The African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) has been awarded a $24.6 million grant by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for the commercialisation of insect-resistant and drought-tolerant maize in Sub-Saharan Africa. A statement issued by AATF said the fund complements the ongoing $5 million commitment by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to the project. According to it, the new maize had been enhanced through biotechnology to improve drought tolerance as well as resist insect attacks. “The new maize hybrids (branded as TELA® maize) have been enhanced through biotechnology to improve their drought tolerance and ability to resist attacks by insects. …
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
ByStuart Smyth The Global Cassava Partnerships for the 21st Century (GCP21) has called for urgent regional approach to halt the spread of cassava mosaic disease (CMD) that is threatening cassava production in Southeast Asia—a region that accounts for about 55 million tons of cassava and host billions of dollars in cassava investment. CIAT and national partners through extensive field surveys and stakeholder interaction in the region have confirmed that CMD was officially present in 6 provinces of Cambodia and 2 provinces of southern Vietnam. In a communique issued today, Dr Claude Fauquet, immediate past Director for the GCP21, said the proposal…
ByStuart Smyth In mid-June 2018, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) reported that a few GM wheat plants had been detected in southern Alberta, amounting to no more than a handful of seeds. Using Canada’s science-based risk assessment system, the CFIA clearly stated, “[t]here is also no evidence that this wheat has entered the food or animal feed system, nor is it present anywhere else in the environment. Health Canada and the CFIA have performed risk assessments of this finding, and have concluded that it does not pose a food safety, animal feed, or environmental risk.” END OF STORY, RIGHT? Nothing…
Unhealthy commodities (including ultra-processed foods, soft drinks, tobacco and alcohol) are important risk factors for many chronic noncommunicable diseases. 60 to 65% of all deaths globally are caused by noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and diabetes. This amounts to 34.5 million of 52.8 million total deaths (in 2010). The World Health Organization indicates that 80% of heart disease, strokes, and type 2 diabetes could be prevented by eliminating the major risk factors including tobacco, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol use. Death is not the only consequence of using unhealthy commodities. Noncommunicable diseases…
Residents of Agoro Community in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa state, Nigeria on Monday berated the poor and slow response to an oil spill from shell’s oilfield in the area. They appealed to the Federal and Bayelsa state governments to come to their aid over the spill as well as compel Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) to respond to their plight. The community alleged that several weeks after the spill that destroyed and polluted their farmlands and waterways early in May 2018, Shell had yet to commence clean-up in the impacted areas. The Secretary of Agoro Community Development Committee, Justin…
Nigerian Government says it would commence artificial insemination of cattle at its different research institutes and centres to aid multiplication of cows and increase milk production in the country. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh said while speaking with youths at a ‘Leadership Clinic’ organised by the Guardians of the Nation International (GOTNI) in Abuja that the move would kick-start a programme known as ‘Milk River Project’ which the government was planning to launch soon. He said the insemination would require the importation of semen from countries like Europe and Brazil to inject into local cows to…
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN)says there has been a drop in the electricity generated into the national grid by a total of 1,087.6Mega Watts of Power. According to a statement by Mrs Ndidi Mbah TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs in Abuja on Sunday, the drop in electricity generated into the national grid was resulting in load shedding nationwide. TCN said the load shedding was necessary to maintain stability of the grid. According toTCN, the sharp drop of power generated was occasioned by gas pipeline rupture on June 15, and technical issues at the Shell gas wells on June 16.…
Chinese researchers have identified a gene that may cause neurological disorders. Primary familial brain calcification (PFBC) is a neurological disease, with high incidence among the elderly, while symptoms include difficulty in walking and speaking. The study was done by researchers from the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, the Institute of Neuroscience and State Key Neuroscience Laboratory, the latter two with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. They identified a new causal gene, MYORG, which encodes a protein composed of 714 amino acids. After experiments on mice, the gene was found to be recessive, while other known PFBC genes are…
Children in UK have consumed more than a year’s worth of sugar in less than six months, public health figures showed. While four-to-ten-year-olds should not have more than the equivalent of five to six sugar cubes per day, they are consuming 13 on average, according to data from the latest National Diet and Nutrition Survey. This means children will have around 4,760 cubes of sugar by the end of the year — more than double the maximum recommendation. Too much sugar is blamed for high obesity rates in children and dental decay. The British Department for Health agency is urging…
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Sunday called on the Federal Government to establish a national institute for the promotion of herbal medicine in Nigeria. The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof Moji Adeyeye made the call in an interview with a correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. He explained that traditional medicine was too important to be ignored in the healing process and promotion of healthy living. She said that several meetings had been held with stakeholders on how to promote herbal medicine in the country. “Government should support the idea…