Mereja.Forum

World Food Day and International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, commemorated

GENERAL

https://shabait.com/2021/10/15/world-fo ... emoration/

Oct 15, 2021



Keynote speech by His Excellency Mr. Arefaine Berhe, Minister of Agriculture of the State of Eritrea

Mr. Moderator!

Excellencies Ministers!

Mr. Saeed Bancie, FAO Representative!

High Government Officials!

Heads of UN Agencies!

Ladies and Gentlemen!

The theme of this year’s World Food Day is our actions are our future with four pillars which are Better Production, Better Nutrition, Better Environment, and Better Life.

Ladies and Gentlemen!

We think, this is a very clear and articulate presentation of the entire food system cycle. For this reason, my brief presentation will be anchored on these four pillars.

Better Production

As Eritrea is found in the Sahel region, lack of water is the main limiting factor for food production. Hence, the number one priority of the Government is to implement soil and water conservation programs; both on and off-farm. Accordingly, numerous dams of different sizes were built over the past 30 years; mainly for irrigation. Around the bigger dams, the government has also built several access roads, dry and cold stores. Additionally, the government has invested a lot to expand modified rain-fed agriculture and spate irrigation in the eastern and western lowlands.

To increase production and productivity, the government is also assisting smallholder farmers as well as small and medium-scale commercial farmers through the introduction of high-yielding varieties, pressurized irrigation technologies renewable energy, plastic tunnels or small greenhouses, and mechanization to produce not only primary products but also value-added ones.

To implement the ongoing technological support effectively, the government is also working to create a conducive environment including land tenure security, development of market infrastructure, better access to inputs, credits and research, regulatory and extension services as well as strengthening of Farmers’ Cooperatives.



Better Nutrition

Until recently, enough emphasis was not given to the nutritional aspect of food security. Under the influence of the global approach, which focused only on food security, the world in general and Africa in particular, has lost its crop diversity to wheat and rice. However, Eritrea started to address the issue of nutrition with the advent of the Minimum Integrated Household Agricultural Package, (MIHAP in short), which combines cereals, horticulture, and livestock. We are also extending the same strategy to our small and medium commercial farmers, in order to practice integrated agriculture combining crops and livestock. This approach widens the bases of nutritious food and income of farmers and above all, encourages circular development by closing the loop.

Eritrea is also strengthening its Fish production and consumption, mainly through continuous availability of fish at local markets and awareness-raising campaigns; as it is the main source of protein and essential minerals.



Better Environment

Owing to the cross-cutting nature of environmental challenges, like climate change, land degradation, and biodiversity loss, national efforts have been made to mainstream environmental issues in all sectors. As mentioned above, soil and water conservation programmes are implemented on a regular basis by farming communities and students’ summer campaigns to mitigate climate impact and to exercise environment-friendly agriculture.

Better Life

The combined result of all the above-mentioned efforts, will lead towards realizing better life for all citizens. This will increase, their resilience to environmental and other shocks. Here the best example is the advent of COVID-19 and the outbreak of desert locusts, in our region. The recent locust invasion, has caused significant damage to crops and vegetation across the horn of Africa. Despite the unprecedented upsurge, however, the swarms that appeared in Eritrea were easily controlled before causing any substantial damage through concerted efforts by our experts, local administration, farmers, and members of the Eritrean Defence Forces.



In Conclusion

To sustain the so far achieved success in the food system, enough resources should be allocated and build the resilience of our farming communities. Looking forward, implementation and further elaboration of all the above-mentioned strategies are very crucial to build a solid foundation to promote and protect the overall food systems that create safe and nutritious food security for all.

Finally, I would like to express my profound appreciation to the organizing committee and the participating farmers for a job well done within the framework of COVID guidelines.

Thank you, for your attention!

15/10/21





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Speeches by FAO & UNDP Res. Reps.

Reducing poverty and addressing food insecurity are key policy areas for any government, in the process of building forward better. I wish to commend the Government’s commitment of addressing food and nutrition security, to enhance socio-economic dev and social justice.

