Exploring New Horizons: Opportunities in the Leather Value Chain for Investors and Entrepreneurs.

 Exploring New Horizons: Opportunities in the Leather Value Chain for Investors and Entrepreneurs.

The leather industry has a long and rich history, dating back to ancient times. Today, it remains an important contributor to the global economy. The leather value chain comprises several stages, starting with the procurement of raw materials such as hides and skins. The hides and skins are then processed, tanned, and finished, before being used to manufacture a wide range of products, from shoes and bags to upholstery and car seats.

There are many opportunities for investors and entrepreneurs to participate in the leather value chain. New technologies and innovations are emerging that are transforming the way leather is produced and used, creating exciting opportunities for those willing to embrace change.

The African vibe/trend is a great way to start investing in the leather value chain. The common African leather bags, shoes and other accessories are commanding huge Forex earnings.

Investing in the Leather Value Chain.

Investing in the leather value chain can provide a wide range of opportunities for investors looking to diversify their portfolio and entrepreneurs looking to enter a growing market. The leather industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, and its importance and value are only expected to grow in the coming years.

The African vibe/trend is a great way to start investing in the leather value chain. The common African leather bags, shoes and other accessories are commanding huge Forex earnings.

This bag is called the African Leather Mudcloth  Backpack. Sold for $195 AUD.

This is called the Hausa Shoulder bag. @ $179.

Check out the website for more

https://www.tribalvillage.com.au/product/african-leather-mudcloth-backpack/

https://www.tribalvillage.com.au/product-category/tribal-fashion-accessories/hausa-leather-shoulder-bags/

 This is a major niche that can be harnessed, an entrepreneur can leverage on this to create a new revenue stream. These products are available in various designs, colors and sizes in Nigeria. The leather business to business summit last year featured some of these products.

Here are some other potential areas for investment in the leather value chain:

1. Sustainable and Ethical Leather Production – Consumers are increasingly demanding sustainable and ethical products, and the leather industry is no exception. Investing in companies that focus on sustainable and ethical leather production is a smart move that can provide attractive returns while also contributing to a better world.

2. Leather Processing and Tanning – Investing in leather processing and tanning technology can lead to significant gains. New technologies are emerging that are transforming the way leather is processed and tanned, creating greater efficiency and reducing environmental impacts.

3. Leather Manufacturing – The leather value chain comprises several stages, and investing in leather manufacturing can yield lucrative returns. Opportunities exist in manufacturing leather goods such as shoes, bags, upholstery and car seats. As consumers continue to demand high-quality and sustainable products, entrepreneurs that embrace new trends are well-positioned for success.

4. Online Leather Trading Platforms – Online platforms that connect leather producers with buyers can be a profitable investment. These platforms create new ways to reduce transactional costs, improve transparency, and increase efficiency in the leather value chain.

Investing in the leather value chain can be a profitable move, but it is important to undertake thorough research and due diligence to identify the best opportunities. As the market continues to shift with consumer demands, businesses and investors that can adapt to the changing industry landscape are most likely to thrive.

https://www.tribalvillage.com.au/product/african-leather-mudcloth-backpack/

https://www.tribalvillage.com.au/product-category/tribal-fashion-accessories/hausa-leather-shoulder-bags/

Transforming The Red Meat Value Chain: Improving Public Health in the 21st Century.

 Transforming The Red Meat Value Chain: Improving Public Health in the 21st Century

The traditional way of producing and marketing red meat has been a major source of public health concerns for decades. From food safety to environmental pollution, the production and sale of red meat has had a widespread impact on our society. But with advances in technology and understanding, there is much hope that we can improve the red meat value chain for the betterment of public health. 

Read on to learn more about how we could potentially transform the red meat value chain to improve public health in the 21st century!

Introduction

The red meat value chain is a complex system that involves many different players, from farmers and ranchers to processors, retailers, and consumers. Each player has a unique set of needs and constraints, and the interactions between them can have important implications for public health.

In recent years, there has been growing concern about the potential health risks associated with red meat consumption. These concerns have led to calls for changes in the way the red meat value chain operates, in order to improve public health.

There is no single solution to the problem of improving public health in the red meat value chain. However, a number of proposals have been put forward that would address some of the key issues.

