Smallholders worst affected by lumpy skin disease

NaijaAgroNet:

The ongoing epidemic of lumpy skin disease is affecting largely the smallholder farmers’ leading to the warning by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), reports NaijaAgroNet.

In a position paper made available to NaijaAgroNet, FAO warned that even countries that have not been affected by lumpy skin disease so far but are considered at risk need to carry out risk-based vaccination to avert the spread of the disease, which can have devastating consequences for farmers, particularly smallholders.

Pointing out that for broader cattle vaccination to keep lumpy skin disease at bay, especially in Eastern Europe and the Balkans, and in areas where the risk is the highest.

Lumpy skin disease is a cattle pox virus transmitted by biting insects that can be deadly for cattle but does not affect humans. The disease used to be confined to Africa only. In 2013, it emerged in Turkey and then quickly spread through nine countries in Eastern Europe and the Balkans. 

At the height of the disease’s spread in Europe, countries hit by lumpy skin disease registered up to 200 outbreaks, which have led to significant economic losses – due to drops in milk production and reduced quality of skins – and the death of up to around 15 percent of the affected herds.

“Although the outbreak in Europe was contained in April following mass vaccinations, we have seen the disease resurface in recent months in Albania, Greece and Macedonia. It’s just another warning sign that the disease has not been fully contained yet and can keep spreading if we don’t step up efforts to control it,” said Ren Wang, FAO Assistant Director-General, Agriculture and Consumer Protection Department.

FAO urges governments across the regions at risk of lumpy skin disease to carry out vaccination campaigns, especially ahead of bug season, which usually starts in March, when infection rates are highest to prevent, control and eliminate the disease.

Preventive vaccination in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and northern Serbia, for example, would create a buffer zone and stop the disease from potentially spreading to neighbouring countries such as Hungary and Romania, which have been spared to date from the disease.

FAO warned that stamping out – the proactive culling of all animals on an infected farm – should be used as a last resort because stamping out can have a drastic impact on farmers’ livelihoods, particularly those of smallholders. If stamping out is considered necessary, FAO recommends for this to be used only in the case of clinically affected cattle, when the infection is confirmed by an authorized laboratory, and animals should be humanely culled and appropriately disposed of as soon as possible.

FAO has already played an important role in reshaping countries’ policies so that vaccination is used as a key measure to prevent lumpy skin disease, and to minimize stamping out.

“Despite the progress made in combatting lumpy skin disease, there are still some grey areas we need to focus on. For one, we need to understand better if lumpy skin disease can also be  transmitted from one animal to another via infected milk, for example, and if infected animals that do not show clinical signs could still spread the virus,” said Ren Wang, Assistant Director-General, FAO Agriculture and Consumer Protection Department.

“There is also a need for better regional coordination and heightened surveillance to deal more effectively with the spread of the disease,” Ren Wang said.

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Pix: Ren Wang

Tourism can't achieve potentials without sustainability - Minister

NaijaAgroNet: 

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said that sustainability is absolutely necessary if tourism is to achieve its full potentials, which include being a catalyst for economic growth and poverty eradication, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Speaking in London, Wednesday to mark the 2017 World Tourism Day, he said, without sustainability, tourism cannot generate benefits to all stakeholders, solve serious problems such as extreme poverty, and preserve precious natural and man-made resources on which human prosperity is based.

Referring to the theme of this year's World Tourism Day, which is 'Sustainable Tourism - Tool for Development', he said Member States of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) are encouraged to make sure that their policies and actions for tourism development and management fully embrace the principles of sustainability.

''The sustainability principles refer to the environmental, economic and socio-cultural aspects of tourism development, and a suitable balance must be established among these three dimensions to guarantee its long-term sustainability,'' Alhaji Mohammed said.

He said that in the context of the universal 2030 Agenda for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the United Nations General Assembly designated 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, underscoring its power to help eradicate poverty.

''Tourism was singled out in three of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of sustainable economic growth and decent employment, sustainable production and consumption, and the conservation and sustainable use of oceans (Goals 8,12 & 14).

''Today, tourism generates 10% of the world’s GDP, one in every 10 jobs, and 30% of world trade in services. It is key to many countries’ economies and livelihoods. It has evolved from an industry engaged in and patronized only by the rich and elites of the society, to an industry enjoyed by all with significant impact on the nation’s economy.

