Chocolate production linked to increased deforestation in poor nations.

Chocolate production linked to increased deforestation in poor nations.Newly published research focuses on the link between cocoa exports and deforestation in developing nations. Every year, more than five million family farms in countries such as Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Indonesia and Brazil produce about four and a half million tons of cocoa beans, according the World Cocoa Foundation. Ghana and the Ivory Coast supply more than 70 percent of the world's cocoa. Cocoa, much like coffee, is an export product consumed almost entirely in developed nations such as the United States. Yet the beans, which are used to make chocolate, are almost exclusively grown in less-developed nations such as West Africa, Asia, and Central and South America -- countries that on average have extremely small demand for the product they depend on for their livelihoods.

Cooperative Society helps farmers own land and Manage Agribusiness.

Cooperative Society helps farmers own land and Manage Agribusiness. E-farm, a housing cooperative society based in Nairobi is helping farmers own land, houses and manage agribusiness at subsidized rates. According to E-farm’s sales manager, Dinah Kathoni, the society provides affordable settlement and promotes agribusiness with an intention to add value to members land, supplement members’ income and create employment thereby enhancing food security. In Nigeria there is a similar project called the Acres of diamond project which uses this template to provide land and boost agribusiness The society has partnered with various organizations among them the Israel embassy which is coming with various technologies in agribusiness management and low cost houses construction.

AGRIBUSINESS: How to Explore Africa’s Trillion-Dollar Agribusiness Opportunity.

AGRIBUSINESS: How to Explore Africa’s Trillion-Dollar Agribusiness Opportunity. When most people think of agriculture in Africa, images of poor and overworked farmers with crude tools on a rural farm easily come to mind. Many people on the continent, especially young Africans, still think that agribusiness is a poor man’s occupation. It’s no surprise that nowadays everybody wants a white-collar office job in the city. Agribusiness is hardly on anyone’s mind. But did you know that since 2009, investors from the USA, Europe, Middle East and Asia have been buying and leasing millions of hectares of African land for agribusiness purposes? AGRIBUSINESS: How to Explore Africa’s Trillion-Dollar Agribusiness Opportunity. If you’re looking into the future, and have nursed a few thoughts about joining the agribusiness revolution on the African continent, this article will serve as a great introduction. Many people may not know it but there’s a trend of serious land grabbing by foreign interests for African land. Did you also know that Foreign Direct Investment in African agribusiness, which was $10 billion in 2010, is projected to reach $45 billion by 2020? How to Explore Africa’s Trillion-Dollar Agribusiness Opportunity.

Nigerian Economic Summit : Influencing economic policies through advocacy.

Nigerian Economic Summit : Influencing economic policies through advocacy.Sanya Adejokun, who was at the Nigerian Economic Summit, reports the resolve of participants at the summit to join hands with the government in giving the economy a fillip. THE Nigerian Economic Summit is an annual event that brings together chief executives/top level operators from the private sector and very senior government officials to discuss how best to develop the economy and monitor the progress that is being made. The main focus is the short to medium term policy direction while giving priority to the national interest in the context of the evolving global economy. It is interesting to reflect that a substantial proportion of the recommendations made by the NES over the past 10 years have since become part of government policy and have been or are being implemented by the Federal Government.

Anambra to attract N60bn agriculture investments.

Anambra to attract N60bn agriculture investments. ANAMBRA State Government has attracted N60 billion investment for the establishment of 4,000 hectares of Commercial Agriculture Project. This was announced during the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), between Folio Holdings Ltd, and the Anambra State Government, at Governor’s Lodge, Amawbia.

SMEDAN re-launches One Village, One Product.

SMEDAN re-launches One Village, One Product. The Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) has re-launched the One Village One Product (OLOP) programme. Declaring the programme open in Kaduna on Monday, the Director-General of SMEDAN, Dr. Dikko Umaru Radda, who was represented by the agency’s Director of Finance and Administration, Malam Ibrahim Shehu, said the agency was re-launching the OLOP programme in line with the vision of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERPG) of the Federal Government. In a statement released by the agency, Radda said OLOP is a rural economy revitalization plan built around the well known drivers of its globally renowned equivalent One Village One Product which originated from Japan.

7000 corps members establish thriving businesses through SAED.

7000 corps members establish thriving businesses through SAED. Over 7000 serving and past corps members are said to have established various businesses that are thriving after going through the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). Speaking yesterday at the opening ceremony of the maiden SAED festival held in Abuja, Director of SAED, Mrs Mojisola Eboagwu said the successful business corps members learnt their skills through the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme they went through during their orientation course.