AGRICULTURE: How to use data to ensure food security.

AGRICULTURE: How to use data to ensure food security. The use of data in agriculture cannot be overemphasized as its been proven that data could help promote food security. New data-driven solutions in agriculture and nutrition are increasingly being seen as a way to tackle the estimated population explosion. It is estimated that the population of the world is expected to double and the increase will definitely result in more food production. The Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN) initiative seeks to support global efforts to make agricultural and nutritional relevant data available, accessible, and usable worldwide. This initiative is a welcome development on the global scale but this model can be used at a local level to class farmers,collate data and map out strategies to boost food security. This initiative of using a data revolution to drive innovation in agriculture and ultimately achieve food security will mean improved livelihoods for farmers, especially those in the developing world, and the ability for more people to feed themselves. This is where telecommunication comes into play, the higher the number of farmers that are connected on a network/platform ,the more data is generated and information disseminated easily. The issue of data is key to any economy, if people,farms, markets,hospitals,stores can not be identified in terms of location,size and capacity then no meaningful planning can be set in motion and definitely no budgetary allocation to cater for that sector. Phones with easy connectivity are a vital tool for growth in agriculture. The possibilities are endless and its sad that most farmers in the developing countries are still not connected,the issue of disease surveillance,disease control ,animal health services and pricing of products can easily be rectified by connection of farmers on the network. see

CASSAVA PROCESSING TO GARRI.

CASSAVA PROCESSING TO GARRI. Each level can further be expanded by empowering more people to go into the various sectors to boost production. The empowerment can be in form of loans, inputs, training, equipment and vehicles. Every level can be opened up to accommodate more players to improve production and expand market. The cassava tubers can be made into various products such as starch, tapioca, snacks etc.

AGRICULTURE: BREAKING DOWN THE CHAIN TO PROMOTE FOOD SECURITY.

AGRICULTURE: BREAKING DOWN THE CHAIN TO PROMOTE FOOD SECURITY. Agriculture is a broad term encompassing many facets of production but all with the common goal of food production and food security. The race to feed the estimated 9 billion people by 2050 has began in full swing with several sections of agriculture calling for inputs, support and most especially the drive to get more youths to be involved in agriculture to boost production. Agriculture like any venture has so many chains involved in various sectors but the basic platform is Producers then processors followed by marketers before it gets to consumers. The process from farm to fork involves so many chains capable of increasing production, provide jobs, and promote international trade amongst other things if properly articulated. Breaking down the chain to promote food security is the key to the economic growth we desire. This can be achieved by expanding the network to bring in more people and breaking down other chains by forming mergers to increase productivity and employing more people. There are various sectors to consider but this model will work for any sector. The success of the model is based on the fact that an individual cannot do everything; from farm to fork should be opened up so that different groups focus on different aspects of production. The cassava farmers will be our model; the network will have some farmers working on the field to get the cassava ready for sale. Then the next group will be those off-takers for onward sale to processors, these will now distribute to other processors for further processing to various products. The next group will be the distributors to marketers then to the table. This model will boost productivity because the farmers are focused on an aspect of production and are sure of a ready market to sell their products. Investments into any sector are easy and safe because of the assurance of return on investment at the end of harvest. The involvement of many farmers into various aspects of the chain is what stifling growth is, everybody wants to go from farm to table, competing for land, market and structures. Categorization, structuring, organization and planning are the keys we need to ensure food security. #farmersunite #farmersconnect #agribusiness.

FIIRO signs pact with German companies on cassava.

FIIRO signs pact with German companies on cassava.The Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO), has signed a pact with two German companies – GIZ and BOSCH – to boost cassava production and processing. The Head of Corporate Communications of FIIRO, Mr Chris Olumuyiwa, said on Friday in Lagos in a statement. GIZ is a green innovation centre for agriculture and the food sector, while BOSCH is a specialist in the fabrication of machinery, power tools and household equipment. Olumuyiwa said the partnership would enable FIIRO to upscale development of innovative cassava processing technologies. more

Green tea ingredient may ameliorate memory impairment, brain insulin resistance, and obesity.

Green tea ingredient may ameliorate memory impairment, brain insulin resistance, and obesity. A new study involving mice, suggests that EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), the most abundant catechin and biologically active component in green tea, could alleviate high-fat and high-fructose (HFFD)-induced insulin resistance and cognitive impairment.more

New tool to distinguish between viral, bacterial infections.

New tool to distinguish between viral, bacterial infections. Antibiotics are lifesaving drugs, but overuse is leading to one of the world's most pressing health threats: antibiotic resistance. Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center are developing a tool to help physicians prescribe antibiotics to patients who really need them, and avoid giving them to individuals who don't.more

Cassava in the Livestock Feed Industry.

Cassava in the Livestock Feed Industry. Cassava called Manihot esculenta, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates. Cassava is the third-largest source of food carbohydrates in the tropics, after rice and maize. Cassava is a major staple food in the developing world, providing a basic diet for over half a billion people. Cassava is one of the most drought-tolerant crops, capable of growing on marginal soils and Nigeria is the world's largest producer of cassava, while Thailand is the largest exporter of dried cassava. Cassava can be processed into various products such as garri,tapioca, cake,bread and flakes for human consumption,but the peels can be processed and fed to animals. Cassava is used in most tropical areas for feeding pigs, cattle, sheep and poultry. The dried peel of cassava roots are fed to sheep and goats, and raw or boiled roots are mixed into a mash with protein concentrates such as maize, sorghum, groundnut, or oil palm kernel meal and mineral salts for livestock feeding. Research has shown that cassava provides good quality carbohydrate, which may be substituted for maize or barley and that cassava rations are especially suitable for swine, dairy cattle, and poultry. Cassava cannot be used as the main feedstuff because of its deficiency in protein and vitamins, but must be supplemented with other feeds that are rich in the required elements. The composition of a compounded ration varies depending on the specie of the animal such as cattle, pigs, or poultry and the kind of production which includes dairy, meat, or eggs. Oil cakes are the main ingredients in the feed for cattle, while feed grains are the most important for pigs and poultry. more