NEPAD, AU seeks support to address food insecurity in Niger, Sahel

The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) in partnership with the African Union (AU) has called for support in order to fight food insecurity in Niger Republic and the Sahel countries.

This was contained in a communique made available to NaijaAgroNet by NEPAD.

The Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union Commission (AUC) Mrs. Rhoda Peace Tumusiime and NEPAD's CEO Dr Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, urged the international community for an urgent support to Niger and the Sahelian countries.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the request for support is of great importance as the 2011/2012 agriculture season has been characterized by an erratic and a short fall in most Sahelian countries.

The two international bodies also called for the effective implementation of solidarity mechanisms provided for at regional level to support existing efforts.

International communities were also called on to motivate development partners to better coordinate their efforts on the basis of the needs identified at national levels in the affected regions.

The support according to NEPAD is an effort to promote food security as a significant decline was recorded in cereal and grass production in the region compared to the previous year with a higher deficit in Niger.

NaijaAgroNet, recalls that over half of the population of Niger is affected with the erratic and rainfall shortage, the more reason to act fast as people in their millions are living in a critical vulnerability and also in need of assistance.

ECOWAS and Permanent Interstate Committee for drought control in the Sahel will also be joining hands with AUC and NEPAD Agency in mobilizing additional resources for national initiatives that aim to address food security in the affected region.

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Kibaki calls for mechanized agriculture across EAC countries

The Kenyan President, Dr. Mwai Kibaki, has advocated for more efforts to mechanize agriculture all over the East African Countries (EAC), reports UgPulse.

Currently the Chairperson of the EAC Head of States Summit, Dr. Kibaki said that agriculture is the region's leading economic activity and yet most of the acts are still based on rudimentary tools couple with traditional practices.

He called for more effort to mechanize agriculture in order to improve farming methods and seeds which in turn will give quantity and quality output from agriculture.

NaijaAgroNet authoritatively gathered that the East African country president cited three key strategies that partner states need to inculcate for the community to succeed.

The three key strategies include economic diversification, improvement in ICT and Tourism sectors alongside investment in infrastructure as key drivers for the EAC economies. Read more

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Investments interest in agriculture on the rise - IIED

International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) had said that investments fund in agriculture shows a growing interest.

This was made known in a press statement made available to NaijaAgroNet, stating that lands and agribusinesses are on the global rush for investment.

Reasons for the increase in land investment as revealed by IIED could be linked to high long-term returns attributable to rising land prices, growing populations and increasing demand for food.

NaijaAgroNet also gathered that investments in the agrobusiness sector's sources are mostly financial players like pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and rich individuals.

Experts at IIED noted that an estimated US$14billion, about N2.234trillion in private capital has already been committed to investment in farmland and agricultural infrastructure. While a larger part of the fund is based in Europe and North America, whereas the figure according to analysts is expected to be doubled or tripled by 2015.

The potential for land values in Africa, they pointed out is much greater where farmland prices are comparatively low.

Returns on investment, as said by them is largely dependent on the prices of agricultural commodities which is the major reason some investors go for land with high yield potential, investing further in agricultural productivity in order to increase their annual returns.

Further, the fund structures in developing countries are reported to be on the increase, especially as they are being used to invest in agriculture, the investors are also being driven by the high expectation of returns which can be linked to rising land values and productivity.

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Nigerian farmers adopts new yam producing technique

Nigerian farmers may have adopted improved yam producing technique introduced by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) where that involves cutting tubers of yam into small sizes of between 50 and 100 grams, treating them with appropriate pesticides and insecticides before planting, reports ModernGhana.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that famers in Ekiti State in the Western part of the country who embraced the healthy seed yam producing technique in 2011 recorded bountiful yam production at the end of the season. 

Mr. Moses Oguniyi, a state extensionist who is the liaison with IITA scientists on the project, said farmers have more than doubled their seed yams.

“Some farmers planting 200 seed yams before now have enough to plant 500 heaps. Also the quality of the seed yams is very good and farmers love the technology,” he said.     

Preferred by most people in West Africa, he noted that yams are important sources of carbohydrates in the region which accounts for more than 90 per cent of production.

But a major limitation to production has been the high cost of seed production, in addition to pests and diseases, which lead to poor quality seed yam.

For many farmers, planting for the next cropping season usually demands setting aside up to one-third of harvest. Using the improved technology can reduce this proportion, leaving more yams to feed the family, while the better quality seed produces more still.

Bishop Samuel Oke of the Anglican Diocese of Ekiti West said he was happy that his parishioners participated in the project, citing its empowerment potential especially for those living in the rural areas.

“The healthy seed yam production came at the right time and it has produced benefits,” he said.

To improve the livelihoods of members of the church, the Anglican Diocese of Ekiti West has embarked on several agricultural programs including capacity building and training. One of the modules for training planned for this year is the healthy seed yam technology.

“A few people that participated last year got benefits and we want more to benefit hence the need for training and awareness of this technology,” Oke said. Read more

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South Sudan still struggling over refugee crisis

The world's newest nation, South Sudan, after about six months of independence is still finding it difficult to cope with refugee crisis.

A press statement made available to NaijaAgroNet quoted Oxfam as noting that tens of thousands of people have left Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan across the border in Sudan due to violence.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the fighting South Sudan state of Jonglei in the first week of the year affect about 60,000 people.

Another set of refugee, over 55,000 from Sudan's Blue Nile region have also arrived in Upper Nile state, the reason for the movement as gathered by NaijaAgroNet is due to conflict issue, and more refugees are still arriving and sheltering in newly established refugee camps where food and other essentials services are in short supply.

Oxfam, an international agency of 15 organizations working in 90 countries is trying to increase its water supply and sanitation work to cater for 25,000 of the new arrivals.

Oxfam's Regional Director for Horn, East and Central Africa, Fran Equiza said South Sudan is one of the poorest and least developed nations in the world and the influx of refugees is placing enormous strain on already scarce resources.

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Implement broad reconstruction plan, Oxfam urges Haiti govt

Oxfam has urged the Haiti government to ensure the implementation of broad reconstruction plan.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that about 520,000 people were still living under tarpaulins or in tents, after two years of earthquake as the country's reconstruction process.

Oxfam, an international agency of 15 organizations, in the press release called on Haiti government to execute a comprehensive reconstruction plan in order to rebuild the county and provide shelters for Haitians that are still homeless.

Donors were also urged to disburse the funds that was pledged to the reconstruction effort and international community were also called on to strengthen the government's capacity to effectively coordinate the reconstruction.

Cecilia Millan, Oxfam's country director in Haiti said the second anniversary of the devastating earthquake must be a call to action as Haitians are asking why there has not been more progress in rebuilding the country despite a new government in place and billions of aids dollars pledged.

"Despite the apparent slowness of reconstruction, this remains an opportunity for Haiti's political and economic elite to address the chronic poverty and inequality that has plagued the country since independence. Haiti must move forward not backward," said Millan.

With more than half a million houseless, cholera has claimed thousands of lives and it still remains a major threat to public health as most people do not have access  to doctor, running water and toilet.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that billions of dollars of aid were pledged for Haiti’s reconstruction, but promises of funding haven’t always been translated into money on the ground. According to the UN, as of the end of September 2011, donors had disbursed just 43 per cent of the $4.6 billion that they pledged for reconstruction in 2010 and 2011.

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