Nutrition: Schools as a system to improve nutrition.

 Education they say is the game changer, schools are usually not defined as a closed space but as a  platform to weave different ideas while impacting knowledge.

   Schools can be physical or virtual but the concept is the  same, impact knowledge : show your students how its done. When you want to disseminate information,introduce a new concept or rejig the mindset of a community, take the campaign to schools.

   When you want to improve nutrition, change to  healthier diets then schools are the platforms you need. This will definitely create a ripple effect as kids will give feedback to parents when they get back home. 

 We are all familiar with the phrase " our aunty ( assistant teachers) said" or" my teacher said" then you know you are about to be schooled.

  Schools create the necessary interactive platform to reach the target audience to improve nutrition. How do we start? Education about different classes of foods using play cards. Engaging students on different classes of foods, functions in body and the common sources of these classes of foods.

   The use of story boards,games especially crosswords  will send the message home perfectly. The use of game boards as well as animated works showcasing under -consumption, over -consumption and non-consumption of the different classes of foods. The session can be rounded off by introduction of different nutritious meals that are balanced and available in the locality.

  The school feeding programme is a  great platform  to provide one nutritious meal a day, but can also be used as an educative platform to teach about nutritious meals using different classes of food. Do you want kids to love veggies? then incorporate delicious meals using veggies in the feeding programme.

 An egg a day keeps the  doctor away, eggs are super foods. The use of eggs in the school feeding programme is a  nutritious advantage, but using powdered eggs in the school programme is a  way of introducing this  to communities and also empower small holder farmers.

 

Agribusiness: building sustainable food systems using aquaponics.

  Aquaponics and  sustainable food systems.

Aquaponics is a method of farming and raising fish in the same spot, harnessing this opportunity will ensure a sustainable food system leading to food security. Reforms of the food systems requires innovative models to achieve goal of zero hunger.

Aquaponics farming involves raising fish and growing plants in the same space. This system if properly incorporated will ensure food security. The system maximize space and conserve water through recycling which reduces use of inorganic fertilizer thus saving money. 

Aquaponics system creates wealth by promoting fish farming and growing plants in same cubicle,thus creating job opportunities and food security. The system is a symbiotic one as the fish provides organic manure through the waste they pass out in the vats and the plants purifies water by removing the nutrients increasing oxygen concentration. 

The plants provide enough oxygen for the fish to thrive and the waste of fish gives nutrients to plants to grow and produce more oxygen,this unending cycle is the basis of the success of the aquaponics system. 

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Agribusiness : innovations in food systems reform to ensure food security.

 Food security the availability of food and the capacity to access the quality and quantity needed for well being. The components of food security are availability, accessibility, utilization  and stability. These components must be factored into food systems if food security is to be achieved.

 Food systems must ensure availability  of all classes of food to promote well being. This will be achieved by innovative methods of food production. Farming in urban and rural areas to achieve maximum food production.     The use of  newer farming protocols such as hydroponics,aeroponics, greenhouse technology to ensure food is available all year round.

 The food systems must create a platform for accessibility: that is from farm to market the products are within reach and affordable. This is where commodity boards, farmers' markets and price policy comes to play. A regulatory body on pricing creating a bench mark and also a safety net for consumers play a vital role..

     

 Food systems must encourage proper utilization of various food stuff, this is where education on food types  and  benefits come into play. The  knowledge of nutritional advantages of various food types are of paramount importance if the goal is to build healthier food systems.

 Food systems must be enshrined on stable platforms, resilient to shocks and unplanned events. This is where the silo techniques comes to play. Increased production of food, these are stored in silos or food banks. These can be further processed depending on the produce (value addition) to ensure longer shelf life. This silo-food-bank method will ensure all year supply of food.

 The success of the food systems is dependent on effective and efficient  logistics to ensure distribution to designated points. These  distribution will also use the delivery on order approach as regarding online shopping.

 The major point in the food system reform is to leverage the use of technology from farm to market and delivery to consumers.

COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A LEARNING CURVE FOR FOOD SYSTEMS REFORM.

 Covid -19 pandemic disrupted the world system, the world was on lock-down leaving many people unable to meet nutritional needs, many more lost jobs and so many just barely survived on goodwill. The food supply chain was totally disrupted giving a glimpse into the needed reform in the food systems.

   The lock-down due to the Covid19 pandemic increased global food insecurity showing weak links in the current food systems resulting in various think -tanks on how to strengthen food systems by reforming the current strategy.

 The rapid response of government to cushion effect of pandemic by way of giving out palliatives to the vulnerable in the society as well as private companies supporting the government by way of cash donations and food items and logistic companies providing support during the lock down period has given insight into the pattern of food system reforms.

  The Covid 19 pandemic opened up opportunities to create more efficient food systems. The world food system changed immediately to digital approach leveraging technology. The food system changed to virtual markets and purchasing of variety of products that are easy to handle with longer shelf life.

 The reforms triggered  by the Covid 19 pandemic aligns with attributes of a functional food system which are: 1)Efficiency 2)Inclusion of small holder farmers , major players. 3)Vulnerable are targets 4)  Establishment of food banks 5) Functional distribution network.

  The revamping of the food systems arising from the Covid19 pandemic  shows reforms in the food system can be immediate while long term initiatives can be proffer solutions to  prevent future shock.

 Food system reforms..changing the narrative about food production,food processing and packaging distribution and marketing.

https://veterinarymedicineechbeebolanle-ojuri.blogspot.com/2020/04/food-security-and-safety-in-face-of.html

Agribusiness: Future Of Food Systems.

