Grow Africa Partnership secures $10bn to boost agriculture

NaijaAgroNET

Over 200 member companies have committed $10-billion about N1.99 trillion in the Agricultural sector in 12 African countries aimed at boosting agriculture and employment on the continent. This figure represents an increase of about 40 per cent over 2013 commitment levels reports NaijaAgroNet.

Grow Africa released the figures at the Grow Africa Investment Forum in Cape Town as the first stage of a joint reporting process for Grow Africa and the New Alliance, on behalf of the African Union.

According the information received by NaijaAgroNet, “Investment continues to increase: in 2013 and 2014, investments totalling $1.8 billion about N358.2billion have led to the creation of 58 000 jobs, bringing improvements in services and market opportunities to 8.6 million smallholder farmers, who form the backbone of the sector’s production capacity.

Sarita Nayyar, Managing Director, World Economic Forum said, “We stand at a pivotal moment of opportunity to capitalize on an enormous body of collective learning to foster successful public-private cooperation. We must seize this opportunity to deliver on the promise of African agriculture to drive sustainable and inclusive economic growth for the continent.”

 “Over half of the investment commitments come from domestic agribusiness and service companies, which benefit from Grow Africa’s focus on convening and facilitating multi-stakeholder partnerships to strengthen inclusive agricultural value chains.”

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the Grow Africa Partnership was founded jointly in 2011 by the African Union (AU), The New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the World Economic Forum to enable countries to realize the potential of the agriculture sector for economic growth and job creation, particularly among farmers, women and youth.

In 2014, about $300-million, about N59.7 of staple and cash crops were sourced from smallholders as a result of the investments.

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Zambia benefits from DuPont’s investments to increase farmers’ productivity

NaijaAgroNet

One of the world’s foremost agricultural businesses, Dupont Pioneer, recently in Zambia, opened a new warehouse and office facility which will increase maize storage capacity and meet farmers’ demand for both local and export markets to Kenya, Tanzania and other markets in Africa, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Worede Woldemariam, East and South Central Africa senior business manager of DuPont Pioneer stated, “Zambia could emerge as the breadbasket for southern Africa provided an enabling agricultural environment is fostered.”

“The warehouse will allow DuPont Pioneer to develop and produce more seed locally as well as enhance the global competitiveness of the maize industry. Better quality seeds and more advanced farming practices can improve nutrition, the standard of living, and overall agricultural productivity,” says Woldemariam.

NaijaAgroNet further learnt that the country currently has an average maize yield of about 2.4 metric tons per hectare, which is slightly above the average 2 metric tons per hectare of maize yields in Africa and 10 tons per hectare in the U.S.

 Zambia produces excellent seed quality, and the new facility will ensure world class quality standards are maintained in the region. The latest investment is part of ongoing efforts by DuPont Pioneer to invest in resources and infrastructure in Africa.

DuPont (NYSE: DD),  NaijaAgroNet learnt, has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders solutions could be found to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere.

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ARSO President’s Forum to boost inter-African trade

NaijaAgroNet

African Organization for Standardization’s (ARSO) President’s Forum slated for Abuja next month will remove the restrictions placed by the differences in the standards governing trade among African countries, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Dr Joseph Ikem Odumodu, who is the Director-General of the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) and president of the African Organization for Standardization (ARSO), while speaking to newsmen in his office in Abuja recently, stated that the theme of the seminar is “the Role of Standards in Promoting Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security in Africa.”

Speaking further, NaijaAgroNet learnt, “Every organism prospers by utilizing the material which every part supplies. But hardly does Africa draw strength from the trade the different countries in the continent engage in because, separated by standards, the countries hardly trade among themselves. Now, ARSO President’s Forum Abuja 2015 is bringing fifty-five heads of national standards bodies (NSB) in Africa together to open the gates of harmonization of standards and let goods and services flow smoothly across the continent”.

 Dr. Odumodu elucidated further that the forum will feature African Day of Standardization seminar in addition to the CEOs Roundtable and the Made in Africa Expo.

 
Participants expected at the forum include manufacturers, service providers, medium and small scale enterprises, investors and representatives of government ministries, departments and agencies. The International Conference Centre, Abuja is the venue of the Forum.

