The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) is supporting Kano State with pest-resistant Cowpea seeds to boost production of the crop and its seeds in the state.
Cowpea
Lawrence Kent, the Senior Programme Officer of the foundation, headquartered in Seattle, United States, said this while addressing newsmen at a project review workshop on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in Kano.
The event was organised by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF).
Kent said that the foundation was in Kano to support the pest-resistant cowpea project, which was an effort led by the Nigerian government working with the AATF.
“This is to bring the new improved insect-resistant cowpea to Nigeria in collaboration with the institute of agricultural research and other projects.
“This project will ensure the development of improved cowpea variety that is resistant to pests.
“As a result, farmers who plant this cowpea will be able to achieve high yield with less dependence on pesticides because the product itself is insect resistant.
“So, we at BMGF are proud to provide some financial support to our partners here in Nigeria who are now working to reproduce the seeds.
“The foundation seed and the breeder seed and most importantly, the certified seed is being produced by eleven different Nigerian seed companies.
“We are supporting them to produce the quality seeds and make it available to Nigerian farmers, so they can improve their yields, reduce dependence on pesticides and improve their livelihoods,” the BMGF official said.
The Kano State Commissioner for Agriculture, Danjuma Mahmud, said the state was ready to embrace decisions reached at the end of the workshop that would boost production and enhance cowpea seeds.
Mahmud, who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Sadi Ibrahim, said: “I am here for the workshop holding here in Kano on pest-resistant cowpea seeds.
“It is a welcome development that this workshop is taking place here because it is an agrarian state. So, we are part of anything that has to do with agriculture.
“Whatever the outcome of this meeting, we are going to take it and work with it.
“We will sensitise our farmers on the new technology developed through this variety, so that they can adopt the cultivation of that variety for increased food production and ultimately food security in the state,” he said.
According to the commissioner, the state government is doing a lot to ensure availability of high-quality seeds for its farmers.
“One of the ways we are trying to achieve this, is through what we call seed multiplication in our ministry of agriculture and Kano State Agricultural Development Authority.
“The Kano State Agricultural Development Authority is where we procure some seeds from the national institutes that are responsible for these productions.
“We produce these certified seeds, which we ultimately distribute to our farmers at subsidised rates.
“Currently, there is an effort by this administration to sanitise the seed industries that are operating in the state.
“Towards this, we are making serious efforts in collaboration with the National Agricultural Council and the State Consumer Production Council to ensure our farmers and the general public are sensitised on high quality seeds,” Mahmud said.
Also, Dr Emmanuel Okogbenin, the Director, Programme Development and Commercialization, AATF, described Nigeria as the largest producer of cowpea in the world, followed by its neighbour, Niger Republic.
Okogbenin said that, however, the country still needed to make up its demand by importing the product from Niger Republic, meaning that there was underproduction.
He said that cowpea could be planted all over Nigeria, adding that challenges varied from state to state.
He said that with the enhancement of the cowpea seeds, more tons could be produced per hectare as against 0.2 per hectare that was currently obtainable.
“This has so far been increased to 0.6 per hectare and 0.8 per hectare, which is still not enough to satisfy the national demand with a population of 200 million Nigerians,” he said.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says its partnership with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affair (UN-OCHA) will reduce the sufferings of Nigerians affected by disasters.
Zubaida Umar, Director General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA)
Director-General (DG) of NEMA, Mrs Zubaida Umar, disclosed on Tuesday. April 2, 2024, in Abuja when the Head of UN-OCHA in Nigeria, Mr Trond Jensen, paid her a visit.
Umar commended the collaboration between NEMA and (UN-OCHA) in enhancing disaster response capabilities.
She used the opportunity of the visit to reel out mechanisms toward mitigating the impact of flooding on humans and environment as the rainy season sets in.
According to her, the mechanism included developing early warning alerts based on the Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP), released by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), and public sensitisation to precautionary measures to avert flood impacts.
The NEMA DG also announced an expert meeting to analyse the SCP and develop strategies for saving lives and safeguarding livelihoods.
“Other flood disaster mitigating activities will be rolled out during NEMA’s upcoming Emergency Coordination Forum (ECF) meeting,” she said.
On his part, Jensen praised the D-G’s experience in the on-shore sector, noting that it would be useful in finding solutions and improving efficiency and effectiveness.
He expressed excitement about the growing relationship between UN-OCHA and NEMA, saying “such foresees great things in the future”.
Jensen emphasised the importance of collaboration and innovation in addressing climate change and humanitarian challenges.
He then stressed the need for joint efforts to tackle increasing temperatures and irregular weather patterns, such as floods.
Has Nigeria learnt any lessons from the Okuama massacre? Will the incident repeat itself or offer profound lessons against future experience? In the journey of life, no individual or nation or country is immune from occurrences thrown up by circumstance, which, may be pleasant or painful. Lessons learnt from such experiences are deployed to prevent possible future reoccurrence, failing which, same catastrophe repeats itself.
Okuama killings: Slain soldiers laid to rest
In context, the gruesome murder of army officers at Okuama in Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State, which transcends ethnic emotions and accompanied by wide condemnations, is a confirmation that Nigeria has not, and does not learn from lessons, otherwise, the calamity would have been avoided.
The incident was not the first. It happened previously at Odi, Bayelsa State, Zaki Biam, Benue State, and Gbaramatu, Delta State, yet it appeared neither the federal government nor the Nigerian Army learnt any lessons therefrom. This is evident from the Okuama saga, a proof of the country’s insensitivity to bloodshed and exposition of poverty in the policy making process.
This notwithstanding, the Okuama calamity has again thrown up another opportunity for lessons to be learned. If Nigeria failed again this time around to learn from these happenings, then the country risks further carnage, which may possibly take a more complex form with unmanageable and unpredictable consequences. It may be too costly for the country’s fledgling socio-economic balance and stability.
Therefore, the lessons are crucial, and should be identified by government and harness as feedback for proactive purposes to forestall future recurrence. It is a tragedy for any country with a relapsing experience not to have a codified strategy encapsulated in a template to resolve related matters. In specific terms, what then are the lessons and takeaways from the Okuama disaster?
Lesson One: To have allowed a land dispute over-fishing rights between Okuama and neighbouring Okoloba community in Bomadi Local Government Area, Delta State, to escalate means there were no proactive measures and concerted prompt intervention by the Nigeria Police Force and Delta State Government in response to petitions written by Okuama community.
The community, through its lawyers, I. Ejedegba and Co., had written a petition to the Commissioner of Police in Asaba, Delta State, which was acknowledged on January 31, 2O24, while the petition written by Okuama community leaders and addressed to the Delta State Governor was received on February 2, 2O24. This was over one month before the gruesome murder of the military officers on March 14, 2O24.
Since the Police is the first line of defence and statutorily responsible for civil matters, they should have wadded in upon receipt of the petitions to nip the crisis in the bud, aside previous joint meetings among the communities, the Police and the Delta State Government that yielded no solution. Under this development, the Delta State Governor should have been advised to wield the big stick by acquiring the land in contention for public interest to end the crisis.
Lesson Two: Inviting the Army for a mediatory and peace mission to Okuama for resolution of land dispute between two communities that were not at war, was an error in judgement. The dispute was civil in nature, and it was only when efforts by the Police and the Delta State Governor had failed, and there was evidence of likely escalation into a dangerous dimension beyond the capacity of the Police, that would have warranted intervention by the Nigerian Army. It is not the responsibility of the Army to broker peace in a civil matter.
Lesson Three: Central to the killing of the military personnel in Okuama, is presumably oil. Oil appeared to be the underpinning motive behind the horrendous and senseless killings. Mere land dispute between two communities could not have led to such a mindless massacre. Soldiers are deployed to the Niger Delta region to protect oil facilities, and in the course of this duty, they might have been marked as “enemy” by those profiteering from illegal oil deals.
Those involved in crude oil theft and other illegal activities, including processing of locally refined products might see the Army as obstacle to their business interests. The military high command should have known this and prepare the soldiers for possible eventuality and collision with entrenched oil thieves. The circumstances of their death showed that the military men were taken unawares. It was likely that crude oil thieves and other vested interests might have planned and taken advantage of the soldiers’ peaceful disposition to unleash mayhem in such a horrific and despicable manner.
Lesson Four: The mass destruction of Okuama by the Army in response to the death of the soldiers without singling out the culprits, was unhelpful, as innocent children, mothers, elderly, the sick and even pregnant women, were either killed, rendered homeless or died while trying to escape. To bring pains on an entire community over the action of a few criminals, is indefensible. Reprisal attack and collective punishment are incompatible with international laws.
Recalled that after destruction of Odi by the Army, the community resorted to litigation and got a favourable judgement, leading to payment of N15 billion out of court settlement, as compensation. Justice Lambi Akanbi of the Federal High Court had condemned the government for a “brazen violation of the fundamental human rights of the victims to movement, life and to own property and live peacefully in their ancestral home.” Since the Okuama experience is reminiscent of the destruction at Odi, it is likely Okuama may seek redress in the law court for compensation over reprisal destruction of lives and properties.
Lesson Five: As the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu’s order to the Army was too hasty and reactionary without taking into consideration, innocent lives in Okuama that were caught up in the web. Granting “full authority” to the military to bring anybody found to have been responsible for the attack to justice, was an obvious blanket licence for the military to invade Okuama.
Instead, the President should have ordered the security agencies and the Police to specifically intervene, identify and arrest the criminal elements in the community, while instituting an independent high-powered panel of enquiry to unravel the causes of the mayhem. A future restraint on the part of the President is imperative to douse tension and minimize further collateral damage.
Lesson Six: The Army’s decision to lock down and lay siege to Okuama without granting access to the Delta State Governor, the Police, humanitarian agencies, and even the press to assess the situation on ground, has given rise to speculations about the plight of the members of the community, particularly the innocent, helpless and indigent persons. This is unhelpful to the image of the Army.
By not allowing access, the Army has unwittingly, open its operations to speculations. For example, it was alleged that the Army killed over 5O persons in Okuama, with other survivors hiding in the bush, including old women, children, the elderly ones and even the sick, with no food to eat and water to drink. This is a gross violation of their fundamental human rights.
To avoid being put on the spotlight, it is imperative for the military to grant access into the community to enable humanitarian agencies and volunteer groups to extend help and assistance to the innocent ones to prevent further fatalities. This will also serve the interest of the Army’s reputation.
Lesson Seven: After the destruction of Odi, initial public sympathy for the military waned. Same is replicating itself at Okuama over the conduct of the Army. The Army, like other federal government agencies, is not a supreme institution that is above the Constitution and the Nigerian State, neither is civilian population subject to military laws. Indeed, the Army is subject to civil authority under Democracy. Therefore, it must change its current tactics at Okuama where it has refused access to the community, assumed sole information provider on goings-on, and subjected civilians to investigation, arrest and detention.
It is hoped that these lessons will serve as reference and guide for the state governments, the Police, the Army and the federal government in handling of related crises to avert future disaster.
Dr. Mike Owhoko is a Lagos-based public policy analyst, author, and journalist. He can be reached at www.mikeowhoko.com, and followed on X (formerly Twitter) @michaelowhoko
Adding to its suite of e-learning courses, the Adaptation Fund (AF) has launched a new e-course to continue to help strengthen capacity building on gender mainstreaming in climate adaptation projects and programmes.
The AF project in the Mahaweli River Basin of Sri Lanka, implemented by the World Food Programme (WFP) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), introduces climate-smart and non-chemical agricultural practices to strengthen livelihoods, providing hope and employment to women and igniting the passion for cultivation among the younger generation, Photo credit: UNDP
The Fund’s new E-Learning Course on Gender Mainstreaming focuses on integrating gender responsive approaches throughout the lifecycle of AF projects and programmes.
The e-course, organised into three modules, aids users in understanding the steps required to integrate gender mainstreaming throughout the project or programme lifecycle. The course is self-paced, can be completed in about an hour and is available for free to AF’s implementing entities and other interested stakeholders. The course will also be available in Spanish and French.
The brief, intuitive modules focus on each step in the development and implementation processes of AF projects and break down required steps across the project identification or concept stage, and the various proposal, implementation, monitoring, reporting and knowledge management stages.
The course utilises AF case studies to guide learners through critical steps at each of the project stages and provides access to templates and further support to guide them through their projects. The course also integrates quick quizzes to motivate users and assess what they learned.
“Climate change impacts women and girls in vulnerable countries often disproportionately and in ways that differ from impacts to men and boys. We are pleased to roll out this e-course on gender mainstreaming as another significant step in continued learning and sharing of Adaptation Fund experiences to advance a gender-responsive approach through all adaptation interventions,” said Mikko Ollikainen, Head of the Adaptation Fund.
“Over the years, the Fund has made great strides in promoting the advancement of gender equality and empowerment of women and girls, while strengthening institutional and technical capacities in the long-term to ensure gender considerations are included in project planning. We hope this course can benefit implementing entities and the adaptation community in mainstreaming gender equality for effective and sustainable adaptation efforts,” added Ollikainen.
The course presents several recommendations with examples from on-the-ground AF projects. For instance, it highlights the need for conducting a gender assessment early in the design stage and holding gender responsive stakeholder consultations at the beginning of project identification and through all stages of a project’s life cycle.
It provides case studies of AF-funded projects in India and Sri Lanka where community consultations were carried out. The results included inputs from women and vulnerable groups, gender-differentiated impacts and coping strategies, which ultimately informed the concept notes and fully developed project proposals.
Successful strategies for promoting gender equality often involve the process of identifying and assessing differentiated vulnerabilities, capacities and needs of women and girls, men and boys and integrating them into planned actions, including legislation, policies, programmes or other key areas to increase their effectiveness. Making the experiences and concerns of all people regardless of gender an integral part of the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes across political, economic and societal spheres is pivotal, so that different gender groups benefit and are empowered equally in adaptation activities.
These approaches that foster inclusiveness in turn help build the resilience of impacted communities as a whole.
Gender mainstreaming is one of the key objectives of the Fund’s Gender Policy and Gender Action Plan, which was adopted in March 2016 and updated in 2021. It explicitly sets gender equality and empowerment of women and girls as a key goal to be achieved to ensure sustainable, inclusive and effective adaptation actions, impacts and outcomes. In the Fund, gender mainstreaming has been integrated into not only the Fund’s policy framework but also its operations – from accreditation, readiness, projects and programmes to communication and knowledge management. Additionally, the Fund has strived to provide financial support for strengthening capacities of its national implementing entities related to gender mainstreaming and various non-financial support such as gender guidance documents and tools, gender trainings, and gender knowledge products.
“This first Adaptation Fund gender e-learning course is a great milestone in the Fund’s ongoing efforts to integrate gender considerations throughout its operations, and demonstrates our commitment to foster inclusive and equitable outcomes of adaptation projects and programmes,” said Ms. Young Hee Lee, the Fund’s gender focal point.
“We are confident that this course will help strengthen capacities of AF implementing entities and executing entities that are designing and carrying out projects on the ground, as well as other stakeholders so that they will take a proactive step towards creating more resilient and sustainable communities. We hope it will be a valuable tool and look forward to seeing its positive impact on projects and communities that AF serves,” stated Lee.
