Two years without wild polio virus attracts PMB applause

NaijaAgroNet:

Nigerian President, Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari, has applauded the attainment of two straight years without wild polio virus in the country, reports NaijaAgroNet.

President Buhari was reacting to the milestone recently achieved under the auspices of the Presidential Task Force on Polio Eradication, declaring, “This is a historic moment that has brought Africa and the world the closest it has ever been to eradicating this devastating disease. But our job is not yet done.”

“We must protect the gains we have made and stay on course to tackle the challenges that remain in eliminating polio for good.” He added that the Federal Government will “continue to provide the needed oversight and resources to achieve polio eradication in 2017,” he said.

A press statement made available to NaijaAgroNet signed by the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Ado J.G. Muhammad quoted the Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Folorunso Adewole, as assured that the Federal Government is committed to building resilience by “getting people out of their comfort zones to further enhance the quality of polio campaigns, reach children in difficult areas and continue to improve routine immunization.”

Muhammad also said that efforts are ongoing to close the remaining surveillance gaps in the programme, including “increasing environmental surveillance sites and community informants across the country.”

The World Health Organisation (WHO) acting representative for Nigeria, Dr. Rex Mapazanje, said the National Laboratories in Nigeria have been vigilant in monitoring for polio cases, stressing “We must continue to be on alert for any sign of the virus through heightened surveillance, particularly in the vulnerable populations including insurgency-hit areas of northeast Nigeria and the adjoining areas of Cameroon, Chad and Niger.”

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) Country Representative in Nigeria, Jean Gough, pointed out that achieving a polio-free Africa will bring Nigeria closer than ever to a polio-free world, but that success should not be taken for granted.

“We must continue to work together with all partners, in particular with the traditional institutions at all levels, to ensure we reach every child so we can relegate this paralysing disease to history forever,” he said.

NaijaAgroNet recalls that the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) is a public-private partnership leading the effort to eradicate polio, applauded the commitment of tens of thousands of people – including Nigerian officials at all levels, UN and NGO partners, health workers, and  community leaders and volunteers in keeping polio out of Nigeria for the past two years.

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Pix: President Mohammadu Buhari of Nigeria.

Umoru, Adeniji, Danju, Abubakar for ANEC 2016 in Port Harcourt

NaijaAgroNet:

A line-up of speakers for the 12^thedition of the All Nigeria Editors’ Conference (ANEC) slated for August 3 through 7, 2016 in Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers State, have been revealed, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The conference with the theme: Economic Diversification: Agriculture as Option for a Prosperous Nigeria, NaijaAgroNet gathered would see the Founder of HoneySuckle PTL Ventures, Mosunmola Cynthia Umoru, accompanied by Mr. Kola Adeniji of Niji Farms and Chief Executive of Bank of Agriculture, Professor Danbala Danju as well as the Managing Director of L&Z Integrated Farms, Muhammad Abubakar, speaking to the over 300 participants.

While the Founder of HoneySuckle PTL Ventures, Mosunmola Cynthia Umoru, would speak on Agriculture as Panacea for Unemployment, Mr. Kola Adeniji of Niji Farms would dwell on Agriculture as a Foreign Exchange Earner.

Also, the Chief Executive of Bank of Agriculture, Professor Danbala Danju would the podium to explain the Role of Banks in Agriculture Financing, whereas Kano-based farmer, and Managing Director of L&Z Integrated Farms, Muhammad Abubakar, would x-ray ‘Making the Most of Agriculture Value Chain.’

For the Acting President of the Guild, Funke Egbemode, the sole emphasis on agriculture for this year’s conference is in response to the falling price of crude oil at the international market which has automatically reduced government’s earnings and revenue base.

“This is the first the conference is focusing on agriculture in the most pragmatic sense and it is meant to draw the nation’s attention to the limitless opportunities that abound in agriculture” she said.

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Open data critical to Africa’s agricultural revolution - Chinje

NaijaAgroNet:

Open data has been described as critical to solution of the African continent, especially in the agriculture sector, says the chief executive officer of the Africa Media Initiative (AMI) Mr. Eric Chinje, reports NaijaAgroNet.

“Programme on open data is critical to solution of the continent challenges,” he declared.

He made this assertion while addressing participants at the weeklong open data training for members of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Journalists Network ongoing in Hilton Hotels Nairobi, Kenya, on Wednesday.

He urged African media practitioners to discharge themselves of the maxim of being ‘watchdog’ or ‘forth estate of the realm’ when they cannot use their tools to enthrone good governance and leadership on the continent for the common good.

