₦airaland Forum

Adinagbon is good for d body..

Prof. MacDonald Idu has underscored the benefits of Coconut, the “Tree of life’’, including serving as mosquito repeller.
He said that the second name for coconut oil is “Tree of Life” maintaining that all parts of the fruit is useful with Nigeria having best type of coconuts in worldwide.

“This means that we have something we can really show to the world that will build and improve our daily living,’’ said Idu of the department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology of the University of Benin. “There are many things that the coconut can do. It serves as food and medicine. Coconut oil is multipurpose oil; there are about 200 uses of coconuts. “You can use it to soften your skin, reduce sugar level, and prevent wrinkles, premature grey hair and hair lost. You can rub on your body to prevent mosquito bite, and many other uses, called on Nigeria to formulate policies that will attract investment in coconuts. The professor called on Nigeria to formulate policies that will attract investment in coconuts. Idu told journalists on Saturday in Abuja that government needed to have clear policies that will encourage investments in coconut businesses. According to the professor of phytomedicine, government should support investors in the coconut sector. Brazil and other countries, he argued, have huge investment in coconut businesses. “Today, Nigerians are feasting on coconuts from Cotonou, Ghana and other countries which to me is ridiculous. “We have the shores and everything in this country to grow the plant. We also have research institutes with coconut as one of their mandates. “The government can put in money into the institutes and their research and let it blossom and generate revenue for the country. “They can also fund small scale private sector investors in coconuts. This will generate employment and people taking off the streets,” Idu said. The Don also stressed that investors could be train on how to produce and package their coconuts related products properly and export them to other countries. “Government should formulate policies that will encourage investment in coconut to produce range of products that will help the people, ”Idu said. Newsmen report that Sept. 2 is been designated Coconut Day by the Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC) with headquartered at Jakarta, Indonesia. The annual celebration is aimed at creating awareness about the importance of the coconut and its potentials.

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Is cassava flour the only grail of gluten-free, grain-free cooking? It very well may be. But first, there are 5 things you need to know about it.

Cassava flour is gaining momentum as a “go-to” gluten-free, grain-free flour. And it’s not surprising when you consider that those who follow restricted diets typically have to blend several flours to achieve the same consistency as wheat flour, which is never ideal.
But with cassava flour that’s not the case. After traveling Bali and Southeast Asia for several months (eating delicious, locally made cassava breads, cakes and side dishes), I realized the huge potential of cassava flour. In fact, it seemed to be a pretty darn close replacement for wheat flour.
Oh, could it be? Could it really be?!
Yes, it could be! This might just make it the holy grail of gluten-free, grain-free flours. But before you go off the deep-end by gobbling up cassava-everything (it’s easy to do), here’s five things you need to know:

1. Cassava flour is gluten, grain and nut-free
The cassava plant is a staple crop to millions of inhabitants in South America and parts of Asia and Africa. The plant produces the cassava root (also known as yucca or manioc), a starchy, high-carbohydrate tuber – similar to yam, taro, plantains and potato.
As a tuberous root vegetable, cassava is gluten, grain and nut-free, as well as vegan, vegetarian and paleo.

2. Cassava flour is not the same as tapioca flour
While sometimes the terms cassava flour and tapioca flour are used interchangeably, there are in fact distinct differences. Tapioca is a starch extracted from the cassava root through a process of washing and pulping. The wet pulp is then squeezed to extract a starchy liquid. Once all the water evaporates from the starchy liquid, the tapioca flour remains.
Alternatively, cassava flour is the whole root, simply peeled, dried and ground. This means it has more dietary fiber than tapioca flour – and allows me to make cassava flour which would not be possible with tapioca flour.

3. Cassava flour is not poisonous
It’s true that the cassava root contains naturally occurring cyanide compounds (also found in almonds and spinach!) and that yes, they can be extremely toxic, but only if eaten raw. That’s why the traditional cultures that rely on cassava for sustenance have century’s old processes of soaking, cooking and fermenting. These processes remove the toxic compounds and prevent one from getting sick.
Rest assured that all commercially available cassava and tapioca flours do not contain any harmful levels of cyanide.

4. Cassava flour is high in carbohydrates
Given that cassava is a starchy tuber, you would expect it to have a high carbohydrate profile. But it’s higher than you most likely imagined. For instance, per 100 grams, cassava has double the calories and carbohydrates as sweet potato. This makes it a valuable and relied upon food source for millions of native people.

But it could mean an insulin spike for you! For the vast majority of people who don’t rely on cassava for subsistence, it would be prudent to monitor your cassava intake. Particularly if you’re following a low carbohydrate, low-sugar or Paleo-based diet.
Translation: don’t eat cassava flour recipes at every meal! As always, moderation is key.

5. Cassava flour is the most similar to wheat flour (of gluten-free flours)
This is the only grail characteristic of cassava flour. Unlike other gluten-free flours such as almond or coconut flour, cassava flour is very mild and neutral in flavor. It’s also not grainy or gritty in texture – rather, it’s soft and powdery.
These qualities, along with the fact that it can be replaced on a 1:1 basis with wheat flour in many recipes, make cassava flour preferred flour for gluten-free, grain-free baking and cooking. It’s also great nut-free flour.
As always, quality matters when it comes to cassava flour and is the brand that I use and recommend. Unfortunately, I’ve recently heard from readers who’ve used other brands that their results were less than stellar. As cassava flour has grown in popularity and manufacturers are popping up left, right and center, it seems quality and how the flour is processed now varies greatly.

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Mushroom is very popular in today’s food culture mostly in Europe and now it is also a part of Asia’s Food items. As mushrooms are rich source of proteins, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins but 0% fat and this percentage of fat make it attractive to food lovers. Mushrooms have a great variety and delicious flavor. When we talk about the mushroom farming, spawning is an important tool. It has its own separate production technology. Production technology includes the methodology, steps, material, technology all that use in production of a thing.

Commonly, spawn is ‘a propagating material’ as we use seed for the reproduction of our crops. It may be defined as secondary mycelium which is responsible for the whole structure of fungi. While Spawning is a process of addition of spawn in ploythene bags of substrate.
Without a spawn, we can’t grow a single mushroom. If we want to grow mushroom we need a spawn and we can prepare our own spawn in lab. Secondary mycelium always grows on a substrate as we grow our mushroom on a substrate. Cereal grains are used in spawn formation. The most useful substrate for spawn growing is sorghum grain which has the maximum amount of cellulose (carbohydrate) as fungi is cellulose and lignin loving; they consume it as their food. Spawn formation in itself a whole technique other than mushroom farming which is develop by the researcher.

Production technology of spawn formation has the following steps (methodology). First of all, clean the grains and chose them carefully. Then boil the grains. For boiling, use the stainless steel bowl. Boil them to a specific temperature. After boiling, spread the grains on a blotting paper for overnight so that paper soaks all the moisture of grains. (Need less amount of moisture to avoid growth of algae).
Take the flask and make them sterilize in an auto-clave. Fill the sterilize flasks with the grains up to the neck. Then close the flask mouth / plug flask’s mouth with the cotton bud. (Sterilization is important to avoid the growth of any bacteria so that it may not harm our material and hence we get good quality spawn). Now autoclave the flask fills with grains. Autoclave is specifically used for sterilization / moist sterilization because steam is used in this instrument. It works on 121°C at 15psi for 15-20 minutes depending upon the load and content of the material.
After autoclaving, inoculate the grains with the already prepared culture (food of fungi that contains all required nutrients for their growth). Culture can be prepared in lab by using tissue culture tech or you can purchase it from any company who sell mushroom culture. Spore of mushroom which is collected from gills (mushroom cap part) can be directly used for culture. Mushrooms have many varieties or species and every specie need a different culture for their growth for example Agaricus Augustus Culture, Agaricus bitorquis Culture, and Hypholoma sublatertium Culture etc.

For inoculation, first dip the inoculation needle in the spirit from germ killing, red hot flame on the fire after this slightly touch the culture with needle and then inoculate the grains
After inoculation, put the flasks in the incubator for 15-20 days at 25°C (room temperature).
When grains complete the incubation period, they will convert into spawn as there will be coating of fungal hyphae over the whole grain and make it a propagating material (for next farming).
Quality of spawn

If we want to generate a good income from the mushroom farming, our spawn quality should be best otherwise it will be lose to us and we will not gain profit. Here, I will discuss some major qualities of spawn.
Grains should be chosen carefully. Don’t take the damage grains. Good grains lead to the maximum yield and more profit.
Loose grains have no tendency to have coating of mycelium hence no potential to grow / multiply.
Color of the spawn should be whitish creamy, no yellowness.
Fresh spawn good for propagation, they have a very small shelf life i.e., 1 month. So, try to produce and market fresh spawn. It will enhance the production.

Spawn should be smell less. If smell comes from spawn, it will show the low and old spawn.
So, these qualities of your spawn make well repute in the market. By making your own spawn, you can also use them as your business as well as use them for your production house. Mushroom is the need if today’s diet, make them part of your food and develop taste for it and motivate people to grow mushrooms in their areas.

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Source: www.foramfera.com

Source: agrihunt.com

Soybean (U.S.) or soya bean (UK) (Glycine max) is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean which has numerous uses. The plant is classed as an oil seed rather than a pulse by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).
Fat-free (defatted) soybean meal is a significant and cheap source of protein for animal feeds and many prepackaged meals; soya vegetable oil is another product of processing the soybean crop. For example, soybean products such as textured vegetable protein (TVP) are ingredients in many meat and dairy analogues. Soybeans produce significantly more protein per acre than most other uses of land.

Nigeria presently produces about 500,000 MT of Soybean annually making it the largest producer of the product on the African continent. Soybean is a legume which is produced in most the middle belt of the country with Benue state accounting for about 45% of the total production in country.

Soybeans are an important source of high quality and inexpensive protein and oil. With an average protein content of 40% and oil content of 20%, soybean has the highest protein content of all food crops and is second only to groundnut in terms of oil content amongst food legumes. Soybeans are used in the production of milk, edible oil and animal feed. Its high protein content and price makes it the best option in terms of treating malnutrition and would continue to expand the international market for the product which currently is estimated at US$40 billion.

Soybean growth is influenced by climate and soil characteristics. Soybean performs well in the southern and northern Guinea savannas of Nigeria where rainfall is more than 700 mm. In Nigeria, soya beans are mostly produced in the middle belt with Benue state accounting for over 70% of the production in Nigeria. Some of the states producing soya beans in Nigeria include Kwara, Kogi, Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Nassarawa, Kaduna, Niger, Bauchi, Ogun, and Taraba states. Other states are Adamawa, Abia, Enugu, Anambra, Jigawa, Lagos, Plateau, Ekiti and the Federal Capital Territory.

Factors to consider before cultivating soya bean in Nigeria includes land, choice of variety, time of planting, seed rate, seed dressing, spacing and other agricultural practice.

Soybean matures within 3–4 months after planting and requires timely harvesting to check excessive yield losses. At maturity, the pod is straw- colored. It is recommended that soybean be harvested when about 85% of the pods have turned brown for a non-shattering variety but 80% for shattering varieties. Alternatively, the crop can be harvested when the seeds are at the hard-dough stage, when the seed moisture content is between 14 and 16%.

Soybean should be stored at a moisture content of 10% or less. A soybean seed is sufficiently dry when it cannot be dented with the teeth or fingernails.

Nigeria currently produces soybean worth $85 million in the international market and though most of the nation’s soybean is consumed locally where they are used in the production of soy milk and specially formulated foods to help malnourished infants and children, the international market for the product is growing and sustainable.

Skin Benefits Of Soybeans:

Soybean is full of benefits for the whole body, including the skin. Here are the benefits of soybeans for skin:

1. Moisturizing the Skin:
A well hydrated skin is a must, when it comes to keeping the skin healthy. Soybean acts a moisturizer for combination skin and is also useful to get rid of dry, flaky skin. If you have oily skin, you can use this amazing bean to remove the excess oil from your skin.

2. Ageing:
Soybeans can also reduce the visible signs of ageing like skin discoloration, wrinkles, dark spots, fine lines, etc. As we age our body tends to lose estrogen, the vital hormone that maintains skin elasticity. The phytoestrogens in soybean helps to produce more estrogen in the body to reduce wrinkles and fine lines.