The first single-country project in the Cook Islands took 20 days from GCF Board approval to the first disbursement of funding. The $13.4 million project, of which $12.5 million is funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF), focuses on improving health outcomes for all Cook Islanders and was developed by the government, with support from GCF through the Simplified Approval Process (SAP).
Mafalda Duarte, GCF Executive Director (right), and Mani Mate, Director of the Development Coordination Division, MFEM (left), at the March 6, 2024, project agreement signing ceremony that took place on the sidelines of the 38th Meeting of the GCF Board in Kigali, Rwanda. Photo credit: GCF
With higher temperatures increasing the spread of disease-causing pathogens and many infectious diseases, this project will bolster the climate resilience of national health systems in the Cook Islands. The Cook Islands face a triple health challenge – communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases, and other health impacts due to climate change – resulting in high rates of malnutrition, sickness, and death.
Climate-related disasters are further disrupting national healthcare services and disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups across the country. This project targets the most vulnerable, including people who are chronically ill, pregnant women and those living on the remote outer islands who struggle to access healthcare services.
“Akamatutu’anga To Tatou Ora’anga Meitaki (ATOM): Building a healthy and resilient Cook Islands community – one block at a time” will enhance the national health system and climate resilience of health services. It will support approximately 30 communities and 22 health facilities or emergency centres in 12 inhabited islands of the 15 islands, including the 11 outer Pa Enua islands, and the main island of Rarotonga.
Executive Director of the Green Climate Fund, Mafalda Duarte, said: “Providing support for Small Island Developing States to adapt to climate change is a key priority for GCF. I’m delighted that we’ve been able to rapidly transfer the first tranche of funding to this project in 20 days, a record for GCF. This demonstrates GCF is delivering faster climate action and setting new benchmarks.
“There are several firsts for this project – it’s the first project solely targeting climate and health in the Pacific region; and it’s the first single-country project to be rolled out by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management for the Cook Islands. It’s great to see a project come into fruition through a completely country-driven approach using the full suite of GCF support such as our Readiness and Project Preparation grants. I congratulate the Prime Minister, Mark Brown, his team, and all Cook Islanders for this accomplishment.”
Garth Henderson, Financial Secretary, Head of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management, said: “This achievement is a testament to our unwavering dedication to climate action. Our steadfast commitments not only align seamlessly with the GCF Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme objectives, but also embodies the GCF core principle of country ownership. This success underscores the power of collaboration and leadership within our Accredited Entity, as we work closely with our local agencies to strengthen their capacity.
“The journey of this project has been a profound learning curve for us as a Direct Access Entity and our executing entities alike, while it took time to secure our first project, what we gained was invaluable: increased knowledge, capacity, and capability among our people. This milestone marks a significant leap forward in our collective efforts to drive meaningful climate action within our nation and beyond.”
ATOM was developed through a partnership between the Cook Islands and GCF. Through GCF’s Readiness Programme and Project Preparation Facility, the Cook Islands conducted health assessments and pre-feasibility studies to shape the project design and implementation – ensuring the project will be impactful, effective, and meet the needs of the people.
The project relies upon the technical expertise in the Ministry of Health Te Marae Ora and the Cook Islands Investment Corporation, as well as other partners, including the Ministry of Education, the Cook Islands Red Cross Society, and the Ministry of Agriculture. The project’s knowledge management component will be shared with the wider Pacific community, to build the climate resilience of health systems and services in other small islands states.
Previously, an adaptation project in Micronesia was the fastest GCF project to be approved – from project sign-off to the first transfer of GCF funding – taking 36 days.
Ten years after the signing of ground-breaking licensing agreements between ViiV Healthcare and the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), as well as ViiV’s direct agreements with Aurobindo Pharma, more than 1 billion packs of generic dolutegravir (DTG) based medicines have reached 24 million people living with HIV in 128 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), transforming the HIV landscape in those areas of the world.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organisation (WHO)
This means that, as of 2023, over 90% of people on antiretroviral treatment in these countries are estimated to be on DTG-based regimens.
Thanks to this decade-long partnership, WHO-recommended treatment can be developed, produced, and when approved, supplied by 15 generic manufacturers to all low-income, least developed, lower-middle-income and sub-Saharan African countries, as well as some upper middle-income countries, addressing the needs of regions with the highest HIV burdens.
Charles Gore, Executive Director, Medicines Patent Pool, said: “As we reflect on a decade of collaboration with ViiV Healthcare, we are proud to see that public health-oriented voluntary licensing has had tangible impact in the lives of the people we serve, enabling access to affordable versions of innovative HIV treatments in LMICs. We commend ViiV Healthcare for their huge commitment, allowing our partnership to demonstrate that voluntary licensing can serve as a sustainable strategy to enhance affordable production and distribution for more equitable access to essential medicines in underserved territories.”
Deborah Waterhouse, CEO, ViiV Healthcare, said: “The scale and impact of our 10-year collaboration with the Medicines Patent Pool and with Aurobindo Pharma are testament to the power of partnership in advancing global health. We are proud to have played a pivotal role in enabling 24 million people living with HIV access affordable dolutegravir-based treatments, and we look forward to our continued collaboration with MPP and generic partners as we broaden the focus to include innovative preventative HIV medicines.”
