Fish farming tackles malnutrition in Uganda Pg 26 F A R M E R S R E V I E W A F R I C A I S S U E 2 0 2 1 thePlease.farmersreviewafrica.comvisitwebsite farmersreviewafrica.comREVIEWFARMERSAFRICA In this issue... Volume 10. Issue 4 July/August 2022 Agriculturists’ unique stewardship responsibility Pg 12 Organization Making Poultry Farming Affordable in Africa Pg 28 Insurance payouts vital to protect Malawian smallholder farmers
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Tecno Announces New Customer-Centric Strategy and Refreshed Brand Identity CONTENTS Editor’s NotePRODUCTFEATURENEws Volume 10. Issue 4. July/August 2022 Anthony Kiganda editor@farmersreviewafrica.com Executive Editor Anthony editor@farmersreviewafrica.comKiganda sub Editor Anita Anyango Contributing writers Lawrence Paganga Zimbabwe Nqobile Bhebhe Zimbabwe Oscar Nkala Botswana Bertha M South Africa Jane Marsh Environment.co Project Manager Victor sales@farmersreviewafrica.comNdlovu Art Director & Layout Augustine austin@arobia.co.keOmbwa Correspondents Isabel +260mutaleketanipikes@gmail.comMutalezambia@farmersreviewafrica.comBandaK.Pikes’761730213 sales & Marketing Gladmore. leslien@farmersreviewafrica.compolitem@farmersreviewafrica.comPolitekholwanid@farmersreviewafrica.comKholwani.mandlam@farmersreviewafrica.comMandlagladmoren@farmersreviewafrica.comNM.DMkhize East African Liaison Arobia Creative Consultancy Tel: +254 772 arobia@farmersreviewafrica.com187334, Published by : Mailing Times Media +27 11 044 sales@farmersreviewafrica.com8986 Mtombosola on Unsplash Mailing Times Media (Pty) Ltd makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the contents of its publications, but no warranty is made as to such accuracy and no responsibility will be borne by the publisher for the consequences of actions based on information so published. Further, opinions expr essed are not necessarily shared by Mailing Times Media (Pty) Ltd REVIEWFARMERSAFRICA Now is the time to embrace Ecological farming in Africa www.farmersreviewafrica.com Fish farming tackles malnutrition in Uganda Pg 26 AFRICAREVIEWFARMERS 2022May/JuneIssue10.Volume www.farmersreviewafrica.com thePlease.farmersreviewafrica.comvisitwebsite farmersreviewafrica.com FARMERS In this issue... Volume 10. Issue 4 July/August 2022 Agriculturists’ unique stewardship responsibility Pg 12 Organization Making Poultry Farming Affordable in Africa Pg 28 Insurance payouts vital to protect Malawian smallholder farmers US Microsoft’s Redmond campus inspires Zambia agritech “Effectivestartupclimate protection is only possible together” Finding a Balance Between Pesticides and Organic Pest Control Methods Ugandan farmer takes over as president of Slow Food 24 34 30 42 An international team of scientists has found that eco-friendly practices such as growing a range of crops, including legumes such as beans or pigeonpea, and adding plant residues or manure to soils can raise food crop yields in places such as rural Africa, where smallscale farmers cannot apply much nitrogen fertilizer.Published in the science journal Nature Sustainability and examining data from 30 long-running field experiments involving staple crops (wheat, maize, oats, barley, sugar beet, or potato) in Europe and Africa, this major study is the first to compare farm practices that work with nature to increase yields and explore how they interact with fertilizer use and tillage. Recognizing that humanity must intensify production on current arable land to feed its rising numbers, the paper advances the concept of “ecological intensification,” meaning farming methods that enhance ecosystem services and complement or substitute for human-made inputs, like chemical fertilizer, to maintain or increase yields.In the wake of major supply chain challenges caused by both external and internal factors, Africa should display a radical departure from the past in agriculture. The good news is that we are not reinventing the wheel. We have examples to emulate. Countries like France, the Netherlands and Denmark are a good example.Thebenefits of ecological farming are many but top in the list is that it helps in soil water management at a time when the world is facing a real threat in climate change.
