WOMEN IN AG: WHY ARE SWEET POTATO BEDS UNDER WATER?

Mother Nature dropped up to 10 inches of rain over parts of our state within a 36-hour period this week, causing creeks and rivers to overflow their banks. Many houses and fields along those waterways are now under water.

Sweet potatoes have been bedded in the field since the end of March. Every year, farmers bed “seed” sweet potatoes in the field. The seed potatoes will sprout, and those sprouts, or slips, will be cut and transplanted to the field in May and June. The sweet potatoes grown from those slips are harvested in the fall.

The beds are often cut twice. One acre of beds will produce enough sprouts to plant approximately 40 acres of harvestable sweet potatoes.

These photos tell part of the story. The two red circles highlight irrigation reels in the field that, along with the sweet potato beds, have been under water since Monday.
What can farmers in this situation do?

1. Rebed.

If the weather forecast for the next week holds and we don’t get any more rain, farmers could possibly get in the field to rebed the land next week. One challenge is there aren’t any seed potatoes left, so farmers will need to bed number ones. These are larger potatoes that are usually sold fresh (what you buy at the grocery store).  A number one won’t produce as many sprouts, and you can only cut that bed once. Instead of getting 40 acres of plants, they only average 15 acres.

       2.  Buy slips from other farmers.

Not only will the farmer incur the loss of investment in their own beds, they will have the expense of buying slips someone else has grown.

Speaking of investment loss, it’s important to realize most insurance policies do not cover bedded sweet potatoes.

It’s too soon to know the impact these rains will have on this year’s crop. The damage doesn’t seem to be widespread, but for those farmers impacted, it’s another challenge Mother Nature has dealt them early in the growing season. BY HEAHER BARNES.

GRAINS-U.S CORN, SOYABEANS EASE AS FARMERS EYE PLANTING WINDOW.

CHICAGO, April 28 (Reuters) - U.S. corn and soybean futures
fell on Friday on the prospect of dry weather for key Midwest
production areas in early May which would give farmers access to
fields during a crucial planting window, traders said.

Wheat futures were hovering closed to unchanged, with some
end-of-week profit-taking pulling prices from their highest in
more than a week despite concerns about a cold snap in the U.S.
Plains threatening to damage maturing crops.

Corn futures notched the biggest declines, sagging 1.6
percent as the weather view, if realized, would allow farmers to
seed most of their corn crop before mid-May. Farmers that seed
corn after that point risk a reduction in yield.

But heavy rains were expected this weekend.

"Nearly week of drying ahead then allows recovery in most of
Midwest, limits risk for standing water in corn/wheat,"
Commodity Weather Group said in a note to clients.

At 10:35 a.m. CDT (1535 GMT), Chicago Board of Trade July
corn futures were down 5-3/4 cents at $3.63-1/2 a bushel.
Corn futures were down 0.1 percent for the week.

Heavy deliveries against the CBOT May corn contract
indicating an abundance of supplies, added pressure to corn
futures.

CBOT July soybean futures were 3-3/4 cents lower at
$9.53-1/2 a bushel and on track for a weekly loss of 0.8
percent.

CBOT July wheat futures were 1-1/2 cents lower at
$4.29-3/4 a bushel. Prices topped out at $4.34-1/2, their
highest since April 20. The contract has risen 2.2 percent so
far this week, which would be the biggest weekly rally for wheat
in 11 weeks.

"There is adverse cold weather for the U.S. winter wheat
crop reflected in the price action today," said Kaname Gokon
from Tokyo brokerage Okato Shoji.

Low temperatures in north-central Kansas are expected to be
in the mid to upper 20s (Fahrenheit), according to the Commodity
Weather Group, potentially damaging for hard red winter wheat in
the biggest producing state.

The chilly weather in the U.S. Plains has added resonance to
spring weather concerns in western Europe, where crops have
faced frost in the past week on top of dry conditions, notably
in France.BY MARK WEINRAUB.

IMBIBITIONAL CHILLING CONCERN THROUGHOUT MIDWEST.

Corn planting is under way throughout much of the Midwest. The weekly USDA Weekly Crop Progress Report showed the 2017 corn planting pace behind average at 17%.
The pace may fall further behind average with the forecast calling for above-normal rainfall and below-normal temperatures over the next 10 days or so (through the first week of May), says Emerson Nafziger, University of Illinois Extension agronomist.

