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Food Security: NITDA, USAID to partner in tackling food insecurity

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With over 70 million arable land enough to feed not just Nigeria but Africa, the Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has said that the Agency is willing to partner with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and relevant stakeholders to tackle food insecurity in Nigeria.

The Director General made this known while receiving representatives from USAID led by Josh Woodard Senior Digital Advisor Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security, at the Agency’s Corporate Headquarters in Abuja. The purpose of the visit was to have a rapid landscape assessment of digital agriculture in Nigeria and partner with NITDA.

Inuwa said, “One of President Tinubu’s areas of focus is boosting agriculture to achieve food security, and at NITDA we were set up to develop the National IT Policy, and IT policy is not just about developing IT but developing IT to boost productivity across all critical sectors including agriculture.”

“That is why we do a lot of initiatives in trying to see how we can build an agriculture Strategy with IT in mind and make it a more attractive business to the younger generation,” he added.

Inuwa stated that NITDA has identified six emerging technologies that will aid in achieving food security in Nigeria. He said, “We have an  Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy co-creation workshop going on, which started on Monday, where we are working with the ecosystem to develop a strategy on how to use AI in agriculture, health, education, and so on.

“We are working on how to use the Internet of Things, (IoT) in agriculture for crop monitoring, soil monitoring, precision irrigation, climate monitoring, livestock monitoring, and so on.”

“We are working using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to facilitate pest detection, water control, yield assessment, and so on.

“We are working on using Blockchain for the traceability of farm produce from farm to store, record keeping, quality assurance, and so on.

“We are working on using Robotics to enhance productivity in agriculture in terms of automation of physical farm processing like weeding, harvesting, tractors, and many more.

“For additive manufacturing, we are working on using it to upscale our manufacturing industry in the Agricultural sector for the production of crop and soil monitoring devices, customised equipment, and many more.”

Speaking on NITDA’s commitment to ensuring that Nigeria develops its digital offering in-country, Inuwa noted that the Nigeria Startup Portal was launched during the week with over 12,000 startups registered so far. He said they would be labelled after which they could have access to incentives.

Earlier Josh Woodard, USAID said that the meeting was to enable USAID to have first-hand information on what Nigeria is doing in digital farming to see how to enhance the integration of digital technology in agriculture.

He revealed that USAID recently launched the Global Food Security Strategy for Nigeria (2024 -2029) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

He said, “We want to work with all stakeholders to ensure food security in Nigeria.”

The meeting discussed the National Adopted Village for Smart Agriculture (NAVSA) in relation to the success stories the initiative has recorded, the expansion strategy it is adopting and calls on the USAID to be part of the initiatives.

Infotech

May Day: Glo salutes Nigerian workers

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Digital telecommuni cations solutions provider, Globacom, has saluted Nigerian workers as the country observes this year’s edition of the International Workers’ Day. The company enjoined them to rededicate themselves to excellence so as to take Nigeria to the next level.

In a solidarity message released on Tuesday, Globacom lauded the resilient spirit of workers in spite of present challenges. It urged them to use the opportunity of the Workers’ Day to reflect on how their contributions can build a better and more vibrant society.

“We salute Nigerian workers on this day and commend them for the hard work, commitment, resourcefulness and industry which are essential for the growth of the economy of any nation,” Globacom said, and urged them not to rest on their oars.

The company noted that the story of Nigeria cannot be complete without the huge contributions of workers, both in the public and private sectors.

The International Labour Day is observed annually on May 1 to recognise the contributions of workers all over the world. It is also used to promote a fairer and more sustainable future for all by advocating for workers’ rights.

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Abaranje fire: Company sues for calm, assures victims of healthcare support

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By our reporter

Carville Integrated Ventures Limited, a leading telecoms facility management services provider, has appealed for calm following the recent fire incident at Abaranje Base Station.

The company manages base stations on behalf of Airtel Nigeria.

In a statement, the Management of Carville noted that the incident occurred during maintenance operations on a leaking part of a diesel tank, resulting in injuries to some individuals from the local community who forcefully gained unauthorised access into the facility hosting the base station during the maintenance work.

The company however sympathised with the victims while promising to provide healthcare support to them.

“The management of Carville Integrated Ventures, extends her condolences to the affected individuals and their families, stating, ‘Our hearts go out to those injured in the unfortunate incident. We are committed to providing support and assistance during their recovery process.’

“We stand by our commitment to the communities we serve, and we will continue to prioritize their welfare in all our operations.”

“Furthermore, Carville appeals to community leaders and members to cooperate with the company in implementing safety measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.”

“Safety is our top priority,” the management affirmed. “We urge everyone to adhere to safety protocols and guidelines to ensure the well-being of all.”

“Carville is working closely with local authorities and regulatory bodies to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and implement necessary measures to prevent recurrence,” the statement read.

Meanwhile, Airtel Nigeria has also in a statement sympathised with the victims of the fire incident.

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Digital identity: FG, Bill Gates partner to harmonise database

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The Federal Government and Microsoft Founder and Philanthropist, Mr. Bill Gates are in talks to develop a system that will help Nigeria harmonise her identity system database.

The Microsoft Founder made this known when he met with President Tinubu on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Special Meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday.

According to Gates, “We are working with Mr. Wale Edun, the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, on digitisation. Before you came into office, there were a few things attempted in identity management. But they have been very scattered. There have been multiple identification systems.

“Now, there is a plan to take that technology called MOSIP and use it for this identification platform so that people can get digital benefits. We are providing support for that, and we can provide more support.

“With MOSIP ID, there is potential application in all government payment programmes. It helps with payment efficiency and bank accounts, and eventually, when everyone is using that, it makes tax collection easier. That benefit will take a few years. However, there will be more bank accounts, more financial inclusion, and effective government payment programmes,” the Former Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft said.

Mr. Gates said Nigeria has the capacity to manage this system and related-technological systems as the nation brims with talented youths.

“The last time I went to the Microsoft office in Lagos, I saw the amazing work that they were doing and how they were growing their operations. So, you have a lot of Nigerian talents to manage these systems,” he said.

Responding, President Tinubu noted that his administration is investing in technology that is tailored towards ensuring transparency and accountability in government and accelerating public-sector performance and service delivery to the Nigerian people.

Emphasising his unwavering commitment to deliver reliable technology that will support a national consumer credit system and many other critical new government interventions for all Nigerians, the President said resistance is often expected when efforts are made to strengthen systems and forestall malfeasance.

“Technology is the enemy of fraud, corruption, and irregularity. We have been working hard on improving technology.”

“There is always the initial resistance. Corruption, self-interest, and fraudulent activity will always be an enemy, but when you bend that curve, you will receive the benefit. The nation will receive the benefit,” the President said.

The President also stated that he is proud of Nigeria’s youths noting that they encourage him to continue to press his reform efforts forward for their future prosperity.

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