Embrace Peace, Focus on Agriculture; Minister urges Niger Deltans

The Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Heineken Lokpobiri has urged the people of the Niger Delta region to embrace peace and take advantage of the potentials inherent in Agriculture towards generating wealth and promoting economic development.


Vanguard Newspaper reports that Heineken made this statement during the 20th anniversary of Nigerian Agip Oil Company’ Green River Project Farmers Day held at the Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha Banquet Hall in Yenagoa.

According to the Minister, “I appeal to the people of the Niger Delta region to embrace peace and focus on agriculture, stop the destruction of oil and gas pipelines, which only served to destroy the country’s ecosystem and economy”.

Lokpobiri said Nigeria spent an average of $22billion annually on wheat, rice, sugar and fish imports.
While there was an abundance of land available for cultivation to meet the demand of about 170 million consumers in the Nigerian domestic market and the entire West Africa sub region, Nigeria only utilized 10 per cent of the estimated 84 million hectares of arable land, he noted.

He however expressed that the Federal Government was focused on redirecting attention to agriculture in its totality while empowering Nigerians in a productive and sustainable manner, adding that the process which entailed treating agriculture as a business to create wealth and provide employment, will transform Nigeria into a self – sufficient nation, with surplus for export to earn foreign exchange.

ORGANIC FARMING METHODS

No matter how much a man progresses, agriculture is an occupation that was, is and will always be undertaken since it suffices one of the most important basic needs of the population – Food. Hence, technology is added in this field to find ways to increase agricultural production in order to feed the ever growing demand for food due to the drastic increase in population. Therefore, many new ways and methods are being introduced in this field to harvest and cultivate the best quality crops.

Organic farming can be explained as an agricultural method wherein the following techniques are used:

• Crop Rotation: A technique to grow various kinds of crops in the same area, according to different seasons, in a sequential manner
• Green Manure: Refers to the dying plants that are uprooted and stuffed into the soil in order to make them act as a nutrient for the soil to increase its quality
• Biological Pest Control: A method in which living organisms are used to control pests, without or with limited use of chemicals
• Compost: Highly rich in nutrients, this is a recycled organic matter used as a fertilizer in the agricultural farms

The reason why organic agriculture is enforced in many nations is because it minimizes the use of various harmful chemicals that have hazardous effects on crops in the field. Here, there is more focus on using natural ways to enhance the quality of soil and the cultivated crops. Organic agriculture is nothing more than a modernization in agriculture. It is a combination of science, technology and nature. Following are the different methods that combine together to form organic agriculture:

Crop Diversity

Earlier, Monoculture was the only practice used in the agricultural fields wherein only one type of crop was harvested and cultivated in a particular location. However, in the recent world, Polyculture has come into the picture wherein different kinds of crops are harvested and cultivated in order to meet the increasing crop demand and produce the required soil microorganisms.

Soil Management

After the season of cultivation has been conducted, the soil loses its nutrients and becomes less in quality. Rather than using harmful chemicals to enhance this soil, organic agriculture focuses on implementing natural ways to not only increase the health of soil but also keep the nature and human health unharmed. One of the best examples of natural ways to enhance soil is the use of bacteria that is present in animal waste. This bacteria help in making the soil nutrients more productive; much higher as compared to the chemical containing liquids.

Weed Management

“Weed”, in simple words, is nothing but the unwanted plant that grows in agricultural fields. However, in organic agriculture, there is more focus on suppressing the weed rather than eliminating it completely.
The two most widely used weed management techniques are:

• Mulching – a process wherein plastic films are used in order to block the growth of weed
• Mowing and cutting – wherein there is a removal of weeds’ top growth

Controlling other organisms

While certain organisms prove to be beneficial to the health of the agricultural farm, there are many others that hamper the field. Hence, the growth of such organisms needs to be controlled to protect the soil and crops. Out of the long list, following are the three most commonly used and important ways of controlling other organisms in organic agriculture:

Encouraging ladybugs, minute pirate bugs and other such predatory beneficial insects that feast on pests and fly away from the farm.
Using herbicides and pesticides that are natural or contain less chemical
Proper sanitization of the entire farm in order to keep it free from pests
Livestock

There can be no better place for the pet animals to get fresh air, food and a great exercise than the green farm. Since everything is preferred to be in a natural way, just like the animals were used as labor in the earlier times for plowing, organic agriculture encourages the use of domestic animals to increase the sustainability of the farm.

