AGRIBUSINESS: WHAT CAUSES TOMATOES TO SPLIT AND HOW DO YOU PREVENT TOMATO CRACKING.

AGRIBUSINESS: WHAT CAUSES TOMATOES TO SPLIT AND HOW DO YOU PREVENT TOMATO CRACKING. Tomato farming is very lucrative and as such many farmers are investing in the value chain to increase profit margin. Tomatoes must be whole and fresh for it to command premium price,hence split tomatoes is not what farmers bargain for,so what causes this and how to stop it. AGRIBUSINESS: WHAT CAUSES TOMATOES TO SPLIT AND HOW DO YOU PREVENT TOMATO CRACKING. Fluctuation of temperatures sometimes can cause problems for newly growing tomato transplants. It is therefore very crucial to mulch your plants, either with organic mulch such as straws, wood chips or plastic. The mulch will conserve water and also prevent disease from spreading. When it comes to mulch and tomatoes, plastic mulch has shown to be the best mulch to help prevent tomato cracking. Sometimes, if you have a lot of rain after a spell of really dry weather, you’ll find splitting tomatoes on your tomato plants. AGRIBUSINESS: WHAT CAUSES TOMATOES TO SPLIT AND HOW DO YOU PREVENT TOMATO CRACKING. A split tomato problem is really caused by lack of water. If you take away water, the tomatoes cannot stay lush and juicy, and the skin will crack just as your skin cracks if you do not have enough moisture. And when the tomatoes receive a large amount of water quickly after this, they fill with water and the skin bursts at the cracks like an overfilled water balloon. How to Prevent Tomato Cracking This cracking problem in tomato is more than just an aesthetic problem. You will realize that through these cracks bacteria and fungus can be introduced into the fruit and cause them to rot or provide an easy access to pests. AGRIBUSINESS: WHAT CAUSES TOMATOES TO SPLIT AND HOW DO YOU PREVENT TOMATO CRACKING. For you to prevent splitting in tomatoes, you will have to water your tomato plants once a week with about 1-2 inches of water. To keep tomato cracking to a minimum, be sure to keep your tomato plants watered evenly on a regular basis. Protect them from a severe drought in your absence by setting up a watering system on a timer. This way you can water your farm when you aren’t home to do it and you won’t have to deal with severe tomato cracking. It’s as easy as that to solve a split tomato problem. Finally, be sure to fertilize your tomatoes according to the instructions on your tomato fertilizer. Fertilizer or manure is important to keep the soil healthy enough to help your plants produce as many tomatoes as possible. If you follow these rules, soon enough you will have plenty of tomatoes to enjoy and to sell.

TILAPIA FARMING: WHAT YOU REQUIRE TO ESTABLISH A SMALL FISH POND.

TILAPIA FARMING: WHAT YOU REQUIRE TO ESTABLISH A SMALL FISH POND. The first thing is the A) design of the Pond. When choosing the pond site and configuration, there are a few variables to be considered. A portion of these are:1)Source of water to fill the pond. 2) How to bring water to the pond: The general rule is that the pond water inflow and outflow should measure up to the pond volume over the time of a month. On the off chance that the inflow is too low, water quality may experience the ill effects of oxygen exhaustion as well as collection of toxins. In the event that the water surge is too high, a lot of valuable green growth might be flushed out from the pond. The water should keep the pond full all through the culture period. The pond should top off in under seven days. Place screens on pond deltas and outlets to keep out predators, creepy crawlies and undesirable fish and furthermore to hold the cultured fish. B)Size, shape and pond depth: Moderately shallow ponds are profitable. In any case, the shallow end ought to be no less than 0.5m deep to keep away from invasion by weeds and predation of the fish. The size and state of the pond can shift contingent upon the fish species, fish populace and the farmer’s preferences. It’s important that on the off chance that you need to produce fingerlings, you will require all the more small ponds while a food fish producer requires moderately large ponds.

Taraba Govt to set up cassava processing plants .

Taraba Govt to set up cassava processing plants . Flags off distribution of 5m stems IITA cassava variety to farmers The Taraba state government has expressed readiness to establish three Cassava Processing Plants in the three Senatorial Districts, with a view to improving its agricultural productivity. Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku, who made the assertion while flagging off the distribution of 2018 cassava stems to farmers said the initiative, came as a result of the excellent performance of cassava farmers in the 2017 cropping season. CCIshaku noted that the establishment of the Plants was aimed at creating markets for the finished products and also to provide an enabling environment for healthy competition among the cassava producers in the State. see

AGRIBUSINESS: 5 PROFITABLE AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS YOU CAN STARTUP AS A STUDENT..

5 PROFITABLE AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS YOU CAN STARTUP AS A STUDENT. 

 1. CASSAVA It is a perennial woody shrubs with an edible roots, which grows in tropical and subtropical areas of the world, cassava forms the major part of our daily food and no one can go a whole week without it. 