ILLINOIS CORN PLANTING PACE PULLS U.S. CLOSE TO AVERAGE

“Above-normal growing degree day (GDD) accumulations have meant fast emergence for corn,” says Nafziger. “In central and southern Illinois, corn planted by April 19 accumulated, by April 25 or 26, the 115 or so GDD required to emerge. With lower temperatures expected over the next 10 days, corn planted on April 25 or 26 may take almost twice as many days to emerge as corn planted in mid-April.”

The forecast is similar for much of the rest of the Midwest. “There is a big rain event predicted for parts of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and southern Illinois,” says Al Kluis, Kluis Commodities. “Some predictions call for up to 10 inches of rain.”

In Iowa, much of the state soil temperatures have reached 50°F., but soil temperatures could drop with the cold weather, says Mark Licht, Iowa State Extension cropping systems specialist.

“This is of concern because the impact from imbibitional chilling could have a big impact on corn yield potential,” says Licht. “Imbibition is the process by which seeds absorb water to initiate germination. The critical time period is 24 to 36 hours after planting.”

Imbibitional chilling injury can happen when the water available to the corn seed has a temperature in the lower 40s or less, says Nafziger. “Uptake of cold water damages membranes, and this in turn may cause abnormal seedling development and failure to emerge.”

Is your corn at risk?

“If the corn seed can take up some warmer water before soil (and water) temperatures drop, we often see less injury or none at all,” says Nafziger.

Corn planted early this week should be out of danger. “Corn planted on April 25 or 26 may be at risk, but rain that fell on April 26 (in Illinois) was not very cold, and with air temperatures expected to rebound into the 70s the last two days of April, along with the (warmer) rain that’s predicted, we hope not to see much of this problem from this round of weather,” explains Nafziger.
Saturated soils will be another concern for many the next few days.

“Seeds that are starting to germinate need oxygen, and will usually not survive the low oxygen levels in saturated soils for more than a couple of days,” says Nafziger. “They will survive longer if soil temperatures are cool, both because that slows growth and lowers oxygen demand, and also because cool water carries more oxygen into the soil. If soils start to dry off early next week, survival will be a concern mostly where water stands.”

Young seedlings have the advantage of having roots that might find pockets with more oxygen, but they still depend on seed reserves to grow, especially if it’s cool and cloudy, and before leaves have much green area, says Nafziger. “These reserves are mostly used up by the time the plant has two leaves, and diseases can invade the endosperm, especially in cool, wet soils.”

Seedlings can be expected to live for three to four days if they are submerged, and a few days longer than that if only the roots are in saturated soil. If plants remain alive, chances for seedlings to revive and thrive increase considerably once oxygen gets to the roots again.

“If the weather remains cool, emergence and growth will be quite slow even if it does eventually dry up enough to resume planting,” says Nafziger. “So warmer temperatures will help both to dry things out and to get the planted crop growing.” BY KACEY BIRCHMIER.

FAYOS EURGES GOVERNMENT TO DECLARE EMERGENCY ON AGRIC.

The Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, wants the Federal Government to declare an emergency on the agriculture sector to achieve its aim of diversification and fighting hunger in the land.

Fayose, while declaring open a four-day agricultural summit, organised by the state government in Ado Ekiti said states are financially handicapped to invest heavily in the sector.

Fayose, who said the step became imperative in view of the dwindling revenues from the oil sector, charged the Federal Government to devote more funds to agriculture, especialy in food production to encourage more Nigerians to farming.

Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh and the founder of Afe Babalola University, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), said the country could only have economic breakthrough only if serious investment was done in agric.


In Fayose’s words: “The Federal Government should declare emergency in the agriculture sector, even there must be a bailout fund for the agriculture sector. What Nigerians need is food on their tables.

“It is sad that the state government can’t diversify again because they are financially incapacitated, so the Federal Government must come to our aid, they must bail the people out. If emergency is declared in the sector and people are attracted to farming, they can use the gains to run around and better their lives.”

Fayose counseled the Federal Government to also do more by way of increasing electricity generation in the country and in provision of storage facilities to add value to agricultural products.
He urged the traditional rulers and the residents of the state to join in the fight against illegal tree fellers, saying the government is losing huge amount through the illicit practice.

Ogbeh, who was represented by the Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture in Ekiti, Dr. Ladipo Kolade, noted that the country was prosperous during the period when agriculture was the backbone of the economy.

He said: “During these years, we can boast of good investment in groundnut, cocoa and palm oil. They were resources of our foreign earnings; there was pride and economic boom until things changed for bad.
“But President Muhammadu Buhari’s government is supporting the
farmers through the CBN agricultural loan disbursement scheme. About 94,972 farmers are to benefit under this scheme in the 2016 budget”, he said.