Philippe Duneton, Executive Director, Unitaid, said: “When Unitaid established the Medicines Patent Pool in 2010, many doubted whether voluntary licensing was possible. Yet, originator companies came to the negotiating table, proving that this partnership model works. Thanks to MPP and ViiV Healthcare’s licensing agreements, millions of people with HIV in LMICs now have access to affordable treatments that come at a much lower cost. Unitaid is proud to support this decade-long partnership, and we look forward to expanding our efforts to make innovative health solutions accessible to all.”
Nombeko Mpongo, Community Liaison Administrator at the Desmond Tutu HIV Centre in South Africa, said: “What this partnership has done to help expand access to innovative HIV medicines has profoundly impacted my life and the lives of countless others in South Africa. The widespread availability of TLD (tenofovir, lamivudine, dolutegravir – TDF/3TC/DTG) underscores the remarkable progress we’ve made in HIV treatment accessibility and affordability.”
Partnership accelerates access to innovative HIV medicines for paediatrics
As well as enabling widespread access to TLD (a WHO-preferred treatment for adults and adolescents), this 10-year partnership played a foundational role in the development and availability of age-appropriate DTG-based treatment options for children and infants, addressing a key gap as children are disproportionately affected by HIV – with paediatric treatment coverage still lagging behind adults. As a result of MPP and ViiV’s licensing agreement, as well as a novel public-private partnership between ViiV, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and Unitaid providing technology transfer and regulatory support, generic dispersible tablet formulations of DTG have now been supplied to 95 LMICs for children weighing at least 3kg.
Most recently, in 2023, three generic dispersible formulations of paediatric ALD (abacavir, lamivudine, dolutegravir – ABC/3TC/DTG) received approval for infants from three months of age and weighing at least 6kg. This was further to an additional partnership programme which ViiV and CHAI drove with generic partners, in parallel with ViiV’s own paediatric development programme for ABC/3TC/DTG (the first dispersible single-tablet regimen containing dolutegravir). Introduction of this newer combination in LMICs will further support delivery of HIV medication to young children and address unmet needs by offering a reduced pill burden.
Arvind Kanda, Head of ARV/API South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa at Viatris, said: “We are proud of our partnership with the Medicines Patent Pool and ViiV Healthcare, a collaboration that has enabled us to make a significant impact in the fight against HIV. Our journey began with pioneering the TLD regimen for adults with HIV, where we were the first MPP licensee to receive tentative USFDA approval under the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). But our commitment doesn’t end there.
“We are equally dedicated to advancing access to the most innovative HIV treatments for children. Through our partnerships to accelerate development and production of paediatric formulations we are addressing the unique needs of children living with HIV. We remain unwavering in our mission: empowering people worldwide to live healthier at every stage of life.”
Sister Tresa Palakudy, Manager, Nyumbani Children’s Home, Kenya, said: “Caring for children living with HIV at Nyumbani, I’m truly grateful that Kenya has had access to paediatric dolutegravir since 2021 through this transformational partnership. I want to offer my heartfelt thanks to ViiV Healthcare, the Medicines Patent Pool, Unitaid, and all the international health partners for making this innovation accessible to our children living with HIV in LMICs.”
Partnership continues with new voluntary licence to include first-of-its-kind preventative medicine
Looking ahead, ViiV Healthcare and MPP are building on this decade-long partnership through furthering access to innovative HIV prevention. The signing of a new licence agreement in 2022 marked a significant step forward in driving access to cabotegravir long-acting for PrEP, and ViiV is supporting all generic sublicensees with technical support and know-how to expedite product development and enable access to this novel prevention tool for people in LMICs.
Humanity generates between 2.1 billion and 2.3 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste a year. When improperly managed, much of that refuse – from food and plastics to electronics and textiles – emits greenhouse gases or poisonous chemicals. This damages ecosystems, inflicts disease and threatens economic prosperity, disproportionately harming women and youth.
Tackling food waste and promoting healthy diets are key to ending food insecurity, experts say. Photo credit: AFP/Patrick Hertzog
On Saturday, March 30, 2024, the world marked the International Day of Zero Waste. The observance, led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), highlighted the importance of proper waste management. It also focuses on ways to rein in the conspicuous consumption that is feeding the waste crisis.
“Overconsumption is killing us. Humanity needs an intervention,” says UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “On this Zero Waste Day, let’s pledge to end the destructive cycle of waste, once and for all.”
Here are eight ways to embrace a zero-waste approach:
Combat food waste
Some 19 per cent of food available to consumers is wasted annually despite 783 million people going hungry. Around 8 to 10 per cent of the planet’s greenhouse gas emissions come from the production of food that is ultimately squandered.
There are lots of ways to turn that tide. Municipalities can promote urban agriculture and use food waste in animal husbandry, farming, green-space maintenance and more. They can also fund food waste composting schemes, segregate food waste at source and ban food from dumpsites. Meanwhile, consumers can buy only what they need, embrace less appealing but perfectly edible fruits and vegetables, store food more wisely, use up leftovers, compost food scraps instead of throwing them away, and donate food before it goes bad, something made easier by a bevy of apps.