@wakiaga UNDP Eritrea: @UNDPEritrea


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CM.it: Milan ready to invest big on a striker – the names considered from Werner to Isak

Oliver Fisher

https://sempremilan.com/milan-chelsea-w ... ahovic/amp

9 hours ago


Alexander Isak Timo Werner

AC Milan could well make a big investment in a new centre-forward in the next summer window, according to a report.

Calciomercato.it https://www.calciomercato.it/2021/10/14 ... vid-lille/ reports how the management thought that the signings of Olivier Giroud and Pietro Pellegri would solve last season’s problems of only having Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who continued to battle physical problems. However, Ante Rebic has started most of the games so far this season as the centre-forward.

The report mentions how the feeling is that next summer is the one where Milan will spend big on a striker, just as they have invested in other positions in the past like Leao (over €25m), Tomori (€28m), Sandro Tonali, Mike Maignan and more.

Milan spending €40m on a striker is very plausible and they are believed to be after a young profile, with Jonathan David of Lille the first target mentioned. He has already scored 6 goals in 9 Ligue 1 matches and has a valuation of around €30-40m.

Alexander Isak is another target, and it is believed that he could take over from Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s Swedish legacy with the Rossoneri. He would cost around the same amount.

Timo Werner is another option given that he has been ousted by Romelu Lukaku at Chelsea, and finally Dusan Vlahovic is a target but his asking price has now skyrocketed to around €60m.



Alexander Isak is the new Zlatan Ibrahimovic!



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Day 5 #TourZobaMaekel Asmara- Himbirti- Mendefera -Asmara
1. Alexander Isack
2. Robel Habtemariam
3. Abel Robel
Yellow Jersey Petros Mengis
Green Jersey Samsom Habte





4 Eritrean Athletes will participate in the TCS Amsterdam Marathon, that will take place on Sunday 17 Oct. With over 31,000 runners, it is the largest marathon in Europe. Good Luck!
African Vision Sport & Education Development: @4AfricanVision

Sara Teklesenbet- "Wenda" (Official Video) New Eritrean Bilen Music





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ኣወል ቡን፡ ኣብ ጋሕየላይ




ዕዳጋ ረቡዕ፡ ጊንዳዕ


ጎይታ ጉርጉሱም፡፡
Ghideon Musa

In Eritrea in 2019, 96% of women attended Antenatal Care (ANC) during their most recent pregnancy. Just 19%, in 1991. 71% of mothers gave birth in health facilities, with the help of health professionals- a 1083% increase from 1991. #SDG3 #HealthForAll
Jonathan Berhane: @itsEritrea



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Happy World Sight Day! Thank you to Berhan Aini Hospital staff in Eritrea for touching, despite many pandemic & non pandemic related challenges, so many lives. Special THANK YOU 2 the #HimalayanCataractProject (https://www.cureblindness.org/) for touching so many lives around the globe.
Menghis Bairu, M.D: @DrMenghisB



Restoring Sight, Restoring Hope and Opportunity

By: Dr. Fikrejesus Amahazion

https://shabait.com/2021/02/03/restorin ... portunity/

GENERAL

Feb 3, 2021



A couple of days ago, it was reported that health facilities in the Northern Red Sea region of Eritrea have been providing important eye treatments and conducting blindness prevention programs for citizens across the region. According to the reports from regional and national health authorities, the prevalence of trachoma within some parts of the country has either been significantly reduced or almost eliminated in recent years.

As with several other development-related announcements in the past several weeks, including those concerning dams, maternal health, child mortality, and the containment of desert locusts, the recent announcement about eye treatment and blindness prevention is extremely positive and encouraging. It also offers a timely and useful opportunity to take a deeper look at eye health, which is an important health and development issue.

Since independence, Eritrea has been confronted with a number of health and development-related challenges. Through a tremendous amount of hard work and substantial investment the country has been able to make significant progress, notwithstanding its relatively modest resources, nearly decade-long illegal sanctions, and highly challenging regional socio-political and environmental context. One of the clearest testaments of Eritrea’s improvement and progress is the fact that it was one of the few countries that entered the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals period, having achieved most of the Millennium Development Goals targets on health.

Over the years, an area of special focus for the country, albeit one less discussed, has been visual impairment and eye health problems. One particular challenge is cataract, which is a medical condition where the eye’s natural lens which lies behind the iris and the pupil is clouded. Globally, it is one of the leading causes of vision impairment and blindness, with approximately 65.2 million people afflicted with the condition.

