Ugandan Based Innovations Win Grants For Environmental Research

BY ENU

Ketty Adoch a Ugandan innovator in the Agriculture sector has been named among eleven innovators who have been nominated for the Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Earth Innovation Awards.

Adoch, ageographical information systems specialist agriculture works towards monitoring change detection for Land Cover Mapping around the areas surrounding the Murchison Falls National Park.

Also on the list of grants is Torsten Bondo, a business development manager and senior remote sensing engineer from Denmark who applies AI to improve crop water efficiency in Uganda using machine learning.

The Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Earth Innovation Awards are organized by Microsoft and the National Geographic Society (NGS), to provide funds to innovators for research on global environmental challenges in the key focus areas of climate, agriculture, water and biodiversity conservation.

The grants will be awarded to research teams and organizations who are working across five continents to advance scientific exploration and research on critical environmental challenges with the power of Artificial Intelligence. Each recipient will be given access to Microsoft Azure and AI tools and will be included in the National Geographic Explorer community.

Microsoft Corp Chief Environmental Officer Lucas Joppa said, “We believe AI can be a game-changer in our ability to address pressing societal challenges and create a better future.

Perhaps now here is that potential greater than the continent of Africa, where early adoption of AI tools in areas like agriculture or conservation can yield environmental benefits as well as economic benefits from better management of natural resources and upskilling of the workforce.

In the year since AI for Earth launched, we’ve supported several individuals and organizations in Africa, as well as nearly a dozen organizations that are leading field research across the continent.

The interest is there, the technical skills are growing and we are looking forward to many more exceptional ideas from the next generation of African innovators in the coming years.”

This partnership with NGS builds on Microsoft’s own US$ 50 million over 5 year AI for Earth program, which has awarded more than 180 grants and supports 8 organizations in larger projects since its inception a year ago.

This year, both organizations are awarding US$1.2 million in grants with each recipient having earned funds that range between US$ 45,000 and US$ 200,000.

onathan Baillie, the Executive Vice President and Chief Scientist National Geographic Society said, “We’re incredibly excited about the number and quality of projects from Africa using AI to solve environmental challenges as part of our AI for Earth program.

“From my early days in the Peace Corps in Malawi to today, I’ve had the opportunity to see and experience the abundance and diversity of biodiversity and natural resources across the continent.

“So many of the world’s greatest environmental challenge and largest datasets are available here – from sustainable agriculture to improving species conservation, and from mitigating the impacts of climate change in cities and rural areas to conserving and protecting water.

“Early adoption and use of AI to solve these problems, here, with young innovators and entrepreneurs, will help every African country grow, adapt and thrive in the future.”

The two organizations believe that the combination of human ingenuity and AI can change the way that society monitors, models and manages Earth’s natural systems.

The eleven 11 AI for Earth Innovation grant recipients are:

Ketty Adoch, Uganda, agriculture: Change Detection for Land Cover mapping Around the Areas Surrounding the Murchison Falls National Park

Torsten Bondo, Denmark/Uganda, agriculture: AI4Water: Improving Crop Water Efficiency in Uganda Using Machine Learning.Kelly Caylor, US, water: Global Maps of Center Pivot Agriculture to Improve Estimates of Land Use Change and Water Use

Joseph Cook, UK, climate change: AI at the Ends of the Earth.Stephanie Dolrenry, US/Kenya, biodiversity: LINC- an AI-assisted Collaborative Database for Lion Identification and Inter-Organizational Research.Gretchen Daily,

 US, water: Mapping of Small Dams and Reservoirs with Earth Observation and AIAfrica Flores, Guatemala, water: Harmful Algal Bloom Early Warning System.Solomon Hsiang, US/ Sweden, climate change: Understanding the Effect of Climate Change on Human Migration in Africa Using 1.6 million Historical Aerial Photographs

Holger Klinck, Germany/Panama, biodiversity: The New Buzz: AI-Powered Acoustic Monitoring of Insect Communities to Advance Conservation of Tropical Rainforests.Justin Kitzes, US, biodiversity: Developing the First Open Source, Scalable Bird Song Classification Software.Heather J. Lynch, US, biodiversity: Coupling AI with Predictive Modeling for Real-Time Tracking of Antarctic Penguin Populations.

Coca-Cola Beverages pens down deal with Danish Embassy on Plastic management

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) Uganda has signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Royal Danish Embassy in Uganda to ensure that the country is free of plastic waste.

The Memorandum will support the beverages company vision of seeing that all plastics are collected and recycled by the year 2030. According to the beverage company they plan to work with all stakeholders to help the company in collecting and recycling of all plastic wastes generated in the country.

Speaking at the signing ceremony at the Danish Embassy in Kampala on Thursday, the head of Mission at the Embassy  Majbrit Holm  Jakobsen  applauded the  Coca Cola for coming up with the initiative of keeping Uganda  free from plastic waste  that are  an environmental threat.