Genetic Modification

Since organic agriculture encourages the use of natural ways to enhance the farm, crops and soil; there is a discouragement of genetically engineered animals and plants. Hence, genetic modification is kept out of this agriculture. However, there is an argument keeping in mind that the pollen present in such modified crops are present in the stock of seeds used for organic agriculture, making it impossible to keep this completely out of this agriculture.

Organic agriculture is being conducted by many countries with the rejection of using techniques and chemicals that harm animals, crops, soil, environment and even the human health. Hence, such a process of agriculture should be encouraged since it acts as a protection shield to all the main factors that form the planet.

biological pest control
compost
crop rotation
green manure
Methods
Organic Farming
Harmful Effects of Molds

The presence of mold in our homes and work places can have serious negative effects on the health of humans. People of any age and state of health can react with allergic reactions to the presence of molds. However, those who already suffer from respiratory ailments have an even greater sensitivity to molds that can cause an increase in the severity of reactions.

The most common reactions to mold exposure include respiratory problems such as sneezing, coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, nose and throat irritation, burning or watery eyes, runny nose, skin rash, headache, or fatigue. Exposure to mold may cause what seems like a constant cold or allergy symptoms. Prolonged exposure to mold can weaken the immune system, thus leaving the body vulnerable to infections.
If the smell of mold exists or those living in the home experience mold related symptoms, track down and remove the source of moisture and the mold itself as soon as possible. Serious mold contamination may require professional removal.

Specialized Landscape Companies

Many homes, offices, hotels, factories and commercial premises have a garden attached to them, which is a place for relaxation and also adds a touch of greenery to the surroundings. Many home owners and commercial premises spend large amounts on designing and developing the interiors of the offices and homes. To complement these homes and offices, the property owners would like the garden to be suitable designed with plants and garden accents selected appropriately. Since most homes and businesses lack the necessary in house expertise for landscaping their premises, they hire the services of specialized landscape companies

Climate change action needs to focus on small-scale farmers

 

  Investing in small-scale farmers pays off (Photo: CC0)

More efforts to support small-scale farmers are needed if we want to achieve food security in a changing climate. This was the message of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) at the UN climate conference COP22 which concluded on Friday in Marrakech. According to IFAD president Kanayo F. Nwanze, small-scale farmers are not only responsible for the bulk of food production in developing countries, but also face some of the worst threats to their own food security. „Where do the poorest and hungriest live? In developing countries. Which areas are the most abundant agriculturally? Rural areas.

What is their main activity? Smallscale agriculture,“ Nwanze said in an interview with the British newspaper The Guardian. „We are looking at about 500 million small farms worldwide catering for up to 3 billion people on our planet. So, if you want to achieve zero hunger you must focus: these people are our clients.

They are also often neglected and forgotten.“ Although the Paris climate agreement recognises the importance of food security for the first time, and the Marrakech Action Proclamation calls on all parties to „ensure food security and to take stringent action to deal with climate change challenges in agriculture”, farming and small-scale farmers in particular, did not take centre stage at the Marrakech climate talks.

Thomson Reuters Foundation reports that development agencies had hoped for the establishment of a work plan on agriculture that would include concrete assistance measures for small-scale farmers. However, such a plan was put off. José Graziano da Silva, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization, was also disappointed: „This lack of progress on agricultural issues puts at risk efforts to help farmers adapt to climate change and meet a global goal to end hunger by 2030, the FAO chief was quoted by Thomson Reuters Foundation.

A recent IFAD report showed that investing in climate adaptation for smallholder farmers would also pay big financial returns. For each dollar invested in smallholder agriculture, farmers could earn a return of up to $2.60 over a 20 year period by applying climate change adaptation practices. The report, released by IFAD on 9 November, demonstrates that widespread adoption of agricultural practices in the production of major staples could help farmers adapt to climate change, increase food security and reduce emissions. Among the most promising agricultural practices outlined in the report is alternate wetting and drying (AWD) in rice production. AWD consists of repeated interruptions of flooding during the season, causing the water level to decline as the upper soil layer dries out, before subsequent re-flooding. This practice increases the efficiency in water usage, offers stable yields and brings a significant reduction in methane emissions, the report said

2000m²: Take a look at your share of gobal food and land!

