AGRIBUSINESS : How To Export Nigerian Vegetables To Foreign Countries.

Nigeria vegetable comes in various types they include Amaranthus (Tete) , Tel Fairia, ( Ewedu), Corchorus olitorius ( Ugu) Others are, Ukazi, Ugba, Bitter leaf, etc. Almost all the vegetable in Nigeria can be produced for fresh market in 4-6 weeks after planting. 

It can be produced all the year round depending on the availability of water. Globally, there is a huge demand for Nigeria’s fresh fruits and vegetables and the supply seems short, thus, there is the need for more involvement in agri-food exports from Nigeria. 

 You can export it fresh or dry. To export dry vegetables, you will need to wash before you take it to the machine for drying. You can dry it in a temperature of 42 to 45 degree. After the drying you will sort the bad ones and make sure the one you are sending is free from foreign particles. 

If you are exporting it fresh just make sure you it is free from foreign particles and it is ready for export. The dry vegetable is good for the US and far east while the fresh vegetable is very good for the UK market. 

 Vegetables can be preserved to prolong shelf-life by drying them using solar dryers. This method is safe and easy without loss of nutrients so vegetables get to destination in good condition.Farmers can also dry vegetables to prevent loss due to spoilage when harvest is plenty and demand is low. 

 This farmer uses this method to gather much profits while creating markets throughout the year. Dried vegetables can last for more than eight months without expiring/spoiling.

The inclusion of a solar dryer. into production has increased the shelf-life of vegetables from two days to more than eight months, allowing Kisii County farmer, Jared Otundo, sell his vegetables for longer and in faraway places. continue.

How to set up an aerial vegetable farm with plastic bottles.

How to set up an aerial vegetable farm with plastic bottles. Plastic bottles have found various uses in agriculture from drinker to feeder to brooder and fish tank,these innovations have turned waste to wealth and also ensuring a clean environment.

 An agripreneur has used waste plastic bottles to set up an aerial vegetable farm. Anthony Mutugi has grown 294 spinaches and kales on a 4m by 5m by 3m space. 

The 294 crops may require about 0.02 acres on a flat ground. The Kiambu’s Juja area farmer has suspended six crops in the one-and-half-litre bottles with a wire string in a shed net wooden structure that creates greenhouse effects for quick growth. Each of the bottles is lying horizontally with its bellies ‘scoped’ slightly to accommodate about three quarters of a kilo soil and the kale or spinach.Each of the crops is one and half feet away from the other and the space of one row to the other is about one and half feet. 

 The crops depend on irrigation. The excess water can drain via the uncapped opening of the bottle. Wedding is done by hand in this aerial farm. Soil nutrients are not leeched since the bottle is non-porous. It is a perfect example for urban farmers, who do not have permanent residences.

They can move with their crops any time by unhooking the strings and dissembling the wooden farm. source

Climate smart agriculture.#hydroponics.

Climate smart agriculture growing vegetables in a tray without soil. The innovative mindset birthed this and now its live!!! I have a farm where i grow vegetables,but decided to plant some veggies the hydroponics way; 

 I followed these steps ; 1) chose good quality seeds. 2) soaked the seeds in hypochlorite solution for 6 hours. 3) washed seeds with clean water and set in trays. 4) i sprayed with water morning and evening. 5) here comes the veggies.

AGRIBUSINESS: How to start a farm in your bedroom and make millions.

AGRIBUSINESS: How to start a farm in your bedroom and make millions. Small indoor farms in garage or bedroom are growing in popularity where vegetables and other plants are cultivated and used for salads or sandwiches and make millions are generated.This kind of farm has no fields, ploughs or even soil or sunlight. The new "vertical farm", as it is called, needs very little space and could even be located in the city. This is popularly referred to as vertical farming,the hydroponics system. This kind of farming is referred to as Controlled - environment agriculture (CEA) which means technology-based food production that provides protection to plants and maintains optimal growing conditions throughout the development of the crop. Production takes place within an enclosed growing structure such as a greenhouse or building with controlled parameters. Watch how they are producing greens in trays (http://MarxFoods.com/Farmbox-Greens) AGRIBUSINESS: How to start a farm in your bedroom and make millions. A vertical farm uses hydroponics technology with plants sitting in trays stacked vertically to save space.In hydroponics, plants are grown "using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil" (see Wikipedia here). The roots of the plant sit in water to which nutrients have been added and instead of sun, LED lights shine on the plants. The plants grown are called micro - greens and they take only two weeks to grow. The hydroponics system is a money spinner generating millions fro farmers that are using the technology in homes,bedrooms or even roof tops and how the technology can be adopted to ensure food security. See

Agriculture and robots.

The future is really wrapped around technology to ensure food security and safety .In the world today, robots have been assigned more tasks than you imagine.Robots are gradually taking over jobs performed by man and a report shows that by 2025 robots will put humans out of work. They are already employed in various industries from administration to agriculture.

 Robots in agriculture ease labor force,ensure expected performance as the case in precision farming. The ability of robots to blend seamlessly with any organization and task makes them indispensible. Nadine, a "receptionist" at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. She is friendly, and will greet you back. Next time you meet her, she will remember your name and your previous conversation with her. She looks almost like a human being, with soft skin and flowing brunette hair. She smiles when greeting you, looks at you in the eye when talking, and can also shake hands with you,and she is a humanoid. See 

The role of robots in agriculture and by extension food security has been redefined by a Japanese company that is set to open the world’s first “robot farm”, as agriculture joins other sectors of the economy in attempting to fill labor shortages created by the country’s rapidly ageing population.

Spread, a vegetable producer, said industrial robots would carry out all but one of the tasks needed to grow the tens of thousands of lettuces it produces each day at its vast indoor farm in Kameoka, Kyoto prefecture, starting from mid-2017. 

 The robots will do everything from re-planting young seedlings to watering, trimming and harvesting crops. The innovation will boost production from 21,000 lettuces a day to 50,000 a day, the firm said, adding that it planned to raise that figure to half a million lettuces daily within five years.

The seeds will still be planted by humans, but every other step, from the transplanting of young seedlings to larger spaces as they grow to harvesting the lettuces, will be done automatically,” said JJ Price, Spread’s global marketing manager. Read

GROWING VEGETABLES WITHOUT CHEMICALS.

Traditional farmer’s greatest problem in vegetable production is the high cost of inputs like fungicides, pesticides, herbicide, and many others. They cannot avoid these things because of different insect pests and diseases that attacked leaves and fruits of vegetables. Now, in the new generation of Philippine Atovi Technology, insect pests, fungus, virus, bacteria and weeds, are things of the past. Very costly fertilizer will not be a problem anymore. With the technology, vegetable seeds, hybrid or not, germinate much earlier, more retained flowers, more fruits, firm and heavier produce, crispier, better tasting and much safer to eat vegetables. With the experience of users, seed germination can only take 3 days at the most. This means fast growth and much shorter period to harvest. How to use the technology on Leafy Vegetables: Seeds must be soaked first in water with the technology for two and a half hours (2 ½ hrs.) before sowing it. Dilution: 1 tbsp Atovi : 1 liter of water. The dilution can be used many times for soaking. If there’s excess mixture (water & atovi), it can be used to condition the soil where it will be planted. Just water the planting hole with the said mixture. For two (2) weeks, spray Atovi every afternoon (preferably 5pm). Dilution: 2 tbsp. Atovi : 1 Gallon of Water (4 liters). Transplant after 2 weeks, and maintain the application of Atovi every late afternoon weekly and stop one (1) week before harvest time, using the same dilution stated in No.2 . For plots, be sure to cultivate the soil one (1) week before transplanting for good soil aeration. Much better results can be achieved if manure (fecal waste) from animals taking Atovi will be used as organic fertilizer during land preparation. If not, one can use ordinary animal manure to incorporate in the soil, but transplant only after 2 weeks. In any case, don’t forget to spray Atovi on the plot, to energize the beneficial bacteria in the soil, exterminate harmful microorganisms and insect pests, eradicate weed seeds, and achieve the 3-week organic soil state. In spraying, as much as possible make sure to wet the underside of leaves, and or, water the plant base/root zone. How to use the technology on Fruiting Vegetables : Seeds must be soaked first in water with the technology for two and a half hours (2 ½ hrs.) before sowing it. Dilution: 1 tbsp Atovi : 1cup of water. The dilution can be used many times for soaking. If there’s excess mixture (water & atovi), it can be used to condition the soil where it will be planted. Just water the planting hole with the said mixture. For two (2) weeks, spray Atovi every afternoon (preferably 5pm). Dilution: 2 tbsp. Atovi : 1 Gallon of Water (4 liters). Transplant after 2 weeks, and maintain the application of Atovi every late afternoon weekly and stop one (1) week before harvest time, using the same dilution stated in No.2 . For plots, be sure to cultivate the soil one (1) week before transplanting for good soil aeration. Much better results can be achieved if manure (fecal waste) from animals taking Atovi will be used as organic fertilizer during land preparation. If not, one can use ordinary animal manure to incorporate in the soil, but transplant only after 2 weeks. In any case, don’t forget to spray Atovi on the plot, to energize the beneficial bacteria in the soil, exterminate harmful microorganisms and insect pests, eradicate weed seeds, and achieve the 3-week organic soil state. In spraying, wet the underside of leaves, plant base/root zone and the fruits. How to use the technology on Root crops: For land preparation: cultivate well the soil one (1) week before transplanting for good soil aeration. Much better results can be achieved if manure (fecal waste) from animals already taking Atovi will be used as organic fertilizer during land preparation. DO NOT use fresh manure from animals not taking Atovi, for it would result on harmful bacteria and fungus development in the soil. Spray Atovi on the planting hole to energize the beneficial bacteria in the soil, exterminate harmful microorganisms and insects. story culled from materials of Atovi network.

REASONS TO INCLUDE FIBER IN DOG'S DIET.

Fiber in dog's food play a vital role in digestion and metabolic functions.Fiber add to the bulk of food aiding its easy passage through the digestive system.It stabilizes blood sugar hence its of tremendous benefit in diabetic patients.The fiber content in diet allows the dog to eat as much as they want without additional calories,thus its a key ingredient in weight loss diet for obese dogs. Sources of fiber are cooked sweet potato,oat-bran,pumpkin,sweetcorn,spaghetti ,bread,rice,and macaroni.Fruits and vegetables are also good sources of fiber ,these include raw carrots,apple,orange,peas(cooked) and spinach. Fiber in the diet performs following functions; 1) prevents constipation; it adds to bulk of food thus aids the passage of food through the digestive tract preventing reduced peristaltic movement. 2)treatment of diarrhea; fiber in diet normally results in firm stools. 3)fibers can be soluble or insoluble; thus some fibers are fermented into fatty acids to aid digestion and also repair injured colon cells. 4)reduces anal gland problems; insoluble fibers makes stool firmer,this assists emptying of the anal gland as the dog passes feces easily. 5)weight control; increases content of feed hence the dogs are fuller without adding more calories. 6)prevents fluctuations in blood sugar levels,thus making fiber a key ingredient in diabetic dog's food. Fruits are natural sources of insoluble and soluble fiber,majorly these fruits are of immense value when skin is not removed such as apples,carrots and peas.The best way to incorporate these will be to prepare home cooked meals,so that you can mix and match food types that bests suits your dog's requirement.

FOOD SECURITY AND ECONOMIC GROWTH.

Food security basically exists when all people in a country/community at all times have both physical and economic access to sufficient food to meet their dietary needs for a productive and healthy life style.

