Insaan apnay hee ghar main lock down
Originally Answered: What can you do if you can't get any sleep?
The next time you are having trouble
sleeping, try our expert natural tips for getting past your insomnia
We all know that a hot, milky drink
and a warm bath are supposed to relax you before bed, but many of us still cant
slip into slumber.
Ten million prescriptions for
sleeping pills are written every year in England alone and a survey by Crampex
has found that 86% of us suffer from sleep disturbance.
Relaxing all your muscles can
prepare your body for sleep. Anxiety expert Charles Linden says: Lying on your
back, take a deep, slow breath in through your nose and, at the same time,
squeeze your toes tightly as if you are trying to curl them under your foot,
then release the squeeze.
As you explore your happy place
imagine smelling flowers, feeling grass or sand under your feet and hearing
water lap against the boat. You should soon feel relaxed and drift off.
Finally, still supporting your right
foot, find the point just below the nail on the upper side of your second toe.
Using the thumb and forefinger of your right hand, gently squeeze the toe.
The key to this trick is to start
the habit as you drift off during a period when you are sleeping well, then you
can use it when you have difficulty.
Going over a to-do list in bed is a
major cause of insomnia. Sharon Stiles says: Often its because youre frightened
of forgetting what needs doing. So before bed, write your list on paper so you
can forget it until next day. You could also imagine filing your thoughts in a
cabinet. Youll be calmer and more likely to sleep.
The timing can make a big
difference. Exercise in the morning is unlikely to help, and exercise too close
to bedtime is likely to cause problems. Try taking 20–30 minutes of exercise
moderate for you, between 4pm and 7pm. Walking or gardening will do.
Any kind of noise at night can cause
you to stir and move from a deep sleep to a lighter cycle. Assess your home for
night-time noise and try to eliminate it, for example by wearing earplugs.
Thu, Jun 25, 2020 page2
· Taiwan donates rice to nations hit by food shortages
o By Chien Hui-ju and Dennis Xie / Staff reporter, with staff
writer
o
o
o
·
Taiwan had as of the end of last month
donated about 10,980 tonnes of white rice to countries suffering from food
shortages amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
·
Prices of white rice around the world have
fluctuated greatly, as border controls and lockdown measures implemented by
nations to curb the spread of the virus have affected the global food supply
chain, Agriculture and Food Agency Deputy Director-General Juang Lao-dar (莊老達) said on Tuesday.
·
With a sufficient national grain reserve,
Taiwan plans to donate a total of 36,410 tonnes of white rice to 16 nations
this year, including its diplomatic allies Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua and
Eswatini, as well as African countries affected by food shortages, Juang said.
·
· Taiwan’s Representative to the Philippines Hsu Pei-yung on Tuesday hands over a bag of rice and vegetables donated by the Taiwan Association Inc Philippines Youth Chapter in Calawis District, Rizal Province.
·
Photo: CNA
·
The donations are part of Taiwan’s
international humanitarian efforts, which have been ongoing for 18 years, to
help nations suffering from grain shortages due to poverty, hunger or major
disasters, he said.
·
The agency — which collaborates with the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and non-governmental organizations such as the
Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation — has helped more than 40
countries in Africa, Central and South America, Asia and Oceania with grain
donations, he said, adding that the amount of white rice donated totals about
400,000 tonnes.
·
The donations were made after ensuring that
they would not disrupt domestic supplies or the international trade order, he
added.
·
Honduras has been highlighted in the
government’s grain donation efforts, as it had suffered a drought-induced food
shortage before a wide range of economic activities came to a halt amid the
COVID-19 outbreak, Juang said, adding that the rice donations were a timely
relief for the nation.
·
“Seeing white rice bags printed with ‘Taiwan
Can Help’ being loaded into containers brings us an indescribable sense of
joy,” said an anonymous staff member of the grain-processing operator that
works with the government on humanitarian aid.
·
It has been an honor to assist with the
international donations, as it not only helps those in need, but also raises
the global profile of Taiwanese rice, they added.
Farmers sow rice at night to avoid extreme heat in Hanoi
0
24/06/2020 17:35 GMT+7
Hordes
of farmers in Thanh Oai district of Hanoi have to bring flashlights with them
to sow rice at night instead of doing so in the daytime when temperatures can
reach above 40 degrees Celsius.
The summer-autumn rice crop falls during the peak of the summer.
In order to cope with the dangerously hot weather, farmers in Thanh Oai
district have to do their farm work at night
In rice fields around the communes of My Hung, Tam Hung, and Thanh
Thuy, farmers have to bring flashlights with them when they sow seeds.
Farmers work meticulously as they tend to their farms at night
With plenty of people working in the dark, farmers turn the light
on so they are able to transplant seedlings into the mud
A local farmer says she chooses to sow seedlings in the middle of
the night in order to protect her health as the weather can be extremely hot
during the daytime.