Recovery is already on the menu in some places. In Vallès Occidental, Spain, municipalities are redistributing surplus healthy food to the marginalised. Meanwhile, in Nigeria, the non-profit organisation No Hunger Food Bank works with the Adeta indigenous community to reduce post-harvest losses by recycling cassava peels into animal feed.
Take on textile waste
Less than 1 per cent of the material used to produce clothing is recycled into new items, resulting in over $100 billion in annual material value loss. The textiles industry also uses the equivalent of 86 million Olympic-sized swimming pools of water every year.
To counter that, the fashion industry needs to become more circular. Brands and retailers can offer more circular business models and products that last longer and can be remade, governments can provide infrastructure for collecting and sorting used textiles, communicators – including influencers and brand managers – can shift fashion’s marketing narrative, and consumers can assess if their clothing purchases are necessary.
“Zero waste makes sense on every level,” says Michal Mlynár, UN-Habitat Acting Executive Director. “By retaining materials within the economy and enhancing waste management practices, we bring benefits to our economies, our societies, our planet and ourselves.”
Avoid electronic waste
Electronics, from computers to phones, are clogging dumpsites around the world as manufacturers continually encourage consumers to purchase brand-new devices.
Through robust policymaking, governments can encourage consumers to keep their products for longer while pushing manufacturers to offer repair services, a change that would bring a host of economic benefits. They can also implement extended producer responsibility, a policy that can ensure producers of material goods are responsible for the management and treatment of waste. This can keep raw materials and goods in the economic cycle and inspire consumer waste prevention, eco-design, and optimisation of waste collection.
“As the world drowns in waste, humanity must act,” says Sheila Aggarwal-Khan, Director of UNEP’s Industry and Economy Division. “We have the solutions to solve the waste pollution crisis. We just need commitment, collaboration and investment from governments, businesses and individuals to implement them.”
Producers can follow nationally determined eco-design standards to reduce energy and resource use while minimising hazardous chemicals in production. These standards also ensure products are durable, repairable and recyclable while use.
This should be part of a larger effort to design products through what is known as the lifecycle approach. This entails reducing resource use and emissions to the environment throughout all stages of a product’s life, from production to recycling.
Crack down on plastic pollution
Plastics are commonly used in electronics, textiles and single-use products. Some 85 per cent of single-use plastic bottles, containers and packaging end up in landfills or are mismanaged. Because plastic does not biodegrade, it contributes to major health impacts as microplastics infiltrate food and water sources.
In addition to phasing out single-use plastics and improving waste management, establishing a global monitoring and reporting system can help end plastic pollution.
Take on hazardous waste
Chemicals are prevalent in daily life – electronics can contain mercury, cosmetics may have lead and cleaning supplies often have persistent organic pollutants. Chemical and hazardous waste require specialised treatment and disposal, yet some governments fail to meet standards set in the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) conventions. Hazardous chemicals and waste cross borders, unauthorized or even illegally.
Governments can commit to multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs), like the BRS conventions, which institutionalise intergovernmental and cross-sectoral cooperation through binding targets and action plans.
Citizens can educate themselves about substances and waste types that are restricted or banned under the MEAs and demand that governments and industries remove them from the global market.
Rethink how cities are designed and managed
By 2050, 68 per cent of the world is expected to live in cities. Investing in energy-efficient buildings leads to long-term reductions in construction and demolition, which generate significant amounts of waste and account for 37 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions.
Bolster waste management through investment and training
Globally, around 25 per cent of waste is left uncollected, while 39 per cent is not managed in controlled facilities. Global waste management incurs a total net cost of $361 billion annually. By ending uncontrolled disposal, reducing waste generation, and increasing recycling, governments can generate an annual net gain of $108.1 billion by 2050.
The One Planet network – a global community of practitioners, policymakers, and experts – can help drive this shift by fostering collaboration. It also has a database of the best resources on sustainability.
A one-year project in Ambon, Indonesia, between social enterprise groups and local governments provided training and job opportunities to local waste collectors and financed improved waste management facilities.
By recovering materials, redesigning products, bolstering waste management and prioritising reuse, humanity can embrace a zero-waste approach for a more sustainable future.
International Day of Zero Waste, observed on March 30, 2024, and jointly facilitated by UNEP and UN-Habitat, raises awareness of the importance of waste management and responsible consumption and production practices for sustainable development. The Day calls on everyone to embrace a lifecycle approach, which entails reducing resource use and emissions to the environment throughout all stages of products’ life cycles.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) saddled with the responsibility of managing and harnessing Nigeria’s oil and gas in what appears an attitude to a disregard for accountability that has helped undermine its country’s extractive sector, has refused to disclose contract deals, and has abandoned the Jos oil pipeline project.
NNPC Group Managing Director, Mele Kyari
Under the deal, NNPC awarded a contract to Macready Oil & Gas Service Company Limited. The contract is for maintenance of the Warri-Kaduna Crude Oil Pipeline (604km), Kaduna-Kano Products Pipeline (224.3km), Kaduna-Jos Products Pipeline (166.4km), Kaduna-Suleja Products Pipeline (170.8km), Kaduna Depot, Kano Depot, Jos Depot and Suleja Depot.