This article will provide an overview of the current state of the red meat value chain and public health concerns related to it. It will then discuss some of the proposed solutions for improving public health in the context of the value chain.

Definition and Overview of the Red Meat Value Chain

The red meat value chain is the process by which raw materials are converted into finished products that are ready for consumption. The chain involves a number of different actors, including farmers, feedlots, slaughterhouses, processors, retailers, and consumers.

The health of the red meat value chain is of paramount importance to public health. The World Health Organization has estimated that as much as 80% of all non-communicable diseases are attributable to dietary factors, and red meat is a major contributor to dietary risk. Consuming too much red meat can lead to obesity, heart disease, cancer, and other chronic diseases.

In order to improve public health, it is essential to transform the red meat value chain. This means making changes at every stage of the process in order to make red meat healthier. This includes changes such as breeding healthier livestock, providing them with better quality feed, and using more humane methods of slaughter.

It is also important to increase transparency throughout the red meat value chain so that consumers can make informed choices about the products they purchase. To this end, labeling should accurately reflect the content of products and provide information on how the animals were raised and slaughtered. Finally, it is imperative that government policies support these efforts to improve the red meat value chain and protect public health.

So what can be done to improve the red meat value chain and make it more sustainable? Below are three possible solutions:

1. Improve animal husbandry practices: One way to make livestock production more sustainable is to improve  animal husbandry practices. This can involve switching from intensive, industrialized farming methods to alternative systems such as organic, pasture-based and agroforestry approaches. These approaches result in higher animal welfare standards, make better use of natural resources and reduce emissions.

2. Increase investment in research and development: More research and development needs to be done in the red meat sector to improve production efficiency and reduce environmental impacts. This could include developing new animal breeds that require less energy, water or feed inputs, as well as innovating feed formulations to reduce emissions or increase nutrient profiles.

3. Promote responsible consumption: Finally, it is important to address public attitudes toward red meat. This could include educational campaigns about the health benefits of consuming lean red meats such as bison and venison, as well as strategies for reducing overall meat consumption through plant-based diets or other dietary interventions.

Overall, implementing these strategies will help create a more sustainable and healthy red meat value chain that can continue to support public health in the 21st century.

The Role of Government in Transforming the Value Chain

The role of government in transforming the red meat value chain is to invest in and support research and development to improve food safety and quality, while also promoting policies and initiatives that encourage industry consolidation and modernization.

There are two key ways in which the government can help transform the red meat value chain: by investing in research and development to improve food safety and quality; and by promoting policies and initiatives that encourage industry consolidation and modernization.In addition to supporting research on food safety

Conclusion

The red meat value chain can play an important role in promoting public health and sustainability. It is not only a way to meet the changing needs of consumers but also holds great potential for securing healthier, safer and more equitable food systems worldwide. 

By taking into account advances in technology and innovation, societies should take steps to transform their red meat value chain as part of larger efforts to foster better nutrition outcomes across populations, protect the environment and support farmers with sustainable market access. 

With these actions it will be possible to build a 21st century food system that's beneficial for everyone involved.

Is the cow hide (Ponmo) safe to eat?

Ponmo – cow hide meat – is a popular food in parts of Nigeria and across West Africa. But nutritionists and scientists in the region warn about the safety and nutritional value of this local delicacy. 

 In this episode of Africa Science Focus, our reporter Royal Uche speaks with Abiodun Wahab, program operations officer at the One Health and Development Initiative, about the toxic bacteria found in the meat even after cooking. Sherifah Wakil, associate professor of microbiology at the University of Ibadan, shares findings from her latest research on the contamination of the meat. 

 Obaisi Alaanuloluwa, environmental and social development consultant for the World Bank, explains how ponmo affects the environment. 

Source....SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan Africa English desk

 The Ponmo story. read

 

 more ponmo news: Ponmo and leather industry.

 All you need to know about Ponmo.

The leather business summit and expo.

Leather
 #leather institute

The federal government plans to ban Ponmo to promote the leather industry.

THE Federal Government has said it was proposing a legislation to ban the consumption of animal skin, locally known as ponmo, in the country to revive tanneries. 

 Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology, NILEST, Zaria, Muhammad Yakubu said this in Abuja on Sunday. NILEST was set up to promote leather production as provided in the Agricultural Research Institute Act of 1975. 

        The leather business summit and expo.

The institute conducts research the production and products of leather and the utilisation of local tanning materials in the country. Yakubu, who said the litigation was necessary to revive the comatose leather industry in the country, said the habit of eating animal skin, which has no nutritional value, should be stopped to save the industry and boost the nation’s economy. 

 The Director-General added that the institute, in collaboration with stakeholders in the industry, would approach the national assembly and state governments to bring out legislation banning “ponmo” consumption. 

        The leather hub :Leather value chain 

 The tannery project was conceived by the Sanwo-Olu administration in 2020 for the production of leather products, such as shoes, belts, bags and upholsteries. The facility would also offer training opportunities for youths to learn skills in leather manufacturing and earn a living in the value chain. 

The Economic value of the hub is that the entire production process can start and end here in Lagos. Jobs will be generated and businesses will be developed He said that raw leather exported to China and Europe were brought back to Nigeria in finished goods and they were more expensive.

Monkey Pox:CDC recommends masking despite evidence that its sexually transmitted.

 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a study Friday suggesting that people wear masks to protect themselves from monkey pox despite growing evidence the virus is transmitted sexually. The CDC’s Friday Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), its internal journal, included research on the spread of monkey pox via contaminated surfaces. 

Researchers in Utah sampled 30 different samples from the home of two monkey pox patients, and found that 21 of the surfaces yielded positive real-time PCR results, but none tested positive for viral cultures. Still, despite the lack of live virus found in the samples, the paper still warns that monkey pox can spread through surface contact. The agency also recommends wearing masks at the bottom of the paper, even though little evidence has emerged that monkey pox is an airborne virus 

 “Monkey pox virus primarily spreads through close, personal, often skin-to-skin contact with the rash, scabs, lesions, body fluids, or respiratory secretions of a person with monkey pox; transmission via contaminated objects or surfaces (i.e., fomites) is also possible,” the paper reads. 

 “Persons living in or visiting the home of someone with monkey pox should follow appropriate precautions against indirect exposure and transmission by wearing a well-fitting mask, avoiding touching possibly contaminated surfaces, maintaining appropriate hand hygiene, avoiding sharing eating utensils, clothing, bedding, or towels, and following home disinfection recommendations.”

Halal meat: how to start producing Halal meat

 Halal meat

To start producing Halal meat, you need to embrace these four steps: 1) The premises must be for halal slaughtering alone and all necessary permits regarding abattoir, slaughter lines and waste management must be collected.

LEARN MORE : HALAL FACTS.

Halal management: the ethics / tenets of  the halal slaughtering and halal management principles must be followed strictly.

Standard operating protocols: the slaughtering techniques, animal specification clearly spelled out by the Halal protocol must be clearly written out, pasted on walls and practiced.

Halal certification and standardization: the facility and production lines  must be inspected, processes audited to ensure compliance and then certification is provided.

   To tap into this trillion dollar industry, start a niche business: start an halal meat shop.

1)Start an abattoir that is for Halal slaughtering alone. Get the facility registered and certified and create continuous income by providing your facility for Halal slaughtering at a fee and also providing a base for meat export.

2) Decide the type of animal you want to slaughter: cattle, sheep or goat.

3) Slaughter only healthy animals.

4) Process and package beef with the Halal certification seal and start making money.

The Muslim community is growing and many more countries are adopting the Halal method with certification to tap into the trillion dollar industry.

The Muslim population reached 1.8 billion in 2015 and it is expected to be the world’s fastest growing religious group, increasing by 70% to almost 3 billion people by 2060, according to the forecast made by Pew Research Center. 

Very good news for the halal meat industry, seeing that the main driver for this market is set by the Muslim expenditure on halal meat and related products. 

 In the recent years, lots of European countries have decided to support the cause, considering the high profits coming from Muslim markets, as well as the choice in the internal market of many non-Muslims to eat halal meat for ethical reasons. 

                                   DID YOU KNOW? 

The biggest importer of halal-certified food from the OIC countries is Saudi Arabia, followed on the second spot by Malaysia, while UAE, Indonesia and Egypt occupy the third, the fourth and the fifth position respectively in the top 5 leading halal food importers. Meanwhile, the top 10 biggest exporters of halal meat to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries account for a total trade value of $14.04 billion. 

