How to tackle seasonal fluctuation in prices of pepper and tomatoes.

       How to tackle seasonal fluctuation in price of pepper and tomatoes.

 Most Nigerian homes, especially in the Southwest region, who consume good quantity of pepper, may have to endure the current high price of the commodity in the market.

  For now, according to a survey, scarcity is the factor contributing to the current price increase. The fact that pepper  is a major spice used in foods makes it an essential commodity across the country.

Avian influenza viruses can persist in footbaths and manure.

Avian influenza viruses can persist in footbaths and manure.Growers shouldn’t assume the disinfectants they use in footbaths are effective against avian influenza (AI), indicates a study from the University of California–Davis. Researchers conducted a survey about biosecurity practices in California and then used the information to design experiments to test the effectiveness of footbath disinfectants against AI. They also evaluated the longevity of AI viruses under different conditions. “Surprisingly,” they say, quaternary ammonia and quaternary ammonia plus glutaraldehyde-based footbaths did not eliminate highly pathogenic H5N8 or low-pathogenic H6N2 particles on boots. However, a chlorine-based granulated disinfectant was able to destroy the virus, say Rüdiger Hauck* and colleagues. To evaluate the longevity of AI viruses in litter and feces, they seeded different bedding samples from commercial layer, broiler and turkey production units with the same two AI viruses. Live H5N8 particles in layer feces remained for at least 96 hours, compared to less than 60 hours in broiler and turkey bedding. However, H6N2 low-pathogenic viruses persisted less than 24 hours in all the different substrates. This knowledge may help producers determine effective litter treatments to destroy AI viruses in the bedding material.

Bovine birthing simulator used to educate veterinary students on display at Agribition.

Bovine birthing simulator used to educate veterinary students on display at Agribition.Meet Agnes — she's a full-size cow, with a working udder, a uterus and a full-size calf but she's not quite a real cow. Instead, the bovine specimen is used to educate veterinary students and cattle producers about the cattle birthing process.#bovine "We can actually use her, mainly to educate ... in the birthing process, and how to deal with any sort of malpresentations at the birthing time," said Chris Clark, associate dean of the college of veterinary medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. #bovine

25 artistes selected for agriculture song.

25 artistes selected for agriculture song.The Presidential Initiative on Operation Wealth Creation has selected 25 local musicians to compete in composing a song promoting agriculture. The National Co-ordinator of OWC, Gen. Salim Saleh, tasked musicians in the central region with composing the song. The song will educate the masses about the benefits of engaging in Agriculture. The deputy co-ordinator of OWC Lt. Gen. Charles Angina, says the final competitions will be held on December 16 at Kololo Airstrip, where the winner will walk away with sh50m. 25 artistes selected for agriculture song. #agriculture #music #N-Power

Culture, attitude hinder insurance role in economic development .

        Culture, attitude hinder insurance role in economic development.

Commissioner for Insurance,Mohammed Kari, in this discourse reiterates efforts the Commission has been making to kick-start the second phase of the MDRI In line with our strategic road-map, the Commission has set out reforms needed to re-position the Nigerian insurance sector to effectively serve our growing population and most importantly the financially under-serviced low-income segment. 

 Notwithstanding Nigeria’s vast population, insurance had a mixture of myth, misunderstanding and ignorance defining it. 

Cultural issues and attitudes have continued to hinder the role of insurance in fast-tracking Nigeria’s economic growth. In keying into the federal government’s Financial System Strategy that visioned Nigeria of being a world’s top twenty economy by the year 2020, (FSS2020 development framework), the Commission initiated the “Market Development and Restructuring Initiative” (MDRI) in 2009. 

  Insurance The programme has among its objectives, the promotion of public understanding of insurance; the building of confidence on the Nigerian insurance market, the enforcement and monitoring of compulsory insurances in Nigeria so as to grow premium income for the benefit of the Nigerian economy, thereby increasing insurance density and it’s contribution to GDP.

How to make climate smart agriculture profitable for smallholder.

How to make climate smart agriculture profitable for smallholder.Globally, agriculture generates about 13 percent of the greenhouse gasses that are responsible for climate change. With the global population growing, however, we cannot afford to cut back on agricultural production in an effort to slow climate change. 

We have to grow more, and we have to grow it smarter. At the same time, farmers – and especially smallholder farmers – are among those most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Changes in rainfall patterns, the expanding range of crop diseases and pests, and soil erosion conspire to drive down yields and farm incomes.

 However, smallholders often have difficulty adopting more environmentally friendly practices, either because they represent an extra expense –which the farmers cannot bear, as they already operate on very thin margins of profitability – or because the farmers don’t have access to the necessary materials and services. To encourage smallholders to adopt sustainable practices, it is therefore important to identify and promote approaches that are not just green, but are easy to adopt and provide an immediate financial benefit to the farmers. 

 Creating Win-Win Scenarios for Farmers and the Environment This is very important in India, which is the fourth-largest producer of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, and where most farmers already earn little, due to low yields and low prices. 