The Head of Mission at the  Danish Embassy Majbrit posing in picture after the signing of the deal with the Coca-coal boss in Uganda Niekerk

“Sustainable development and green growth are focus areas of Denmark and the Danish Embassy in Kampala and its companies are leading when it comes to developing of sustainable products and services.  When plastics waste are recycled, more products can be produced and sold on the market; this creates jobs for younger people at the same time cleaning up the environment,” she said.

CCBA Managing Director Conrad Van Niekerk said by recycling plastics will help the beverages company to lower the cost of production since some of the packaging materials are being imported from abroad.

“Food  and beverage packaging  is  an important  part  of our  modern  lives, yet  the world  has a packaging problem  which  CCBA together  with  The Coca-Cola Company have  responsibility  to collect plastics that are significantly global challenge.  That is why as a company, we have are commited to invest in initiatives that save our planet and make the packaging problem a thing of the past through recycling the waste,” he explained.

Van Niekerk added that the partnership will support the government in solving environmental challenges associated with the accumulated plastic waste.

“We want to support the government’s environmental   management objectives by making recycling more accessible for everybody,” he added.

Under the deal, the Embassy of Denmark will ensure that all their employees participate in collecting plastics accumulated in their offices to make the deal successful.

Kenya and Uganda to Intensifies the fight against Wildlife trafficking through new strategy

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

  In abid to avert the increasing incidences of Wildlife trafficking between Uganda and Kenya, the two countries are developing new strategy to help conservations agencies to protect wildlife’s.

The new strategy in the offing will look at three most sensitive areas that fueling in wildlife trafficking between Kenya and Uganda and they are Stopping Killings, Blocking the transits of Illegal wildlife and finally blocking market accessibility by the traffickers especially on International markets.

Speaking at the closing of Four days Training for Uganda cross border Law enforcement training which aimed at  building capacity for detecting illegal species so as to combat wildlife trafficking in Kenya and Uganda at Hotel Africana . UWA Executive Director Sam Mwandha said the increasing Trafficking of illegal Wildlife products is due to the high demands for the products in the Asian Countries thus the need to come up with strategy to cut off such markets.

Mwandha handing over certificate to one of the participants as Njimbi  smiles on left 

“The new Strategy which the two Conservations agencies are about to adopt   will be game changer in combating Illegal Wildlife trafficking between Uganda and Kenya when we stop the killings of Wildlife and Intensifies enforcement at the borders entries both in Uganda and Kenya boarder points then we shall eliminate Ivory on Transit from the two states to the International markets.” He said.

The proposed strategy will be implemented by Uganda Wildlife Authority and Kenya’s Wildlife Services.

   

Mwandha noted that Wildlife’s killings in both countries has reduced due to the strengthening in the  enforcements  especially in the National parks and game reserves but , the challenges is now with other neighboring countries  in central Africa  where large consignment of Illegal Wildlife products are   entering the two countries on transits to Asian Countries  where the market is high.

 “Our routes are being used by the dealers as transits routes to Asia because of the lope holes on the boarder entries especially on the side of Democratic Republic of Congo, Malaba and Busia but we are ready to ensure that security at those points are beefed up to ensure that Illegal wildlife products are Intercepted before getting its way to International markets especially in China and Thailand” He explained.

Explaining more on blocking market accessibility, Mwandha explained that they will be carrying out more sensitization about the danger of Wildlife trafficking in most Asian Countries to ensure that the market provider Understand the economic value attached to wildlife conservation and also the dangers associated with Wildlife trafficking one of them being the funding of negative forces in most countries. 

   

Training for Uganda cross border Law enforcement was organized by UWA with financial support   from the International Fund for the Anial Welfare (IFAW) and its was attended by participant’s from Law enforcement agencies  from  UWA ,Civil Aviation Authority,  Uganda Revenue Authority, Uganda Police Kenya Wildlife Service , ISO and Migration  both from Uganda and Kenya .

Commenting on the outcome of the training IFAW Head of programs Steve Njimbi , said the training  has equipped the participants with adequate skills if used professionally it can yields into positive results in the struggle to eliminate Wildlife trafficking in the two countries

“The enforcement officer have equipped with skills related to carrying out crime Investigations related to Wildlife trade, how to detect Wildlife products being concealed in luggage’s on transits  both at the boarder  entry pointers  even at Airports  we hope that if they  follow the guidelines  the two countries then will registers big progress in combating Wildlife trafficking”  Njimbi said

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 Comments from participants, some participants who attended the training and share their views with the media on condition of anonymity said they have learnt a lot but for the training to be productive, the two countries should allocate more resources in the Implementation of the strategy.

“The strategy is good but more resources should allocated to the various e enforcement agencies to enable them carry out their enforcement duties without being compromised by the Wildlife traffickers especially when it comes to carrying out Investigations both by police Customs officer among other agencies responsible for fighting Wildlife trafficking related cases” Said one of the participant from the Uganda Police forces.

At the end of the Training participants were awarded certificates of participation   in the training

       

     

  

Kenya and Uganda told to share Intelligence Information on Wildlife trafficking

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO 

The Director Conservation at the Uganda Wildlife Authority John Masambo has asked Law Enforcement Officer from Uganda and Kenya to build strong Working relationship this will help the two Countries to mitigate Illegal Wildlife Trade across the border.

