Conventional agriculture is resource and energy intensive. Plants need the right kind of soil, nutrients, water and sunlight to grow and thrive. This implies that places that are too dry or hot are considered barren and unsuitable for agricultural activities. “Farming as usual” can no longer satisfy global food demand. Existing farming practices are largely […]
As essential as they are, over 2 billion people in the world lack access to basic sanitation facilities such as toilets or latrines. Out of these, up to 892 million still defecate in open places such as in street gutters, behind bushes or into open bodies of water. Poor sanitation is linked to transmission of […]
Although it is popularly cited that an estimated 70% of Nigeria′s population is engaged in agricultural production, this has sadly not translated into food security for the nation or improved standard of living for its farmers. The reasons are many: agricultural production is mostly at subsistence level agricultural holdings are mostly small and scattered inadequate […]
A startup in Ghana is helping to address some of the challenges that farmers face by using drone technology. The company called Acquahmeyer rents out drones that help small-scale farmers check the health of crops and use pesticide only where it is needed, reducing pollution and health risks. Although a large portion of Africa′s population […]
The current state of food: According to the United Nations, an estimated 821 million people in the world suffered from hunger in 2018. That is, 1 in 9 people do not get enough food to be healthy and lead an active life. Globally, an estimated 2 billion people do not have access to safe, nutritious […]
We do it all day and all night; we don’t even need to think about it. But how healthy is the air we breathe? According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), 9 out of 10 people on earth breathe polluted air. In many parts of the world, air pollution levels remain dangerously high leaving people […]
In commemoration of the #WorldFoodDay2017, I will like to join my voice to the call to put an end to the unhealthy practice of #FoodWaste. The truth is that many of us no longer think about when and how we dump the leftovers into the bin or simply walk away from it on the table […]
Once upon a time, nomadic herdsmen and farmers co-existed and lived happily. That time is no more. The Fula or Fulanis are the world’s largest pastoral nomadic group and are massively spread across countries in West and Central Africa. A large portion of the Fulanis are nomadic, herding cattle, goats and sheep. But how did […]
A LOOK AT THE MONEY So you have chosen to eat Organic, at least some of the time but you are concerned about costs. Generally, Organic Food is more expensive because it is more labour intensive (remember no pesticides, chemical fertilizers or drugs), Organic certification is expensive, Organic feed is costly, Organic farms are often […]
BENEFITS OF ‘ORGANIC’ Now this is not as easy and straight forward as it seems. Although there is widespread public belief that Organic Food is safer, more nutritious and better tasting, it is still difficult to confirm these claims scientifically. However, these beliefs are still promoted by the organic food industry. Consumers purchase and consume […]