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business
Aflasafe opens window of opportunity for private investment ByDanielGUMM Biological control of aflatoxins using aflasafe™ has rekindled hopes for a brighter future for African farmers as the contine nt battles food contamination. The techno logy, w hich uses 'good fungus' to fight th e 'bad ones ', had provided relief to hundreds of mai ze farmers in northern Nigeria - 3 region where more than 70 percent of the popu lat ion depend on agr iculture as a source of livelihood, Last year alone, participating farmers in field trial s using afiasafe T '" redu ced contamination by abou t 80 percent, according to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture. Consequently, res ults from efficacy t~sts of the prod uct bave opened a window of opportunity for the private sector to tap inlo. According to UTA Plant Pathologist, Dr. Ranajit Bandyopadhyay; an~ CGlAR SP-IPM2 Coordin ator, Dr. lrmgara Hoeschle-Zeledon, with an initial investment outlay of between $l and $3 million in an aflasafe ™ manufacturing plant, investors are Ii kel y to reap about $133,000 (N20 million) annually.
Bandyopadhyay said that an investment in an aflasafe™ manufacturing plant in Nigeria would pay off considering the huge demand for quality maize in the country. Hi s estimates showed that over 60 percent of harvested maize in Nigeria currently has high levels of aflatoxi ns and are prone to being rejected by the feed industry. "This makes in vestment in this technology a viable option, not only for profit but a lso to improve the health of the people," he ad ded. . Produced by the fungus Aspergillus f1avus, aflatoxins pose barriers to· domestic and international trade of maize and peanuts in sub-Saharan Africa because of contaminated grai ns. Worse sti II, the contaminated grains have carcinogenic properties that endanger both hwnans and animals. "Aflatoxin contamination in grains is a major problem but is unknown to many farmers. When ·it attacks, some fanners assume it to be a 'spiritual attack' ," said Dr. Dotun Oladele, a Senior Labotatory Technology Manager with Animal Care Consults during a UNIDOconvened meeting with the private sector in Lagos that
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FROM left Engr. Ikechukwu Oradiegwu, Directvr of Civil, Engineering, Nigerian Railway Corporation; Chief Mike Adiotomre, member, Board of Directors, Nigerian 'Railway Corporation; Alhaji Baba Shehu Bukka, member, Board of Directors, Nigerian Railway Corporation; and Barry White, General Manager, Costain (l¥.A) Pic, during an inspection tour of rail project in Akerri, Niger State, recently. offered UTA the chance to introduce aflasafeTM. "Once there is aflatoxicosis, egg production drops an d mortality of birds follows ," he added.
He said the approach by llTA might be the best method of contro lling aflatoxin s. Representatives of local investors under the aegis of the Nigeria ,Economic
ICC calls on G8, G20 to keep markets open TN tile wake of one of the .1 most chal lenging years business history. in International Chamber of Eommerce (ICC) has called on G8 and G20 leaders, met in Toronto to take action in three areas that are crucial to the future of the world eco nomy: Internationa l trade and investmen t ; climate change and energy; and inte ll ectual property and inno vation . The ICC reco mmendati o ns include pri orili sing the res toration of trade finan c e le vel s, re s is ting prot ec tioni sm , conc luding the Doha Trade Rou nd · of trade negotiations before the end of the year, a list of specific s teps to be taken for effective action on climate L-R: Consu/tallt Surgeon, University College Hospital, Ibadall , Dr. J. K. Ladipo; change, and upholding President, Nigerian Field Society, Prof I. F. Adeniyi; alld the Director-General, Interco mmitments to cu r b lIationalInstitute of Tropical Agriculture, Dr. Peter Ha,.tmann , dllrillg the 80th allllicounterfeiting and piracy, versary celebration of the NFS in l1TA, recelltly. ICC. which