AU, UNICEF, WHO partner on Africa Food Nutrition Security Day’13

NaijaAgroNet:

The 4th ADFNS ended in the city of Niamey, capital of Niger under the joint partnership of the African Union Commission (AUC), NEPAD Agency Government of Niger and partners such as United Nations International Children Education Function (UNICEF) and World Health Organisation (WHO) amongst others.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the event held as part of the 2013 commemoration on October 30, under the theme “Toward an African Renaissance: Achieving the Right to Adequate Food and Nutrition”.

This, organizers said was in line with the 50th anniversary celebration of the formation of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and the Year of Pan-Africanism and the African Renaissance.

ADFNS, celebrated annually on the 30 of October, aims to create a platform in which concerned stakeholders can discuss solutions and make recommendations on food security issues in Africa.

“It is also a platform to strengthen the momentum towards achieving the Millennium Develop­ment Goals (MDGs) and to assess what happens after the 2015 deadline,” officials confided in NaijaAgroNet.

AUC Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, H.E Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, told NaijaAgroNet that the African Union Commission accords special importance to this year’s ADFNS,  as a prelude to 2014 the AU declared Year of Agriculture and Food and Nutrition  Security and also marking the 10th anniversary of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).

“Day remains an opportunity for all AU Member States, Governments, stakeholders and partners to heighten our awareness of and reinforce our commitment to accelerating our collective efforts towards a food and nutrition secure, and poverty Africa,” she said.

Mrs. Tumusiime said increasing agricultural production, productivity food and nutrition security, features highly on Africa Agenda 2063, which will be considered for adoption by AU Heads of State and Government at their Summit in January, 2014.

For the Chief Executive Officer, NEPAD Agency, Dr. Ibrahim Mayaki, the proven solutions for food and nutrition security challenges already exist and needed to be replicated.

“The era of pilots projects is long gone and it is now time to take actions. The private sector is a valuable partner in the fight against malnutrition whereas civil society remains our most important voice of conscience” he declared.

NaijaAgroNet notes that AUC delegation was led by H.E. Mrs. Fatima Haram Acyl, Commissioner for Trade and Industry, and was joined by high-level leaders from global, regional and national agriculture associations, African and other governments, civil society and farmer’s organizations, the private sector, scientific and research institutions, and development partners.

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Rwandan farmers to use mobile phones to access genuine fertilizers

NaijaAgroNet:

The International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) is providing access to Rwandan farmers to enable them use the mobile phones to verify product genuinely, especially on fertilizers.

NaijaAgroNet learnt that already, this kind of service access is operational in Nigeria, Malawi, Tanzania, South Africa and Uganda to name a few, but various technology vendors.

According to Bruce Kisitu at the on-going Information and Communications Technology Summit for Agriculture held in Kigali, this new technology uses mobile phones to confirm whether the product is real or fake, reports AllAfrica.com.

"Agricultural products must have a pack number that the farmer types into their phone and sends to local short code that automatically returns a verification of the authenticity of the product being purchased. All agro products, like seeds, pesticides, fertilizers and pesticides are supposed to be marked with a scratch panel that reveals the product's pack number," Kisitu said.

NaijaAgroNet the International Fertilizer Development Centre (IFDC) in partnership with Crop Life Africa developed the technology.

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Push to enhance management, conservation in tuna fisheries

NaijaAgroNet:

The Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded and Food Agriculture Organisation (FAO) project, formed part of global effort to improve fisheries management in the common oceans

The chief executive officer, CEO of GEF, Naoko Ishii told NaijaAgroNet that they approved a project coordinated by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to improve the health and sustainability of tuna fisheries worldwide by reducing illegal catch and supporting related marine ecosystems and species.

The GEF, an international institution uniting 183 countries to address global environmental issues and support sustainable development, approved funding for the implementation phase of the multi-partner project coordinated by FAO which aims to improve management of tuna fisheries on the high seas and conserve biodiversity of related marine ecosystems and species. It will reduce illegal catches of the far-ranging, highly-prized and globally consumed fish.

Ishii pointed out that the latest decision sets the stage for action on a global scale that will address both an economic and environmental threat to one of the world's most important commercial fish species.

"I am pleased that we are able to bring together both public and private partners in this project, which give us a fighting chance to work on a scale sufficient to reverse negative trends threatening the global tuna fishery and the ocean environment that sustains it," Ishii said.

Till date, according to NaijaAgroNet investigations, an estimated $30 million in GEF grants has leveraged over $150 million of co-financing in support of the project, which forms part of a broader multi-stakeholder initiative working to ensure that these precious resources are harvested in a sustainable way.

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GE-USADF Off-Grid Energy Challenge: Winners to emerge Nov. 21

NaijaAgroNet:

Following the recent closure of entries for the 2013 Off-Grid Energy Challenge by the General Electronics (GE) and the United States African Development Foundation (USADF), winners are set to emerge on November 21 in a ceremony in Lagos, NaijaAgroNet reports.