3. Vitamin E:
Soybeans contain vitamin E that can help to renew dead skin cells and also form new skin cells. This can help you look young and radiant. Crush soybeans with little water and apply it on the face. Leave it on for 20 to 25 minutes to moisturize your skin. Use this concoction three times a week for best results.
4. To Strengthen Nails:
If you have brittle nails, soy can be the best thing for you. Include it in your regular diet for six months. This will help strengthen your nails and also add shine. Soybeans are also known to moisturize your nails and treat nail fungus infection. Just dip your nails in soy sauce to get fungus free nails.
Soybeans Benefits for Hair:
Check out here some of the best benefits of soybeans for your hair.
5. Makes Hair Shine:
Soybeans are also used for smooth, soft, and shiny hair. You can apply soy bean juice onto the hair regularly for three months to get the desired results.

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Source: www.foramfera.com

Palm trees are a botanical family of perennial lianas, shrubs, and trees. They are the only members of the family Arecaceae, which is the only family in the order Arecales. They grow in hot climates.
There are about 2600 species of palm trees, most of them living in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate climates. Palms are one of the best known and most widely planted tree families. They have held an important role for humans throughout much of history. Many common products and foods come from palms. They are often used in parks and gardens that are in areas that do not have heavy frosts.
In the past palms were symbols of victory, peace, and fertility. Today palms are a popular symbol for the tropics and for vacations. Most palm trees grow in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. They occur from about 44° northern latitude to about 44° southern latitude. The dwarf palm (Chamaerops humilis) occurs in southern France, the Nikau (Rhopalostylis sapida) is a species of palm growing in New Zealand.
Shapes and flowers

Most palms are a straight, unbranched stem, but sometimes a branching stem, or even a creeping vine, such as the rattan, they have large evergreen leaves that are either 'fan-leaved' or 'feather-leaved' and arranged in a spiral at the top of the trunk. The leaves have a tubular sheath at the base that usually splits open on one side when it is grown.The flowers grow on an inflorescence, a special branch just for carrying the great number of tiny flowers. The flowers are generally small and white, and are star-shaped. The sepals and petals usually number three each. The fruit is usually a single seed surrounded by flesh. The familiar coconut is the seed of a large fruit. Some kinds may contain two or more seeds in each fruit.

Where palms live
Over two-thirds of palms live in tropical forests, where some species grow tall enough to form part of the canopy and other shorter palms form part of the under-story. Some kinds form pure stands in areas with poor drainage or regular flooding. Other palms live on tropical mountains above 1000 meters, Palms may also live in grasslands and scrub-lands, usually where there is water, and in desert oases. A few palms are adapted to extremely basic lime soils, while others are similarly adapted to very acidic soils.

Unusual palms
The Coco de mere has the largest seeds of any plant, 30-50 centimeters in diameter and weighing 15-30 kilograms each. Raffia palms, with leaves up to 25 meters long and 3 meters wide, have the largest leaves of any plant. The corypha palms have the largest inflorescence (flowering part) of any plant, up to 7.5 meters tall and containing millions of small flowers. The wax palm, Colombia's national tree, is the tallest palm in the world, reaching heights of 70 meters.
Palms in danger

Like many other plants, some palms are in danger of dying out because of human activity. The greatest dangers are from increasingly large cities, mining, and turning forests into farmland. The harvesting of heart of palm for food also poses a threat, because it comes from the inner core of the tree, and harvesting it kills the tree. The use of rattan palms in furniture has caused a big fall in the number of rattan palms, as they are collected from the wild instead of being farmed. The sale of wild seeds to growers and collectors is another threat.
At least a hundred kinds are in danger, and nine kinds are said to have recently died out.
It is very hard to save palm seeds because they are killed by cooling them, which is the normal way of keeping rare seeds for the future. Also, planting rare kinds in parks can never truly recreate the wild areas they come from, and the plants may not do well in these parks.
The Palm Specialist Group of the World Conservation Union (IUCN) started in 1984, supported by the WWF. The group gathered a lot of information from different parts of the world. An action plan to save rare palms was made by this group in 1996.

Pest species
Pests that attack species of palm trees include:
The red palm mite
The palm seed beetle or palm seed weevil
Palm farming and use]

Date palms in history
Human use of palms is as old as, or even older than, civilization itself, starting with the growing of date palms by Mesopotamians and other Middle Eastern peoples 5000 years or more ago. The Date Palm had a great effect on the history of the Middle East. Historian W.H. Barreveld wrote:
"Had the date palm not existed, the expansion of the human race into the hot and barren parts of the "old" world would have been much more restricted. The date palm not only provided a concentrated energy food, which could be easily stored and carried along on long journeys across the deserts, it also created a more amenable habitat for the people to live in by providing shade and protection from the desert winds. In addition, the date palm also yielded a variety of products for use in agricultural production and for domestic utensils, and practically all parts of the palm had a useful purpose".
The early importance of palms in the Middle East is shown in scripture. They are mentioned more than 30 times in the Bible, and more than 22 times in the Qur'an.

Palms used for food and drink
Apart from the well-known coconut and date, there are other kinds of food from palms. Palm oil, Sago, heart of palm and palm wine are all eaten or drunk in different parts of the world. Palm oil is used in everything, from cosmetics to food ingredients.
Use in war
South Carolina is nicknamed the Palmetto State, after the sabal palmetto, logs from which were used to build the fort at Fort Moultrie. During the American Revolutionary War their spongy wood helped stop the British cannonballs [

Other uses of palms
Coir is a coarse, water-resistant fiber from the outer shell of coconuts. It is used in doormats, brushes, mattresses, and ropes. 'Dragon's blood' is a resin used in dyes, varnishes and incense, can come from the fruit of the rattan.
Today, palms are popular in parks and gardens in countries outside the tropics. Two of the most cold-tolerant species are the Chusan palm, from eastern Asia, and the needle palm from the United States.
The palm as a symbol
The palm branch was a symbol of triumph and victory in Roman times. The Romans rewarded champions of the games and celebrated success in war with palm branches.
Jews also had a tradition of carrying palm branches during festive times.
The motto of the University of Southern California is Palmam qui meruit ferat, which means in Latin, "Let him bear the palm that has deserved it".
Palms appear on the flags and seals of several countries where they are native, including those of Haiti, Guam, Florida, South Carolina, and Samoa.

In religion
The palm has many meanings in both ancient and modern Middle Eastern religions.

Christianity
Early Christians used the palm branch to symbolize the victory of the faithful over enemies of the soul, as in the Palm Sunday festival celebrating the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.
In Christian art, martyrs were usually shown holding palms representing the victory of spirit over flesh, and it was widely believed that a picture of a palm on a tomb meant that a martyr was buried there. Origen calls the palm "the symbol of victory in that war waged by the spirit against the flesh. In this sense it was especially applicable to martyrs, the victors par excellence over the spiritual foes of mankind; hence the frequent occurrence in the Acts of the martyrs of such expressions as "he received the palm of martyrdom".

In other faiths
In Judaism, the palm represents peace and plenty. The palm may also symbolize the Tree of Life in Kabbalah.
The Prophet Muhammad is said to have built his home out of palm, and the palm represents rest and hospitality in many cultures of the Middle East.
Palm stems represented long life to the Ancient Egyptians, and the god Huh was often shown holding a palm stem in one or both hands.
The sacred tree of the Assyrians was a palm that represents the god Ishtar connecting heaven, the crown of the tree, and earth, the base of the trunk. The Mesopotamian goddess Inanna, who had a part in the sacred marriage ritual, was thought of as the one who made the dates abundant.
The palm tree was a sacred sign of Apollo in Ancient Greece because he had been born under one.

Modern times
The palm, especially the Coconut, remains a symbol of tropical island paradise.
The palm tree also represents Oasis.

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To fulfill the food demand for growing population, we have to find out different ways of food production. The rabbit known as “Micro-Livestock” can
be a great source of food production. There is a great opportunity of rabbit farming, and commercial production can be a great source of income
and employment. Rabbits need small place for living and less food for surviving. Rabbit meat contains high ratio of protein, energy, calcium and
vitamin than any other types of animal meat. The amount of cholesterol, fat and sodium is also less than other meat.
Their meat is very testy, nutritious and easily digestible for all aged people. And there is no religious taboo for consuming rabbit meat. Rabbits
grow very fast and the female rabbit produce 2 to 8 kids every time. They can consume very low quality food and turn these foods to high quality
meat, skin or fiber. Raising rabbit can be a great income source to the unemployed educated people and landless farmers. So, commercial rabbit
farming business can be a great source to meet up the food or protein demand and a great source of employment. Here we are describing the
advantages of commercial rabbit farming business and steps for starting.

Benefit of Rabbit Farming
There are many benefits of commercial rabbit farming business. The main benefits of rabbit farming business are listed below.
Rabbits are very fast growing animal.
Their food converting rate is better than other animals.
One female rabbit can give birth to about 2 to 8 kids each time.
Rabbits can be raised within a short space.
Production costs are less, compared to other large sized animals.
Rabbit meat is very tasty, nutritious and easily digestible. All aged people can eat without any problem.
There are no religious taboos consuming rabbit meat.
In case of meat production, rabbits are placed after poultry.
Kitchen wastes, grass, plant leaves etc. are favorite foods of rabbit. So you can raise some rabbits for your family needs, using this type of low
cost and easily available commodities.
Rabbit farming require less labor compared to another animal farming business. You can easily use your family labor for successful commercial
rabbit farming business.
Commercial rabbit farming business require relatively less capital and you will get back your investment within a very short period.
As it is a highly profitable business, so commercial production can be a great source of earning and employment.

You can meet up your family nutritional demands through raising a few numbers of rabbits.
People usually raise rabbits as pets. But raising them commercially can be a great source of income and a smart way of employment. The annual
demand of meat is increasing rapidly throughout the world. Right now poultry, beef and pork meat are controlling this huge demand. Commercial
rabbit

production can play a very important role to meet up this demand. So rabbit farming business has a great opportunity.

How to start Rabbit Farming Business
Rabbits are small sized animal. So it’s very easy to start a commercial rabbit farming business. Make a proper business plan before starting. Here
we are describing the most important steps of starting commercial rabbit farming business.

Rabbit Breeds
There are many rabbit breeds available throughout the world. Among those breeds Dark Gray (internal), Fox, Dutch, New Zealand White, New
Zealand Black, New Zealand Red, Belgium White and Chinchilla etc. are highly productive and popular breeds. You can choose proper breed for
your production, depending on the availability of breeds in your area.

Rabbit Farming Method
You can start raising rabbits in both deep litter and cage farming methods. Here we are describing more about this two types of raising methods

1. Deep Litter Method: This method is suitable, if you want to raise a few numbers of rabbits. Concrete floor is more suitable for deep litter
system. Make 4 to 5 inches depth litter husk, hay, straw or wood shavings. In this method, you can raise a maximum of 30 rabbits in a house.
Keep the male rabbits in a separate room from the female. In deep litter system, risks of diseases are high. And sometimes, it may seem very
difficult to manage the rabbit in this system.

2. Cage Method: For commercial rabbit farming business, cage method is the best. In this system the rabbits are kept in a cage, which are made
with wire or iron plate. Cage system is very useful for raising a maximum number of rabbits. Keep sufficient space and necessary facilities, inside
every cage. Keep the male and female rabbits separated from each other. Keep them together in a separate cage during breeding period.

Feeding
Feed consuming rate and nutrient requirements varies, depending on the rabbit’s age and breed type. For proper nutrition of adult rabbits, their
food should contain 17 to 18 percent crude protein, 14 percent fiber, 7 percent minerals and 2700 kilo calorie/kg of metabolic energy. Green
leafy
vegetables, seasonal vegetable, spinach, carrots, Muller, cucumber, green grass and vegetable wastes are common food of rabbits. For
commercial
purpose, you can serve them poultry feed. In accordance with providing nutritious feed, supply them sufficient amount of clean and fresh water
according to their demand.

Breeding
Usually rabbits become mature and suitable for breeding purpose within their 5 to 6 months of age. But don’t use the male rabbits for breeding
purpose until they reach their first birthday. Doing this will ensure, quality young rabbits for commercial production. Always try to use healthy
rabbits with proper body weight for breeding. Never breed the females, if they are ill. Take special care to the
breeding male and pregnant female rabbits, and provide them nutritious feed. The gestation period of rabbits is about 28 to 31 days. And each
time a doe can give birth of 2 to 8 kids.