Our officials’ visit to the Jos depot located at Jingre, Basaa Local Government Area of Plateau State, shows that there is no oil pipeline project going on. An indication that NNPC has abandoned the project it awarded to Macready Oil & Gas Service Company Limited.
A senior personnel who spoke to our officials at the Jos depot said they are aware of the oil pipeline contract. He, however, pointed out that, to the best of his knowledge, nothing has been done regarding any project execution in Jos.
The senior personnel, who did not want to give detailed information regarding the project, referred our officials to NNPC headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, for further inquiry and detailed information about the project.
Worse still, NNPC has since refused to provide information regarding the contract, making contract disclosure difficult. The corporation’s non-disclosure affects citizens’ ability to hold the state, institutions, and powerful individuals accountable for the way its natural resources are being managed on their behalf.
Divine Era Development and Social Rights Initiative (DEDASRI) and its partner Media Advocacy West Africa (MAWA Foundation) using the Freedom of Information (FOI) requested NNPC to disclose information about the contract it awarded to Macready Oil & Gas Service Company Limited for the maintenance of Jos Oil Pipeline and construction of Oil Depot in Jos.
An information request NNPC refused to release while hiding under the Petroleum Industry Act 2021 as a justification for its refusal. NNPC claims that, under the Act, it is no longer a public institution, but a private company, and has since ceased to be an agency of government. Hence, it not under any obligation to respond to FOI requests and be accountable to the public. The corporation further pointed out that it cannot answer questions about its financial transaction dealings regarding contract awards because it is not a financial institution.
The non-compliance with disclosure by the NNPC on the way it manages the Nigerian oil and gas natural resources on behalf of the citizens has continued to be a major challenge in achieving extractive sector transparency in Nigeria. This is even as the Nigerian state has laws such as the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI Act), FOI Act, Petroleum Industry Act, Public Procurement Act, Fiscal Responsibility Act, etc that place the state under the obligation to make public access to extractive deal available to citizens.
NNPC’s non-compliance with disclosure in the extractive deal is a long-standing entrenched habit that can only be addressed through the participation of strategic stakeholders in the implementation of coordinated interventions that will encourage the Nigerian state to promote transparency in the extractive sector.
Advocates of open transparency in the extractive sector who spoke to our officials said they are worried that attaining transparency in the extractive industry is becoming difficult. For instance, Dr. Michael Uzoigwe, former EITI Country Manager for Anglophone Africa, pointed out that despite the availability of laws ensuring disclosure and transparency, the Nigerian state has continued to resist transparency in the extractive industry.
Efforts by our officials to speak to Macready Oil and Gas Service Company Limited were unsuccessful. Calls made to the company’s telephone did not go through and an email sent to its official email address got no response.
By Audu Liberty Oseni, MAWA Foundation Coordinator and Director of Communication, Centre for Development Communication
This report was supported by a grant from Publish What You Pay
As part of efforts to advance agricultural research and ensuring food security, the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) has donated state-of-the-art equipment to the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) to facilitate year-round crop research and seed storage.
AATF and IAR officials after the donation ceremony
The equipment donated include a greenhouse facility, that was upgraded and equipped with cutting-edge technology powered by a 100KVA solar system, a 30KVA solar-powered cold storage facility and a solar system powered irrigation facilities covering 2 hectares of land.
The equipment are advanced facilities tailored to support agricultural research endeavors throughout the year, regardless of seasonal constraints.
Speaking at a hand-over ceremony at the Institute, Dr Emmanuel Okogbenin, AATF Director, Programme Development and Commercialisation, said: “The centerpiece of this donation is a series of state-of-the-art greenhouse facilities, equipped with innovative technology to create optimal growing conditions for various crops. The greenhouse is designed to maintain controlled environments, allowing researchers at IAR to conduct experiments and cultivate crops irrespective of external weather conditions.
“Furthermore, the donation includes 15-ton modern seed storage facilities equipped with sophisticated cooling systems and climate control mechanisms. These facilities are essential for preserving the viability and genetic integrity of seeds, ensuring their availability for research and agricultural development initiatives”.
According to Dr Okogbenin, the donation reflects AATF’s commitment to supporting agricultural development initiatives across Africa and underscores the importance of collaboration in achieving food security and agricultural sustainability. By providing essential equipment and resources, AATF aims to empower institutions like IAR to undertake impactful research and innovation in the agricultural sector.
“This initiative exemplifies the potential for partnerships between public and private entities to drive positive change in agriculture, fostering innovation and resilience in the face of global challenges,” he added.
Dr. Yusuf Ado, IAR Executive Director, expressed profound gratitude for the generous donation from AATF, emphasising its transformative impact on agricultural research and seed storage capabilities.
“With these state-of-the-art facilities, we are empowered to conduct research and store seeds year-round, contributing significantly to our efforts towards sustainable agriculture.
“With access to state-of-the-art equipment, we are well-positioned to make significant strides in advancing agricultural productivity and ensuring food security for generations to come,” Prof. Ado said.