NaijaAgroNet recalls that the challenge was recently launched in Kenya and Nigeria thereby commencing the judging process in anticipation of the announcement of this year’s winners from both countries.

Investigations by NaijaAgroNet reveals that over the next three years, some 20 individuals and indigenous African companies who come up with innovative solutions that address the energy challenges of African communities and businesses stand a chance of winning up to USD 100,000 in grants to support their initiatives.

According to NaijaAgroNet searches, the judges are looking out for off-grid energy solutions that have created innovative approaches to metering, payment, collections, or transmission.

“They will also look out for entries that deliver sustainable energy to underserved marginal populations without degrading the environment,” a source told NaijaAgroNet.

The President and CEO, GE Africa, Jay Ireland expressed excitements that the Off-Grid Energy challenge is generating increased awareness about the plight of communities that are either underserved by the national grid or are not connected at all.

“We have no doubt that great solutions will emerge from this initiative, which will ultimately provide some insight to how to tackle some of the off-grid energy challenges in Africa” he said.

USADF President and CEO, Shari Berenbach said the initiative will help leverage more marginalized and underserved communities into positions where they could engage in and benefit from inclusive economic growth.

She noted that over the last 30 years, the USADF has championed initiatives that have contributed in catalyzing Africans out of poverty, stressing, “We are proud to be in partnership with GE on this initiative, which clearly resonates with everything that USADF stands for.”

NaijaAgroNet equally recollects that the Off-Grid Energy challenge is the initiative of global infrastructure giants, General Electric (GE) and the United States Africa Development Agency (USADF), which rides on the back of the Power Africa initiative announced by President Barack Obama during his recent visit to Africa.

The Power Africa initiative seeks to drive growth in Africa by increasing access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable power and by helping to ensure responsible, transparent and effective management of energy resources on the continent.

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Nigeria poultry show exposes new techniques

NaijaAgroNet:

Stakeholders in the poultry sector converged in Abeokuta, Ogun State for this year’s international Poultry Show to exhibit their product, services and imbibe new techniques into the global trends and practices.

 The National Chairman, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Dr Ayoola Oduntan informed NaijaAgroNet  that  the event serves as a business forum where participants learn new techniques, technology and recent advances in animal health and nutrition which will be beneficial to their farms.

 “Nigerian poultry farmers will use the numerous opportunities in this show to build networks and to key into the best global trends and practices that will redefine poultry farming in the country,” Oduntan said. 

Speaking on the occasion as the chairman, the former Minister for State Agriculture, Alhaji Adamu Waziri Maina, said that if the current campaign of “an egg a day” by the Poultry Association of Nigeria is achieved, 75 per cent consumption of poultry products will double in five years. 

A guest speaker, Mr Kola Masha, who spoke on the need to increase the consumption of poultry products, said the theme “Doubling Consumption of Locally Produced Poultry Products in Five Years” is apt as Nigeria is seriously lagging behind in terms of the consumption of poultry products. 

“The consumption of poultry products in Nigeria is only five per cent compared to South Africa’s 65 per cent and the Caribbean’s 85 per cent. Nigerians need to consume more poultry, which promotes the health of the nation,” Masha said.

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IFAD tasks youths to engage in farming

NaijaAgroNet:

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Director for West and Central Africa Ides v.d Does de Willebois has called on African youths in the rural communities to stay in their localities and engage in agriculture.

Willebois made the plea during a chat with NaijaAgroNet, and stressed the need for the continent's youths to venture into farming and produce the food required for consumption in their respective countries.

"What I have seen in Africa for the past 30 years is that many farmers are old and young ones are not taking farming like their forefathers. I don't see the younger ones coming in, and if that continues, we will only be importing food,” Willebois said.

The IFAD official also stressed the need for the rural youths to be enticed to stay and farm in their communities, noting that some of them are ready to do so but are lacking support technically and financially.

He also used the opportunity to inform NaijaAgroNet on the relevance of the Earth Observation Technology which is being piloted in the Gambia and said that the Earth Observation tools is an explanatory tool for policy makers to know what is happening and to check the patterns of the crop, while it gives implementers and farmers the opportunity to see what happens to their environment, farms and so on for over a period of time.

"IFAD became very keen in promoting the tool and over the years, it is fortunate that the technology has become very affordable. That is why together with European Earth Space Agency (EESA) we are trying to see how best we can work in countries in West and Central Africa using this technology to develop base line data. Gambia is the first country to benefit from the technology which  is being piloted in Jarumeh village, Sami District, Central River Region (CRR) north,” he said.

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AfDB boosts ATA in Nigeria with N24bn

NaijaAgroNet:

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved an African Development Fund (ADF) loan of $ 152.12 million, about N24 billion and an ADF grant of $ 0.38 million, about N60 million, to finance Nigeria's Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) Support Programme Phase 1 (ATASP-1).

This approval was made known in a report issued by the bank and sighted by NaijaAgroNet  which stated that ATASP-1 was to promote employment generation and shared wealth creation along the commodity value chains, food and nutrition security and sustainably increase the income of smallholder farmers and rural entrepreneurs engaged in the production, processing, storage and marketing of the selected commodity value chains.