 The Director noted that fighting Illegal Wildlife trade between Uganda and Kenya is still big challenge because the enforcement officers are not sharing Intelligence Information which has enabled the business to progress.

Masambo made the appeals at Hotel Africana where he was opening a one week Training workshop for Security personnel’s from Uganda and Kenya, Migration officers, customs, Civil Aviation personnel among other stakeholder s in the fight against Illegal Wild Life trade.

Masambo (M) haring light of moment with IFAW head of programs Steve Njumbi

“We need to combat Illegal Wildlife trade between the two countries; the only way to achieve it is through creating good working relationship among the security, migrations and customs officer at the border points between Uganda and Kenya because that is where most of the transaction are being carried out  by the dealers “He said.

The objective of the training is to equip the Security personnel with Skills on how to detect Illegal Wildlife products which on many occasion they are concealed in lag ages by the dealers who are on transit from Uganda to Kenya and vice versa .The training is being conducted by UWA in collaboration with the International Fund for Animal welfare (IFAW).

Masambo  observed that the two Countries are losing Billions of revenue from Tourism sector due to the rampant poaching of Wildlife yet if the Animals are protected the Countries can earn  more foreign exchange  from the tourism sector.

participants in Group photo

According to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora report released in 2013 , Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania were ranked as  the sources for  Illegal wildlife Trade in Africa with China and Thailand being the leading destination for  Ivory from East Africa and Africa in large.

According to Information available Malaba and Busia are the leading border points where Ivory smuggling is at high rate other entries are the International Airports   such as Entebbe in Uganda.  Uganda earns about USD1.4 billion dollars from the tourism sector but the sector is challenged with the high Incidences of wildlife poaching if it’s not contained, it will lead to Uganda losing the Economic benefits associated with tourism such as the 1.17 million jobs that the sector is offering to Ugandans.

 Steve Njumbi, the Head of programs at IFAW cautioned the two countries to invest more resources in combating illegal wildlife trade, he said that  IFAW is committed to work with the two countries to ensure that wildlife is protected  from traffickers.

Africa’s Ministers for Environment committed to Protect Biodiversity

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

African Ministers of Environment together with partner organizations committed to an ambitious action agenda taking a coherent approach to addressing the interlinked challenges of biodiversity loss, land degradation and climate change.

 

Under the theme “Land and ecosystem degradation and restoration: priorities for increased resilience in Africa,” the African Ministerial Summit on Biodiversity was held on 13 November 2018 at Sharm El-Sheikh International Congress Center, bringing together more than 100 delegates including over 30 ministers responsible for the environment and other sectors, six ambassadors plus other heads of delegation along with key partners.

The delegates discussed Africa’s biodiversity priorities and identified strategic actions and opportunities to upscale commitments for combating land degradation and enhancing ecosystem restoration.  Their deliberations represented the opening sessions of the 2018 UN Biodiversity Conference.

Add captionDr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment of Egypt.

“I am honoured to have hosted this first African Ministerial Summit on Biodiversity which I am convinced will lead the way to promoting natured-based solutions for increased resilience and wellbeing of people in Africa” said Her Excellency Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Minister of Environment of Egypt.

Dr. Cristiana Pașca Palmer, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, said, “The adoption of the African Ministerial Declaration on Biodiversity and the Pan-African Action Agenda on Ecosystem Restoration for Increased Resilience by the Summit provides an impetus for the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets and will contribute to shaping a New Deal for Nature and People in 2020.

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“Your political leadership, paired with the support of the African Union Commission, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development Agency, and the United Nations system, has elevated the importance of restoration in achieving our 2050 Vision of “living in harmony with nature”. The Secretariat of the Convention stands ready to further support this work.”

In a series of interactive dialogues, the summit participants reviewed the status and trends in land and ecosystem degradation in Africa and their impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services and people’s wellbeing.  They shared experiences, successes and lessons learned on ecosystem restoration in the region.

The Pan-African Action Agenda, endorsed by the Summit, will be submitted for adoption by the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government at its 32nd Ordinary Session in January 2019

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It is expected that the Pan-African Action Agenda will provide a strategic direction for ecosystem restoration in the region, promote continent-wide awareness and political support for restoration efforts, help to accelerate and upscale ecosystem restoration commitments and targets; and galvanize synergetic and integrated action towards the achievement of those commitments and targets.

The UN Biodiversity Conference continues, with the High-Level Segment being held from 14 to 15 November, and the opening of the negotiations by the Parties to the Convention on 17 November 2018.

Johnson & Johnson Launches Africa Innovation Challenge awards, Winner to take home USD$50,000

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

Johnson & Johnson has launched the Champions of Science Africa Innovation Challenge 2.0, the second continent-wide competition challenge will see the best Innovator in science and Environment receiving about USD$ 50,000 in funding and mentorship

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The 2.0 challenge is   designed to address the critical unmet needs of the continent and local communities in Africa while providing support to Africa-based entrepreneurs in creating innovative health care products and services. . The challenge focuses on identifying scalable and sustainable solutions to six major health and environmental problems for Africa’s population.

 Among the selection criteria, entries must demonstrate the potential for scale from proof of concept stage to long-term sustainability. Commenting on the development Josh Ghaim, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. and member of the Johnson & Johnson Research & Development Management Committee said Africa’s Environmental and Health challenges can be mitigated through supporting innovators to come up with solutions.

 “The growing number of innovation hubs throughout Africa is sparking a new generation of entrepreneurs who are innovating and finding new solutions for issues facing their communities, our goal with the second Africa Innovation Challenge is to expand our support for the region’s entrepreneurs by pushing the boundaries of creative solutions to meet several areas of urgent need. With six new solution categories,” He explained.

He added by explaining that at Johnson & Johnson, they  believe in principle that  a great idea can come from anyone, anywhere, and we work with entrepreneurs around the world to relentlessly pursue innovations that advance and enhance the health of everyone, everywhere.

. The Africa Innovation Challenge provides an important platform to support emerging entrepreneurs and help accelerate the development of unique, sustainable health care and environmental solutions

 Speaking at the same occasion during the Launch of 2,0 Africa challenge in  South Africa  Alma Scott, Vice President, Operations and Partnerships, Global Public Health, Johnson & Johnson. Said   that solving last-mile challenges through local empowerment offers the greatest potential impact in the fight against public health challenges, and that it can also help fuel the local economy and catalyze infrastructure investments

The challenge’s six new solution categories aim to address significant threats to Africa’s health care systems and environment and they include Botanical Solutions: Sixty to eighty percent of households in Africa still rely on traditional medicine to care for themselves  and loved ones. Johnson & Johnson are seeking naturally-derived, plant-based solutions that tap into traditional knowledge and deliver consumer health and wellness benefits through topical application.

Packaging Innovations: Managing packaging waste from the increasing consumption in Africa is a challenge for many communities. We The organization  are seeking sustainable innovations for packaging of single-dose units and other affordable product sizes that will reduce or eliminate waste, while protecting the product.

Thirdly the challenge also focus on Mental Health: Caring for someone with mental illness, especially the youth, can be very challenging for rural communities. As a result, 75-85% of persons living with mental illness in Africa may not have access to mental health care.  We are seeking innovations that create awareness for mental illness as a public health problem and offer solutions for patients, caregivers, and their communities to address these issues.

Other areas where the innovators can submitter their entries include Health Worker Support, Digital Health Tools, and Essential Surgical Care. According to the organization Challenge submissions may originate from anywhere in Africa, and from one or more individuals, teams or companies; subject to certain eligibility requirements set out in the terms and conditions for the challenge.

To apply to the Challenge and review the applicable terms and conditions, please visit the Africa Innovation Challenge website. The deadline to submit applications is January 16, 2019. Neither Johnson & Johnson nor any of its companies is granted any rights to applicant ideas as a result of their participation in the Challenge. Applicants and winners remain free to continue the further development of their ideas on their own. Award recipients will be announced in spring 2019.

Protect Environment to save people’s Lives on African continent, WHO advises

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

African Ministers Responsible for Health and Environment are meeting in Libreville Gabon in West to attend the Third Interministerial Conference on Health and Environment. The objective of the policy makers meeting is to identify emerging environmental threats to people’s health and agree on a strategic action plan for the region.

According to the press statement from the UN Environment the conference   is running from the 6^th-9^thNovember 291 and is jointly organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UN Environment and among others the participants will discuss how to turn health and environmental policies into action.

In the statements, it’s believed that in Africa as region death is occurring due to Environmental related issues such as poor access to safe drinking water, inadequate sanitation which has given birth to the outbreak of diseases like cholera Dysentery among other disease.

The continent is also experiencing the outbreak of disease related to global warming which has offered conducive environment for vectors breeding such as Mosquitos which transmit malaria in most African countries.

     

 Addressing participants at the official opening of the meeting , Dr Matshidiso Moeti the World Health Organization Regional Director for Africa said African Governments need to protect the Environment from all forms of contamination that is when the region will eliminates all death forms related to Environmental diseases.

Dr. Moeti the WHO head for Africa 

    

“From the air we breathe to the water we drink, to the places we live and work the environment is intimately linked to our health unfortunately for millions of Africans, the environment can make them sick and even kill them. With climate change this is likely to only get worse. We must urgently turn this situation around,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti,

Nearly 300 delegates including Health, Environment and Finance Ministers, as well as representatives from regional political and economic organizations, big cities, multilateral agencies and experts from 54 countries are participating in the Conference.

The conference comes a decade after the historic endorsement of the Libreville Declaration by the African Ministers of Health and Environment which committed governments to take the required measures to stimulate synergies between health, environment and other relevant sectors. It also comes ahead of the 2018 UN Biodiversity Conference to be held on African soil in Egypt this month and will discuss how to mainstream biodiversity into health sector, among other sectors.

