Nigeria has released two improved cassava varieties in an effort to maintain its lead as the world’s largest producer of the root crop, improve incomes of farmers and make them smile.

The varieties were developed through a collaborative effort between the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the Nigerian Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike. The two varieties are originally recognized as IITA developed genotypes: IITA-TMS-I982132 and IITA-TMS-I011206. But with the official release, they are to be known as UMUCASS 42 and UMUCASS 43 respectively. 

“Both varieties performed well in different cassava production regions of Nigeria with high yield, high dry matter and good disease resistance.  The roots of these varieties are yellow and contain moderate levels of pro-Vitamin A,” says Dr Peter Kulakow, IITA Cassava Breeder.

Potential maximum yield of the two varieties is between 49 and 53 tons per hectare, according to pre-varietal release trials that were conducted between 2008 and 2010. Local varieties produce less than 10 tons per hectare. The varieties are also resistant to major pests and diseases that affect cassava in the country including cassava mosaic disease, cassava bacterial blight, cassava anthracnose, cassava mealybug and cassava green mite.

Dr Chiedozie Egesi,  NRCRI Cassava Breeder, who presented the varieties before the Nigeria Varietal Release committee—the body in charge of officially releasing varieties—said the varieties have the following distinct qualities:

1.       Good for high quality cassava flour—a sought after trait by researchers for the cassava transformation agenda in Nigeria.

2.       High dry matter which is positively related to starch and crucial for cassava value chain development

3.       High leaf retention which is positively related to drought tolerance and is crucial for cassava production in the drier regions and in mitigating the impact of climate change, and

4.       Moderate levels of betacarotene for enhancing nutrition.

Over the years, cassava has transformed from being a “poor man’s” crop to now a cash crop and an industrial crop, as cassava is being processed to products such as starch, flour, glucose and ethanol. This transition has placed demand on cassava.

Researchers say developing new improved varieties is one way that will boost the steady supply of cassava roots to this ever increasing demand.

According to Dr Egesi, continuous breeding of such improved new varieties will help in stabilizing production, processing and marketing of cassava products.

“The impact of these efforts will be felt in areas such as rural employment and a virile cassava industrial sector,” he added.

                                                                                                      ###

For information, please contact:

Godwin Atser, g.atser@cgiar.org

Somalia’s large diaspora community have been the primary growth driver of Mogadishu’s new property and investment boom and gloom. Fruit Som said they plan to form an umbrella arm for Somali growers so they can meet foreign market demands. Sheikh Osman, the Head of FruitSom, said he hopes to work with hundreds of small farmers to grow and pick the fruit, and ensure they meet foreign markets’ requirements.

Somalia’s plan to resume its once thriving main cash crop comes after a gap of almost two decades. Before the collapse of the central government in 1991, Somalia had reputation for its high-quality bananas. Somalia was the largest exporter of the crop in East Africa, which reached the Middle East and EU markets.

According to recent surveys, the Somali banana is still preferred in places such as the United Arab Emirates and Iran for its pure organic taste. At its peak of production, Somalia used about 12,000ha of land to produce the crop and it employed roughly 120,000 people. Researchers also claimed that the Somali bananas do not experience major pests or diseases and that the revering soil was rich in nutrients.

Currently the country grows bananas in 3,000ha for local consumption in green and ripened form. It hopes to restore its once beloved crop and start shipping consignments to Saudi Arabia, UAE and other Gulf states as well as Iran.

Services from Kenya’s Water Towers Underpin Many Sectors of Economy

Nairobi, 5 November 2012 – Deforestation deprived Kenya’s economy of 5.8 billion shillings ($US 68 million) in 2010 and 6.6 billion shillings in 2009, far outstripping the roughly 1.3 billion shillings injected from forestry and logging each year, according to a joint Kenya Forest Service (KFS) and UN Environment Programme (UNEP) report.

The ongoing work of the KFS, together with the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) and international partners, says that the contribution of forests is undervalued by 2.5 per cent, putting the estimate of its annual contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at around 3.6 per cent.

Hon. Dr. Noah Wekesa, Kenya’s Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, said the report – entitled ‘The Role and Contribution of Montane Forests and Related Ecosystem Services to the Kenyan Economy’ and launched at the beginning of the Kenya Water Towers, Forests and Green Economy National Dialogue – marked a new phase in efforts to conserve the vital ecosystem services provided by Kenya’s forests.

“The value of the Mau Forest’s ecosystem services to the Kenyan economy previously calculated by UNEP has already catalyzed a response to conserve and rehabilitate this vital resource,” he said. “This shows we have already acknowledged the importance of forests. However, this new report quantifies the massive scale of the economic damage deforestation brings and shows much more needs to be done nation-wide.”