Marketing
In some areas, marketing rabbit products is not so easy. So it will be better, if you determine your marketing plan before starting. You can try
your local markets or nearest town.
Through proper care and management, you can make maximum profit form your rabbit farming business. Always try to take good care of your
animals. Feed them quality nutritious food, keep their house clean and purchase healthy breeds for starting. Thus you can make your rabbit
farming business highly profitable. God bless you!

For more information, contact Farmkonnect on the following social Medias:
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Source:www.roysfarm.com

Cassava farming is one of the most popular farming in Africa.

The reason is simple; Cassava is an essential raw material for foods in our continent.(Africa)
If you are a lover of Nigerian food, then you must be familiar with the popular “Eba” or “Gari” which is popularly consumed by almost every tribe in Nigeria.
Today, cassava farming and processing is giving so many people the grace to earn decent living.
Let’s get started by knowing the history of cassava farming in Nigeria

Introduction to Cassava Farming in Nigeria

As early as 1667 the planting and cultivation of cassava as began in Nigeria. This move was credited to the Portuguese explorers and slaves from Brazil and the West Indies who have land in Nigeria.
By the year 1890s, the systematic cultivation of cassava was becoming popular in Nigeria.
According to our research, the above stated slaves (from Brazil, West Indies and Sierra Leon) who knew how to process crop to food were living in Lagos, Badagry, Abeokuta, Ijebu, etc. These people influenced the widely consumption of the cassava products, hence, demand for processed cassava (Gari, fufu, cassava flour, also known as lafun) increased

In today Nigeria, aside rice, beans, and yam; garri is one food that most family in Nigeria can’t do without. If it’s not been prepared and taken with their favorite soups, then it is been taken inform of “cassava flake” in which some Nigerians do enjoy taking with sugar, milk, and groundnut; to sustain hunger, whereas some people take it because they love and enjoy the tastes.

Other Products of Cassava
Excluding garri, Cassava can be processed into other food and items like Fufu, Starch, wheat flour or cassava flour, animal feeds, commercial caramel, and a lot more.
So you see, cassava business no doubt could be a very lucrative agricultural business in Nigeria to start, which is easy (because cassava could be harvested after 9–18 month of planting) and It could be planted alone or in association with many other crops, like maize, groundnuts, vegetables, and rice.
Aside from selling your garri in Nigeria, you can also export it to major African countries.

Steps to Starting a Cassava Farming in Nigeria
• Select good site for your cassava
• Select the Best Cassava Variety to Plant
• Select Healthy Cassava Stems
• Use Fertilizer on Your Cassava Farm
• Work with experienced farmer, if need be
• Pay attention to cassava marketing
• Always be business minded

1.Select a Good Site for Planting Your Cassava:
The first step you need to take before planting your cassava is to select a perfect land.
You should look for an area that is endowed with good soil texture because the best soil for growing cassava is deep loamy soil.
Loamy soils are the best because they are rich in nutrients, low in gravel, are easy to work or till and can retain water well.
Select an area with flat or gently sloping land. Do not select Steep slopes, Valleys and depression areas because they are easily eroded, get waterlogged quickly and do not allow cassava roots to develop well.
It is also advisable to know about the history of the site, that is to know what was planted previously in the land or if the land is a virgin land.
Also when looking for a land, you might be looking for an area with thick vegetation cover.
If you did not find a fertile land for your cassava plantation, take these steps to improve the nutrients in the soil;
• Add organic or manure or Inorganic fertilizers such as NPK to your farm.
• Practices mulching; (Mulch cassava seedbeds) this involves covering the soil surface with plant materials.
• Plant cassava in association with other crops such as maize, rice, vegetables and Legumes, like cow pea and groundnuts. They are particularly good inter crop because these plants make and release nutrients into the soil.

2. Select the Best Cassava Variety to Plant for Your Cassava Farming in Nigeria:
In the year 1954 modern research on cassava started in Nigeria at the FDAR (Focus Data Action and Response), Ibadan, south west Nigeria.
However, even before then, there were many cassava varieties in Nigeria. These cassava varieties varied in their tuber yields and general tolerance to pests and diseases.
In around 1967 the modern researches have led the country to have other improved varieties which were named; 60506, 60444, 60447 etc.
Few years later (1972) there was a bacterial outbreak which was known as Cassava Bacterial Blight (CBB). This attached the cassava farms in Nigeria and only 60306 variety and few others were able to survive the disease.
The research work at The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) later identified improved varieties which were released after 1976.
These new cassava clones (varieties) were named; TMS 30110, TMS 30572, TMS 300017, TMS 30555, TMS 30001, TMS 4(2)1425, TMS 30337, etc.
Nigerian cassava farmers preferred these improved varieties because of their high yields, earlier maturity and suppression of weeds, though these new cassava varieties are different in their resistance to cassava diseases and pests such as; Cassava Mealy bug (CMB), Cassava Mosaic Virus (CMV), Cassava Green Spider Mite (CGM), Cassava Anthracnose Disease (CAD) etc.
To gain more in your Cassava farming and Garri processing Business in Nigeria; you should make a careful selection of your cassava variety to avoid loss.

Qualities of the best cassava varieties are those that are mostly preferred by consumers, they grow fast, gives good yields, store well in the soil and are tolerant and resistant to major pests, and diseases.

What you should look at for when selecting your cassava varieties for your cassava farm are;
• Cassava varieties with high dry matter and good food quality. Cassava with high dry matter and food quality are good for your cassava business because the dry matter is mainly starch and a little bit of fiber. The percentage of dry matter in the roots determines the quantity and quality of the products obtained after the roots are processed. You should seek for a cassava varieties that bulks (that is the swelling of the storage roots as they are filled with stored food early): the cassava varieties that bulk early are better and are able to make up for losses in storage root yield which might be an impact of weed competition, leaf-feeding pests, and disease .
• Cassava varieties that are tolerant to weeds, pests, and diseases: when looking for perfect cassava varieties, you should select varieties that are tolerant and resistant to diseases, pests, and weeds. This is because adaptable varieties do branch early, low, and often. Such varieties are able to expand a lot of branches and leaves rapidly to shade the ground and prevent weeds from growing vigorously and become a problem.
• Choose cassavas varieties that are edible: Starting your cassava farming in Nigeria, you should look out for the cassava varieties which are edible; these are the varieties which their cassava storage roots can be cooked without processing. The non-edible ones are referred to as bitter cassava while the edible ones are referred to as sweet cassava. And lastly
• Seek cassava varieties that have a ground storage capacity without getting spoilt, damaged or decayed till the harvesting time:
Remember that when you plant the best varieties of cassava, your production will definitely be high and also there will be maximum income.

3. Select Healthy Cassava Stem Cuttings for Your Cassava Farming:
When you plant healthy stem cuttings; you can, to a great extent reduce and control the spread and damage caused by cassavas pests and diseases.
These items can be easily purchased in town and villages markets. Make sure you make a good market research and make sure you look out for stem cuttings with pest and diseases. You should be looking for a healthy cassava stem cutting.
Note; The cassava Stem cuttings that are taken from the top green portions of stems or extreme top and bottom of stored stems are not fitting and unsuitable. They will dehydrate quickly, produce unhealthy sprouts, and are easily damaged by pests and diseases.
To prepare your cassava stem cutting for planting; cut each stem cutting to a length of at least 20–25 cm. Using stem cuttings with about 5–8 nodes
For cassava stems which are slightly infected with stem-borne pests; treat it by dipping them in heated water or into dilute pesticide solution for 5– 10 minutes.

Recommended Practices for Planting Your Cassava for High Production;
The land used in the cultivation of your cassava should be tilled to loosen up the soil, facilitate soil drainage, and promote healthier storage root development and to make it easy for roots to develop.
When cutting up cassava stems you should handle cuttings carefully during transportation to prevent bruises and damage to the nodes. Your cassava stem which you will use for planting should be a cutting of at least 20–25 cm long and has about 5–8 nodes.

It is important to plant your cassava properly. And to get the best sprouting and growth from cassava stem cuttings, it is recommended that Cassava stems cuttings may be planted vertically, at an angle, or horizontally.
The different between planting your Cassava stem cuttings vertically and horizontally is that when planted vertically; the storage roots develops deeper in the soil, more closely together, and are more difficult to harvest by pulling. (Note; vertical planting is best in sandy soils.)

Whereas when planted horizontally; the storage roots develop more closely to the surface and are likely to be exposed and attacked by neither birds nor rodents.
Know when to weed your cassava farm when your cassava has started germinating to prevent the weed from stopping your plant from growing properly.
You should endeavor to plant cassava early; at the beginning of the rainy season. These guarantees healthy sprouting and good crop establishment which helps the plant to withstand damage by dry season pests and diseases.

If you intend to endure in late planting; at the end of the wet season be certain that you are exposing the crops to harsh harm by pests and diseases as the dry season emerges. So, therefore, after 9–18 month of planting you can finally harvest your cassava and ready to transform it into garri.

4. You May Need to Use Fertilizer on Your Cassava Farm:

Depending on the situation of the soil, you may need fertilizer to boost the production of your cassava farming in Nigeria
If that is the case the following fertilizer and their rate/ha are recommended;
• NPK 20:10:10-9 (50 kg) bags
• NPK 15:15:15-12 (50 kg) bags
• NPK 12:12:17-15 (50 kg) bags

Fertilizer should be applied at about 8 weeks of planting your cassava and it should be a ring, 6 cm wide and 10 cm from the plant or spread with care around the cassava plants. Just make sure the fertilizer doesn’t stay around the cassava stems.

Some Cassava Pests and Diseases That Could Affect Your Cassava Farm

There are some pests and diseases which can affect your cassava and prevent you from gaining when you cultivate your cassavas. Which are listed below;
• Cassava bud necro sis; this is caused by a fungus that grows on the outside of the cassava stems covering the auxiliary buds of stem cuttings.
The cassava mealy bug; This Cassava mealy bug damage symptoms contain shortened inter nodes lengths, compression of terminal leaves together into “bunchy tops” , distortion of stem portions, defoliation, and “candlestick” appearance of shoot tip. These takes place on the cassava leaves, shoot tips, petioles, and stems. The mealy bugs are covered with white waxy secretions.
• The cassava green mite; occurs on the under surfaces of young leaves, green stems, and auxiliary buds of cassava. These Cassava green mite damage symptoms include yellow chlorotic leaf spots on the upper leaf surfaces, narrowed and smaller leaves, a candlestick appearance of the shoot tip, and stunted cassava plants.
• The spiraling whitefly; also known as Aleurodicus disperses. These diseases spoil the cassava by sucking sap from the leaves. Most times, the Colonies of the insect occur on the under surfaces of the cassava leaves and are covered with white waxy secretions related to those of the cassava mealy bug.
• Cassava anthracnose; this cassava disease is caused by a fungus which occurs on the surface of cassava stems.

Step by Step on How to Process Cassava into Garri

To process your cassava into garri, you can either process it manually or mechanically, depending on your capacity. But since you will be setting up a commercial garri production in Nigeria, it is recommended you should use a mechanized method in order to increase production and reduce stress.
Among machines needed to process cassava into garri is;
• Cassava peeling machine
• Cassava grater stainless metal
• Hydraulic cassava presser
• Cassava sifter or separator
• Automatic Garri fryer or community Garri fryer with bricks and chimney
• Cassava washing
• Bag sealing machine.

There are many machines in the markets with a reduced price which you can use to start up. But if you feel like starting manually, then you can start by employing other labors to work with your cassava processing farm.

Steps to Process Your Cassava into Garri;

• After you have harvested your cassava, then start by peeling off the back or the outer layer of the cassava tubers and try not to peel deeper into the cassava tubers.
• After peeling the cassava, wash your white cassava tuber properly. Wash with a lot of water to prevent sand. It is recommended that you should wash it like three to four times because this will be the only washing you be doing until the final processing.
• Cut the tubers into medium or smaller sizes to make things easy for you when grinding (know that small sizes grinds fast).
• Take you cut cassava to a bigger machine and grind them.
• After grinding, pack your watery cassava powder into long bags and dry them for 2-3 days.
• After drying, use a sieve or filter, usually a bigger sieve and separate the fine cassava powder from other particles.
• After separating the powder, now it’s time to fry it. Using a bigger frying pan and a normal fire. Frying your cassava to garri. Keep a check on it to know when it’s done to prevent burning.