Babalola called for 50 percent reduction in school fees for agric related courses in the Nigeria universities, to encourage youths in acquiring professional skillsin business of food production. BY MUYIWA ADEYEMI.

FAYOSE NEEDS TO INVEST IN AGRICULTURE

EKITI State Governor Ayo Fayose has been advised to invest in agriculture to boost food production, tackle hunger and create jobs for youths.

A socio-cultural organisation, the Achievers Group, which made the call, said: “It is not acceptable that Ekiti people should complain of hunger when the state is capable of providing enough food to feed the nation.”

A statement yesterday by its President, Femi Jegede and Publicity Secretary, Raphael Adeyanju, noted that government should replicate the success in education by devoting same time and energy it gave education to agriculture.

“We are confident  Governor Fayose can use agriculture as a tool for tackling the  food crisis facing our nation, using Ekiti State as a starting point. BY ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA.

FAYOSE TO FG:DECLARE STATE OF EMERGENCY 0N AGRICULTURE-NOT IN EKITI

Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, on Tuesday urged the federal government to declare state of emergency in the agriculture sector.


Speaking in Ado Ekiti, capital of his state, while declaring open the 2016 Ekiti Agriculture Summit, Fayose said doing so would boost government’s commitment to the diversification of the economy.
The governor said the step was also imperative in view of the dwindling revenue from the oil sector, adding that the federal government should devote more funds to the sector.

He lamented the economic downturn that has led to the inability of states to pay workers, pointing out that none of the 36 states could solely fund agriculture without the intervention of the federal government.

“The federal government should declare emergency in the agriculture sector, even there must be a bailout fund for the agriculture sector,” he said.

“What Nigerians need is food on their tables. It is sad that the state governments can’t diversify again because they are financially incapacitated, so the federal government must come to our aid, they must bail the sector out.

“If emergency is declared in the sector and people are attracted to farming, they can use the gains to run around and better their lives. The federal government should declare a state of emergency in agriculture. Not a state of emergency that you want to remove the governor. We must use the power given to us by the constitution for the people and not against the people.”

Fayose also urged the federal government to do more in boosting electricity generation in the country as well as provide storage facilities to add value to agricultural products.

“Some of the farm products cannot be processed into finished goods because of epileptic power supply and our farmers are losing a chunk of their resources because of lack of storage facilities,” he said.

“The federal government must please address this.”
He said no teacher should engage students in private farming acting activities, noting that those caught in the past had been pardoned.

Also speaking at the summit, Audu Ogbeh, minister of agriculture, who was represented by Ladipo Kolade, director, federal ministry of Agriculture in Ekiti, said the sector was now being taken seriously as in the past.

“During these years, we could boast of good investment in groundnut, cocoa and palm oil,” he said.
They were resources of our foreign earnings, there was pride and economic boom until things changed for the bad.

“But President Muhammadu Buhari’s government is supporting the farmers through the CBN agricultural loan scheme.
“No fewer than 94,972 farmers are to benefit under the loan scheme in the 2016 budget alone.
“We want to improve agric business in Nigeria for us to move forward as a nation.”

Afe Babalola, erudite lawyer, called for 50 percent reduction in agriculture-related courses in Nigerian universities to encourage youths in acquiring professional skills in agricultural production.
He said Afe Babalola University, which he founded, had begun encouraging young people to venture into agriculture by slashing tuition fee for students offering agriculture.

Babalola added that politics should not be made more profitable than farming and other professions. BY THECABLE.NG

THE IMPORTANCE OF AGRICULTURE

PERSPECTIVE -- Civilization began with agriculture. When our nomadic ancestors began to settle and grow their own food, human society was forever changed. Not only did villages, towns and cities begin to flourish, but so did knowledge, the arts and the technological sciences.

And for most of history, society's connection to the land was intimate. Human communities, no matter how sophisticated, could not ignore the importance of agriculture. To be far from dependable sources of food was to risk malnutrition and starvation.

In modern times, however, many in the urban world have forgotten this fundamental connection. Insulated by the apparent abundance of food that has come from new technologies for the growing, transportation and storage of food, humanity's fundamental dependence on agriculture is often overlooked.

The upcoming World Food Summit serves as an important opportunity to reconsider the fundamental importance of agriculture - and the degree to which the global and independent nature of human society today requires a re-thinking of our attitudes and approaches to world food production and distribution.