Several households that have small cultivation acreage begin work
on their rice fields at 4.30am, and it takes them a few hours to complete the
work
Due to the low-lying terrain throughout the communes, farmers are
only able to sow rice by hand
Rice production in 2020: farmers enjoy good harvest, high prices
24/06/2020
Rice production in 2020: farmers enjoy good harvest, high prices
Farmers in the Mekong Delta enjoy a bumper rice crop. (Photo:
SGGP)
During these days, farmers in Dong Thap, Hau
Giang provinces, and Can Tho City have started to harvest the early
summer-autumn rice in the joy of a bumper crop. Mr. Nguyen Van Khoa, a farmer
who cultivates 2 hectares of rice in Dong Binh Commune in Thoi Lai District in
Can Tho City, excitedly said that in the summer-autumn rice crop, thanks to
less damage from pests and sufficient water supply, most farmers have enjoyed
good harvest with average paddy production of 6.5-7 tons per hectare, higher
than the same period last year. Regular rice variety fetched VND5,000-5,200 per
kilogram; long-grain paddy was bought at VND5,300-VND5,500 per kilogram;
fragrant rice was collected at VND5,600-VND5,900 per kilogram. After deducting
expenses, farmers earned a profit from VND20 million to VND30 million per hectare,
the highest level in the past several years.
Sharing the same joy, Mr. Lam Van Sau, a farmer in Thanh Loc Commune in Giong Rieng District in Kien Giang Province, said that after a bumper winter-spring rice crop despite severe drought and saltwater intrusion, the weather was more pleasant in the summer-autumn rice crop. Besides, high paddy prices have also urged farmers to zealously invest and take care of their rice. As a result, the early summer-autumn rice crop will give a good harvest.
In Dong Thap Province, farmers sowed 190,000 hectares of summer-autumn rice. At present, farmers in some places are harvesting rice. Mr. Nguyen Van Doi, Director of Binh Thanh Agricultural Services Cooperative in Lap Vo District, said that more than 1,000 hectares of summer-autumn rice crop of cooperative members have just been harvested with a fairly yield of 7 tons per hectare. Good harvest and high paddy price, along with smooth consumption, have made farmers ecstatic.
According to the Department of Plant Production under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, to implement thoroughly the guideline to produce summer-autumn rice in the Mekong Delta simultaneously, concentratedly, and quickly in each region based on reasonable water supply and avoiding brown plant-hoppers amid the context of a good forecast for rice consumption, provinces have grown more than 1.53 million hectares of rice with an estimated production of more than 8.7 million tons of paddy, up 31,000 tons compared to the same period last year. In the past days, most of the harvested rice-growing areas gave high productivity and farmers earned good profits. From now to September, it will be peak harvest time of summer-autumn rice in the Mekong Delta. After subtracting the amount of rice for domestic consumption, around 2.3-2.5 million tons of rice will be reserved for export.
The Irrigation General Department said that from June to September this year, the total rainfall in the Mekong Delta will be approximately the average of many years; to October, the total rainfall will be 15 percent -30 percent higher than the average for many years. As for storm forecast this year, the East Sea area tends to operate later than the average for many years and there will possibly be 11-13 storms, and tropical depressions. The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting stated that it is unlikely that floods will occur early in the Southern delta. The flood peak this year at the headwaters of the Mekong River on the Tien River in Tan Chau and the Hau River in Chau Doc is forecast to range from alert 1 to alert 2, which is 0.2 - 0.4 meters lower than the average for many years. The peak of flood is around the end of September this year.
From the forecasts, Mr. Le Thanh Tung, Deputy Director of the Department of Crop Production, said that the autumn-winter rice crop this year in the Mekong Delta is expected to have two production options. Option one, it is estimated to sow 750,000 hectares of rice, an increase of 25,800 hectares over the same period last year; rice production is estimated at 4.1 million tons, up 215,000 tons. In June, farmers will start sowing rice on an area of over 286,000 hectares and end sowing in September. After monitoring for the last five years, the area of autumn-winter rice in the Mekong Delta ranges from 730,000 to 770,000 hectares. Therefore, option one is considered the most feasible. For Option two, it is expected to grow 800,000 hectares of rice, an increase of 75,800 hectares over the same period; production is estimated at 4.4 million tons, up 492,000 tons. The reason is that flood is expected to be small this year, and the price of rice is high, so it is necessary to increase the production of autumn-winter rice crop. Moreover, the increase in the production of autumn-winter rice is also to partially make up for the shortage of the winter-spring crop of 2019-2020 due to the impacts of drought and saltwater intrusion. And in the winter rice crop in the Mekong Delta, farmers will sow more than 176,000 hectares, up 5,800 hectares; the rice yield is estimated at 845,000 tons, an increase of 65,000 tons. The sowing time is from July to August for the shrimp-rice production areas and September for winter rice-growing areas.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hung, Vice Chairman of Dong Thap People's Committee, shared that in the first two quarters of this year, the rice export situation in the province increased about 20 percent in volume and 12 percent in value. Because of these advantages, the province continues to require localities to coordinate with farmers to sow the autumn-winter rice crop early to harvest before the floods come. After that, they should closely monitor changes in weather and water levels to produce early the winter-spring crop of 2020-2021 to ensure good results.
Sharing the same joy, Mr. Lam Van Sau, a farmer in Thanh Loc Commune in Giong Rieng District in Kien Giang Province, said that after a bumper winter-spring rice crop despite severe drought and saltwater intrusion, the weather was more pleasant in the summer-autumn rice crop. Besides, high paddy prices have also urged farmers to zealously invest and take care of their rice. As a result, the early summer-autumn rice crop will give a good harvest.
In Dong Thap Province, farmers sowed 190,000 hectares of summer-autumn rice. At present, farmers in some places are harvesting rice. Mr. Nguyen Van Doi, Director of Binh Thanh Agricultural Services Cooperative in Lap Vo District, said that more than 1,000 hectares of summer-autumn rice crop of cooperative members have just been harvested with a fairly yield of 7 tons per hectare. Good harvest and high paddy price, along with smooth consumption, have made farmers ecstatic.
According to the Department of Plant Production under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, to implement thoroughly the guideline to produce summer-autumn rice in the Mekong Delta simultaneously, concentratedly, and quickly in each region based on reasonable water supply and avoiding brown plant-hoppers amid the context of a good forecast for rice consumption, provinces have grown more than 1.53 million hectares of rice with an estimated production of more than 8.7 million tons of paddy, up 31,000 tons compared to the same period last year. In the past days, most of the harvested rice-growing areas gave high productivity and farmers earned good profits. From now to September, it will be peak harvest time of summer-autumn rice in the Mekong Delta. After subtracting the amount of rice for domestic consumption, around 2.3-2.5 million tons of rice will be reserved for export.
The Irrigation General Department said that from June to September this year, the total rainfall in the Mekong Delta will be approximately the average of many years; to October, the total rainfall will be 15 percent -30 percent higher than the average for many years. As for storm forecast this year, the East Sea area tends to operate later than the average for many years and there will possibly be 11-13 storms, and tropical depressions. The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting stated that it is unlikely that floods will occur early in the Southern delta. The flood peak this year at the headwaters of the Mekong River on the Tien River in Tan Chau and the Hau River in Chau Doc is forecast to range from alert 1 to alert 2, which is 0.2 - 0.4 meters lower than the average for many years. The peak of flood is around the end of September this year.
From the forecasts, Mr. Le Thanh Tung, Deputy Director of the Department of Crop Production, said that the autumn-winter rice crop this year in the Mekong Delta is expected to have two production options. Option one, it is estimated to sow 750,000 hectares of rice, an increase of 25,800 hectares over the same period last year; rice production is estimated at 4.1 million tons, up 215,000 tons. In June, farmers will start sowing rice on an area of over 286,000 hectares and end sowing in September. After monitoring for the last five years, the area of autumn-winter rice in the Mekong Delta ranges from 730,000 to 770,000 hectares. Therefore, option one is considered the most feasible. For Option two, it is expected to grow 800,000 hectares of rice, an increase of 75,800 hectares over the same period; production is estimated at 4.4 million tons, up 492,000 tons. The reason is that flood is expected to be small this year, and the price of rice is high, so it is necessary to increase the production of autumn-winter rice crop. Moreover, the increase in the production of autumn-winter rice is also to partially make up for the shortage of the winter-spring crop of 2019-2020 due to the impacts of drought and saltwater intrusion. And in the winter rice crop in the Mekong Delta, farmers will sow more than 176,000 hectares, up 5,800 hectares; the rice yield is estimated at 845,000 tons, an increase of 65,000 tons. The sowing time is from July to August for the shrimp-rice production areas and September for winter rice-growing areas.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hung, Vice Chairman of Dong Thap People's Committee, shared that in the first two quarters of this year, the rice export situation in the province increased about 20 percent in volume and 12 percent in value. Because of these advantages, the province continues to require localities to coordinate with farmers to sow the autumn-winter rice crop early to harvest before the floods come. After that, they should closely monitor changes in weather and water levels to produce early the winter-spring crop of 2020-2021 to ensure good results.
By Huynh Loi, Dang Nguyen – Translated by Thuy Doan
Nigeria: Police Rescue '126' Labourers At Kano Rice Factory
24 JUNE 2020
By Clement Oloyede
Kano —
Police operatives in Kano on Monday rescued hundreds of labourers allegedly
forced to remain within the premises of a rice mill where they had been working
for close to three months.
Kano
Police Commissioner, Habu Sani Ahmadu, told the Daily Trust last night that
contrary to reports that between 300 and 600 labourers were rescued from
'Popular Farm,' producers of one of the popular rice in the market, the actual
number was 126.
But one
of the rescued workers who identified himself as Sani Kiru, said over 300 of
them were freed from the factory.
"We
were treated like slaves for three months," he told our reporter last
night after reuniting with his family.
