Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

The CFFO Commentary: Helping Out In The Rebuilding of An Agricultural Sector

By John Clement
June 3, 2011
 
The University of Guelph and Njala University in Sierra Leone have entered into a unique arrangement to strengthen the African institution’s ability to help in the rebuilding and development of agriculture and community service. As part of that arrangement, a delegation from the Sierra Leone university recently toured Ontario to gain a sense of how our province has put together a strong working relationship between farmers, producer groups, educational institutions, industry and government.


Njala University has its work cut out for it. Recently emerging from a decade-long civil war, Sierra Leone finds itself at a crossroads regarding food production, the sustainable use of resources, and poverty. Poverty is wide-spread, and agriculture is the primary source of employment and livelihood, with two-thirds of the population dependent upon agriculture for its livelihood. In addition, agriculture is responsible for almost half of the country’s Gross Domestic Product. Accordingly, agricultural development has been identified by the government as a key to economic growth and poverty reduction in Sierra Leone.


Despite the key role Njala University has been given in helping to rebuild Sierra Leone, it isn’t without its share of unique challenges. For one, the campus was badly damaged during the civil war and was abandoned for over 15 years. In addition, half of the University’s faculty had fled the country or had died in the conflicts. Also, a key area that had been underdeveloped in the Njala University’s strategic plan was how to get the institution to play a key role in developing working linkages with extension personnel, farm groups, community organizations and private corporations.
Fortunately for Njala University, a strategic planning partnership with the University of Guelph can yield strong help for the task. The University is one of the country’s most research-intensive educational institutions and has developed a strong track record over the years for extension and cooperative efforts with industry, farmers and government. And the larger Ontario agricultural infrastructure could also make a contribution if called upon, due to its well-developed approach to collaborative efforts.


Having recently met with the Sierra Leone delegation, I am left with two strong impressions. First, I was impressed with the commitment and dedication of the Njala representatives to rebuild their country and their efforts to seek out the best help in using agriculture as one of the prime development tools. Second, I was thankful that our infrastructure and working relationships within Ontario agriculture are well developed. We sometimes grumble about our domestic agricultural system as we seek to improve it day-by-day, but it remains a wonderful achievement for delivering opportunities and creating wealth. I wish the Njala University and the University of Guelph well in their partnership and pray that it will deliver great benefits for the people of Sierra Leone.

 
John Clementis the General Manager of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario. The CFFO Commentary represents the opinions of the writer and does not necessarily represent CFFO policy. The CFFO Commentary is heard weekly on CFCO Chatham, CKNX Wingham, and UCB Canada radio stations in Chatham, Belleville, Bancroft, Brockville and Kingston. It is also archived on the CFFO website: www.christianfarmers.org. CFFO is supported by 4,200 family farmers across Ontario.

Views: 55

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Hail damage recovery dependent on growth stage

Parts of northwest Iowa experienced hail damage June 11. Damage varied depending upon the location of the field, but there are many fields that were damaged severely, with corn plants being entirely stripped of leaves and some soybean fields being a total loss. For those folks dealing with hail damage, the first step should be to communicate with a crop insurance agent, said Gentry Sorenson, Iowa State University Extension field agronomist based in Northwest Iowa. Waiting 7-10 days after a hail event helps give the crops a chance to recover and makes it easier to assess the damage. However, depending upon the severity of the injury assessment, it may be possible sooner, Sorenson said in a news release. Most corn was around the V5 to V7 growth stage. Corn’s growing point is below ground until the V6 growth stage. Depending upon the stage of the corn, the growing point may have been below ground or right at ground level. When evaluating the hail damage, consider the amount of defoli

Evaluate fields for emerging soybean gall midge

Soybean gall midge adults have been detected in east-central Nebraska, marking the beginning of the 2025 emergence period and signaling risk for soybean fields. Soybean growth stage is a critical factor in susceptibility of soybean to the midge. Emerging in the spring from last year’s soybean fields, soybean gall midge adults lay eggs in fissures of new soybean plant stems. Growers with a history of soybean gall midge pressure may consider applying a foliar insecticide. A checklist can help growers decide whether insecticide will benefit their field: =Soybean gall midge adults have emerged in my area. =My soybean field is at the V2 stage or greater. =I observed soybean gall midge injury in the adjacent field last year. First identified in 2019, soybean gall midge has continued to cause significant injury to soybean in seven Midwest states as management of this pest has proven difficult. Foliar sprays have shown some response but are inconsistent between locations and years. No

Supporting economic growth in rural communities

Indigenous and small communities play a vital role in the province’s economy. Working together with non-profits, they tap into opportunities and address unique challenges to help rural Alberta grow its economic footprint. To support local projects that promote innovation and sustainable economic growth across the province, Alberta’s government is providing the second round of grants through the Small Community Opportunity Program. The program has awarded grants between $20,000 and $90,000 for 41 community-led projects that build capacity in agriculture, small-business supports and local economic development. “Indigenous and small communities are vital to Alberta and its long-term economic prosperity. For the second year, the Small Community Opportunity Program is financially backing Indigenous and small communities. These grants help to build capacity in small businesses and the agriculture industry. When rural communities succeed, all of Alberta thrives.” RJ Sigurdson, Minister of

FCC AgriSpirit Fund open for applications

 Farm Credit Canada is now accepting applications from registered charities, non-profit organizations who partner with a municipal body, territorial or provincial government, and non-profit organizations who partner with First Nations, Inuit or Métis governments/communities in rural Canada, for the FCC AgriSpirit Fund.

John Deere Sets a New Standard with the Launch of H Series Forestry Machines

John Deere launches its large-size H Series wheeled machines, designed to elevate productivity and operational efficiency.

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service