Kenya’s five water towers – Mau Forest Complex, Mount Kenya, the Aberdares, Mount Elgon and Cherangani – feed filtered rainwater to rivers and lakes and provide more than 15,800 million cubic metres of water per year, which represents over 75 per cent of the country’s renewable surface water resources.

These forests store water during the rainy season and release it slowly, thus ensuring water flow during dry periods. The forests thus provide resilience to seasonal environmental and economic changes and long-term economic hazards like climate change. Aside from timber and fuel they also bring benefits to the agriculture, forestry and fishing sectors; the electricity and water sectors; the hotels and accommodation sector; and the public administration and defense sector.

Yet between 2000 and 2010, deforestation in the water towers amounted to an estimated 28,427 hectares, leading to reduced water availability of approximately 62 million cubic metres per year. Kenya’s economy is highly vulnerable to water availability. Inflation spiked above 10 per cent on three occasions between 2000 and 2010, each time driven by drought combined with increasing crude oil prices and weaker exchange rates.

“Kenya is today underlining its determination to be among a group of pioneering countries putting its nature-based assets at the centre of its sustainable development ambitions,” said Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director.

“The findings of this report are based on the best international analytical methods and the latest environmental and economic evidence–it is these kinds of cutting-edge assessments that are inspiring more and more countries in Africa and beyond towards the opportunities presented in a transition to an inclusive Green Economy,” he added.

The main reasons for deforestation are multiple and complex:  from unregulated charcoal production, logging of indigenous trees, marijuana cultivation, and cultivated fields in the indigenous forest to shamba-system practices, livestock grazing, quarry landslides and human settlements.

Fuel wood and charcoal represent the most important energy source for the population, at 75 per cent, and the forestry sector creates both formal and informal job opportunities, especially in rural areas.

As a result, deforestation has largely been driven by private consumption, as the demand of households has doubled within the last ten years. This number is also underestimated as it does not incorporate the informal sector, which has been expanding, particularly in rural areas where firewood is collected for free or exchanged for other goods.

While forest products bring in one-off cash to the national economy, they encourage illegal deforestation activities and create huge economic damage through the loss of regulating services.

The report quantified the following negative economic consequences of deforestation:

·        By 2010, the cumulative negative effect of deforestation on the economy through reduction in regulating services was an estimated KSh 3,650 million per year, more than four times the cash revenue of deforestation;
·        Decreased river flows in dry season reduces water supply to irrigation agriculture, at a cost of 1.5 billion shillings to the sector in 2010;
·        Reduced river flows also reduced hydropower generation by eight million shillings, producing a multiplier effect on the rest of the economy through power shortages (46 per cent of Kenya’s power comes from hydro generation);
·        Increased wet-season flows lead to erosion and sedimentation, resulting in a loss of productive soil resources, which in turn increases nutrient content in fresh water systems, causes siltation and increases turbidity of water supplies. This reduction in water quality reduced inland fish catch by 86 million shillings and increased the cost of water treatment for potable use by 192 million shillings in 2010;
·        Incidence of malaria as a result of deforestation is estimated to have cost 237 million shillings by 2010, in the form of health costs to the government and losses in labour productivity;
·        Forest loss is also detrimental to the global carbon cycle. The above-ground carbon storage value forgone through deforestation was estimated at 511 million shillings in 2010 (calculated at a value of US$6 per ton under the REDD+ scheme).

The Kenyan government has already recognized the value of its forests, and is working on the rehabilitation of the Mau Forest Complex. Over the last one-and-a-half years, more than 21,000 hectares of forestland have been repossessed, and 10,000 hectares have been rehabilitated by the Government of Kenya and partners.

A number of programmes and activities have also been started to improve the livelihoods of communities living adjacent to the forest and address the situation of the forest-dwelling communities, in particular the Ogiek.

With a view to expanding efforts to all water towers, the Government of Kenya gazetted the Kenya Water Towers Agency on 13 April 2012. The agency will take over the responsibilities of the Mau Secretariat and will be responsible for coordinating and supervising the rehabilitation, conservation and management of Kenyan water towers.

However, the report finds that there is a great deal of room for more activities, and makes the following recommendations:

·        Sustainable Forest Management contributes to national development with a ratio of more than four times that of the poor forest management that leads to deforestation, and should be incorporated. Sustainable actions include:
o        Selective thinning regimes
o        Protection against uncontrolled settlements;
o        Adequate allocation and policing of water withdrawals;
o        Improved management of degraded land;
·        Ensure that Kenya has in place a fully functioning forest resource account in order to capture the various benefits provided by forests;
·        Stronger regulation of forest use. For instance, the enacting of farm forestry, forest harvesting and charcoal regulations in 2009 represent an important step in the right direction and needs to be pursued;
·        Encourage investment in the forestry sector in order to increase the efficiency in production, especially in sawn timber and charcoal production;
·        Address the growing trend of dependence on imports of forest products, which constituted more than 50 per cent of domestic output for the year 2009;
·        Ensure adequate regeneration after harvest and an increased forest plantation growth in the long term, together with a better coordination of regulating institutions, producers and consumers of forest products;
·        Mainstream instruments and incentives such as payment for ecosystem services, trading and insurance schemes.