 The education /awareness of people as to how to combine various crops to produced balanced meals and the availability of resources to procure these crops is a vital point in food security. The agricultural aspect is rightly divided into crops and animal production.The processing,packaging and preservation of these products ensure food security.

The development of various strategies ensure that supply of food are continuous with plenty in reserve and much more to export.The various strategies can be utilized to ensure food security in the various agricultural chain. 

 1) The education of the women play a vital role in food security since they are involved in various stages of production,the importance of family planning and other health related issues are paramount.

The careful planning of family,will limit the number of mouths to feed,thus reducing the risk of death associated with multiple pregnancies. 

Women should be educated about reproductive issues,money making ventures and the impact of food on economic growth.

 2) introduction of bio crops, which are better varieties and strains of common seeds that they are used to, this will shorten harvest time and produce higher yield of crops. 

 3) The use of composting as a means of waste management, which results in good quality fertilizer 

. 4) The waste management can be further utilized to produce electricity which will save overhead cost. 5) irrigation in arid regions is also another strategy, where rain water ,waste water can be collected,treated and plowed back to the farm to aid production.

 6)newer and better animal strains can be synchronized and bred resulting in large litter sizes,bigger sized animals. 

 7) biotechnology using aeroponics/hydroponics is a major route to ensure food security. v

BIO TECHNOLOGY AND FOOD SECURITY.

Biotechnology is one of the various ways of using scientific principles and techniques to produce crops that are pure strains and resistant to diseases. Biotechnology,nanotechnology,genetic engineering are all scientific interventions to produce better crops,improve plants,animals and microorganisms to enhance their value. The world today is faced with population explosion; the growth of the population is not at the same rate as food production and processing leaving most developing countries on poverty threshold and food scarcity. The world now is looking at strategies for food security and sustainability to eliminate hunger and eradicate poverty. Biotechnology has actually shown great potential to achieve food security in the agricultural sector where it has been used to develop plant strains that are resistant to pests and diseases. Biotechnology has also been employed to improve food processing,nutritional value better flavor and productivity of plants,vegetables and other food crops. Agric biotechnology is the use of scientific techniques to modify and improve crops by selective breeding. Advances in science especially in the field of molecular biology has provided scientist with ability to manipulate food at molecular level referred to as genetic engineering.The technique employed in genetic engineering is the transfer of DNA from species with specific desired traits into distantly related organisms. Genetic engineering allows the transfer of one or more traits from specific organism,plants,animals and microorganism and introduce them to new strains to come up with genetically modified strains with better productivity. The technology era has brought with it innovation , information , inputs and institutional support to enhance economic growth and development.The use of technology to ensure food security cannot be overemphasized,and so many options are at our fingertips to ensure food sustainability. Food can be cultivated in nutrient media instead of soil, and this is done in a controlled environment this system is referred to as hydroponics /aeroponics depending on the conditions of growth.This system enables farming even in your room or balcony or any small space that can house the system you want to adopt. Technology bringing change in its track; who could have imagined farming without soil or land? can you imagine planting tomatoes or vegetables or even yam in a column -like stand or table? Welcome to the world of BIOTECH; feeding the world with ease.

THE PEACOCK.

The peacock is the male pheasant bird with beautiful plumage which he uses to attracts the female( peahen) during courtship.The common ones are the Indian types with beautiful blue feathers, the females are not as brightly colored as the male and the female choose their mate based on the size of the train,and colorful display. These birds are quite easy to manage,feeding mainly on grains,leafy vegetables or commercial feed and the birds must have cool clean water .The birds are a beauty to behold, they can be kept for ornamental purposes or raised for breeding purposes.The peafowl attains sexual maturity at about 2 years of age,and the male is used at about 3-4 years when they have fully developed train to ensure high fertility rate. The peafowl lays eggs and tends them alone,but in cases of commercial breeding the eggs can be set in the incubator. The birds can be raised in living areas,but the perimeter must be predator proof.The birds thrive properly in grassy areas with plants and flower,they make great house pets. The peacock............lovely to wake up to the beauty of this bird every morning.