Mauritius, India to collaborate with others for food security AfDB Group Board approves more than US$ 1B for Emergency Food Production agri dealer switches to Massey Ferguson
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• Central Africa (4): Central Africa Republic, Chad, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon.
• Southern Africa (6): Eswatini, Madagascar, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique.
programs targeting 24 countries: eight countries in West Africa; five in East Africa; six in Southern Africa; four in Central Africa and one in North Africa. “This is a landmark week for the African Development Bank and the African Emergency Food Production Facility,” said Dr. Beth Dunford, the Bank’s Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development. “These programs will deliver much-needed climate-adapted seeds, access to affordable fertilizers and usher in policy reforms to enable the agriculture sector to supply immediate, medium and long-term solutions to challenges faced in regional member countries.”
The African Emergency Food Production Facility is designing programs to respond to requests from more countries on the continent. The facility focuses on staple crops that many African nations largely import from Russia and Ukraine. However, the Russia-Ukraine war has left the continent facing a deficit of at least 30 million tons of food. Successful implementation of the facility will deliver 38 million tons of food, exceeding the amount imported from Russia and Ukraine. Through the facility, African farmers will produce approximately 11 million tons of wheat, 18 million tons of maize, 6 million tons of rice and 2.5 million tons of soybeans. The program will build on the success of the Bank’s Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) platform. Launched in 2019, TAAT delivered heat-tolerant wheat seed varieties to 1.8 million farmers in seven countries.
Approves More Than $1 Billion for Emergency Food Production Plan
As of 15 July, the Bank Group’s Board of Directors had approved a total of $1.13 billion in mixed financing for Emergency Facility
An unknown disease is decimating cattle in Moamba, to the consternation of the more than 3,000 breeders in that part of Maputo province, Mozambique. The most worrying cases are registered in the villages of Mukakaza 1 and 2, where two to three animals a day are dying of the so-far undiagnosed Breedersdisease. suspect that the disease is transmitted by wild animals, probably buffalo, which frequent pastures and watering places used by cattle. Moamba breeders say they have lost more than
• West Africa (8): Senegal, Liberia, Niger, Togo, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Côte d’Ivoire Nigeria
• Northern Africa (1): Egypt 130 head of cattle to the disease in the last three years. The Maputo Provincial Director of Agriculture and Fisheries says that the livestock sector is aware of the situation and is working to identify the disease. In Maputo province, the diseases most often affecting cattle are theileriosis and foot-andmouth disease. Moamba district is the secondlargest cattle breeding centre in Maputo province, after Magude, with around 75 000 registered cattle.
NEWS 2 | July - August 2022
The African Development Bank Group’s Board of Directors has approved 24, fasttrack programs to help Africa mitigate rising food prices and inflation caused by Russia’s war in Ukraine, climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic. The first round of approvals is part of the Bank’s $1.5 billion African Emergency Food Production Facility, established in May to boost food security, nutrition, and resilience across the continent. The facility will provide 20 million African smallholder farmers with certified seeds and increased access to agricultural fertilizers. It will also support governance and policy reform, which is expected to encourage greater investment in Africa’s agricultural sector. The African Emergency Food Production Facility will enable African farmers to produce 38 million additional tons of food over the next two years. This is food worth an estimated $12 billion.
Full list of beneficiary countries of the first batch of approvals:
• East Africa (5): Tanzania, Kenya, Burundi, South Sudan, Somalia.
Unknown disease kills cattle inAfDBMozambiqueGroupBoard
It also increased wheat production by 2.7 million tons, valued at $840 million.
NEWS July - August 2022 | 3 Since 16 June 2022, the rainfall in Côte d’Ivoire has been above average. The torrential rains of June 21 were the heaviest recorded since the beginning of the rainy season in the country, with nearly 200 mm of water in less than 24 hours in several neighbourhoods of Abidjan and near-urban areas. This is the equivalent of several weeks of rain that caused major flooding and landslides. Waterspouts and mud and rock flows caused loss of life and serious material damage. In the 10 localities affected, the damage recorded thanks to the rapid assessment made by the Red Cross Society of Côte d’Ivoire (RCSCI) includes the destruction of 134 houses and 11 schools, the collapse of roads, flooding of markets, contamination of wells, etc. The heavy flooding led to the breaking of water pipes, thereby further increasing the water level in the communities. Ten localities were affected, including five in the hinterland (Alépé, Azaguié, Bonoua, Dabou, and Grand-Bassam) and five in Abidjan (Abobo, Anyama, Attécoubé, Bingerville, and Port-Bouët).