The ARSO President’s Forum, NaijaAgroNet reports, is the aftermath of the 20th ARSO General Assembly endorsement of a proposal for the ARSO President to convene a special forum of NSB chief executives and engage them on ARSO standardization programmes to make Africa one market. The ARSO 20th Assembly took place in Kigali, Rwanda in June 2014.

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Food insecurity looms in South Sudan

 NaijaAgroNet

The World Food Programme (WFP), an agency of the United Nations Organization, has alerted the world that South Sudan  is under the threat  of the worst levels of food insecurity  because of a combination of conflict, high food prices and a worsening economic crisis, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis, released recently, confirmed fears that ceaseless conflict and the onset of the lean season are intensifying alarming levels of hunger both in conflict-affected areas and in other parts of the country, NaijaAgroNet gathered..

Joyce Luma, WFP’s Representative and Country Director in South Sudan said, “millions of people in South Sudan are trapped by a terrible mix of brutal conflict, rising hunger and a deepening economic crisis.

A staggering number of people are hungry. This analysis is a chilling reminder to the world that South Sudan cannot be forgotten,” Luma said in a statement issued in Nairobi..

NaijaAgroNet also learnt that the IPC result indicates that about 4.6 million people, or 40 per cent of South Sudan’s estimated population, face acute hunger in the next three months and will require urgent lifesaving food or livelihood assistance.

WFP also fears that lack of funding and shrinking humanitarian access are compromising relief agencies’ ability to meet South Sudan’s escalating needs, NaijaAgroNet gathered.

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Agribusiness solutions make ‘farming cool’ for Kenyans

NaijaAgroNet

A British multinational, Balton CP, is offering advanced agricultural solutions, which seek to change the youth mindset towards agribusiness, while empowering them with the technology: knoMaking farming 'cool' for Kenyan youthledge, skills, support and financing, to engage in modern agribusiness, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The agribusiness inclined company has been around as a major driving force in the agricultural sectors of many countries throughout Africa for over 25 years. They can be credited with being the first to introduce drip irrigation technology in several African countries in the late 1970s, greatly boosting the sector.

The group's 'Farming is Cool' campaign was launched in Kenya in 2011 by its subsidiary Amiran Kenya and following several years of activity, became its pan-African 'Farming is Cool Africa' Initiative. Over the last few years, NaijaAgroNet gathered, the campaign has allowed Amiran Kenya and its partners including the government, donors, NGO communities and private sector to place the Amiran Farmers Kit in over 1,000 primary and secondary schools throughout Kenya and in more than 300 youth polytechnics in the country.

NaijaAgroNet also learnt that AFK is an award winning, modern agribusiness unit anchored on a holistic approach that offers the farmer the tools, training and support required to engage in successful, sustainable agribusiness.

This unit has allowed over three million Kenyan children and youth to be exposed and willingly take up modern agribusiness using the most advanced, cutting edge technologies and methods available in the market tody.

In Kenya  and indeed  most  African communities, NaijaAgroNet  learnt, youth view agriculture as an unbefitting occupation often practised by older people in retirement or by those in 'shags' (rural areas) who have to farm to survive. More so, many schools often use agriculture as a form of punishment for deviant behavior.

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Jonathan signs Tobacco Control bill, five others into law

ITRealms:

President Goodluck Jonathan, Wednesday, signed the Tobacco Control Bill along five others into law reports ITRealms.

Spokesman to the president, Dr. Reuben Abati in a state house press release confirmed this development.

According to him, “Other bills signed into law include the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency Act 2015; Equipment and Leasing Bill 2015; AMCON (Amendment) Bill 2015; Standards Organisation of Nigeria Bill 2015 and the National Sugar Development (Amendment) Bill 2015.”

The Tobacco Control Act 2015, he said, is meant to ensure effective regulation and control of production, sales, labelling, advertising, promotion and sponsorship of tobacco and tobacco products in the country.

Abati also said that the bill will ensure balance between economic consideration and health implications of tobacco production, and use as well as exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, among other things.

It repeals the Tobacco Smoking (Control) Act, Cap.t6, LFN 2004 enacted in 1990 and amended years later.

The Equipment and Leasing Bill 2015 will regulate the business of equipment leasing in Nigeria, sanitise the practice of leasing in Nigeria, and protect the lessees (users) and the lessors (owners).

Having been signed into law, the affected bills take immediate effect.
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