One of the participant from Somalia attending the conference.

The UN Environment officer for Africa Dr. Juliette Koudenoukpo Bio explained that for the African Continent to progress there’s the need to interlink environment and Human health 

 “Tackling the interlinkages between environment and human health can provide a common platform and multiplier effect to sustain progress across many of the Sustainable Development Goals and Africa’s Agenda 2063 in a more cost-effective and beneficial manner. By working together, the health and environment sectors have the potential to design mutually reinforcing policies and strategies and turning them into concrete actions” said Juliette Biao Koudenoukpo,.

The Conference consists of an expert meeting from 6 to 7 November 2018 and a ministerial segment to be held from 8 to 9 November.

Subsidies Agricultural mechanization machines ,Farmers asks Govt

BY  ENU REPORTER 

Although Uganda joined the rest of the World to celebrate the World Food Day on the 16/10/2018. Farmers in Uganda under our umbrella Eastern and Southern Africa small scale farmers forum (ESAFF Uganda) are demanding government to subsidies Agricultural mechanization machines to make them affordable to  small scale  farmers.

Addressing press conference,during world food day . ESAFF Uganda chairperson Hakim Baliraine said   that the current market prices for some agricultural machines such as tractors are too expensive especially to the small holder farmers yet they are the majority stakeholders in the Agriculture sector

 “The cost of production is high because of using traditional rudimentary tools therefore government should come in to ensure that we farmers can access modern farming tools  such walking  tractors, oxen ploughs and other machines  this will lower the cost of production in the agricultural sector  thus enhance agricultural production which  will  make  Uganda  food secure”. He said.

Baliraine with others during the media briefing 

However senior Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture who spoke to Business Focus  on conditions of anonymity said Government can only support farmers to acquire agricultural machines when they are in-groups.

“The challenge in the sector is that most farmers are operating at Individual basis it makes it very difficult to support such farmers let them form farming groups that is when government will respond easily to their plight” The source said.   

Apart from the tractors, the government should also work on the issue of Women owning land, though majority of Ugandan Women are accessing lands for substance farming but they don’t have the right to own such resources this has also affected their participation in Agriculture sector meaningfully.

“The more Women have equal rights on land Uganda’s Agricultural sector will grow at a high rate  since Women  contribute much in the sector but without  having the rights to own lands, in some societies this will remain big  hindrance to the transformation of the sector”. He added

Every year, on the 16th October, World Food Day is celebrated around the world to help raise awareness on issues concerning hunger, poverty and malnutrition, and to strengthen the political will to take action.

Minister Ssempija touring the stall for  ESAFF Uganda at the Nabuin Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute in Nabilatok District 

The focus of the day is that food is a basic and fundamental human right. Yet in a world of billions, 805 million people worldwide live with chronic hunger, 60% of women and almost 5 million children under the age of five die of malnutrition- related causes every day. Extreme hunger and malnutrition unavoidably create barrier to sustainable development, since many people become unproductive, more prone to diseases thus unable to improve their livelihoods,

This year’s theme of “A Zero hunger world by 2030 is possible” is derived from pillar 2 of the sustainable development goals of ‘Zero hunger” which aims at ending hunger, achieving food security, improving nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture. The main target to reach this goal is to increase the agricultural productivity and the incomes of small scale food producers in particular women and the grass root people

In order to achieve Zero Hunger World by 2030.Farmers demand government to respect International obligation which the Country ratified such as the Malabo declaration in which the African Heads of states agreed to allocate 10% of their National Budget to Agriculture sector. With an increment in the budget it will enhance the building of resilience to shocks, including adapting to the effects of climate change.

The mismatch in designing agricultural policies as well as lack of adequate funds for implementation of the agricultural sector policy strategies has made it very difficult to create food production systems that help maintain ecosystems and that can be able to adapt to climate change, drought, weather or any other disasters in farming communities.

Why more resources should be invested in the Agriculture sector? Uganda as country has one of the fast growing population on the African continent, such a high population can cause hunger however, Uganda as a country has potential to produce sufficient food to meet its consumption needs and surplus to export to other countries but the main problem lays with inequality in access of the available resources especially the small scale farmers who are the major producers of food.

Beti Aguti the Policy and Advocacy Specialist at Caritas Uganda at the same event added by calling up on Government to ensure that farmers have access to cheap Irrigation technologies, she noted that over depending on rain water is becoming big challenge to farmers especially in the water stressed regions this will support farmers to grow more food for both domestic consumption and export.

On the Government’s decision giving 100 Billion shillings to Uganda Grains council, we the small scale farmers are urging government    to recall the 100 billion allocated to buy off excess maize through Uganda Grain Council to be directly transferred to farmers through cooperatives or organized groups.

FAO, AU launch agriculture mechanization drive in Africa

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

Farmers especially small scale farmers will have access to Agricultural mechanization equipment’s such as tractors thanks to the new framework that has been developed between Food and Agriculture Organization and African Union.

