Nigeria is world biggest cassava producer

Between 2002 and 2009, Nigerian farmers boosted cassava production by 10 million tons with the help of better and improved cassava varieties.

The new Minister of Agriculture, Mr Akin Adesina, disclosed last month, that trillion was spent to import food.

This, he said, led to the country's overtaking Thailand as the world biggest producer of cassava, yet the country still spend trillions of naira yearly to import food, reports next

He said Cassava, being consumed by Nigerians in their millions is also used by industries to produce starch and other products like sweeteners, glues, plywood, and paper among others.

The new Minister equally that over N635 billion was spent on wheat importation; N365 billion on rice, N217 billion on sugar, and N97 billion on fish importation. Read more

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

2.5m Kenyans in need of food

It is estimated that 2.5 million Kenyans are in dare need of food, the figure which is expected to increase to three million soon according to the United Nations, reports AllAfrica

In an effort to fight this food insecurity a controversial move has been made by the Kenyan government to allow the importation of Genetically Modified (GM) maize from South Africa.

Embracing modern biotechnology crops was aimed at cushioning Kenyans against their current drought, said Hellen Sambili, Kenya Science and Technology Minister. Read more

Admin/LS

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

United States may assist North Korea on food security

State Department of the United States may still provide food aid to North Korean even though North Korea, a communist nation is responsible for feeding her own people, reports YonHapNews

US State Department spokesman, Victoria Nuland said the food security of the Asian nation is the sole responsibility of the nation as its governmental policies contravene that of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions.

While stressing the importance of boosting the food security systems in hunger-stricken nations, Secretary of the States, Hillary Clinton announced an additional $17million about N2, 618billion in aid to fight famine in Somalia and other affected African nations. Read more

Admin/LS

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

AU member states urged to increase agric funding

African Union (AU) members have been urged to increase the funding meant for agriculture in other to boost food security and as a means of reducing poverty among Africans, reports CAADP Newsletter

This call was made at the end of the 7th Partnership Platform meeting of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) by Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, AU Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture.

Rhoda Peace stressed that priority should be given to agricultural sector as it provides employment for African youths and women.

The session with the theme “Mutual Accountability in the formulation and implementation of country CAADP investment plans” had over 260 participants, with at least 21 countries in attendance at Yaoundé in Cameroon meeting.

CAADP Newsletter also revealed that the roles of development partners are being appreciated while noting that no success will be recorded without their active partnership.

While drawing attention to the need for an increased mutual accountability structures and process in Africa, Rhoda Peace, reaffirmed AU continued commitment in taking leadership collaboration with partners.

Ms Julie Howard who speaks on behalf of the developing partners assured the gathering of their continuous support in capacity building and regional CAADP plans in ensuring that the plans are being achieved. Read more

Admin/LS

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Namibian government to help Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia with N75m

The government of Namibia will give the sum of $500, 000 to aid Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia to fight drought, one the worst drought in decades, reports NewEra

Recently an appeal was made to international community by the United Nations to assist Somalia and other affected countries with emergency aid.

'Save Somalia', an initiative of the Namibia Red Cross Society and Mobile Telecommunications Company (MTC) has also been launched to assist people of the affected nations.

While looking at proper channel to fund the needs of targeted populace, Utoni Nujoma, Namibian Foreign Affairs Minister disclosed decisions by government to assist Somalia at the launch of 'Save Somalia'. Read More

Admin/LS

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Food Security: Global food prices increase by 40.4%

An analysis by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) revealed that the price of global food has increased by 40.4 per cent between July 2010 and February 2011, reports TheDailyStar.

Also, ADB noted that demand and supply sides as major factors affecting the rate at which the price increases, other factors, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

FAO said these include increase in world population and strong income growth in developing economies.

The use of food grains like corn and rapeseed oil in the production of bio-fuel, the study said contributed a great deal to the food price inflation.