 Brazil is the largest exporter of halal meat to these countries with a trade value worth $5.19 billion, followed by Australia with $2.36 billion and India with $2.28 billion on the second and third spots respectively. 

Other big exporters are as follows: France ($0.8 billion), China ($0.7 billion), Sudan and South Sudan ($0.63 billion), the Netherlands ($0.59 billion), Spain ($0.56 billion), Somalia ($0.47 billion) and Turkey ($0.46 billion).

       

The Halal Meat Market: a Booming Goldmine.

What is Halal meat? 

Halal is Arabic for permissible. Halal food is that which adheres to Islamic law, as defined in the Koran. The Islamic form of slaughtering animals or poultry, dhabiha, involves killing through a cut to the jugular vein, carotid artery and windpipe. 

 The global halal meat market size is expected to grow at a Compound annual growth rate of 7.8% during the forecast period (2021–2030). Growing consumer awareness about the certification methods that offer varied benefits is anticipated to be a major driving factor boosting the demand for halal-certified products. 

The perception attributed to the methods is important while knowing the choice of customers in consideration with the product they would prefer to buy. 

      

    What is Halal meat? 

 Moreover, there are other driving factors involved that will increase the demand for halal meat in the coming years. Factors such as growing spending of customers to buy food, lifestyle changes, and the ever-growing middle-class populations in developing countries. 

  Top Key Market Drivers: 

The halal meat market is a growing market as people are becoming more aware of the health benefits it provides. More than 50% of non-Muslims are aware of the concept of ‘halal’ that is associated with cleanliness and hygiene. 

Overall 47% of people are aware of the concept. Young people are more aware and woke in terms of understanding different cultural concepts. It was found that 63% of the young population between the age of 18 and 24 thoroughly know the concept. In the halal meat concept, animals are killed according to Islamic Shariah law. 

This law states that the animal should be treated nicely when alive and should be slaughtered by hand. The goal is to minimize the pain for the animal while it is being killed. This method has an advantage in quality, wholesomeness, and edibility. Slaughtering an animal in a kind manner is more humane as compared to slaughtering it with a machine. Thus, this law is anticipated to boost market growth to a great extent. 

Halal meat market and why its booming all over the world.

 WHY BOTHER ABOUT HALAL MEAT? 

1) It is a healthy way to consume meat because you are sure its hygienically processed and all food safety protocols are adopted. 

2) It is a good niche market if you want to join the exporting arm of the meat industry .The importation of meat and poultry products into Gulf Cooperation Council (“GCC”) nations, and other Islamic countries, is big business. 

 3)The Muslim population reached 1.8 billion in 2015 and it is expected to be the world’s fastest growing religious group, increasing by 70% to almost 3 billion people by 2060, according to the forecast made by Pew Research Center. 

             Read more about Halal.

Very good news for the halal meat industry, seeing that the main driver for this market is set by the Muslim expenditure on halal meat and related products.

Lockdown mode urged with avian flu outbreaks in Mississippi and Central Flyways.

 

A warning to tighten up biosecurity and reduce movement in and out of poultry houses was issued by Terry Conger, DVM, poultry health epidemiologist with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The warning came as outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) occurred along the Mississippi Flyway for migratory waterfowl. Earlier HPAI outbreaks were reported along the Atlantic Flyway, which can mingle with the Mississippi Flyway. 

Outbreaks in both areas involved commercial and non-commercial poultry operations. And recently, outbreaks were reported in the Central and Pacific flyways. “Migratory waterfowl and other wild birds play a major role in introducing the [HPAI] infection into flocks, and once in a facility, it can spread like wildfire through the movement of fomites,” Conger said. 

He spoke during a recent University of Arkansas Ag Research and Extension webinar on HPAI. 

     H5N1 strain involved. 

 The latest HPAI outbreaks in the US are caused by the serotype H5N1, known as the Eurasia strain. Conger said H5N1 is an ongoing, rapidly spreading strain that has been prominent in Europe, Asia and Africa. 

