Rislan

As the COVID-19 confirmed cases continue to soar, the government continues to implement and extend lockdown as of its the only tool in its tool box. But it’s not. And the set up of our economy is not designed (if at all there is a design) to cope with this closure let alone handle it. A total lockdown unconditionally forces the citizens to stay at home but can go out to get essential services such as groceries or see a doctor or get drugs.  If you don’t provide essential services, you will close shop and go home and rest. However, in our highhanded approach to most things that have to do with the masses, even the markets selling foods and drugs have been shut. An abuse of government power here. On the other hand, a partial lockdown is just like a total lockdown but with more services allowed to operate with strict regulations. Services such as supermarkets, pharmacies, convenience stores, hotels, factories, restaurants, railways and bus services can be allowed to operate. This ...

The Ahmadu Bello University ’s Faculty of Agriculture and the Institute for Agricultural Research Samaru will present a series of webinars focusing on COVID-19’s impact on agriculture in Africa. The first webinar will be held on Wednesday, April 29, at 12 noon. West Africa Time (WAT). The presentation, “COVID-19 Pandemic/Lockdown: Innovative Agricultural Research Activities,” will be delivered by Professor Mohammad Faguji Ishiyaku , Executive Director, the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) Samaru, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria. The Food and Agriculture Organization has estimated that 60% of the world’s people depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. COVID-19 is a global pandemic that is already having tangible effects on the agriculture sector. According to the Brookings Institution, COVID-19 could result in a global loss of $2.4 trillion to over $9 trillion in gross domestic product this year alone. And according to the World Bank, agriculture accounted...