 Cassava is processed into a number of product and is very essential in Nigeria as food and industrial raw material, as many food is derived from cassava such as. Cassava tuber as food, Fufu , Garri , Abacha , Amala flower , starch and cassava flour. 

 Setting up cassava farm is a premium idea as a student for you to invest and as it requires relatively low startup capital and time, there is market for cassava year in year out and it will bring whopping sum to your bank account. 

 2. Vegetable farming. Vegetable farming is one of the easiest farming that anyone can venture into and the demand for vegetable is all year round, it can create cool stream of income for you as a student, vegetable you can grow include UGU,OKRA, TETE, BITTER LEAF,EFO,EWEDU etc… more

Women in Africa are ready to go : Investing in African Women Makes Good Business Sense.

Investing in African Women Makes Good Business Sense. There is little doubt that Africa will witness rapid yet uneven economic and demographic growth in the next 20 years. The continent’s rise can positively affect the global economy by introducing a decisive regional economic force that must be reckoned with. The very steps that will enable this progress — such as the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, widespread investments in communications, transportation and distribution infrastructures, a greater emphasis on advancing agro-industry, and broad changes in education systems to prepare market-ready graduates to fuel the continent’s rise — are lagging. This is not new. Since the last century, Africans from diverse communities as well as thought leaders have lamented the lack of coherent strategies in individual countries, regional groupings and Africa at large that address shortcomings identified by governments and multilateral organizations.

AGRIBUSINESS :How to weave cash from cassava bags .

AGRIBUSINESS :How to weave cash from cassava bags cassava bags.Cassava can be transformed into a biodegradable paper which is not only environment-friendly but also enables food to be stored for long periods. The ban on the plastic paper bag carriers in Kenya, businesses are struggling to find affordable substitutes in line with the new environmental conservation directive. AGRIBUSINESS :How to weave cash from cassava bags . The ban has had a significant ripple effect on businesses, consumers and jobs. But there are many possibilities with cassava tuber. Cassava farming, for a long time, has been considered an option for the poor. What farmers have not recognized is that this neglected tuber is a ‘hidden gold’ yet to be exploited. AGRIBUSINESS :How to weave cash from cassava bags . The crop has the potential to transform farmers’ lives through value addition. For long, cassava has been used as food and occasionally processed into fine flour and supplied to industries that make confectioneries. But this trend is likely to change with the ban on plastic bags. You can weave cash from cassava bags .

Genetically Modified Children: New Film Unveils the ‘Monstrous’ Child Deformities Caused by Agrochemicals in Argentina.

Genetically Modified Children: New Film Unveils the ‘Monstrous’ Child Deformities Caused by Agrochemicals in Argentina. The shocking film "Genetically Modified Children" unveils the horrors of decades of chemical-intensive agricultural practices in Argentina, where the majority of crops are genetically modified (GM) and routinely doused in dangerous agrochemicals, and the chokehold big tobacco companies such as Philip Morris and chemical and seed giants have on poverty-stricken farmers desperate to earn a living. The film, produced by Juliette Igier and Stephanie Lebrun, shows the devastating health effects the region's agricultural sector is having on children,1 an increasing number of whom are being born with monstrous physical deformities. Some of the children's cases are so severe that, without a medical intervention, will result in death before the age of 5. The film begins with the crew traveling from North Argentina in the Province of Misiones to the Brazilian frontier, an agricultural region that was one of the nation's first to begin growing genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in the mid-'90s. Featured in the film is Ricardo Rivero, regional head of the local electricity company. He learned that the reason families cannot pay their bills is because often they are taking care of a sick or handicapped child, and receive no assistance from the Argentinian government. The film shows them visiting the humble home of a tobacco farmer where they meet Lucas Texeira, a 5-year-old boy with an incurable genetic skin disease. The family believes it was caused by the mother's exposure to Monsanto's Roundup weedkiller early on in her pregnancy. No one told her it was toxic, she says. The genetic mutation that caused her son's condition left him with no pores in his skin, which means he doesn't perspire. The heat from his body stays inside, causing him severe and painful itching that leads to frequent crying spells. Mr. Texeira expresses his sadness over Lucas' condition, as well as his fears that he could have another child in the future with a similar deformity.

Researchers use gut bacteria to turn type A or B blood into universal donors.

Researchers use gut bacteria to turn type A or B blood into universal donors.Bacteria found in the human gut could save countless lives by transforming type A or type B blood into type O. At a meeting of the American Chemical Society , Steve Withers of the University of British Colombia presented new research suggesting enzymes found in gut bacteria could effectively strip antigens from the two most common blood types. If successful, the discovery would essentially make most types of blood accessible to those who need it, regardless of their blood type.

AGRIBUSINESS: How to make homemade weedkiller with vinegar.

AGRIBUSINESS: How to make homemade weedkiller with vinegar. How to make homemade weedkiller with vinegar. The easiest recipe for vinegar weed killer is simply to use vinegar at full strength, without adding anything else. White vinegar is most often used for this purpose, although any vinegar will work. Vinegar is generally a pet-safe weed killer, as well. There are numerous recipes used by gardeners. It depends upon your own experience and opinion which is best to use. Several different recipes are given below, followed by warnings and other information which will be helpful to you. 1)Vinegar alone - Full strength, undiluted 18 percent acidity vinegar can be an effective weed killer. 2)Vinegar and Soap - Mix dishwashing soap at a rate of one ounce per gallon of full strength vinegar. This mixture can double as an insecticide. Be aware of this as you're using it. Also remember that it will kill your good plants as well, so be sure not to get it onto any of your flowers or vegetable plants. Please see the dangers section below for warnings about harmful chemicals in some detergents. 3)Vinegar, Soap, and Salt - One gallon vinegar, one cup of salt, one tablespoon dishwashing liquid. Mix together and apply. Please see the dangers section below for warnings about harmful chemicals in some detergents. 4)Vinegar and Lemon Juice - Many people say that adding lemon juice to vinegar increases its effectiveness as a weed killer. This is because it increases the acidity levels. Adding anywhere from one tablespoon to one cup per gallon is a common recipe. 5)Vinegar and Essential Oil - Mix full strength vinegar with one tablespoon of essential oil of clove or orange. Some gardeners say the oil helps the mixture stick to the plants better to increase effectiveness. Vinegar as weedkiller

Roundup Made With Vinegar (Rather Than Glyphosate) Is Now Available .

Roundup Made With Vinegar (Rather Than Glyphosate) Is Now Available . Roundup is a pesticide (a weed-killer or herbicide) containing the active ingredient glyphosate. It is a controversial herbicide that is the most heavily used pesticide in the world. And since the introduction of Roundup Ready crops that have been genetically modified to survive repeated Roundup applications, the use is only increasing on farms. Several posts here, here, and here have discussed research and controversies with Roundup, and the numerous health concerns (including that it is a "probable carcinogen"), as well as the residues that are in our food (and allowed to be there). A new product called Roundup, but containing acetic acid instead of glyphosate, is now available at garden centers in Austria. The product is called Roundup AC is being manufactured by Scotts (the name is licensed from Monsanto), and it uses 10% acetic acid in place of glyphosate. To use ordinary vinegar as a weed-killer: Use on a hot sunny dry day. Just spray or pour some on the offending weeds - and whatever the vinegar touches will soon die. Unfortunately the weeds may come back after a week or two (the root systems may not be killed off) - so just reapply vinegar. Or can make the effects of the vinegar stronger by adding one cup salt to a gallon vinegar or a little (a teaspoon or more) dish detergent to the vinegar. Or combine all three ingredients when needing permanent removal of vegetation from an area such as sidewalk cracks or gravel driveways. Roundup Made With Vinegar (Rather Than Glyphosate) Is Now Available .

How to use vinegar as a weed killer.

How to use vinegar as a weed killer.Vinegar is a natural product, usually derived from grain, apples or grapes. It is distilled through a fermentation process. The vinegar you buy is typically labeled at 5% acidity. This means it contains 5% acetic acid, the active ingredient.

 Acetic acid is what makes vinegar a weed killer. Actually, it makes vinegar a plant killer. Acetic acid, from any source, will kill most vegetation because it draws all the moisture out of the leaf.Vinegar can also be used to promote growth of plants in drought regions. It is fast.

 Spraying full strength vinegar on a plant in full sun will often result in a withered, brown plant in only a few hours, for sensitive weeds, or by the next day in tougher plants.  This is because it is non-selective, meaning it might kill everything it touches.


This limits the usefulness of a vinegar weed killer, to the extent that you are able to control over-spray that would get on desirable plants.

How to make money holding grain. #‘Money to be made holding grain’

How to make money holding grain. #‘Money to be made holding grain’ On-farm grain storage can improve harvest efficiency but also aids marketing. There’s money to be made by holding grain,” says Weakley County, Tenn., farmer Jason Yarbro. But that’s not the only reason Jason, his brother James and their two sons built facilities with storage capacity of 915,000 bushels of corn, soybeans and wheat and why they are looking to add more capacity. The main storage facility,designed by GSI, handles 915,000 bushels, says Jason, 50. Jason said these bins perform increasingly important roles on the corn, soybean and wheat farm. For one thing, on-farm storage improves harvest efficiency, allowing combines to continue running while a fleet of trucks haul grain and beans the short distance to the bins. “We also harvest corn at 25 percent moisture and dry it to 16 percent in the bins,” Jason says. “We get better yields by harvesting at higher moisture.” He explains that shelling the corn early decreases late-season field losses. “Our final yield is better because of the ability to harvest early, dry and store it.

How to generate clean energy/electricity from water hyacinth.

How to generate clean energy/electricity from water hyacinth. Biogas is a clean and environment friendly fuel produced through the anaerobic digestion of organic wastes such as: cow-dung, vegetable wastes, municipal solid waste and industrial wastewater . It is increasingly be-coming important in domestic and industry as fuel due to its costs and cleanliness. The main component of the gas is methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, nitrogen and hydrogen sulphide [3]. Water hyacinth can be used as a potential feedstock for biogas production due to its abundance and high carbon-nitrogen ratio. This study aims at evaluating the potential of utilization of water hyacinth for biogas production.

Poultry litter digestion: how to turn poultry waste to wealth.

Poultry litter digestion: how to turn poultry waste to wealth.The anaerobic digestion of animal and organic wastes has long been known to reduce odors and to have the capability of CH4 production, with the subsequent conversion of the CH4 into electricity, bioCNG or heat. This has been accomplished on thousands of digesters utilizing cow, pig, and human wastes throughout the world. DVO has developed a digester system that uses the processed waste (digestate) after the digester, and after this digestate has gone through a solids separation system. The solids separation system reduces the total solids content of the digestate so that this effluent water is suitable for dilution of the high solids content poultry manure. The practice of solids separation is well-proven on DVO digesters.

How to turn chicken waste to clean energy.

How to turn chicken waste to clean energy. For years, poultry farmers in the Chesapeake Bay watershed have trucked manure to fields where it is used as a fertilizer. But a great concentration of animals means excess nutrient runoff that goes into streams and rivers and eventually ends up in the Chesapeake Bay. These nutrients increase the growth of algae and deplete oxygen that disrupts the aquatic ecosystem, making it difficult for marine life to survive.

 In an effort to reduce the nutrient load that drains from a 64,000-mile area into the Chesapeake Bay, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandates an annual cap restricting the amount of nitrogen and phosphorous that can enter each tributary. And many states are challenged to stay beneath the cap. Here’s how Bühler Aeroglide supported a project that reduces the nutrient load by refining chicken manure into valuable products at the same time.

To address nutrient load, one of Pennsylvania’s largest egg production businesses partnered with EnergyWorks North America in Annapolis, MD. The result is a bioenergy program that uses gasification technology to transform egg layer manure into renewable energy and mineral byproducts, processing manure produced by five million layer hens. 

A Bühler Aeroglide high performance conveyor dryer is a key part of the process, used to reduce the moisture content of the manure prior to its gasification.

Turning chicken poop and weeds into biofuel.

Turning chicken poop and weeds into biofuel. Chicken is a favorite, inexpensive meat across the globe. But the bird’s popularity results in a lot of waste that can pollute soil and water. One strategy for dealing with poultry poop is to turn it into biofuel, and now scientists have developed a way to do this by mixing the waste with another environmental scourge, an invasive weed that is affecting agriculture in Africa. Poultry sludge is sometimes turned into fertilizer, but recent trends in industrialized chicken farming have led to an increase in waste mismanagement and negative environmental impacts, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Droppings can contain nutrients, hormones, antibiotics and heavy metals and can wash into the soil and surface water. To deal with this problem, scientists have been working on ways to convert the waste into fuel. But alone, poultry droppings don’t transform well into biogas, so it’s mixed with plant materials such as switch grass. Samuel O. Dahunsi, Solomon U. Oranusi and colleagues wanted to see if they could combine the chicken waste with Tithonia diversifolia (Mexican sunflower), which was introduced to Africa as an ornamental plant decades ago and has become a major weed threatening agricultural production on the continent. The researchers developed a process to pre-treat chicken droppings, and then have anaerobic microbes digest the waste and Mexican sunflowers together. Eight kilograms of poultry waste and sunflowers produced more than 3 kg of biogas — more than enough fuel to drive the reaction and have some leftover for other uses such as powering a generator. Also, the researchers say that the residual solids from the process could be applied as fertilizer or soil conditioner.

Small brands ‘pushing the boundaries of manufacturing’.

Small brands ‘pushing the boundaries of manufacturing’.Chris Green is co-founder of Young Foodies, a community of the UK’s FMCG challenger brands. Young Foodies was launched just 12 months ago and already has 250 food and drink businesses on board. In this guest article, Green shares his thoughts on what it is that challenger brands are doing differently - and how it is enabling them to grow market share. more

Keys to Improve Digestibility of Corn Silage.

Keys to Improve Digestibility of Corn Silage. Why is breaking up the corn kernel so important to starch digestibility? Luiz Ferraretto, assistant professor of livestock nutrition at the University of Florida and speaker at the Silage for Beef 2018 Conference held in June in Nebraska, answered that question and offered additional advice to producers about how to improve the digestibility of their corn silage. The outside shell of a kernel that’s protecting everything inside is called the pericarp, and it's very hard. “If you throw an intact kernel into the rumen of a dairy or beef cow, it's not going to be digested because the pericarp inhibits digestion,” said Ferraretto. “The first thing you need to do is to eliminate the protection, and the way to do that is by breaking more kernels.”

Woman Dies After Dog Saliva Leads To Rare Infection.

Woman Dies After Dog Saliva Leads To Rare Infection. A Wisconsin woman died after her family says she contracted an extremely rare infection from a kind of bacteria found in some dogs’ saliva. Sharon Larson, 58, started feeling a little ill on June 20, the day after her puppy nipped her, her husband Daniel Larson told NBC News. The next day, she felt so weak that she couldn’t even hold a glass of water, and a local urgent care center sent her to the emergency room. Daniel Larson told local news outlet WTMJ that his wife was treated at the Wheaton Franciscan hospital in Franklin, Wisconsin. Ascension Wisconsin, the nonprofit group that oversees the hospital. At the hospital, Larson told NBC, doctors found that his wife’s kidneys were failing. On June 22, her blood tested positive for capnocytophaga canimorsus, common bacteria found in the mouths of dogs and cats. Though the bacteria are common, it’s extremely rare for them to cause serious illness. Doctors treated her with antibiotics, but she died the next afternoon. Sharon Larson’s case is especially curious because it happened the same month that Wisconsin resident Greg Manteufel contracted a severe capnocytophaga infection that led to the amputation of parts of his arms and legs. Manteufel fell ill about two miles from where Larson contracted her infection.

THE BIRDPRENEUR.

BIRDPRENEUR. Nigerian poultry production faces three main problems: lack of financial resources, reliance on old knowledge, and no connection to a market to sell its product. To help solve these issues Michael Iyanro founded BirdPreneur. Iyanro and his wife came up with the idea for their start-up one night watching television. “We were watching a television program and saw that the Nigerian population has grown to 198 million people,” says Iyanro. “We started thinking about what it will be like in 2050 and what the food requirements will be.” His childhood experiences of raising chickens with his mom led him to base the company on poultry. HOW IT WORKS The start-up not only educates Nigerian farmers on the technologies available locally, but also trains them on smart farming techniques, such as using resources more efficiently, to better grow food and make their farming practices effective. Individuals are identified through farmer associations in rural areas. Sign up

GENE EDITING AND PIG CASTRATION.

GENE EDITING AND PIG CASTRATION. Male piglets used for pork production are routinely castrated to improve the quality of meat for consumers.

Castration gets rid of boar taint, an unpleasant odor and unsavory taste in the meat. For decades, castration has been done surgically. But new breeding technology can produce male piglets that never reach puberty.

 Tad Sonstegard is the chief scientific officer of Acceligen, a company that focuses on genetic improvement in food animals. He says these piglets will come from the company DNA Genetics. "Those males will have had to have been rescued from being infertile, and then they would just breed sows that also had been rescued and the offspring between the breeding of those two rescued genetic lines would result in sterile males and females, we believe," he says.

"Those are what would be sold from the multiplier sites out to the swine producers." The technology will make a piglet’s life a little easier – and the producer’s as well. GENE EDITING AND PIG CASTRATION.

How Monsanto Plants Stories, Suppresses Science & Silences Dissent to Sell a Cancer-Linked Chemical.

How Monsanto Plants Stories, Suppresses Science & Silences Dissent to Sell a Cancer-Linked Chemical. As Monsanto comes under scrutiny for allegedly hiding the dangers of its weed killer, Roundup, we talk to a reporter who says the company attempted to censor and discredit her when she published stories on their product that contradicted their business interests. Carey Gillam is a veteran investigative journalist and author of “Whitewash–The Story of a Weed Killer, Cancer and the Corruption of Science.”

Cassava : Adding Value For Africa.

 Cassava: Adding Value for Africa (C:AVA). Cassava or manioc (Manihot esculenta) is a perennial woody shrub with an edible root, which grows in tropical and subtropical areas of the world and has much ability to withstand difficult growing conditions. Cassava is one of the most drought-tolerant crops. 

It is a starchy root tuber, native to South America and serves as a major source of calories and carbohydrates for people in developing countries. 

Analysts believe that the most commonly consumed part of cassava is the root, which can be eaten whole, grated or ground into flour to make bread and crackers.  They note that cassava root is the raw material for tapioca and ‘garri’ a staple food in Nigeria.

 Garri can replace flour in the use of bread and other confectioneries.  Echbee Foods has found innovative ways to use garri to provide wholesome nutritious meals that are affordable.

          

 A Food Biochemist and Chief Executive of the So Tastee Cakes and Pastries, Mr Emmanuel Osiname, believes that individuals with food allergies can benefit from using cassava root in cooking and baking because it is gluten-free. He, however, advises that the cassava root must be dried, cooked and processed before eaten. 

According to the Cassava: Adding Value for Africa (C:AVA), an initiative of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava in the world with current annual output of about 54 million metric tonnes. C:AVA made the observation in its training manual on the use of High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) in confectioneries. It is, however, worried that Nigeria does not contribute meaningfully in terms of value added in global trade.

GLYPHOSATE .

Glyphosate is a herbicide applied to leaves to kill grasses and weeds. It is the most-used agricultural chemical in the world, and experienced a boom in use beginning in the 1990s, according to Newsweek. Glyphosate use in agriculture was previously hampered by the product often killing not only weeds but the crops it was intended to protect. But in the 1990s, Monsanto began producing genetically modified crop strains resistant to glyphosate, to which the herbicide could be applied without damaging the crop. Oats, a very commonly used grain in breakfast foods, are not modified for glyphosate resistance. Farmers often use the product on oats to kill the crops and dry them out, to hasten harvesting. A 2013 study found that glyphosate can induce the growth of breast cancer cells in humans while another study from last year found links between applications of glyphosate and fatty liver disease in rats.

Pesticides, human health, and food security.

Pesticides, human health, and food security. The worldwide population is projected to increase to 9 billion by 2050 (United Nations 2015). To accommodate this increase, food production will necessarily need to increase as well. However, new agricultural land is limited, so sustainable production and increasing productivity of existing agricultural land is an important aspect to addressing global food security (Popp et al. 2013). Food security has been described as a condition of humanity “…when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.” (Food and Agriculture Organization 1996). Increases in the terrestrial agricultural production of food and fish farming will be necessary to ensure adequate food availability, but this is only part of the larger concept of food security that also comprises food access, utilization, and stability (Food and Agriculture Organization 2006). Given that there is limited additional land available for agriculture and sites for fish farming coupled with increasing economic pressures to produce agricultural commodities for industrial purposes, including fiber and biofuels, strategies to increase agricultural yield will need to be used to meet the increase in food demand for the immediate future . For the near and foreseeable future, pesticides may be an important component of a comprehensive strategy to increase crop yield by preventing both pre and postharvest loss to pests.“Pesticides are substances used to prevent, destroy, repel or mitigate any pest ranging from insects, animals and weeds to microorganisms” (Grube et al. 2011), but inadvertent exposure to pesticides may adversely affect human health. Glyphosate, an herbicide linked to cancer by California state scientists and the World Health Organization is the active ingredient in Roundup, the Monsanto weed killer that is the most heavily used pesticide ,has been found to leave residue in food thus posing health risks. Each year, more than 250 million pounds of glyphosate are sprayed on American crops, primarily on “Roundup-ready” corn and soybeans genetically engineered to withstand the herbicide. But when it comes to the food we eat, the highest glyphosate levels are not found in products made with GMO corn. Increasingly, glyphosate is also sprayed just before harvest on wheat, barley, oats and beans that are not genetically engineered. Glyphosate kills the crop, drying it out so that it can be harvested sooner than if the plant were allowed to die naturally.

Weed Killer in $289 Million Cancer Verdict Found in Oat Cereal and Granola Bars.

Weed Killer in $289 Million Cancer Verdict Found in Oat Cereal and Granola Bars.Popular oat cereals, oatmeal, granola and snack bars come with a hefty dose of the weed-killing poison in Roundup, according to independent laboratory tests commissioned by EWG. Glyphosate, an herbicide linked to cancer by California state scientists and the World Health Organization, was found in all but two of 45 samples of products made with conventionally grown oats. Almost three-fourths of those samples had glyphosate levels higher than what EWG scientists consider protective of children’s health with an adequate margin of safety. About one-third of 16 samples made with organically grown oats also had glyphosate, all at levels well below EWG’s health benchmark. Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Roundup, the Monsanto weed killer that is the most heavily used pesticide in the U.S.

Startup : Cassava processing as a lucrative start up venture.

Agribusiness: Cassava processing is a startup that can change your life. Garri and Cassava production – A small business that can change your life! Garri and cassava production in Africa is an impressive business opportunity for the continent, especially West and Central Africa. 

  Cassava is one of the most popular and widely consumed food crops in Africa. Because it is such an important food in the region and an extremely versatile crop, it is commonly referred to as cornerstone of food security in Africa.  

 The competing needs for cassava cut across both human and animal consumption. It is fast becoming a popular raw material in industrial production and is now a preferred material for making biofuels. As Africa’s population and economy continues to grow rapidly, the demand for food staples like cassava has increased. This high demand for various forms of processed cassava is pushing prices to the ceiling. Several small scale cassava farmers are making a fortune and changing their lives through this business. Why is cassava an important food crop for Africa? 

Cassava is highly adaptable to the African tropical climate and soils, and remains very popular for producing excellent harvests even when other crops fail. It is also the most widely available source of carbohydrates and dietary energy in Africa. Processed forms of cassava, especially garri, fufu and tapioca, are very common throughout West Africa. 

Garri is hugely popular in the region as it has traditionally remained cheaper than other carbohydrate sources, especially rice and maize. Garri ( tapioca) is the most widely traded processed cassava product. It is estimated that more than 75 percent of the cassava produced in Africa is processed into garri.

Monsanto knew about glyphosate-cancer link 35 years ago.

Monsanto knew about glyphosate-cancer link 35 years ago. The almighty Monsanto has recently come under fire, after the World Health Organization labeled the main ingredient in the company’s popular Roundup weed killer product to be a human carcinogen. Monsanto is currently in damage control mode in an effort to pick up the pieces from this public relations disaster. In reality, Monsanto has known about the link between glyphosate and cancer for upwards of 35 years. It’s no surprise the evil giant has kept quiet for profit’s sake. The effects of glyphosate on the human body have been studied for years by research scientist Dr. Anthony Samsel, who has revealed the harmfulness of its nature. Samsel has also worked with Dr. Stephanie Seneff, who released a warning that upwards of half of all children in the U.S. could be autistic by year 2025. The impending autism rate will largely be caused by exposure to glyphosate. Samsel was recently given a look into a “trade secret” file that had been sealed away since 1981 at the request of the Monsanto Company. Samsel was able to view the document thanks to his field of study. Though he was not granted permission to show the file to anyone, he is allowed to speak his thoughts on his findings. Samsel was interviewed by journalist Tony Mitra, and spoke about his findings on camera. He talks about disturbing evidence which shows “significant incidences of cell tumors of the tests and tumor growth in multiple organs and tissues” of lab animals. Samsel also discusses the fact that there is evidence that glyphosate enters bone marrow almost immediately. This entry into the bone marrow prevents the formation of new cells in living organisms. Samsel continues to highlight a higher incidence of benign tumors and cancerous tumors that, in almost every single case, begin in outer tissues.

New type of bed net could help fight against malaria.

New type of bed net could help fight against malaria.A new type of bed net could prevent millions of cases of malaria, according to new research published in The Lancet.The two-year clinical trial in Burkina Faso, West Africa involving 2,000 children showed that the number of cases of clinical malaria was reduced by 12 per cent with the new type of mosquito net compared to the conventional one used normally. The study resulted from a collaboration of scientists from Durham University (UK), Centre National de Recherche et de Formation sur le Paludisme (Burkina Faso), Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (UK) and the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Switzerland). It found that: The number of cases of clinical malaria reduced by 12 per cent with the new type of mosquito net compared to conventional nets. Children sleeping under the new bed nets were 52 per cent less likely to be moderately anemic than those with a conventional net. Malaria anemia is a major cause of mortality in children under two years old. In areas with the new combination bed nets, there was a 51 per cent reduction in risk of a malaria-infective mosquito bite compared to areas with conventional nets.

New Australian Study Shows GM Crops Cause Leaky Stomachs in Rats.

New Australian Study Shows GM Crops Cause Leaky Stomachs in Rats.A ground breaking new study from Australian experts has shown that so-called “Bt proteins”, produced by some GM crops, may not be as safe as previously assumed. Any two cells that line the stomach are normally held tightly against each other to form a “tight junction”. This stops any bacteria, viruses or food particles from leaking out from the stomach into the tissues of the body. The study found that the rats fed the GM corn had gaps in their tight junctions. This is called “poor apposition”. On average, this was five times greater in rats fed the GM corn diet. Poor apposition should not occur in normal, healthy stomachs. Yet every stomach section seen in rats fed the GM diet had these gaps between a number of cells. Dr. Judy Carman, one of the lead scientists involved in the study, said: “This means that there is a risk that eating GM maize could cause leakage of substances from the stomach and therefore increase the risk of developing allergies, or infections from the microbes in the food you eat or the water you drink.” In addition, the lining of the stomach has microscopic pits in it. Cells in the pits produce mucus to protect the stomach from stomach acid. The bottom of each pit divides into two long, straight glands. These glands produce stomach acid to help digest food. While the researchers saw some dilated (i.e. swollen) glands in rats fed the GM diet and those fed the non-GM diet, the rats fed the non-GM diet had smaller swellings and the cells lining the glands looked normal. In contrast, the glands in the GM-fed group were much more swollen, they often contained debris or mucus, and the cells lining the glands were often abnormal. For example, some cells were stretched or longer than they should have been. More than six times as many rats had glands that were both swollen and lined with elongated cells in the GM-fed group. While every rat on the GM diet showed at least one gland that looked like that, none of the rats fed the non-GM diet showed this pathology.

Pesticides in Foods Can Harm Human Fertility.

Pesticides in Foods Can Harm Human Fertility. Pesticides are widely used chemicals that are impossible for most of us to avoid. Many people are aware that they impact weeds, insects, and fungi – as they are designed to do. But it is widely believed that they are harmless to humans at the low doses that they are exposed to through their diet. 

 However, a study published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) suggests that pesticide residues in food may account for a large proportion of the roughly 100,000 unsuccessful pregnancy attempts in fertility clinics across North America. 

 The women in the study were grouped according to the amount of pesticides they ingested, as indicated by US Department of Agriculture data on average pesticide residue levels found in common foods. The study found that the women in the highest quartile (the 25% of women who consumed the most pesticides) had a 26% reduced chance of having a live birth than women in the lowest quartile, who consumed the least amount of pesticides. 

These findings were statistically significant. In terms of pregnancy loss (getting pregnant and miscarrying), women consuming the least pesticide had a 7% chance of miscarriage, while women consuming the most pesticide had a 34% chance of miscarriage. 