The frame work code named Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization: A Framework for Africa (SAMA) will support farmers  in  addressing  challenges  and creating  new opportunities  to ensure  the successful  adaptation of mechanization in the Agriculture sector by the less privileged   farmers. The aim of the frame work is to increase Agricultural production through using machineries.

Under the new frame work farmers will access such machines 

Making comments on the new development between the two agencies,  AU Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, Josefa Sacko said  Agricultural production especially among the small scale farmers was declining because majority were using traditional methods of Agricultural production. He observed that with the new frame work which targets mechanization   will uplift farmer’s production thus eliminating hunger.

 "Doubling agricultural productivity and eliminating hunger and malnutrition in Africa by 2025 will be no more than a mirage unless mechanization is accorded utmost importance," Josefa Sacko he said.

On her side the deputy Director General of FAO Maria Helena Semedo. Said that more than three-fourths of farmers in sub-Saharan Africa prepare their lands using only hand tools, a practice that entails poor productivity, repels youth and is incompatible with the continent's Zero Hunger goal.

"Farmers in Africa should be able to use modern agricultural technology, both digital and mechanical, to boost the agricultural sector in a sustainable way," said FAO Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo.

What does the frame work Intends to do for the African farmers? ,the new framework has  identifies 10 priorities for AU member states to include in their national plans, ranging from the need for a stable supply of machine spare parts and innovative financing mechanisms, and the importance of regional collaborations that allow for cross-border hiring services.

The framework notes that successful national mechanization strategies will address key sustainability issues including gender, youth, environmental protection and the overarching principle that farming must be profitable.

It also emphasizes that these strategies should cover the entire agrifood value chain, including harvesting, handling, processing and food safety aspects, with an eye to reducing food losses, boosting rural employment and bolstering the links between farmers and consumers.

Today smaller and more affordable machinery, such as two-wheel tractors, are available hiring services using digital technologies are proving popular around the continent, underscoring how the sharing of capital assets can be leveraged to achieve greater scale and access to modern tools.

The framework notes that cross-border initiatives - for dealers, supply networks and tractor operators - can allow for viable scale and greater utilization.

Another key consideration is farm profitability. This can be fostered by giving access to markets, credit and land tenure a visible role in mechanization policies.

The framework has been designed to contribute to the pledges made in the African Union's Malabo Declaration and Agenda 2063, and to do so in a way that is private-sector driven, environmentally smart, affordable and friendly to smallholder farmers.

Its implementation will require significant contributions from other stakeholders, including public institutions and private actors such as the European Agricultural Machinery Industries Association (CEMA), which has just renewed its partnership with FAO to work on issues related to sustainable mechanization strategies in developing countries.

Non-communicable diseases on rise, eat healthier foods to curb the health challenge,

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

The deputy Director General of Food and Agriculture Organization Maria Helena Semedo has warns that although people staying hungry in the world has gone up, the world is also observing an unprecedented rise in overweight, obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases

Speaking at the Third High-Level Event on Non-Communicable Diseases taking place on the side-lines of the UN General Assembly, Semedo sounded the alarm on the need to reverse current trends where more than one in every eight adults in the world is obese and over 38 million children under five are overweight.

 "Today we are witnessing the globalization of obesity; this is due to our increasingly poor diets which have become one of the major risk factors of premature adult deaths."  The deputy Director said.

According to  the Director ,Unhealthy diets are closely linked with non-communicable diseases - which  may  include heart attacks, strokes, cancers and diabetes -  and contribute to six of 10 the risk factors of the Global Burden of Disease.

Not only do non-communicable diseases cause human suffering, they hinder economic and social development, derail GDP, weigh heavily on health care costs and contribute to poverty. Equally worryingly, non-communicable diseases disproportionately affect people in low- and middle-income countries.

 

To avert such health burdens the FAO boss urging for the Rethinking of the food systems which most people are consuming this will help in lowering the problems of non-communicable diseases in the world. 

She said that Food and agriculture will continue to play a major role in preventing non-communicable diseases by improving food systems for better access to healthy diets.

“Yet, today's global food markets have given rise to products that are very energy-dense and high in fat, sugar and salt. These foods are often cheaper, more readily-available and easier to prepare than fresh food."We urgently need to rethink our food systems and food environments and make healthy, nutritious foods affordable for everyone," said Semedo. 

Semedo

She cautioned UN member states to ensure that there National agriculture and investment policies s advocates for incentives for sustainable food systems that provide cheap, healthy foods. These should be double duty actions where programmes and policies simultaneously address under nutrition, overweight, obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases.

Africa’s Environment Ministers call for action through innovative solutions

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

Africa’s Ministers responsible for Environment   have announced commitment to promote and invest in innovative solutions while implementing concrete actions to overcome environmental challenges facing the continent.

In a ministerial declaration issued recently at the closing of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), African governments agreed to enhance innovative environmental solutions and capacity building of human capital to achieve sustainable development in Africa

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Speaking on behalf of the President of Kenya H.E Uhuru Kenyatta, Mr. Keriako Tobiko, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Environment said protecting environment  is vital actions since environment plays big role towards social transformation.