If we were to divide the total global surface area of arable land by the number of people living on the planet, each person would get 2000m². It is on this piece of land that everything Mother Earth supplies you with must grow: wheat, rice, potatoes, fruit, vegetables, oil, sugar… not to mention all the animal feed that does not stem from meadows and pastures. Visit the website of this new ARC2020 project to find out what your 2000m² would look like if they were to represent the global situation and to learn how much tomatoes, cabbages, carrots, wheat and potatoes could be grown on your field. www.2000m2.eu

Agroecology: Voices from social movements

 A movement is growing. While agroecology has been practiced for millennia in diverse places around the world, today we are witnessing the mobilisation of transnational social movements to build, defend and strengthen agroecology as the pathway towards a most just, sustainable and viable food and agriculture system. Created as part of a research project at Coventry University, explores the meaning, practice and politics of agroecology from a social movement perspective.

Food experts urge global shift towards agroecology

Input-intensive crop monocultures and industrial-scale feedlots must be consigned to the past in order to put global food systems onto a sustainable track, according to a team of experts on food security, agro- ecosystems and nutrition. The solution is to diversify agriculture and reorient it around ecological practices, whether the starting point is highly-industrialized agriculture or subsistence farming in the world’s poorest countries, they argue. The International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food), led by former UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Olivier De Schutter, published its findings in the report From uniformity to diversity. The authors call for diversified agroecological systems. We have summarised the main messages of the report.

One year into the SDGs: Goals for a world without hunger and poverty

9/16: 25 September marked the first anniversary of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. One year ago, the 193 UN Member States adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a set of 169 targets that aim to end poverty and hunger in all their forms by 2030 while protecting the environment. Eliminating hunger is a key issue of the new post-2015 agenda. Goal 2 promises to „end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture”. It contains targets on ending hunger and malnutrition by 2030, doubling the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale farmers, ensuring sustainable food production systems and resilient agricultural practices, and maintaining the genetic diversity of seeds, plants and animals.

New Landmatrix report shows scale of the global land rush

10/16: Since the year 2000, foreign investors have acquired 26.7 million hectares of land around the globe for agriculture, with Africa being the most affected continent. This means that around 2 per cent of the arable land worldwide, or roughly the equivalent to an area the size of the United Kingdom and Slovenia together, has been transferred into the hands of foreign investors. That is the message of a new report released by the Landmatrix, an independent initiative that collects and evaluates data on large-scale land acquisitions. The report can be downloaded here.

Farming Matters: Making the case for Agroecology

9/16: This issue of Farming Matters explores innovative ways to show that agroecology provides critical solutions to the challenges of our time. Agroecology is gaining recognition for its potential to address climate change, biodiversity loss and malnutrition, and there are many successful example.

However, to garner the necessary support in policy and practice, looking differently at ‘progress’, ‘performance’ or ‘success’ of farming and food systems is key.

As agroecology can have impact at many levels, conventional indicators such as yield per hectare of a single crop no longer suffice. The experiences, opinions, and perspectives featured in this issue demonstrate how farmers, researchers, policy makers and consumers are using new lenses to track change.

Some authors point out that evidence alone is not enough to achieve an agroecological transition, and that the ‘movement’ dimension of agroecology is crucial.

New brochure: IAASTD findings and recommendations for future farming

Business as usual is not an option, if we want to reduce hunger and poverty, improve rural livelihoods and achieve environmentally, socially and economically sustainable development for all. This was the message of the “International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development” (IAASTD). The new brochure “Agriculture at a Crossroads” presents the report’s main findings with updated facts and figures, charts and maps and the latest scientific insights. The 52-page-brochure covers topics such as hunger and health, meat and animal feed, industrial and small-scale farming, agroecology, climate and energy, soil fertility and land grabbing. It connects the IAASTD’s findings to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and contains an interview with IAASTD co-chair Hans Herren.
Download the brochure here.