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Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Ghana launches US$113m Agric project
NaijaAgroNet:
A six-year project worth US$113million, about N22.4bn to promote and scale-up agricultural value chains tagged ‘Ghana Sector Investment Programme’ (GASIP) has been launched in Tamale, Ghana, NaijaAgroNet reports.
The project which is being funded by the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) – a United Nations Food Agency – and implemented by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) is aimed at supporting infrastructure development, technology transfer, conservation farming and research to ensure the production of quality food crops to meet demands of the market.
GASIP, NaijaAgroNet gathered is anticipated to help about 12,000 rural households, especially women and young people to improve their economic activities and livelihoodsand is a great step towards realising Ghana’s medium-term agricultural sector investment (METASIP).
The implementation of GASIP is intended to drive its policy to enhance the economy and was designed differently from past projects wherein supply-driven projects such as roads, irrigation schemes and warehouses were pre-determined at the design stage — which resulted in several “white elephants” because the project designers assumed they knew what the people wanted.
Okoli Vincent/GEE
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Thursday, May 26, 2016
FAO names Carlo PetriniSpecial Ambassador Zero Hunger for Europe
President of Slow Food, Carlo Petrini has been named FAO Special Ambassador Zero Hunger for Europe, NaijaAgroNet reports.
The FAO
Director-General José Graziano da Silva praised Petrini's contribution to
increasing public awareness on the need to improve agriculture in Europe and
ensure a sustainable food supply chain.
He also said that
Petrini's nomination and his involvement in FAO's advocacy activities will
"send a strong signal to the international community that we can create a
world where no one is hungry”, adding that it would contribute towards building
the Zero
Hunger Generation
and ending
hunger by 2030.
As a Special
Ambassador Zero Hunger, Petrini will help ensure a better understanding of
FAO's vision of a world free of hunger and malnutrition in which food and
agriculture contribute towards improving livelihoods, particularly those of
poor people.
Slow Food is an
international, non-profit grassroots organization that aims to promote quality
food produced and distributed in an environmentally and socially sustainable
manner, having over 100,000 members worldwide and is active in 160 countries.
Okoli Vincent/GEE
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Nimbo attack: Police arrests five suspected Fulani herdsmen
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) said it has arrested five
suspected Fulani herdsmen implicated in the recent invasion of Nimbo community
in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area (LGA) in Enugu State, reports NaijaAgroNet.
The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Olabisi Kolawole,
in a public statement, said the Police is resolute on ridding Nigerian society
of criminals and all forms of criminality.
According to Olabisi, the Intelligence Response Team (IRT)
under the office of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) based on credible
technical intelligence gathered on the attack, swooped in on the suspects and
arrested the following people: Mohammed Zurai, Ciroma Musa, Sale Adamu,
Suleiman Laute and Haruna Laute.
The Police said it also recovered one Gionee L88 mobile
phone with a memory card containing the video recording of the massacre in the
community.
... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology
Suspected members of Fulani herdsmen who attacked Nimbo community in Enugu State recently. L-r -R: Mohammed Zurai, Ciroma Musa, Sale Adamu, Suleiman Laute and Haruna Laute. ... courtesy: TEO |
FAO, WFP require $169m to save CAR from drought
NaijaAgroNet:
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have cried out for lack of $169m funding for the ‘seed protection’ programme going-on in the Central African Republic (CAR) to be successful, reports NaijaAgroNet.
... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have cried out for lack of $169m funding for the ‘seed protection’ programme going-on in the Central African Republic (CAR) to be successful, reports NaijaAgroNet.
In a joint press
statement made available to NaijaAgroNet, WFP noted it requires US$83 million
to respond to the urgent needs of 1.4 million people in CAR and in neighbouring
countries hosting Central African Republic refugees, while the FAO is appealing
for US$86 million to support 1.55 million people with inputs to produce crops
and keep their livestock healthy, in order to boost food security.
The programme,NaijaAgroNet gathered, is currently being funded by governments of Belgium,
Canada, France, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and United States, as well as
the African Development Bank, the European Union and ECHO, the FondsBêkou, the
United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund, the Common Humanitarian Fund
for the Central African Republic, UN Women, and World Bank, yet only half
of the estimated number of beneficiaries could receive support based on
available fund.
NaijaAgroNet
also reports that with 75 percent of the population depending on
agriculture, FAO, WFP and their partners have been working together since
the beginning of the unrest to mitigate negative impacts on agricultural
production and food security.
The
programme which involves provision of seeds, hand tools and food to nearly
50,000 hungry farming families in the most food-insecure areas of the Central
African Republic (CAR) in a bid to make sure families do not survive with the current
scarcity by eating the seeds meant for planting.
Okoli
Vincent/GEE
Food security: Gambia secures $9m loan from AfDB
NaijaAgroNet:
The Gambian government has signed a USD 9 million loan agreement with the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, to finance an agriculture value chains project, reports NaijaAgroNet.
... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology
The Gambian government has signed a USD 9 million loan agreement with the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group, to finance an agriculture value chains project, reports NaijaAgroNet.