For more information, contact Farmkonnect on the following social medias:
www.farmkonnectng.com www.fb.com/Farmkonnect, 09059102364 09093016931 09059102364
Source: ABC CEO

Absolutely right.

Moringa plant is highly nutritious and powerful anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and tissue-protective properties among many other health benefits.
Moringa oleifera, also known as horseradish tree, ben tree, or drumstick tree, is a small tree from India, Pakistan, and Nepal that has been used for generations in Eastern countries to treat and prevent diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, anemia, arthritis, liver disease, and respiratory, skin, and digestive disorders.
Moringa has become popular as a natural leaf powder supplement, although the pods, roots, bark, flowers, seeds, and fruits are also edible.
It's used as a traditional remedy for many ailments, and here are 9 scientifically backed health benefits of consuming the moringa leaf:

1. It is nutrient-packed
Moringa is a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. It contains significant amount of vitamin A, C, and E; calcium; potassium; and protein.

2. It fights free radicals
Antioxidants fight free radicals, molecules that cause oxidative stress, cell damage, and inflammation.
Moringa contains antioxidants called flavonoids, polyphenols, and ascorbic acid in the leaves, flowers, and seeds. A study found that leaf extracts had higher antioxidant activity, free-radical-scavenging capacity, and higher inhibition of lipid, protein, and DNA oxidation than flowers and seeds. This means it prevents the damage and degradation that free radicals cause in the cells of different organs in the body, keeping them healthy and functioning at their best.

3. It fights inflammation
Inflammation can lead to chronic diseases like diabetes, respiratory problems, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and obesity. Moringa reduces inflammation by suppressing inflammatory enzymes and proteins in the body, and moringa leaf concentrate can significantly lower inflammation in the cells.

4. It helps reduce some diabetes symptoms
Moringa leaf powder has been effective at reducing lipid and glucose levels and regulating oxidative stress in diabetic patients, which means it lowers blood sugar and cholesterol and improves protection against cell damage.

5. It protects the cardiovascular system
Moringa leaf powder has heart-healthy benefits, particularly in blood lipid control, the prevention of plaque formation in the arteries, and reduced cholesterol levels.

6. It supports brain health
Moringa supports brain health and cognitive function because of its antioxidant and neuro-enhancer activities. It's also been tested as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease with favorable preliminary results.
Its high content of vitamins E and C fight oxidation that leads to neuron degeneration, improving brain function. It’s also able to normalize the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline in the brain, which play a key role in memory, mood, organ function, responses to stimulus such as stress and pleasure, and mental health, for example in depression and psychosis.

7. It protects the liver
Moringa contains high concentrations of polyphenols in its leaves and flowers that protect the liver against oxidation, toxicity, and damage.
Moringa can reduce liver damage and fibrosis reduces liver damage liver and fibrosis and reverse oxidation in the liver. Moringa oil can also restore liver enzymes to normal level, reducing oxidative stress, and increasing protein content in the liver.
The liver is responsible for blood detoxification, bile production, fructose metabolism, fat metabolism, and nutrient processing, and it can only fulfill these functions with the aid of liver enzymes, so it's vital they stay at normal levels. For instance, lower levels of hepatic enzymes can impair its ability to filter the blood.

8. It contains antimicrobial and antibacterial properties
Moringa has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties that fight infections. It's been effective against types of fungi that cause infections on skin and strains of bacteria responsible for blood and urinary tract infections and digestive problems.

9. It enhances wound healing
Moringa has blood-clotting properties in its leaves, roots, and seeds that benefit wound healing and can reduce clothing time, which means it reduces the time it takes for scratches, cuts, or wounds to stop bleeding.

How to Use It
You can add moringa powder to your smoothie or drink it as a tea. The leaf powder was deemed safe in human studies, even in larger doses than normal. The powder has a mild flavor, so it makes for a light moringa tea with a slightly earthy taste.
Moringa can have laxative effects in large quantities, so a safe dose to introduce it into your food or diet and avoid digestive problems is ½ to 1 teaspoon per day.
For more information, contact Farmkonnect on the following social medial:
www.farmkonnectng.com www.fb.com/Farmkonnect, 09059102364 09093016931 09059102364

A piglet of 6-8 weeks cost #10,000 (10 kg)

Pig Farming
What is pig farming?
Pig farming is raising and breeding of domestic pigs. It is a branch of animal husbandry.
Pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the suidae family of even-toed ungulates.
Pigs include the domestic pig and its ancestor, the common Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) along with other species; related creatures outside the genus include babirusa and the warthog.
Pig is a native of Eurasian and African continent. The juvenile pig (child-pig) is known as piglets.
A place where pigs are raised is known as piggery.
A normal pig will have a big head with a long snout which is strengthened by a special prenasal bone and by a disk of cartilage at the tip.
This snout is what pig use to dig into the soil to find food and is a very acute sensory organ.
Pig is very popular and there is an estimate of 1 billion pig around the world. Pigs are raised primarily for food (e.g. pork, bacon, gammon) and sometimes for their skin.
This is not to say that pig can be reared everywhere.
Pig farming is a taboo in some places i.e. Northern Nigeria, because of their religious belief. The northerner part of Nigeria is dominated by the Muslims, who do not eat. This implies that pig business in the north may not be lucrative as such.

Different Pig Breeds / Species:
There are hundreds species of pig which include American Yorkshire, Aksai Black pied, Angeln Saddleback, Beijing Black, Bangur, Bisaro, Berkshire, wild boar, bearded pigs, and warty pigs.
These species are more common in certain geographical locations than others.

Starting pig farming in Nigeria:
Determine the size of your intending pig farming business
Just like every other thing, the planned size of your pig farm will determine every other decision, the pig pen (housing), the feeding, the labor, even the target market.
For instance If your plan is to have a little pig farm, you may want to use somewhere at your backyard as their pen (house).
This will not be possible with a large scale piggery business in mind.

Make research of pig market in your area:
It is not good in the business world to work hard and create products, then, start looking around for the market (buyers).
Your first assignment is to answer the question; who around here will buy my pigs?
Do they buy them alive or as pork?
What are the forces that determine the market demand?
Do people eat more pork at certain time?
Are there taboo or religious beliefs against pork around here?
Who are the market players now? Is there available space in your market no one is serving yet?
All of these are called marketing research They are basic step top every entrepreneurial trip… and must never be neglected, even in the pig business.

Building your pen (pig house)
Pig pen is an area you have to pay attention to.
Your pen has to be spacious and as neat as possible (in order to avoid insects and diseases).
To start on a medium scale commercially level, you may consider half or a plot of land.
Pigs will naturally love their pen (house) to be divided into four areas:
Where they eat, where they sleep/lie (they love to sleep near each other), where they urinate/defecate (they naturally choose this themselves) and the remainder part of the pen is used to travel from one point to another, to exercise and entertain themselves.
Pigs love to congregate together, so if half a plot accommodates certain number of pigs (depending on their sizes), don`t expect that a plot of land will naturally accommodate multiply by two of what half plot accommodates… it will accommodate more… because they love to lie and be around each other, so the more pigs, the less space… to an extent.
The best practice when constructing your pen is to make it square, not rectangular.
Though rectangular pen can be used, it`s not going to give you the best in your pigs` management.
It is as well advisable to let the floor of your pen drain very well and not be clay or poorly draining floor.
This is because pigs have pointy hooves that bear much weight.
A clay soil may not cause much problem in the dry environment, but can quickly make life tough for your pigs when the environment is wet because it can cause injury, feed wastage can contribute to illness.

Should you consider concrete pens?
Concrete pens could be used for pig farming in Nigeria.
Concrete pens are good because they alleviate the problem of mud/footing that can be caused by the clay or web floor, but also present their own problems… they hold heat during hot months and could result in joint injuries and illness.
Finally, when constructing pens in your piggery, you have to assume they are all big… market size.
This is important because, when the pen is too big, more pigs can be added to the pen, but what happens when the pigs in your farm are too much than the pen?
How easy it is to break down your pen and reconstruct another one?
What some pig farmers will do is to keep their pigs in such an unconducive environment, so making them sickly and dying… affecting the overall pig farm success.

Getting healthy piglets (pig-children) for your pig farming in Nigeria:
What will you consider before adopting a child? Her health, her history, etc.
When planning to get your piglets, make sure you find out the best sources around you.
Your piglet must be healthy and a few histories about their parents may be of good help.
Just like human, piglets are likely to take some of the traits of their parents, sickness, the number of children they bear, etc.
You also need to be sure that they have been given the appropriate vaccines.

Pig feed; how pigs eat in the pig farm:
When it comes to how much human being eats, it varies, depending on many factors… your age, your sex, the nature of your work or whether you exercise or not.
So it is with piglets and pigs.
Some people suggest feeding your pigs twice in a day. While this may be a good standard, other factors have to be considered.
The age of your pig or piglet, the breed (specie) of your pig, amount of grass they have access to and other wild food (such as acorns) available, weather, how warm their bedding is and how much exercise they are getting.
Now, you can see how the rate and quantity of food pigs eat can vary.
But as a matter of supposition, piglets can be expected to eat 1lb of pig pellets per day for every month of their age, 2lb of pig pellets at two months, 3 lb. of pellets at three months, 4lb at four months,
Then after four months, 4lb a day should be sufficient.
Young pigs need a diet high in amino acids so that they can grow proportionately more muscle tissue, so there should be more lysine in feed for younger pigs.
After three months, young pigs could be put into adult food that will have lower levels of protein.
Too much lysine in the diet can be detrimental to growth in heavier female pigs.
Aside from concentrates (the feed you buy), you can offer your pigs other foodstuffs like grass, fruit, vegetable and other human food they eat (please, be sure they eat certain food before you`ll give them, so as not to hinder their growth… especially when they are very young)

Pig diseases and the solution:
Animals get sick, just as human do. The difference is that, you may not easily know when the pigs in your farm are getting sick, except you pay attention.
Since every sickness starts with symptom, you will be good to have an experience person near you… such as a veterinary doctor.
You will be able to contact him/her at any time and say, “my pigs are looking this way”, “my pigs are not eating”, “my pigs` skin is too reddish” etc.
Aside from sickness, you will need the service of a veterinary to give appropriate vaccine whenever necessary.

Below are some of the diseases piglets, hog and pigs may encounter:

Mulberry Heart Disease (vitamin E deficiency). Though vitamin E is widespread in feed stuffs including vegetable oil, cereals and green plants, the usual problem with Mulberry Heart Disease occurs when farmers use some polyunsaturated fats diets which destroy the vitamins. Vitamin E is very important for optimum function and metabolism of the nervous, muscular, circulatory and immune system.
Abscesses: this is the pockets of pus that contain large numbers of bacteria which enter the body through damage to the skin.
The Bacterium Actinobacillus Pleuropneumoniae (APP).

The truth is, there are tens and more diseases that can attack the herd (a group of pigs) or individual pig and you as a Nigerian pig farmer have to be prepared.
Mycotoxicosis, Agalactia, Navel Bleeding, Endometritis, Retroviruses, Erysipelas, Anaemia, Anthrax, Arthritis (joint infections), Oedema Disease, Atrophic Rhinitis (AR), Osteoporosis, Biotin Deficiency, Penis Bleeding, Brucellosis, Cystic Ovaries, Rabies, Peritonitis, Botulism, Pale pig syndrome, Blue Eye Disease, and probably 100 more.
As a pig farmer in Nigeria or anywhere else, you may have to have a little, special pen for the sick pigs or piglet’s reason been that, some diseases are contagious.

For more information on pig farming and other agricultural services, call the following numbers; 09059102364; 09059102364
www.farmkonnectng.com

The annual global trade for snails hits and surpass 10 Billion US Dollars with over 420,000 tons consumed annually, amazingly, snail farming contribute less than 20 percent, therefore creating opportunities for interested farmers.

The Annual global trade of snails hits and surpasses 10 Billion US Dollars with over 420,000 tons consumed annually. Amazingly, snail farming contributes less than 20 percent, therefore creating
opportunities for interested farmers.

PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY INTO ESCARGOT SNAIL FARMING AND EXPORTATION
Escargot snail farming is not common in Africa; the snail is mostly consumed in Europe. But due to climate situation, Nigeria is one of the places conducive for the production of these beautiful creatures. Based on this fact, Touchstone Snails Technology makes franchise/partnership offers available for interested farmers towards Helix snails farming and export to Europe. While the technology employed in the production is cost intensive, the system is also highly productive and the break even time is less
than 2 years. Having built the experience and expertise of over 15 years, Today Touchstone Snails Technologies Ltd sustains a big client portfolio, consisting of 207 customers and 293 farms in which we have provided successful partnership and consultancy services across Europe, Middle East, America, Australia and Africa. It has many unquestionable advantages; this method optimizes our experience with the curtain method confirms that snail farm hygiene and makes everyday farm duties, less time consuming and more efficient. www.snailbreeding.net

HOW MANY SMALL-SCALE FARMERS ARE REALLY MAKING FORTUNES IN SNAIL FARMING OR OTHER
AGRICULTURAL VENTURES?
It is high time we told ourselves the truth, that agriculture should not be practiced at
mediocrity level. While it is a highly rewarding venture, it is only few big stakeholders that
reap the benefit. If you are wondering why it is so expensive to raise snails, there are cheaper
options, but most struggling farmers will hardly tell you the truth, it is when you jump into it
and get burnt that they start telling you what you did not do right.
There is a great benefit in partnership, you will leverage on many things, and operating
such partnership under the franchise of a world class professional company means tapping
into a gold mine while you leverage on their expertise, market and reputation. There is no
limit to what we can achieve together in this partnership.

CONCEPT OF THE PARTNERSHIP
This partnership is towards the establishment of 150 Tons Escargot Farm in Nigeria within the next two years. Due to the large capital required for operating under this franchise, FarmKonnect provides partnership opportunities to interested persons. In this partnership, we will be providing the franchise cover, land and trained staff to manage these facilities while our partners only make financial investment. Participation in farm activities by partners is not necessary except by choice. This is a special partnership to grant you the opportunity to take part in this project without necessarily participating in the basic farm operations.

SEED INVESTMENT
This partnership is a onetime investment into the business. All an investor needs to do is to simply buy his number of desired slots. We are offering only 60 slots for interested partners at a sales value of 5,000 Euros only. A person can buy as many slots as he or she desires.

REWARDS AND VALUE
20 slots are allocated to each 1000m2 facility, for the construction and running of the facility through the production period of 9-10 months. Each facility is expected to produce a minimum of 26,000kg of Helix snails in 9 months. This currently holds a regulated market value 4 Euros/kg therefore giving a sale value of up to 104,000 Euros. This gross profit will not be shared, but plunged back into the farm to create additional units of breeding facilities. This will then raise the production from 26,000 to 52,000 tons at the end of the second cycle and facilitating a ROI of 4000 Euros per cycle. You would have recouped your investment in less than 30 months and still have an Asset Value of 4,000 Euros and cash value of 5,000 Euros per slot apart from the ROI.

SECURITY
With high level of professionalism, we shall be operating under strict regulations by the operating franchise, the chances of mismanagement is very slim. Additionally, to cover unforeseen circumstances, the facility will be 100% insured under the National Agricultural insurance Commission (NAIC) against situation that may go out of control as disease, disaster, and so on.

ACCESSIBILITY
While the facility will be managed by Farmkonnect Nigeria Ltd. Partners will have full access to the facility through electronic surveillance systems accessible on mobile phones, tabs and computers anywhere in the world.

EXIT PLAN
Exit from this program is possible only after the second cycle has been completed, in which case the partner will be refunded his or her investment as follows:
Cash Investment 5,000 Euros per slot.
Asset Investment 4,000 Euros per slot.
Total payout of 9,000 Euros per slot.

PAYMENT PLAN
All intending partners are to ensure payment of at least 50% of their initial investment (5,000 Euros) the remnant of 50% can be paid not later than 31 December 2017. This is to allow convenient payment plan for partners and also ensures that the operations are not hampered by paucity of funds. All participants can pay either In Euros or in Naira at market value.
For further information on our services, contact us on the following address and social medial.
No 3 Adebajo Street, Old Bodija Ibadan, Oyo State Nigeria.

www.farmkonnectng.com, support@farmkonnectng.com
www.fb.com/Farmkonnect, 09059102364

Around the world, farmers, cooks, innovators, and entrepreneurs are developing technologies to address issues in every aspect of the food system. Food tech specifically focused on preventing and recovering food waste are changing the way eaters interact with food–and helping save them money. Food Tank is excited to share these 9 food tech solutions working to reduce food waste.

1.Bluapple:
Bluapple is a product that absorbs ethylene gas in refrigerators, allowing consumers to store fresh produce for longer. By activating a natural oxidation process, Bluapple can be an effective ethylene absorber that is capable of extending produce shelf life by up to three-times longer.

2. BluWrap:
By using fuel cells to monitor and reduce oxygen in shipping containers, BluWrap can extend the shelf life of fresh fish and meat. Its built-in sensors work to create a consistent atmosphere throughout the products’ shipping chain, extending the window of food’s freshness and allowing foods to reach new markets.

3.BT9 XSENSE:
A real-time cold chain management system, BT9XSENSE monitors the condition of perishable food products along the transit line, from the producer to store shelf. The data allows users to identify problems along the cold chain and take action to maximize products’ quality along the entire supply chain.

4. Copia:
By redistributing food surplus to feed people in need, Copia uses its extensive food waste reduction dashboard to connect businesses with surplus food to local shelters, after-school programs, and other nonprofit organizations. By paying a volume-based fee, businesses can request pickups for their surplus food in real time, and they can use Copia’s analytic software to manage and track their surplus to save money and reduce their overall food

5. Gebni:
Gebni is a food app delivery service working to reduce food waste by using an algorithm to adjust prices according to real-time demand. By lowering prices during off-peak hours it can increases sales, while also increasing the accessibility of food delivery to low-income customers.

6. LeanPath:
LeanPath provides food waste prevention solutions for commercial kitchens worldwide. The company’s food waste smart meters allow kitchen staff to track what food is being thrown away, monitor trends, and make informed decisions that not only reduce the amount of food that goes wasted, but also the kitchens’ overall food costs.

7. Smart Packaging:
Wirelesses sensors developed by VTT Technical Research Center detect ethanol in the headspace of food packaging, allowing live data on the food’s quality and freshness to be transmitted to retailers and customer via radio frequency identification (RFID) tag technologies. The smart packaging products can help to improve the shelf-life of packaged food products, and can help better control and monitor food quality throughout the distribution chain, reducing the amount of food wasted during transportation and in retail.

8. Wakati:
A solar-powered, standalone device, Wakati uses hydration to preserve food instead of a cooling system, creating a low-cost, low-energy alternative to conventional refrigeration. Using just one liter of water per week and solar energy, the Wakati system functions to keep fresh produce hydrated, enabling farmers in warm climates to more effectively store their harvests on-farm and in transit, increasing their ability to bring crops to market.

9. Winnow Systems:
Winnow systems aims to help the hospitality industry reduce avoidable food waste by allowing kitchens to monitor their waste, tracking how and what food is being wasted. The System generates daily reports that chefs can use to identify key areas to cut waste, benchmark multiple sites, and track their improvement progress over time.

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Photosynthesis is a fairly complex process that all plants use in order to grow, flower, and spread their seeds to ensure the continuation of the species. In the process they provide a lot of other benefits to every other living creature on the planet and that’s why there’s no doubt that photosynthesis is the most important life-giving process on this planet. It is important to understand how important this process is before explaining how one can ensure that it works well for you and your plants. In this article we’ll go through the entire photosynthesis process and how you can use it to your advantage to grow the best indoor crops.

Chloroplasts and Chlorophyll
Inside every plant are cells known as chloroplasts. These chloroplasts are the engine that drives the photosynthesis process. It might be easier to think about these chloroplasts as the factory floor where a product first starts – in this case your product is plants. Inside these chloroplasts is something called chlorophyll and it’s this substance that gives plants their familiar green color.
The chlorophyll enables the plants to absorb sunlight and turn it into useful energy that helps the plant to grow.
Sunlight is used to create sugars which are used for food energy and plants. Essentially, the light from the sun kicks the manufacturing process into high gear. The chlorophyll absorbs that sunlight and uses it to combine CO2 and H2O (water), which produces sugar that it can use for energy as well as a waste product we like to call oxygen. The problem with an indoor grow operation is that direct sunlight isn’t available to kick the photosynthesis process into gear, and that’s why we need artificial light such as LED to act as a replacement. It’s important to have the right type of light from the spectrum of colors available to ensure the natural pattern of growth is copied as closely as possible. This will result in healthy plants and great crop yields.

How a Plant Uses Glucose
Your plants will use the sugar produced in this photosynthesis process for all aspects of their growth. It’s essential during the seeding stage and right on through to the flowering and fruit stages as well. Without this sugar your plants simply wouldn’t grow.

The Importance of Respiration
Another process that plants use for healthy growth is something called respiration. As your plants use the glucose (sugar) they produced during the photosynthesis process they also initiate another process called respiration, which is the result of a chemical reaction in combination with oxygen that produces both water and CO2. This process creates extra energy that also helps the

plants to grow healthier and stronger. It’s this part of the process that helps plants to keep going even when they’re not receiving the light they need. The respiration process generally creates more sugar than the plants need and that extra sugar is stored to be used during those lean times; all of this process begins with making sure your plants have enough light to begin the photosynthesis process.
plants to grow healthier and stronger. It’s this part of the process that helps plants to keep going even when they’re not receiving the light they need. The respiration process generally creates more sugar than the plants need and that extra sugar is stored to be used during those lean times; all of this process begins with making sure your plants have enough light to begin the photosynthesis process.
plants to grow healthier and stronger. It’s this part of the process that helps plants to keep going even when they’re not receiving the light they need. The respiration process generally creates more sugar than the plants need and that extra sugar is stored to be used during those lean times; all of this process begins with making sure your plants have enough light to begin the photosynthesis process.

Humidity
While we all love a nice warm summer day we’re not always so happy if that includes too much humidity, but the same can’t be said for your plants. For a plant, a lot of humidity is a good thing and they need somewhere between 65% and 80% humidity for healthy growth. As you might suspect, that’s because it means there’s more moisture in the air; without water, photosynthesis can’t occur so it’s important that you provide your indoor plants lots of water in that closed environment to ensure the right mix of humidity as well.

Finding the Right Temperature
There are two places we don’t find an abundance of plant growth on this planet – in the far North and in desert regions. The reason for this is that plants don’t do well in extreme temperatures, either cold or hot. For optimal plant growth and to ensure that the photosynthesis process can function as it’s supposed to, it’s also important to maintain a temperature range that’s conducive to plant growth. Ideally you’ll want to keep your temperature somewhere between 70° and 80°.

The Optimal Amount of CO2
Hopefully all of the information provided here should be pretty straightforward so far, but where it gets interesting is making sure that your plants have enough CO2 (carbon dioxide) for the photosynthesis process. CO2 makes up about 0.03 to 0.04% of our atmosphere, but the ideal percentage of CO2 you need for the healthiest plants is about 0.1% so the question is, how can you introduce more CO2 to your plants environment to help make them as prosperous as they can be? The way to do this is with the introduction of plant foods and supplements.

A Little Understanding Goes a Long Way
The main thing you should take away from this article is that providing your plants with enough light to kick start the photosynthesis process is essential to a successful indoor grow operation. Hopefully you now have a better idea of why that is. It all starts with the right mix of light, so make sure you look over the reviews carefully to make sure you choose an LED light system that will actually work for you.

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Silos, or chambers for the storage and preservation of food, have been in use in one form or other in various countries from very early times. In France and Spain, and other parts of Europe, grain was preserved in trenches, dug in the ground, at the time of Pliny, who mentions in certain of his writings that "the best plan of preserving grain is to lay it up in trenches dug in a dry soil, called Iris, as they do in Cappadocia, Thracian, Spain, and in Africa." This method of preserving grain was not confined to the East, as at the time of the discovery of America by Columbus the natives were in the habit of storing grain in pits, and certain tribes continue the practice to the present time. The ancient Egyptians, as we learn from Scripture, stored sufficient grain in the seven years of plenty to serve themselves and other nations during the seven years of famine that followed. The Egyptian silos were evidently of a more improved and permanent nature than the rude trenches above referred to, as "Vilkinson in his work.

