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Tag: technology

  • Why Buhari places premium on science, technology, by minister

    Why Buhari places premium on science, technology, by minister

    President Muhammadu Buhari is placing high premium on science and technology  to ensure sustainable development and diversification of the  economy, Minister of Science and Technology  Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu said yesterday.

     He spoke at the grand finale of the Niger Delta Development Commission’s (NDDC’s) Girls in Engineering, Mathematics and Science (GEMS) competition.

    Onu, who was represented by the Director, Gender Desk of the federal ministry, Dr. Nnenna Okoronkwo, noted that the GEMS was borne out of the desire to give the girl child in the Niger Delta in particular and Nigeria at large a sense of pride, dignity and opportunity to excel in Engineering, Mathematics and Sciences.

    One of the nine representatives of Ondo State, Ayomide Adeyeye, emerged the overall winner of the maiden GEMS competition, among 33 finalists of Senior Secondary School 1 and 2 from the nine states of the Niger Delta.

    Adeyeye went home with a trophy, tablet computer, gold plaque, N200,000 cash and N5 million scholarship for her 5-year university education at N1 million per annum, while her school would also have a Chemistry laboratory from NDDC, with other finalists also getting various categories of awards.

    The Acting Managing Director of NDDC, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, urged the nine governors in the Niger Delta to partner with the Federal Government’s intervention agency on science and technology.

    The minister said Engineering, Mathematucs and Science studies had been dominated by male students, thereby feeling proud that NDDC was promoting the place of girl child in the society, stressing that Mrs. Semenitari was obviously passionate about making sure that young girls do well in the society.

    Onu said: “The present administration, under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, has placed a high premium on Science, Technology and Innovation (ST&I). The Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, early this year, facilitated the meeting of National Research and Innovation Council, which Mr. President himself is the Chairman.

    “The Technology Facilitation Mechanism, launched at the United Nations Summit on Sustainable Development propagates access to affordable technologies as a key to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals. Nigeria cannot be left behind.

    “The Federal Ministry of Science and Technology has its doors wide open to innovators and inventors for collaboration, to enable the diversification of our economy, in pursuance of an export-oriented nation, rather than the consuming nation we currently are.

    “The Niger Delta region is highly endowed with enormous human capital and natural resources and so very strategic to the socio-economic development of the nation.”

    The minister  also disclosed that his ministry and its agencies were also patrnering with many organisations in building the capacity of youths in diverse ways, to enable them to become relevant to themselves and the society, through the adoption of innovation as the way of life.

    Mrs. Semenitar stated that the greatness and power of countries were interrelated, in no small measure, with the top priority they accord science and technology.

     She noted that Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)-related careers had been creating huge employment opportunities, with STEM skills being very crucial to innovation and growth.

    She added that recent statistics suggested that over 90 per cent of emerging job opportunities were in STEM-related careers, but lamented that quite unfortunately, only a mere 14 per cent of women globally eventually find themselves in STEM-related careers, with the situation being more worrisome in Nigeria.

    She said: “There are enormous employment opportunities in STEM-related careers, but the female population is not adequately represented at, nor properly equipped by, various levels of education.

     “Despite the gender parity in Nigeria’s population, women are not enough in, nor duly prepared for STEM-related careers. This is why the NDDC, has chosen to support the GEMS.

     “The mission of GEMS is to promote innovative, research and standards-based practices, which will encourage students with interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics to thrive in the 21st century global economy. The programme hopes to leverage on its extensive network of expertise, partnerships, resources and experience by providing Niger Delta girls who have shown remarkable brilliance in these areas the needed platform to excel and grow as scientists.

     “We believe that science and technology can become exciting again, for our young ones. GEMS presents a healthy competition that helps our girls interpret science in such a way that we can use science, in a glamorous way, to do every day things, and resolve every day challenges.”

