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Showing posts with label productivity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label productivity. Show all posts

Monday, September 14, 2015

Experts recommend conservation agriculture


NaijaAgroNet:


Experts have recommended soil management practices such as Conservation Agriculture (CA) to increase productivity based on three principles, NaijaAgroNet reports.

The principles include minimal soil disturbance (reduced tillage), permanent soil cover (mulching) and crop rotation."CA reduces production costs, is friendly to the environment, and helps to maintain high yields," said the executive secretary of the Nairobi-based Africa Conservation Tillage Network, Saidi Mkomwa.

In conventional agriculture, NaijaAgroNet gathered, the practice is to plough the land and loosen the soil before planting. But agricultural experts are warning against the  method, saying that it is not sustainable for the world's burgeoning population -- which the United Nations projects will reach 8.5 billion people by 2030, from 7.3 billion currently -- as it is putting a strain on land resources.

According to experts, when the plough turns the soil, it alters its structure, causing the particles to become loose and weak, and this affects yields. The situation is worsened by the effects of climate change.

Another expert on sustainable management at the New Partnership for Africa's Development, (NEPAD), Rudo Makunike, said: "It is not only an adaptation mechanism for climate change, but it also helps to build resilience in farming systems."

NaijaAgroNet recalls that the impact of climate change affects all sectors of the economy including water, energy, infrastructure, agriculture and food security, as well as tourism. The knock-on effect is lingering poverty on a continent that lags behind in meeting the UN Millennium Development Goals.

Cyriacus  Nnaji/GEE

... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology
Pix:Rudo Makunike,

Saturday, August 8, 2015

Minister makes case for African scientists, technologists


The Ghanaian Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture in charge of Crops, Dr Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan, said  family farms need technology propelled by African scientists for increased productivity, reports NaijaAgroNet.

 Alhassan said this while speaking at the Fourth Planning and General Meeting of Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) in Accra, adding that “the era of despair, timidity and sometimes outright cynicism of African agriculture must give way to confidence, mutual trust and co-operation among stakeholders.” He said that this has become paramount in the light of eroding natural resources and dwindling potential for exploitation.

He reiterated the need for indigenous knowledge of the African farmer to be enhanced, to achieve food security and sovereignty, adding that Africa had the needed trained human resources in scientific research to contribute to that knowledge or technology development, NaijaAgroNet gathered.

The three-day meeting with the theme "Building on International Year of Soils, Strengthening Family Farming,” had over 30 participants from the continent in attendance. AFSA is a Pan-African platform of 21 networks and farmer organizations championing small African Family Farming/Production Systems based on agro-ecological and indigenous approaches that sustain food sovereignty and the livelihoods of communities.

Mr Bernard Guri, Chairman of AFSA, NaijaAgroNet learnt, said their concern was to save African seeds, land and African agro-ecological farming practices that had fed Africa, and would continue to feed Africa and its ecology, while enhancing African cultural integrity.

Cyriacus Nnaji/GEE

... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology
Pix: Dr Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan,

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Emulate President Jammeh, Gambian farmers tasks African leaders



The President of the National Farmers Platform of The Gambia (NFPG), Alagie Bassi Mboge has charged African leaders to emulate President Yahya  Jammeh's footstep in boosting agricultural production and productivity, reports NaijaAgroNet .

Mboge made this call in an interview with news men in The Gambia, saying that the ongoing presidential tour to meet with farmers across the country is a clear demonstration that President Jammeh is taking the lead to ensuring that decades of importation of rice become a thing of the past in the country.

He described Jammeh as a president with a difference whose ambition is to ensure that not only The Gambia becomes food self-sufficient, but also the whole of Africa.

Mr. Mboge also commended the President for the laudable initiative of meeting farmers, and discussing with them the way forward in addressing some of their key concerns regarding the attainment of Vision 2016, NaijaAgroNet learnt.

Cyriacus Nnaji/ GEE

... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Technology key for productivity in Africa




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

... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology