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Agroecology Panacea To Climate Change, Food Crisis – Experts

Published

4 years ago

November 27, 2021

Agroecology has been identified as solution to climate change, food crises and other elements threatening farming and its produce in the country.

This was made known in a two-day training organised by Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) for over 50 farmers in Edo State with a view to exposing them on how to improve quality of their farm lands and have a healthy farming system.

INFO DAILY reports that the training also addressed the issue of climate change, land
degradation and conservation of our ecological systems.

In the training organised recently in Benin, farmers were informed that ecological farming alternatives were money saving, simple to implement and simple to share generated knowledge.

Speaking at the training, Programmes Manager, HOMEF, Joyce Brown, stated that essence of the training was to highlight the challenges farmers face and to train them on how to produce and use organic farming
inputs.

According to her, chemical intensive agriculture is not only harmful to the soil, but
contributes to climate change and endangers the health of farmers and the environment.

She noted that, on the quest to increase soil fertility and boost yields with the use of chemicals, farmers unknowingly endanger their economic future and further sign into a lifetime of health problems.

“Frequent exposure to chemical pesticides can cause cancer and other neurological, immunologic, respiratory and reproductive diseases.

“The use of harmful chemicals and Genetic Modified Organism (GMOs) do not solve the problems we have faced with food scarcity, rather it damages the soils and beneficial organisms.’ Natural fertilizers do not pose any harm to the soil, rather they nourish the soil,” she noted.

On his part, Deputy Director of an NGO (Women Environmental Programme), John Baaki, noted, “agriculture production has suffered intensive use of chemicals which is poisoning the environment,
contaminating the air and water bodies as well as the health of
farmers.’’

He continues, ‘’By teaching farmers to go organic, we are addressing the problem of chemical pollution in Nigeria’s agricultural
sector.’’

In her presentation, Mariann Bassey-Orovwuje, Deputy Director, Environmental Rights Action/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria, urged farmers not be excited when they receive unknown seeds or while using certain fertilizers which have proven to be harmful.

“We are encouraging the use of organic methods. Let us begin to ask some questions. Are we sick because of what we consume? Farmers help to protect nature, environment and our health. We need to consciously grow our foods in manners that are healthy and that do not inflict harm on the soils. To our farmers in Nigeria, we plead that we go back to our roots and say no to GMOs,” she stated.

Some farmers during the training, shared stories of having short-term and chronic sicknesses
arising from the use of chemicals on their farmlands.

Frederick Ekrebe-Thomas, a cocoa farmer shared his experience from both methods, saying, “The cassavas in my farm went bad after spraying with
pesticides and herbicides.

“When I tried it on separate farms, I noticed that the one with chemical all went bad but the one I used natural methods produced greatly. I have seen it from experience that a farm that is cultivated with organic inputs produces more than those using chemicals. We farmers do not always admit that chemicals are harmful to
us.

“I have been trained in the past on the harmful use of chemicals and
I appreciate this training because it has further opened my eyes and
added to my knowledge.”

Angela Victor, a rice farmer who expressed her excitement over the
training said, “I have been into local rice farming. The government once gave us rice which they call “sparrow 44” with fertilizers to make it grow.

“At the end instead of making profit, I lost much. At the next planting
season I decided to go back to my old rice seeds and method of farming before now. I have learned a lot from this training and I will put the knowledge to use.”

Farmers in training session

Also sharing his testimony, James Osarobo-sehende, who claimed to have always been into natural methods of production, stated that he will continue to remain in that method of farming.

“I used chicken dropping when I planted pumpkins. The growth
rate was impressive. I use machine to clear weeds not the chemical to
clear like the others and I have seen the difference in our farm lands.”

The farmers urged government to support farmers by providing indigenous seeds rather than contaminating GMOs and chemicals that would destroy
their soils and harm their economies.

They also asked for improvement of rural infrastructure which will enable their products get to final
consumers and also improve their farm gate prices.

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Headline

FG Summons S. African Envoy Over Rising Xenophobic Attacks On Nigerians

Published

2 days ago

May 3, 2026

Editor

The Federal Government has summoned the Acting High Commissioner of South Africa in Abuja over renewed concerns about xenophobic attacks and protests targeting foreign nationals, including Nigerians, living in that country.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the envoy is expected at its headquarters on Monday, May 4, 2026, for a high-level engagement aimed at addressing the growing tension and safeguarding bilateral relations between both countries.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the spokesperson for the Ministry, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said Nigeria would formally express its “profound concern” over recent developments in South Africa, particularly reports of harassment, violence, and destruction of property belonging to foreign nationals.

According to the ministry, the meeting will focus on ongoing demonstrations by various groups in South Africa and documented cases of attacks on Nigerians and their businesses in parts of the country.

“The objective of this engagement is to formally convey the Nigerian Government’s profound concern regarding recent events that have the potential to impact the established cordial relations between Nigeria and South Africa,” the statement read.

