Haiti - Agriculture: Fair-Exhibition on Roots and Tubers Sector

In Haiti, as part of the festival of St. Louis of Jérémie, a 2-day Fair-Exhibition, on 'Roots and Tubers' (yam, cassava, sweet potato, malanga, mazombelle apple-to-earth, carrot) was launched.

The two-day exhibition was held to emphasize the national production, the productive capacity of regions, as well as persuade investors to take advantage of opportunities offered by the 'Roots and Tubers' sector. This exhibition was seen as successful since the exhibitors were pleased with the exhibition and requested that the event be repeated at future festivals.

In addition to promoting 'Roots and Tubers' at the festival, the Triennial Programme for Agricultural Revival of the Ministry, aims to promote the growth of this sector as well as facilitate private investment. 

To read more, please click on the link provided, Haiti - Agriculture: Fair-Exhibition on roots and tubers sector 

CARDI and CTA launch 3rd Regional Media Awards for Excellence in Agricultural Journalism

CARDI together with CTA will host their third Regional Media Awards for Excellence in Agricultural Journalism Competition.

According to CARDI and CTA:

The competition targets regional journalists and is intended for them to deepen their understanding of agricultural issues, to probe and report on opportunities and innovations in the Caribbean and to improve the interaction between the agriculture industry and the media. This year’s competition is being held under the theme ‘Achieving food security through Regional Cooperation’ and covers the period, September 2012 – June, 2013. Journalists are invited to submit entries for the following categories: print, radio, new media, youth and television. The competition closes on 6 September, 2013 with the winners being announced on 20 September. 

To learn more about this competition, please click the link provided CARDI and CTA launch 3rd Regional Media Awards for Excellence in Agricultural Journalism

Farmers record yield increase under crop-small ruminant project

Farmers in Ghanaian have estimated a 50 - 200 percent increase in crop yield. This increase falls under an innovative project that connects crop and small ruminants for sustainable production. The techniques involved in the management of sheep and goat integration in to the crop production has strongly affected the production of livestock. This innovative project is called ‘Sustainable Intensification of Integrated Crop-Small Ruminant Production Systems in West Africa’ and it is coordinated by Ghana’s Crops Research Institute (CRI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

The researchers at the Research Institute "are looking at legumes – cowpeas and groundnuts – as the main entry point to improve the productivity of the crop-sheep and goat system and we believe that this is a strategy that can quickly increase food security and also reduce poverty among our farmers”. Furthermore they are looking "at integrated nutrient management and the integration involves the use of manure from the animals to also supplement the chemical fertilizer and when you have both the performance is better than either of them”.

To read more, please click the link provided: Farmers record yield increase under crop-small ruminant project

Cead mile failte to brighter future for tourism industry

According to Patrick O'Donoghue, Managing Director of the Gleneagle Hotel Group, "tourism, along with ICT and agriculture, is one of the key pillars that will help the economy grow and we need to capitalise on that".

He also believes that the pillars to the hotel future economic success are: 

Adapting to market changes The Irish tourism and hotel sectors have faced a turbulent and challenging period, forcing many hoteliers to evaluate, and in many instances change, their whole approach to the management and operation of their business.

Furthermore to adapting to market changes, Mr. O'Donoghue has implemented ICTs into his Hotel practises:

Our business has gone online too. In the Gleneagle Group, one of the quickest ways of communicating our messages is digitally. We believe that we hired what was probably the first ever in house social media coordinator in the industry, and this put us on the digital map.

 To read more, please click the link provided Cead mile failte to brighter future for tourism industry. 

Vulnerable farming communities targeted for disaster resilience project

RESIDENTS, especially farmers, in five vulnerable fishing and farming communities in St Elizabeth, Manchester and Westmoreland will this year be provided with the necessary resources and training that will enable them to better manage and prepare for disasters.

