INVITATION TO AN AGRICULTURAL STUDY TOUR OF ISRAEL
We are proposing a ten (10) day agricultural trip to Israel for Nigerian government officials and private sector agricultural operatives. The objective of the tour is to stimulate the interest of the participants to agriculture through lectures, interaction with experts and visits to locations of interest in Israel.
The study tour scheduled to hold 2-11 November, 2010 is predicated on Government’s efforts at ensuring food security for the people of Nigeria while in the same token diversifying the revenue base of the country away from oil. Moreover, we are of the opinion that a trip of this nature would have direct and positive impact on the citizenry.
Israel has been chosen for the tour on the strength of its innovative agricultural practices that have earned the country a pride of place in the comity of nations, agriculturally speaking.
Agriculture in Israel is the success story of a long, hard struggle against adverse conditions and of making maximum use of arable land and scarce water. Its success lies in the determination and ingenuity of farmers and scientists who have dedicated themselves to developing a flourishing agriculture.
The close cooperation between R&D and industry led to the development of a market-oriented agri-business that exports agro-technology solutions worldwide. A good lesson to countries, including Nigeria, in dire need of solutions in their war against hunger, diseases, morbidity and mortality!
The proposed study tour would expose the participants to the following:
• Crop cultivation (commercial value and high yielding varieties).
• Aquaculture and dairy farming.
• Post harvest technology.
• Markets and merchandising.
• Meeting with officials from relevant Ministries, Research Institutions etc.
• Joint venture projects on integrated agriculture
The ten days study tour covers lectures, visits to farms, agricultural technology centres, processing plants, chambers of commerce, the export institute and the ministry of agriculture. Optional visit to holy sites would be arranged.
Resource persons are drawn from the academia, state ministry of agriculture, multilateral agencies and entrepreneurs. Certificates of participation would be issued.
Comments
Kenya has started greenhouse production of tomatoes, raising hopes that the popular vegetable will become available throughout the year at affordable prices.
If the concept is widely embraced, Kenya could start enjoying year-round supply of tomatoes, which currently get damaged during the wet seasons, pushing prices through the roof.
According to the report, growing crops under greenhouses has many advantages, among them the ability to produce huge quantities on a small piece of land and continuous harvesting. The tomatoes have a shelf-life of 21 days compared with 14 for those grown in the open.
It takes a shorter period — two months — for greenhouse-produced tomatoes to mature, while it takes a minimum of three months with outdoor farming.
Due to controlled irrigation and temperatures, the crop sports a continuous output of flowers and fruits, all at different stages.
One plant has a potential of up to 15 kg at first harvest, going up to 60 kg by the time it has completed its full cycle — recommended at one year.
The plant vines are supported inside the greenhouse with sticks and strings, growing up to 50 metres in height. If well looked after, the minimum plot of land under greenhouse production can yield up to 25,000 tonnes of tomatoes.
Tomatoes are generally highly susceptible to diseases requiring heavy application of pesticides but under the greenhouse growing techniques, which come with basic training on hygiene, most of common infections are easily kept at bay. Also kept at bay are insects and other pests known to invade plants as well as weeds.
Apart from huge savings on crop protection chemicals, which constitute a huge part of production costs, less labour is employed in a greenhouse, while exposure to chemical toxins associated with application is minimised or eliminated altogether. It is also good for the environment.
Source: www.freshplaza.com