The acting
Vice-President, Sector Operations, AfDB, Kapil Kapoor, who signed the
agreement for the bank, said that project which involves the production,
processing and storage of or rice and livestock, will improve food security and
create jobs.
He also said
that the project is aligned with the bank’s High-5 priorities, especially the
Feed Africa component, stressing that the government would
implement the project as quickly as possible in line with the bank's new
accelerated projects and programmes delivery approach.
In response,
the Gambian Finance and Economic Affairs Minister, Abdou Kolley, who signed the
agreement for his country, thanked the bank for the support, and said the
project will go a long way toward the realization of his county's food
self-sufficiency goal and promised that the government would work hard to
reduce bottlenecks which cause delays in the projects implementation.
The
Agriculture Value Chains Development Project (AVCDP) which was approved in
March 2016, seeks to increase, on a sustainable basis, the income of rural
producers, entrepreneurs engaged in the production, processing, storage and
marketing of rice and livestock. It will also create shared wealth and jobs.
Okoli
Vincent/GEE
... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology
UN agencies provide seeds, tools and food to drought stricken areas
NaijaAgroNet:
Two United Nations (UN) agencies, the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food
Programme (WFP)
have commenced provision of seeds, hand tools and food to nearly 50,000 hungry
farming families in the most food-insecure areas of the Central African
Republic (CAR), NaijaAgroNet reports.
This,
NaijaAgroNet gathered is being done under the ‘seed protection’ initiative of
the UN in which FAO uses to provide crop and vegetable seeds, while WFP
provides groundnuts, maize, rice, sorghum, and beans to the same families.
The FAO country
representative Jean-Alexandre Scaglia, said that “critical we make sure
families don't cope with the current scarcity by eating their seeds meant for
planting”, while the WFP Central African Republic Country Director,
BienvenuDjossa, said that the food provided by WFP ensures that the seeds get
planted and families don't go hungry at the same time, saying, "Our
support now can help people escape the vicious cycle of hunger."
It was gathered
by NaijaAgroNet that the exercise is being funded by governments of Belgium,
Canada, France, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well
as the African Development Bank, the European Union and ECHO, the FondsBêkou,
the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund, the Common Humanitarian
Fund for the Central African Republic, UN Women, and the World Bank.
NaijaAgroNet
further gathered that another 50,000 families will be supported during the
second planting season in August/September, meaning 100,000 families in total
(500,000 people) will be supported under the initiative this year, which is not
enough as the WFP requires US$83 million to respond to the urgent needs of 1.4
million people until the end of September in CAR and in neighbouring countries
hosting Central African Republic refugees, while the FAO is appealing for US$86
million to support 1.55 million people with inputs to produce crops and keep
their livestock healthy, and strengthen the government's efforts to boost food
security. However, there is a serious funding gap, to date only 8 percent of
these requirements have been met.
Okoli Vincent/GEE
... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technology
Ban on cattle grazing reserves courageous, says Afenifere, backs Fayose
A socio-cultural organization for the Yoruba people of Nigeria, otherwise known
as Afenifere has described the ban on cattle grazing reserves in Ekiti State as
courageous and endorsed the Ayodele Fayose-government in the state over this
matter, reports NaijaAgroNet.
Afenifere, NaijaAgroNet recalls was
formed with Pa Abraham Adesanya as its pioneer leader and Chief Bola Ige as
deputy leader.
The National Publicity Secretary of
Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, their attention has been drawn to the courageous
move by the Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose to ban cattle grazing in
the state.
As said by him, the action of the governor is a timely move to strengthen the civilization that places higher premium on human lives above cows.
“We have sacrificed enough blood in the unending cycle of bloodletting by Fulani herdsmen, the latest being those killed in Ekiti a few days ago,” he said.
Afenifere also said that the responsible action of the governor should jolt the Federal Government that has appeared largely indifferent to the murderous activities of the Fulani herdsmen to act responsibly over this matter.
“We fully endorse this action which is in conformity with the resolution of the 2014 National Conference that cattle breeders must embrace ranching as against grazing reserves being canvassed in certain quarters,” Afenifere insisted.
240m worldwide face food stress - Report
Some 240 million people across 70 countries globally are in a food stress situation, reports NaijaAgroNet.
Revelation of this came as part of the Phase 2 of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), NaijaAgroNet
reports that with the current classification covers 70 countries affected by a
food crisis in 2015, including chronically vulnerable countries at or above
Phase 2 of the study.
In addition, the report indicated that some 80 million people are
in food crisis as at January 2016.
While nearly half of those people are located in countries
affected by the El Niño phenomenon.
Speaking at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, the World Food Progamme (WFP) Executive Director Ertharin Cousin, said the initiative will provide the best food security data to stakeholders.
Speaking at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, the World Food Progamme (WFP) Executive Director Ertharin Cousin, said the initiative will provide the best food security data to stakeholders.
The summit, NaijaAgroNet reports, came to life as a
network to achieve joint global food-security assessments and joint
responses to food crises.
These include the phenomena such as El Niño,
was launched in Istanbul Monday by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations (FAO), the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the European Union,
reports NaijaAgroNet.