7 days, with 6 being swept away by landslides following the heavy rains on 16 June in western InAbidjan.terms of the number of deaths, the situation is more serious than in previous rainy seasons, this is a major concern to the government. Since the 16 June heavy rains including torrential rains on 21 June with nearly 200 mm of water in less than 24 hours, equivalent to several weeks of rain, have caused major flooding and landslides in several neighbourhoods of Abidjan. To date, 15 people died and 114 were injured. A total of 11,478 people are affected and need emergency assistance including shelter for 2,418 people who lost their houses.
Torrential rains hit Cote d’Ivoire
A total of 11 478 people, an estimated 1 913 households were affected by the disaster. The damage recorded and the water situation severely affected the living conditions, hygiene and access to basic necessities, food and nonfood items and other goods. Some 403 households or 2 418 people - are still without shelter, as their houses were destroyed or still flooded. Although 97 inhabitants were able to return to their homes with the first aid of the Red Cross after the waters were evacuated, other households are still relocated in host families. To date, 114 injured were registered and have received first aid; and 13 people died in less than
“In addition, at the moment they are not necessary because the effort and responsibility of poultry farmers guarantees the supply of chicken for the coming months.” COAG asked the EU and the Spanish government for fewer imports from third countries and more support for local poultry farms. “10 million were allocated for 5, 000 poultry farms, leaving out other poultry sectors such as laying hens, turkey, quail, etc... - Totally insufficient aid,” said Ureña.
EU opens doors for Moroccan chickens
“This situation may be aggravated by this increase in imports from third countries, which do not comply with the EU’s demanding regulations The price of fertiliser in Zimbabwe has increased by 71%, the World Food Programme (WFP) has said in its latest report, adding the hike was likely to affect this year’s summer cropping season. The WFP said challenges being faced in accessing fertiliser mainly as a result of sharp price increases is likely to negatively impact production of the winter cropping season and the 2022/23 agricultural season.
“The price of a 50kg bag of AN fertiliser increased by 71% to an average US$94 by end of June 2022 compared to US$55 during the previous cropping season,” it added. However, according to the WFP, the lifting of import duties on prioritized basic food and nonfood commodities in response to emerging shortages will cushion some household groups, but access for poorer households will likely remain constrained. “Although the ZIMVAC RLA 2022 indicates slight improvements in the food consumption patterns, it also projects
In a press statement, the Coordination of Farmers’ Organisation (COAG) rejected the opening of the borders to Moroccan chicken. COAG has denounced on numerous occasions the “critical” situation that Spanish poultry farmers are going through in the face of the “brutal” increase in production costs resulting from the increase in energy costs (+150%), feed (+35%) and prices at the threshold of profitability.
NEWS 4 | July - August 2022
After maintaining for years that they did not meet the conditions, the European Union has authorised the entry of Moroccan poultry meat, as stated in Regulation 2022/1040 published on 30 June. “At the moment there is no need for extra imports from third countries that, in addition, do not comply with the demanding European regulations on animal health and welfare,” stressed Eloy Ureña of COAG, the Spanish organisation for farmers and livestock breeders. and high standards in terms of biosafety, quality and animal welfare,” said Ureña.
“The reality is that the situation of poultry producers is limited and we demand that, from the administration, a package of powerful and effective support measures be implemented before the entire poultry sector goes bankrupt Ureñatechnically.”also asked the ministry of agriculture for more means to increase the inspections of the Food Information and Control Agency (AICA) regarding compliance with the Food Chain Law in the contracts of integrating companies with livestock farmers and in abusive commercial practices of distribution chains.
deterioration of food security situation in the country, as measured by access to cereals, from 27% in 2021 and 38% during the peak hunger period i.e. January to March 2023.” The increase in fertiliser prices in Zimbabwe has been blamed on the ongoing Ukraine/Russia war.
