The Dormaa Poultry Farmers Association has appealed to the Government to waive taxes on imported poultry inputs to ameliorate production challenges.
Mr. Dennis Ansu Agyemang, the Public Relations Officer of the Association, made the appeal when he addressed a news conference at Dormaa-Ahenkro in the Dormaa Central Municipality of the Bono Region.
He said the poultry industry had a long value chain including farmers, farmhands, egg sellers and transporters, loading boys, maize and feed sellers, poultry sellers and feed millers.
Those in the value chain, he noted, were adversely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and an outbreak of bird flu in Europe.
“This has created shortages in the supply of maize, soya meal, and other inputs used in the preparation of our poultry feed. Economics indicates that when demands exceed supply, there will be shortages and prices will be forced to rise,” Mr. Agyemang said.
He explained that the situation had necessitated the increment in the price of poultry products, adding: “We have, therefore, admonished our members to either sort their eggs into four groups – large, medium, small, and pullets or will not grade at all and call it unsorted, to get the right prices for business progress.”
Mr. Agyemang said 50-kilograms (kg) of maize, which sold at Gh¢ 55.00, was now selling at Gh¢90.00, while 50kg of Soya, which was Gh¢145, now pegged at Gh¢195.00.
He said a 50kg of concentrate was Gh¢ 245.00 but now sold at Gh¢260.00, a 50kg of the shell, formerly Gh¢23.00, now sold at Gh¢33.00, and 25kg of wheat bran, which was Gh¢25.00, now cost Gh¢32.00.
He expressed the hope that government, through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, would positively respond, as a matter of urgency, to save their businesses from collapsing.
It may not always be right to eat what we feel like! The first thing we eat in the morning sets forth the course of the day. Certain foods may wreak havoc with your gut if eaten on an empty stomach.
Up ahead, seven foods that may not do good to you if had an empty stomach.
Spicy Food. Eating spices and chilies on an empty stomach may irritate the stomach lining which can lead to acidic reactions and cramps. They are pungent in nature and can trigger indigestion.
Sugary foods or drinks. Though the majority of us are under the impression that it is healthy to have a glass of fruit juice to start your day, it may not be the case. One should not start the day with a tall glass of fruit juice as it may put an extra load on the pancreas that is still waking up after long hours of rest. With the stomach being empty, sugar in the form of fructose in fruits can cause an overload on your liver. Processed sugar is even worse, so avoid breakfast desserts or overly sweet smoothies.
Aerated drinks. Aerated drinks are bad for our health no matter what time of the day it may be, but they are even worse when consumed on an empty stomach as the carbonated acids mix with the stomach acids causing various health issues like nausea and gas. Your stomach excretes acid to help in the digestion of your food, and if there’s no food in your tummy, you’re just introducing additional acid into your digestive system which might lead to stomach cramps or pain.
Cold beverages. You must have heard that it is best to start the day with warm water and honey, yet many of us give in to the temptation of chugging a glass of iced coffee instead. Drinking iced beverages on an empty stomach may damage your mucous membrane and make your digestion sluggish through the day whereas lukewarm beverages help kick stating your system and your metabolism.
Citrus fruits. Fruits are always very healthy if they are eaten at the right time. Eating citrus fruits on an empty stomach may increase acid production. Moreover, too much fiber and fructose in fruits can also make slow down your digestive system if eaten on an empty stomach. You should especially avoid eating fruits with tough fibers like guava and oranges early morning.
Raw vegetables. This one is especially for those who are diet conscious and believe that salads are great any time of the day. Raw vegetables or a salad may not be the best thing to eat on an empty stomach. They are full of coarse fiber which may put an extra load on an empty stomach. They can also cause flatulence and abdominal pain when eaten on an empty stomach.
Coffee. COMMENTSStarting the day with a cup of coffee is a very common practice. It seems to be an easy way of breaking from sleep, but drinking coffee on an empty stomach may lead to acidity. It stimulates the secretion of hydrochloric acid in the digestive system which causes gastritis in some people.
Research conducted by the Ghana Trades and Livelihoods Coalition (GTLC) in 2019 has shown that farmers’ trust in improved seeds supplied under the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJs) programme dropped significantly.
The research showed that some of the farmers, who have experienced low germination of the improved seeds supplied under the programme, started rejecting the seeds when it was supplied to them in 2019.
Mr. Ibrahim Akalbila, Coordinator of GTLC, disclosed this in Wa during a policy dialogue to discuss gender disaggregated results of a survey that assessed the implementation of four out of the five pillars of the PFJs agenda in 2019.
Mr. Akalbila, therefore, appealed to the government to boost farmers’ trust in the improved seeds supplied under the programme by ensuring that they were adequately tested to ascertain their germination efficiency to boost confidence.
He pointed out that the market women who provided about 80 percent of market access to the farmers had been excluded from the structures put in place.
GTLC believes the government could do better by looking at a scheme to support market women to be able to aggregate properly, standardize, and transport to various locations to sell to the various suppliers.
Mr. Akalbila said the “One-District-One-Warehouse” could be a system government could work with market women to provide access to them.
He noted, however, that the study revealed there was an increase in access to fertilizer and extension services even though there were still some gaps.
The GTLC Coordinator noted that to be able to maximize the benefit of input supplied to farmers, the government must ensure that knowledge and information become easily accessible by farmers.
Mr. Akalbila pointed out that based on what they found during the research, they were systemic problems that needed to be dealt with especially about the involvement of the private sector.
He suggested that to engage the private sector, the private sector should be accountable to the District Departments of Agriculture and not to the political authorities.
Mr. Abdul-Rahman Tawfic, the Chief Executive of Big Ajar Farms, called for a mechanism to ensure that farmers received inputs and seeds at the same time to avoid delays.
“The price is not an issue, accessing it at the right time is the most important thing for the farmers,” he said.
The assessment was gender-based disaggregated and enabled an insight on appropriate targeting of women and men in the provision of services in the PFJ agenda in the Upper West Region.
The discussion, which is part of GTLC’s Agro Policy Performance Barometer (APPB) report series which commenced in 2012, is also meant to influence the implementation of gender-responsive planning and budgeting in the agriculture sector in Ghana.
Small and medium enterprises, non-profit organisations, and high schools invited to submit entries before the 6 May 2021 deadline.
The Zayed Sustainability Prize, the UAE’s pioneering global award for rewarding impact, innovation, and inspiration, has officially announced that the 2022 edition is now open for submissions.
Entries will be accepted from today until 6 May 2021, via the Prize’s online portal – across five sustainability categories: Heath, Food, Energy, Water, and Global High Schools.
The opening for submissions follows a decision that was taken by the Prize’s management earlier in September to postpone the 2021 Awards Ceremony in efforts to safeguard all attendees’ health and wellbeing, in light of the prevailing global pandemic. Applicants that had submitted for the now postponed 2021 cycle will be automatically entered into the 2022 edition.
Commenting on the launch of the 2022 awards cycle, H.E. Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Director General of the Zayed Sustainability Prize said: “As a catalyst for change and positive transformation, the Zayed Sustainability Prize continues its drive to empower small and medium enterprises and non-profits, while encouraging youth to take on an active role in supporting their communities and becoming future sustainability leaders.”
H.E Al Jaber added, “The Prize reflects our founding father Sheikh Zayed’s lifelong commitment to sustainability and is backed by a track record of incentivising pioneers who are advancing UN Sustainable Development Goals. I trust that the Prize will once again attract the world’s best sustainability innovators, whose work today, is even more imperative to support the transition to the post-COVID-19 world, for both people and nations alike.”
Inspired by the sustainable development and humanitarian legacy of the UAE’s founding father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Prize enters its 14th submissions cycle having rewarded a total of 86 winners whose solutions or school projects have, directly and indirectly, positively transformed the lives of more than 352 million people, to date.
The Prize’s US$3 million annual fund rewards winners US$600,000 in each category; the Global High Schools category is split into six world region winners, with each school able to claim up to US$100,000 to start or further expand their project. The six world regions of the Global High Schools category are The Americas, Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East & North Africa, Europe & Central Asia, South Asia, and East Asia & Pacific.
While the submission forms vary per category, core elements of each entry lie in the innovative ways in which technology, applications, and solutions are driving the positive transformation of people’s lives. For the Health, Food, Energy, and Water categories, organisations should demonstrate that they are improving access to essential products or services and have a long-term vision for improved living and working conditions. For the Global High Schools category, their projects should be student-led, with emphasis placed on the students being actively involved in the planning, implementation, and monitoring processes.
The Zayed Sustainability Prize has a three-stage evaluation process, beginning with the due diligence conducted by an independent research and analysis consultancy. This identifies the qualified entries and results in the selection of shortlisted candidates. Following this, evaluations are undertaken by a Selection Committee consisting of category-specific panels of independent international experts. From this shortlist of candidates, the finalists are chosen and then sent to the Prize Jury who select the winners, across all five categories.
Winners will be announced in 2022 during an Awards Ceremony as part of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW). More details will be shared in the coming months.
For more information, please visit www.ZayedSustainabilityPrize.com or visit our social media platforms on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube.
Farmers in five regions in Northern Ghana have appealed to the government and other stakeholders to design more effective interventions to enable them to improve crop yields.
The farmers further called for a ban on tomato importation and revisit initial plans to revamp tomato factories in the country, subsidize the cost of farm inputs and extend the Planting for Food and Jobs programme to cover all year round.
The farmers’ needs were contained in the Agro Policy Performance Barometer Report (APPBR 2019) of the Ghana Trade and Livelihood Coalition (GTLC) were presented at a policy dialogue on gender responsiveness to the Planting for Food and Jobs programme in Tamale.
The programme brought together stakeholders in Agriculture from the Northern, Savannah, North East, Upper East, and Upper West Regions.
The farmers further called for direct government consultancy, for proper implementation of Agriculture policies, including; investments in the Agriculture sector and the early release of subsidized fertilizers.
Mr. Ibrahim Akalbila, Coordinator of Ghana Trade and Livelihood Coalition (GTLC), said the report showed that women farmers had little access to information about the government’s Agricultural policies as well as the use of improved seeds and subsidized fertilizers.
He reiterated that there were significant disparities between women and men in accessing the information on improved seeds, and it was important to advocate gender responsiveness in the Planting for Food and Jobs policy.
Mr. Akalbila said there was an improvement in the delivery of fertilizer to farmers, however, there was the need to do more to improve on the PFJ system to make it more impactful.
Hajia Hawa Musah, the Northern Regional Director of Agriculture, advocated collaboration from Non-Governmental Organizations, Civic Society Organizations, and the media in changing the attitude of peasant farmers to appreciate the effects of climate change and the need for them to consider including; practices that would improve on the environment as well as sensitize them to adopt strategies to avoid the practice of defaulting in loan payments.
The GTLC since 2012 has conducted surveys annually on the implementation of Agriculture policies in Ghana, assessing their implementation and effects on beneficiaries.
Bananas are one of the most popular fruits worldwide. They contain essential nutrients that can have a protective impact on health.
BANANAS are not only rich in vitamins and fibre, but they are also fat-free and cholesterol-free.
Ever wondered what goodness is in a banana? Other than being rich in vitamin B6, bananas are a good source of vitamin C, dietary fibre, and manganese. Bananas are also fat-free, cholesterol-free, and virtually sodium-free. So what do these mean for your health?
Health benefits of bananas.
Bananas are one of the best fruit sources of vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 from bananas is easily absorbed by your body and a medium-sized banana can provide about a quarter of your daily vitamin B6 needs.
Vitamin B6 helps your body:
Produce red blood cells, Metabolize carbohydrates and fats, turning them into energy, Metabolize amino acids, Remove unwanted chemicals from your liver and kidneys, and Maintain a healthy nervous system. Vitamin B6 is also good for pregnant women as it helps meet their baby’s development needs.
Bananas are respectable sources of vitamin C. You may not associate bananas with vitamin C but a medium-sized banana will provide about 10% of your daily vitamin C needs.
Vitamin C helps: Protect your body against cell and tissue damage, Your body absorbs iron better, Your body produces collagen – the protein which holds your skin, bones, and body together, and Support brain health by producing serotonin, a hormone that affects our sleep cycle, moods, and experiences of stress and pain.
Manganese in bananas is good for your skin. One medium-sized banana provides approximately 13% of your daily manganese needs. Manganese helps your body make collagen and protects your skin and other cells against free radical damage.
Potassium in bananas is good for your heart health and blood pressure. A medium-sized banana will provide around 320-400 mg of potassium, which meets about 10% of your daily potassium needs. Potassium helps your body maintain a healthy heart and blood pressure. In addition, bananas are low in sodium. The low sodium and high potassium combination help to control high blood pressure.
Bananas can aid digestion and help beat gastrointestinal issues. A medium banana will provide about 10-12% of your daily fibre needs. Singapore’s Health Promotion Board recommends a daily dietary fibre intake of 20g for women and 26g for men.
Soluble and insoluble fibres play an important role in your health. Soluble fibre helps your body control your blood sugar level and get rid of fatty substances such as cholesterol. Insoluble fibre adds weight and softness to stools, making it easier for you to have regular bowel movements. This helps to keep your gut healthy and safe from harmful bacteria.
Bananas, especially newly-ripened ones, contain starch that does not digest (resistant starch) in your small intestine and is able to pass into the large intestine. Such bananas help you manage your weight better as you stay full for longer. That said, bananas can help you beat gastrointestinal issues such as: Constipation, Stomach ulcers, and Heartburn
Bananas give you energy – minus the fats and cholesterol. Bananas contain three natural sugars – sucrose, fructose, and glucose – giving you a fat and cholesterol-free source of energy. As such, bananas are ideal, especially for children and athletes, for breakfast, as a midday snack, or before and after sports.
Watermelons are mostly water about 92 percent but this refreshing fruit is soaked with nutrients. Each juicy bite has significant levels of vitamins A, B6, and C, lots of lycopene, antioxidants, and amino acids. There’s even a modest amount of potassium. Plus, this quintessential summer snack is fat-free, very low in sodium, and has only 40 calories per cup.
Nutrients value.
Serving size: 2 cups diced (10 oz / 280 g) Calories: 80 (Calories from Fat 0)
Amount per serving (and %DV*) *Percent Daily Values (%DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Total Fat: 0g (0%)
Total Carbohydrate: 21g (7%) Dietary Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugars: 20g
Cholesterol: 0mg (0%) Sodium: 0mg (0%) Potassium: 270mg (8%) Protein: 1g
Vitamin A: (30%) Vitamin C: (25%) Calcium: (2%) Iron: (4%)
HEALTH BENEFITS. Heart health. Watermelon’s high levels of lycopene are very effective at protecting cells from damage and may help lower the risk of heart disease, according to a study at Purdue University. A study published in the American Journal of Hypertension found that watermelon extracts helped reduce hypertension and lower blood pressure in obese adults.
Watermelon may be especially important for older women. A study published in Menopause found that postmenopausal women, a group is known to have increased aortic stiffness, who took watermelon extract for six weeks saw decreased blood pressure and arterial stiffness compared to those who did not take watermelon extract. The authors of the study attributed the benefits to citrulline and arginine.
Arginine can help improve blood flow and may help reduce the accumulation of excess fat.
Anti-inflammatory properties. The lycopene in watermelon makes it an anti-inflammatory fruit. Lycopene is an inhibitor for various inflammatory processes and also works as an antioxidant to neutralize free radicals. Additionally, the watermelon contains choline, which helps keep chronic inflammation down, according to a 2006 article published in Shock medical journal.
Reducing inflammation isn’t just good for people suffering from arthritis. When you’re sick, you have cellular damage, which can be caused by a variety of factors including stress, smoking, pollution, disease, and your body becomes inflamed. It’s called systemic inflammation. In this way, anti-inflammatory foods can help with overall immunity and general health.
Hydration. Watermelons help with overall hydration, and that is a great thing. They say we can get 20-30 percent of our fluid needs through our diet alone, and foods like these certainly help. Additionally, their juice is full of good electrolytes. This can even help prevent heatstroke.
Digestion. The watermelon contains fiber, which encourages a healthy digestive tract and helps keep you regular.
Skin and hair benefits. Vitamin A is stellar for your skin, and just a cup of watermelon contains nearly one-quarter of your recommended daily intake of it. Vitamin A helps keep skin and hair moisturized, and it also encourages the healthy growth of new collagen and elastin cells, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Vitamin C is also beneficial in this regard, as it promotes healthy collagen growth.
Muscle soreness & athletic performance. Watermelon-loving athletes are in luck: drinking watermelon juice before an intense workout helps reduce next-day muscle soreness and heart rate, according to a 2013 study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. This can be attributed to watermelon’s amino acids citrulline and arginine, which help improve circulation.
A 2015 study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology suggests that watermelon’s citrulline may also help improve athletic performance. Study participants who took citrulline supplements saw a boosted performance with more power production in a high-intensity exercise like cycling and sprinting.
Cancer prevention. Like other fruits and vegetables, watermelons may be helpful in reducing the risk of cancer through their antioxidant properties. Lycopene in particular has been linked to reducing prostate cancer cell proliferation, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Health risks. If eaten in reasonable amounts, watermelons should produce no serious side effects. If you eat an abundance of the fruit daily, however, you may experience problems from having too much lycopene or potassium.
The consumption of more than 30 mg of lycopene daily could potentially cause nausea, diarrhea, indigestion, and bloating, according to the American Cancer Society.
People with serious hyperkalemia, or too much potassium in their blood, should probably not consume more than about one cup of watermelon a day, which has less than 140 mg of potassium. According to the National Institutes of Health, hyperkalemia can result in irregular heartbeats and other cardiovascular problems, as well as reduced muscle control.
Groital Company Limited with support from HortiFresh has procured a 75kg industrial dryer and established a processing facility for the production of dried fruits to enhance its operations.
This is part of HortiFresh’s Individual Company Support of the Access to Finance Component. The project is a soft loan facilitated by HortiFresh through Rabobank Foundation to reduce post-harvest losses, increase employment, and improve upon the overall business activity of the company.
So far, the new dryer and the facility has increased the company’s production by about 100%, Groital employs a total of 31 staff, of which 55% are women.
Prior to this partnership, the company used to dry fruits with two 5kg domestic dryers which took about 24 hours to dry fruits. This slowed the production and growth of the company.
Joshua Ayinbora, CEO of Groital expressed satisfaction with the partnership, saying it has given his company a facelift to venture into the export market. “We use to operate the business from our home but this facility has given us enough space to work efficiently and effectively.”
According to Joshua, his company has received an order from the Netherlands to supply dried fruits as a result of HortiFresh’s trade mission activities.
Coconut water is mainly made of water – in fact, 94% is water. It is low in calories and a good source of B vitamins and potassium.
The liquid contains amino acids and electrolytes and it has antioxidant benefits.
Coconut water, the liquid endosperm found inside coconuts, supports the development of the hard endosperm. If you harvest the liquid endosperm from immature green coconuts, you get clear, aromatic, and highly perishable coconut water. Coconut water needs to be strained through a cheesecloth-lined sieve right after you open the coconut. After that, chill it to at least 39 degrees Fahrenheit before storing it in the refrigerator or freezer.
The easiest way to store coconut water is to put it into the fridge, but it will only last for 1-2 days. Many experts suggest not storing coconut water outside of refrigeration for more than 3 or 4 hours.
If you want to keep it fresh longer, you can freeze it in ice cube trays or plastic zip-lock bags
Refrigerating. Strain the coconut water into a freezer-safe, airtight container and place it in the freezer, uncovered. Chill the coconut water for 30 minutes then seal the container and transfer it to the refrigerator.
Freezing. Pour the strained coconut water into an ice-cube tray and let it freeze for about one hour. Transfer the frozen coconut water to a heavy-duty freezer bag. It will stay safe to use indefinitely if it’s kept at 0 F.
Fruit truly is the perfect food. It is the easiest for our bodies to digest, and our system has to do almost nothing to break it down.
All fruit is good for the body, but it eating when it’s ripe to properly digest it and use it for energy.