According to him, any supposed dog watching over certain part of the society on behalf of the people or less privilege must be able to stand up to be counted at all times through holding of those in leadership or authorities adequately responsible for the path or direction the society goes to.

“The purpose of the media is helping Africa to address the change we all wanted,” Chinje enthused.

He further urged media practitioners to live above board by ensuring that they bridge the gap through reportage that are evidence-based that will not be disputed by anybody because such a report has sufficient data to show or vindicate itself.

Chinje was optimistic that Africa and media practitioners precisely have a brighter future by offering adequate coverage on what unites the continent like agriculture than what divides Africa.

He, therefore, urged for practitioners to live up to their primary responsibilities in order to build a legacy worthy of emulation in no distance future.

NaijaAgroNet recalls that the Open Data training is organized in line with the ACP-EU Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) -led partnership as part of the Global Open Data for Impact and Capacity Development on Agriculture and Nutrition (GODIVAN) scheme; a Department for International Development (DFID) project, implemented under a joint venture of international partners with the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Agency as facilitated by Local Development Research Institute (LDRI).

Remmy Nweke in Nairobi, Kenya/ED, Ops

  

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Pix: Research Analyst, Gro Intelligence Kenya, Antal Neville, Executive Assistant at Local Development Research Institute (LDRI) Ms Wangui Muriu, chief executive officer, African Media Initiative (AMI) Mr. Eric Chinje, Project coordinator-Global Open Data for Impact and Capacity Development in Agriculture & Nutrition (GODIVAN ) at Centre for Technical Agriculture (CTA-EU) , Ms Isaura Lopes Ramos, Executive Director, LDRI, Mr. Muchiri Nyaggah and LDRI director, Mr. Stephen Nyumba at the open data training for CAADP journalists in Nairobi, Kenya.

FAO says ‘When protecting forests, don't forget the trees’

NaijaAgroNet:

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has said that forests have an acclaimed role as a carbon sink needed to tackle climate change and called to mind that when protecting forests, people should not forget the trees, reports NaijaAgroNet.

FAO, in its latest study said that less known is how their contribution could be scaled up even after a tree has been logged.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that the new publication, Forestry for a low-carbon future: Integrating forests and wood products in climate change strategies, offered insights in how to catalyse a "virtuous cycle" that exploits the life cycle of wood products - ranging from home furniture to wood pellets burned for fuel - to enhance and even multiply the well-known ability of forests to remove and store carbon from the atmosphere.

The Assistant Director-General for Forestry, René Castro-Salazar, said that forests are at the heart of the transition to low-carbon economies, stressing "not only because of their double role as sink and source of emissions, but also through the wider use of wood products to displace more fossil fuel intense products."

Forests, Castro-Salazar pointed out, do herculean work in locking carbon dioxide into leaves, branches and soils, while deforestation and forest degradation account for up to 12 percent of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. The relative speed and cost-effectiveness with which forests make their presence - or absence - felt is one key reason they figure prominently in the plans countries are crafting to meet commitments made in the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Designed primarily for policy makers and experts but of interest to architects and the energy industry, the report - the fruit of innovative collaboration involving more than 100 experts - looks at how forests can be harnessed to the global climate change challenge.

FAO further said that its guiding message is that optimal engineering of the carbon lifecycle of trees and wood products allows, over the long term, for sustainably harvested forests to complement and even enhance the climate mitigation benefits provided by conserved forests.

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Nyaggah calls on African media to adopt open data journalism

NaijaAgroNet:

The Executive Director, Local Development Research Institute (LDRI), Mr. Muchiri Nyaggah has called on African media to adopt open data to enable more evidence-based story delivery, NaijaAgroNet reports.

Nyaggah made this call at the opening session of the 4-day open data training for members of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Journalists Network which commenced in Nairobi, Kenya on Monday.

He highlighted the essence of the training as building the capacity of media practitioners to enable monitoring of progress and report on the implementation of the CAADP through the use of agriculture data and research.

He told NaijaAgroNet that the objectives of the training include enthroning innovative ways to disseminate news and advocacy content to increased awareness on the agricultural transformation agenda in Africa.

The LDRI boss further said that the session would enable them to keep an eye on and provide technological support to the participants in implementing what they learn within their organistions and becoming greater champions.

As such, participants, Nyaggah said, would be trained on how to find, present and visualise data suitable to journalists’ needs, such as creating charts, maps or galleries, whereas providing the essential concepts, techniques and skills to effectively work with data and produce compelling data stories.

