Beans: The magical vegetable.

Beans. Most people don't like it. But why? You will be even better once you incorporate a few beans into your diet. Beans are very high in protein and complex carbs. They are jam packed with soluble and insoluble fibre and contain phytochemicals and protease inhibitors, which are believed to reduce low density lipoprotein ( LDL ), or bad cholesterol. So incorporate them for best health results.

15 Ways To Survive Survive The Present Recession In Nigeria E-book.

It is no longer news that we are in recession in Nigeria because the price of oil is falling daily and oil is the only product we export to earn foreign exchange. The truth is that nobody knows the time this recession will come to an end. The federal government is seriously investing in agriculture by providing loan facilities to people who have interest in farming and agriculture generally through cooperative societies. The government is trying it's best, but individuals should also think about how to survive this unfavourable period. The e-book revealed and explained 15 ways people can survive the present recession.

Boy Fell Off Palm tree And Died In Anambra.

 A young enterprising boy from Ndiodolu Ukpor in Nnewi south LGA Tochukwu lost his life yesterday when he fell off a Palm tree. As at the time of writing this report the cause is yet to be ascertained.May his soul rest in peace. Amen

Differences Between Ofada Rice And Imported Parboiled Rice.

Do you know that imported parboiled polished rice looks more aesthetically appeasing to the eyes than ofada rice but has less value of Nutrients to ofada rice?

Do you know that the quantity of both soluble and insoluble fiber found in Ofada rice is more than twice the quantity of fiber found in regular polished or white rice and the difference is due to the way both types are processed?

In processing, ofada rice has only the husk removed while White rice has both bran and husk removed and parboiled then polished to look attractive. The bran is kept intact in Ofada rice which helps to give us a healthy dose of dietary fiber and in return the fiber helps in proper digestion and in the cleansing of the colon.

Do you know why ofada rice is preferable to imported parboiled polished rice when trying to lose weight? The soluble fiber in ofada rice reduces/slow down the rate food leaves the stomach which gives a sense of fullness after a meal and help reduce/stop over eating which helps in losing weight especially when you eat it with vegetables (salad/Soup).

Feed Manufacture For Fish

   Feed manufacture involves grinding mixing, agglomeration, and forming feed ingredients into homogenous pellets that are water stable. Fry or small fingerlings as usually fed finely ground meal type feeds or pelleted feed that have been crushed to reduce particle. The bulk of feed used in the catfish industry is manufactured by extrusion into floating pellets. A smaller portion is team pelleted into sinking pellets.

 Regardless of the feed type, floating or sinking, the general scheme of feed manufacture is the same. The primary grains are ground through a hammer mill. The formulation is batched, weighed, mixed, and then reground. After regrind, the mixed-feed ingredients are extruded or steam-pelleted. The resulting pellets are then dried, fat-coated, and bagged or stored in bulk.

FISH FEEDS

In all fish farms, the largest most single operating cost is FEEDS (almost 50%) and it is in the interest of the farmer to get a good return on this investment in terms of fish weight gain.

     An experienced feeder that is able to optimize consumption without excessive feed wastage is invaluable to a catfish producer. Feeding the most suitable feed in a manner that result in fast growth and efficient feed conversion result in more efficient production in increased profits. Uneaten feed cost the producer directly in decreased profits and indirectly through degradation of water quality. About ½ of the variable production cost in catfish production is feed, so a wise farmer reduces the overall cost of production by using the most appropriate feed and feeding it in the manner that most efficiently produces fish.

The extent to which a food is utilized by temperature, quietness, amount of darkness, space available for swimming, and culture practice vis-à-vis the availability of water, the presence of disease (due to overcrowding, weather change, disturbance aggression due to mixed stocking) and the age (this is with respect to people who buy too small a size of fish only to drastically) and genetic constitution of the fish (I do not think of anyone who knows of a better breed who will jettison the idea for a brand with less growth potential).

How Nigerian Farmers Can Export Agricultural Products.

1.The first step is to register a company limited by share.
2. You will have to register with NAFDAC.
3. You will also need to design and register a trade mark to distinguish your product (optional)
4. For export you will need NEPC registration.

The Nigerian government through the Nigerian  Export Promotion Council is increasingly encouraging Nigerian industrialists, businessmen and agriculturists to export more non-oil products so as to grow the country's export index, create jobs, and in the long run stabilize Nigeria's economy.

The  potentials of non-oil exports are largely untapped due to over dependence on crude oil exports which generate an estimate of over 90% of Nigeria's exports.
Following the recent resolve by the Nigerian government to give more support to agro-allied products, the costs of exporting farm produce and other related products from Nigeria will be favourable, thereby making the export market for agro-allied products more promising.
From statistics, the non-oil products Nigeria exports most are cocoa, palm oil, cassava, rubber, wool, cotton, wood logs (Iroko and Mahogany), groundnut oil, cashew, garlic etc.

