Nutrition project to narrow variety of human diets

A new international project launched at the World Nutrition Rio Congress 2012, the Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition Project is to address growing global concerns over poor nutrition.

The project as revealed to NaijaAgroNet in a press statement aims to address the narrowing variety of people's diets, with nutritionally-poor processed foods dominating the world's dinner table.

Officials during the project launch asserted the renewed emphasis on sustaining the natural variety of crops and animals contributing to agri-business and the neglected nutritious traditional foods.

The project is necessary as the negative health effects of poor nutrition and the neglected traditional foods have led to a raft of global health issues.

The Director General of BioDiversity International, Emile Frison said the diversity of crops and their wild relatives, trees, animals, microbes and other species contribute to food production.

Also commenting on the new project, Braulio Dias, Executive Secretary, Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity affirmed the need to consider not only sustainably producing sufficient food, but also working towards diversified nutrition to combat the challenge of feeding the world population of around nine billion by 2050.

The Global Environment Facility (GEF), the world's largest public funder of international environmental projects, NaijaAgroNet gathered is supporting the multi-country project led by Brazil, Kenya, Sri Lanka and Turkey.

Bioversity International is coordinating the project with implementation support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 

Monique Barbut, GEF Chairperson said GEF is making efforts to expand its engagement in the conservation and management of agricultural biodiversity which provides the mainstay for millions of people worldwide and food security to the world's most vulnerable populations.

Yinka Awosanya/LS

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Africa's crop production lags behind - Food Laureate

Director General, FARA, Monty Jones

The Executive Director of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Monty Jones, has said that crop production in Africa is lagging behind the rest of the world with a very wide gap, AfricaScienceNews.

Jones, a World Food Prize Laureate, NaijaAgroNet learnt, also affirmed a sharp decline in global agricultural exports with unreasonable increase in African food imports.

Jones said this at the recently concluded Second Ministerial Dialogue on Increasing Agricultural Productivity in Africa, which brings together agriculture, science and technology ministers in Africa as well as experts from the continent.

Former President of Ghana, Mr. John Kufuor, who also is a World Food Prize Laureate said, there is need for policies in order to transform the sector that holds most of the population to break the logjam of poverty.

"With the right policies in place, Africa has the potential to be the breadbasket of the world, starting with Africa itself," Kufuor said. 

Participants at the dialogue also expressed their concerns over the lack of progress by African governments in meeting their commitments to allocate at a minimum of 10 per cent of their budgets to agriculture.

Admin/LS

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

New species of frogs debut in Southern Leyte

A team of scientist recently discovered two new species of frogs in the forests of Southern Leyte, reports ABS.

The new species, NaijaAgroNet learnt was discovered while conducting a biodiversity resource assessment.

The new species belong to the genus Platymantis, which inhabit the mossy forests of the Nacolod Mountain Range in Southern Leyte.

This shows different body sizes, coloration patterns, and advertisement calls compared to other known species of Philippine Platymantis frogs. 

NaijaAgroNet further gathered that the two species are allied to two different species groups, the Platymantis guentheri group and Platymantis hazelae group and was unveiled at the Marble Hall of the Museum of the Filipino People.

Admin/LS

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Climate change makes biodiversity conversation more expensive - Studies

A piece of land affected by Climate Change

Three new studies by a group of international researchers, have attributed discussions on climate change as making biodiversity conversation more expensive.

The studies said, this has shown an increase in the cost of conserving biodiversity, clean water and clean air by more than 100 per cent, reports PhysOrg.

The studies NaijaAgroNet learnt was named 'Wake-up Call for cost-efficient biodiversity conservation and climate stabilizations' and was conducted in South Africa, Madagascar and California by Conservation International.

The lead author of the studies report, Lee Hannah, senior scientist for climate change biology at Conservation International said specific effects of climate change on species in South Africa, Madagascar and California are very different.

The costs of conserving climate change effects, Lee said will certainly increase considerably in all the regions examined.

"We can have a healthy planet and keep extra costs to a minimum by acting quickly to cut emissions and incorporate climate change into conservation plans," Lee Hannah said. 

Climate scientist and associate vice president for Environmental Defense Fund, Rebecca Shaw while commenting on the report of the study said the set of studies from around the world is a wake-up calls as people have been struggling to conserve the nature we depend on for clean air and clean water without climate change.

Admin/LS

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

SMEDAN, VSO sign women, young farmers’ deal

An agreement to establish and implement an agricultural development project was signed by Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) and Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO), reports DailyTrust.

The agreement, tagged SMEDAN-VSO Agro-Enterprise Project, NaijaAgroNet learnt is to engage women and youths between the ages of 18 and 35 years in agrobiz.

Alhaji Muhammad Nadada Umar, SMEDAN Director-General said at the signing session that the agreement combines expertise of both bodies would add tremendous value to the development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and the nation's economy.

The pilot programme as revealed would be established in four states; Nasarawa, Ondo, Kaduna and Cross Rivers states. 

“Our organizations both share the same values in respect of assisting disadvantaged people. SMEDAN, as a gender-sensitive organization, with our high level of professionalism, has a lot to offer to this nation,” SMEDAN DG affirmed.

Admin/LS

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

World Bank to support Nigerian agric with N144b

Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwuni Adesina

Nigerian Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, has said the World Bank would support the Federal Government's Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) with $900m about N144 billion, reports TheNation.

NaijaAgroNet learnt that $500 million, about N78.57 billion will be used for agriculture and the remaining $400 million, about N62.87 billion will be used to support agricultural irrigation system in the country.