represents Expressing disappointment reach ing negative effects international 'economic companies from all sectors at the lack of progress in system ," ICC said. "There across supp l y chai ns in more than t20 countries, the negotiations, the ICC are many hard-won, tradeworld wide. regularly provides global stateme n t appea ls for and wealth-creating offers WQrld trade , wh ic h business views to the 08 . contracted by 12.2 per cent decisive le adership to already '1n the table. These and G20. bring the Round to a must not be lost." in 2009 . is fore cas t to The London G20 Summit success ful conclus io n In a call for c ontinued rebound by 9.5% in 2010 if in 2009 pinpointed before the end of the year. 'e ffort s to restore trade oil prices. major currencies inte rnationa l nade as a n "A deal this year wou ld fi na nce to m ore normal 3nd financial markets engine of economic growth. send a strongl y positive levels. the ICC statement rf!main relativelv stable-. T he curren t ICC state me ot signal - just w he n it is draws attention t'1 a recent Given the present stale of ca utions leaders th 1[ direly needed - that ICC s ur vey that reveal s u e wo ,ld econom ),. ICC lurching into econom lc 1:':1rr" I'H ~ th ~t corropleti o ~l of ~ '1 vernment5 can work prospects for strong and nationalism' \\ au It.l seriou5.J· to get her e ffe c ti vel y to ! 2.~tir g trade reco ve ry :ire I.'"" Doha Round c f t;~d e d is locate c'1 m Jl1 .! f'.: i Ji ;oehf0rce Jon.:! l.1 cd 3"te a mixect~ p~ e: vlk t i0n.:; i.; "rl('r:! .:':::i !r:d F ~! :.: r --' : 0 [ t h -:! :3.: riv iiY a nJ hJ\''"'' i~· i..: e~~i;~ ~ ~b::l e'o°.=:: ... .=.;.~. ,..
Summit Group and the New Partnership for Africa's D,evelopment (NEPAD) Business Group commended the
technology and promised to sell the business model to their members with a view to frnding an investor.
WCF strengthens ties with African, Asian chambers With over 7 ,000 HAIR of the ICC registered members , the World Chambers C chamber is the largest and Federation (WCF), Rona Ytrcali, recently met with chamber organisations in Asia and Africa in a bid to strength e n the global chamber network and gamer insight into chamber needs in those regions. "Better understanding the needs and amb itions of the chamber network is a continual element of WCF 's work ." said Mr. Yircali. " Regu lar contact and dialogue with members in all parts of the world is essential." During a trip to Ethiopia, Mr. Yircali met w ith the leaders of both the Ethiopian Cha m ber of Commerce and Sectoral Association, as we ll as the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce (AACCSA) . Ethiop ia i s one of the fastest-growing non-oildependent African nations and it wi ll be the fifth fastest growing economy with an economic growth of 7% in 2010. "Such econom ic growth opens up many trade and bu s iness opportunitie s that cham bers from around the wo rld s hould s hare with their business members ." said Mr. Yi rcali during a discussion with Ay ale~v Zegeye. Pr;:s ider.t of p.,~_ CC SA .
oldest chamber of commerce in E th iopia . AACCSA is also a regular participant in the World Chambers Congress, a past finalist in the World Chambers Competition and has recentl y subscribed to one of WCF 's key services , th e World Chamber Network ChamberTrust bu s ine ss seal programme. During the di scu ss ions with Eyessuswork Zafu. President of the Ethiopi an C hamber of Commerce and Sectoral Association. Mr. Yircali was briefed on the reorgani s ation of th e chamber in 2007 and its recent establishment of a bilateral business council with Turkey, Noting th e chamber's important role in delivering certificates of origin, Mr. Yircal i provided an update on the Ia,test work by WCF in reinforcing the role of chambers in th is service and of the close relationship between ICC and the World Custom s Organi sati o n. Last week. Mr. Yircali welcomed in Is tanbul a delegation lead by Haryey Chang. President 0' the Confederution o f .t\ s ia Padfi :: Ch:tm b ei.~ nf CO IIU1~e:·...::'." lCACC( .