INSURANCE IN AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS.

AGRICULTURAL LOANS/CREDIT FACILITY.

Farmers just like any other business,may need to lean on a financial arm for support at a point in time.Many farmers dont know the opportunities they have to access these facilities, or how to access them and grow. Farming is a lucrative venture duly supported by government,financial giants,cooperative bodies and micro finance schemes. Agricultural loans are of various types , can be accessed at various levels and have different amounts as per the size of the project.These loans can be accessed corporately or as individuals,depending on amount involved,most of these loans can only be accessed when the farm has an insurance cover. Agricultural loans and agricultural insurance are intertwined,you cannot do one without the other; before you try to access the loan make sure you are insured.The basic requirement for the loan are as follows; 1) application form. 2) farm records; showing productivity and profitability. 3) Registration record/licence of farm. 4) account details. The banks that give out such loans include bank of agriculture, and first bank ,they also require you have an account with them that is operational. You can learn more about the loan and how to access @ an upcoming farmer's bazaar...operators will be around to enlighten you and help you start the process. venue....Ajah vet center,Ajah . Time 10 am. date...27/8/15.

EDUCATING FARMERS.!!!

Farming is a major force that drives the economy, and the higher the number of people involved the better for the economy. The agricultural business though very lucrative many players are still in the dark about various aspects of production and better methods of production. Farmers basically need to update their knowledge so they can harness several opportunities,exposure to new drugs and techniques. The farmer needs to learn about management polices,insurance,latest products and vaccination methods,a lot of farmers really operate out of old ideas that cant solve today's challenges,hence there is a need for constant interaction between the service providers and the farmers; animal health care product manufacturers,technical officers,vets,banks and insurance companies. The interactive forum is to expose to modern ways of animal husbandry and how to make more money,in line with this a farmers bazaar is been organized; venue....Ajah vet center,Ajah Lagos. time...10 am date...27/8/15 topic....agric insurance, access to agric facilities, benefits of registration and how to make more money from your venture. There will be demonstration from banks,insurance company,manufacturers of animal health products,disinfectants and protective clothing. come ,learn and be more protective.

INCUBATION AND HATCHING OSTRICH EGGS.

Ostrich are large flightless birds that lay big eggs and are of economic value.The ostrich eggs are so large and they need to be handled with care so that they can hatch healthy birds. Diseases,malformations and slow development can usually occur if the necessary conditions are not adhered to; the incubation period of ostrich is between 42-46 days. The eggs must be wiped with dry cloth,the hands that handle the eggs must be clean and sterilized with lodine wash/any disinfectant.The cleaned eggs should be left to air dry and sprayed with disinfectants before setting. The incubator room must be clean and disinfected with potassium permanganate/formaldehyde or any other disinfectant suitable for hatcheries. The eggs are to be stored for 7 days under ultraviolet light at 35% relative humidity and temperature of 17-21°c.Incubators maintained at 35-40% of relative humidity and 36°c with airflow of about 45 litres/hr will ensure maximum hatachability.Candling is done to monitor embryo development,this can progress until day 40. Once piping begins,the eggs are transferred to a hatcher,where the chicks use their beaks to break the shell.Gentian violet/iodine spray/any other disinfectant are used to clean the umbilical area for 3 days. Adequate incubator parameters and handling techniques coupled with strict bio security protocol is key to increase hatachability rate of the ostrich.

VIRKON® S AND BIRD FLU.

The spread of avian influenza can be curbed using strict bio security measures,these will include cleaning,washing and regular disinfection of farm site.There are various chemicals that have virucidal potency that can be used to disinfect and decontaminate farm premises. One of such is virkon s,proven to be very effective against bird flu,along side other pathogens. The use of virkon s can not be overemphasized because of the tremendous success it has achieved in farms,hospitals food industry etc.There are various applications for the virkon s in various sectors,but we will focus on its uses in the farm. Virkon S a virucidal disinfectant is used in the following ways; 1) foot dip 2)aerial disinfection of buildings in the farm,cages,animal housing e.t.c.3) treatment of water source The benefits of using virkon s are as following; its potent against various pathogens such as virus,bacteria and fungi ,thus making it suitable as a bio-security tool and also in cases of emergency disease control .It serves multipurpose function and its easy to transport .Its of value in the food industry as it has been proven to eliminate the salmonella super strain,the rate at which virkon s kills pathogen is 10 times faster than similar agents. Virkon S used for aerial disinfection;the virkon s is prepared at a dilution rate of 1:200/10sqm floor space,the solution is placed in knap sac and spray nozzle is set to fine droplet and solution is applied to desired areas.The major advantage is that the solution can be used in presence of animals in cages ,pens and other shelter type. The virkon s can also be applied to birds in deep litter ; this is achieved by sprinkling some quantity of the powder an the litter and its turned to make it fresh and clean,this will also eliminate odor from the poultry house. THINK VIRKON S!!! BIO SECURE YOUR FARMS!!!

EGGS AND THE BIRD FLU VIRUS.

Eggs can also carry the bird flu virus on the shell and within the albumen and yolk.The eggs can be protected by following simple bio security protocol of cleaning dirt off the egg shells,these cloth can be damped with a diluted soapy water,these are then air dried. Eggs should also be stored in washed,disinfected crates.Paper crates are a sure route of contamination and infection, this occurs because the paper crates cannot be washed or disinfected. Plastic crates should be washed,disinfected and air dried before they are used to store eggs.The crates should be washed ,disinfected,air dried before every use to prevent transfer of pathogens. Plastic crates are a sure way to ensure food safety, these eggs should be properly cooked.

AGRICULTURAL INSURANCE!!!

Agric Insurance policies are to facilitate better production by protecting the farmer's capital/investment and also use it as a tool for economic growth. Agric insurance is important for the growth and development of the agricultural sector in any economy. The essence of agric insurance is to protect farmers from losses resulting from hazards such as flood,fire,pest,disease and emergency control measures such as in case of outbreaks of African swine fever,bird flu e.t.c Agric insurance is also relevant in abattoir operations,with particular reference to condemnation of carcasses,organs in disease conditions and transportation accident. The benefits of insurance are enormous,aside the monetary compensation, there is access to professionals who over- see the project,certified animals are procured to start the project,data of farmers & operations are generated,it also encourages proper record keeping and disease control measures. When agric/animal husbandry projects are insured,there will be proper management ,food safety will be enhanced and wholesome products will be in our market.The fear of running at a loss is the reason why producers cut corners,avoid the necessary management protocol such as vaccination,reporting outbreaks,processing dead animals, and using unconventional feeding practices and unauthorized drugs in production to attain market weight early. The agric insurance sector though a growing industry,still has a lot to do to convince farmers to insure their businesses. A large percentage of farmers dont access this opportunity to their detriment and to the loss of the economy on a larger scale.The farmers /producers need financial bodies to work with them,to give soft landing in case of loss and to pay commensurate compensations in cases of emergency control of diseases. The farmers cant access certain loans because they are not insured; premium are not fixed and certain diseases are not included in the policies. The time to bring the farmers on board the insurance train is now; banks/ insurance companies, the farmers/food processors await your call of pocket-friendly premiums ,better pay-out policy,wider range of hazard coverage and reduced interest on loans. AGRIC INSURANCE; FOR BETTER PRODUCTIVITY, FOOD SAFETY AND ENHANCED HUMAN HEALTH.