Forests in Kenya also represent a great opportunity in terms of carbon storage and the use of carbon trading schemes, the report found.

The economic analysis also lends weight to the Inclusive Wealth Index, a joint initiative by the United Nations University International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change (UNU-IHDP) and UNEP.

The index, launched at Rio+20, is a new indicator which looks beyond GDP to include natural and human capital, thus encouraging governments to implement policies that encourage sustainable use of natural resources.

Notes to Editors:

·        The report can be downloaded from www.unep.org/pdf/Montane_Forests.pdf
·        Video Downloads for Journalists:

Journalists can screen low-resolution previews and download broadcast quality files at https://vimeo.com/unep/videos

High resolution material with shotlists and storylines is also available on our FTP server at ftp://dcpiftp@ftp.unon.org/Forests_UNEP/

User name: dcpiftp
Password: dcpi3427.

Depending on your browser’s version and proxy settings, you may be prompted to enter a user name and/or password. If you are still unable to see these files, please try a different browser.

·        The Inclusive Wealth Report 2012, which includes figures on Kenya, can be downloaded here: http://cl.ly/2k0k300R1W0A422j0U1i

Media Contacts:

Shereen Zorba, Head, UNEP Newsdesk on Mobile: +254 788 526000, Email: unepnewsdesk@unep.org

Michael Logan, UNEP Newsdesk (Nairobi) on Tel. +254 20 762 5211, Mobile: +254 725 939 620, Email: unepnewsdesk@unep.org

Hyderabad (India), 20 October 2012

Developed countries agreed to double funding to support efforts in developing states towards meeting the internationally-agreed Biodiversity Targets, and the main goals of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020.

The Saragasso Sea, the Tonga archipelago and key corals sites off the coast of Brazil are among a range of marine areas to receive special attention by governments as part of renewed efforts agreed in Hyderabad to sustainably manage the world’s oceans. Many of the areas are beyond national jurisdictions and, as such, receive little or no protection at present.

Other key decisions taken at the 11th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP 11) include new measures to factor biodiversity into environmental impact assessments linked to infrastructure and other development projects in marine and coastal areas.

Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity said: “These results, coming in a period of economic crisis, demonstrate that the world is committed to implementing the CBD. We see that governments are moving forward in implementation and seeing biodiversity as an opportunity to be realized more than a problem to be solved.”

“We now need to move forward in the next two years, under the able leadership of India, the COP 11 president, to consolidate this work and to advance further. I look forward to other pledges in support of the Hyderabad call for Biodiversity Champions that will allow us to realize our goals” he said.

More action needed to conserve world’s biodiversity

Smt. Jayanthi Natarajan, minister of Environment and Forests for India, and president of the COP said: “The present economic crisis should not deter us, but on the contrary encourage us to invest more towards amelioration of the natural capital for ensuring uninterrupted ecosystem services, on which all life on earth depends.”

“The UN biodiversity conference in Hyderabad has taken forward the renewed momentum, forged two years ago in Nagoya,” said United Nations Under-Secretary-General and UN Environment Programme Executive Director Achim Steiner.

“Countries have sent a clear signal and delivered additional commitments underlining the fact that biodiversity and ecosystems are a development priority and central to a transition to an inclusive Green Economy,” added Mr. Steiner.

“Mobilizing the necessary financial resources from the public and private sector needed to ensure achievement of the 2020 targets remains a challenge – but here in India, many nations including developing economies have signalled their determination and sense of urgency to seize the opportunities by providing much needed additional support,” said Mr. Steiner.

Agreements on Funding

Developed countries agreed at the conference to increase funding to support efforts in developing states towards meeting the Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

Using a baseline figure of the average annual national spending on biodiversity between 2006 and 2010, developed countries said they would double funding by 2015. The COP also set targets to increase the number of countries that have included biodiversity in their national development plans, and prepared national financial plans for biodiversity, by 2015.

All Parties agreed to substantially increase domestic expenditures for biodiversity protection over the same period.

These targets, and progress towards them, will be reviewed in 2014.

For the first time, developing countries at COP 11, including India and several African states, pledged additional funds above and beyond their core funding towards the work of the CBD.

Marine Biodiversity

The 193 Parties to the CBD agreed to classify a diverse list of marine areas, some renowned for containing ‘hidden treasures’ of the plant and animal world, as ecologically or biologically significant.