"We were all set free on Monday. It was a nasty experience... I don't know
how to describe the food we were fed with. The head of administration recruited
one woman who was cooking the food for us to buy.
"My monthly salary was N32, 000. We were working day and
night. I wanted to leave but there was no way; my wife and children were
traumatized," he said.
Our correspondent reports that owners of the company
reportedly said they locked the factory to avoid COVID-19 transmission.
The factory is located at Challawa Industrial Area of the
state capital.
It was gathered that most of the labourers had been working
in the factory for long; and when the issue of COVID-19 arose, the owners, said
to be Indian nationals decided to close the doors of the company and denied the
labourers the opportunity to go out or visit their families.
Sources said while the company decided to increase the wages of the workers in
order to entice them, it nonetheless threatened to sack any of the labourers
who insisted on leaving the premises.
"The factory was closed by the owners shortly after the
Kano State government closed its borders on March 27, 2020 and banned
interstate travelling," a source said.
According to the source, "The Indians deceptively told
the workers that they would only be kept at the premises for few days... However,
instead of allowing the workers to go and see their families, they ended up
threatening them, telling them that whoever insisted on leaving would not be
considered in the future."
How police stormed the factory
Police Commissioner Ahmadu told the Daily Trust that his
officers and men besieged the factory on Monday after obtaining a court
injunction.
"We went to the factory after we received a complaint from the Global
Human Rights Network. We rescued 126 people from the premises," he said.
Asked of what the police plan to do, the commissioner said,
"Investigation is ongoing because there are nominal complainants. We will
update you on the development but the good news is that the people held at the
factory have been freed."
Though the commissioner did not give details on arrests made
at the factory, other sources said four managers have been taken into custody.
Kano Police Spokesman, Abdullahi Haruna told the BBC that the
plant had now been shut down and the owners were being investigated for
"holding the men against their will".
Some of the men said they were forced to work most of the
time during their incarceration, with little food.
"We were allowed to rest for only a short time, no
prayers were allowed, no family visits," 28-year-old Hamza Ibrahim, one of
those rescued, said.
"What I saw was heartbreaking. Where the company kept
these people to live isn't fit for animals," Karibu Yahaya Kabara of the
Global Human Rights Network said.
"Their meals weren't enough and there were no drugs for
those that took ill," he said. Mr Kabara said his organisation was taking
up the case to ensure that the men got justice.
One of the freed workers told journalists that he had been in
the factory since March 23rd without setting his foot outside.
Another worker, Haruna Salihu, said he had been in the
factory since March 28 and was denied time to visit his family and parents.
"Our family members are seriously disturbed, as they don't know the
(condition we are in).
"My wife and my kids used to come to the factory's gate
and I couldn't go and meet them," he said.
Pictures from the factory showed that the labourers were
cramped in make-shift structures. It was gathered that no beds in the factory
as most of the workers lie on mats spread in the "shelters erected with zinc."
'Popular Farm' not our member
One of the officials of the Rice Processors Association of
Nigeria (RPAN), who does not want his name mentioned, said the rice mill in
contention had been suspended from the organisation.
"They are not our members because we suspended them long
ago over some issues," he said.
"We found them wanting... Our focus was to enhance local
production using home grown paddy in line with the policy of the federal
government but we kept having issues with them.
"So, we resolved to suspend them and considering that we
have no relationship with them, it became difficult for us to monitor their
activities or sanction them," he said.
Another official of RPAN said, "When the Kano State
government closed its borders, it gave us exemption, gave us identification
cards and also provided us with clearance for vehicles bringing our raw
materials from other states to have access to the state capital.
"The government gave us the concession because we
provide essential services and therefore, those working for us have never been
molested. We were only directed to ensure that only half of our workers are at
the factory at the time.
"The government insists that we must observe the
COVID-19 protocol. So, if some rice producers were found to have incarcerated
some workers for months, it begs for an answer," he said.
NAFDAC to partner Nigerian scientists on COVID-19 drugs,
vaccines
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and
Control will collaborate with indigenous scientists in the development of drugs
or vaccines against the coronavirus disease in the country.
Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC Director-General, said the
agency's interventions would allow for documentation of such initiatives for
global recording as potential vaccines or drugs that is in process or safety
testing.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in
Abuja, she said that the agency would open its doors to the team of Nigerian
scientists that declared they are working on a vaccine for COVID-19.
"It will be a great thing if Nigeria develops her
vaccine, but all the steps stated above will have to be followed," she
said.
According to her, it takes time to develop a vaccine and
NAFDAC will be the first to be informed of any such developments in the
country.
"That testing will involve use of the virus and then
animals. If all goes well, the researchers will then plan for clinical trial
which will take a long time from 18 months to years.
NAN reports that a team of Nigerian Universities' Scientists,
under the aegis of COVID-19 Research Group, on Friday announced the discovery
of the vaccine at Adeleke University, Ede, in Osun.