The Global Network for Food Insecurity, Risk Reduction and Food Crises Response, NaijaAgroNet gathered, would pave the way for enhancing the impact of future responses to food crises at the global level by regularly producing, in real time, joint reports based on key analyses and containing timely response options.
According to FAO, this will prompt coordination among stakeholders and promote joint planning and joint responses to food crises, in addition, to improving learning from past crises and increase the level of transparency and availability of crucial analysis of global needs.
The Global Network for Food Insecurity, Risk Reduction and Food Crises Response, NaijaAgroNet gathered, would pave the way for enhancing the impact of future responses to food crises at the global level by regularly producing, in real time, joint reports based on key analyses and containing timely response options.
According to FAO, this will prompt coordination among stakeholders and promote joint planning and joint responses to food crises, in addition, to improving learning from past crises and increase the level of transparency and availability of crucial analysis of global needs.
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Gov. Ayo Fayose bans cattle rearing in Ekiti state
The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has banned grazing
and rearing of cattle in the state, saying those interested in cattle farming
should get their own private cattle ranch, reports NaijaAgroNet.
The governor, disclosed this after visiting some victims of
herdsmen attack in Oke-Ako in Ikole Local Government Area (LGA) of Ekiti State,
said, a bill to make the movement of cattle from one location to another
criminal in the state would soon be sent to the State House of Assembly.
Governor Fayose, lamented the invasion of the community last
Friday by Fulani herdsmen which resulted in the two deaths in the community and
injured others, warned that government would henceforth confiscate any cattle
seen anywhere in the State apart from ranch created for them by their owners.
He described the Fulani herdsmen that attacked Oke-Ako and
other communities in the country as “agents of the devil that must be fished
out and punished accordingly.”
For him, Ekiti citizens will not leave their lands for
Fulani herdsmen and in a system “where the leadership of the country looks the
other way while our people are being killed, we will have no option than to
defend ourselves by whatever means.
“I have come here to commiserate with the people of Oke-Ako
over the murder of two of our people by these evil Fulani herdsmen. I am also here to assure that this will be
the last time your community will be invaded by Fulani herdsmen under whatever
guise.
“I have directed that cattle rearing and grazing should stop
in Ekiti State and those interested in cattle farming should henceforth do so
in their own cattle ranch.
“No more movement of cattle from one location to another in
the State and any cattle seen anywhere in Ekiti State apart from the ranch
created for them by their owners will be confiscated by the government and their
owners will be prosecuted.
“A bill to this effect will be sent to House of Assembly for
passage into law to criminalise cattle owners whose cattle are found moving
from one location to the other in the State.
"We in Ekiti will no longer harbor herdsmen who go about
killing our people, destroying our farmlands and raping our women. It is our
duty to protect our people and we are going to do that without fear or favor.
The governor said the activities of Fulani herdsmen was inimical
to the revival of agriculture in the country saying, “one wonders how Nigerians
can go back to farming when those already in the farms are losing billions of
naira worth of crops to destruction of their farmlands by the Fulani Herdsmen
and the Federal Government is not doing anything about it.”
Governor Fayose, in a press statement made available to
NaijaAgroNet, promised to complement the efforts of the local hunters provided
a Pick Up Van, raised the sum of N2.5m for them and advice the hunters to work
hand-in-hand with the security personnel for the safety of the community. He
also raised the sum of N2.5m for the affected families.
“I want to say it very clearly, everything you want me to do
towards a safe environment, I will do. Because the moment you are not secured
then I had better resigned as a governor.
“If I cannot provide adequate security for you, it is better
for me to leave this office. The only reason you voted for me is because you
know I am competent to do the needful in circumstances like this. Nobody will
take Ekiti away from us.
The governor visited the hospital where some of the injured
were receiving treatment and in the course of interacting with the Doctor
realize the importance of relocating them to Ekiti State Teaching Hospital, Ado
Ekiti where adequate treatment can be delivered on them and also promised to
refer them to OAU Teaching hospital if need be.
Isaac Oyimah/GEE
... Linking agrobiz, sustainable environs, people & technologyPix: Gov Fayose with local hunters in Oke-Ako during his visit.
NCF conducts annual water bird census
The Nigerian Conservation Foundationhas conducted an annual water bird census at Hadejia-Nguru Wetlands in Yobe and Jigawa States, reports NaijaAgroNet.
This,NaijaAgroNet gathered was done as part of its commitment and dedication to the
conservation and management of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas
(IBAs) within and
outside protected areas reports.
Disclosing
this at a capacity building workshop on effective monitoring of IBAs in Cross
Rivers State, facilitated by NCF’s Ruth Akagu and Professor Augustine Ezealor,
they said the purpose of the Water Bird Census which took place in six
communities; Baturia, Nguru Lake, Dagona, Gsahua (new site), Katagum and Marma
Chanel, was to ascertain the population of water birds.
The workshop
focused on IBAs in unprotected areas and participants acquired skills in basic
field techniques on bird sampling and identification, effective utilisation of
the IBA form and METT framework and learned about the processes involved in
establishing SSGs.
The training
was funded by the RSPB (Birdlife in the UK) and facilitated by NCF with support
from A.P. Leventis Ornithological Research Institute and National Park Service.
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