Bank Ki-moon, da Silva call for pro-family farming policies

The United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon and FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva, have called on the international community for commitments during International Year of Family Farming, reports NaijaAgroNet.

They made this call while speaking in support of small-scale family farmers, urging governments to boost support to the world’s small-scale family farmers in order to win the fight against hunger.

Mr. Ban said the International Year of Family Farming being celebrated in 2014 called “for commitments” in a message relayed by Graziano da Silva to the Global Forum and Expo on Family Farming in Budapest.

“Governments can empower family farmers, especially women and youth, by creating policies conducive to equitable and sustainable rural development,” Ban said. “This includes better infrastructure to reduce the amount of food lost after harvest when small-scale producers are unable to store, process and transport their goods.”

The UN Secretary-General also encouraged public and private lenders to provide vital financial services such as credit and insurance.

Ban warned that small-scale family farmers are particularly vulnerable to climate change events such as extreme weather, droughts and floods.

Pro-family farming policies

In his address to the forum, Graziano da Silva echoed the UN Secretary-General in urging governments to adopt explicitly pro-family farming policies.

He underlined that family farmers, fisher folk, forest-dependent people, pastoralists and traditional and indigenous communities are key for food security in most countries but at the same time are among the world’s most vulnerable populations.

A recent study of 93 countries shows that family farms account for over 90 percent of all farm holdings, he told the forum.

Family farmers also manage most of the world’s farm land, including 63 percent in Europe, he said.

“Apart from producing a high proportion of the food we eat, family farmers are by far the biggest source of employment in the world,” the Director-General stressed, adding that they are also the guardians of the world’s agro-biodiversity and natural resources.

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

UN beckons on donors to assist in Zimbabwe food crisis

NaijaAgroNet.

THE United Nations (UN) is approaching donors to raise about $60m to help alleviate a rapidly worsening food crisis in Zimbabwe, as this season’s woeful harvest leaves more than 2-million people in need of food assistance, reports

Zimbabwe, NaijaAgroNet recalls has been experiencing an extensive migration of farmers ditching the production of staple crops such as maize in favour of cash crops, such as tobacco, and this is quickly raising the import bill for food.

Sory Ouane, country director of the UN World Food Programme in Zimbabwe, disclosed that the UN has budgeted $86m for its food assistance programme to June this year in order to feed 1.8-million of those in need, but despite some "generous contributions" from donors, the fund had a $60m shortfall.

The Portfolio manager, Investec Asset Management, Roelof Horne, blamed the lack of clarity over property titles after the land grabs in the 2000s as holding back investment in agriculture in that country.

Zimbabwe was once known as the bread basket of Africa but has seen its economy shrink by half since 1980 as a result of indigenisation and the farm invasions.

However, tobacco is making a comeback again to levels near 200-million kilograms, last seen a decade ago.

"It’s a mess. I think Zimbabwe will be an agriculture power again, but there are complex issues to resolve first," said Mr Horne.

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Farmers general assembly to meet in Buenos Aires

NaijaAgroNet.

Plans have been advanced for the General Assembly meeting of the World Farmers’ Organisation (WFO-OMA) to be held in Buenos Aires from March 25 to 29, 2014, reports

According to information made available to NaijaAgroNet, every year, the event forms an opportunity to gather about 100 agricultural confederations from 80 countries in Argentina to discuss the future of global agriculture.

The annual event, NaijaAgroNet gathered will be hosted by the Sociedad Rural Argentina (SRA), the organization designated to host the event after JA ZENCHU, Central Union of Agricultural Cooperatives in Japan.

NaijaAgroNet equally gathered that subjects on climate change, innovation, food security, value chain, women and youth in agriculture are some of the key themes of the meeting, even as it’s an avenue for meetings and debates between the leading experts of world agriculture and large international organizations affiliated to it.

Among other attendees , correspondent learnt will be members of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR), the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV), World Metrological Organisation (WMO), Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases and Netherlands Water Partnership (NWP), OIE, the International Meat Secretariat (IMS), International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT), International Finance Corporation (IFC).

Prominent personalities expected at the farmers assembly include the United Nations ambassadors of the International Year of Family Farming, Gerd Sonnleitner and Myrna Cunningham, the U.S. Ambassador Dr. Quinn, President of the World Food Prize.

 The presence of the mayor of Buenos Aires, Mauricio Macri, the Director-General of WMO (World Meteorological Organization) and many other representatives of international agricultural is also expected.

The World Farmers’ Organisation General Assembly will be preceded by four workshops which will address the following themes: animal welfare on farms, improvement of agricultural contracts, innovative processes in the field of agriculture and services related to climate. The days of the General Assembly will be dedicated to in-depth sessions  on the role of farmers in the food chain, to the changes as a result of climate change, food security, the role of women, gender differences in this area and, finally, issues related to the generational renewal.

Marco Marzano, WFO Executive Director, said that the World Farmers’ Organisation General Assembly is an important opportunity for the global agriculture community to discuss the major challenges of the near future.

 Also, he said, towards which direction global agriculture is moving, as it changes to cope with the effects of climate change, such as innovative ways to take on and manage the economic crisis: these are some of the topics on which farmers’ organizations will be called upon to discuss”.