Dr Oladipo Kolawole, Leader of the team, said the vaccine was
being developed locally in Africa for Africans.
Kolawole, a Specialist in Medical Virology, Immunology and
Bioinformatics, however, said the vaccine would also work for other continents
when unveiled.
He said that the group had been working extensively by
exploring the SARS-CoV-2 genome from African countries to select the best
possible potential vaccine candidates.
He said that after trying out some selected processes of
vaccine development, the researchers were able to choose the best potential
vaccine candidates for the SARS-CoV-2 and had made the possible latent vaccine
constructs.
On how soon the unnamed vaccine would be unveiled to the
public, Kolawole said that it would take a minimum of 18 months. (NAN)
FG urged to invest more in health sector
Mrs Ene Obi, Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, has called
on the Federal Government to invest more in the public service, especially the
health sector of the country.
Obi made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at the launch of a
research report to mark the 2020 International Public Service Day.
https://allafrica.com/stories/202006240231.html
Thu, Jun 25, 2020 page2
· Taiwan donates rice to nations hit by food shortages
o By Chien Hui-ju and Dennis Xie / Staff reporter, with staff
writer
o
o
o
·
Taiwan had as of the end of last month
donated about 10,980 tonnes of white rice to countries suffering from food
shortages amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
·
Prices of white rice around the world have
fluctuated greatly, as border controls and lockdown measures implemented by
nations to curb the spread of the virus have affected the global food supply
chain, Agriculture and Food Agency Deputy Director-General Juang Lao-dar (莊老達) said on Tuesday.
·
With a sufficient national grain reserve,
Taiwan plans to donate a total of 36,410 tonnes of white rice to 16 nations
this year, including its diplomatic allies Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua and
Eswatini, as well as African countries affected by food shortages, Juang said.
·
· Taiwan’s Representative to the Philippines Hsu Pei-yung on Tuesday hands over a bag of rice and vegetables donated by the Taiwan Association Inc Philippines Youth Chapter in Calawis District, Rizal Province.
·
Photo: CNA
·
The donations are part of Taiwan’s
international humanitarian efforts, which have been ongoing for 18 years, to
help nations suffering from grain shortages due to poverty, hunger or major
disasters, he said.
·
The agency — which collaborates with the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and non-governmental organizations such as the
Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation — has helped more than 40
countries in Africa, Central and South America, Asia and Oceania with grain
donations, he said, adding that the amount of white rice donated totals about
400,000 tonnes.
·
The donations were made after ensuring that
they would not disrupt domestic supplies or the international trade order, he
added.
·
Honduras has been highlighted in the
government’s grain donation efforts, as it had suffered a drought-induced food
shortage before a wide range of economic activities came to a halt amid the
COVID-19 outbreak, Juang said, adding that the rice donations were a timely
relief for the nation.
·
“Seeing white rice bags printed with ‘Taiwan
Can Help’ being loaded into containers brings us an indescribable sense of
joy,” said an anonymous staff member of the grain-processing operator that
works with the government on humanitarian aid.
·
It has been an honor to assist with the
international donations, as it not only helps those in need, but also raises
the global profile of Taiwanese rice, they added.
Farmers sow rice at night to avoid extreme heat in Hanoi
0
24/06/2020 17:35 GMT+7
Hordes
of farmers in Thanh Oai district of Hanoi have to bring flashlights with them
to sow rice at night instead of doing so in the daytime when temperatures can
reach above 40 degrees Celsius.
The summer-autumn rice crop falls during the peak of the summer.
In order to cope with the dangerously hot weather, farmers in Thanh Oai
district have to do their farm work at night
In rice fields around the communes of My Hung, Tam Hung, and Thanh
Thuy, farmers have to bring flashlights with them when they sow seeds.
Farmers work meticulously as they tend to their farms at night
With plenty of people working in the dark, farmers turn the light
on so they are able to transplant seedlings into the mud
A local farmer says she chooses to sow seedlings in the middle of
the night in order to protect her health as the weather can be extremely hot
during the daytime.
Several households that have small cultivation acreage begin work
on their rice fields at 4.30am, and it takes them a few hours to complete the
work
Due to the low-lying terrain throughout the communes, farmers are
only able to sow rice by hand
Rice production in 2020: farmers enjoy good harvest, high prices
24/06/2020
Rice production in 2020: farmers enjoy good harvest, high prices
Farmers in the Mekong Delta enjoy a bumper rice crop. (Photo:
SGGP)
During these days, farmers in Dong Thap, Hau
Giang provinces, and Can Tho City have started to harvest the early
summer-autumn rice in the joy of a bumper crop. Mr. Nguyen Van Khoa, a farmer
who cultivates 2 hectares of rice in Dong Binh Commune in Thoi Lai District in
Can Tho City, excitedly said that in the summer-autumn rice crop, thanks to
less damage from pests and sufficient water supply, most farmers have enjoyed
good harvest with average paddy production of 6.5-7 tons per hectare, higher
than the same period last year. Regular rice variety fetched VND5,000-5,200 per
kilogram; long-grain paddy was bought at VND5,300-VND5,500 per kilogram;
fragrant rice was collected at VND5,600-VND5,900 per kilogram. After deducting
expenses, farmers earned a profit from VND20 million to VND30 million per hectare,
the highest level in the past several years.