Earlier this week, UNEP launched its Protected Planet 2012 report which found that half of the world’s richest biodiversity zones remain entirely unprotected – despite a 60 per cent increase in the number of protected areas since 1990.

To meet the Aichi Biodiversity Target of ensuring that 10 per cent of marine areas are protected by 2020, says the UNEP report, an additional 8 million square kilometres of marine and coastal areas would need to be recognized as protected – an area just over the size of Australia.

Parties to the Convention also called for more research into the potential adverse effects of underwater noise from ships on marine and coastal biodiversity, and highlighted growing concerns regarding marine litter. It also recognized the challenge of climate change impacts on coral reefs, which, Parties agreed, will require significant investment to overcome.

There was also a call to fisheries management bodies to play a stronger role in addressing the impacts of fisheries on biodiversity.

The series of agreements at COP 11 on oceans and coasts builds on the commitment of countries made at the United Nations Rio+20 summit in June to protect and restore marine ecosystems and to maintain their biodiversity.

National Biodiversity Plans

Much of the COP 11 negotiations revolved around practical and financial support for countries in implementing national biodiversity plans to meet the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and the 2020 Aichi Biodiversity Targets.

In reviewing global progress in implementing such measures, the COP reaffirmed the need for enhanced technical and scientific cooperation among countries, while underlining the potential for enhanced cooperation among developing countries.

To support such efforts, a new National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans Forum (NBSAP Forum) was launch at COP11 by UNEP, CBD, The Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the UN Development Programme (UNDP). The online forum provides easy-to-access, targeted information such as best practices, guidelines and learning tools for countries.

UNEP’s Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) Initiative also presented a series of practical guides for governments at COP 11 for integrating the economic, social and cultural value of ecosystems into national biodiversity plans.

COP 11 also agreed to a number of measures to engage the main economic sectors, such as business and development organizations, to integrate biodiversity objectives in their plans and programmes.

Biodiversity, Forests and Climate Change

The COP called for enhanced collaboration between the CBD and UN climate change initiatives including Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+)

Given that forests are home to more than half of all terrestrial species, initiatives such as REDD+, where developing countries can receive payments for carbon offsets for their standing forests, can potentially help achieve international biodiversity targets, as well as those concerned with cutting carbon emissions.

The decision covers technical advice on the conservation of forests, sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.

However the COP also noted discussions around the need for biodiversity safeguards relating to REDD+ and similar incentives. Actions such as afforestation in areas of high biodiversity value, or the conversion of natural forests to plantations, for example, may have adverse impacts on biodiversity.

A parallel summit of Cities and Local Authorities was convened with the support of ICLEI. Participants adopted the Hyderabad Declaration on Subnational Governments, Cities and other Local Authorities for Biodiversity, which supports the work of cities to achieve the Global Strategy for Biodiversity and calls for greater coordination between levels of government.

For more information, please contact:

David Ainsworth, Information Officer, Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Phone +1 514 561 2720 (mobile), Email: David.ainsworth@cbd.int

Bryan Coll, Newsdesk, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), on Tel. +254 731 666 214, E-mail: bryan.coll@unep.org / unepnewsdesk@unep.org

Notes to Editors

Other COP 11 decisions:

The Conference welcomed the establishment of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) earlier this year and recognized the potential contribution it could make to enhance the effectiveness of the Convention. COP requested IPBES to contribute to assessments of the achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. It was decided that the Convention’s Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice at its next meeting would provide additional explanatory information on the tasks requested from IPBES and that it would convey this information to IPBES before the its second plenary meeting at the end of 2013.

A decision on Article 8(j), relating to indigenous and local communities was adopted which provided a major component of work on customary sustainable use. The decision also advanced three tasks that may contribute to the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol including Guidelines related to priori informed consent, mutually agreed terms and others.

Governments also provided guidance to the preparations for the entry into force of the Nagoya Protocol and agreed that a third meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Nagoya Protocol will be needed in the upcoming two years. It was further urged to complete a number of tasks in advance of entry into force in a timely manner.

The conference also saw the launch of the Hyderabad Call for Biodiversity Champions. The programme will accept pledges from governments and organizations in support of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity. The government of India this week committed over US$ 50 million as part of the programme.

The Global Environment Facility, the financial mechanism of the Convention, for the first time, was provided with an assessment of the financial resources required to meet the needs of developing countries for implementing the Convention.