Some of the Minister  who attended the meeting

:” It is important to note that environment is the foundation and the basis of the social and economic development of our countries as continent let us struggle to ensure that nature is protected .” Tobiko said

This year’s AMCEN was held under the them Under “Turning environmental policies into action through innovative solutions”, the ministers the importance of the meeting was to mobilize political support and committed to integrate innovative solutions into their countries’ national development agendas.

According to the Moroccan Minister for Environment Dr. Nezha El Ouafi said African need invest more resources in developing innovations that can support environmental conservation.

“Africa needs to invest in innovative solutions to change its development pathway in a sustainable way. We need to deploy new and smart approaches to overcome the continent’s most pressing environmental challenges,” said Nezha El Ouafi Minister of Environment, Morocco and vice-president of AMCEN.

At the conference, ministers stressed the need to empower innovators, the private sector, micro-small and medium enterprises and civil society to use new approaches to address environmental challenges. They agreed to support Pan-African platforms on the environment to promote and share experiences and solutions across the continent.

“Public-private sector partnership will have to play a key role in embracing innovation and turning environmental policies into concrete actions to achieve the objectives of the AU Agenda 2063 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,” Minister Ouafi added.

Committing to enhance their countries’ efforts to implement policies, legislation and programmes promoting innovative solutions, the ministers called on UN Environment Assembly and UN Environment programme to increase support to African countries as well as facilitating access to innovative partnerships.

“Africa stands on the right side of history to support the environment. We have the human resources, natural wealth, and leadership to innovate and transform our region,” said Joyce Msuya, Deputy Head of UN Environment.

Addressing the Conference, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) said protecting the environment can save peoples live since environmental destruction leads to people’s death.

“Environment is central to human health; every year almost 12.6 million people die from hidden risks in the environment African governments should put human and environmental health at the center of policy making in all sectors.

Other key decisions made at the conference included Biological Diversity conservation:

African Governments recognized the urgent need to combat land degradation and restore ecosystems in Africa. A Pan-African action agenda is being prepared to respond to land and ecosystems degradation challenges.

The Ministers agreed to develop common positions on various priority issues and speak with one voice during the upcoming 2018 UN Biodiversity Conference which will be held in Egypt in November 2018. The priorities will inform the post-2020 biodiversity framework and the Convention on Biological Diversity.

On Climate Change, the Ministers stressed that the outcomes of COP24 should reflect the spirit of the Paris agreement. The outcomes should balance between the Agreements elements related to action, support and transparency. Adaptation and finance should be core elements for effective operationalization of the Agreement.

They emphasized the importance of enhancing accessibility, predictability and sustainability of means of implementation, in particular finance. They agreed to work constructively to deliver the mandate of the Paris Agreement Work Programme.

Health and Environment: Recognizing the nexus between environment and health, Ministers agreed to actively participate in the third Inter-Ministerial Conference on Health and Environment in Africa, Libreville, 9 to 12 October 2018. The theme is “Health and environment strategic alliance: a catalysis for action on the Sustainable Development Goals in Africa.”

African Agric Ministers calls for more funding in the sector

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

Several African agriculture ministers joined public and private sector representatives calling for more investment in agriculture at a Leadership4Agriculture event held at the African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF) in Kigali, Rwanda.

Organized by the African Development Bank, the Leadership4Agriculture session facilitated partnerships between policy makers, private investors, institutions and offered participants opportunity to learn more about the Leadership 4 Agriculture network’s agenda to drive action-oriented, growth enabling investments. Several ministers at the event criticized what they said was a culture of talk without action

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“Too many of the same declarations are made but are never carried out at the African Union level,” said Côte d’Ivoire Minister of Agriculture, Mamadou Coulibaly.

The African Union’s Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Program in 2003 set a target for African governments to allocate ten percent of national budgets to agriculture. According to AGRF, only 13 African nations have reached or surpassed this goal.

Jennifer Blanke, African Development Bank Vice-President for Agriculture, Social and Human Development, and the Rockefeller Foundation’s Managing Director for Africa, Mamadou Biteye, earlier set the tone for the session. They charged their organizations to advance the Leadership4Agriculture mission..

President Kagame posing in Group photo with Delegates  during the conference 

“With [Bank] partners the Rockefeller Foundation, now we have funding for a Secretariat for Leadership4Agriculture, which will allow us to track progress,” said Blanke. “Let us all, together, make Africa shine,” she added.

 

Agriculture ministers from across the continent, including from Zambia, Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Gabon, Mozambique, South Sudan, Togo and Mauritius. Rwanda’s former Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, who now serve as President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), said ministers need to campaign harder for increased budget funding for smallholders.

“[Agriculture] is a government’s most important industry,” AGRA President Agnes Kalibata told the audience. “Nobody is going to give you money because you are Minister of Agriculture – there are 20 other ministries competing for money. It is [an agriculture minister’s] responsibility to make the case,” she said.

Speaking at the occasion Rwandese President  Paul Kagame  hailed African Green Revolution Forum for spearheading the development of Agribusiness in the Continent

Kagame  stressing  point 

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AGRF research indicates farming remains a key source of income for 60 to 65 percent of the labor force in sub-Saharan Africa and will continue to be a major source of employment for a decade or more. Leadership4Agriculture session attendees said the mentality that agriculture is more of a traditional career for those who don’t have alternative r work options, has to change.

Edward Mabaya, Manager of the African Development Bank’s Agribusiness Development Division, said government leaders and farmers should replace the word “agriculture” with “agribusiness.”

NFA to plant 10 million trees

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

National Forestry Authority plans to plant 10 million trees in a mover to restore Uganda’s forest cover which has been deeply reduced due to human activities across the country.

 According to Tom Okello  the executive Director  of NFA , Uganda’s forest cover  has been reducing at high rate this has exposed Uganda as Country to massive Environmental  Impacts such as climate change , landslides  and soil erosion which has had big impact on the country’s economy thus the need to restore the forest coverage in the country.

 “We are going to plant about 10 million trees starting on the 21^stOf September across the country our attention is to restore the country’s forest cover  which has been highly degraded due to human activities such as the increasing demand for biomass fuels , demand for land for Agriculture activities due to the increasing population in the country “ Okello said.

Aisha NFA Pro and  Okoello during the press conference 

Uganda’s forest cover according to statistics from NFA stated diminishing from 1994 where the total coverage was at 24% but to date such coverage has been reduced to less than 10% currently. The major driver for the loss of the country’s forest cover is the high demand for trees to produce charcoal and fire woods which are the major source of energy in most urban towns in the country.

For the country to regain the lost glory of the forest cover, the country need to plant at least 136000 hectares annually and According to NFA, the agency is read to work with Individuals willing to engage in tree planting.

“We are willing to work with communities by providing free tree seedlings especially for the natural trees such as Mahogany Mvule  to those Individuals NFA has nursery tree  beds across the country which makes it very cheap to access the tree planting materials in the country let us work together for the good of our country” He said.

some of the tree seedlings to be distributed.

The tree planting Exercises is among the key Activities being organized by the tax Body URA as the agency plans to host the 2018 tax payers appreciation week which is expected to kick off on the 26^thOf September to 28^th at the Kololo Airstrip ground.

Addressing the media at the URA Head offices Okello said, NFA will be signing agreements with local Governments to ensure that they engage more local communities in tree planting.

“Government allocates some resources to NFA to implement the community Tree planting programs we shall be using part of the resources to support the local governments to implement the program on behalf of NFA” He said.  

UK partners with Kenyan scouts and UN environment to fight plastic

BY SAMUEL NABWIISO

UK Prime Minister Theresa May has  announced her government’s commitment with UN Environment to inspire young people to become leaders in the fight against single-use plastic.

May recently who was meeting over 150 scouts and Guides along side with the  Head of UN Environment, Erik Solheim, on the campus of the United Nations offices in Nairobi to announce the launch of a new Plastic Challenge Badge for Girl Guides and Scouts.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May  with Scouts  inKenya recently 

Plastic Challenge Badge for Girl Guides and Scouts, initiative will promote education and action through the type of hands-on environmental stewardship for which the Scouts and Guides are famous.

The Badge curriculum will first target schools and youth groups in Kenya, helping an estimated 50,000 young people to better understand the importance of reducing plastic consumption and kick-start behavior change.

In the UK, the government is providing $50,000 in initial funding for the project and will support an exchange programme to connect Scouts and Guides from the UK and Kenya with a focus on catalyzing a youth-led global effort to beat plastic pollution.

The UK Government will also fund the creation of a resource pack which will support UK Scouts to take greater action on plastic pollution.

In the months to come, UN Environment, the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) will continue to empower millions of young people on plastic pollution.

 World Scouting, with 50 million members across the world, and UN Environment in February renewed their global partnership for the environment.

Speaking to Scouts and Guides on hand to participate in a design challenge for the badge, UN Environment’s Executive Director summed up the stakes.

“The environment has already paid a heavy price for our addiction to single-use plastics. We simply can’t allow that cost to extend to the next generation,” said Solheim.

“That’s why this support from the UK government to create and launch a plastic pollution badge with the Guides and Scouts is such an inspiring step in the right direction. This global partnership allows us to not just fight plastic pollution on the beaches, but to invest in the young minds that will preserve the planet for future generations to come.”

Symbolic of to the UK’s global leadership in the fight against single-use plastic pollution, May paid the visit amid a packed diplomatic schedule which featured visits to South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya. She is the first Prime Minister since Margaret Thatcher to visit UN Environment headquarters in Nairobi.

Developed as part of the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Youth and United Nations Global Alliance, UN agencies, civil society and other organizations, 

Challenge Badges aim to raise young people’s awareness, educate and motivate them to change behavior and help them become an active agent of change in their local community. The series can be used by teachers in school classes as well as by youth leaders, especially those in Guide or Scout groups.