Sharing the same joy, Mr. Lam Van Sau, a farmer in Thanh Loc Commune in Giong Rieng District in Kien Giang Province, said that after a bumper winter-spring rice crop despite severe drought and saltwater intrusion, the weather was more pleasant in the summer-autumn rice crop. Besides, high paddy prices have also urged farmers to zealously invest and take care of their rice. As a result, the early summer-autumn rice crop will give a good harvest.
In Dong Thap Province, farmers sowed 190,000 hectares of summer-autumn rice. At present, farmers in some places are harvesting rice. Mr. Nguyen Van Doi, Director of Binh Thanh Agricultural Services Cooperative in Lap Vo District, said that more than 1,000 hectares of summer-autumn rice crop of cooperative members have just been harvested with a fairly yield of 7 tons per hectare. Good harvest and high paddy price, along with smooth consumption, have made farmers ecstatic.
According to the Department of Plant Production under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, to implement thoroughly the guideline to produce summer-autumn rice in the Mekong Delta simultaneously, concentratedly, and quickly in each region based on reasonable water supply and avoiding brown plant-hoppers amid the context of a good forecast for rice consumption, provinces have grown more than 1.53 million hectares of rice with an estimated production of more than 8.7 million tons of paddy, up 31,000 tons compared to the same period last year. In the past days, most of the harvested rice-growing areas gave high productivity and farmers earned good profits. From now to September, it will be peak harvest time of summer-autumn rice in the Mekong Delta. After subtracting the amount of rice for domestic consumption, around 2.3-2.5 million tons of rice will be reserved for export.
The Irrigation General Department said that from June to September this year, the total rainfall in the Mekong Delta will be approximately the average of many years; to October, the total rainfall will be 15 percent -30 percent higher than the average for many years. As for storm forecast this year, the East Sea area tends to operate later than the average for many years and there will possibly be 11-13 storms, and tropical depressions. The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting stated that it is unlikely that floods will occur early in the Southern delta. The flood peak this year at the headwaters of the Mekong River on the Tien River in Tan Chau and the Hau River in Chau Doc is forecast to range from alert 1 to alert 2, which is 0.2 - 0.4 meters lower than the average for many years. The peak of flood is around the end of September this year.
From the forecasts, Mr. Le Thanh Tung, Deputy Director of the Department of Crop Production, said that the autumn-winter rice crop this year in the Mekong Delta is expected to have two production options. Option one, it is estimated to sow 750,000 hectares of rice, an increase of 25,800 hectares over the same period last year; rice production is estimated at 4.1 million tons, up 215,000 tons. In June, farmers will start sowing rice on an area of over 286,000 hectares and end sowing in September. After monitoring for the last five years, the area of autumn-winter rice in the Mekong Delta ranges from 730,000 to 770,000 hectares. Therefore, option one is considered the most feasible. For Option two, it is expected to grow 800,000 hectares of rice, an increase of 75,800 hectares over the same period; production is estimated at 4.4 million tons, up 492,000 tons. The reason is that flood is expected to be small this year, and the price of rice is high, so it is necessary to increase the production of autumn-winter rice crop. Moreover, the increase in the production of autumn-winter rice is also to partially make up for the shortage of the winter-spring crop of 2019-2020 due to the impacts of drought and saltwater intrusion. And in the winter rice crop in the Mekong Delta, farmers will sow more than 176,000 hectares, up 5,800 hectares; the rice yield is estimated at 845,000 tons, an increase of 65,000 tons. The sowing time is from July to August for the shrimp-rice production areas and September for winter rice-growing areas.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hung, Vice Chairman of Dong Thap People's Committee, shared that in the first two quarters of this year, the rice export situation in the province increased about 20 percent in volume and 12 percent in value. Because of these advantages, the province continues to require localities to coordinate with farmers to sow the autumn-winter rice crop early to harvest before the floods come. After that, they should closely monitor changes in weather and water levels to produce early the winter-spring crop of 2020-2021 to ensure good results.
Sharing the same joy, Mr. Lam Van Sau, a farmer in Thanh Loc Commune in Giong Rieng District in Kien Giang Province, said that after a bumper winter-spring rice crop despite severe drought and saltwater intrusion, the weather was more pleasant in the summer-autumn rice crop. Besides, high paddy prices have also urged farmers to zealously invest and take care of their rice. As a result, the early summer-autumn rice crop will give a good harvest.
In Dong Thap Province, farmers sowed 190,000 hectares of summer-autumn rice. At present, farmers in some places are harvesting rice. Mr. Nguyen Van Doi, Director of Binh Thanh Agricultural Services Cooperative in Lap Vo District, said that more than 1,000 hectares of summer-autumn rice crop of cooperative members have just been harvested with a fairly yield of 7 tons per hectare. Good harvest and high paddy price, along with smooth consumption, have made farmers ecstatic.
According to the Department of Plant Production under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, to implement thoroughly the guideline to produce summer-autumn rice in the Mekong Delta simultaneously, concentratedly, and quickly in each region based on reasonable water supply and avoiding brown plant-hoppers amid the context of a good forecast for rice consumption, provinces have grown more than 1.53 million hectares of rice with an estimated production of more than 8.7 million tons of paddy, up 31,000 tons compared to the same period last year. In the past days, most of the harvested rice-growing areas gave high productivity and farmers earned good profits. From now to September, it will be peak harvest time of summer-autumn rice in the Mekong Delta. After subtracting the amount of rice for domestic consumption, around 2.3-2.5 million tons of rice will be reserved for export.
The Irrigation General Department said that from June to September this year, the total rainfall in the Mekong Delta will be approximately the average of many years; to October, the total rainfall will be 15 percent -30 percent higher than the average for many years. As for storm forecast this year, the East Sea area tends to operate later than the average for many years and there will possibly be 11-13 storms, and tropical depressions. The National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting stated that it is unlikely that floods will occur early in the Southern delta. The flood peak this year at the headwaters of the Mekong River on the Tien River in Tan Chau and the Hau River in Chau Doc is forecast to range from alert 1 to alert 2, which is 0.2 - 0.4 meters lower than the average for many years. The peak of flood is around the end of September this year.
From the forecasts, Mr. Le Thanh Tung, Deputy Director of the Department of Crop Production, said that the autumn-winter rice crop this year in the Mekong Delta is expected to have two production options. Option one, it is estimated to sow 750,000 hectares of rice, an increase of 25,800 hectares over the same period last year; rice production is estimated at 4.1 million tons, up 215,000 tons. In June, farmers will start sowing rice on an area of over 286,000 hectares and end sowing in September. After monitoring for the last five years, the area of autumn-winter rice in the Mekong Delta ranges from 730,000 to 770,000 hectares. Therefore, option one is considered the most feasible. For Option two, it is expected to grow 800,000 hectares of rice, an increase of 75,800 hectares over the same period; production is estimated at 4.4 million tons, up 492,000 tons. The reason is that flood is expected to be small this year, and the price of rice is high, so it is necessary to increase the production of autumn-winter rice crop. Moreover, the increase in the production of autumn-winter rice is also to partially make up for the shortage of the winter-spring crop of 2019-2020 due to the impacts of drought and saltwater intrusion. And in the winter rice crop in the Mekong Delta, farmers will sow more than 176,000 hectares, up 5,800 hectares; the rice yield is estimated at 845,000 tons, an increase of 65,000 tons. The sowing time is from July to August for the shrimp-rice production areas and September for winter rice-growing areas.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hung, Vice Chairman of Dong Thap People's Committee, shared that in the first two quarters of this year, the rice export situation in the province increased about 20 percent in volume and 12 percent in value. Because of these advantages, the province continues to require localities to coordinate with farmers to sow the autumn-winter rice crop early to harvest before the floods come. After that, they should closely monitor changes in weather and water levels to produce early the winter-spring crop of 2020-2021 to ensure good results.
By Huynh Loi, Dang Nguyen – Translated by Thuy Doan
Nigeria: Police Rescue '126' Labourers At Kano Rice Factory
24 JUNE 2020
By Clement Oloyede
Kano —
Police operatives in Kano on Monday rescued hundreds of labourers allegedly
forced to remain within the premises of a rice mill where they had been working
for close to three months.
Kano
Police Commissioner, Habu Sani Ahmadu, told the Daily Trust last night that
contrary to reports that between 300 and 600 labourers were rescued from
'Popular Farm,' producers of one of the popular rice in the market, the actual
number was 126.
But one
of the rescued workers who identified himself as Sani Kiru, said over 300 of
them were freed from the factory.
"We
were treated like slaves for three months," he told our reporter last
night after reuniting with his family.
"We were all set free on Monday. It was a nasty experience... I don't know
how to describe the food we were fed with. The head of administration recruited
one woman who was cooking the food for us to buy.
"My monthly salary was N32, 000. We were working day and
night. I wanted to leave but there was no way; my wife and children were
traumatized," he said.
Our correspondent reports that owners of the company
reportedly said they locked the factory to avoid COVID-19 transmission.
The factory is located at Challawa Industrial Area of the
state capital.
It was gathered that most of the labourers had been working
in the factory for long; and when the issue of COVID-19 arose, the owners, said
to be Indian nationals decided to close the doors of the company and denied the
labourers the opportunity to go out or visit their families.
Sources said while the company decided to increase the wages of the workers in
order to entice them, it nonetheless threatened to sack any of the labourers
who insisted on leaving the premises.