The disaster resilience capacities of the communities of Flagaman and Pisgah in St Elizabeth, Devon and Asia in Manchester, and Whitehouse in Westmoreland will be significantly developed and strengthened under the Building Disaster Resilient Rural Communities (BDRC) and Livelihood Project, which was launched Tuesday by the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) at its head office in Kingston.

The project, which is being jointly funded by ODPEM and the United States Agency for International Development, is aimed at improving the competitiveness of farmers by developing their capacity to adapt to climate change through interventions geared at building resilience to climate stresses.

The key components of the one-year project, which began in May, include community training; community disaster management planning; adaptation of the BDRC toolkit and information management; community disaster risk reduction and mitigation; livelihood protection measures; as well as the strengthening of partnerships, and building the institutional capacity of communities.

To read more, please click the link provided, Vulnerable farming communities targeted for disaster resilience project 

Adapted from Jamaica Observer.

NABARD ready to fund ICT solutions

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) is willing to take up with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) the issue of relaxing the time frame set for the 1,603 Primary Cooperative Banks to move over to the new payment regime, and also fund the development of an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) solution that could address their concerns. Kerala chief regional manager of NABARD R. Amalorpavanathan told media persons here on Tuesday that the bank had only suggested the business correspondent model to cooperatives. The RBI had allowed them a one-year window to join the mainstream or be left out at their own risk.

The bank would call a meeting of experts on August 17 as part of its efforts to evolve the new solution. A high-level committee should be constituted with people from various departments for finding solutions and implementing the RBI decision to move over to the new regime.

To read more, please click the link provided NABARD ready to fund ICT solutions

Adapted from The Hindu Newspaper.

Belarus restricts Lithuanian cattle imports

Belarus has temporarily restricted the import of cattle and small ruminants from Lithuania, due to outbreaks of the Schmallenberg virus, officials have reported.

The Department of Veterinary and Food Control at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of Belarus stated, "according to information available to the Department, animals have tested positive for the Schmallenberg virus in Lithuania. Belarus has therefore imposed temporary restrictions on imports from the country and the transit of domestic and wild cattle and small ruminants from Lithuania, as well as genetic material from these species."

Veterinary services in Russia and Belarus are working on increasing the number of scientific studies of the virus, since the virus has recently spread to Eastern Europe.

Export of domestic and wild cattle and small ruminants from the EU to the Russian Federation are now only permitted under certain conditions.

To read more, please click the link provided:  Belarus restricts Lithuanian cattle imports.

St Vincent and the Grenadines: Banana farmers 'abandoning fields'

The Black Sigatoka has severely affected the banana fields of Dominica, St. Lucia, Grenada and Guyana, which has lead to the abandonment of these fields by the banana farmers. However, these countries are receiving assistance in order to eradicate this disease from the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization.

Also in the Caribbean region - efforts made by  the agriculture sector of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to eradicate this disease are currently being hindered by farmers failing to replant with crops that are disease-free. The Black Sigatoka has significantly reduced the value of exports from St. Vincent and the Grenadines by 90%. The Agriculture Minister, Saboto Caesar states, "We are seeing the re-growth of the (affected) bananas in those areas... It is providing the perfect environment for Black Sigatoka." 

To read more on St Vincent and the Grenadines: Banana farmers 'abandoning fields'

Migrant worker receives damages in human rights abuse case

Monrose, a national of St. Lucia, went to Canada under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme in 2009. While working for Double Diamond Acres (a greenhouse in Kingsville, Ontario), he was subjected to racist comments from a supervisor. After complaining about the racist comments, he fired and sent back to St. Lucia.

Monrose, with the assistance of a not-for- profit activist group for migrant workers, later filed a human rights complaint. Ontario's Human Rights Tribunal awarded $23,500.00 in damages: $5,500 in lost wages, $3,000 for damage to his dignity, feelings and self-respect and $18,000 for the violation of his right to be free from reprisal. 

To read more, please click on the link provided:
Migrant worker in Kingsville receives damages in human rights abuse case