Fertiliser increases by over 70% in Zimbabwe
NEWS July - August 2022 | 5
of Somaliland, which is not recognized by the international community and which Mogadishu considers an integral part of Somalia. They were re-established in August 2021. However, tables have turned and the authority has confirmed that 22 Traders who have been approved by AFA will receive their export licenses. The situation changed after bilateral Kenya set for first miraa consignment to leave for Somalia Kenya is set to export its first miraa to Somalia today. Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) announced that Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya confirmed the report and said all systems go for the resumption of miraa exports. The resumption follows Somalia lifting the ban on air freighting khat from Kenya that had been in place for more than two years. The ban hit central Kenya hard, where 50 tons of miraa worth 6 million shillings ($50,000) were being shipped to Somalia every day, according to Kimathi Munjuri, secretary general of one of the main miraa producers’ associations.
“To date we have recorded 1 537.4 hectares (ha) of cane and cash crops having been eroded. At an estimated cost of R32 000 to replant per hectare, this totals R49 196 800 as we have confirmed that almost all affected fields need to be replanted,” SAFDA said. It said the most affected were small-scale farmers who depended on crops for cash and consumption. “This means such farmers lost not only their business but their household food “Thissource.”poses a serious threat which will last beyond the rain season. When the rain is over mills will open and farmers will be expected to deliver their cane produce for crushing. This will not be possible before the collapsed farm bridges and roads are repaired.”
Villagers in Katongo, Zambia have received better nutrition thanks to a partnership between Salesian Missions, a U.S-based development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco, and Feed My Starving Children, a nonprofit Christian organisation.
Khat is classified as a drug in several European countries. Kenya and Somalia, which share a 700-kilometre border and are in theory allies in the fight against the Shebab Islamists, have a tumultuous relationship. Somalia has regularly accused Kenya of interference, while Kenya has accused Mogadishu of seeking a scapegoat for its internal problems. Somalia severed diplomatic relations with Kenya in December 2020, when Uhuru Kenyatta hosted the president of the self-proclaimed republic talks between President Uhuru Kenyatta and new Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
The association said R49m would be required for replanting crops and R42m for repairing infrastructure. “This report shows a number of growers affected as information keeps coming all day and every day,” SAFDA said. It added most farmers had experienced waterlogging, which affected the crops and the leaching of inputs such as fertiliser and chemicals while some growers lost their entire yields due soil erosion, and they would have to replant.
“The intervention required in this, and other similar instances is to assist with rebuilding farmhouses and farm workers’ quarters.” Farmers in irrigated areas have also experienced severe damage to irrigation such as pipes and pumps. “To confirm the extent of the damage the services of engineers and technicians will be required.”
Kenya’s exports to Somalia are worth 13 billion shillings (more than $110 million), or 5 per cent of its total exports to African countries in 2021, according to government data released in May. Imports from Somalia were worth 106 million shillings ($905,000) last year, the figures show.
Hundreds of school children in Zambia receiving meals to improve education
“Ideally the procurement should be done when prices are falling during the harvest period that starts in March and April. But the reality is that every year ADMARC, which has chronic funding difficulties, only starts buying in earnest months after the harvest when prices already are rising during the lean season. Most of the maize comes from private traders who accumulate speculative stocks from cash-hungry farmers at the time of harvest when prices were lowest.”