For a full list of decisions made at CBD COP 11, please visit: www.cbd.int/cop11

About the UN Convention on Biological Diversity

Opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and entering into force in December 1993, the Convention on Biological Diversity is an international treaty for the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of the components of biodiversity and the equitable sharing of the benefits derived from the use of genetic resources. With 193 Parties, the Convention has near universal participation among countries. The Convention seeks to address all threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services, including threats from climate change, through scientific assessments, the development of tools, incentives and processes, the transfer of technologies and good practices and the full and active involvement of relevant stakeholders including indigenous and local communities, youth, NGOs, women and the business community. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety is a subsidiary agreement to the Convention. It seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology. To date, 164 countries plus the European Union have ratified the Cartagena Protocol. The Secretariat of the Convention and its Cartagena Protocol is located in Montreal. For more information visit: www.cbd.int.

About the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Established in 1972, UNEP is the voice for the environment within the United Nations system. UNEP acts as a catalyst, advocate, educator and facilitator to promote the wise use and sustainable development of the global environment. UNEP works with a wide range of partners, including United Nations entities, international organizations, national governments, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and civil society. UNEP work encompasses assessing global, regional and national environmental conditions and trends; developing international and national environmental instruments; strengthening institutions for the wise management of the environment; facilitating the transfer of knowledge and technology for sustainable development; and encouraging new partnerships and mind-sets within civil society and the private sector. For more information, visit: www.unep.org

UNEP presented the following reports at CBD COP11:

TEEB Water and Wetlands report

Avoiding Future Famines report

Protected Planet 2012 report

TEEB Implementation Guides to Aichi Targets 2, 3 and 11

Cities and Biodiversity Outlook report

The varieties which were developed through conventional breeding by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and partners are recognized as IITA genotypes as TMS 92/0326, TMS 96/1414, TMS 96/0023, TMS 92/0057, and TMS 92/0067.

The improved varieties were formally released by the Cameroonian Minister for Agriculture, Mr. Essimi Menye; and the Permanent Secretary, Ms Ebelle Etame Rebecca, who represented the Minister of Research and Scientific Innovations.

With an estimated yield of between 20 tons and 35 tons per hectare, the improved varieties have improved nutritional qualities and are rich in caratenoids, iron and zinc.

Partners that worked in the varietal development include the Programme National de Developpement des Racines et Tubercules (PNDRT), the Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), non-governmental organizations and local farmers.

The varieties will help close the yield gaps, improve yield and also put more money in farmers’ pockets, said the Director General of IITA, Dr Nteranya Sanginga.

Dr Sanginga also said the release of the varieties would help improve the fortunes of farmers who depend on the crop for their livelihoods.

According to him, IITA will continue to support farmers in Cameroon by offering improved varieties and technologies that address the constraints to development in tropical nations.

The Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Menye said the new improved varieties would helpCameroonto take advantage of the opportunities of cassava. He also commended IITA’s efforts in developing the varieties.

Grown by most farmers, cassava is one of the major staples inCameroonthat is contributing to food security and wealth creation.

The crop is either boiled and eaten, or processed into local delicacies such as Mitumba, Baton de manioc, Beignets de manioc, gari, and Ndas among others.

The root crop has also gained industrial importance with uses in ethanol production, High Quality Cassava Flour in bread production, and glucose syrup production.

Despite the strategic role, the root crop is challenged by poor yields, pests and diseases, decreasing soil fertility, and climate change.

IITA’s role in addressing these challenges helped Cameroonian farmers to double yields in the past decade.

Farmers who participated in the varietal release process ‘loved’ the varieties for their cooking qualities.

IITA Country Representative, Dr Rachid Hanna said the release of the varieties ‘is significant’ as it would improve the nutrition and livelihoods of farmers in Cameroon.

“We see it as a new dawn for cassava farmers,” he added.

Many people saw you as not being your own man in your initial days as president. How did you change those perceptions?

[Former] President [France-Albert] René and I came from the same party. Maybe it was normal for people to be impatient as they expected that radical changes would come rapidly. There were other people who, because of their own political agenda, were propagating these perceptions. The majority of Seychellois saw from the day of my swearing-in that I was pushing for a modern economy and I was for dialogue with representatives of all sections of our population. I was ushering in greater transparency, involving more people in national affairs. It was necessary at the same time to have some continuity, and maintain stability.

You took a gamble when you liberalized the economy in 2008. At the time, Seychelles’ inflation had reached 60 per cent and the International Monetary Fund was giving grim projections on your economy. What did you do to turn the economy around?

Liberalizing the economy and floating the rupee was really a huge political gamble. Our country needed a strong leadership and we had to take bold decisions. We needed to deal a fatal blow to the parallel foreign exchange market. It disappeared in a couple of days after the floatation of the rupee. When owners of foreign exchange found they could get more from the banks, the black market was wiped out.

It was a time of great sacrifice for the Seychellois people. Liberalization also brought some disruption to local production. We are now looking at innovative ways to boost the performance of local production. We now have the basis of a modern economy. Growth last year was 5 per cent. The main success of the reforms was the support of the Seychellois people.