The first HPAI H5N1 outbreak in the Western Hemisphere occurred Dec. 23, 2021, in Newfoundland and has continued to spread into the US. “Due to the perpetual risk of HPAI from waterfowl, the only preventive tool we can rest our hopes on is stringent biosecurity,” Conger said. “Contract growers and non-commercial flock owners must buy into biosecurity to protect their individual flocks because HPAI is here,” he added. 

“Biosecurity must become a part of life if you oversee a commercial or backyard flock. It must be as automatic as eating and sleeping.” 

 Biosecurity breakdowns.

. While migratory waterfowl are the most common initial source of HPAI infection, human error is also responsible for spreading it into flocks through breakdowns in biosecurity. “Infection can occur by the movement of contaminated equipment, vehicles, service personnel, visitors and pests including rodents and insects,” 

Conger said. “Less common are domestic pigs and pet birds. “Once the virus is in a facility, it can move very quickly on shared equipment and contaminated clothing,” he said. “This is how it exploded in Minnesota and Iowa in 2015.” Personnel in commercial flocks who take steps to tighten up biosecurity are more likely to keep the virus out.

Model predicts cross-species contamination risk for farm animals.

 

A new mathematical model from US researchers reveals the high risk of cross-species disease spread on farms with more than one type of animal. According to the model developed by a team at North Carolina State University—and described in Veterinary Research—biosecurity efforts focused on the top three per cent of farms in a particular contact network may significantly cut back cross-species disease dissemination. 

 “Most disease-prevention programs focus control and prevention measures on one species; however, it is well known that cross-species transmissions occur,” A/Prof Gustavo Machado said. “For example, foot-and-mouth disease can be transmitted among all ungulate species. And all of these farms are connected—they sell and share animals all the time.” 

 The researchers created a stochastic mathematical model that described the ‘connectedness’ of farms in one area of Southern Brazil. 

The model included three years’ worth of data for a population of 90 million animals and traced over 1.6 million animal movements between farms, such as animal sales and grow-finishing movements. 

 The model simulated disease outbreaks that began in cattle, pigs, and small ruminants (i.e., sheep or goats), respectively, in order to determine the likelihood of cross-species contamination in each case. They ran 1000 distinct simulations 100 times each to identify,continue

The US- Africa Trade Program : All Eyes On Garri.

 The US is funding research on garri production.

The Chinese government have started garri production for export abroad.

According to the PwC research, there is a market for high quality garri for exports and supermarkets.

 

 The export market has the potential to generate US$343,524 while the local domestic demand can add US$62,312 to the economy.

The US- Africa trade program: All eyes on garri.

Still thinking about jumping in the garri business? see opportunities

#Garri in Walmart.   #Garri in UK.     #Garri in Brazil    #Garri in Nigeria For Export.

How sneezing hamsters sparked a COVID outbreak in Hong Kong.

How Sneezing Hamsters Sparked a COVID Outbreak in Hong Kong Hamsters are only the second species known to have spread SARS-CoV-2 to humans

 

Pet hamsters probably carried the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 into Hong Kong and sparked a human COVID-19 outbreak, according to a genomic analysis of viral samples from the rodents. 

The research confirms earlier fears that a pet shop was the source of the outbreak, which has so far infected about 50 people and led to the culling of some 2,000 hamsters across the city. 

Hamsters are highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 and so are a popular model for studying the virus. But the Hong Kong study — posted online as a preprint1 and yet to be peer reviewed — is the first to show that hamsters can become infected outside the laboratory, and that they can pass the virus on to both other hamsters and humans. 

 Hamsters are only the second animal known to be able to infect people, after mink. In late 2020, small outbreaks of COVID-19 in people in Denmark and the Netherlands were linked to farmed mink, sparking panic and mass culls. 

 The latest study points to the pet trade as a route for viral spread, says co-author Leo Poon, a virologist at the University of Hong Kong. But “to be fair to the hamsters”, people are still much more likely to be infected by each other than by pets, he says. 

             NEW ROUTE FOR VIRAL SPREAD .

Nevertheless, it is important to monitor the pet trade closely, says Marion Koopmans, a virologist at the Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. SARS-CoV-2 could continue to circulate in animals, evolving in unexpected ways, and then spill back into people, she warns, adding that “we don’t need more surprises with this virus”. 