''As an invisible export, tourism creates a flow of foreign currency into the economy of a nation through public revenue which comes in the form of taxes, duties, licenses etc; business revenue derived from services provided by restaurants, hotels, transport, shops etc and from local resident revenue which come in the form of wages, salaries, rent, interests in investments. Most of these revenues especially those that accrue to the business establishments and the local residents are usually ploughed back into the economy to create additional business thereby generating grater revenues and increasing employment opportunities,'' the Minister said.

He said while Government will play its part in the development and management of tourism and in making it more sustainable, the real key to making Nigeria's tourism industry flourish lies with the industry itself and the businesses and organizations at its heart.

''Governments use a number of mechanisms to encourage greater private-sector engagement, capturing its expertise in ways that will be beneficial to the companies themselves as well as population. The private sector, on the other hand, has an opportunity to work collaboratively with government to yield unprecedented returns in both economic and human capital, and fulfilling the promise of a more equitable, productive, and prosperous global community,'' Alhaji Mohammed said.

Overall, he said, sustainable tourism requires the informed participation of all relevant stakeholders, as well as strong political leadership to ensure wide participation and consensus building.

The idea of World Tourism Day was initiated by a Nigerian, late Mr. Ignatius Amaduwa Atigbi, the then Secretary General of the Nigeria Tourism Association (NTA), now Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), and Chairman of Africa Travel Commission (ATC). It was adopted at the 22nd General Assembly of the International Union of Official Travel Organizations (IUOTO) in 1971.

The 27th of September of every year is marked as the World Tourism Day to create awareness for tourism as a tool for economic growth and promotion of international peace and understanding.

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Nigeria under-developing children, physically, mentally - UNICEF

NaijaAgroNet:

The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has lamente that Nigeria is putting her children at risk of under-development, both physically and mentally, because critical national policies are not providing an adequate foundation for their growth, reports NaijaAgroNet.

During the first years of a child’s life, UNICEF said in its latest report that the brain grows rapidly; providing good nutrition, loving care and appropriate play provide solid foundations for a child’s learning – and eventual contribution to economic and social growth.

The UNICEF report, Early Moments Matter for Every Child, outlines three policies that can give parents the time and resources needed to support their young children’s healthy development.

The recommended policies are: two years of free pre-primary education; six months of paid maternity leave; and four weeks of paid paternity leave. Nigeria currently has just three months of paid maternity leave, only one year of free pre-primary education and no paternity leave at all. Only about one in every 10 pre-primary children are enrolled in early education activities.

According to the medical journal, The Lancet, Nigeria ranks among the 10 countries with the largest number of children at risk of poor development. 

A 2016 national survey indicated that 31% of children under the age of five are moderately or severely underweight in Nigeria. Stunting as a result of malnutrition can cause irreversible physical and mental retardation. Even though exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby’s life has clearly been shown to improve physical and mental development, the same survey revealed that only 24% of Nigerian children are exclusively breastfed for six months. Paid maternity leave will help to increase the number of children exclusively breastfed.

“What we call Early Childhood Development, which includes physical and cognitive support, has a strategic place in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Mohamed Fall UNICEF Representative in Nigeria. “Investing in Early Childhood Development including services to support caregivers, quality pre-primary education and good nutrition will help to secure healthy and productive future generations in Nigeria,” he added.

As well as supporting exclusive breastfeeding, having good Early Childhood Development policies in place will help to improve the overall health and nutrition of a child, enable parents and caregivers to be more responsive to children’s needs and provide greater safety and security. It will also provide improved early learning.

With 90 per cent of a child’s brain development occurring before the age of five, early childhood experiences can have a profound impact on a child’s development can ultimately impact a country’s growth.

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Good agricultural practices according to FAO

NaijaAgroNet:

The importance of good agricultural practices has been stressed by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), reports NaijaAgroNet.

FAO, through its Deputy Director-General, Maria Helena Semedo, at a United Nations General Assembly side event on Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR), Semedo said that good health, good productivity and good economies depend on safe and nutritious food, which underscored the importance of work done at field level to bring AMR under control.

"Progress in the fight against AMR depends on good agricultural practices. We need to promote sustainable agriculture and food systems," she said.

In addition, she said, "The use of antimicrobials in agriculture is not a substitute for insufficient hygiene and bad management practices."