You have been an ardent advocate for international intervention on piracy. How has piracy affected Seychelles’ economy?

Pirates’ activity is costing Seychelles millions of dollars in lost revenues from fishing and tourism, in extra transport costs and patrolling of the sea. It is estimated that the costs are equivalent to a 4 per cent loss in GDP. The costs of imports have also increased due to higher insurance for cargo bound for Seychelles. Piracy caused a [total] loss of almost US$17 million in 2011. The losses and extra expenditures are significant for a small nation of 85,000 people.

What measures has your government taken to ward off piracy?

The Seychellois Coast Guard has stepped up its activities to secure national waters. Our naval force has had several notable successes in freeing civilian vessels, including Seychellois fishermen captured by Somali pirates. We are cooperating fully with foreign navies that patrol the waters of the western Indian Ocean. We have modernized our laws against international piracy to make it easier for Seychelles courts to put on trial pirates captured. Presently over 90 Somali pirates are either serving jail time or awaiting prosecution in Seychelles. Very recently we’ve had to start recruiting military personnel, among them Gurkhas from Nepal, to provide security aboard vessels operating in our waters.

Because we are the country most threatened by piracy in the Indian Ocean, we find ourselves at the forefront in the fight against the scourge. We are also using diplomacy to fight piracy. We use every forum we attend to appeal for concerted international efforts to bring peace to Somalia. Without peace and a strong central government, Somalia will remain lawless, a breeding ground for pirates.

You have been calling on global leaders to take action on climate change. What are your thoughts on the International Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio?

Our focus should not just be on words but on action. It is 20 years since the first Rio summit. During that time we made a lot of statements. We have spoken about sustainable agriculture, sustainable tourism, sustainable financing and so on. But 20 years later we find that we have many unfulfilled pledges and non-binding agreements to accompany them. The people need to put pressure on their governments to do something about climate change.

Among the leaders of the small island developing states, you stand out as having been very vocal on climate change. Any explanation?

It is a question of survival for us. The relative lack of action of the last 20 years signifies that the cries of those that are the most vulnerable have not been heard. We need a legally binding agreement to limit carbon emissions. The time has come for everybody to develop the political will, a strong political will, for us as humanity to get together and see how we can seriously tackle this problem and save our only home, our planet. We need to do this soon as we are running out of time.

In 2007 you launched the Sea-Level Rise Foundation to draw global attention to the impact of climate change on small island states and other low-lying areas. What prompted this?

The effects of climate change are being felt already in small island states. When you live on an island, climate change is a reality that you wake up to face every day. The fisherman sees it every day as he takes to the sea. Every child sees it when returning to his favourite beach to play. But it is perhaps much harder to see from the aisle of a supermarket in the Western hemisphere.

As low-lying small island developing states, we are not only vulnerable to sea level rise but also aware of the importance of sustainable coastal tourism, responsible management of marine resources and the protection of ecosystems and biodiversity. I am very proud of Seychelles, as our islands are at the forefront of the fight against climate change, as well as advocates for the development of a sustainable “blue economy.”

Why is your country always ranked high on economic management and good governance?

Just after independence 35 years ago, we started investing in the welfare of our nation. All our money, and assistance we received from partners overseas, was well spent on education, health, decent housing and infrastructure. We were determined to move Seychelles from an economic backwater to a middle-income country. We are a nation of opportunities. We spend on education and learning, giving young people and professionals the chance to develop themselves and increase their knowledge.

With a more educated population, there are greater demands for transparency. There is greater debate and exchange of ideas, and with these there is an increased sense of scrutiny. In a vibrant democracy where government actions are scrutinized by half a dozen political parties and movements, three daily newspapers, three weeklies and other stakeholders, we have to deliver and always look for ways to do better. People have to know where their money is being spent, and see the tangible results of the investments. We are happy we have established the tradition of good economic management and good governance.

What advice would you give to emerging leaders in Africa?

Invest in the people and have belief in them, especially the young generation. No nation is built in a day. The culture of popular participation, openness and good governance helps a great deal. Africa is a huge continent waiting for new things to happen. This is the excitement!

—Africa Renewal online
Africa Renewal www.un.org/africarenewal

The Institute also plans to backstop the newly established state-owned cassava starch industry, linking it to markets and also offering farmers improved cassava planting materials to ensure a steady supply of cassava roots to the factory

“In the next two weeks, the institute will be delivering improved cassava planting materials for multiplication,” said the Deputy Director General, Partnerships and Capacity Building (IITA), Dr Kenton Dashiell on Monday in Dutse, Jigawa State.

Cassava, cowpea and maize are important crops in that Nigeria’s north western state, contributing to the food security and wealth creation of millions of people.

The donation of the improved planting materials comes after the governor of the north western state, Dr Sule Lamido, gave an open invitation to the foremost agricultural research institute in Africa, IITA, to help his government turn-around agriculture at the Institute’s 45th anniversary held on 6 July in Ibadan, Oyo state.

Dr Dashiell said “the institute is glad to help Jigawa state to tackle the challenge of food insecurity, create wealth and improve livelihoods.”

The about 1000kg of improved seeds comprising 500kg of cowpea and 500kg of maize will be planted across the 27 local governments of the state on demonstration plots with the support of farmers and the Jigawa State Agricultural Development Program. Seeds harvested from the demonstrations will be given to farmers ahead of next planting season in 2013, amplifying the benefits of improved technologies to farmers in the state.

The Institute will also assist the government by linking buyers to the Jigawa State cassava starch factory.

With an installed processing capacity of 4 tons of cassava roots per hour, the factory aims to add value to cassava, thereby creating wealth for cassava farmers.

Plans are also on the table to begin the production of gari, and high quality cassava flour that can be used by bakers and in the confectionary industry.

The introduction of improved cassava varieties will offer the state the opportunity to tap the power of the root crop for its rapid agricultural development.

Jigawa State Governor, Dr Sule Lamido thanked IITA for offering to support the state in its agricultural transformation agenda.

“We need to develop a strong partnership to impact positively on the lives of our people,” Lamido said.

He pledged to give the Institute the necessary support to improve the livelihoods of the people of the state.

Dr Dashiell was accompanied to Jigawa state by Dr Robert Asiedu, IITA Director (West Africa); Dr Gbassey Tarawali, IITA Scientist on Value Chains; and Godwin Atser, Communication Officer, (West & Central Africa).

For information, please contact:

Godwin Atser, g.atser@cgiar.org

PHOTO CAPTION:

L-R: Jigawa State Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Rabi’u Isah; Director for West Africa, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Dr Robert Asiedu; and Deputy Director General, Partnerships and Capacity Building, IITA, Dr Kenton Dashiell, during the handover of improved cowpea and maize seeds to Jigawa state government in Dutse… On Monday

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – When an ILO mission arrived in Ethiopia in 1993 to introduce a newly-launched cooperative reform and human resource development programme, it found a country with hundreds of thousands of displaced people and demobilized soldiers.

It also found a weakened economy, food insecurity, rampant unemployment and … a cooperative movement.

This movement was among those bearing the scars from the previous 14 years. Based on past experience, cooperatives were perceived as socialist institutions and instruments of state oppression.

Nineteen years later, all that has changed.

The Oromia Coffee Farmers’ Cooperative Union (OCFCU) exemplifies how agricultural cooperatives improve their members’ capacity to access global markets, as well as their income and social conditions.

OCFCU exports coffee to the European Union (EU), the United States and Australia. All in all, more than 200,000 coffee producers and around 200 cooperatives are involved throughout the country.

It has negotiated fair trade deals with coffee dealers in some of the EU countries, set up coffee shops in the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan and Canada and is vigorously promoting organic coffee farming for added value.

A key objective is to improve the sustainability of the coffee industry by supporting biodiversity, enhancing soil health through the use of organic compost and to promote environmental protection – all issues which will be on the table at the Rio+20 conference.

From Oromia to the rest of Ethiopia and beyond

Oromia’s coffee is organic, and forest-grown, and no herbicides, insecticides nor chemical fertilizers are used in its production.

By working together, farmer members are able to pool their resources. This democratic system benefits individual farmer members and their communities.

Harvesting is carried out by hand. Supervision and inspection are undertaken once a year by BCS Öko-Garantie, a private agency implementing EU-Regulations on organic production.

As a producer of fair trade coffee, OCFCU is able to use the Fairtrade Premium and its social fund to finance community development programmes. It has already funded 28 education, eight health, and 36 clean water projects, as well as the construction of a bridge and the improvement of electrical supply.

The OCFCU has also recently created its own members’ bank, which extends credit for much-needed pre-harvest financing. What’s more, it is promoting eco-tourism in the coffee growing areas as well.

The experience from Oromia is being replicated in the rest of Ethiopia, where a rapid development of the cooperative movement is taking place.

A comparable initiative in Ghana is Kuapa Kokkoo, a Fairtrade-certified cocoa farmers’ cooperative. Established in 1993 by some cocoa farmers, the cooperative drives its strength from the participation of small-scale farmers at the village level.

