Tuesday, Ju ly 5, 2011
TH ISDAY, Vo l. 16, No. 5916, Page 41
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BusinessWORLD
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'FAO 's Fit for 21st Century Challenges' E:~~~;~~w~~::
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s part of ils :nivities 10 achieve food secJrity for nil and making sure people have regu1..- IICD.!SS 10 enough highquality food 10 leal :nive, healthy lives, the Food and Agriculture Organisat ion (FAD) has declared its n-adiness to rombat dtal lenges to uni vcrsaJ food So:luity for lhe 21 Sl emtu'Y. 1lle Director GenernJ, FAD, Dr. Jacques [)jouf :lItributoo this stnlt..'OlCflt by the organismion to the tn.tyor refonn of lhe ~ani slltion which he implemented during his tmule
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siru 199-1 has mlrle it leaner, more focused and filler for the 21st Centu!),. He said this while addressing the 37th Session of the FAO Conference, tetmoo the Qilrent reform process, whidl follO'M a comprehensi\'e independent extt'flllll evaluation , as ·one of Ihe most profound and comprehensive reronns in the hislOl)' of the whole Unlla:!. Nations system". According to him , tocfuy's FAD is completcly d irrerenl Iiom the one which
dectcd him as its head 18 years ago. In his woros, "It is "horizontal , nalh!f'lllid liSS hieran:hicd; a slmaure thal is results-based wilh stronger oGnuntability and a grealer delegation of authority both al healquar1M and in decenlmlised offices·. He said hIS objcctive when he took office in JilIlUary 1994 was to tr..lSfonn the Ol'6anisation :JIld rerocus its woO;: so it rould not only med the chalImges of the post cold w:tr eru but also ~ter serve mefnber nations and the
IITA, Pa.rtners Ta.ckle Aflatoxin in Africa nt<!lJUillonai Inst ilute 00' Tropical Agriculture ( IITA} aud ils panners ha\ e launched a proJCCI seeking to provide f.mncn with a 1l;J(urn\, safe, and ..'O~t ·effecti ve solution \0 prevent oonlwninllliOIl of mailr and p~anut by a deadly ClIlCd'-atusing poison, alIaltl;un. in II bid to impK)\'c Ih~ he.1hh Wld inromt" of families in Nigeria Mel Kenya. It is funded by the Bill & Meliuda Gates FouOOalon . AfilllOXIIl IS produn:d by a fungus scientifical ly known as Aspexillus rl uvus. 110wever, 001 all Sll~ns of the fungus produa: lhe: 'OXillS. The proja.'1 ·s biocontml tedll1ology inuoduces 5tl1.liliS of the nOl1 - l o.~jc fungw. or lhe good guys,' III the affa.1ed fields v.hlch outoompel:e and reduce lile popul;;tion of the loxic ones, or lhe b:td guys' dr.JStically reducing cofllamins· lion. Wilson Songa, AgrirulturJl Secret:uy in Kenya's tvlinisll), of AgriOJhulC who was also the guCSt of honour 111 the Iwnch . welCOJnl!d lhe initiillive saying Kenya II«lIcd it like )'cSterrlay following I1::l%nt losSo!S of lives and millions of tonne'll of mai« 10 aflatoxin COfIt3minalion. '·Ie said Iha the KaJyWl gO\'anmeJII would work dosely wilh the learn to ensure the project was II ~tJalCSS :vxI the techoology getS 10 the uffCCle.d fannas quickl y. "Kcoya has become I) hotspo! of aflar.Q)un contamifllllion. S i oce~, netI". Iy 150 people died afiere31ing colllaminatcd maize. Last )'t"aI' we had 2.3 million bags of maize contaminated. Cum:ntly \\'C have 60,000 90 kgs b.'lgS of infCited maize rlOI oilly laking up stOl'ilge but lire also II problan 10 dispose. It is a nighlmare," he snid. 'This laund! should ha..·c been yesteniay!" Paula Orrulld, IlTA Depuly Director Gencml, Rcsearch for D.!vdopment, said thai. h:Jd worked for many yeatS to dC\'dop a biocontrol solution for afla-