She also said that "we need improved mechanisms for the quality assurance of pharmaceuticals because counterfeit, substandard medicines contribute to resistance. Although Codex Alimentarius develops impressive global surveillance guidance and codes of practice, there remains a staggering lack of capacity for adequate surveillance of AMR at national levels."

Semedo, therefore, urged the international community to act now to invest in the future “we want to build together.”

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243m Africans are hungry people

NaijaAgroNet:

A total of 243 million Africans have been classified as hungry people among the 815 million victims globally, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The United Nations (UN) disclosed this in its latest hunger and food security key numbers made available to NaijaAgroNet, which has overall number at 815 million, while Asia continent has 520 million, over 100 per cent of African quota.

Also, NaijaAgroNet gathered that in the top three continents in the hungriest people in the world included Latin America and the Caribbean with 42 million.

The global hungry population as shared in percentage, NaijaAgroNet gathered showed that Asia has 11.7 per cent; Africa has 20 per cent with eastern Africa lone scoring 33.9 per cent, while Latin America and the Caribbean got 6.6 per cent.

NaijaAgroNet further gathered this was the first time that UNICEF and WHO join FAO, IFAD and WFP in preparing The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report. This change reflects the SDG agenda's broader view on hunger and all forms of malnutrition.

The UN Decade of Action on Nutrition, established by the General Assembly, is lending focus to this effort by motivating governments to set goals and invest in measures to address the multiple dimensions of malnutrition.

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2017 has been re-geared for the SDG era and includes enhanced metrics for quantifying and assessing hunger, including two indicators on food insecurity and six indicators on nutrition.

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Merck gathers African, Asian countries for healthcare capacity

NaijaAgroNet:

Merck Foundation, a non-profit company and a subsidiary of Merck KGaA Germany, is gathering African and Asian countries together to contribute towards building healthcare capacity for the continent, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The foundation, would use the occasion to conduct the Fourth edition of their annual ‘Merck Africa Asia Luminary’ on the 24th and 25th of October 2018 in partnership with relevant government institutions such as the Ministry of High Education and scientific research of Egypt, Africa Fertility Society and the International Federation of Fertility Societies (IFFS).

‘Merck more than a Mother’ to be launched by Vice President of Tanzania and First Ladies of Central African Republic, Gambia, Chad, Niger and Republic of Guinea with the aim to empower infertile women in their countries.

Prof. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, chairman of the Executive Board and Family Board of E-Merck KG, said, over 450 African healthcare providers, policy makers and researchers from Africa and Asia to benefit from several educational and social development sessions.

After the success of Merck Africa Luminary in Germany, Kenya and Cote D’Ivoire, Merck Foundation (www.Merck-Foundation.com), a non-profit company and a subsidiary of Merck KGaA Germany, to conduct the Fourth edition of their annual ‘Merck Africa Asia Luminary’ on the 24th and 25th of October 2018, in partnership with Egypt’s Ministry of High Education and Scientific Research, Africa Fertility Society and the International Federation of Fertility Societies- IFFS.

“Merck is a value driven company and that is one of the reasons why Merck through its foundation is committed to support the social and economic development of Africa, Asia and developing countries by building healthcare capacity and improving access to innovative and equitable healthcare in the continent,” he said.

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Semedo canvasses more investments, surveillance to curb misuse of antimicrobials

NaijaAgroNet:

The Deputy Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Maria Helena Semedo, has said that a stronger global effort, including larger investments and improved surveillance measures, is required to ensure that antimicrobials are used responsibly and in ways that do not threaten public health and food production, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Speaking at a United Nations General Assembly side event on Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR), Semedo said that good health, good productivity and good economies depend on safe and nutritious food.

“Prudent use of antimicrobials in public health and agriculture is essential to achieve this," she said, stressing that globally there is a need for surveillance on antimicrobial use and the spread of AMR; not only through hospitals, but throughout the food chain, including horticulture and the environment for more comprehensive risk assessments.

She said, the world needs to stave off the risk of having less efficient medicines to treat deadly infections due to the fact that more bacteria are becoming immune to antimicrobials.

“But this challenge posed by AMR is also "an opportunity to unite health, agriculture and environmental concerns in collaborative global action," Semedo said and cited FAO's experience in Cambodia.