In one of my Sociology of Education classes, I learnt that the media is one of the agents of socialisation, which is to say that the media is responsible and is thus capable of shaping public opinions, perspectives, and sensibilities.
Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal, Environment Minister
Amy Westervelt of Drilled Media published an article a month ago titled “Hot Take: Fixing media is a climate solution”, where she emphasised the level of control oil companies have on the media. When the polluters are in control of the narrative, we have a new type of catastrophe on hand so no, fixing media as a solution to climate change is not a hot take, it is obvious.
Nigeria is no exception to big polluters’ green-washing claims and tactics, some of the most notable instances of green-washing by IOCs include Shell’s claims that they have a strong commitment to environmental sustainability, despite evidence to the contrary. TotalEnergies claims that they are working to reduce their carbon footprint, despite their ongoing investments in fossil fuels. Other instances of greenwashing by IOCs in Nigeria include false claims about the safety of their operations, and misleading reports about their investments in local communities.
Shell is well known for peddling misinformation in Nigeria, they underreport oil spill data, refuse to disclose accurate information about the state of their facilities and equipment, and also spread misinformation about their commitment to NetZero.
Shell has made a dubious pledge to transition away from fossil fuel as the society adopts cleaner forms of energy. This is dubious because Shell, just like other oil companies, undermine the role their production of oil plays in the perpetuation of oil consumption. There is just no way will Shell and Co generate large barrels of oil without creating a market for it even if it requires obliterating cleaner alternatives. If Shell and Co are deliberate about achieving Net-Zero, then they should be willing to take the bold first step.
Shell says: “Tackling climate change is an urgent challenge. We will contribute to a net-zero world, where society stops adding to the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere.”
How will society stop emitting greenhouse gases when you are partly responsible for the emissions, and you produce products that contribute to the emission? Taking the statement at face value would seem harmless until you give it a second thought.
They further state: “That is why we have set a target to become a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050.”
Becoming a Net-Zero energy business is not the same as phasing down or phasing out oil production for proper transition. Shell and Co can be a net-zero energy business and still produce huge barrels of oil, what good is that?
Shell in Nigeria also have a reputation for perpetuating the narrative that oil theft and sabotage are the major cause of oil pollution in the Niger Delta in order to evade social and legal responsibility.
Independent bodies have found that narrative to be flawed but the narrative is widely available on the internet. A lay person after a quick Google search would believe: “Ahhh oil pollution in the Niger Delta was never Shell’s fault, what would they have done?”
During COP28, Nigeria was openly invited to phase out fossil fuel. Nigeria’s Minister of State for Environment, Ishaq Salako, argued that it is unacceptable to require Nigeria or Africa to phase out fossil fuel because the economy largely depends on it. According to him, requiring Nigeria to phase out fossil fuel is like asking a sick patient to breathe without life support.
The reason why this view is a stumbling block in achieving sustainable development in Nigeria is because it is a widely held view. In an SDG Café, I told a lady that when Nigerians collectively demand for a pause in oil production for clean energy, the government would consider it a pressing social issue, she replied “but no we do need oil” and the answer is no you don’t, what we need is energy and it is the role of the government to provide energy that is safe for its citizen with the least amount of negative consequence.
The government has never been serious about developmental issues which explains why we have inadequate electricity supply. There are good and elegant energy transition policies and plans, but none are being paid adequate attention to. When we diversify our energy and move towards renewables, it would affect the pockets of oil beneficiaries and who in the world wants that?
Oil companies, beneficiaries and other corporate bodies relying on the present situation to continue mining profits will use the media to control narratives. There must be an improvement in Nigeria’s and Africa’s climate media to speed up the rate towards sustainable development.
Nonetheless, why does Ishaq Salako think it is unacceptable to demand a phase out? What has the government done in investing in renewables, diversifying energy production and preserving the environmental rights of her citizen? Not a very good job. Have the Nigerian citizens really benefitted very much from the oil economy? Of course not. All the oil producing states in Nigeria are developmentally backward despite generating massive revenues from oil and they are suffering the consequence of oil production. The people who will benefit from immediate and deliberate phase out are the citizens you are very much concerned about.
The Permanent Secretary at Nigeria’s Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Gabriel Aduda, is of the view that COP28 should be concerned about emission reduction and not phasing down or out. What should we expect from an oil beneficiary? Apart from the fact that it is scientifically a misguided point of view, it seems to be peddling big oil fantasy of emission reduction through whatever means, say carbon capture.
What then happens to the oil products generated? According to studies, efforts to tackle gas flaring in the Niger Delta have been largely unsuccessful. What has the Nigerian government done in emission reduction? Very poor job. Corporate bodies continue to impact our environment and there are no legislations that as a matter of corporate responsibility demands for accurate reporting of environmental and sustainability reports.
To address climate change and sustainability issues from the perspective of the media in Nigeria, there have to be increased funding and support for independent and investigative journalists to offer a balanced and accurate portrayal of situations. The public also must be incentivised to fact-check information before assimilating them.
Finally, the government and decision makers can make a concerted effort to screen off polluters influence on the media through legislation; but, given that the government herself is a player, the possibility is worryingly slim.