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lOX III and wus plea<ic!d (0 be pan of this exciting project which would SO! il re::dl the iamcrs. '11us projtO willtllkc our b,ocomrol product, rommen.ialize ii , and make it avwlrlllie (0 farmers . \\~ II:l\'e worked on it for many yQl'S. ICSted it in many fidds in Nigeria :nd we an: pleased with ils effectiveness." she aid. "And wc are oplimistic it WIll help faoneJS ." She thanked the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for their suppan , and PetCl" Cony fiom the United Stales lJefxIrtmenl of Agriculture ( USDA), for shanng on lhe aperieno: in the US nnd hi s oolhbor~ion aM commitment 10 the projen . Prem Warnor. a senior ProgrJIII Offiea from the Bill & Melinda Gales Foundlllioll, said :llb:oxin imp3ded negallvely on human health and was II h<I'ner 10 Ir.de wKl o:ol"lomic . glOv.1h. 'Todny we have an oppor. lunity to do something about it (afhuoxins). This projca is a sholt lerm devd opmem 51nuegy 10 t<:lil lhe technology and IC:lIlI on product. devdoprntrlt issues. \\~ 1m'C oonfidet1O! in Ihc technology but how "'C will oommacialize it and who are our cUStomers?" he said. Aaing Executive Dim;.1or of African Agricu lw re Tcchnology Foundlllion (AA1F) JacDb Mignouna. noted that: malzt: was an important staple food ror 300 million people depending on the crop so its oontamination was of great oon=>. Dirt:d.or uf Kenya Agnrulturul Research (KARl) Organizalion Ephraim Mukisita was happy to note the speed !11 which the diSQJssions 011
aflllfoxin \\'trC moving fiom
the boardroom down 10 where the problem was. Ranajit BandyopadhYllY, lITA's plant p:uhologist. \VIt5 also happy wi th tbe opportunity accooJed by the pr0ject 10 Itdde an old problan with many partners and suppot, of BMGF. He said the proje:1 was adding \'IlIue to previous investments in bioamtrol. '~le pro~ will
suppon the firtal siage of commtrt'H!liZlllion of 'Af)asafe' in Nigeria and the select ion of the most dfoclive str.Jins, development of a biocomrol produa and gliIhcring of effica::y dla in. Kenya."
asked d~ to appfO\'e a 4.6 increase fOi the 2012-20 13 biennium 10 SI.o.ui.9 million 10 enabl<! the organisation 10 achieve its progr.lmme of work adding tilal \'olunt:py contributions from members ane other pan ncrs are tx~ed to bring in more than Olle billion over the Diouf
global communit}' to reaJi1r the ... iud goal of universal food securilY. vision 1 h<d 18 years ugo is close to n.."lliIY. !~ see it. I UII1 ~~Y frel It In mOllY rountnes. III particul:U' in Africa. now ochievmg food security," he said. He noted tM the ~form PJtX:eSs is sd-.eduled 10 be romplded over the Odt t 18 months 3lld wished his successor, Mr. Jose GraziwlO da Sih'll of Br.IZi1 • droed by the Confm:nc:e sucx:r:ss in bringmg it to Ii successful roodusioo . He said thai. mwn features of the reform to date include II 5-1 pert:el1I cut in hcaiqlllWtC'S st.aJf. a 53 perrent reduaion in Director-Ievd posts. as well as extensive deoo:ntml isation of operations. suearnlincd ocIminisImliVt 1m fimmcial pracedures and improved phVllIing nnd budgeting, plus significant savings wid effi-
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ciem:y gains amounting 10 USD 111 .9 rnillioollllnuwIy since 1 99~ through reduo:d input OlStS, proa::s.s impro\'Clnents and better cost r«Overy measures. H~ pointed out thlli achievements ha-.'e1ilSCl beat realiZl:C.l in the area of geogmphic und gerxb' repn::5CIliations among the employees of lhe organislllion. ~ refonns carrio:l out sinre 199-l h.1\'e produced definite priorities. a more flex ible structure. deren· tmli sed oper.1Iions, modemized mWI<lgernen( and streamli ned procedures: Diouf undcrlineJ. He added thai \\'ith the introduction of the resultsba<;cd ffiUllcwOrk , now the focus i~ rlOI only 011 wh,u FAD does but also on the impact ofils aal\'lIies, lhus gre::uer aanuntilbility. "Ii is tllM.'! that: I willlC3'o'e Ihe OrylWlisaiion in whldl I )per1( a ~ i gnilicalll part of
Cooferenc~
pdttlll budget
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He said lhe new budget was pltJnw tatlng Into due aa::ount ' Ihe need to minimize the impact on ~lembers' as~malls in Ihis period of diltiQlh emnomic and financial condilions. Diouf th:mked nil Member N3Iions for then coolidcnc~ and oontinUOll) ,support and expre:.~ gr.ui. iude for haly's ho::.pitallty. H~ also lhunked all FAD's stalT member.. for their 000stant commllmem and enthusia:.m and h'5 wif~ and (.uni ly for thar )uppo n lind patidlCl:.
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VISITING
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-Till Boord oj DlrtcWn o/ III«rtOlllllCl Clmrillgllol/Je Nig IJJ rtctllily paid 0 COl/nay aUJ un fill Ex«uril'f' l'kt CllainllUll ()/d~ Nit:triJJ" CtNIIIIII/lliGatiotll CtNlU,linion Dr. EIIg~l~ ju tloull jll IUs off'". (hR) AIr. OJiUi Olold.:wo, Mn WiD E'~ (Dir«~ NCO, Dr."&lldlOllJ: Obo", Ch~fEpllnliJn fiUouglli, Dr EIIgl lle j IfJlV, d~ £l'C NCC,AdmindAli!iOI, Aifllillth, Or. RaJI'll Obi EU:k, a.-uJCIIJlfO~rllllb·u ltrlll,.. (CIJIIUlUDoIIl'rNCC.
NEPC Set to Improve Processing of Agric Commodities he Nigerian Expon Promotion Council (NEPC) has concluded its ar.mgement to link pJOCeSSOr5 with machines fabricmors to boost proa::s.sing of agriwl. lure commodities. The: Mlvl:Iging Director, NEPC, • Mr David Adulugba. told lhe nusDAY that Ihe aim was to enhance mlllk--in-Nige:ria agriruJtun: oommodilY pr0cessing and boost trode Accotding to'him , a 10ClI fabricru.ion exhibition is being pl~na{by !he rouncil and would be COIld~ed in Uorin, Ibtrlan and NnCWi cities for- 1I0W. l-Ie said tha1 the scltnoo cities ha1 shown potential ror medium industrial man:- _
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By CntSOI OJugil! ufa:t uring, commacc. and induslt}'. Nnewi paniculariy is styled ·'thc TuiwJ/'I of Nigeria" bea:wse of ils prowcss in mod.-::st munufllCluR:d products. ''It is bdieved thai. with encourogcment and the required guicJmcc from the wthorities, it can impro\'e the <lulllilY of its OUlputs and betler organise: the dulnnd of its !nne. Before now, it has been aq;ucd thill. one of the potcm ways of opening up Nigeria's induslrifll potential is by txplori ng the option pro-vided by industrial dusU!I'S ," he said.
''The minist!), of COIllmCl'1l! and indust!), has 1)t)i!II damouring for lhe PlOfllolion of itKlustriai clUSICl'S in the counl!)'. The recent mO\'e by the NEPC has many aclvMtages," he lO.1id. He said it wiJltriggerreaJ induSlrialisalion in the rou.nt!)' beginning from thc pilO!. citics wld v.~11 help entn::pn>ncur.. in the fabriCition business to find m:JrkelS for their outputs; scrure business punners and. even SUr&:!: funding 011 friendly lerms for their opaations. He said 1M the initial ive v.'35 in line wilh Ihe Federal Government vision to boost employment generation "It ·s Ilmown f:ICIlhat 1111
o\'er the world 1M Sh iEs
an: the engine grov.1h of any etnIlOmy and we are Jeady 10 assist the sector." he: !.aid. H~ said thai the initialive hocl become impd".JIive in vll!\vofthe United Naions' fCHe:a'it of food SC3J\.ity in 2011 . Acronling to him , the council WOIIlts to be vcry pro:lCl ive to ensure that NigmaJl produas art pmressed projldiy for loc:al OOIlSumplion and o:poo . AdullJgba said thai. lhe mirliincs would bedistributed fn:dy 10 pros~h'e entn::pIttlCUr5. He IlOII:rl thal NEPC had bo:.'fl showcasint; igeria'~ product5 10 the I'CSI or th: world.