Further, she said, one and one-half years ago in Cambodia, there was little awareness of AMR in agriculture.

“There was little surveillance and few links with human health officials. By strengthening collaboration between health and agriculture ministries; helping draft rules to regulate the sale of veterinary medicines; and assisting animal health labs - we helped increase awareness and greater cooperation in dealing with AMR," she said.

Semedo noted how Cambodia is now sharing its experience with neighbouring countries and how FAO has experienced similar successes in Ghana, Kenya, Thailand, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, Latin America and Central Asia.

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Nigerian media tasked on family planning uptake

NaijaAgroNet:

The Associate Director, Family Planning and Reproductive Health at Pathfinder Nigeria, Dr. Habeeb Salami, has urged Nigerian media to ensure family planning uptake in the country, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Salami in his opening remarks at a one-day media parley on the 2017 fourth round survey of Performance, Monitoring and Accountability (PMA2020) as part of the Lagos Family Planning (FP) Advocacy Working group (PHSAI), and supported by Pathfinder International, said the objective of the session was to engage the media and provide participants with relevant information with regards to latest survey results.

This, he said, would avail media to better package their reportages toward advocating for improved family planning.

As said by him, the session would also encourage media to link the data from Performance, Monitoring and Accountability (PMA2020) to family planning with the anticipated outcome of reducing Maternal Mortality (MM).

He pointed out on the need to draw attention to poor understanding and the role of family planning in reducing maternal mortality.

Dr. Salami reiterated the call on the media to do everything possible professionally to make certain Nigeria continue to see increase in better family planning.

NaijaAgroNet notes that PMA2020 and media parley also had supports from the Federal Ministry of Health, National Population Commission, National Bureau of Statistics, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Bill & Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health (Johns Hopkins University) and was funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

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Food technologists develop tools to prevent loss, waste

NaijaAgroNet:

Food technologists at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) have developed tools and methodologies for identifying losses, their causes and potential solutions along the entire food value chain, from production, storage and processing to distribution and consumption, reports NaijaAgroNet.

Obviously reacting to the latest United Nations disclosure that some 815 million hungry people are in the world, the majority lives in rural areas of developing countries and are family farmers, pastoralists or fishers, these experts cited South-East Asia, for example, noting that fruit and vegetable producers found that around 20 per cent of tomatoes were damaged during transportation because of the way they were packed in bulk.

According to DG, FAO, Mr. José Graziano da Silva, the initiatives will improve packaging practices, they said, with the participation of producers and other stakeholders, resulted in an impressive 90 per cent reduction of these losses.

NaijaAgroNet reports that in 2013, FAO launched a global initiative on food loss and waste called Save Food.

The platform, NaijaAgroNet gathered, includes a network of over 500 partners from international organizations, the private sector, civil society and others with the objective of promoting awareness and the exchange of ideas and best practices on preventing food waste and loss.

FAO also said, it has produced data and information so that decision-makers could better understand where and how food losses and waste occur, and the agency is working with partners to measure the impact of food loss and waste reductions on food security and nutrition.

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Africa ranks second in global hungry people with 243m victims

NaijaAgroNet:

The African continent has been ranked second in the number of hungry people in the world which the United Nations (UN) said was 815 million, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The UN in its latest hunger and food security key numbers made available to NaijaAgroNet, which has overall number at 815 million, saw Asia continent with 520 million, over 100 per cent of African quota.

Also, NaijaAgroNet gathered that in the top three continents in the hungriest people in the world included Latin America and the Caribbean with 42 million.

The global hungry population as shared in percentage, NaijaAgroNet gathered showed that Asia has 11.7 per cent; Africa has 20 per cent with eastern Africa lone scoring 33.9 per cent, while Latin America and the Caribbean got 6.6 per cent.

NaijaAgroNet further gathered this was the first time that UNICEF and WHO join FAO, IFAD and WFP in preparing The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report. This change reflects the SDG agenda's broader view on hunger and all forms of malnutrition.

The UN Decade of Action on Nutrition, established by the General Assembly, is lending focus to this effort by motivating governments to set goals and invest in measures to address the multiple dimensions of malnutrition.

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2017 has been re-geared for the SDG era and includes enhanced metrics for quantifying and assessing hunger, including two indicators on food insecurity and six indicators on nutrition.

Remmy Nweke/ED, Ops 

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