprehensive and inclusive process.

"In fact, we're already seeing governments moving to bring their policies and practices into alignment with the guidelines," he said.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the approval of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security which was developed over the past three years will be at a special session in Rome by mid-May.

Equally commenting, José Graziano da Silva, FAO Director-General congratulated the participants of the negotiations as it is a milestone achievement.

"The Voluntary Guidelines will play an important part in answering the challenge of ending hunger and assuring food security of every child, woman and man in an economically, socially and environmentally sustainable way," he said.

It is also gathered that 96 countries including the European Union as an FAO member organization along with nongovernmental groups, civil society organizations, UN agencies and other international organizations, farmers associations and private sector representatives took part in several rounds of talks by an Open Ended Working Group established by CFS to negotiate the text of the guidelines. 

The last and final round of negotiations was held March 5 to 9 at FAO's Rome headquarters.

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CGFS to resolve pressing issues on food security

The Center for Global Food Security (CGFS) established last year at Pordue is working towards tackling global food insecurity by tapping into the campus population, PurdueExponent reports.

The Centre as explained by the Managing Director, Gary Burniske has an overarching objective to tap into the knowledge and expertise within Purdue and to utilize the knowledge to resolve the pressing issues with food security globally.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the Center also planned to use grants to send graduate students to developing countries in places such as Africa and Latin America to conduct researches on how locals there handle the issue of food security.

“There are probably 200 definitions of food security,” he said.

The term “food security” covers areas such as agriculture, livestock, veterinary sciences, water management and nutrition. According to Burniske, that’s only the beginning. Read more

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West African reps discuss food crisis

Representatives from 15 West African countries gathered in Ghana for a special meeting to discuss approaches within the medium term to tackle food crisis in the region, reports TheAfricaReport.

NaijaAgroNet recalls that there has been low and erratic rainfall coupled with insect infestations in Niger, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Senegal and Burkina Faso which led to poor harvests and lack of pasture in the affected countries.

It is also noted that the International Federation of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent Societies released over £500,000, about N122.6 million to assist 70,000 people pending the full assessments of the affected countries.

The meeting in Accra, Ghana also reviewed emerging challenges in funding, food availability, accessibility and other agricultural issues as well as the issue of climate change. Read more

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AgroCredit Scheme gets N151 billion from CBN

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has voted the sum of N151.015 billion to 170 beneficiaries under the auspices of the Commercial Agricultural Credit Scheme, reports ThisDay.

According to the apex bank, the beneficiaries of the funds include 163 private promoters and 27 state governments with each states accessing N1 billion each while the Federal Capital Territory gets only N16 million.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that 16 banks participated in the project and the analysis of the number of project financed under CACS by value chain revealed that production accounted for 44 per cent of the 163 CACS private sector sponsored projects.

The bankers’ committee revealed recently that agriculture lending increased by N212.64 billion as at October last year, representing a 37.6 percent increase over the 2010 figure. Read more

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UN urges assistance for drought-prone Sahel region

Following the looming drought in the Sahel region of West Africa, delegates at a United Nations meeting have called for a comprehensive and rapid assistance to the affected, reports UNNewsCentre.

The meeting NaijaAgroNet gathered was convened by the United Nations and has in attendance Leaders of UN agencies, government representatives of the affected countries and donors.

Delegates at the meeting emphasized the need for a combination of relief, early recovery and longer-term development programmes.

They also agreed to work together in order to meet immediate food security and nutritional needs of the affected people.

Part of the resolution reached at the end of the meeting was to support programmes that will address the causes of the problems and strengthen the resilience of communities living in areas affected by chronic drought.

It was also stressed that there is need for regional organizations to strengthen their capacity to address the structural causes of the recurring food crisis in the region and a continued support to the affected countries. Read more

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FAO to boost Afghanistan's traditional irrigation

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations is working towards the boosting of technical support for the rehabilitation of Afghanistan's dilapidated traditional systems.

The organization in a press statement available to NaijaAgroNet, FAO revealed that dilapidated irrigation system is attributable to the decades of war and migration away from rural areas, and has left many farmers without sufficient water for their farmland.

The degraded irrigation system, FAO noted, had also led to the country's Ministry of Energy and Water to place a priority on water resources development within its National Development Strategy.

The UN agency also signed a $27.7 million, about N4.36 billion agreements with the Afghan Ministry of Energy and Water to provide the needed technical assistance.

The agreement further covers expertise and training for implementation of the Irrigation Restoration and Development Project (IRDP).

Information available to NaijaAgroNet indicated that FAO is equally working to use the initiative to help Afghan by training personnel and assisting in the use of modern design and management methods.

“There will also be training for farmers in improved water management practices, and operation and maintenance of irrigation systems,” part of the statement read.

Pasquale Steduto, the Unit Head, Water Development and Management at FAO, affirmed that the irrigation systems has suffered over the past three decades as people moved away from the rural areas and this could not be attributed to lack of investment.

The migration, he said, left the maintenance of the traditional irrigation systems to younger generation.

“So, farmers in rural areas were not able to get enough water to cultivate their fields. As a result, they produced fewer crops," said Pasquale Steduto.

The project is primarily supported by a grant from the World Bank with an additional contribution from the government of Afghanistan.'Yinka Awosanya

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Jerry Rawlings warns of renewed food crisis in Somalia

Ghanaian former President, Jerry John Rawlings has said Somalia may face another phase of food crisis if there is shortage of humanitarian aid, reports PeaceFM.

Rawlings who is also the African Union’s High Representative for Somalia affirmed that crisis ridden state of Somalia needs the sum of $1.5billion, about N238.7billion in order to sustain the present state of food security in the country.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that Rawlings sounded this warning in his address to the second annual conference of the Center for Technology and Economic Development (CTED) of the New York University in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirate recently.

He disclosed that the total population of those facing famine presently in the Horn of Africa is 9.5 million out of which 2.3 million is from Somalia.

“Almost one-third of the population, are still in need of aid. Across the Horn of Africa region, a staggering 9.5 million people still need help,” he said. Read moreAdmin/LS

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