At least every few years the government must bail out ADMARC to repay its short-term commercial bank borrowings. Already in early 2022 the new general manager, Rhino Chipiko, was asking the government for a kwacha 50 billion (US$40 million) bailout in order to recapitalize after years of operating losses, very often resulting from fraudulent trading and insider dealings. ADMARC owns the largest network of warehouses in the country, totalling 300,000 tonnes of storage capacity at 400 sites. However, most of these sites are uneconomical due to remote locations and low volumes of maize and other crops delivered. Only the dozen or so large
Malawi seeks agricultural diversity
“Overall production has increased only marginally in the last 15 years. From 2017 to 2021 the average annual maize harvest was 3.4 million tonnes versus 3.3 million tonnes in the period from 2007 to 2011,” he said. During the same period, the number of Malawians has expanded by over 50%.Current population growth rate of 2.3% is among the highest globally, even though Malawi is already one of the most densely inhabited African nations. Its population is 7% larger than neighbouring Zambia’s but with only 16% of the land area, even when including the one-fifth that is Lake Malawi, Africa’s third largest freshwater body. “The country’s democratically elected government has a long history of supporting maize production with two major forms of subsidy: fertiliser distribution and maize procurement at a minimum support price,” said McKee. The two largely untargeted and highly controversial schemes eat up substantial amounts of annual budget spending for social causes. McKee added: “The Agricultural Development and Marketing Corp. (ADMARC) is the stateowned entity that is charged with buying maize from farmers at a minimum support price. Thanks to a bumper crop, the parastatal managed to procure 240,000 tonnes in its fiscal year ended March 31, 2022.
Few places depend on maize cultivation as much as Malawi, one of the world’s poorest countries. Around 80% of households are rural, and most of them grow rain fed white maize on plots averaging just one hectare, primarily for their own subsistence but also to generate some cash.
NEWS 6 | July - August 2022
According to David McKee’s grain industry consultancy from Key International LCC, a record crop of 4.2 million tonnes in the 2020-21 growing season was more than enough to feed the population of 20.8 million, even allowing some surplus for exports and to boost government reserves.LCC provides market research, feasibility analysis, technical studies and project guidance to companies and organizations.
July - August 2022 | 7 warehouse sites constituting district hubs are commercially viable. A separate entity, the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA), can store emergency and market intervention stocks of up to 180,000 tonnes in its massive concrete silo complex built in 1979 outside of Lilongwe. However only twothirds of the silo capacity is usable, and two of the three NFRA regional storage sites, with 20,000 tonnes of steel silo capacity each, have never operated since construction nearly 10 years ago.
To many informed observers, preoccupation with maize monoculture, despite low yields and prices, is helping to keep Malawi impoverished. Agricultural diversification as a path to development is a major focus for the government with support from World Bank lending and other international development partners. The entire soybean value chain has become a bright spot thanks to both surging domestic and export demand. In recent years, soybeans have begun to figure more significantly in Malawians diets. Feed milling has been expanding to meet demand for egg and chicken meats. The biggest poultry company, Capital Foods, is the largest buyer of maize in the country along with ADMARC, but also needs significant quantities of soybeans for animal feed production. There are now at least eight companies producing textured soy pieces. It was introduced by Export Trading Group as a new food product over 10 years ago to be enjoyed as a low-cost relish high in vegetable proteins to accompany the standard fare of maize meal a couple times per day. Daily soybean equivalent requirement of these processors has grown to a few hundred tonnes. Soybean oil for human consumption and substandard beans and soy pieces for use in animal feed are valuable by-products. Export demand for soybeans posed a challenge to the domestic processors in 2021.A short crop in India led to CIF Mumbai prices climbing to over $1,000 per tonne in August 2021 before collapsing. Traders in Malawi paid steadily higher prices throughout the summer and into the fall to buy up the last remaining quantities to fill the demand. Much of these export quantities may have originated in Zambia and Mozambique, where oilseed processors through their associations can veto legal soybean exports but can do little to stop the informal trade across porous borders.
International development partners, including the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and donor nations have been critical of the corruption-prone maize and fertilizer subsidies, maintaining the money would be better spent on basic government services such as health, education and roads.
Malawian exporters struggled to find enough trucks and containers to move the several thousand tons of soybeans from the landlocked country to Nacala and Beira ports in Mozambique and to Dar es Salaam for shipment to Mumbai. Thanks to a price at 2.5 times that of maize, farmers are bound to plant more soybeans and less maize, accelerating the trend of export-led agricultural diversification. The challenge is to increase productivity and Theyields.pending commercial release of new soybean varieties, developed in a five-year USAID funded project, has the potential to more than double yields from less than two tonnes per hectare to over four tonnes among large commercial farmers.