Scheduled to be held from 13-17 November in Rome, the Summit seeks a renewal of an international commitment made in 1974 to eradicate "the most basic problem of mankind: food insecurity." The pledge was made at the first World Food Conference, which recognized that all people have a right to an adequate diet. Governments agreed to end hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity within a decade.

Since that resolution, progress toward food security has been made. In many nations, agricultural production has increased, food purchasing power has risen, and diets have improved.
However, advancement has been far from even. In 88 countries, a significant portion of the population - some 800 million people worldwide - continue to suffer from deficient diets. What is more, the drive toward food security has slowed in recent years. The rate of growth in agricultural production is declining; world grain reserves have fallen to record lows; the demand for imported grain is increasing; and commitments of aid to agricultural development have decreased. This against a backdrop of expanding world population, intensifying demands on agricultural resources, and a growing recognition that the agri-food system is not sustainable.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which is sponsoring the Summit, has expressed "deep concern" regarding the current and future status of the world's agri-food system, and called for immediate action at the national and international levels to attack the "root causes" of persistent food insecurity.

But what are the "root causes" of food insecurity? What policies and actions will contribute to eradicating food insecurity everywhere?

While there are obviously significant environmental and technical causes of food shortages, more significant are the underlying social causes. By many accounts, overall world food production is currently enough to provide everyone with a healthy and well balanced diet.

Yet fractured and unjust social systems, armed conflict, and narrowly nationalistic attitudes contribute greatly to inadequacies in food production, transportation, storage and distribution. It is no coincidence that nations suffering most from chronic malnutrition and food insecurity are also the most disrupted by war or civil strife.

Effective and lasting solutions to problems related to food insecurity will be found in policies and actions that pay adequate attention to those processes of development that aim primarily toward strengthening the human fabric of communities and revitalizing their institutions.

In talks and letters made some 80 years ago, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the son of the Founder of the Bahá'í Faith, outlined a bold vision for a unified global society that, rather than side-stepping the fundamental importance of agriculture, upholds the central importance of the farmer, the local community and its governing institutions in providing for the health and well-being of all of the members of society.

In this vision, spiritually motivated individuals contribute to strong families, organizations, corporations, administrative institutions and communities, animated by a new global ethic founded on universal spiritual principles such as unity, justice, equity, moderation and peacefulness. As working principles, these spiritual qualities enhance social cohesion.

More significantly, in relation to the question of food security, 'Abdu'l-Baha indicated that solutions to socioeconomic problems begin at the village level. "The fundamental basis of community is agriculture, tillage of the soil," 'Abdu'l-Bahá said in 1912.

He advocated the establishment of community-based, elected institutions responsible for the development and regulation of resources, for social services, and for investment. Decision-making would be carried out through an enhanced consultative process involving all-inclusive participation of community members and the open, frank, and courteous airing of views. A full and fair consultative process contributes to community ownership of development. Participatory processes that are "owned" by the community are more effective, leading to self-reliance rather than dependency.

This vision goes beyond the prescription to "think globally, act locally." For while it emphasizes the proper development of the individual's intellectual, physical and spiritual capacities and his or her actions as the key to community revitalization, it also promotes the kind of institutions and systems of governance that are necessary to connect the individual and his or her actions firmly to a global and interdependent civilization. The impulse toward globalism is more than merely a state of mind.

This vision promotes an ethic of human solidarity that implies the precedence of the general welfare of humanity over national, racial, class, gender, and personal interests. The alleviation of human suffering becomes a universal goal, regardless of where that suffering occurs. Accordingly, effective global institutions are required to manage fair and equitable trade arrangements, equitably allocate resources, and ensure that prosperity is shared. These principles ensure that effective and appropriate technical solutions to food insecurity are developed and shared with those nations and people most in need.

For Bahá'ís, a community is more than the sum of its members. It is a comprehensive unit of civilization composed of individuals, families, and institutions that are originators and encouragers of systems, agencies, and organizations that work together with a common purpose for the welfare of people both within and beyond its own borders.
Ultimately, it is only through enhanced processes of social development which recognize the fundamental value of spiritual principles in education, community organization, and the application of technology that true food security can be established. It is necessarily a long term solution, but lays a firm foundation for a sustainable and secure food supply for all. NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

EUROPE'S MEAT AND DAIRY FARMING VULNERABLE AS CLIMATE CHANGE WORSENS WATER SCARCITY.

ROME, April 26 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Water scarcity
half a world away caused by climate change could push up prices
for meat and diary products in Europe by disrupting supplies of
soybean, which is widely used as feed for livestock, researchers
said Wednesday.

The European Union sources most soybean from outside the
28-nation bloc - mainly from Argentina, Brazil and the United
States, according to an EU-funded study by Dutch-based NGO Water
Footprint Network (WFN).

But 57 percent of soybean imports are from regions that are
highly vulnerable to water scarcity, exposing Europe to possible
shocks in supply, said Ertug Ercin, the study's co-author.

"The highest risk that the European meat and dairy sector
will face due to climate change and weather extremes lies
outside its borders," he said in a statement.

About two thirds of the global population already live in
areas experiencing water scarcity at least one month a year,
according to the United Nations.

The problem is set to intensify with global warming, which
is expected to affect rain patterns and cause more frequent
droughts, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) says.

Water in soybean farming areas could become insufficient
leading to lower production and higher prices, which would push
up costs of meat and dairy products in Europe, Ercin said.

Imports of other products like rice, sugar cane, cotton,
almonds, pistachios and grapes could be similarly affected,
according to the report.

"The EU's economy is dependent on the availability of water
in other parts of the world for many crops," said Christopher
Briggs, WFN executive director. "That makes it vulnerable to
increasing water scarcity and drought." BY UMBETO BACCHI

BUHARI TASKS NIGER DELTA YOUTHS ON AGRICULTURE.

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the people of the Niger Delta region to shun illegal pipeline vandalisation and oil theft and seek wealth creation through peace and focus on agriculture for sustainable economic development and wealth creation.

President Buhari,who was represented by the Minister of state for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, made the appeal yesterday at the 20th anniversary of Nigerian Agip Oil Company’s Green River Project Farmers Day in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, also urged them to take advantage of the huge potential in agriculture and stop the destruction of oil and gas pipelines which only served to destroy the country’s ecosystem and economy.

According to President Buhari said, “I wish to acknowledge the unrelenting efforts of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, who in their bid to prove that oil production and agriculture can coexist, has for the past 29 years supported their host communities to focus on agriculture through the GRP, a corporate social responsibility initiative which has resulted in sustainable development in these communities.

I appeal to the people of the Niger Delta region to embrace peace and focus on agriculture for sustainable economic development and wealth creation. I urge you to take advantage of the huge potential in agriculture and stop the destruction of oil and gas pipelines which only serve to destroy our ecosystem and economy.”

“The present administration is committed to doing everything possible to support the people of the Niger Delta to achieve their potential in agriculture which is far more than its endowments in oil and gas.”

PMB said the focus of his administration was to redirect attention to agriculture in its entirety and empower Nigerians in a productive and sustainable manner.
He said the process entailed treating agriculture as a business to create wealth and provide employment and take the country from being an import dependent country to a self – sufficient nation with surplus for export to earn foreign exchange. NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.

BUHARI TASKS N/DELTA YOUTHS ON AGRICULTURE.

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the people of the Niger Delta region to shun illegal pipeline vandalisation and oil theft and seek wealth creation through peace and focus on agriculture for sustainable economic development and wealth creation.

President Buhari,who was represented by the Minister of state for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, made the appeal yesterday at the 20th anniversary of Nigerian Agip Oil Company’s Green River Project Farmers Day in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, also urged them to take advantage of the huge potential in agriculture and stop the destruction of oil and gas pipelines which only served to destroy the country’s ecosystem and economy.

According to President Buhari said, “I wish to acknowledge the unrelenting efforts of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company, who in their bid to prove that oil production and agriculture can coexist, has for the past 29 years supported their host communities to focus on agriculture through the GRP, a corporate social responsibility initiative which has resulted in sustainable development in these communities.

I appeal to the people of the Niger Delta region to embrace peace and focus on agriculture for sustainable economic development and wealth creation. I urge you to take advantage of the huge potential in agriculture and stop the destruction of oil and gas pipelines which only serve to destroy our ecosystem and economy.”

“The present administration is committed to doing everything possible to support the people of the Niger Delta to achieve their potential in agriculture which is far more than its endowments in oil and gas.”

PMB said the focus of his administration was to redirect attention to agriculture in its entirety and empower Nigerians in a productive and sustainable manner.

He said the process entailed treating agriculture as a business to create wealth and provide employment and take the country from being an import dependent country to a self – sufficient nation with surplus for export to earn foreign exchange. NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.