"The factory was closed by the owners shortly after the
Kano State government closed its borders on March 27, 2020 and banned
interstate travelling," a source said.
According to the source, "The Indians deceptively told
the workers that they would only be kept at the premises for few days... However,
instead of allowing the workers to go and see their families, they ended up
threatening them, telling them that whoever insisted on leaving would not be
considered in the future."
How police stormed the factory
Police Commissioner Ahmadu told the Daily Trust that his
officers and men besieged the factory on Monday after obtaining a court
injunction.
"We went to the factory after we received a complaint from the Global
Human Rights Network. We rescued 126 people from the premises," he said.
Asked of what the police plan to do, the commissioner said,
"Investigation is ongoing because there are nominal complainants. We will
update you on the development but the good news is that the people held at the
factory have been freed."
Though the commissioner did not give details on arrests made
at the factory, other sources said four managers have been taken into custody.
Kano Police Spokesman, Abdullahi Haruna told the BBC that the
plant had now been shut down and the owners were being investigated for
"holding the men against their will".
Some of the men said they were forced to work most of the
time during their incarceration, with little food.
"We were allowed to rest for only a short time, no
prayers were allowed, no family visits," 28-year-old Hamza Ibrahim, one of
those rescued, said.
"What I saw was heartbreaking. Where the company kept
these people to live isn't fit for animals," Karibu Yahaya Kabara of the
Global Human Rights Network said.
"Their meals weren't enough and there were no drugs for
those that took ill," he said. Mr Kabara said his organisation was taking
up the case to ensure that the men got justice.
One of the freed workers told journalists that he had been in
the factory since March 23rd without setting his foot outside.
Another worker, Haruna Salihu, said he had been in the
factory since March 28 and was denied time to visit his family and parents.
"Our family members are seriously disturbed, as they don't know the
(condition we are in).
"My wife and my kids used to come to the factory's gate
and I couldn't go and meet them," he said.
Pictures from the factory showed that the labourers were
cramped in make-shift structures. It was gathered that no beds in the factory
as most of the workers lie on mats spread in the "shelters erected with zinc."
'Popular Farm' not our member
One of the officials of the Rice Processors Association of
Nigeria (RPAN), who does not want his name mentioned, said the rice mill in
contention had been suspended from the organisation.
"They are not our members because we suspended them long
ago over some issues," he said.
"We found them wanting... Our focus was to enhance local
production using home grown paddy in line with the policy of the federal
government but we kept having issues with them.
"So, we resolved to suspend them and considering that we
have no relationship with them, it became difficult for us to monitor their
activities or sanction them," he said.
Another official of RPAN said, "When the Kano State
government closed its borders, it gave us exemption, gave us identification
cards and also provided us with clearance for vehicles bringing our raw
materials from other states to have access to the state capital.
"The government gave us the concession because we
provide essential services and therefore, those working for us have never been
molested. We were only directed to ensure that only half of our workers are at
the factory at the time.
"The government insists that we must observe the
COVID-19 protocol. So, if some rice producers were found to have incarcerated
some workers for months, it begs for an answer," he said.
NAFDAC to partner Nigerian scientists on COVID-19 drugs,
vaccines
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and
Control will collaborate with indigenous scientists in the development of drugs
or vaccines against the coronavirus disease in the country.
Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC Director-General, said the
agency's interventions would allow for documentation of such initiatives for
global recording as potential vaccines or drugs that is in process or safety
testing.
In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in
Abuja, she said that the agency would open its doors to the team of Nigerian
scientists that declared they are working on a vaccine for COVID-19.
"It will be a great thing if Nigeria develops her
vaccine, but all the steps stated above will have to be followed," she
said.
According to her, it takes time to develop a vaccine and
NAFDAC will be the first to be informed of any such developments in the
country.
"That testing will involve use of the virus and then
animals. If all goes well, the researchers will then plan for clinical trial
which will take a long time from 18 months to years.
NAN reports that a team of Nigerian Universities' Scientists,
under the aegis of COVID-19 Research Group, on Friday announced the discovery
of the vaccine at Adeleke University, Ede, in Osun.
Dr Oladipo Kolawole, Leader of the team, said the vaccine was
being developed locally in Africa for Africans.
Kolawole, a Specialist in Medical Virology, Immunology and
Bioinformatics, however, said the vaccine would also work for other continents
when unveiled.
He said that the group had been working extensively by
exploring the SARS-CoV-2 genome from African countries to select the best
possible potential vaccine candidates.
He said that after trying out some selected processes of
vaccine development, the researchers were able to choose the best potential
vaccine candidates for the SARS-CoV-2 and had made the possible latent vaccine
constructs.
On how soon the unnamed vaccine would be unveiled to the
public, Kolawole said that it would take a minimum of 18 months. (NAN)
FG urged to invest more in health sector
Mrs Ene Obi, Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, has called
on the Federal Government to invest more in the public service, especially the
health sector of the country.
Obi made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at the launch of a
research report to mark the 2020 International Public Service Day.
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