 Hong Kong has maintained a strict zero-tolerance approach to COVID-19, so when a 23-year-old pet-shop worker tested positive for Delta on 15 January, Poon says it was “a bit bizarre”. The last time the city had seen Delta in the community was in October. 

 Within days, public-health officials had swabbed more than 100 animals at the pet shop and another 500 at the warehouse supplying it. They detected SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA or antibodies against the virus in 15 of 28 Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus), but in none of the dwarf hamsters, rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas or mice. 

 The researchers then analysed genomic sequences of samples collected from 12 hamsters and the first 3 infected people, including the pet-shop worker and a visitor to the shop. 

All of the samples contained a variant of Delta that had not previously been detected in Hong Kong and probably originated from the same source. 

 The team also noticed some diversity in the sequences, and concluded that the hamsters were probably first infected in November, before their arrival in Hong Kong, and that the virus had been spreading undetected among the animals, accumulating a few single-nucleotide mutations along the way. 

  JUMPING BETWEEN SPECIES The pet-shop worker and visitor were probably infected on separate occasions, and Poon says there could have been more jumps. 

Most surprising, he says, was that even after replicating in hamsters, the virus could still “transmit between humans quite effectively”.

US to fund research on Garri production.

 US to fund research on Garri production. Garri in the news, this is an indication there is a lot of money to be made from garri production and export.

The United States of America is set to fund breakthrough research on garri production to support nutritional improvement in West Africa.“This innovative research is leading to scientific breakthroughs with huge potential to reduce iron deficiency anaemia and protein-energy malnutrition.” 

 This use of garri to reduce hidden hunger, protein-energy malnutrition is already ongoing in Nigeria, as EchbeeFoods is already churning out such wholesome products. 

 Why use wheat? when garri can be fortified to make for bread, cake cookies and so much more SEE GARRI BREAD: soft garri , nutritious, bro mate and saccharine free.

Enjoy with your cup of tea or milk, school feeding programme idea.

Echbee Foods adding Value to Cassava for Health and Wealth.

   Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava of which 70% of it is processed to garri. The need to provide food for the estimated population of 10 billion by 2030 is very important taking into consideration the impact of climate change on agriculture.

 According to research there is an urgency to promote innovative  use of crops to produce new healthy products as well as look into the need to look at other food alternatives.

 Each country is blessed with a staple crop or produce which if properly harnessed will ensure food security, wealth creation as well as employment opportunities. This is the case of using what you have to get what you want.

 In Nigeria, we are so blessed with cassava. Lets look at the possibilities of turning garri a product of cassava to innovative products. Garri has also found its place in the international market with Amazon, Tropical sun and other sites selling branded packs online. The Africans in diaspora also  order some African foods such as crayfish, melon, pepper, yam flour ,garri e.t.c.

 The African food in high demand is garri, this gives credence to the study by Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC)  : there is a market for high quality garri for exports and supermarkets. The export market has the potential to generate US$343,524 while the local domestic demand can add US$62,312 to the economy.   This is the export potential of garri , increasing foreign income if properly harnessed.

  Echbee Foods uses this garri to make healthy, nutritious foods that are healthy and affordable. Garri can be used to make bread replacing wheat thus saving forex spent on wheat importation. 

Garri cakes.

Cassava Flakes: garri as cereal

Cassava Flakes: garri as snack.

 Garri will create more employment opportunities because of new investors that will tap into garri processing, garri packaging and garri based foods/ snacks.

   Interested in the garri business? join the train.

False banana(Enset) the wonder crop from Africa that can feed the world.

 Africa is blessed with a lot of staple foods that can promote food security. The need for innovative solutions to turn these ordinary food is very crucial for growth and development. 

  False banana ,Ethiopia's enset  commonly referred to as wonder crop. Scientists say the plant enset, an Ethiopian staple, could be a new super food and a lifesaver in the face of climate change.

     

The banana-like crop has the potential to feed more than 100 million people in a warming world, according to a new study.

The plant is almost unknown outside of Ethiopia, where it is used to make porridge and bread.  Research suggests the crop can be grown over a much larger range in Africa.

"This is a crop that can play a really important role in addressing food security and sustainable development," said Dr Wendawek Abebe of Hawassa University in Awasa, Ethiopia.