Further, the study stated that with agricultural land being converted to commercial use, a rise in the cost of input, neglect suffered agricultural investment, low crop yield all reduces the farm produce which in really affects the price as more people will be after few supplies.

A study by The Oxford Economics Global Models reveals that the food price hike will lead to higher inflation, reducing economic growth rate of developing Asia but this will lead to an increase in GDP of food exporting countries like Thailand, China and Korea.

Increasing food production worldwide has become the first priority now for meeting the challenge of growing demand of food this year, with FAO giving an estimation of two per cent increase in the production of cereal. Read more

Admin/LS

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

N246m boost for sugarcane production in Africa

Yinka Awosanya

The United Nation’s Common Fund for Commodities has given $1.6 million about N246m for a research project on Ivory Coast and Nigeria to test different species of sugarcane in an effort to boost production, reports Reuters.

Head of the Ivorian National Center for Agronomic Research, Amoncho Adiko, affirmed that researchers from the two West African nations would test about 40 different types of sugarcane with the aim of helping small-scale farmers boost output.

This effort, NaijaAgroNet gathered would increase the production for small-scale farmers which covers just 3,700 hectares of land, whereas large-scale uses up to 22,000 hectares of land for sugar cane production in Ivory Coast.

Adiko said the two nations will contribute the remaining amount needed for the project as the total amount required is $2.1m about N315million.

Part of the essence of the project is to identify sugarcane that small-scale farmers could grow during rain, in order to bridge the gap between them and large-scale farmers that uses irrigation on their farms.

“Villagers need a variety of cane that grows with the rain,” Adiko said

The test is to be taken on varieties of sugarcane from Mauritius, Brazil, Sudan, South Africa and Swaziland. The research is expected to last for about half a decade after which the new varieties of sugarcane will be distributed. Read more

Admin/LS

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Two-thirds of Africans derive income from agriculture

Yinka Awosanya

With two-thirds of African population depending on agriculture for their incomes, yet between 50 and 80 per cents of these are spent on food; these two figures well illustrate the importance of agric to the continent.

To this end, the former Prime Minister of Niger, Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, said that its necessary to invest in the agricultural sector as it’s the only sector that could absorb millions of youths, noting that over the last two decades aid dedicated to agriculture have declined from 18 per cent to four per cent.

Mayaki, warned that Africans could be left to face a phenomenal bomb if youths are not fully engaged in agriculture; a means to curb the high rate of unemployment in youths on the continent. Read more

Admin/LS

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Cocoa affected by economic crisis - ICCO

Yinka Awosanya

The London-based International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO) has said that the economic crisis of 2008 and 2009 affected the cocoa industry.

ICCO in its annual report 2008/2009 made available to NaijaAgroNet revealed that Cocoa grinding within the year under review was affected by the global economic crisis, although the year was a good year for cocoa farmers and the cocoa exporting nations.

The annual report showed that despite the 6.6 per cent estimated global decline of cocoa grinding, Asia and Oceania had the hardest hit in cocoa grinding upon having a decline of 20 per cent in the two regions.

The effect of the crisis has a limited effect on chocolate production and consumption with price development remaining positive.

Confirming this, the chairman of ICCO, Dr. Victor Iyama, noted with the expiration of the current International Cocoa Agreement of 2001 in 2012, also gave high priority to the preparation of a future International Cocoa Agreement since signature and ratification of concerned nations takes time. Read more

Admin/LS

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

GTBank loans N5.55billion to agricultural projects

In an effort to boost capacity, increase production and employment opportunity in the nation’s agriculture sector, GTBank has given out N5.55billion in loans to eight commercial agricultural projects across the country.

Vanguard reports that the funds provided by the bank through its Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS) have been put to use in almost all aspects of agriculture ranging from crop and animal farming to fishery.

Segun Agbaje, the Chief Executive of GTB was quoted as saying they believe that profitability potentials inherent in the agriculture sector would be enough to attract financing, making it a sustainable profitable business for banks like GTB. Read more.

Admin/LS

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology