AfDB partners FG on irrigation facilities in rural areas.

AfDB partners FG on irrigation facilities in rural areas. As part of efforts geared towards the development of the agricultural sector, the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Programme Phase 1 (ATASP-1) of the African Development Bank has partnered with the Federal Government to provide irrigation facilities, farm inputs and feeder roads in rural areas. AfDB partners FG on irrigation facilities in rural areas.

How to minimize water borne disease in hydroponics.

How to minimize water borne disease in hydroponics. Although using a hydroponics system may eliminate soil borne pests, there are pests and fungi that spread through water, which means cleaning equipment and using an additional filtration system can drastically help reduce the occurrence of disease spreading. Heat and moisture in an irrigation system left untreated can create an optimal atmosphere for the development of water molds, like Pythium and Phytophthora. These molds can be brought into contact with plants through growing media, which in the case of hydroponics means through recirculating water. These molds can also be transferred from dirty plant trays and plugs or dirty greenhouse surfaces. The microflora in a hydroponics system can develop very quickly, within 20 hours of planting infected plants, bacteria can be traced throughout a system. Symptoms of Pythium present themselves as it eats away at the plant root and attacks the root, which results in stunted growth and plant death. Growers often refer to this mold as root rot. Phytophthora comes in two major varieties that are known to attack floriculture crops, causing root, crown and foliar blight. Essentially, both varieties of this bacterial disease can decimate a crop very easily if using hydroponics systems without an additional filtering system. Some systems come with screen or paper filters to filter out large-sized particles and debris, but often more is needed to combat water borne diseases effectively. For this reason, it is recommended to add or combine a number of additional filtering systems. more

Be a watermelon farmer and be a millionaire.

Amos Morori 38, went into watermelon farming, a venture that has brought boundless fortune, making him the only millionaire in his village. He says going into farming was a priceless decision. “I settled for watermelons because they do extremely well in Kerio Valley. The fruit is high-yielding, matures fast and has a huge market,” he says. His record fruit so far weighs 25 kilos. Raring to go and armed with Sh40,000 after persuading his father to sell a few heads of cattle to enable him start the venture, Morori started growing the fruit on their farm along the banks of River Kerio. He first cultivated an acre before up-scaling the farm to 10 acres. Read here

Vegetables irrigated with treated waste water expose consumers to drugs.

A new study by a multidisciplinary team of researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Hadassah Medical Center shows that eating vegetables and fruits grown in soils irrigated with reclaimed waste water exposes consumers to minute quantities of carbamazepine, an anti-epileptic drug commonly detected in waste water effluents. Fresh water scarcity worldwide has led to increased use of reclaimed waste water, as an alternative source for crop irrigation. But the abundance of pharmaceuticals in treated effluents has raised concerns over the potential exposure for consumers to drug contaminants via treated waste water. The study is the first to directly address exposure to such pharmaceutical contaminants in healthy humans. It was recently published in Environmental Science and Technology. "In a randomized controlled trial we have demonstrated that healthy individuals consuming reclaimed wastewater-irrigated produce excreted carbamazepine and its metabolites in their urine, while subjects consuming fresh water-irrigated produce excreted undetectable or significantly lower levels of carbamazepine," said Prof. Ora Paltiel, Director of the Hebrew University-Hadassah Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, who led the research. The study followed 34 men and women divided into two groups. The first group was given reclaimed wastewater-irrigated produce for the first week, and freshwater-irrigated vegetables in the following week. The second group consumed the produce in reverse order. The volunteers consumed the produce, which included tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and lettuce, according to their normal diet and drank bottled water throughout the study to neutralize water contamination. The researchers measured carbamazepine levels in the fresh produce and in the participants' urine. To begin with, the urinary levels of carbamazepine differed in their quantifiable concentration, with some participants having undetectable levels. Following seven days of consuming reclaimed water-irrigated produce, all members of the first group exhibited quantifiable levels of carbamazepine, while in the second group the distribution remained unchanged from baseline. Levels of carbamazepine excretion were markedly higher in the first group versus the second. It is evident that those who consume produce grown in soil irrigated with treated waste water increase their exposure to the drug. Though the levels detected were much lower than in patients who consume the drug, it is important to assess the exposure in commercially available produce. Materials from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE AND THE IMPACT ON ECONOMIC GROWTH.

The role of of agriculture in economic growth is significant to any form of globalization. Women plays significant roles in agriculture,they are involved in all sectors and contribute to economic growth and development. 

 The empowerment schemes should involve more women as they are challenged on so many fronts,the contract farming is a way to encourage more women to join agriculture sector and support those already in the sector. Agriculture has so many facets and aspects that if properly coordinated will bring about food security and increase revenue generation. 

The higher the number of people actively involved in this sector,the greater the chances of a sustainable economy. 

The use of contract farming in the agricultural sector has the following benefits ; 1) employment opportunities. 2) increase revenue generation. 3)food security. 4)globalization through partnership. 5)broad-based learning platform. 6)empowerment. 

      What is contract farming and how does it work?? 

This is basically a platform for growth both for individuals ,companies and the countries involved.The scheme extols the benefits of various aspects of agriculture such as fish farming,piggery,cattle rearing, and poultry.

The various segments are handled by professionals,who corporate with stakeholders already in the agriculture business and these seek out interested candidates in these projects.These people undergo training for a specific period,after which they are provided with tools to start-off.These tools include chicks,drugs,feed, weaners,calves and cages. 

The tools also include spaces that are allocated at moderate prices so the farmers can afford this without affecting overhead costs. The contract farmer has access to needed tools to start the project with a memorandum of understanding which states; the expected return and time lapse. 

This scheme will allow more players in the agric sector,with access to latest innovations in the field which they can employ to rapidly turn around their investment. 

 The venture also involves provision of equipment to process the finished products for packaging such as stoves,drying kiln and ovens to process fish. Education on food preservation and provision of such equipment will help prevent losses of crops.A source of water is a very necessary factor for any production,and many women travel long distances to get access to portable water.

A water for all project in forms of wells,boreholes and irrigation systems will boost production and increase sales.The larger percentage of the agricultural products are farmed in the rural areas and this is done by women. Empower the women; feed the world!!! Contract farming is an empowerment model that will fast tract growth in the agriculture sector,because the companies involved in this scheme collect products for sale in international market. 

The scheme also involves buying farmers products right from the farm,so the farmer tends its products carefully to attain specified standards.

This scheme will regulate products in the market because only those that meet required specification are purchased.