Dr. Akinwunmi who attended the just concluded Nigeria Agricultural Forum held in the United States said senior directors of World Bank and country Director of Nigeria are excited that the nation is diversifying its economy through agriculture.

"They have agreed to support us in the direction we are going," the minister said.

The minister also made known that World Bank showed interest to aid the development of staple crops processing zones in Nigeria, with further attention to be paid to rice, cocoa and sorghum production.

Admin/LS
... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

African agric ministers call for the use of biotechnology, ICT

Agriculture and Science and Innovation Ministers in Africa have called for the use of modern technologies like biotechnology and ICT in agricultural research, reports NewsTime.

The ministers NaijaAgroNet learnt at the ended of the second dialogue of agriculture, science and innovation ministers in Accra also call for the creation of Innovation Fund for Agricultural Transformation (IFAT) in a bid to boost extension and increase access to information and knowledge.

The Ministers in a communiqué released at the end of the meeting asserted that the creation of the funding mechanism will stimulate both public and private investments across the continent which will sustain transformation of agriculture.

Executive Director of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Monty Jones said there is a need for paradigm shift that would transform African Agriculture. "The mindset that we can sustain ourselves through subsistence farming has trapped the continent in a cycle of famine and failed harvests."

Monty also said that African farmers do need improved seeds and other inputs, and timely advice on how use them, saying "Africa’s farmers do not need pity. They need support." 

NaijaAgroNet further gathered that participants at the dialogue said that African farmers need greater access to improved, resilient seeds, fertilizers, irrigation, weather insurance and other means to improve their farm production.

Admin/LS

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Youths' involvement in agric, key to sustainable development – Rhoda

Young Farmers

Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture at the African Union Commission, Ms Rhoda Peace Tumusiime had said that involving youth in agricultural development and decision making processes is key to ensuring sustainable development in Africa.

She said this at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia while officiating a workshop on youth, ICT and entrepreneurship in agriculture co-organised by Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Co-operation (CTA) and NEPAD E-Africa Programme.

In her address, the AU commissioner said that African's population has over 60 per cent youths and 40 per cent of the 70 per cent people in the rural areas are also youths.

The continent, she noted can leverage on the youths available as the current youths are more educated and learned, enterprising and ambitious.

"We can therefore reap the benefits of the demographic dividend and create a virtuous cycle from a healthier, better-educated and more economically productive and focused workforce, if this potential is well harnessed,” she said.

She also said there is urgent need for the expansion of access to secondary and tertiary education, creating and expansion of rural job opportunities and building capacity and promoting entrepreneurship among the youth.

Ms Rhoda Peace Tumusiime

CTA Director, Mr. Michael Hailu affirmed Africa's unemployment standing at 50 per cent, adding that most of the unemployed are young people and females.

He said CTA would not relent in its effort to support activities that encourage youth in ACP countries to consider agriculture as a viable career path, including seizing ICT chances in that framework. "Modern information and communication technologies provide opportunities for creating jobs and entrepreneurship for the youth."

Acting Head, NEPAD e-Africa Programme, Dr. Edmund Katiti insisted that African development and youth employment could be strengthened through the promotion of e-applications and e-services, the promotion of mobile payment systems, agricultural information systems, open software development and adequate capacity building.

The workshop, NaijaAgroNet gathered involved 30 youths and experts from diverse disciplines, countries and international organizations in Africa, and aimed at exchanging ideas about the use of ICT in agrobiz by African Youths.

The workshop also sees to strategies to strengthen their opportunities in agricultural sector. 

Better promotion of successes in agrobusiness was part of the recommendations from participants, other recommendations include improving opportunities for youth in rural areas using ICTs, providing funding arrangements and policies that support youth business in agriculture and youth companies engaged in the development of ICT solutions for agriculture.

Yinka Awosanya/LS

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Southern African states to launch climate change study centre

Southern African Science Centre for Climae Change and Adaptive Land

Five Southern African states have agreed to establish a common monitoring centre for climate change studies for the region, reports TheNewAge.

The study centre, Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management NaijaAgroNet learnt would be launched in Windhoek, Namibia by the five countries, namely South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Zambia and Namibia.

Also, NaijaAgroNet gathered that German government supported the initiative with 50 million euros, about N10.38 billion aimed at streamlining the regional scientific research about climate change trends and management of natural resources.

NaijaAgroNet recalls that a similar centre was recently launched by 10 West African states, supported and funded by Germany.

John Phiri, Zambian Science minister said, "This initiative will bring knowledge, data, information and services generated by our own scientists with support of their colleagues from Germany." 

The centre would also coordinate research and share information, with a secretariat based in Windhoek.

Admin/LS

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

USAID partners Israel for food security in 4 African countries

An Israeli agency, has signed a memorandum of understanding with the United States Agency International Development (USAID) on food security issues in four African countries, reports Globes.

The agreement, a part of Feed the Future initiative NaijaAgroNet gathered was signed by the Agency for International Development Cooperation of Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MASHAVE.

According to the agreement, Israel is to supply the know-how for the project while USAID will make provision for the funding of the project in the four African countries; Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Rwanda.

The Israeli agency said that priority would be given to gender issues, training and human capacity building and adaptation to climate change. 

Daniel Carmon, MASHAVE head, said "In assistance projects Israel does not usually give grants to target countries. Our relative advantage is expertise although sometimes we cover part of the cost of the expertise.”

Admin/LS

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology