Agriculture

Stay Young And Healthy The Right Way

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  Worried about constant supply of healthy farm produce? Do you desire to stay young and healthy? We’ve got you covered. At OgidiOlu Farms, we tick the right boxes: Health and Safety Standard Sustainable Production Regular Supply of Produce Varieties of Farm Produce Affordable Prices Contact Us: Kilometre 8, Ibadan-Iseyin Expressway, Iseyin, Oyo State. Email: ogidiolufarms.com OgidiOlu Farms…intentional about your feeding   READ ALSO: Silenced By The Gods: The Day I Lost My Voice

Climate Change In Nigeria And Its Remarkable Impact In Agriculture

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CLIMATE CHANGE IN NIGERIA AND ITS REMARKABLE IMPACT IN AGRICULTURE

Globally, climate change has impacted the world in remarkable ways from global warming to drastic changes in weather conditions, natural disasters to say but a few.In this article our focus will be on climate change in Nigeria and its remarkable impact in Agriculture i.e.; how it has adversely affected agricultural production. Climate change is defined by World Bank as the significant variation of average weather conditions becoming for example warmer, wetter or drier- over several decades or longer. United Nations refers to it as the long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns. According to Price Water Coopers (PWC), Nigeria became committed to the Climate Change Crusade after attending the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) which took place between 31st October to 13th November 2021 in Glasgow; committing to achieving net-zero by 2060. Her government after the COP26 signed into law the Climate Change Act, 2021 which was passed by the National Assembly in October 2021. The purpose of the law is to develop and implement mechanisms that will foster low carbon emission and develop a sustainable environment in the country. Pre-Climate Change Act, 2011, unregulated activates such as gas flaring, bush burning, carbon monoxide emission, etc. from refineries, rigs, farming activities, exhaust of cars and burning tyres in abattoirs has depleted the ozone layer significantly. As a result we experience changes in weather conditions (hotter or wetter, etc.) which in the long run affected agriculture negatively. Nigeria has two seasons: rainy and dry season. Before the adverse implication of climate changes, rainy season begins from April – September with July being the peak of the rains and a two week August break and Dry season starting from October to March. Coastal areas usually experience shorter dry seasons and longer rainy season and vice versa for desert areas. Today however, climate change has altered the seasons remarkably. More recently we don’t see rains sometimes till May and April is the peak of the heat; the peak of the rains now is August with the breaks now in September. CAUSES OF CLIMATE CHANGE Climate Change can be caused by either natural or human factors. The activities of man most especially during the industrial revolution has released large amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere which has in turn caused global warming in our world. These causes include: Green House Gases emission: Examples are Carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. These greenhouse gas has increased the greenhouse effect and caused the earth’s surface temperature to rise. Carbon dioxide (CO2): Apart from humans exhaling carbon dioxide, man’s activities like burning coal, oil or natural gas has led to CO2 emission. Reflectivity or Absorption of the Sun’s Energy: This is caused by activities such as agriculture, road construction, deforestation and emissions of small particles (aerosol) into the air. The Earth changing its orbit and rotation. Solar activity variations. Volcanic Eruptions: This can throw Sulphur dioxide (SO2) into the atmosphere. Changes in the ocean’s current. CLIMATE CHANGE AND ITS REMARKABLE IMPACT IN AGRICULTURE In Nigeria, the climate change has led to several harmful effects which in turn has affected agricultural production and these effects include: Increase in heat – related mortality, dehydration, and spread of infectious diseases (meningitis). Rising Ocean current, sea levels, fluctuating rainfall has resulted in flooding mostly in the coastal regions in Nigeria. Cancer of the skin as a result of the harsh weather conditions. Hunger, starvation and death as a result of food shortage. Climate change is a threat to Nigerian Food Security because of the unpredictable length and onset of the farming season which has in turn affecting both subsistence and commercial farmers. Nigeria still practices rain fed agriculture. Rain Fed Agriculture is a practice where farmers depend on weather conditions to begin the onset of farming. As a result of this practice, it has rendered her vulnerable to the adverse effect of climate change which includes, soil degradation which resulted in low crop yields. Rain fed Agriculture practice in Nigeria make farmers wait for the rains before the onset of farming and this in turn has led to shortage in food supply, hunger, inflation, pest infestation to mention but a few. Deforestation activities has increased erosion most especially in sloppy areas, leading to depletion in the soil’s nutrients and in turn causing poor farm yield. Climate change causes (greenhouse gases, Sulphur dioxide, etc.) has deposited unhealthy substances in our soil which in turn has caused the underwater layer to be polluted and then resulting in poor agricultural yields. Flooding one of the effects of climate change has made farmers to lose their farm produce which has led to pollution, pest and insect infestation, hunger, starvation and death. With conscious efforts from our government to implement the net-zero by 2060 and the adoption of best practices to reduce the effect of climate change and its remarkable impact in Agriculture, Nigeria can become a giant of Africa in all ramification. Also read: WORK HABITS AND ITS AMAZING EFFECT ON THE HEALTH OF THE EYES. https://thereadywriters.uk/work-habits-health-of-the-eyes/

IoT In Agriculture And Its Application

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  The introduction of the IoT in agriculture and its application is one of the contributing factors to the growth of the agricultural sector. IoT has brought huge benefits to the agricultural industry, such as increased water availability, increased production, and many more. What Is IoT, and What Is Its Importance in Agriculture? The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of physical devices embedded with software and sensors for the sole purpose of data collection and exchange with other devices and systems over the internet. IoT is the driving force behind increased agricultural production and the availability of produce all year. The IoT has saved farmers time and energy from intensive labor. It also reduces the excess use of resources such as water. This is helpful in regions of the world that experience drought.   Application of IoT in Agriculture The following are applications of the Internet of Things in agriculture: 1. Climatic conditions 2. Precision farming 3. Agricultural drones 1. Climate Conditions Climate and climatic conditions play a crucial role in farming. IoT solutions help farmers to know real-time weather conditions. Sensors are placed in and outside the agricultural fields. These sensors collect data from the environment, which aids farmers in making decisions on when to plant and harvest according to every climatic condition. Alerts are sent if any disturbing weather conditions are found. All of these are targeted at increasing agricultural productivity.   2. Precision Farming Precision farming is the most common application of IoT in agriculture. The goal of precision farming is to analyse the data generated via sensors and use the data provided to generate accurate information that will help farmers make quick and smart decisions. Common precision farming techniques include irrigation management, livestock management, and many more. All of these techniques play significant roles in ensuring efficiency and effectiveness. Farmers can now analyze soil texture, porosity, conditions, and other parameters concerning crop and livestock productivity. 3. Agricultural Drones Drones are used in agriculture for ground and aerial assessments of crop health, productivity, and field analysis. Drones are also used for planting, crop monitoring, irrigation, and the spraying of pesticides. With proper strategy and monitoring, drones give a huge makeover in the agricultural industry. Conclusion IoT is helping agriculture implement modern technological solutions to achieve effective results. IoT bridges the gap between increased production, quality, and quantity yielded. In turn, this has improved business operations, executed more tasks faster and helped produce reach consumers in the fastest time possible.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Sustainable Agricultural Practices; Navigating The Future Of Food Production

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  Agriculture is the future of food production and sustainable agricultural practices is the best method of navigating the future of food production. There is a continuous demand for the production of more food and food products. Studies state that by 2050, food production will increase by 70%. One of the prominent reasons there will be an increase in food production is the rapid growth of the world’s population.  Over 800 million people in the world’s population will be malnourished by 2030 if there are no innovations in the agricultural sector. Mitigating these challenges requires a team of farmers, investors, government and stakeholders working together to create sustainable agriculture. Farmers and agricultural organisations need to invest in more technology and strategic means to combat future insufficiency.  How do we sustain agricultural practices so that they navigate the future of food production?   Sustaining agricultural practice stands on the existing principle that the world’s needs must be met without a negative impact on the future of agriculture. To do so, farmers must incorporate healthy, economically profitable, environmentally beneficial approaches to agriculture. These include: Cultivating healthy planting and maintaining healthy soil. Promoting biodiversity Reducing agricultural runoffs Preventing food wastage Minimise and eradicate all forms of pollution Integrate mixed farming system (livestock and crop farming) Encouraging agroforestry practices Enhancing the lives of farmers and farming communities  Promoting ethical and green farming practices. Sustainable practices include urban agriculture, permaculture, agroforestry, crop rotation, biodynamic farming, natural pest management, natural animal rearing, crop protection, mulching and biological weed control.    Conclusion The future of farming is bright, and to ensure we have a sustainable agricultural system requires fundamental changes regarding the management of our natural environment. With the latest technology gadgets, tools, and top research, it is possible to make changes to protect our environment and also ourselves as we are the end users. This is only achieved through sustainable agriculture.