  The future of food systems. What does the future hold as regard food, food safety, food systems and food production? How will the narrative change in food systems as regards feeding the projected population increase of 9.8 billion by 2050? how will the food system absorb shock or unforeseen circumstances? how resilient is our food system currently and how are we structuring a more resilience food system?

  Food systems and our way of life. Food is essential for life, a common denominator that cuts across all levels of the society. Food is fuel and it nourishes us, though quality and quantity available is another story.  Some people have limited access to food while others have unlimited access resulting in diverse food related diseases.

 How can we build our food system to withstand  threat of climate change ,environmental degradation as well as curbing food loss or food waste.?     The answer is simple, EDUCATION. The need to educate small holder farmers on the need to adopt climate smart agricultural practices. The  training on how to increase yield by using good seeds coupled with proper planting procedures.

  Introduction  and promotion of value chain concept to farmers, teaching them how to use simple methods to add value to their products thus extending shelf live and curbing waste. A resilience food system will encompass good agricultural practices, proper food handling ,food safety and food preservation.

 The future of food systems is not the purview of farmers alone, government policies favoring agribusiness is another angle and the use of technology to scale up production and distribution is key.

  How to create a resilience food system? create a hub of producers leveraging technology to increase food production and also a marketing hub backed by a sustainable distribution network. The creation of innovative food system models to ensure food supply from farm to fork is safe,traceable ,accessible and available for utilization.

 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR INVESTMENT IN THE RED MEAT VALUE CHAIN.

  The red meat value chain is vast but windows of opportunities can be harnessed easily using the V.A.I.M strategy.

  

 

The chart is clear, opportunities abound: abattoir, meat shops e.t.c. What is your niche. There is an export potential for meat and meat products in the red meat value chain,but its not limited . The horns, hooves, tail hair called switch also attract forex.

 

Dr.Henrietta Ojuri, value chain strategist.

        

 How about solving the power problem? be the electricity distribution agency in your area👀, its possible. Biogas project!!!💰💰💰💰. Collect waste from abattoir/ feedlot and generate power, waste can also be processed  and sold as fertilizer.

 Road  to wealth in red meat value chain.

AGRICULTURAL ROAD PLAN: THE RED MEAT VALUE CHAIN.

 The agricultural plan for the red meat value chain using the V.A.I.M approach.

This pathway is an innovative approach to meat business to create a more organized and vibrant sector with endless possibilities.

   

 Dr Echbee Ojuri, Value chain strategist.

 Interested in the red meat value chain? check out how you can cash in.

 Addition: creating new products from beef and beef products.It is time for the red meat value chain to scale up, turning beef into spectacular products. There is a niche now that is still very green in this country but its a massive money spinner.

 Processing of red meat by adding value and creating a new path for wealth creation. Beef processing to sausages and burger beef. Creating these products in handy packs that can be transported easily is a path that  investors are not looking at.

 The Covid19 pandemic has shown us the fact that processed  foods that are handy with extended shelf-life is the new norm. Value addition to beef such as canned beef in sauce, peppered beef, canned beef in oil  e.t.c are all products that are easy to produce as well as have a ready market.

 Processing beef into different canned varieties or dried varieties is the choice when you are thinking beef export. These canned variety is a win-win for school feeding programme and also university students.

 Imagine the profit; check numbers of universities in the country, check number of private universities that are in the country,crunch the numbers= Money everywhere

   The investment in the red meat value chain can also be in any of the following areas:

 1) increase beef production. 2) feedlot . 3) Abattoir.  4)   Improved methods of transportation, new cooling /refrigerated vans. 5)   Modern meat market with prototype tables. 6)   Cold room facility attached to meat markets. 7)   Meat processing plant.

6)  

AGRICULTURAL ROAD MAP: CREATING A SUSTAINABLE GROWTH STRATEGY.

  The purpose of any agricultural road map is to chart a specific course to arrive at a desired destination. The purpose of the agricultural road map is to chart a path to food security and wealth creation.

  The path to sustainable growth can be fashioned after a model called the V.AI.M approach, this can be used for any value chain following the basic concept.

                          

Dr. Echbee Ojuri, Value chain strategist.

  V.A.I.M is a model upon which all agricultural restructuring can be anchored to enhance productivity.  The V.A.I.M refers to the strategies for growth, productivity as well as wealth creation used in AGRICULTURAL ROAD MAP.

   What is the V.A.I.M approach?    The V.A.I.M : V refers to value chain identification.

 A   refers to addition.

 I    refers to intervention.

M   refers to market.

  The first step is to identify your value chain of interest such as red meat, coconut, vegetables, rice ,poultry,piggery and fisheries.  

 A= ADDITION. The next step is to decide what value to addition  you want to implement.  The addition to the value chain, in terms of  new products, storage, transports e.t.c.

  I= INTERVENTION. The next step will be intervention, how do you want to achieve the goal? who are the partners to aid the goal? How to achieve intervention? 

This may be achieved by public private partnership, government funding, grants, loans and other financial aids. This will also show the drivers of the intervention.

 M= MARKET. How are you to market your products? Which method are you planning on using?  

Marketing of products could be by: 1) creation of off takers scheme. 2) Marketing hub 3) joint venture marketing partnership.

 The V.A.I.M map will provide a quick guide on where to invest, how to invest and the profit expected.

#opportunities to export beef.  #ho