MARKETING AND PROCESSING OF PIGS.

1. Marketing: The ability to market pigs at the right time will be the determine factor to success of commercial pig production. Marketing has been identified as number one constraint to increase commercial pig production.
Individuals who have fewer pigs to market always find it easy and does not have problems but this is not the case for those farmers who have large amount because you must think of marketing when you consider selling many pigs.

Where to buy fingerlings.

 Without prejudice and based on the ‘hard experience’ of some past participants, other farmers who approached us I will advise you to buy from our farm and we can always produce the appropriate size and age to fit your expectation and budget. I will rather still advise to note the following information concerning your choice of fingerlings and producer.

HOW TO PREPARE YOUR POND FOR FISH.

Having finished the construction of your pond, the next stage is to make it conducive for the cat fish. The following point are worthy of note to enhance their health and well-being while waiting for your fingerlings.

(1)  Create a Dark Environment:

Cat fishes feed better and feel more comfortable the darker the environment. So create a good and tight shade using:

a.     Aluminum span roofing sheets or Asbestos,

b.     Tarpaulin Nylon preferable

c.      Raffia thatched roof.

d.     Sliced bamboo sticks

e.     Floating plants like Salvinia, Waterhycint, Water Lettuce etc. for large ponds.

Feeding in Snails.

Snails are very versatile feeders. They can feed on anything from leaves to fruits. Snails can feed on cocoyam leaves, cassava and okra leaves, cabbage, lettuce, pawpaw as well as eggplant leaves.

Snails can also feed on fruits like mangoes, banana, pawpaw, tomatoes and pears.

It is important that you feed your snails with the right food that would support tissue growth and supply calcium needed to grow their shells.

There are specially formulated snail feed in the market that you can use to feed your snails for improved growth and productivity.

Many may wonder if snails do have mouth, how and what they eat. Well, it will shock you to know the following.

It is popularly said, "You are what you eat". This is no exception to snails. As their general wellbeing and quick growth revolves round proper feeding. Good enough, snails eat a wide variety of food which could be classified into any of these categories: tubers, agricultural by products, fresh vegetables, fruits, leaves, cereals, fibers, drinks, and concentrates. Virtually all human consumables can be eaten by snails with few exceptions hence they are omnivorous in nature and that is why they have been able to survive for generations. History has it that snails have been in existence since prehistoric times.

CULTIVATION OF CUCUMBER

 Cucumber belong to the curcubit  family (same family with Watermelon,Melon, Snake guard and Squash).Cucumber we see around in Africa belong to specie group called Cucumis Sativus. Cucumber requires any amount of space and possess the ability to climb. It originated from Asia continent but is now grown in most part of the world.

   Cucumber plants can survive in any environment and requires temperature between 15 - 33 degree celcius. As a result of this, cucumber is now cultivated in many regions of the world. You only need to amend the soil where you are going to plant it for cucumber to do well. You need to add much compost manure, mulch, water regularly and provide staking for the vine to climb upward. There are several varieties of cucumber, Ranging from hybrid to hybrid F1 variety like Murano 2 F1, Tokyo F1, Greengo F1 and the likes are some good resistance to most cucumber diseases.

FEEDING IN FISHES.

You have to make sure your feeds incorporate vital nutrients like lhysine, arginine and methionine. The exceptional form of meal to go for is fishmeal; however because of its high cost, it's not recommended to use (that is if you are simply starting out on a low finances); alternatively, you may use different conventional means including Soya bean cake, groundnut cake or plant residue (these traditional ingredients also meet the nutrient necessities of catfish).

CANIBALISM

Mud fishes are well known for their cannibalistic behaviours. This is mostly exhibited by Heterobranchus species followed by heteroclarias and lastly clarias.

 However, cannibalism can be greatly reduced by frequent feeding and sorting. Cannibalism is more pronounced when the fishes are very young. 

It is suggested that be sorted at least every week from fry, fingerlings and post fingerlings stages.

Stocking of fishes

STOCKING

The flow through system is designed to produce more than ten times what a stagnant fish pond is expected to produce. However, there are a number of factors that comes into consideration in the realization of maximum stocking capacity of the system. These factors include:

1.     Rate of water replenishment

2.     Feed and feeding strategy

3.     Temperature

4.     Filtration

5.     Species and Species combination

6.     Stocking rate

7.     Size of fish

8.     Dissolved oxygen content

9.     Management technology

10.        Drainage facility

SELECTING POND SITES.

1.     Considerable care should be taken in selecting pond sites. The benefit of a good location includes economy and construction, EASE of operation and PRODUCTIVITY. Although no two farms are exactly alike, however observe the following factors when selecting sites

i.                    Ease of drainage: either by gravity or by use of much pumps.

ii.                  Freedom from flooding: especially from overflowing rivers or tidal creeks.

iii.                Former use of sites: former crop land worked on heavy pesticides is to be avoided.