Another eye health challenge of note, has been trachoma. The leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide, trachoma is a devastating eye disease caused by infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. It is spread through contact with infective eye or nose discharges, either directly from person to person (e.g., through personal contact via hands, clothes, towels, bedding, etc.) or mediated by flies that have been in contact with discharge from the eyes or nose of an infected person. With repeated episodes of infection over many years, the eyelashes may be drawn in so that they rub on the surface of the eye, with pain and discomfort and permanent damage to the cornea. Trachoma is common among preschool-aged children, who harbor the principal reservoir of infection. As well, women are blinded nearly four times as often as men due to their close contact with infected children.

According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), a specialized agency of the United Nations, trachoma is a public health problem in 44 countries and responsible for the blindness or visual impairment of nearly 2 million people. Based on estimates for 2020, across the world about 137 million people live in trachoma endemic areas and are at risk of trachoma blindness, with Africa being the most affected continent.

In Eritrea, cataract is the main cause of avoidable blindness, while trachoma poses a risk in some parts of the country. Importantly, a number of measures and interventions have been undertaken in order to address these issues and ultimately improve people’s lives.

In terms of cataract, screening programs in health facilities throughout the country have been expanded in order to better determine if people require surgeries. Also, training and skills development programs have been provided to local health workers to improve their skills and provide critical experience. The outcome has been, that more people suffering from cataracts in the country have been able to receive necessary surgical procedures and experience the restoration of vision.

Importantly, the barriers that often serve to stop people from accessing eye health services have also been targeted. There have been numerous public education and community campaigns to raise awareness of the symptoms, risks, and availability of help for cataract, while expansions in road infrastructure and transportation services have led to greater access, particularly for the socioeconomically disadvantaged and rural populations. As well, many facilities have provided vision rehabilitation, including assistive products such as glasses or white canes, to patients.

Similarly, there have been multifaceted efforts to address the scourge of trachoma. Since risk factors influencing the transmission of the disease include inadequate hygiene, access to water, and access to and use of sanitation, improving access to water, sanitation, and hygiene have been at the root of the response. For instance, the country has made great investments in improving access to water and sanitation, both in households and communities, while the topics of sanitation, hygiene, and facial cleanliness have been featured and promoted within community events, schools, and health education programs. Notably, the number of people living in areas that warrant treatment with antibiotics, facial cleanliness, and environmental improvement for the elimination of trachoma as a public health problem has been reduced significantly – about 70% – in less than a decade.

Furthermore, during the past few years, thousands of patients have undergone operations to treat trachomatous trichiasis (which is the late, blinding stage of trachoma), while Eritrea has also mass distributed antibiotics (such as azithromycin) to prevent and treat trachoma. (At risk individuals in trachoma-endemic communities older than six months, are offered an annual single oral dose. In the last decade, Eritrea has acquired about three million packages of antibiotics.)

It is well worth noting that treatment, services, and medications are provided free of cost. This demonstrates the nation’s deep commitment to the right to health and ensuring that all are able to receive care, regardless of socioeconomic status or other distinction. Another important feature of Eritrea’s comprehensive response has been, its partnership and close cooperation with international partners and organizations. For instance, through a longstanding partnership with the Fred Hollows Foundation, Eritrea has been able to produce cost-effective intraocular lenses for cataract surgeries. Moreover, local ministries and educational institutions have collaborated with international partners to improve the capacity of local eye health systems, so that they can deliver high-quality services. Moreover, the partnership with the International Trachoma Initiative has been important in the distribution of antibiotics.


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#InternationalDayOfRuralWomen: Women are the backbone of our country. has been working to promote equality + ensure rights by promoting equitable & fair land tenure system, access to land for all, microcredit programs, & other support.
FikreJesus, PhD: @FikreJesus

Temt wrote: ↑

15 Oct 2021, 18:53

Man, you're killing me bro. Home, sweet home! Thanks for the nice pictures. When are regular flights going to be reinstated? Damn Covid!

I know the feeling, bxay temt.

Here's, some good read: