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"MADE IN AFRICA - FOR AFRICA" FDA NEWSLETTER
MASS MAIL
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The FOUNDATION FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AFRICA proudly presents you with the following information that may add value to Africa's development. Please direct any correspondence to: info@isupportafrica.com
FEEDING AFRICA - CREATING WEALTH
My newfound friend and mentor, Professor Carl Nöffke, addresses the nutrition "cassava" in his latest newsletter EXCLUSIVE (02/03/2004).
NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa\'s Development) has launched the Pan-African Cassava Initiative (PACI) to investigate opportunities available from this tropical root.
However, Nigeria yesterday (01/03/2004) stepped up the drive towards diversification of the economy currently dependent on oil, with the inauguration of a presidential committee on Cassava Export Promotion whose target is to raise $5 billion per annum from export of the commodity, says Cletus Akwaya, This Day, Abuja.
"Already, President Olusegun Obasanjo has proposed to leaders of some Southern African countries currently facing severe drought to consider the use of cassava from Nigeria for animal feeds as an alternative to corn", he continued.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200403020199.html
This may be a classic example of Nigeria encouraging her people to create wealth while feeding themselves (the people) in the process. - Well-done Nigeria!
What is CASSAVA?
Cassava is a perennial woody shrub that grows 1 - 3 meters tall. It is grown between 30 degrees north and 30 degrees south of the Equator and from sea level up to an altitude of 2,000 meters.
The starchy roots are a major source of dietary energy for more than 500 million people. It is known to be the highest producer of carbohydrates among staple crops.
According to United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), cassava ranks fourth of food crops in the developing countries after rice, maize and wheat. The leaves are relatively rich on protein and can be consumed. Cassava can be stored in the ground for several seasons, thereby serve as a reserve food when other crops fail.
Cassava is also increasingly used for animal feed and in different industrial processes and products.
For more information on CASSAVA
Do not attempt to open these attachments - it is just not worth the content.
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Peter
I read your email dealing with cassava and feeding of Africa. Recently I
was in Kenya visiting the area where I grew up on a farm as a kid in the
1940's. During this visit I saw how the countryside had changed and also
met many Kenyan people from different walks of life. A striking point was
wherever one went the population explosion was getting out of hand and it
was stated in the local media that Kenya's population will soon reach 34
million. What struck me was the fact that each person had the natural
desire (as for all us) to own his personal rural farm which in many cases
amounted to no more than 0.1 acre - a scenario of sub-subsistence and people
are rapidly reaching the stage where they can no longer feed themselves from
their land and in places starvation is becoming a reality.
I thought about this and discussed a plan which could help solve this
situation with a Director in the Environmental Department in Nairobi who
deals with land issues. I commend NEPAD for considering cassava to help
solve poverty - but in my view it does not get down to the real heart of the
matter.
I drew up a project proposal on my ideas, which is attached for your review,
and submitted it to the director in Nairobi in January for his
consideration - I am still awaiting a reply.
Having personally travelled in 19 African countries the agricultural
problems outlined in my proposal repeat themselves throughout Africa,
including South Africa and in my opinion just adding cassava may not solve
the problem but perpetuate it.
I would like to have your opinion on this project proposal and if you find
merit in it we could discuss it further. Finance will be required to drive
it and it could be widely applied to many African countries.
Looking forward to hearing from you. ***********************************
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