Remmy Nweke in Nairobi/ED, Ops

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Pix: Muchiri Nyaggah speaking on Open Data at the Nairobi training 

Anambra still savouring $5m export of vegetables

NaijaAgroNet:

The Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano has said that his four pillars of economic blueprint including Agriculture, Industrialization, Trade and Commerce and Oil and Gas, has started yielding dividends, even as the state still savouring the exportation of vegetables (Ugu) punkin leaves and (Onugbu) bitter leaf,  valued at $5 million to Europe, NaijaAgroNet reports.

Experts also defined Ugu as Telfairia occidentalis, a tropical vine grown in West Africa as a leaf vegetable and for its edible seeds. Common names for the plant include fluted gourd, fluted pumpkin, and ugu.

While Onugbu - Bitter leaf also known as Vernonia amygdalina, is a vegetable used for preparing the popular Bitter leaf soup. Also known as Onugbu, Shiwaka and Ewuro by the Igbos,

Speaking in Abuja in an interactive session which attracted Ndi Anambra residing in the North central part of the country at Transcorp Hilton recently, Gov. Obiano said that the state is now a socially stable, business-friendly environment attracting both indigenes and foreigners to seek wealth-creating opportunities.

He also told the profile audience which comprised the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, Dr.  Oby Ezekwesili both PDP and APC members of the National Assembly, former Governor Chinwoke Mbadinuju and leadership of the Anambra State Investment Agency (ANSIPPA), charged with the mandate of attracting and fast-tracking investments in the state has so far attracted over $4.2 billion deals to the state.

The latest investment he confirmed was sealed on Tuesday last week with Zolt Energy Limited to build a 40 megawatts Embedded Power Generating Plant in Ogbaru. When completed in the next 18 months as scheduled, all the power generated from it will be distributed mainly in Anambra State.

On the state of agriculture, Obiano who was giving a score card of his two and half years stay in office disclosed that “in January this year, Anambra made headlines when it became the first state in Nigeria to export vegetables (Ugu and Onugbu) valued at $5million to Europe. 

Further, Obiano said "Our locally produced brand of rice known as Anambra Rice recently emerged the Best Rice in Africa at an African Products Forum in Lagos. Anambra Rice was adjudged better and more wholesome than other competing brands from South Africa, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Namibia and Cameroon.”

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Open data training kicks off for CAADP journalists

NaijaAgroNet:

A week-long open data training for members of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Journalists Network kicked off in Hilton Hotels, Nairobi, Kenya, reports NaijaAgroNet.

CAADP, NaijaAgroNet gathered, is a growth-focused on agricultural development agenda by African Union (AU) Heads of States and Government, aimed at increasing agriculture growth rates to a minimum of six per cent annually to create wealth.

According to the Programme Manager, Policy, Markets and Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) at CTA, Lamon Rutten, the ACP-EU Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) is leading the partnership for the open data training holding in Nairobi, Kenya from July 25-28, 2016.

This training, Rutten said, is part of the Global Open Data for Impact and Capacity Development on Agriculture and Nutrition (GODIVAN) scheme, a Department for International Development (DFID) project, implemented under a joint venture of international partners with the aim to increase production of the agricultural sector, improved nutrition for consumers and more evidence-based policy making, in which these desired changes are based on enabling communities practically engage with open data.

NaijaAgroNet also gathered that within the context of this project, CTA in partnership with the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) Agency as facilitated by Local Development Research Institute (LDRI), is organising this 4-day open data training with the goal to build the capacity of media practitioners so as to monitor progress and report on the implementation of the CAADP through the use of agriculture data and research.

Remmy Nweke in Nairobi/ED, Ops

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Global per capita fish consumption rises above 20 kilogrammes a year

NaijaAgroNet:

The new State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture report urged for more work to rein in over-fishing, just as global per capita fish consumption has risen above 20 kilogrammes a year, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Global per capita fish consumption, NaijaAgroNet gathered rose above 20 kilogrammes per year for the first time, thanks to stronger aquaculture supply and firm demand, record hauls for some key species and reduced wastage, according to a new FAO report published today.

“Yet despite notable progress in some areas, the state of the world's marine resources has not improved, the latest edition of the UN agency's The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) says that almost a third of commercial fish stocks are now fished at biologically unsustainable levels, triple the level of 1974,” a press statement from Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) highlighted.