According to AfDB estimates, Nigeria has a huge potential in agriculture with 84 million hectares of arable land, abundant labour, untapped water resources and a market of 167 million people.

Reports from the  bank funded projects indicate that ATASP-1 is mainly an infrastructure restoration intervention that will rehabilitate 1,300 kms of irrigation water conveyance canals; 39,777 ha of existing crop production schemes; 1,330 kms of feeder roads; 1,007 units of hydraulic structures; 14 community markets; 35 primary schools; and 14 community health centres.

It will also provide 63 potable water and sanitation systems and establish seven technology demonstration centres in four Staple Crops Processing Zones in seven States covering 194,426 km2 of land and 32,121,944 inhabitants (50.93 per cent males and 49.07 per cent females) who are predominantly farmers and small scale commodity processors.

NaijaAgroNet recorded that the program, to be implemented in five years is estimated at $ 175 million ( about  N27 billion) as the  Bank's financing will account for 87.0 per cent of the overall costs, federal government and seven States located in the four Processing Zones will contribute 12.2 per cent, while the beneficiaries will contribute 0.6 per cent of total program costs.

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‘Africa’s agriculture achieves 4% growth rate’

NaijaAgroNet:

Agriculture in Africa has experienced an average of 4 per cent annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth in the last 10 years far above what obtained in the previous decades.

The Technical Adviser and Team Leader of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme   (CAADP)  , Mr. Keizire Boaz made this clarification at the just concluded two-day CAADP partnership platform business meeting in Abuja.

“Over the last decade, through the instrumentality of CAADP, African agriculture and food security concerns remain high on the policy agenda at national, regional, continental and global levels. This includes development partners, Civil Society, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), farmers and the private sector,” Boaz said.

He explained that the performance of African agriculture has been encouraging with annual GDP growth, and stressed that it is absolutely necessary to sustain the momentum of such positive change and development taking place in Africa well into the next decade.

Stakeholders in the implementation of CAADP framework, NaijaAgroNet confirmed gave their progress report, highlighting lessons learnt, prospects, challenges and future plan, especially for 2014 which the African leaders at their 19th ordinary session in Ethiopia last year declared as the Year of Agriculture and Food Security in Africa.

It also learnt that the year will mark ten years since the adoption of CAADP, which is an African Union initiative to accelerate agricultural growth, improve food security and strengthening the resilience of the environment in Africa.

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Farmers could cut emissions while boosting production- FAO

 

NaijaAgroNet:

UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has said that farmers could earn more and protect the environment by using technologies and practices that reduce the global warming gases that livestock emit.

This statement was issued by the FAO in its report of five case studies which suggested that the potential for mitigation is greatest among low-productivity ruminant producers in South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean.

NaijaAgroNet gathered from the report of the study that raising livestock such as pigs, cattle and poultry generates climate-altering gases with an impact equivalent to 7.1 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, representing 14.5 per cent of all human-caused greenhouse gas (GHC) emissions.

According to the report the challenge stem from reducing emissions while meeting the soaring demand for livestock products which is a demand that is projected to rise by more than 70 per cent between 2005 and 2050.

The FAO's Assistant Director-General for Agriculture and Consumer Protection, Ren Wang said that “only 10 per cent of producers currently use technologies which could, if taken up more widely, cut the emissions from all livestock species by up to 30 per cent while boosting production. Currently, the majority of the livestock sector's emissions originate from cattle, with beef production contributing 41 per cent and cattle milk production contributing 20 per cent.

“In terms of activities, the worst culprit is feed production and processing, which accounts for 45 per cent of emissions from livestock-related practices. This is followed by manure storage and processing, which is responsible for ten per cent of these emissions. In the case of ruminants, such as cattle, buffalo, sheep and goats, using better quality feeds would lower the amount of methane they emit during digestion as well as the quantity of nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide released by their decomposing manure.”

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12m South African households may go hungry- President Zuma

NaijaAgroNet:

The South African President Jacob Zuma   has said that some 12 million households in South Africa are vulnerable to food insecurity and may go hungry.

President  Zuma  made this disclosure  in his annual address to the National Council of Provinces in Soshanguve, Pretori, monitored by NaijaAgroNet and assured that in line with the country's the National Development Plan (NDP), the government will take a number of steps to improve food security.

“These steps include the expanded use of irrigation, security of land tenure, especially for women and youths, and the promotion of nutrition education,’’ Zuma said.

The NDP, which is the country’s economic blueprint, has set out various methods and targets to get rid of poverty, reduce unemployment and abolish inequality by 2030, while the government
launched the Fetsa Tlala food production programme to eradicate hunger and promote food security.

The government has also provided two billion rand (about N31 billion) for this financial year for farmer support programmes while 72 per cent of it will be used for food production to support Fetsa Tlala.

Under this arrangement, NaijaAgroNet  noted that about 100,000 hectares of land will be put into production through the programme to be supervised by the departments of agriculture in the provinces.

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Pix:South African President Jacob Zuma