  • JAMB CBT: Nigeria must move forward with technology

    Following the conduct of the 2016 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), various allegations have been flying around. From the outright ridiculous to the downright untrue, attempts have been made to discredit the Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode of the examination, which replaced the Paper and Pencil Test (PPT), with some protesters even calling the Chief Executive/Registrar of the board, Emeritus Professor Dibu Ojerinde, unprintable names and calling for his sack.

    Is the attempt to discredit CBT and thereby force JAMB to return to the PPT mode, which many have agreed encourages malpractices and which the JAMB Registrar once noted was consuming time, human and financial resources, worthy? Are the protesters justified to ask for the sack of Professor Ojerinde? This is a man who has, in the last nine years at JAMB changed the face of the board and brought a relatively high level of credibility to its examination and, indeed, deployed technology to public examination in such a way that the country’s education sector now has hope.

    What exactly should be the way forward for the Federal Government, which has said the PPT mode would be restored? These and many more were the questions that came to mind in the midst of the orchestrated protests and name-calling that have greeted the 2016 UTME.

    For those who had the privilege of monitoring the conduct of the examination, whatever challenges the examination had, were not in its organisation. In fact, JAMB deserved commendations for the effective deployment of Information and Communication Technology for the examination, which saw to most candidates sitting for the examination in safe and relaxed atmospheres devoid of external influences and disturbances. Of particular interest was the organised manner in which the examination was conducted and the zero allowance for interference or avenues for examination malpractices, as parents and wards as well as external materials were far-removed from the venues of the examination.

    The challenges had begun when the board began the release of the results only about 24 hours after the examination. Some candidates claimed they had different versions of results within hours while mischief-makers went to town with claims of marks being added for some candidates. Some had even gone ahead to claim that JAMB was arbitrarily adding and subtracting marks after the candidates had finished the examination. But can these claims be right? Thank God that the House of Representatives’ Committee on Education has eventually clarified the House’s position and passed a vote of confidence in CBT. The statement of the committee’s chairman, last week, that Nigeria could not afford to return to PPT, more than anything, vindicated Ojerinde, whose brainchild the CBT is.

    Now, if, indeed, the spurious allegations and sponsored protests have any merit, the question those behind the protests should answer is why they want to set Nigeria backward by two decades by calling for the cancellation of CBT and why the needless calls for the sack of the JAMB Registrar. If, indeed, there were challenges with the 2016 UTME, wouldn’t it be more important to address the challenges rather than calling for the cancellation of CBT and the sack of the man who brought it to JAMB?

    A look at JAMB’s operations of the CBT, since its introduction, would reveal that the board has been adhering to the International Test Commission’s2005 version of the International Guidelines on Computer-Based and Internet Delivered Testing. In fact, the board introduced a mechanism to aid candidates who might have challenges with the testing by employing the managed mode of testing, which allows human supervision and control over the test-taking environment. Candidates who took the 2016 CBT would testify to having access to centre supervisors who readily helped with any difficulty relating to the systems and the testing procedure. Therefore, when the protests and the calls for Ojerinde’s sack erupted, one was forced to ask who those behind the protests are. Could it be true that they are the cabals that specialise in malpractices, whose businesses have been destroyed by the JAMB Registrar and his policies at the board?

    Interestingly, South Africa first developed Computer-Based Testing in the 1970s and it has been perfected and deployed over the years and the country adapted the guidelines drawn up by the International Test Commission. Today, that country has gone miles ahead in conducting credible public examinations through CBT. However, Nigeria, which is obviously laid back in terms of technology, only had the opportunity of CBT as late as three years ago when JAMB introduced the mode. When that decision was taken; experts had described it as a blessing to the education sector. It should be noted that many universities had begun to conduct Computer-Based Tests for intending applicants. Apart from Nigerian universities, several Nigerian candidates have had to face international examinations conduct via the internet such as SAT and TOEFL, among others, with many of them only coming in contact with the CBT mode of examination for the first time when they wrote those examinations. Therefore, when JAMB introduced CBT, not a few people had thought it adequate as a testing ground for future examinations in the Computer-Based mode.

    Now, with the position of the House Committee on Education that there would be no going back on CBT, there is hope that the gains recorded by the policy would not be reversed because it had teething problems. But in order to correct anomalies and make the system more efficient, JAMB, the Ministry of Education and others should evaluate the challenges and complaints about the CBT and subsequently improve on it to deliver more efficiently. The Federal Government and the National Assembly must also look at the endless possibilities available in CBT and create legal frameworks to support this mode of examination, so that rather than rue the challenges of the 2016 UTME, we can relish the potential of CBT for the future.

     

    • Alao writes via adealcommunications@gmail.com

  • Microsoft educates non- profits on productivity tools

    Technology company, Microsoft Nigeria on Wednesday educated non-profit organizations on the use of tools to enhance productivity.

     

    As part of its commitment to empower every individual and organization on the planet to achieve more, Microsoft conducted a Customer Immersion Experience (CIE) for four non-profit organizations on the use of the Microsoft productivity tools.

     

    The technology giant has before now empowered non-profits with Microsoft productivity tools with an intention to equip them with the necessary tools that will aid their productivity, but the introduction of the CIE was to aid the utilization of these tools.

     

    Speaking on the CIE program, Citizenship Manager, Microsoft Nigeria, Olusola Amusan identified that Microsoft is innovating in so many ways to solve the basic challenges that mankind faces with the use of technology.

     

    “The Microsoft Customer Immersion Experience (CIE) is a hands-on introduction to Microsoft’s suite of productivity tools. A true-to-life user experience; CIE takes you through everyday organization situations, such as working remotely, analyzing data and collaborating with co-workers; and lets you see how Microsoft products make it all easy, convenient yet secure.”

     

    Participants at the event – Junior Chamber International (JCI) Nigeria, Paradigm initiative Nigeria, The Future Project and Nigeria Leadership Initiative, left equipped with the Windows 10 and various apps on Office 365 i.e. Skype for Business, Yammer, One Note, Delve, Sway amongst others.

     

    Commenting on the programme, Digital Media Manager, Paradigm Initiative Nigeria; Olamide Egbayelo applauded Microsoft on the Customer Immersion Experience (CIE) initiative.

     

    “It’s been a productive meeting and I am glad I came, I have learnt some products that I never knew existed like the Delve and Sway. I really look forward to utilizing this software in enhancing productivity in my workplace, and also to reach out and teach others NGOs. This way, the tech for good initiatives can be embraced.”

     

    Microsoft also unveiled plans which revealed that later in the year, over a hundred Non-profits will be invited to register for the Tech4Good day where even more tools offered by the technology giant will be showcased.

  • Govt, UNIDO partner on Investment Technology Promotion Office

    The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is to launch its Investment and Technology Promotion Office (ITPO) in Nigeria.

    Set up at the request of the Federal Government, the ITPO Nigeria would provide a platform for public and private stakeholders, entrepreneurs and development partners, to establish collaborative links in support of an increased competitiveness and diversification of the  economy.

    A statement by the Head of UNIDO ITPO in Nigeria, Mrs. Adebisi Olumodimu, said the launch would allow for several additional events, including the ITPO workshop, sensitisation workshops on the Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion Programme (EDIP); the Computer Model for Feasibility Analysis and Reporting (COMFAR) as well as on gender inclusiveness in technology promotion.

    It said: “The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment will chair the event, which will also include sensitisation workshops on key UNIDO-ITPO systems to attract investment, identify and deploy technologies, and develop industrial cooperation with relevant international initiatives.

    ITPO Nigeria will be the first office in Africa, and will join global ITPO network that covers Bahrain, China (Beijing and Shanghai), Italy, Japan, South Korea and the Russian Federation.

    “Current UNIDO initiatives in Nigeria include new technologies to enhance clusters for the production of industrial goods such as finished leather products, agricultural value chains to support food and beverage processing, and creative fashion and craft industries in Nigeria.

  • Ancient therapy with Avant-garde technology in Lagos

    Ancient therapy with Avant-garde technology in Lagos

    Keep a date next week with The Nation’s Clinic Day as a Mayr nutritionist and Managing Director of Martlife Detox Clinic, Mrs Idowu Ashiru who has acquired an array of Avant-garde high-tech equipment to ensure standard in practice of detoxification, writes on how toxics kill the body and the many benefits of detoxification. According to her, there is nothing as frustrating as not knowing the root cause of a problem and if identified, not knowing how to rid the body of same, hence, “we are bringing back ancient knowledge which has been enhanced with twentieth century technology, working with modern equipment that have been used in the U.S and Europe for about 40 years to date. This is important to weed out charades and charlatans in the field of detoxification that fleece people off. And to also afford people the comfort of accessing good treatment of international standard in the comfort of their fatherland. Here at Martlife Detox Clinic, Sonibare Estate, Maryland, Ikeja, clients wellbeing will be ensured through facial and body treatments, relaxing, energising massages and detoxification according to traditional Mayr practice. For instance, the large intestine is the organ most attacked by the diseases of these times. Caring about our intestine’s hygiene is the basis to prevent an endless list of disorders or degenerating diseases, especially colon cancer. We will re-energise you and will beautify you with our range of Italian cosmetic ‘Piroche’ products. A steam room, sauna and fitness machines will help you get in shape slowly. Away from noise pollution, you will be able to escape from your troubles and return with a lightened body and mind, all done in a welcoming environment.”

  • Plateau plans technology centres’ revival to create jobs, boost IGR

    The Plateau State Government will revive technology centres to enhance technology-related entrepreneurship skills to create jobs and boost Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), the  Deputy Governor, Prof. Sonni Tyoden, has said.

    He spoke on Tuesday when he inspected the Relevant Technology Centre and the Science Equipment Production Centre, both in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

    He said the visit was predicated on government’s resolve to rehabilitate the centres because of their potential to create skilled manpower that would be on their own and also employ others.

    “It is disheartening that centres like the Relevant Technology Centre and the Science Equipment Production Centre both in Jos with all the benefits that could accrue to the state have been allowed to go down.

    “One of the focal areas of this administration as we have always stated is industrialisation and entrepreneurship and we will definitely reactivate the centres. Government will give the centres the necessary support, including funding and recruitment of staff to enable them to operate optimally and contribute their quota to the economy of the state,” he said.

    Tyoden said the state needed to do this now that the mainstay of the economy has taken a downward turn. “We will use these kind of places to diversify the economy of Plateau and boost the state’s IGR,” he said.

    The deputy governor, who is also the Commissioner for Higher Education, Science and Technology, said the state government is determined to engage its teeming youths meaningfully.

    Earlier, Mr. Simon Bonnap, the Executive Secretary, Relevant Technology Centre Jos, had told the deputy governor that the Centre could generate the needed revenue for the state if resuscitated.

    Bonnap said: “The Centre trains able and disabled youths in leather works, welding and fabrication, electrical works, home economics, automobile, as well as building. We have fabricated a motorised tricycle for disabled persons that can be used both as tricycle or wheel chair.”

    He, however, regretted that the state does not have the funds to mass produce the motorised tricycle in commercial quantity that can be sold to hospitals and persons that need them.

    According to him, the centre was established in 1974 by a Netherlands-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) to teach youths different skills to enable them to be self-reliant and also employ others.

    He decried the neglect of the centre, pointing out that machines that were installed by the NGO in 1974 were still the ones being used at the centre in spite of the takeover of the centre by the state government in the 1990s.

    Bonnap told Tyoden that “the centre does not have a functional project vehicle to aid its movement and supervision of its other centres in six different local governments of the state.

    “We used to have over 200 staff, but now we only have 62; the equipment we have are obsolete and funds to even run the centre properly are not available,” he said.

    The Chief Production Officer, Science Equipment Production Centre, Jos, Mr. Obed Dimka, also decried the neglect of the centre which was established in 1986.

    Dimka said the centre could produce almost all the science equipment for secondary schools in the state but the staff to carry out the task is not available.

    “We have only two skilled staff and six unskilled staff. Incidentally we have the raw materials, but there is no staff to make use of them,” he said.

  • MTN to retrain Visafone workers for 4G technology

    Visafone workers inherited by MTN as a result of the acquisition of the code division multiple access (CDMA) operator are to be retrained so they have the requisite skills for engaging the new 4G or long term evolution (LTE) technology.

    Sector analysts say the acquisition is expected to provide the MTN a robust voice and data platform of Visafone and cater for booming internet population of the country.

    It was gathered that selected workers of Visafone are likely to commence the retraining immediately ahead of the launch of the new data service.

    MTN Executive, Ms. Amina Oyagbola, said the acquisition which seeks to leverage resources for service enhancement is also reflective of the telco’s concerted efforts to deepen the growth and roll out of broadband services across the country currently under 10 per cent to the targeted 30 per cent by 2018 of the National Broadband Plan (NBP) of the Federal Government. It will also help to realise other targets of the plan.

    Oyagbola said: “We are committed to exploring avenues for meeting our customers’ increasing data needs in line with our vision ‘to lead the delivery of a bold new digital world to our customers’. As we work to maximise our data capabilities towards achieving broadband of international quality, our objective is to ensure that Nigerians experience a boost in the quality of broadband internet services translating to the much needed enhanced data speeds and value to enhance personal and business productivity.

    “The acquisition of Visafone highlights MTN’s commitment to Nigeria. More capacity will facilitate enhanced product/service offerings and experience in the data space to the delight of our valued customers. Voice is still King. However, data is becoming increasingly important in our everyday lives and our energies are focused on enhancing data and internet services to the benefit of our customers and the country at large.”

    The 4G LTE technology is particularly good for the country and economy because it will create conducive platform for enhanced product/service innovation which will ultimately lead to the creation of new jobs, the analysts added.

    Telecoms industry watchers have commended the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for the hitch-free merger, adding that such should be encouraged. “This initiative is widely applauded as a major telecom industry landmark deal,” one of the analysts said.

    With the acquisition deal sealed, MTN is now expected to massively and aggressively leverage the CDMA pedigree of Visafone to roll out premium products that will usher in very good business opportunity for the carrier and Nigerians.

    This is expected to ensure a high quality data services and improve mobile broadband experience for subscribers of Visafone and MTN.

    The acquisition, they say,  is expected to provide the much-needed relief to the booming internet economy by making available quality mobile broadband services through the deployment of state of the art 4G LTE technologies during the year.

    With about 150 million mobile subscribers and about 97 million internet users, Nigeria ranks among the fastest growing countries in terms of mobile subscribers and internet penetration. However, majority of the 97 million internet users today are experiencing narrow band internet at 2G/3G speeds which is particularly frustrating.

  • Firm promotes investment in eCurrency technology

    Omidyar Network has announced a for-profit investment in eCurrency Mint (eCM), a Dublin-based company that has pioneered a new technology enabling central banks to issue digital fiat currency, called eCurrency.

    The investment is part of Omidyar Network’s Financial Inclusion initiative, which focuses on supporting innovative technologies to massively increase reach and scale impact of affordable, convenient, and flexible financial services to consumers and small businesses globally.

    Funds raised during this Series C round of investments led by Omidyar Network will make eCM’s path-breaking technology available to central banks around the world, enabling them to efficiently and securely evolve their national currencies to keep pace with today’s digital world.

    Partner at Omidyar, Tilman Ehrbeck, said: “Paper-based money is becoming an antiquated tool in an increasingly digital economy. It often causes those who rely heavily on cash to conduct their financial lives to be locked out of the formal financial system and the opportunities it presents. eCurrency can help accelerate financial inclusion by turning today’s digital value systems into sovereign-backed national currencies, increasing trust, and addressing key issues hindering their adoption today, such as interoperability.”

    According to Jonathan Dharmapalan, Founder and CEO of eCM: “As technological advancements have connected people globally, the payments industry has provided them with better, digital ways to transact. If we think of digital transaction platforms as a system of pipes, then mobile has added the last miles of these pipes, and the internet is reaching people at the farthest corners of the world.”

  • ‘Adopt technology to measure PR impact’

    Public Relations (PR) consultants have been urged to adopt technology to measure the impact of PR  on their clients’ businesses.

    Head, Marketing & Corporate Communications at Stanbic IBTC, Mrs. Nkiru Olumide-Ojo, gave the advice at the Fifth Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN) Monthly Breakfast meeting in Ikeja, Lagos.

    Mrs Olumide-Ojo, who was the guest speaker at the event, dismissed the notion that PR could not be measured.

    She said there were technologies that could be used to measure it.

    In her presentation on Public Relations agency-client relationship: A view from both sides, Mrs Olumide-Ojo said word mapping could be done with Google and other tools that would determine how many times key messages were mentioned and their impact.

    She said:“We deny ourselves more credibility if we do not mark our own work,” adding that measurement agencies were springing up.

    “It is important that we patronise them. We don’t have to wait for annual brand health checks before we see how well we have fared,” she said.

    On client’s expectations of PR agencies, Mrs Olumide-Ojo advised PR consultants to be more proactive in attending to clients’ needs. She urged agencies to anticipate challenges and offer solutions to deal with them.

    She said: “Clients want their PR agencies to take up the role of a consultant. They want an agency that would look at a situation and give professional advice. They feel more comfortable with an agency that is able to do that. It is the easiest way for agencies to earn respect and trust as they would see you as a strong partner rather than a messenger.”

    PRCAN President John Ehiguese affirmed the importance of measurement, saying clients were not willing to pay for research.

    He urged agencies to invest on research and evaluation to reap the benefits of measurement.

  • How technology can boost food production

    How technology can boost food production

    Nigeria’s 170 million population is projected to increase to 250 million by 2050. With the growth rate significantly faster than that of food production, experts say there is the need to raise food production by about 70 per cent between now and 2050 or risk a serious food crisis. To avert the crisis, they are canvassing the deployment of modern technologies to address the challenges and harness the opportunities in the food industry. DANIEL ESSIET reports.

    Nigeria’s population is projected to hit 250 million by 2050, and domestic demand for food will automatically rise, driven by the predicted population growth. This, according to the Managing Director, Dizengoff Nigeria, Mr. Richard Hargrave, will make it very difficult to feed everyone.

    Specifically, Hargrave and other experts noted that the population growth rate is faster than that of food production. They warned that unless food production is raised by about 70 per cent, between now and 2050, a serious food crisis may be staring the country in the face.

    Hargrave was, however, quick to add that since food production does not meet  demand, a viable option for agricultural and food industries is to increase production  through innovative technologies.

    Addressing a forum at the just-concluded Agro Expo in Lagos, on the topic: “Tomorrow’s Technology Today’, Hargrave said one sure way of boosting production  is by getting more farmers to adopt modem technology.

    According to him, advances in modern technology and innovation will be required to produce the significant yield increases needed to boost food production. He said there is a parade of new technologies and scientific breakthroughs, such as vertical farming, green houses, aquaponics and others, for farmers and food industries.

    Hargrave said through facilities, such as green houses, which Dizengoff Nigeria is using to empower farmers, food production has been increased with less water used and fewer chemical inputs.

    He made a case for improved value chain performance to offer income opportunities for farmers, processors and other operators in agribusiness. He, however, said achieving the full potential of technologies to boost food production requires effective leadership.

    He, therefore, said government must invest or encourage investment in roads and infrastructure to facilitate food production. According to him, government’s policy should aim to achieve increase in agric exports, improve food security, and create new jobs and income for rural populations.

    He said the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) of the previous administration could address the broader constraints of achieving agricultural productivity growth and food security, with co-ordinated national strategies and investment plans for agriculture.