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Maseru hosts Africa Environment Day, Wangari Maathair Day

African leaders, civil society and youth groups marked 2014 Africa Environment Day and also to honour Wangari Maathai, with aim of accelerating actions on several environmental challenges on the continent, to be hosted in Maseru, the Kingdom of Lesotho, with the theme ‘Combating Desertification in Africa: Enhancing Agricultural Productivity and Food Security.’

NaijaAgroNet reports that the regional host of the 12th annual celebration, which attracted over 200 young people and high-level experts, reviewed key environmental issues impacting Africa, including illegal wildlife crime, forest conservation and food security.

The event which dovetails with Wangari Maathai Day, a celebration of the life and work of the Green Belt Movement founder is organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Government of Kenya and the Green Belt Movement.

Professor Maathai was Africa's first female Nobel laureate, a champion of grassroots environmental activism and a fervent defender of biodiversity. She was also the inspiration for the Billion Tree Campaign, which UNEP began in 2006. Eight years later, 13.8 billion trees have been planted under the campaign, which is now run by the Plant for the Planet Foundation.

"The Green Economy transition is already well underway in Africa," said UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner. "From plugging into solar power in Algeria and Tunisia to investing in green funds in South Africa, diverse pathways to greener and more-inclusive economies are being pursued across the continent."

Isaac Oyimah/GEE

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Denting youth unemployment through agriculture in Africa thumbnail

Agriculture is not glamourous. It suffers from entrenched negative perceptions. In the minds of many African youths, a farmer is someone like their parents, doing backbreaking labour in the fields and getting little to show for it. Nonetheless, agriculture is the engine driving many African economies. If it were to get the same political support and financial investment as the mining sector, agriculture would be capable of providing more decent jobs and filling millions more stomachs with nutritious meals.

Francisca Ansah, an extension officer with expertise in agriculture and rural services, works with farmers in the upper west regions of Ghana. At a farmers’ conference in Ghana last year, she said the image of poor, ragged and weather-beaten farmers puts off many young people. Having seen their aging parents go through the traumatic experience of farming using basic equipment, these young people opt to settle in urban areas in search of employment. “Young people have second thoughts about agriculture as the source for jobs,” said Ms. Ansah.

Despite the negative perceptions, the agricultural sector employs as much as 60% of Africa’s labour force, according to the Africa Economic Outlook Report 2013, published jointly by the African Development Bank, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the UN Development Programme. Yet because of low productivity, the sector accounts for only 25% of the continent’s gross domestic product (GDP).

Correspondent/GEE

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Nigeria, Israel enter agricultural deal

NaijaAgroNet.

The Federal Government of Nigeria and State of Israel, penultimate Friday signed a cooperation agreement to share expertise and step up cooperation in the agriculture field aimed at boosting food security in both countries, report

The agreement was signed on behalf of the FG by the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina and his Israeli counterpart, Yair Shamir at a short ceremony in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Speaking, Adesina said Nigeria will work closely with the state of Israel to boost fish production, so as to cut down on the amount spent yearly importing fish, noting that Nigeria spends 125 billion naira, about $760 million annually, on fish imports alone.

“… This ought not to be, considering the abundant water resources in this country. The cooperation will also include areas of beef production, horticulture and training," he said.

Pointing out that Israel will also help Nigeria to structure her rural communities in a way that youths in these communities will be able to create wealth through agricultural activities instead of migrating from their local areas.

The minister said, the government is trying to woo private investors in hopes of bolstering the local agricultural sector and up to $4 billion has already been invested in local agriculture projects by private companies.

Adesina said the Nigeria-Israel cooperation deal would foster development in the sector and "impact private-sector businesses tremendously, bringing wealth to youths by creating gainful jobs."

Equally, Shamir said Israel would cooperate with the Nigerian government to develop agriculture in Africa`s top oil producer. Stressing that the Israeli government would begin by training employees of Nigeria`s Ministry for Agriculture and Rural Development, emphasising that the partnership would boost food security for both countries.

Isaac Oyimah with agency report/GEE

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology

Prep-eez Tech partners World Bank on 24/7 free call e-extension

The Chief Executive Office, Prep-eez Tech Limited, Mr Kow Sam, has said the company is partnering the World Bank and the West Africa Agricultural Production Programme on piloting the e-Agriculture and extension programme, reports NaijaAgroNet.

He also revealed to NaijaAgroNet that they are up-scaling services to cover the entire Ghana in the next couple of months, covering over 11 languages and also executing similar projects in Nigeria, La Cote D'Ivoire and other West African countries.

The programme, he told NaijaAgroNet is to expand a free multi-lingual interactive voice response system and audio conferencing and free messaging services across the region.

As said by him, the service has currently attracted over 40,000 active subscribers and an average daily usage of 2,000 accessing each day on their standard mobile phone with languages, including Twi, Ga, Ewe, Nzema, Dagbani and Frafra.

"The company is also building a multi-lingual call-centre that is toll-free at the Ghanaian Ministry of Food and Agricultural (MoFA) resource centre," he said, stressing that this would allow direct access to information in real time from subject matter specialist as well as experts to farmers through standard phones at zero cost to the farmer.

In addition, Sam said three e-resource centres are being established in Accra, Kumasi and Tamale to help build ICT agricultural resource, where MoFA staff, extension officers, women and youth in agriculture would learn to build business plans, research and experimentation, cash flow and productivity and performance analysis for effective output.

Nenye Dom/GEE

... Linking agrobiz, people & technology