The authors believe that malfunctioning of the placenta is likely to be involved. The JAMA study, conducted by researchers based at the Chan School of Public Health and other institutions in Boston, Massachusetts, followed women receiving fertility treatments at the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center in Boston. At the time that the women enrolled in the fertility clinic, the researchers asked them to recall their dietary consumption of a number of foods – including commonly consumed fruits and vegetables such as apples, pears, spinach, and potatoes. Skip to main content

Brazil Judge Suspends Use of Agrochemical Glyphosate.

Brazil Judge Suspends Use of Agrochemical Glyphosate. A Brazilian judge has suspended the use of products containing the agrochemical glyphosate, a widely employed herbicide for soy and other crops in the country, according to legal filings. A federal judge in Brasilia ruled that new products containing the chemical could not be registered in the country and existing registrations would be suspended within the next 30 days, until the government reevaluates their toxicology. The decision, which could be subject to multiple appeals, also applies to the insecticide abamectin and the fungicide thiram. The ruling affects companies such as Monsanto Co, which markets a glyphosate-resistant, genetically-modified type of soybean that is planted on a large scale in Brazil. Monsanto is now a unit of Bayer AG, following a $62.5 billion takeover of the U.S. seed major which closed in June. Certain glyphosate-resistant corn and cotton strains have also been authorized in Brazil.

Monsanto Loses Landmark Roundup Cancer Trial, Set to Pay USD 289 Million in Damages.

Monsanto Loses Landmark Roundup Cancer Trial, Set to Pay USD 289 Million in Damages. Monsanto has lost a landmark cancer trial in San Francisco and has been ordered by the Judge to pay over USD 289 Million in total damages to the former school groundskeeper Dewayne Johnson, a California father who has non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which was caused by Monsanto’s glyphosate-based weedkiller Roundup.

Monsanto sued small farmers to protect seed patents.

Monsanto sued small farmers to protect seed patents, report says.The agricultural giant Monsanto has sued hundreds of small farmers in the United States in recent years in attempts to protect its patent rights on genetically engineered seeds that it produces and sells, a new report said on Tuesday. The study, produced jointly by the Center for Food Safety and the Save Our Seeds campaigning groups, has outlined what it says is a concerted effort by the multinational to dominate the seeds industry in the US and prevent farmers from replanting crops they have produced from Monsanto seeds. In its report, called Seed Giants vs US Farmers, the CFS said it had tracked numerous law suits that Monsanto had brought against farmers and found some 142 patent infringement suits against 410 farmers and 56 small businesses in more than 27 states. In total the firm has won more than $23m from its targets, the report said.

MSME to get N10m collateral-free loans.

MSME to get N10m collateral-free loans.Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, says the Federal Government is working towards providing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises(MSME) a credit facility of N2 million to N10 million without collateral. Osibanjo made the disclosure on Wednesday at a dinner/ maiden edition of the MSMEs Award 2018 held at the State House Banquet Hall, Abuja. The awards packaged by the Office of the Vice-President and supported by the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, got over 300 nominations across the nation. Osinbajo had in 2017 launched the MSME Clinic as part of efforts to encourage the contributions of MSMEs to Nigeria’s economic growth. The acting president said he was delighted to reward and recognise outstanding MSME as they represent remarkable examples of Nigerian entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation. According to him, efforts are underway to double government’s commitment to ensuring that MSME find an enabling environment to thrive. He said that in addition to the one-stop-shop launched in some states to carry the MSME clinics intervention, the Federal Government would soon launch its shared facilities for MSMEs initiative. Osinbajo said the initiative would be in partnership with the Bank of Industry (BOI), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM) and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC). “This initiatives will provide MSME access to fully equipped cluster style facilities for which they can pay an affordable fee to operate. “These facilities would have been pre-certified by relevant agencies like NAFDAC, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Industrial Training Fund (ITF) and NEPC thereby removing the layers of bureaucracy that in the past held back many aspiring entrepreneurs.

AGRIBUSINESS :Building A Globally Competitive Economy Through MSMEs Using Garri As A Point Of Reference.

AGRIBUSINESS :Building A Globally Competitive Economy Through MSMEs Using Garri As A Point Of Reference. Echbee foods,the indigenous garri themed company was at the NASME(National Association of Small and medium enterprises fair held on 2/8/18. 

 AGRIBUSINESS :Building A Globally Competitive Economy Through MSMEs Using Garri As A Point Of Reference. Garri is a staple food in Nigeria, affordable and easily accessible, creating a source of employment for millions of people and also a means of foreign collaborations.

 Echbee foods has changed the paradigm with garri,churning out healthy,wholesome snacks and meals. Echbee foods turns ordinary garri into extraordinary snacks and food. Echbee foods show cased garri flakes, packed garri with milk, sugar and groundnut. Innovative products made from garri and showcased are 1) garri fish fingers. 2)garri shawarma 3) garri fish fingers 4)garri peanut puff puff 5)garri akara and garri pancake with sauce. AGRIBUSINESS :Building A Globally Competitive Economy Through MSMEs Using Garri As A Point Of Reference.