1,100 youths for IT, mechanized farming training

 NaijaAgroNet

The AkwaIbom State governor, Udom Emmanuel, said arrangement is in top gear aimed at giving training to about 1100 youths of Akwa Ibom origin in information technology skills and mechanized farming, reports NaijaAgroNet.

He made this revelation in Uyo, when he said; "I am in discussion with Oracle to train at least 1,000 youths in AkwaIbom State on Oracle Database Software Management System."

The Governor who identified that most people employed by banks and companies were those with Oracle certification, NaijaAgroNet gathered, reasoned that Akwa Ibom youths must be equipped with skills that would make them self-reliant.

"I want to make sure that our youths acquire skills so that they can mostly be on their own. We want to facilitate this to help some of our youths to also acquire skills. One thousand is a good number and we can see how we can train them in Uyo to reduce the cost instead of moving them to Lagos,"  he stated.

The governor, the information further hinted said that the state government would send 100 Akwa Ibom youths to Israel by the end of July for training in mechanized farming, describing Israel as an outstanding country with a track record in agriculture: "By end of July, we will send about 100 youths to Israel to acquire some skills and also at the same time do pilgrimage as well.

"Those people that will come back are those that will actually back up our mechanized farming in agriculture. We know, when it comes to agriculture today, Israel is one of the greatest,” NaijaAgroNet reports.

Cyriacus Nnaji/ GEE

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Italy, FAO to boost food production with 10,000 scientists

NaijaAgroNet:

Three Italian main research institutions are partnering the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to help developing countries build stronger agricultural sectors through better research and information, NaijaAgroNet reports.

The institutions, National Research Council (CNR), Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CRA) and National Agency for new technologies, renewable energy and sustainable economic development (ENEA), NaijaAgroNet gathered, would employ over 10,000 scientists in more than 100 research institutes across Italy to tackle global food and agricultural sector challenges, including climate change, degradation of natural resources, and plant and animal pests and diseases - as well as changes in dietary patterns that affect food systems.

Confirming the collaboration, Italian Ambassador to FAO Pierfrancesco Sacco said the agreement marks a turning point in Italy-FAO relations. "In particular, the partnership will help address the growing challenge of bringing sustainability into the food and agricultural systems of developing countries; also in view of future implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals," he said.

As part of Italian’s Ministry of Agriculture, CRA's 1,700 researchers and staff performing advanced research on agriculture, food, fishery, forestry and economics, toppled with more than 100 research institutes and 8,000 CNR’s research staff on areas of research and technological development in Agriculture and Food Sciences, Bio-Medicine, Engineering, Environmental and Social Sciences achieving the set goal is reassured.

FAO Deputy-Director General and Natural Resources Coordinator, Maria Helena Semedo, during the signing event, stated that research plays a crucial role in agricultural and rural development and can unleash tremendous agricultural potential in the developing world.

"Being able to harness the wide ranging expertise of three of Italy's top research bodies will not only help countries better manage their natural resources and food systems but also support FAO's larger mission of eradicating hunger and malnutrition worldwide," she said

NaijaAgroNet learnt that ENEA operates in the fields of energy, environment and new technologies and also employs over 2,600 staff across its 11 research centers.

Daniel Nsolibe/GEE

 

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South Africa: Agric leads in job creation

NaijaAgroNet

The data made public from South Africa indicated that the agricultural sector was the leading job creator in the first quarter of 2015, adding 150, 000 jobs, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Statistics South Africa in 2015 released the data showing an estimated 891 000 people employed in the sector. This NaijaAgroNet gathered, accounts for about 6% of South Africa’s total employment figures which is a significant achievement, considering the challenges within the sector, ranging from land policy to climatic conditions.

NaijaAgroNet learnt that South Africa leads the continent in the advancement of agricultural technology, particularly in crop production. This is being driven by climate change and growing variability that have increased the need for research and development.

Agricultural meetings are significantly about development and production, with an emphasis on technological advancement, to optimize productivity to meet yawning food demand and to improve the resilience of agriculture. Many research institutions equally are working with organized agriculture with focus on the sector’s potential to create jobs, NaijaAgroNet reports.

The National Development Plan (NDP) reports that agriculture has the potential to create close to one million new jobs by 2030, a significant contribution to the overall employment target.

To achieve this, NaijaAgroNet was informed, the NDP primarily focuses on improving production to achieve sustainability in smallholder and commercial farming, but the onus for labour training and education is placed mostly on farmers.

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Agriculture key to end poverty says Uma Ukpai

NaijaAgroNet

The Nigerian youths have been called upon to develop keen interest in agriculture as a way of ending unemployment and as such create wealth and food sufficiency in the nation, the founder, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Evangelist Uma Ukpai has said.

NaijaAgroNet reports that Uma Ukpai stated this while addressing news men in Uyo, AkwaIbom, recently. He said that Nigeria, in all ramifications, should be one of the richest countries of the world given its abundant natural and human resources, regretting, however, that it could not even feed its citizens due to misplaced priorities.

“Our youths should promote agriculture. They should promote vocational skills acquisition since it has become very difficult to engage the numerous graduates looking for white collar jobs,” he said.

He gave more hints that agriculture with its potential is capable of not only transforming the national economy but also tremendously impacting on the personal lives of the farmers, particularly the youth

Consequently, he tasked Nigeria youths to stop complaining about poverty and unemployment or blaming government for every woe and challenge but rather think of creating wealth through farming, adding, “a society where everybody runs after government to provide everything does not prosper.

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First Bank, NCF partner to protect environment

 NaijaAgroNet

First Bank Nigeria and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) have come together tocreate awareness on the need to preserve wildlife and biodiversity among school children in Nigeria, reports NaijaAgroNet.

To give added impetus topromoting environmental sustainability, NaijaAgroNet learnt, the bank flagged off the conservation initiative recently with the planting of 120 trees at the Lagos State Civil Service Model College, Igbogbo, Ikorodu, where it also formally set up a conservation club in the school.

The Head, Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability in First Bank, Mr. Ismail Omamegbe said it was part of the bank's long-term approach to sustainability and minimizing direct and indirect impacts on the environment. The conservation initiative, NaijaAgroNet gathered, lays emphasis on tree planting and students' conservation clubs which will serve as vehicles to drive environmental protection and conservation.

"This has made us focused on three priority areas which are minimize carbon footprint, carbon offsetting, conservation and preservation of wildlife and biodiversity," he said.
Mr. Omamegbe stated that First Bank's partnership with the NCF is strategic because NCF's leadership role in promoting environmental conservation and sustainable development in Nigeria tallies with the bank's desire to see the environment sustained because it is a socially responsible entity, NaijaAgroNet reports.

Dr. Joseph Onoja, NCF's Director, Technical Programmes, had earlier stated that NCF  “is pleased that Lagos State Civil Service Model College, Igbogbo, Ikorodu will be the pacesetter for the conservation clubs. Today we are going to plant 120 trees in commemoration of First Bank's 120 years in existence”.

Cyriacus Nnaji/GEE
 
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AFAN chieftain appeals to FG for easy access to credit facilities

NaijaAgroNet

Nigerian farmers have appealed to the Federal Government to make access to credit facilities for their members easy by relaxing stringent rules, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Making this appeal in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and monitored by NaijaAgroNet, the former Delta Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Mr Jerry Ossai, urged government at all levels to end all rules that serve as obstacles to enable farmers access credit facilities to boost food production.

Ossai noted that although funds were available to provide lending facilities to farmers in Nigeria, but the conditions were too stringent for rural farmers to benefit, adding that access to farm inputs like high yielding seedlings, fertilizers, herbicides among others has made investment in agriculture especially farming very difficult.

“Loans are there to be obtained but the conditions are too stringent for rural farmers to access. Liberal terms to cooperative groups may help to address the challenge of funds and access to input may be tied to repayment with harvest,” he said.

Cyriacus Nnaji/ GEE

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