Africa must double cassava production to avert food crisis by 2050.

Africa must double cassava production to avert food crisis by 2050. As the Global Cassava Partnership for the 21st Century (GCP21) prepares for its 4th International Cassava Conference in Cotonou, Republic of Benin, scheduled for June 11-15, 2018, its Director, Dr. Claude Fauquet has warned that for the continent to avert a major food crisis by 2050, it needs to double her cassava production. Fauquet, who raised the alarm, at a world press conference in Lagos said though Africa accounts for 55 per cent of global cassava root production, its yield per hectare is the lowest in the world with about 10 tons per ha as opposed to Asia where average yield is 21 tons per hectare—or double the yield in Africa. Africa must double cassava production to avert food crisis by 2050. more

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.

Nutrition agency tackles tomato harvest loss.

Nutrition agency tackles tomato harvest loss. yNigeria is set to reap improved gains from the tomato value chain, as the Post-harvest Loss Alliance for Nutrition (PLAN), expands its capacity building/training for citizens on appropriate processing methods and packaging technologies. The recent training, held in Kaduna, had 30 participants from both public and private sectors as PLAN, an initiative of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), seeks to maximise Nigeria’s nutrition potential from tomato, in which it ranks as the 14th largest producer globally with an estimated annual output of 1.8 million metric tonnes. According to PLAN, in spite of the high production rate, the demand gap is hardly met due to the colossal post-harvest losses occasioned by poor post-harvest management industry, thereby leading to low consumption of nutritious foods and reduced income for farmers.

AGRIBUSINESS: Yellow Cassava.

AGRIBUSINESS: Yellow Cassava. How the yellow cassava is winning the Vitamin A deficiency war. Yellow cassava is a new, yellow-fleshed breed of cassava making waves in Africa. The yellow root cassava are grown for their high concentrations of β-carotene a precursor to Vitamin A. AGRIBUSINESS: Yellow Cassava. Vitamin A deficiency is a major issue, especially in Africa,and Nigeria especially has a prevalence of Vitamin A deficiency in nearly one third of children under five years old. Bio fortification of food to alleviate certain deficiencies in the past have been instituted with products such as sugar,salt,flour e.t.c. AGRIBUSINESS: Yellow Cassava. The introduction of the new variant of cassava is to stop the vitamin A deficiency is a good innovation as cassava products are stable foods in the country hence more people will be reached especially children who drink garri regularly. Garri a staple food in the country had 2 types the white and yellow forms which both originated from the normal cassava,but processed differently. The white garri is fried without palm oil while the yellow type is fried with palm oil when processing to boost its nutritional value. The advantage of the yellow cassava is that the nutritional level is already boosted,thus the garri comes out yellow saving producers the stress of adding palm oil and thus reducing the cost of production. AGRIBUSINESS: Yellow Cassava. The yellow cassava can be used to produce all the same products as the white cassava but now with a tinge of yellow. Children under five and pregnant women are mostly affected with Vitamin A deficiency which results in increase disease risk, preventable blindness,reduced immunity and death. Vitamin A deficiency is also a major cause of hidden hunger thus adults who dont eat balanced diet can also succumb to blindness and increase disease risk. AGRIBUSINESS: Yellow Cassava. The yellow cassava products such as yellow garri in combination with other ingredients can be used to make delicious foods such as cereals,snacks,soups that children will love and enjoy eating. The yellow cassava garri can used to make flakes, chocoballs,pancakes and loops.

AGRIBUSINESS : CASSAVA VALUE CHAIN AND FOOD SECURITY.

      AGRIBUSINESS : CASSAVA VALUE CHAIN AND FOOD SECURITY.


Cassava called Manihot esculenta, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates.

Cassava is the third-largest source of food carbohydrates in the tropics, after rice and maize. Cassava is a major staple food in the developing world, providing a basic diet for over half a billion people. 

 FOOD SECURITY.

Investing in cassava is profitable for man and animals as the peels can be processed as feed of high value in the livestock industry.

Cassava is one of the most drought-tolerant crops, capable of growing on marginal soils and Nigeria is the world's largest producer of cassava, while Thailand is the largest exporter of dried cassava.

 Cassava can be processed into various products such as garri,tapioca, cake,bread and flakes. .



Cassava processed into garri otherwise called cassava flakes is one of the most common products and this delicacy enjoyed by all classes of people and all age groups.

How to Fix Your Fractured Feline Patients.( Feline Orthopedics).

How to Fix Your Fractured Feline Patients.( Feline Orthopedics). A 4 year-old cat arrives as an emergency after a road traffic accident. He presents with a flaccid tail and urinary incontinence. The radiographs show a tail pull injury. Which factors may help you in predicting return of urinary and tail functions? The presence of intact anal and perineal reflexes are positive prognostic signs for return of urinary function. In addition, intact pain sensation within 5 cm of the tail base, is strongly predictive of early return of bladder control. However, absence of tail base pain sensation does not preclude eventual recovery, as 60% of cats without sensation at the tail base will also recover. If normal urination returns, it usually does between 2–30 days. If normal urination has not returned within 1 month of the trauma, then it is unlikely to return. Tail function may take several months or longer to improve. Source: Feline Orthopedics Mini Series.

VETERINARY MEDICINE : Not just bite, dog’s scratch too causes rabies.

VETERINARY MEDICINE : Not just bite, dog’s scratch too causes rabies. 

 Fifty-year-old Savita (not her real name) was brought to rural doctor Himmat Bawaskar's hospital in Mahad on a May afternoon with an undiagnosed condition, but the diagnosis became obvious when the doctor mentioned 'pani' (water). 

 Savita severely choked just as patients with rabies do on developing its well documented symptom - hydrophobia (fear of water). 

 "She was brought to us on the fourth day of fever, body ache and breathlessness. She heard 'water' and got a laryngeal (vocal cord) spasm," said Dr Bawaskar. Soon, doctors noticed another rabies symptom -extreme sensitivity to light.  : 

Not just bite, dog’s scratch too causes rabies. Dr Bawaskar, who is credited with several researches on snake and scorpion venom, has written about Savita's case in the latest edition of the Indian Journal of Critical Care Medicine to highlight poor awareness and dangerous societal practices vis-a-vis rabies. 

"People in rural areas go to tantriks after a dog-bite though the vaccine and immunoglobulin shots are available at government centres," said the doctor. 

 Savita died after four days at the Mahad hospital, managing to relate how a rabid dog in her village had bitten four people before tugging at her saree 'pallu'. She got a few abrasions on her feet. 

 According to the medical journal, Savita washed the wound and didn't bother about a vaccine as she felt only dog bites cause rabies. She only took herbal medicine from a tantrik.

 Dr Bawaskar, who has been in the news for filing a case against a diagnostic chain for offering him a cutback for referring a patient for a CT scan, said Savita must have got infected as dogs' nails and claws too harbour the virus as they keep licking them. 

"This case busts the myth that cuts don't result in rabies," he said. Vaccine is advised for any cut where blood flows out. #rabies #bites #cuts #vaccination.#travel