SkyscraperCity Forum banner

African Agriculture News

147K views 956 replies 71 participants last post by  NicSA 
#1 ·
Post news & discuss agriculture on the continent...

***********

Fertiliser Trees Prove a Hit in Southern Africa
allAfrica

Hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers in southern Africa are adopting fast-growing trees and shrubs to fertilise their fields naturally, for improved yields and incomes, according to a study.

Scientists at the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), a non-profit research organisation in Kenya, analysed two decades-worth of efforts to bring 'fertiliser trees' to African farms and announced their findings - which were published in the International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability - last month (14 October).

Fertiliser trees, such as the acacia tree, capture nitrogen from the air and transfer it to the soil in a process known as nitrogen-fixing. This restores nutrients and increases crop productivity, with the potential to double or even triple harvests. They also improve water efficiency on farms and help prevent soil erosion.

"Four hundred thousand farmers in southern Africa [Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe] are growing the trees to boost their farm yields, and there are still millions of resource-poor smallholders who could benefit from them," said Oluyede Ajayi, lead author of the study and a senior scientist at ICRAF.

The study found that maize yields and farmers' incomes are significantly higher in areas where the trees are used. In Zambia, for example, incomes for farmers using fertiliser trees averaged US$230-330 per hectare, while those who did not use the trees earned just US$130.
This increase in income provided food for up to 114 extra days.

Jackson Mulatya, a senior scientist at the Kenya Forest Research Institute, said that the practice [of planting these trees] could increase productivity and be widely adopted in Africa. "Herbaceous plants have been used to boost soil fertility since time immemorial ... scientists have modified the practice," he said.
 
#129 ·
Robust harvest expected as tomato disease subsides in Nigeria


About two months ago, a tomato disease hit farms across Nigeria, leading to a severe scarcity of the fruit. Consequently, prices have soared -- by over 400 percent in some cases -- leaving many a Nigerian household unable to afford them. But as Deji Badmus reports, the swing from scarcity to excess supply has taken barely 2 months, as a surge has cut prices sharply.
 
#130 ·
DuPont Aims to Roll Out Hybrid Corn Seed Program in Tanzania

DuPont Co.’s Pioneer unit hopes to expand its hybrid corn seed partnership with African governments and aid groups to Tanzania after setting up programs for farmers to use its seed in Ethiopia and Zambia.

In Ethiopia the Wilmington, Delaware-based company, the biggest supplier of hybrid corn seeds in Africa, in 2013 partnered with the government and the U.S. Agency for International Development and there are now 300,000 hectares (741,300 acres) growing corn using the seed.

In February the program was rolled out in Zambia and the company hopes to complete talks with Tanzania this year and launch the program next year, Prabdeep Bajwa, the African regional business director for Pioneer, said in an interview in Bloomberg’s Johannesburg office on Aug. 5. The program includes training and financing for farmers.

"We have to work very closely with governments,” he said. “It’s programs like AMSAP for example, that are proof points” for the use of hybrid seed.
Dupont, through its Pioneer and Pannar units, is trying to expand its seed business in Africa where there is about 35 million hectares of land under corn with an average yield of less than 2 metric tons per hectare, he said. That’s less than third of the average productivity of U.S. corn farms.

"We have had conversation in Ghana about the same deal," Bajwa said. The governments are becoming more receptive
."
While genetically modified corn seed is used in South Africa it is not permitted elsewhere on the continent, boosting the potential for hybrid seed, Bajwa said.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-08/dupont-aims-to-roll-out-hybrid-corn-seed-program-in-tanzania
 
#131 ·
Road to Senegal's rice self-sufficiency
25/08/2016




Senegal is determined to end its rice imports. According to the stakeholders in the rice sector, the total domestic production of white rice has been significantly increased.

Triggered by high international prices since 2011, several initiatives to upgrade the rice value chain have emerged in the private sector.

Rice is a staple food in Senegal. The country’s government is aiming to achieve self-sufficiency by next year.

The Senegalese are big consumers of rice, with an average of 90 kg of rice per year per capita. Half of this amount per capita comes from the importation of Thai or Chinese rice.

In the country, the slogan “Feeding the Senegal by Senegalies” is about to materialize. Major public investments in the rice sector is done in the Senegal River Valley (SRV) paddy rice, to extend production areas already in existence.

Because of the the exacerbation of biological and institutional constraints in the valley, rice growers had difficulties in maintaining productivity of their land. These constraints prevented them from further intensification- jeopardizing the national objective of self-sufficiency.

A platform was created, bringing together traders, millers and rice importers. It includes the Senegalese government and the banks to discuss substantial efforts to extend the initiative.

All these actors gathered this week to take stock of the situation of rice in Senegal and are yet to report of the outcomes.
http://www.africanews.com/2016/08/25/road-to-senegal-s-rice-self-sufficiency/
 
#133 ·
<snip>

Last year, the governments of Indonesia and Malaysia initiated the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries or CPOPC as a common platform to promote palm oil and neutralise trade barriers as both nations collectively produce 85 per cent of the world’s consumption of this basic cooking ingredient.

There are some some 10 million small farmers tending to oil palms across the equatorial belt of the globe.

Indonesia and Malaysia supply an annual 50 million tonnes of palm cooking oil as a kitchen staple among billions of people living in China, India and other developing nations.

Luhut expressed strong convictions for Indonesia and Malaysia to step up co-operation to dismantle increasing trade barriers hampering palm oil exports and future growth.

Apart from Indonesia and Malaysia, oil palms are also cultivated across Thailand, Papua New Guinea, Central and West Africa and Latin America -- all of which are developing countries in the humid tropics.

Essentially, Luhut said CPOPC membership, under government-to-government framework, is open to all oil palm cultivating countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Thailand, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Uganda.

</snip>
http://www.nst.com.my/news/2016/08/169384/malaysia-appoints-representative-cpopc?m=1
 
#134 ·
Nigeria's Urban Agriculture : Inspiring And Innovative Hydroponic Farming System








Instead of growing plants in soils, these rubber container with foam in it is used instead

Agriculture and Agribusiness are two words that have become prominent in Nigeria at this time, with government harping on the need for more people to venture into the sector. This call, however, requires a new generation of farmers to come up with innovative ideas, to sustain the nation’s economy which largely relied on agriculture for revenue before the discovery of crude oil.

One of such innovations is that of an epidemiologist who has decided to contribute her quota to providing fresh food for urban areas like Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city, using a hydroponic system that enables her grow plants without soil. Her efforts help to conserve land and water while providing a viable means of survival for the crops as well as creating job opportunities for the people.

Oil-rich Nigeria at the moment solely depends on crude-oil as its major source of revenue. However, the nation is exploring other means of revenue generation and youth empowerment with an intensified focus on agriculture sector. Epidemiologist turned environmental activist, Angel Adelaja, admits to the difficulty of accessing land, water and other things necessary for effective agriculture in the earlier stages. She said these were some of the reasons she decided to explore the green housing system of agriculture.

In the bid to practice agriculture in a more simplified but efficient way, she sought to lower the barrier to entering into it, by reducing certain risks through the use of hydroponics and containerised farming, a system generally known as Urban Agriculture, whereby plants are grown with their roots in mineral nutrient solutions and water only.

Adelaja was energized by the technology, but then there was a downside. Hydroponics had to be imported and as such was expensive. So expensive that it was clearly out of reach for ordinary people whom she had in mind. Together with her team, Adelaja was able to produce indigenous hydroponics farming system, using locally made and recyclable items. Today, her company, "Fresh Direct produce and agro-allied service" is a leading agro-allied company growing fresh vegetables and distributing meat to over 100 registered clients.

In her words: “You would notice that one acre can usually do about 2,000 heads of lettuce, but with what we’re doing here, one container is doing 3,000 heads of lettuce”.
She yields at least 120kg per harvest monthly, and has slowly built a steady patronage from companies and individuals who purchase her vegetables. Minimal pest attacks on her crops, land and water conservation, and a maximum eco-friendly practice are amongst some of the major benefits she enjoys from Urban Agriculture.
Source
 
#137 ·
Workshop sets timetable for doubling Tanzanian aquaculture production
January 13, 2017, 9:27 am


Government and aid organizations are behind a scheme to help double Tanzanian aquaculture production by 2025, and triple its contribution to the economy.

Last week 30 scientists representing Tanzanian stakeholders as well as international research organizations met for a three-day workshop in Zanzibar, to develop an aquaculture strategy for the country.

The workshop discussed ways to utlize huge freshwater resources in the country, and environmental conditions favorable to tilapia farming. Tilapia already live in huge numbers in the Great Lakes (Victoria, Tanganyika, Malawi/Nyasa) that cover 6% of the east African country's land area.

The meeting was funded by the Swedish "Agriculture for Food Security 2030" (AgriFoSe) program and jointly organised by University of Dar Es Salaam, Worldfish Malaysia, and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Participation of scientists from Bangor University and Earlham Institute was supported by a BBSRC award from the Global Challenge Research Fund (GCRF).

The main outcome of the workshop was a new consortium between the partners, committed to establishing a National Aquaculture Development Centre (NADC).

Charles Mahika, director of aquaculture at the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (MALF) said: "The ministry of agriculture, livestock and fisheries takes this opportunity to welcome the Zanzibar Resolution on Aquaculture Development in Tanzania and the international support to aquaculture development in the country."

The fisheries sector currently contributes 4.5% to Tanzania's national GDP.
https://www.undercurrentnews.com/20...or-doubling-tanzanian-aquaculture-production/
 
#138 ·
Really good news for the year ahead, GDP growth, and the region as a whole.

South Africa's maize output seen rising 84% in 2017


Photo by Bloomberg
24TH MARCH 2017
BY: REUTERS

South African farmers are expected to harvest 84% more maize this season compared with last season as yields were boosted by increased rains, a Reuters survey of five traders and market analysts showed on Friday.
The government's Crop Estimates Committee (CEC), which will provide its second production forecast for the 2017 crop on Tuesday, is seen pegging the harvest at 14.35-million tonnes compared with 7.78-million tonnes last year.

The range was 14-million to 15.19-million hectares. The poll is 3% higher than the CEC's last forecast of 13.918-million hectares following improved weather conditions brought by a La Nina weather system that is usually associated with wetter and cooler weather.
...
http://engineeringnews.co.za/articl...put-seen-rising-84-percent-in-2017-2017-03-24
 
#139 ·
Rice: Mali forecasts record output of 3 million Mt for 2017-18 season
03 April 2017

According to recent forecasts from Mali’s ministry of agriculture, the country’s rice output for the 2017-18 season should reach 3 million metric tons, Reuters reports. This represents an 8% increase compared to the output of the previous season (2.78 million Mt).

Namory Diabate, the head of the statistics service at the ministry, said the improvement in output forecast, is partly due to an increase of rice-growing areas. These should stand around 950,000 hectares.

On another side, the improvement is explained by a greater commitment of the government toward the sector. This includes efforts to boost irrigation, knowingly through the distribution of motorized water pumps and the provision of new varieties of rice to farmers.

Second producer of rice in West Africa behind Nigeria, Mali had a surplus of 535,448 metric tons of the crop in the 2016-17 season, according to the ministry of agriculture.

Let’s recall that in Mali, the rice season includes a production phase which goes from May to October and a commercialization phase which goes from October to March.
http://www.ecofinagency.com/agricul...ord-output-of-3-million-mt-for-2017-18-season
 
#140 ·
Mauritius: National Wholesale Vegetable Market to Be Completed By 2019, Announces the PM

PRESS RELEASE
Government is investing some Rs 370 million in the setting up of the national wholesale vegetable market of 12 000sq ft on 8 acres on land and which will be completed by 2019. This new infrastructure, a first for Mauritius, will improve the handling of fruits and vegetables, both post-harvest and for onward sales. It will also be fully compliant with all existing relevant legislations and agricultural and food standards.

This statement was made by the Prime Minister, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, at a ceremony for the setting up of the national wholesale vegetable market, organised at Five Ways, Belle Rive on 8 April 2017, in the presence of other personalities.

With the establishment of this national wholesale vegetable market, farmers can sell their products directly to wholesalers, bypassing intermediaries, stated the Prime Minister. In addition, the supply chain of agricultural products would be simplified, and farmers would have greater control over the prices of fruits and vegetables, he added.

Mr Jugnauth also announced the construction of a national centre on biotechnology. According to him, it is imperative that we invest in research if we want to move forward. The Prime Minister said that new measures will be implemented with regards to agricultural production so as to help the farmers' community. All sectors will have to be uplifted to create a modern Mauritius, he pointed out.

For his part, the Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr Mahen Seeruttun, said that in a country that is modernising, the sale of vegetables and fruit cannot continue under conditions with an archaic system. He recalled that Belle Rive is accessible to all regions of the country and there will be enough parking spaces for vehicles.

In Mauritius, fruit and vegetable production is around 115 000 tonnes per year and 60 % of it go through auction sales either in Port Louis, Flacq or Vacoas, underlined the Minister, adding that the production of vegetables for 2016 has increased by 4.7 % compared to 2015.

With the coming into operation of the national wholesale vegetable market, there will be better market efficiency, synergies and cost sharing among operators. Such an infrastructure will provide better transparency in market dealings and at the same time put up modern and adequate premises to the fruits and vegetables food system, said the Minister.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201704100571.html
 
#142 ·
The South African National Space Agency has developed a system to monitor crops


An image of the city of Bloemfontein, taken in 2016 by the SPOT6 satellite


The Earth Observation (EO) Directorate of the South African National Space Agency (Sansa) has developed an advanced crop-monitoring system for South Africa that will also be made available to other African countries, in due course.

“We are able to monitor their [the crops’] condition through time,” Sansa EO acting MD Dr Paida Mangara told the 37th International Symposium on Remote Sensing of the Environment (ISRSE) in Pretoria.

“We want to implement it through-out the African region through our cooperation with NEPAD,” he told “Engineering News Online”. “Currently, there are five countries which will pilot the system. We are developing the implementation plan, starting with these five countries.” Their names will be released at a later date, jointly with NEPAD.

“We have to transform Terabytes of EO data into understandable and useable information,” he highlighted at ISRSE. “That is where our key focus is, at the moment.” To this end, Sansa has its own EO Data Centre, and the agency is looking at developing a high performance computing centre for EO.

Engineering News
 
#143 ·
Algeria's dams 70% full



May 12, 2017
The filling rate of Algeria’s dams nationwide has reached 70 percent, the Director General of the National Agency of Dams and Water Transfers (ANBT), Beraki Arezki, said Thursday in Mila (east of Algiers), APS reported.

Similar to that of the same period of last year, this situation is “very comfortable” to satisfy all the needs, namely drinking water supply and irrigation, said ANBT.

In this aspect, new dams, with an overall retention capacity of 500 million m3, will come into effect by the end of 2017.

These include the Ouldjet Mellag dams in Tebessa (to supply the Oued Kébrit phosphate complex in Souk Ahras), Soubella to M’sila (90% achievement rate), Béni Slimane to Médéa (Agricultural irrigation), Ettaht to Mascara and Seglaba to Laghouat.

Four (4) other dams will be received between 2018 and 2019, added the ANBT official.

132 retirees of the ANBT were honored during the ceremony held at the headquarters of the Agency in the region of Essibari in Beni Haroun.
The 100 best workers among the 6,000 employees were also honored on occasion in an initiative that, according to the ANBT CEO, “encourages and rewards performance”.
https://www.dzbreaking.com/2017/05/12/algerias-dams-70-full/
 
#144 ·
Record maize harvest will be more than 100% higher than in 2016

The expected maize harvest has been estimated at 15.631-million tonnes in 2017 — the largest maize crop to date in the country.

In its fourth production estimate report for the year, the Crop Estimates Committee said on Friday it had revised the maize output estimate 7.54% higher against the previous estimate.

Favourable weather conditions enabled farmers to increase the area planted for summer crops, with maize output now expected to be 101% more in 2017 than it was in 2016.

The expected crop has already led to a significant decrease in grain prices in anticipation of the harvest.

The benefits of the bumper crop include lower food prices for consumers. Consumer inflation has been slowing steadily this year. Inflation for April came in better than expected on Wednesday at an increase of 5.3% from a year earlier.

The white maize futures contracts for July delivery settled at R1,735 per tonne on the JSE’s commodity derivatives market on Friday. This was down considerably from R5,000 per tonne just over a year ago.

https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/c...st-will-be-more-than-100-higher-than-in-2016/
 
#145 ·
^^Great news. I read that the US harvests more than 300 million tons per season! We still have some way to go. SA needs to subsidize farmers so that we can increase our production, at least by double. I think should aim for more than 30 million tons per season, we can then beneficiate the corn into poultry and export a lot of it to the African market. It will be very lucrative IMO.
 
#148 ·
We're a pretty large country with a large population and we embrace GM tech We should aim to be an agriculture powerhouse. It's a great ambition to have, to be the breadbasket for the burgeoning African economy.
 
#160 ·
Ive read most African countries would prefer non gm food sources with the whole region seeing an increase in maize production, there is now competition to SA in maize production. It makes more sense for Kenya to import maize from Malawi(COMESA) than SA
 
#149 ·
Western Cape Chardonnay named world’s best

Paul Cluver winery in Elgin near Cape Town received the Platinum Best in Show award for its Seven Flags Chardonnay 2016 by the Decanter World Wine Awards 2017, announced this week, the Western Cape government said.

Another Western Cape winery Klein Constantia received a Platinum Best in Show award for its Vin de Constance, one of the estate’s well-known sweet wines. More than 200 experts started the judging process for this year’s awards in London last month.

Western Cape Economic Opportunities MEC Alan Winde congratulated both establishments for their wins at the Decanter World Wine Awards, which was one of the world’s largest wine competitions.

“Over 17,000 entries were recorded for the 2017 Decanter World Wine Awards. Winning top awards at this competition speaks to the high quality of Paul Cluver and Klein Constantia’s wine offerings. Their wins are excellent promotion for our wine industry,” he said.

http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-afr...ern-cape-chardonnay-named-worlds-best-9379691
 
#150 ·
Macadamia Nut Craze Transforms Farmland in South Africa's East

Booming demand for macadamias is transforming farmland in eastern South Africa, as landowners switch focus from bananas and sugarcane to the creamy nuts used in sweet treats from ice cream to cookies.

First introduced in South Africa in the 1960s, evergreen macadamia nut trees are grown on farms across the Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, with about 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres) being added every year, according to the local industry group.

Annual sales from the country, which vies with Australia as the top producer and exporter, have surpassed 4 billion rand ($309 million), from 32 million rand two decades ago.

“The macadamia story is a beautiful one,” said Richard Mattison, one of the biggest private growers in South Africa, who has about 600 hectares of the trees on his farm near Port Edward, south of the coastal city of Durban. “In 2009, we got about 5 rand a kilogram of nuts. Now we’re getting between 110 and 120 rand.”

Estimated global consumption of macadamia nut kernels surged 59 percent between 2010 and 2014, according to data from the International Nut and Dried Fruit Council. Yet the nuts, which are either sold in their shiny, brown shells or processed to extract a round, creamy kernel, only account for about 1 percent of global tree nut production, with almonds, cashews and walnuts leading the rankings.

South Africa’s output is likely to more than double by 2020, according to Alex Whyte, head of Europe, Middle East and Africa sales at the Green Farms Nut Company, which processes about 25 percent of the domestic crop. The country may harvest as much as 45,000 metric tons of nuts this year, according to the association. About 95 percent of production is exported, with China, the U.S. and Canada among the biggest buyers.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...ze-transforms-farmland-in-south-africa-s-east
 
#151 ·
South African maize yields vs rest of Africa



SA's yield this season is the highest at 5.5 tons/hectare.
Why are African countries so anti-GM food/tech though? It would really improve their yields and allow Africa to become an agri powerhouse. I'm sure western NGO's have something to do with it. BTW maize yields in the US are more than 10 tons/hectare, more than 2X the rSA yield.
 
Top