NaijaAgroNet also said that global total capture fishery production in 2014 was 93.4 million tonnes, including output from inland waters, up slightly over the previous two years. Just as Alaska pollock was the top species, replacing Anchoveta for the first time since 1998 and offering evidence that effective resource management practices have worked well.

“Record catches for four highly valuable groups - tunas, lobsters, shrimps and cephalopods - were reported in 2014,” FAO said.

SOFIA also said that there were around 4.6 million fishing vessels in the world in 2014, 90 per cent of which are in Asia and Africa, and only 64,000 of which were 24 meters or longer.

FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said that globally, fish provided 6.7 per cent of all protein consumed by humans, as well as offering a rich source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, calcium, zinc and iron. Some 57 million people were engaged in the primary fish production sectors, a third of them in aquaculture.

Fishery products, FAO said, accounted for one percent of all global merchandise trade in value terms, representing more than nine percent of total agricultural exports. Worldwide exports amounted to $148 billion in 2014, up from $8 billion in 1976. Developing countries were the source of $80 billion of fishery exports, providing higher net trade revenues than meat, tobacco, rice and sugar combined.

"Life below water, which the Sustainable Development Agenda commits us to conserve, is a major ally in our effort to meet a host of challenges, from food security to climate change.  This report shows that capture fisheries can be managed sustainably, while also pointing to the enormous and growing potential of aquaculture to boost human nutrition and support livelihoods with productive jobs," FAO boss said.

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UN agencies jointly take stock of El Niño impacts in Africa, Asia-Pacific, gear up for La Niña

NaijaAgroNet:

Three United Nations (UN) agencies recently jointly took stock of the “Long tail” of global weather phenomenon continuing to affect food security of millions – La Niña knock-on likely effects, reports NaijaAgroNet.

A press statement by the trio of FAO’s media relations officer, Mr. Peter Mayer, IFAD Communications Officer, Joanne Levitan and WFP Media officer, Frances Kennedy, said the 2015-16 El Niño weather phenomenon has been one of the strongest and most widespread of the past hundred years, destroying the livelihoods of farming families across the globe and leaving millions of people hungry.

Drought, they said, has gripped large swathes of East and southern Africa, ravaging harvests, while in Asia and the Pacific, drought has hit East Timor, Papua New Guinea and Viet Nam, whereas, El Niño associated storms have wiped out harvests on Fiji and its neighbours.

NaijaAgroNet reports that El Niño’s impact on agriculture has continued to drive up food insecurity, even though the weather event is over, which is likely to be compounded by La Niña in a few months’ time.

Response plans, the UN agencies said, were in place that could prevent more people from going hungry – but they must be adequately funded to avoid another prolonged humanitarian crisis.

NaijaAgroNet recalls that on Wednesday 6 July, FAO, the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD), and the World Food Programme (WFP) – are convening a one-day meeting to look at these challenges and how to best respond to them.

Government representatives, regional bodies, food security experts, agricultural development practitioners, humanitarian response specialists and international donors were in attendance.

Isaac Oyimah/GEE

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2bn people live in drylands globally says FAO

NaijaAgroNet:

A total of 2 billion people live in drylands globally says the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) reports NaijaAgroNet.

The new study from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) helps to fill a significant knowledge gap on the presence and extent of forests and trees in the world's drylands, where the food security and livelihoods of millions of people, already precarious, are increasingly being threatened by climate change.

The study's preliminary findings made available to NaijaAgroNet Tuesday showed the full report will be launched later this year, showed that trees are present with hugely varying densities on almost one-third of the world's 6.1 billion hectares of drylands, which cover an area more than twice the size of Africa. Almost 18 percent of this area contains forests.

In addition to an estimated 2 billion people, FAO said, 90 percent of whom are in developing countries, live in drylands. Recent studies have indicated the need to restore these areas to cope with the effects of drought, desertification and land degradation.

In particular, water availability in drylands is expected to decline further due to changes in climate and land use.  Poor people living in remote rural areas will be most vulnerable to food shortages, which combined with violence and social upheaval, are already leading to forced migration in dryland regions in Africa and western Asia.

NaijaAgroNet gathered that until now, there has been little statistically based knowledge on dryland trees - particularly those growing outside forests - despite their vital importance to humans and the environment.

FAO further said that the leaves and fruit of trees are sources of food for people and fodder for animals; their wood provides fuel for cooking and heating and can be a source of income for poor households; trees protect soils, crops and animals from the sun and winds, while forests are often rich in biodiversity.

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