More on Ethiopian Coffee Cooperatives and ILO at Rio+20

http://www.uncsd2012.org/index.php?page=view&type=99&nr=31&menu=20

National info on policies/publications at Rio+20

http://www.uncsd2012.org/index.php?page=view&type=6&nr=166&menu=32

Maiduguri,Nigeria

As you approach the Lake Chad basin fromMaiduguri, in northeasternNigeria, the evidence of despair is telling. The air is dusty, the wind is fierce and unrelenting, the plants are wilting and the earth is turning into sand dunes. The lives of herders, fisherfolks and farmers are teetering on the edge as the lake dries up before their eyes.

Vegetation and water, the traditional staples of livelihood for theLake Chadcommunity dwellers, are vanishing. Vultures feast on dead cows as drought and desertification take their toll. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has called the situation an “ecological catastrophe,” predicting that the lake could disappear this century.

According to FAO Director of Land and Water Parviz Koohafkan, the Lake Chad basin is one of the most important agriculture heritage sites in the world, providing a lifeline to nearly 30 million people in four countries — Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

Lake Chad is located in the far west ofChadand the northeast ofNigeria. Parts of the lake also extend toNigerandCameroon. It is fed mainly by theChariRiverthrough the Lagone tributary, which used to provide 90 per cent of its water. It was once Africa’s largest water reservoir in the Sahel region, covering an area of about 26,000 square kilometres, about the size of theUSstate ofMarylandand bigger thanIsraelorKuwait.

By 2001 the lake covered less than one-fifth of that area. “It may even be worse now,” says Abbas Mohammed, a climatologist at the University of Maiduguri, Nigeria.

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), a regional body that regulates the use of the basin’s water and other natural resources, maintain that inefficient damming and irrigation methods by the countries bordering the lake are partly responsible for its shrinkage.

As parts of the lake dry up, most farmers and cattle herders have moved towards greener areas, where they compete for land resources with host communities. Others have gone toKano,Abuja,Lagosand other big cities for menial jobs or to roam the streets as beggars.

Those who remain inLake Chadshoreline communities such as Doran Baga are haunted by the speed with which the lake is vanishing. The Doran Baga settlement, which used to be by the lakeside, is now 20 kilometers from its edge.

Alhaji Baba Garba, a 78-year-old fisherman who has spent his life on the banks of the lake, says that much of the village used to be alongside it. Pointing at one of his children in his mid-30s, Garba adds, “even before that boy, Suleiman, was born.” Another villager, Salisu Zuru, laments the death of livestock.

The once busy Baga market inMaiduguri, where truckloads of fish from the lake used to be processed and then transported daily to other parts of the country, is now quiet. The villagers must now travel by canoe and on foot for days from Doran Baga to Dabban Masara, then to Darak in search of food. Darak is an affluent fishing community to the east ofCameroon’s border withNigeria.

The impact of the drying lake is causing tensions among communities aroundLake Chad. There are repeated conflicts among nationals of different countries over control of the remaining water. Cameroonians and Nigerians in Darak village, for example, constantly fight over the water. Nigerians claim to be the first settlers in the village, while Cameroonians invoke nationalistic sentiments, since the village is within Cameroonian territory. Fishermen also want farmers and herdsmen to cease diverting lake water to their farmlands and livestock.

The LCBC — established by the leaders of Chad, Nigeria, Cameroon and Niger in 1964 and later joined by the Central Africa Republic in 1994 — and its partners continue to make efforts to save the lake or at least mitigate the impact of its shrinkage on people’s lives. In his book An Inconvenient Truth, former US Vice-President Al Gore shows several images of the lake shrinking from 25,000 square kilometres in 1963 to just 1,500 square km in 2001. However, a 2007 satellite image shows improvements from previous years.

Recent drought may again have worsened the situation, says Professor Mohammed of theUniversityofMaiduguri. He urges the LCBC and its partners to tackle the impact of climate change, as well as to control damming and irrigation by the LCBC countries.

The commission’s member countries have plans to replenish the lake by building a dam and 60 miles of canals to pump water uphill from the Congo River to the Chari River and then on to Lake Chad. The replenishment project “will be the first of its kind inAfrica,” says Martin Gbafolo, the LCBC’s director of water resources and environment. The commission has raised more than $5 million for a feasibility study. Although the total cost of the project will not be known until the study is completed, experts like Professor Mohammed expect it will take a huge injection of funds to save the lake.

Already the World Bank is providing $10.6 million for a project to reverse land and water degradation in parts of the lake. In addition, the LCBC is educating livestock herders on gaining access to grazing and watering areas. Water users are taught efficient water-utilization methods and fishermen more appropriate techniques for catching fish.

At the opening of the African World Forum on Sustainable Development in N’Djamena,Chad, in October 2011, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan stressed the collective determination of leaders of the LCBC member countries to salvage the lake. But among the 30 million people who depend on it, there is uncertainty as to how much longer the lake will remain and when they will be able to breathe a sigh of relief.

AfricaRenewal www.un.org/africarenewal