Ancient Egyptians," states that "some of the rooms in which they housed the grain appear to have had vaulted roofs. These were: filled through an aperture near the top, to which the men ascended by steps, and the grain, when wanted, was taken out from a door at the base." It is important to note that the early silos were used principally for the preservation of corn and other dried cereals, for indefinite periods, such as from years of plenty to years of scarcity, and there are instances of corn having been preserved in good condition for the long period of 200 years. On the other hand, the silos of the present day are used more particularly for the storage of green fodder, to provide food for cattle during the winter, or for a year at most. Food thus preserved may, however, be kept indefinitely, that air is not allowed to enter the silo. For this reason it is important that the sides and floor should be perfectly air-tight, and it is also essential that the sides be smooth and vertical, so that the silage may settle uniformly and compactly, leaving no vacant spaces for the accumulation of air. Silage is the name given to any green and succulent food preserve in a silo, either in an uncut form or after being passed through a cutting machine and reduced to small piece. After it is filled into the silo fermentation commences, which increases the temperature and expels the air. Thereafter, chemical change ceases, and the resulting product is a sweet. Silage which may be preserved indefinitely provided air is not allowed to penetrate the mass. The temperature required to produce this result is about 1220 F., and if, from any cause such as an excess of moisture in the plant, or excessive cold, the temperature does not attain this height, the acid ferments will not be destroyed, and the resulting product is a sour silage, less palatable and less valuable than the other. During the process of fermentation gases are generated to a considerable extent, and the top of the silo should be sufficiently open to allow these to escape. After the silo is filled the air may be prevented from entering the silage to any great depth by covering it with any less valuable material, or with sailcloth. Another method which is both cheap and efficient is to sow some grain, such as oats, on the top of the silage, pour water over it.

The word "silo," taken from the Greek, Silos a pit for holding grain-is the name now applied to any air-tight chamber formed for the preservation either of dried grain or green food. It may be simply a trench pit clung in the ground in any dry position, into which the silage is filled and weighted down with planks, earth, or other material. More commonly it is a structure of wood, metal, brick, stone, or other building material, or a combination of these, built entirely above ground or extending down only a few feet, a:g.a standing either by itself or forming a part of the other farm buildings. The origin of structural silos on the modern plan is of very recent date, but the progress of soloing has been so rapid and successful--in America, at any rate-that in the short period of thirty years over a hundred thousand silos have been built in the United States alone, and the number is steadily increasing. In form the silo may be -built either square, rectangular, octagonal, or circular on plan. 1£ forming- part of a scheme of buildings its shape would probably be decided by the position it occupied and the space available, but if standing alone either form could be adopted at will. The round silo is more favorable to the even and compact settling of the silage owing to the absence of corners, and, consequently, more favorable to its perfect preservation. On the other hand, it does not fit in with other buildings so readily as a square or rectangular silo, without loss of space, and for this reason the latter are likely to be more frequently built. The same remarks would also apply to octagonal silos. If standing alone, however, no objection can be raised either to the round or the octagonal form of silo, and as the proper preservation of the silage is the main object to be attained, one or other of these forms should be adopted in preference to the others. The main objection to square or rectangular silos is the presence of corners, which prevent the silage from settling uniformly and compactly, thus causing waste of space and creating undesirable accumulations of air. This defect may be remedied to a considerable extent by having the corners well rounded. Of the two, the square silo is perhaps the better form, and probably somewhat cheaper than a rectangular one of equal capacity, as the wall space is rather less.

Where a large quantity of silage is required it is advisable to have it stored in two or more moderately-sized silos in preference to one very large one, with very large silos too much surface of silage is exposed while feeding; and, if the height is increased to modify the surface dimensions beyond a reasonable limit, excessive labor is involved in the working. The height above ground should not exceed 20 to 25 feet, and the depth under ground should not be more than 5 or 6 feet, the limit from which a man can conveniently lift the forage. With rectangular silos the difficulty can be obviated by having one or more partitions dividing the silo into two or more square, or nearly square, compartments. Whatever form is adopted for the silo, it should always be built with a greater capacity than would be necessary, as considerable allowance has to be maimed for waste from settling and from spoiled silage. Even if material is added a second or third time there will still be a certain amount of waste space to be allowed for. One-fifth is considered a low estimate for loss of space and waste silage.

As a basis on which to ascertain the size of silo necessary to hold food for a certain number of cattle for a certain period of time, 40 Ibs, may be taken as the average amount of silage required to feed one animal per day, and 40 Ibs, may also be taken as the average weight of a cubic foot of silage. Therefore, if the number of animals is multiplied by the number of days during which they have to be fed, the result will equal the number of cubic feet of silage space required. Supposing 30 animals have to be fed for six months, or 184 days, the total amount of space required would be 30 x 184 = 5,520 cubic feet. To find the number of cubic feet in a square or rectangular silo• multiply the length in feet by the width, and then by the height, and the result will give the total number of cubic feet. Thus, if a square silo measures 14 feet each way on plan and 25 feet in height the cubical contents would be 14 feet x 14 feet x 25 feet = 4,900 feet. In the case of a round silo, multiply the square of the diameter in feet by the height, and then by .7854. For example, if a round silo measures 14 feet in diameter and 25 feet in height, the cubical contents would be 14 feet x 14 feet x 25 feet x .7854 = 3,848 feet approximately. As regards position, the silo should be placed as near as possible to the Center of feeding to minimize the labor of carrying food to the various mangers. In round or octagonal farm buildings, such as are common in America, the silo usually takes the same shape as the main building, and is placed in the Center, where it occupies a convenient position from which to feed the various animals stalled around the building. In the accompanying plate a circular silo is shown situated at a corner of the main building, where it not only proves a useful adjunct but also forms a very pleasing feature. A convenient arrangement is to have the doors of the silo opening into a passageway, or into the feed store or mixing room, which usually occupies a central position. A saving in the cost of erection can often be effected by utilizing one or more of the walls of the main building in the construction of the silos….

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yes o.....they can be called 'Igbos'.

That is right, God is good.

Whales sharks are the largest fish in the world. They are not whales; they are sharks. They have a lot in common with whales, though. For example, they are massive like whales and they feed more like whales than a typical shark.
Size & description.

Whale sharks can grow up to 40 feet (12 meters) long, but on average they grow to 18 to 32.8 feet (5.5 to 10 m) and weigh 20.6 tons (18.7 metric tones). That’s about the size of a school bus.
Great white sharks may get more attention, but they are dwarfed by whale sharks. Great whites are the world's largest predatory fish, according to Discovery. They grow to be about 15 to 20 feet (4.6 to 6.1 meters) or more and can weigh more than 5,000 lbs. (2,268 kilograms). Whale sharks are not predatory.

Whale sharks' heads are flattened and have a blunt snout above its mouth. Short barbels — whisker like sensory organs like catfish have — protrude from their nostrils. Their backs and sides are gray to brown with white spots and pale stripes. Their bellies are white. Each whale shark has its own unique pattern of spots, much like human fingerprints.
A whale shark’s mouth is about 5 feet wide (1.5 m). They have rows of over 300 teeth, but as filter feeders they do not use these teeth to eat.

Habitat
Whale sharks tend to like warmer areas and are found in tropical waters all over the world. Some have been spotted in cooler waters, such as those off the coast of New York. Most whale sharks — 75 percent — are found in the Indian and Pacific oceans; 25 percent in the Atlantic, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Habits
Whale sharks are solitary creatures. They don’t shy away from sharing feeding grounds with other whale sharks, though. The Red Sea is a popular area for juvenile whale sharks to hang out together and eat, for example. There isn’t much else known about these types of sharks and their social habits. They haven’t been studied as well as other sea creatures, according to the IUCN.

Diet
These sharks don’t attack and tear apart their prey like most many of their relatives. While they are meat-loving carnivores, whale sharks are filter feeders, according to National Geographic. They open their mouths, let water come in and their bodies filter out food, and release the water and any debris back into the ocean.
Plankton are their main food source, but they also eat shrimp, algae and other marine plant material, sardines, anchovies, mackerels, squid, tuna and albacore. They also eat fish eggs. According to The Nature conservatory, whale sharks will wait as long as 14 hours for fish to spawn on reefs. Then, they will swoop in and eat the eggs.

Offspring
Whale shark females produce eggs, but the young hatch inside of the mother instead of in the water like most fish. Then, the female gives birth to about 300 live young. Many never make it to maturity, though.
Whale sharks have a long childhood. At the age of 25, the offspring are ready to have their own young. They may live 100 to 150 years.

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Financial Risk is one of the major concerns of every business across fields and geographies. This is the reason behind Financial Risk Manager FRM Exam gaining huge recognition among financial experts across the globe. FRM is the top most credential offered to risk management professionals worldwide. Financial Risk again is the base concept of FRM Level 1 exam. Before understanding the techniques to control risk and perform risk management, it is very important to realize what risk is and what the types of risks are. Let's discuss different types of risk in this post.

Risk and Types of Risks:
Risk can be referred as the chances of having an unexpected or negative outcome. Any action or activity that leads to loss of any type can be termed as risk. There are different types of risks that a firm might face and needs to overcome. Widely, risks can be classified into three types: Business Risk, Non-Business Risk and Financial Risk.

1.Business Risk: These types of risks are taken by business enterprises themselves in order to maximize shareholder value and profits. As for example: Companies undertake high cost risks in marketing to launch new product in order to gain higher sales.
2.Non- Business Risk: These types of risks are not under the control of firms. Risks that arise out of political and economic imbalances can be termed as non-business risk.
3.Financial Risk: Financial Risk as the term suggests is the risk that involves financial loss to firms. Financial risk generally arises due to instability and losses in the financial market caused by movements in stock prices, currencies, interest rates and more.

Types of Financial Risks:
Financial risk is one of the high-priority risk types for every business. Financial risk is caused due to market movements and market movements can include host of factors. Based on this, financial risk can be classified into various types such as Market Risk, Credit Risk, Liquidity Risk, Operational Risk and Legal Risk.

Market Risk:
This type of risk arises due to movement in prices of financial instrument. Market risk can be classified as Directional Risk and Non - Directional Risk. Directional risk is caused due to movement in stock price, interest rates and more. Non- Directional risk on the other hand can be volatility risks.

Credit Risk:
This type of risk arises when one fails to fulfill their obligations towards their counterpart.Credit risk can be classified into Sovereign Risk and Settlement Risk. Sovereign risk usually arises due to difficult foreign exchange policies. Settlement risk on the other hand arises when one party makes the payment while the other party fails to fulfill the obligations.
Liquidity Risk:
This type of risk arises out of inability to execute transactions. Liquidity risk can be classified into Asset Liquidity Risk and Funding Liquidity Risk. Asset Liquidity risk arises either due to insufficient buyers or insufficient sellers against sell orders and buys orders respectively.

Operational Risk:
This type of risk arises out of operational failures such as mismanagement or technical failures. Operational risk can be classified into Fraud Risk and Model Risk. Fraud risk arises due to lack of controls and Model risk arises due to incorrect model application.

Legal Risk:
This type of financial risk arises out of legal constraints such as lawsuits. Whenever a company needs to face financial loses out of legal proceedings, it is legal risk.

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There are many essential irrigation benefits in agriculture. Crops should not depend on the rain only. Irrigation allows introduction of high yield crops.

Benefits of Irrigation in Agriculture

Without agriculture, man can’t live and without irrigation man can’t have agriculture.
Food is essential for human beings as well for animals for their sustenance. Before irrigation, man satisfied his hunger by eating fruits from the forest and drinking water from natural streams. Slowly his demands grew and he felt the need of different types of food. He started cultivating and grew crops. Agriculture was his sole occupation. He depended mainly on rainwater to water the crops, but nature did not favor him always. Occasionally droughts were severe and there was a consequent lack of harvest. There was a need for irrigation and he started to use water from ponds, streams and rivers for agriculture.

