Agribusiness: Summit to explore scaling up innovation in agriculture.

Agribusiness: Summit to explore scaling up innovation in agriculture. The fourth Agri-Food Tech & Innovation Summit (AFTI EA 2020), hosted by the Africa Agri Council (AAC) is set to explore the upsurge in new thinking and the game-changing developments in agricultural practices and technology, and what is needed to scale these innovations to reach smallholder farmers and agribusinesses. "We have the technology and the innovations to make a difference, yet these innovations aren't reaching the smallholder farmers who need them most - they lack access to the right information at the right time," says Ben Leyka, AAC MD. The summit takes place between 25-26 March 2020 in Nigeria. Michael Hailu, director, CTA states that "with the right policies, innovation and investment, the continent’s agriculture could be transformed into a powerhouse not only to feed a growing population but to create decent employment for millions of young people." #Agribusiness #foodsecurity #foodsafety

Scientists fear coronavirus spread in countries least able to contain it.

Scientists fear coronavirus spread in countries least able to contain it.Concerns are rising about the virus’s potential to circulate undetected in Africa and Asia.Infections of the new coronavirus have now been detected in 24 countries outside China. But researchers warn that cases might be going undetected in some nations that are considered at high risk of an outbreak but are reporting fewer cases than expected, or none at all. The possibility of unreported cases is particularly concerning in countries with weaker health-care systems, such as those in southeast Asia and Africa, which could quickly be overwhelmed by a local outbreak, experts say. Although no cases have yet been reported in Africa, some countries there, such as Nigeria, are at particular risk because of their strong business ties to China. Researchers have been using flight data to create models of the virus’s possible spread around the world. On 11 February, the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses officially named the virus SARS-CoV-2, highlighting its similarity to the virus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

Father who thought he had #coronavirus hangs himself in #India.

A father who wrongly believed he had the coronavirus threw stones at his family to keep them away from him and then hanged himself so they wouldn't catch the deadly virus in India