These farmers cannot afford costly new technologies or techniques to reduce their environmental impact or adapt to changing conditions. To address that challenge, a partnership between Kellogg and TechnoServe is helping more than 12,000 farmers in corn, wheat, soy and legume-growing regions of Madhya Pradesh adopt profitable, environmentally friendly and easily accessible techniques. For example, the project encourages farmers to plant trees on farm bunds – landscaping features designed to hold the flow of groundwater during the monsoon season – to help absorb carbon, combat soil erosion, and provide shade for crops, while also yielding potential income from the trees’ fruit and timber in the future. 

 Farmers are also supported in adopting traditional Indian soil-enhancement practices, such as use of amrit khadh and amrit pani (traditional Indian bio-fertilizers) and more sustainable pest management practices that reduce costs while improving soil quality and agricultural yields. At the same time, a group of village entrepreneurs ensures that low-cost supportive services are available to farmers at their doorstep, thus making it a sustainable model. more

How to stop skin scratches in broilers.

Skin scratches are caused by broilers climbing over each other.When broilers are slaughtered and the feathers removed,it becomes obvious that skin scratches are a part of most production because of certain factors/conditions. Skin scratches are caused when broilers climb over each other,this is common in any of the following conditions ;1) broiler house is too wet. 2)over population/highly stocked 3) fewer feeder pans. 4) long periods of darkness. 5) rough handling of broilers during inspection..

High livestock prices not stopping upgrades as abattoir targets overseas markets.

High livestock prices not stopping upgrades as abattoir targets overseas markets. High livestock prices are forcing down the number of animals being processed by abattoirs. In Victoria's north-west, one facility is reporting a 30 to 40 per cent reduction in the number of sheep and cattle it is processing. 

 Woodward Foods produces many of the livestock it slaughters — sometimes half the animals going through a facility originate from the family business's farms. But with high prices for livestock, keeping up the supply is a challenge. Despite the downturn, the business's Swan Hill Abattoirs is working to upgrade its facility and undertaking what it describes as a cultural change in its workforce. 

 General manager Mick Bird said the facility had undergone a rebrand and was selling meat into domestic and overseas markets, promoting the company's paddock to plate story. He said current conditions were a challenge, but branching into foreign markets such as the United Arab Emirates, USA and China should enable the business to keep improving. more

Digital technology and food security.

Digital technology has made its way into various industries but its impact in agriculture has the highest advantages with food security being on top of the list.

Farmers have harnessed the use of technology as a tool to grow their business and also as a selling platform to reach out to consumers and connect to would be customers. 

 The task to feed the ever growing population estimated to reach 9 billion by 2050 is no small one and farmers,are employing all available tools to keep up with the demand. The use of precision agriculture is not a new concept as more and more farmers are imbibing this concept to promote growth and development of their agribusiness. 

Phones are the simplest tool in this digital transformation as this is used as a platform for training, dissemination of information ,marketplace and data management. 

Read more and this Digital technology is helping farmers and agribusinesses build resilience, achieve scale and develop sustainable solutions in Africa. 

This is what the “fourth industrial revolution” looks like for increasing numbers of the world’s smallholder farmers. Nearly a third of the global population relies on agriculture for a living, and growth in this sector has been shown to be at least twice as effective at reducing poverty as growth in other sectors. But progress can be frustratingly slow. 

The average African maize farmer, for instance, produces five times less per hectare than the average American grower. A variety of new digital applications are now accelerating interventions that have been shown to improve productivity and growth in this sector. 

Connected Farmer, for instance, is a mobile product started in East Africa from a public-private partnership between Vodafone, USAID and the nonprofit TechnoServe, to help farmers work with agribusinesses and better manage continue

UNICEF goes local with RUTF products in war against malnutrition

UNICEF goes local with RUTF products in war against malnutrition: Gone are the days when the supply of humanitarian nutrition products relied on just a handful of western companies.

 UNICEF is pushing its supply of Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) into a more competitive future driven by local suppliers ready to help their own region. 

 The issue of malnutrition should be tackled fast and using products that are readily available,easy to transport and extremely easy to prepare.

Eggs fit this nutrition status completely and been described as a complete food.Eggs might be cumbersome to transport to areas where in dire need but not EGG POWDER.This is how to incorporate it into the programme Egg powder,the malnutrition solution in a sachet.

AGRIBUSINESS: Urban agriculture and food security.

AGRIBUSINESS: Urban agriculture and food security. Urban agriculture is simply the growing of plants and the raising of animals within and around cities. The most striking feature of urban agriculture that sets it apart from from rural agriculture, is that it is integrated into the urban economic and ecological system. Urban agriculture can be aptly termed city farming or city agriculture. Urban agriculture usually takes place in locations within the cities that is intra-urban or around the city termed peri-urban areas. The capacity /intensity of activities depends on space. as the venture can be practiced within living quarters such as on a on-plot of land or on land away from the residence (off-plot), on land owned or leased and on public space such as parks, conservation areas, along roads,,sidewalks streams ,alleys or semi-public land like schools, and hospitals. AGRIBUSINESS: Urban agriculture and food security. Urban agriculture includes agricultural activities as well as related processing and marketing activities and affiliated agribusiness ventures. Read here The ever growing population has brought with it a demand for more food to ensure food security.The rapid urbanization has put pressure on the land as more structures for houses,companies and stores are competing for available land ,thus urban agriculture is the key to ensure food security. By 2020 the developing countries of Africa, Asia, and Latin America will be home to some 75% of all urban dwellers, and to eight of the anticipated nine mega-cities with populations in excess of 20 million. It is expected that by 2020, 85% of the poor in Latin America, and about 40-45% of the poor in Africa and Asia will be concentrated in towns and cities. Urban agriculture may improve both food intake by providing improved access to a cheap source of proteins and the quality of the food may improve as families involved in urban farming eat more fresh vegetables than other families.The contribution of urban agriculture to food security and healthy nutrition is an important asset to urbanization. Urban farmers produce substantial amounts of food for urban consumers aside from producting for their own consumption needs, large amounts of food are also produced for other categories of the population for sale. According to UNDP 1996; FAO 1999 , 200 million urban residents provide food for the market and 800 million urban dwellers are actively engaged in urban agriculture in one way or another. The international development research center(1998) shows that urban agriculture to a large extent complements rural agriculture and increases the efficiency of the national food system because it provides products that rural agriculture cannot supply easily such as perishable products, that require rapid delivery upon harvest. Food that can substitute for food imports and can release rural lands for export production of commodities are also added advantage of urban agriculture. Urban agriculture is as an important strategy for poverty alleviation and social integration as the participants in the project may feel enriched by the possibility of working constructively, building their community, working together and in addition producing food and other products for consumption and for sale. This is the case of former convicts that have returned to their communities to practice urban agriculture and keep youths out of drugs. see Benefits of urban agriculture is not limited to food security but encompasses the environment,as its eco-friendly.Farmers use wastewater for irrigating their farms when they lack access to other sources of water or because of its high price. The use of fresh (untreated) wastewater has the additional advantage for urban farmers because it contains a lot of nutrients. Technologies such as hydroponics , drip irrigation, zero farming substantially reduce water needs and health risks and are of value in the urban environment and can be found in many cities. Urban agriculture impact the green effect and cleaning of the city by turning derelict open spaces into green zones and maintaining buffer and reserve zones free of housing, with positive impacts on the micro-climate.

AGRIBUSINESS: How to reuse wastewater for agriculture.

Researchers have developed an economic model that demonstrates how flexible wastewater treatment processes which blend varying levels of treated effluent can create a water supply that benefits crops and is affordable.

 Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have developed an economic model that demonstrates how flexible wastewater treatment processes which blend varying levels of treated effluent can be optimized to produce a water supply that is affordable, and meets and surpasses a variety of water quality requirements.

 The reuse of treated wastewater is not a new concept, concerns over the rising demand for water from population growth, coupled with both economic and environmental challenges, have made this option more attractive," wrote Quynh K. Tran, a UCR Ph.D. student in chemical and environmental engineering; Kurt Schwabe, professor of environmental economics and policy; and David Jassby, assistant professor of chemical and environmental engineering.


 The reuse model the research team developed assumes that wastewater has been treated to meet state standards for removing pathogens and focuses on producing irrigation water with chemical properties tailored for use on specific crops and grasses.

Blending wastewater from various treatment processes could produce water with nutrients that are beneficial to specific crops, which would reduce fertilizer costs and increase the affordability of recycled wastewater. Raw wastewater typically contains high levels of nutrients, specifically nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which can be utilized by plants.





Using citrus and turfgrass to test the economic model, the UC Riverside team estimated and compared the costs and water-quality characteristics of treated wastewater under a variety of treatment combinations. By utilizing this blending technique as an alternative irrigation source for agriculture, freshwater resources would be reserved to cope with drought-induced extreme water scarcity.

How to make money with poultry waste-water.

The waste in the poultry value chain can be processed into various products to make money. Poultry waste can be sent to a biodigester to produce gas,heat,electricity and fertilizer. The blood and gut can be processed and incorporated to make animal feed. 

The feathers can be processed and made into fashion accessories,decorative pieces and building materials. A food processor has found another use for waste water that is saving overheads and bringing in money. 

 Poultry processor Keystone Foods, Reidsville, North Carolina, uses a rotary press to add value to wastewater by-product by reducing moisture and thus transportation costs. The Keystone Foods facility ships dissolved air flotation by-products to a vendor for composting to make organic soil amendments. By reducing the moisture content of the by-product, shipping costs (and net energy usage) are reduced. The rotary press reduces total solids from around 90 percent to under 35 percent.