     

    Vertical farming to the rescue

    The challenge of feeding a growing population is pushing the concept of urban farming to new heights. Since arable land is not sufficiently available for farming in the urban areas of the country, Hargrave called for the establishment of vertical farms.

    Vertical farming as a component of urban agriculture is the practice of cultivating plant life within a skyscraper greenhouse or on vertically inclined surfaces. Intended to bring large-scale food production to places where most of the consumption occurs, vertical farms are farms on high-rise farm buildings that might produce everything from algae-based biodiesel to salad greens, eggs, beef, and milk.

    Hargrave explained that vertical farms are tailor made skyscrapers containing multiple levels of viable farmland to provide year-round food production in a controlled, parasite-free environment.

    According to him, vertical farming practised on a large scale in urban centres in places such as Lagos has great potential to supply enough food in a sustainable way to comfortably feed the increasing population in that mega-city.

    Apart from allowing year-round food production without loss of yields due to climate change or weather-related events, the system, Hargrave noted, eliminates the need for large-scale use of pesticides and herbicides, creating an environment that encourages sustainable urban life.

     

    Aquaponics also

    According to experts, aquaponics, which is a combination of fish and plant production using aquaculture and hydroponics systems, also holds promises of increasing food production. It is an intensive sustainable agricultural production system that connects hydroponic and aquaculture systems to produce multiple cash crops with reduced water and fertiliser inputs.

    An aeroponics system cultivates leafy greens, such as arugula and watercress, in growing cycles of 18 days, compared with 60 days or more in conventional agriculture. It is highly suited for small farm producers targeting local markets and agri-tourism opportunities. In an aquaponic system, wastes produced by fish become beneficial fertiliser for hydroponically grown plants (ie plants grown inside water).

    The most common aquaculture (raising fish) system used in aquaponics (growing fish and plants within the same system) is the Re-circulating Aquaculture Tank System (RAS). Here, the tank becomes the base nutrient and water reservoir that flows to the hydroponic subsystem and is usually re-circulated back to the tank.

    This is an intensive, usually high-fish-density production system that allows for build up of waste nutrients from fish feed to levels that can benefit plant growth. Pond water may contain harmful microorganisms and algae, so the use of well water or municipal water sources when using RAS aquaponics is recommended.

    Dizengoff Nigeria, for instance, has identified various agro technologies and  is making  it available to farmers  in Nigeria to support competitive Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in agribusiness.

    The Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Prof. Adebiyi Daramola, said the agriculture transformation agenda can be realised by harnessing and enabling the entrepreneurial skill and spirit of young people. He said this should be at the forefront of every food security and growth agenda of the government.

    Delivering a  paper titled: Agriculture: A Panacea for Youth Unemployment in Nigeria at the 15th Prof. A.A. Adegbola Memorial Lecture organised by Ikorodu Division Human Resource Development Board (IDHRDB) in Lagos, Prof. Daramola noted that young people often see agriculture as outdated, unprofitable and hard work.

    He, however, said there should be technology support to open up a myraid of opportunities for entrepreneurship along the entire agribusiness value chain. According to him, innovation and technology, often regarded as  pre-conditions for successful entrepreneurship, should be supported to increase the nation’s competitiveness, productivity, growth and also create more jobs.

    He said increased involvement of youths in agribusiness will help reduce unemployment. “The enhanced agribusiness, according to him,  throws open opportunities for employment in marketing, transport, cold storage and warehousing facilities, credit, insurance and logistic support services’’.

    According to him, what is needed is to better prepare youths technologically to meet the challenges and take advantage of new opportunities in agriculture to improve their livelihoods.

    At a recent international  fora, the Chief Executive of Pan-African Agribusiness and Agro industry Consortium (PANAAC), Lucy Muchoki, said her organisation has been able to identify key innovations. PANAAC, she said,  has been sensitising farmers and mobilising support for the  commercialisation of the technologies.