It added that discussions would also address ongoing demonstrations by various groups within South Africa and documented instances of mistreatment of Nigerian citizens and attacks on their businesses.

The ministry acknowledged growing anger among Nigerians over reports of xenophobic violence but urged restraint, stressing that diplomatic engagement remained the preferred channel for resolution.

It assured Nigerians that the Federal Government was actively engaging South African authorities to ensure the protection of its citizens abroad.

“The Ministry is aware of the growing discontent among Nigerians concerning the treatment of their nationals in South Africa. Nevertheless, it implores the Nigerian public to remain calm and reiterates the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting the rights and well-being of Nigerian citizens residing in South Africa,” the statement added.

The latest diplomatic move comes amid renewed reports of xenophobic tensions in parts of South Africa, where foreign-owned businesses have occasionally been targeted during protests linked to unemployment and economic hardship.

South Africa has a history of xenophobic violence dating back to 2008, with subsequent flare-ups in 2015 and 2019, when mobs attacked migrants, looted shops, and displaced thousands of foreign nationals across several provinces.

In past incidents, Nigerians and other African nationals were among those affected, prompting strong diplomatic reactions from Abuja and calls for stronger protection of foreign communities.

While South African authorities have repeatedly condemned such attacks and deployed security forces to restore order during outbreaks of violence, concerns have persisted over recurring hostility in some communities.

Headline

Mississippi Man ‘Kills Mother, Flushes Her Remains Down Toilet’

Published

3 days ago

May 2, 2026

Editor

A 29-year-old Mississippi man, Zachary Lavel Jackson Jr., has been charged with multiple offences, including first-degree murder, over the death of his mother, Lana Brown Bradley, after deputies responded to her Natchez home on April 4 following a missing person report from relatives.

The Adams County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called to Bradley’s residence after her oldest son was unable to reach her the previous day.

Jackson was initially identified as a family member before investigators confirmed he was her son.

Sheriff Travis Patten described the case as deeply disturbing.“This is by far the most heinous crime that I’ve ever witnessed in my entire life. We weren’t out there that day; this was one of those things when we walked up.

“This was one of those cases that you will never, ever forget in your life. This is the type of case that follows you home,” Patten told WJTV.

According to the sheriff, deputies noticed signs of a recent cleanup when they arrived at the home.

“As soon as they walked in the house, they could just see where somebody had been cleaning up, and they could smell chemicals all throughout the house.

“Floor was extremely slippery. And the older son said that this is just unusual for the youngest son to be cleaning up the house like that,” Patten explained.

Jackson, the youngest son, was found in a bathroom, where deputies allegedly made a discovery that became central to the investigation.

“I can say what was in the toilet, and it was her flesh. He chopped her up in pieces and dismembered her in a way that whoever came looking for her would have to do their due diligence to find her, and that’s just what we did,” the sheriff said.

Authorities said Jackson allegedly placed parts of his mother’s body in a suitcase and attempted to dispose of other remains.

Jackson faces charges of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, mayhem and tampering with evidence.

Headline

Iran Says War With US May Resume As Trump Rejects Proposal

Published

3 days ago

May 2, 2026

Editor

Iran’s military has warned that the war with the United States and Israel could resume, declaring that it is fully prepared for any renewed confrontation as tensions between the sides continue to deepen.

In a statement reported by Iranian state-affiliated media, senior military officials said a return to hostilities is “likely”, citing what they described as Washington’s lack of commitment to previous agreements and negotiations.

The warning comes after US President Donald Trump expressed dissatisfaction with Iran’s latest peace proposal, saying the terms presented by Tehran included demands he “can’t agree to”.

According to officials in Tehran, Iran believes it showed flexibility during earlier negotiations, including talks held in Islamabad and during the ceasefire period. However, authorities argue that the United States has instead taken a tougher stance, widening the gap between both sides.

Iranian officials insist that key issues such as sanctions relief and the status of the Strait of Hormuz must be resolved before any broader agreement, including discussions around its nuclear programme, can progress. They also reject what they describe as US demands amounting to “surrender”.

The growing diplomatic deadlock has raised fears that another round of fighting may be imminent, with Iranian authorities indicating that preparations are already underway.

Meanwhile, the prolonged conflict continues to have far-reaching consequences within Iran. Internet monitoring group NetBlocks reports that the country has entered its 64th day of near-total internet disruption, effectively isolating it from global online networks.

The shutdown, which began after renewed anti-government protests earlier in the year and intensified following the outbreak of the war, has significantly disrupted businesses and livelihoods across the country.

Beyond Iran, the conflict is also reshaping global dynamics. Rising oil prices linked to the war have placed pressure on international markets, while geopolitical tensions have strained alliances, including between the United States and European partners.

As both sides remain far apart on key issues, analysts warn that without a breakthrough in negotiations, the fragile pause in fighting could collapse, paving the way for renewed military escalation in the region.