Enset or "false banana" is a close relative of the banana, but is consumed only in one part of Ethiopia.

 The banana-like fruit of the plant is inedible, but the starchy stems and roots can be fermented and used to make porridge and bread

Enset is a staple in Ethiopia, where around 20 million people rely on it for food, but elsewhere it has not been cultivated, although wild relatives - which are not considered edible - grow as far south as South Africa, suggesting the plant can tolerate a much wider range.

Using agricultural surveys and modelling work, scientists predicted the potential range of enset over the next four decades. They found the crop could potentially feed more than 100 million people and boost food security in Ethiopia and other African countries, including Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.

Study researcher Dr James Borrell, of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, said planting enset as a buffer crop for lean times could help boost food security.

"It's got some really unusual traits that make it absolutely unique as a crop," he said. "You plant it at any time, you harvest it at any time and it's perennial. That's why they call it the tree against hunger."

Jack Ma, known as the founder of Ali Baba, and business partner David Yu visited the Netherlands this Monday for research purposes within the horticulture sector. 

The organizers of the reception, Pierre Bell and Jiayan Cai of the Flexibell Systems Group, speak of a successful visit and thank the receiving companies: World Horti Center, Growers United, Rijk Zwaan, Anthura, and Dutch Sino Business Promotions, as well as the translator Liu Mao (manager China) of Van der Knaap. 

 Jack Ma visited the company's latest automated packaging production line and asked about its daily and annual packaging volume, as well as some industry-related information. 

Jack Ma said that its vegetable outputs were amazing and mentioned that China aims to have the same logistics system in the future.

Researchers identify key indicators for ranch sustainability.

Standardized ecological, social and economic indicators can help ranchers track and communicate about sustainability. 

Livestock grazing on well-managed rangelands can help secure clean water, enhance habitat, address climate change, and sustain rural communities. 

Ensuring the sustainability of livestock agriculture is not only vital to feeding a growing world, but it’s essential to a healthy future, which is why a research team led by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and 

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) set out to help ranchers more consistently measure, manage, and communicate about the sustainability of their operations. The indicators for sustainability.

  

Mosquitoes spread viruses faster than thought

Researchers say discoveries about virus development in mosquitoes might someday help stop disease transmission. Researchers at the University of Missouri have found viruses spread in the bodies of mosquitoes much quicker than previously thought. 

 "Previously, the common understanding was that when a mosquito has picked up a virus, it first needs some time to build up inside the mid-gut, or stomach, before infecting other tissues in the mosquito," said Alexander Franz, an assistant professor in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine and the study’s corresponding author. "However, our observations show that this process occurs at a much faster pace; in fact, there is only a narrow window of 32 to 48 hours between the initial infection and the virus leaving the mosquito’s stomach.

 For this field of research, that revelation is eye opening." continue.

COVID-19: Research shows children are silent spreaders of SARS-CoV-2.

In the most comprehensive study of COVID-19 pediatric patients to date, researchers provide critical data showing that children play a larger role in the community spread of COVID-19 than previously thought.

 In a study of 192 children ages 0-22, 49 children tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, and an additional 18 children had late-onset, COVID-19-related illness.

 The infected children were shown to have a significantly higher level of virus in their airways than hospitalized adults in ICUs for COVID-19 treatment, according to Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Mass General Hospital for Children (MGHfC).

 The study, “Pediatric SARS-CoV-2: Clinical Presentation, Infectivity, and Immune Reponses,” was published in The Journal of Pediatrics.

Findings from nose and throat swabs and blood samples from the MGHfC Pediatric COVID-19 Biorepository carry implications for the reopening of schools, daycare centers and other locations with a high density of children and close interaction with teachers and staff members.

 The researchers note that although children with COVID-19 are not as likely to become as seriously ill as adults, as asymptomatic carriers or carriers with few symptoms attending school, they can spread infection and bring the virus into their homes.

Face shields in abattoirs and meat processing plants.

Abattoirs and meat processing plants has been labelled "hot spots" for Covid-19,this has prompted stringent restrictions and even shut-downs in some countries. The working conditions in these plants has been fingered as the likely cause of rapid spread of the Corona virus amongst workers.