History

Irrigation is defined as the supplementation of precipitation by storage and transportation of water to the fields for the proper growth of agricultural crops. Archaeological studies have revealed that irrigation benefits in agriculture was in vogue even during prehistoric times as sufficient water was not available from the rain.
The Sumerians of Mesopotamia were the first to use irrigation for agriculture. They utilized the waters drawn from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. In Persia, presently Iran, the Kareze irrigation system was developed about 3000 years ago. Crop rotation was also practiced at that time in which crops were yearly alternated on the same field. The purpose was to restore nutrients that had been used and depleted. In North America, Spanish and Americans built canals along the Rio Grande. With the development of agriculture, irrigation became more pronounced in the Indus Valley, presently India and Pakistan. Egyptians utilized water from the Nile River for irrigation.

Types of Irrigation
There are different types of irrigation, which one used depends on the source and method of the distribution of water.

1.Surface Irrigation
Water flows under gravity and is spread over the area. The water then infiltrates to the subsoil. Quite often, land gets flooded, however. This is called, flood irrigation. Dikes are constructed to control the water level.

2.Localized Irrigation
Water is distributed through a network of pipes under low pressure. Drip irrigation, bubble irrigation, and spray irrigation all come under this category.

3.Drip Irrigation
Water is spread drop by drop onto the root of the plants. The advantage of this method of irrigation is that losses due to runoff and evaporation are reduced to a considerable extent.

4.Sprinkler Irrigation
Water is distributed through high pressure sprinklers. These sprinklers are located in one or more central locations. The
sprinklers can also be mounted onto moving platforms.

5.Manual Irrigation
This is labor intensive. In this, buckets and water cans are used to carry and distribute water.

Irrigation Benefits

Augmentation of irrigation and the concomitant expansion of an irrigated area will bring many direct and indirect benefits, such as:
*Irrigation helps to increase agricultural production. The yield for irrigated crops is expected to be two to three times higher.
*It helps to utilize land for agriculture.
*Diversification of crops like corn, beans, peas and so on can be harvested.
*High valued cash crops like tobacco or sugar cane are grown as annual crops with the help of ground water irrigation.
*From the irrigated fields, the yields are stable and reliable. Assured production targets can be met.
*Reduces fluctuations in the year-to-year yields and the risk of crop failure due to drought.
*Allows for continuous cultivation.
*As pumps and other ancillary equipment are required, there is an increased demand for irrigation equipment.

Summary
Irrigation is required to supply water for the proper growth of crops. Water is supplied at regular intervals depending on the type of crop, nature of soil and the amount of precipitation. Water from a reservoir is transported through canals and distributaries.

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The word "investment" has become muddled with overuse. Referring to a stock or a bond as an investment is still in regular use, but now people make "investments" in their education, their cars and even their flat screen TVs.
In this article, we will look at the three basic types of investment as well as some of the things that are definitely not investments - no matter what the commercial says.

The Three Types of Investment
Investment, as the dictionary defines it, is something that is purchased with money that is expected to produce income or profit. Investments can be broken into three basic groups: ownership, lending and cash equivalents.

Ownership Investments
Ownership investments are what come to mind for most people when the word "investment" is batted around. Ownership investments are the most volatile and profitable class of investment. The following are examples of ownership investments:

Stocks
Stocks are literally certificates that say you own a portion of a company. More broadly speaking, all traded securities, from futures to currency swaps, are ownership investments, even though all you may own is a contract. When you buy one of these investments, you have a right to a portion of a company's value or a right to carry out a certain action (as in a futures contract).
Your expectation of profit is realized (or not) by how the market values the asset you own the rights to. If you own shares in Sony and Sony posts a record profit, other investors are going to want Sony shares too. Their demand for shares drives up the price, increasing your profit if you choose to sell the shares.
Business
The money put into starting and running a business is an investment. Entrepreneurship is one of the hardest investments to make because it requires more than just money. Consequently, it is also an ownership investment with extremely large potential returns. By creating a product or service and selling it to people who want it, entrepreneurs can make huge personal fortunes. Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft and one of the world's richest men, is a prime example.

Real Estate
Houses or other dwellings that you buy to rent out or repair and resell are investments. The house you live in, however, is a different matter because it is filling a basic need. The house you live in fills your need for shelter and, although it may appreciate over time, it shouldn't be purchased with an expectation of profit. The mortgage meltdown of 2008 and the underwater mortgages it produced are a good illustration of the dangers in considering your primary residence an investment.
Precious Objects
Gold, Da Vinci paintings and a signed LeBron James jersey can all be considered an ownership investment provided that these are objects that are bought with the intention of reselling them for a profit. Precious metals and collectibles are not necessarily a good investment for a number of reasons, but they can be classified as an investment nonetheless. Like a house, they have a risk of physical depreciation (damage) and require upkeep and storage costs that cut into eventual profits.

Lending Investments
Lending investments allow you to be the bank. They tend to be lower risk than ownership investments and return less as a result. A bond issued by a company will pay a set amount over a certain period, while during the same period the stock of a company can double or triple in value, paying far more than a bond - or it can lose heavily and go bankrupt, in which case bond holders usually still get their money and the stockholder often gets nothing.

Your Savings Account
Even if you have nothing but a regular savings account, you can call yourself an investor. You are essentially lending money to the bank, which it will dole out in the form of loans. The return is pitiful, but the risk is also next to nil because of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

Bonds
Bond is a catchall category for a wide variety of investments from Treasuries and international. The risks and returns vary widely between the different types of bonds, but overall, lending investments pose a lower risk and provide a lower return than ownership investments.
Cash Equivalents
These are investments that are "as good as cash," which means they're easy to convert back into cash.

Money Market Funds
With money market funds, the return is very small, 1% to 2%, and the risks are also small. Although, money market funds have "broken the buck" in recent memory, it is rare enough to be considered a black swan event. Money market funds are also more liquid than other investments, meaning you can write checks out of money market account just as you would with a checking account.

Close, but Not Quite
Your education is called an investment and many times, it does help you earn a higher income. A case could be made for you "selling" your education like a small business service in return for income like an ownership investment.
The reason it's not technically an investment is a practical one. For the sake of clarity, we need to avoid the ad absurdity of having everything be classified as an investment. We'd be "investing" every time we bought an item that could potentially make us more productive, such as investing in a stress ball to squeeze or a cup of coffee to wake you up. It is the attempt to stretch the meaning of investment to purchases, rather than education, which has obscured the meaning.
Not Investments
Consumer purchases - beds, cars, TVs and anything that naturally depreciates with use and time - are not investments. As an example, you don't invest in a good night's sleep by buying a foam pillow. Unless you're very famous, and even then, it's a stretch, since you can't reasonably expect someone to pay more for your pillow than the initial purchase cost. Don't take it personally, but there's very little demand in the second-hand pillow market.
The Bottom Line
There are three types of investments: ownership, lending and cash equivalents. There is no fourth category of consumer purchases.
Admittedly, it's a clever piece of advertising that removes some of the guilt from impulse purchasing; you're not spending money frivolously, you're investing! The decisive test is whether there is a potential to turn a profit. The important word is "potential" because not every legitimate investment makes money.
Making money through investing requires researching and evaluating different investments, not simply knowing what is and is not an investment. That said, being able to see the difference between an investment and a purchase is an essential first step.

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"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food."
Those are famous words from the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, often called the father of Western medicine.
He actually used to prescribe garlic to treat a variety of medical conditions.
Well... modern science has recently confirmed many of these beneficial health effects.
Here are 11 health benefits of garlic that are supported by human research studies.

1. Garlic Contains a Compound Called Allicin, Which Has Potent Medicinal Properties

Garlic is a plant in the Allium (onion) family.
It is closely related to onions, shallots and leeks.
It grows in many parts of the world and is a popular ingredient in cooking due to its strong smell and delicious taste.
However, throughout ancient history, the main use of garlic was for its health benefit.
Its use was well documented by all the major civilizations... including the Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans and the Chinese.
The entire "head" is called a garlic bulb, while each segment is called a clove. There are about 10-20 cloves in a single bulb, give or take.
Most of the health effects are caused by one of the sulfur compounds formed when a garlic clove is chopped, crushed or chewed.
This compound is known as allicin, and is also responsible for the distinct garlic smell.
Allicin enters the body from the digestive tract and travels all over the body.
Garlic is a plant in the onion family, grown for its cooking properties and health effects. It is high in a sulfur compound called Allicin, which is believed to bring most of the health benefits.

2. Garlic Is Highly Nutritious, But Has Very Few Calories

Calorie for calorie, garlic is incredibly nutritious.
A 1 ounce (28 grams) serving of garlic contains
• Manganese: 23% of the RDA.
• Vitamin B6: 17% of the RDA.
• Vitamin C: 15% of the RDA.
• Selenium: 6% of the RDA.
• Fiber: 0.6 gram.
• Decent amounts of calcium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, iron and vitamin B1.
Garlic also contains trace amounts of various other nutrients. In fact, it contains a little bit of almost everything we need.
This is coming with 42 calories, with 1.8 grams of protein and 9 grams of carbs.
Garlic is low in calories and very rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and Manganese. It also contains trace amounts of various other nutrients

3. Garlic Can Combat Sickness, Including the Common Cold

Garlic supplementation is known to boost the function of the immune system.
One large 12-week study found that a daily garlic supplement reduced the number of colds by 63% compared with placebo
The average length of cold symptoms was also reduced by 70%, from 5 days in placebo to just 1.5 days in the garlic group.
Another study found that a high dose of garlic extract (2.56 grams per day) can reduce the number of days sick with cold or flu by 61%.
If you often get colds, then adding garlic to your diet could be incredibly helpful.
Garlic supplementation helps to prevent and reduce the severity of common illnesses like the flu and common cold.

4. The Active Compounds in Garlic Can Reduce Blood Pressure

Cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes are the world's biggest killers.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is one of the most important drivers of these diseases.
Human studies have found garlic supplementation to have a significant impact on reducing blood pressure in people with high blood pressure.
In one study, aged garlic extract at doses of 600-1,500 mg was just as effective as the drug Atenolol at reducing blood pressure over a 24 week period.
Supplement doses must be fairly high to have these desired effects. The amount of allicin needed is equivalent to about four cloves of garlic per day.
High doses of garlic appear to improve blood pressure of those with known high blood pressure (hypertension). In some instances, supplementation can be as effective as regular medications.

5. Garlic Improves Cholesterol Levels, Which May Lower The Risk of Heart Disease

Garlic can lower Total and LDL cholesterol.
For those with high cholesterol, garlic supplementation appears to reduce total and/or LDL cholesterol by about 10-15%.
Looking at LDL (the "bad" and HDL (the "good" cholesterol specifically, garlic appears to lower LDL but has no reliable effect on HDL.
Garlic does not appear to lower triglyceride levels, another known risk factor for heart disease.
Garlic supplementation seems to reduce total and LDL cholesterol, particularly in those who have high cholesterol. HDL cholesterol and triglycerides do not seem to be affected.

6. Garlic Contains Antioxidants That May Help Prevent Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia

Oxidative damage from free radicals contributes to the aging process.
Garlic contains antioxidants that support the body's protective mechanisms against oxidative damage.
High doses of garlic supplements have been shown to increase antioxidant enzymes in humans, as well as significantly reduce oxidative stress in those with high blood pressure.
The combined effects on reducing cholesterol and blood pressure, as well as the antioxidant properties, may help prevent common brain diseases like Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
Garlic contains antioxidants that protect against cell damage and ageing. It may reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

7. Garlic May Help You Live Longer

Effects on longevity are basically impossible to prove in humans.
But given the beneficial effects on important risk factors like blood pressure, it makes sense that garlic could help you live longer.
The fact that it can fight infectious disease is also an important factor, because these are common causes of death, especially in the elderly or people with dysfunctional immune systems.
Garlic has known beneficial effects on common causes of chronic disease, so it makes perfect sense that it could help you live longer.

8. Athletic Performance can be improved with Garlic Supplementation

Garlic was one of the earliest "performance enhancing" substances.
It was traditionally used in ancient cultures to reduce fatigue and enhance the work capacity of labourers.
Most notably, it was administered to Olympic athletes in ancient Greece.
Rodent studies have shown that garlic helps with exercise performance, but very few human studies have been done.
Subjects with heart disease that took garlic oil for 6 weeks had a reduction in peak heart rate of 12% and improved their exercise capacity.
Other studies suggest that exercise-induced fatigue may be reduced with garlic.
Garlic can improve physical performance in lab animals and people with heart disease. Benefits in healthy people are not yet conclusive.


9.Eating Garlic Can Help Detoxify Heavy Metals in the Body

At high doses, the sulfur compounds in garlic have been shown to protect against organ damage from heavy metal toxicity.
A four week study in employees of a car battery plant (excessive exposure to lead) found that garlic reduced lead levels in the blood by 19%. It also reduced many clinical signs of toxicity, including headaches and blood pressure .
Three doses of garlic each day even outperformed the drug D-penicillamine in symptom reduction.
Garlic was shown to significantly reduce lead toxicity and related symptoms in one study.

10. Garlic May Improve Bone Health

No human trials have measured the effects of garlic on bone loss.
However, rodent studies have shown that it can minimize bone loss by increasing estrogen in females.
One study in menopausal women found that a daily dose of dry garlic extract (equal to 2 grams of raw garlic) significantly decreased a marker of estrogen deficiency.
This suggests that this garlic may have beneficial effects on bone health in women.
Foods like garlic and onions have also been shown to have beneficial effects on osteoarthritis.
Garlic appears to have some benefits for bone health by increasing estrogen levels in females, but more human studies are needed.

11. Garlic Is Easy to Include In Your Diet and Tastes Absolutely Delicious

The last one is not a health benefit, but still important.
It is the fact that it is very easy (and delicious) to include garlic in your current diet.
It complements most savory dishes, particularly soups and sauces. The strong taste of garlic can also add a punch to otherwise bland recipes.
Garlic comes in several forms, from whole cloves and smooth pastes to powders and supplements like garlic extract and garlic oil.
The minimum effective dose for therapeutic effects is one clove eaten with meals, two or three times a day.
However, keep in mind that there are some downsides to garlic, such as bad breath. There are also some people who are allergic to it.
If you have a bleeding disorder or are taking blood thinning medications, then talk to your doctor before increasing your garlic consumption.
The active compound allicin only forms when garlic is crushed or cleaved when it is raw. If you cook it before crushing it, then it won't have the same health effects.
Therefore, the best way to consume garlic is raw, or to crush and cut it and leave it out for a while before you add it to your recipes.
The best way to use garlic is to press a few cloves of fresh garlic with a garlic press, then mix with extra virgin olive oil and a bit of salt. This is healthy and super satisfying dressing.

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The dark side of junk foods is not an unknown fact. Several research studies have shown that fast foods and processed foods have increased childhood obesity, heart disease and diabetes and other chronic diseases. Recently, the Delhi Government demanded a crackdown on junk food that is sold in schools and within 50 meters of them. Not only do they add inches to your waistline, but scientists and researchers have also indicated through various studies that junk food can actually cause serious damage to your brain. The worrying bit is that it’s not just years of poor eating, but regular consumption of junk food even for few days can lead to a mental meltdown.

Commercial products, including candy, bakery goods, ice cream, salty snacks, and soft drinks, which have little or no nutritional value but do have plenty of calories, salt, and fats. While not all fast foods are junk foods, most are. Fast foods are ready-to-eat foods served promptly after ordering.

The more junk food you consume, the less likely you are to consume the essential nutrients that your body relies on. You know that junk food can hurt your health, but you may have not known about the effects of junk food on how your brain functions.

1.. It can cause memory and learning problems

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2011 showed that healthy people who ate junk food for only 5 days performed poorly on cognitive tests that measured attention, speed, and mood. It concluded that eating junk food for just five days regularly can deteriorate your memory. This probably stems from the fact that a poor or toxic diet can cause certain chemical reactions that lead to inflammation in the hippocampus area of the brain which is associated with memory and special recognition.

Diets that are high in sugar and fat can suppress the activity of a brain peptide called BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) that helps with learning and memory formation. Moreover, the brain contains synapses which are responsible for learning and memory. Eating too many calories can interfere with the healthy production and functioning of these synapses.

2. Increases the risk of dementia

This has been one of the scariest discoveries associated with the consumption of junk food. You may know that insulin is produced in the pancreas and helps in the transportation of glucose to fuel the body. Insulin is also produced in the brain where it helps in carrying signals between nerve cells and forming memories. A study conducted at the Brown University shows that too much fatty food and sweets can substantially increase the insulin levels in our body.

Just like in the case of Type 2 Diabetes, with higher levels of insulin, the brain stops responding to this hormone and become resistant to it. This can restrict our ability to think, recall or create memories, thus increasing the risk of dementia. Researcher Suzanne de la Monte, M.D., a professor of pathology, neurology, and neurosurgery at Rhode Island Hospital and the Alpert Medical School of Brown University was the first to uncover this association. Following this discovery, most scientists refer to Alzheimer’s as a form of diabetes of the brain.

3. Lessens its ability to control appetite

Excess consumption of trans fats found in fried and processed foods can send mixed signals to the brain which makes it difficult to process what you have eaten and how hungry are. This is probably why you end up overeating. Healthy brain functions require a daily dose of essential fatty acids like omega-6 and omega-3. Deficiency of these two elements increases the risk of attention deficit disorder, dementia and bipolar disorder and other brain-related problems.

Over consumption of junk food may displace these with trans fats which are harder to digest. A 2011 study shows that trans fats may cause inflammation in hypothalamus, the part of brain that containing neurons to control body weight.

In worst scenarios, the habit of overeating can be similar to drug addiction to an extent that relying on junk foods may activate the pleasure centers of the brain greater than receiving drugs.

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Agriculture is humankind’s oldest and still its most important economic activity, providing the food, feed, fiber, and fuel necessary for our survival. With the global population expected to reach 9 billion by 2050, agricultural production must double if it is to meet the increasing demands for food and bio-energy. Given limited land, water and labor resources, it is estimated that the efficiency of agricultural productivity must increase by 25% to meet that goal, while limiting the growing pressure that agriculture puts on the environment.

Robotics and automation can play a significant role in society meeting 2050 agricultural production needs. For six decades robots have played a fundamental role in increasing the efficiency and reducing the cost of industrial production and products. In the past twenty years, a similar trend has started to take place in agriculture, with GPS- and vision-based self-guided tractors and harvesters already being available commercially. More recently, farmers have started to experiment with autonomous systems that automate or augment operations such as pruning, thinning, and harvesting, as well as mowing, spraying, and weed removal. In the fruit tree industry, for example, workers riding robotic platforms have shown to be twice as efficient as workers using ladders. Advances in sensors and control systems allow for optimal resource and integrated pest and disease management. This is just the beginning of what will be a revolution in the way that food is grown, tended, and harvested.

The mission of the Agricultural Robotics and Automation (Agra) technical committee is to promote research, development, innovation, and standardization in robotics and automation to enable safe, efficient, and economical agricultural production. Agra is a forum where academic and industrial researchers and engineers meet to advance the state-of-the-art in sensing, mobility, manipulation, and management technologies applied to production of grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and horticulture and nursery crops.

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Nile River, the longest river in the world, called the father of African rivers. It rises south of the Equator and flows northward through northeastern Africa to drain into the Mediterranean Sea. It has a length of about 4,132 miles (6,650 kilometers) and drains an area estimated at 1,293,000 square miles (3,349,000 square kilometers). Its basin includes parts of Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Sudan, and the cultivated part of Egypt. Its most distant source is the Kagera River in Burundi.

The Nile is formed by three principal streams: the Blue Nile , which flow from the highlands of Ethiopia, and the White Nile, the head streams of which flow into Lakes Victoria and Albert.

The name Nile is derived from the Greek Neilos (Latin: Nilus), which probably originated from the Semitic root naḥal, meaning a valley or a river valley and hence, by an extension of the meaning, a river. The fact that the Nile—unlike other great rivers known to them—flowed from the south northward and was in flood at the warmest time of the year was an unsolved mystery to the ancient Egyptians and Greeks. The ancient Egyptians called the river Ar or Aur (Coptic: Iaro), “Black,” in allusion to the colour of the sediments carried by the river when it is in flood. Nile mud is black enough to have given the land itself its oldest name, Kem or Kemi, which also means “black” and signifies darkness. In the Odyssey, the epic poem written by the Greek poet Homer (7th century bce), Aigyptos is the name of the Nile (masculine) as well as the country of Egypt (feminine) through which it flows.

The Nile River basin, which covers about one-tenth of the area of the continent, served as the stage for the evolution and decay of advanced civilizations in the ancient world. On the banks of the river dwelled people who were among the first to cultivate the arts of agriculture and to use the plow. The basin is bordered on the north by the Mediterranean; on the east by the Red Sea Hills and the Ethiopian Plateau; on the south by the East African Highlands, which include Lake Victoria, a Nile source; and on the west by the less well-defined watershed between the Nile, Chad, and Congo basins, extending northwest to include the Marrah Mountains of Sudan, the Al-Jilf al-Kabīr Plateau of Egypt, and the Libyan Desert (part of the Sahara).

The availability of water from the Nile throughout the year, combined with the area’s high temperatures, makes possible intensive cultivation along its banks. Even in some of the regions in which the average rainfall is sufficient for cultivation, marked annual variations in precipitation often make cultivation without irrigation risky.

The Nile River is also a vital waterway for transport, especially at times when motor transport is not feasible—e.g., during the flood season. Improvements in air, rail, and highway facilities beginning in the 20th century, however, greatly reduced dependency on the waterway.

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"Make your money work for you" is such common personal finance advice that it borders on being cliché.

But what does it actually mean? And more importantly, how can you do it?

There's no simple answer — or a single way to do it. In fact, almost everyone can find at least one way to put their money to work. Below, Business Insider rounded up eight methods to get you started.

1. Open a high-yield savings account:

Sean Gould, a wealth strategist with Waddell and Associates and a certified financial planner, explains that before sending your money off to do the heavy lifting, you'll want to have an emergency savings account of about six months of living expenses stored in cash.

A smart place to keep it is in an FDIC-insured high-yield checking or savings account, where it can generate more value as it waits.

A typical savings account offers an interest rate around 0.01%, and a typical checking account is the digital equivalent of putting your money under the mattress. However, high-yield checking and saving offer interest rates that exceed 1% — 100 times what you'd get otherwise.

These accounts are usually available at online banks, which keep costs down by forgoing brick and mortar locations.

2. Develop streams of passive income:

Passive income is the term colloquially used to define any money earned with little to no effort expended, according to Investopedia.

Once you've set it up, passive income streams earn you money while you sleep. Sounds too good to be true, right? But fear not — it's not a get-rich-quick scheme. Creating any streams of passive income requires an investment upfront, whether of your time or money, but can lead to huge payoffs later.

Common forms of passive income include real estate investments or silent partnerships in businesses, but it can also be generated by anything from making YouTube videos to using affiliate marketing on your blog.

3. Invest it in the market:

"The key is participating in the markets."Being in the markets is not the same as trying to time the markets: Pulling money in and out to take advantage of favorable fluctuations and minimize the loss when the market dips is a strategy most experts advise against.

Over time, Gould says, worrying dips in the market should even out, resulting in an overall gain. To take advantage of this effect, though, you have to leave your investments alone.

And, he advises, "Don't have more than three to six months sitting in cash. People like the comfort of money in cash because they're burned from 2008 and 2009, but inflation will eat away at your cash. Sitting in comfort is not a good way to make money."

4. Become a silent partner in a new business:
Starting your own business can be a risky move, but if everything goes well, it can certainly pay off. Another way to reap the benefits of a successful new startup without the stress of getting a company off the ground is to become a silent partner who invests capital but doesn't handle any of the day-to-day operations.

The prospect comes with pros and cons. You won't have any say in how the company is run or the daily decisions active employees make. But you'll earn a cut of any profits the business makes without putting in any long hours.

5.Pursue a professional degree or certification:
Another way your money can work for you is by increasing your worth on the job market. "If you have time and money to invest in furthering your education, you can make yourself more marketable to become a higher earner," Gould says.

That doesn't only mean sinking tens of thousands of dollars into grad school. Making yourself more marketable as an employee or professional might be as simple as joining a workshop to improve your public speaking or taking a class to master Microsoft Excel.

If you're looking to increase your skill set but don't have the money to help you do it, there are even tons of great free business classes available online.

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