NaijaAgroNet, FAO introduces fish drying technology

NaijaAgroNet 

The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) has pioneered a new technology that could be used to dry fish as the traditional way of fish drying is said to come with some health hazards, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Developed by FAO team, NaijaAgroNet gathered the technology would help in reducing health hazards, advance food safety and quality, get better working conditions and slash down food losses in West African fishing villages.

The technology, NaijaAgroNet reports, was developed mainly to address the aspects of fish smoking operations like the safety aspect and also the aspect of reducing post-harvest losses, and also decreasing the labor of fish processors.

"This is a system developed to address many aspects of fish smoking operations," says Ndiaye Oumoulkhaïry, who worked on the FTT design. "In the first place stands the safety aspect - to secure consumers' health and meet international food standards. Then there's reducing post-harvest losses, and also curbing the drudgery of fish processors who are now least exposed to the heat and smoke."

The women in a fishing village in Côte d'Ivoire immediately welcomed the development saying "We are extremely happy, because as of today, with the FTT, our conditions for smoking fish have changed," Deborah Oulou, an Ivorian woman fish processor said.

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Experts say Bamboo is solution to deforestation in Africa

NaijaAgroNet

Bamboo, a fast growing woody plant has been discovered to offer a veritable solution to the menace of deforestation in Africa, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Some environmentalists including Chief executive officer (CEO) of Eco Planet, Troy Wiseman and Nigerian head of Health of Mother Earth Foundation, Nnimmo Bassey gave these indications.

According to Environmental News Network, Africa yearly loses about 41,000 square kilometers of land, which equals the landmass of Switzerland, to deforestation

NaijaAgroNet also learnt that United Nations’ Environmental Program has also made such revelation that Africa is fast losing its arable land to deforestation to an alarming rate of 4 million hectares annually. It maintained that this amounts twice the world average deforestation rate, and deforestation makes up one/fifth of carbon emission globally.

According to the CEO of Eco Planet, Troy Wiseman in his interaction with IPS said, bamboo "If grown in the right way on land that has little value for other uses, and if managed under the right sustainable management system, bamboo can play a role in restoring highly degraded ecosystems and connecting remnant forest patches, while reducing pressure on remaining natural forests."

The ability of bamboo plants to fight climate change, NaijaAgroNet learnt, is because it has a high capacity to absorb carbon dioxide and to act as carbon sink and still the wood is equally of benefit to man in the area of wood energy, construction of tents and other makeshift houses while still saving large chunk of highly degraded environment.

Renowned African environmentalist and head of Health of Mother Earth Foundation based in Nigeria, Nnimmo Bassey, said no one can seriously present bamboo plantation as a cure for deforestation.

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Abia farmers endorse OkezieIkpeazu for governor

NaijaAgroNet

Farmers in Abia State have unanimously given their nod to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in the state, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, reports NaijaAgroNet.

In a communiqué issued after a stakeholders meeting under the guidance of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (ALFAN) Abia State Chapter in conjunction with Youths in Agriculture Programme (YEAP) the chairman of ALFAN, Chief Dunlop Okoro disclosed to NaijaAgroNet their resolve of the farmers to give their backing to Ikpeazu.

He noted that farmers make up high percentage of the voting population in Abia State, saying that apart from supporting Ikpeazu, the farmers will vote for Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and all PDP candidates in the state.

Also speaking on the occasion was the coordinator of Youths in Agriculture Programme, Mr. Obinna Ndukwe Ibiam, who said that of all the governorship candidates in Abia, Dr.Ikpeazu has more articulated ideas in his manifesto which includes plan for agricultural development in Abia State 

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