Think of all the colors, shapes, and textures of fruit as different antioxidants and phytonutrients to load upon. And then include a variety of fruits in a diet to take advantage of all the benefits they have to offer from fighting colds and warding off inflammation to making your skin glow and your hair shiny.
Instead of sitting down to a piece of toast or an egg, Koko, or white omelet each morning, do something amazing for your health and indulge in one of these delicious fruit plates.
1. Anti-inflammatory plate: Cherry, pineapple, blueberry. Pineapple is packed with vitamin C and contains an enzyme called bromelain that reduces inflammation of the gut, boosts immune function, and stimulates protein digestion.
Try combining it with blueberries, which are loaded with antioxidants and vitamins A, C, and E.
Anthocyanin is the main antioxidant in both blueberries and cherries and is what gives these fruits their gorgeous deep blue and red colors.
Grab some tart cherries over sweet ones as they are shown to contain higher amounts of phenolic compounds, delivering a stronger anti-inflammatory punch.
2. Immune-boosting plate: Grapefruit, kiwi, strawberry. Feeling a little run down? Kiwi, grapefruit, and strawberries can give your immune system the boost it needs to keep you healthy.
Kiwis are rich in vitamin C, which helps support the immune system and prevents free radical damage that can lead to inflammation in the body.
Grapefruit and strawberries are also some of our top vitamin C foods (containing more C than oranges!) that can help boost immunity and fight off sickness. Rich in both vitamins A and C, strawberry seeds also contain minerals that support immune function.
Helpful hint doesn’t wait until it’s too late and you’re already sneezing. This would be a great fruit plate to get in before a long flight so that your immune system is strong and ready to go.
3. Antioxidant plate: Fig, red grape, pomegranate. These three fruits are high in antioxidants and disease-fighting compounds that protect our bodies from free radical damage and keep us looking and feeling youthful.
The resveratrol in red grapes and red wine offers powerful antioxidant and anti-aging properties that help combat disease and signs of aging. Grapes are also high in lutein and zeaxanthin, which keeps our vision strong and can minimize the harmful effects of ultraviolet rays.
Pomegranates contain higher levels of antioxidants than most fruits and can help to reverse free-radical skin damage.
Figs are not only dangerously delicious they are also rich in minerals including potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, and copper and they are a great source of vitamins A, E, and K.
Incorporate some of these antioxidant fruits on your plate to help you fight disease, age gracefully, and keep strong.
4. Detoxifying plate: Goji berry, watermelon, lemon. We can’t detoxify without the help of foods that will hydrate and flush toxins out of the system.
So, let’s start with watermelon, which is 92 percent water and also contains a major detoxifying agent called glutathione. It is also a source of lycopene and vitamins A and C, which further aid in detoxing and fighting free radicals.
Super alkaline upon digestion, lemon is also a strong detoxifier and has antibacterial and antiviral qualities. I like to squeeze it over my fruit, add it to green juice (with lots of parsley and cucumber for a major de-bloating combination), or drink it with warm water first thing in the morning to help cleanse the body and get the digestive system going.
And let’s not forget goji berries. These little guys are a great source of antioxidants, vitamins (A, B, C, and E), iron, and choline, which the liver needs for detoxification processes.
5. Beauty plate: Blackberry, papaya, cantaloupe. Here’s what you should be eating in the morning before your next big event!
Papaya is full of antioxidants and nutrients that assist in the production of collagen. It also contains an enzyme called papain that helps to counter skin damage.
Blackberries are delicious low-sugar fruits that are packed with antioxidants and vitamins A and C.
We don’t want to miss out on cantaloupe. It contains beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the body and helps make our skin glow and our hair strong and shiny.
6. Energy plate: Banana, avocado, apple. The next time you’re looking for some fuel or wanting to charge up your pre-or post-workout, throw together this energy plate. These nutrient-rich fruits (yes, avocado is a fruit) will replenish and keep you going for hours.
Bananas provide us with quick energy and are a great choice pre-workout. The healthy fats in avocados slow down digestion and are better to incorporate into your post-workout meal.
Apples are high in fiber and will keep you full for long periods of time. Take your pick or choose all three… If you’re looking for a burst of energy, this plate is for you.