 The operators of these facilities have changed operational protocols to ensure safety of workers and also food safety. The use of face shields significantly reduce the amount of inhalation exposure to influenza virus, another droplet-spread respiratory virus.

 In Australia, a part of Victoria's response to the COVID-19 crisis, is that meat works will move to two-thirds production with workers to be dressed in full protective personal clothing, including gowns and face shields.


 In Nigeria, some of the processors are already adopting  the change to ensure safety of workers and food safety. Meat processing facilities have taken steps to ensure safety such as coordination with state and local health agencies to reduce transmission or prevent ongoing exposure within the workplace, including offering testing to workers.

 There is daily screening of personnel prior to entering the plant and also temperature screening. An aggressive sanitation protocol throughout the day in all common areas and office spaces as well as additional cleanings each night.


Major food processors have installed protective barriers on the production floor between employees and provides full face shields for personnel performing any job where the installation of a protective barrier is not feasible due to the movements inherent in the performance of the job.

  Read why a face shield is better than a mask.

 Reporting in the April 29 Journal of the American Medical Association, experts led by Dr. Eli Perencevich, of the university's department of internal medicine, and the Iowa City VA Health Care System, said the face shield's moment may have come.

 While the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention began advocating the use of cloth masks to help stop COVID-19 transmission in April, laboratory testing "suggests that cloth masks provide [only] some filtration of virus-sized aerosol particles."

 According to Perencevich's group, "face shields may provide a better option." To be most effective in stopping viral spread, a face shield should extend to below the chin. It should also cover the ears and "there should be no exposed gap between the forehead and the shield's headpiece," the Iowa team members said.

 Shields are usually more comfortable to wear than masks, and they form a barrier that keeps people from easily touching their own faces. When speaking, people sometimes pull down a mask to make things easier -- but that isn't necessary with a face shield. And "the use of a face shield is also a reminder to maintain social distancing, but allows visibility of facial expressions and lip movements for speech perception,"


 Research from Johns Hopkins University has found that Covid-19 specifically can be contracted via the eyes, “through exposure to aerosolized droplets or hand-eye contact”. Face shields should only be one part of any infection control effort, along with social distancing and hand-washing.

Mitigating viruses in pig feed ingredients.

Mitigating viruses in pig feed ingredients. Veterinary researchers in the US and Canada have become particularly interested in the role feed has to play in transmission of viruses.

 A team of leading experts dived into the question of how viruses might be shipped around the planet. It was in 2014 that the North American veterinary community – as well as the worldwide feed and pork industries – started to realise that viruses were being transmitted in feed. Porcine Epidemic Diarrhoea (PED) broke out in the United States in 2013 and, by January 2014, the disease had arrived in Canada.


 “We figured out quite quickly at that point that the outbreak here in Canada was linked to a certain feed ingredient, from the same feed mill, and soon thereafter a research paper was published by scientists at the National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease in Winnipeg Manitoba that showed the link was possible”, explains Dr Egan Brockhoff, veterinarian at Prairie Swine Health Services in Red Deer, AB, Canada and veterinary counsellor for the Canadian Pork Council. “

 African Swine Fever (ASF) came along and since then in the US, Dr Scott Dee, Dr Megan Niederwerder and Dr Cassandra Jones and others have done a lot of work to look into how viruses can tag along in feed ingredients being shipped all over the world.”

 Among the many other studies, Dr Dee (of Pipestone Applied Research at Pipestone Veterinary Services, MN, United States) and colleagues had published an evaluation in 2018 of the survival of livestock viruses in animal feed ingredients that were, and still are, imported daily into the US.

 The study involved simulated transboundary shipping conditions and 11 diseases of global significance: Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Classical Swine Fever, ASF, influenza A, pseudorabies (Aujeszky’s Disease), Nipah disease, Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), Swine Vesicular Disease, Vesicular Stomatitis, Porcine Circovirus 2 and Vesicular Exanthema of Swine.


 For six viruses, it was possible to use surrogates with similar genetic and physical properties, but for the others actual viruses had to be used “We found that more viruses survived in conventional soybean meal, lysine hydrochloride, choline chloride, vitamin D and pork sausage casings,” says Dr Dee. “These results also supported data already published on the risk of transporting PEDv in feed.”

Read research here.