However, President Lazarus Chakwera, pledged to triple the subsidy by providing two 50-kg bags of fertilizer at around $5 each to all of 3.7 million registered farm households. The cost of the subsidy to the government was about 70% of the per bag cost. A major success of the subsidy scheme from the standpoint of the private sector suppliers was the use of a digitalized national identity card scheme to record sales of the fertilizer to the authorized beneficiaries.
In the current year, following a doubling of the international fertiliser price, the scheme was scaled back, and actual distribution reached only a fraction of the intended beneficiaries by the onset of the rainy season.
Malawi’s nutrient-weak soil needs enrichment to support the intensive farming needed for a growing population. The government has had schemes in place to subsidize fertilizer distribution for many years.
It is fortunate that the government is holding its largest maize reserve stocks in years. In April, the Ministry of Agriculture estimated the 2022 maize crop at just 3.1 million tonnes due to the lowest precipitation recorded in decades during the October to January onset of the rainy season combined with a crop destroyed by subsequent flooding. Lower fertilizer application due to skyrocketing prices also will contribute to a smaller crop.
NEWS 8 | July - August 2022
is a vehicle for timely advice and modernisation of our agricultural sector. The farmer is a key person and this forum is critical in conveying standardised extension messaging. There are so many players in the agricultural extension services sector and we have to ensure proper coordination in terms of the messages we give farmers. Conflicting messages does not benefit the farmer,” he said.
sharing of best practices and networking among agricultural extension service providers in the Thiscountry.forum
ZFAAS is now the country chapter of the African Forum for Advisory for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS) – pan African platform for sharing knowledge and best practices on extension services. The World Hunger Help, a German development agency, supported the establishment and launch of ZFAAS through the Zimbabwe Agriculture Knowledge and Innovation Services (ZAKIS) project.
brings together various stakeholders and actors in the agricultural extension sector to help benefit farmers with standardised and consistent messaging that will boost their crop productivity. “This is a step in the right direction. There is a lot of extension messaging which is going out to the farmers and at times the messages are contradictory. We need to standadise and harmonise our messaging so that farmers get correct information that will help them boost their yields,” said Dr Isiah Mharapara, chairperson of TheZFAAS.launch of ZFAAS was in fulfilment of the African Union agenda to promote and better coordinate the agricultural sector to enhance food security and transformed food systems.
“We need to promote coordination among all stakeholders to help transform the country’s agricultural sector through this platform,” said Kumbirai Nhongo, a ZAKIS project officer.
The government Zimbabwe has officially launched the national forum for agricultural advisory services to improve communication and coordination among all players in the agricultural sector. Gibson Chijarira, chief director in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development said the launch of the forum was an important milestone for the “Agriculturalcountry.extension
“This is part of a continental agenda by the AU to transform food systems in Africa. Most African countries now have vibrant forums and the launch of ZFAAS is a significant milestone for Zimbabwe.”
The Zimbabwe Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (ZFAAS) aims to improve agricultural communication and knowledge management, Zimbabwe launches an agricultural advisory forum
Food security is critical to ensuring that everyone has enough to eat and that families can build their communities without fear of losing their lives. To meet global demand, food production must be doubled in the coming years to address many issues such as starvation, malnutrition, and associated health problems. implement and cost effective in terms of setting up owing to the small space required, not labor intensive and not a threat to other competing priorities,” the officer said. Ms. Kinyua said they were implementing the project in partnership with an array of stakeholders both from the government and private sector to help boost the uptake and absorption of the new trend as well as link farmers with markets for their produce.
Facilitator Ms. Sharleen Muriuki from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Enterprise Department, said insect farming offered a highly economical and sustainable solution to food and nutrition insecurity in the country. She said return on investment was good as a kilo of mature crickets and black soldier flies could fetch up to Sh2, 500 with 3 grams of eggs fetching Sh1, 500 in the market. Ms. Muriuki said investment could be converted into profit within a duration of a month or less given that the insects have a short lifespan of 14 days for black soldier flies and 45 days for crickets to reach maturity. They have a high protein content of up to 60% and could be used to do value addition to foodstuffs such as flour or be incorporated to animal feeds. Additionally, the insects are very useful in environmental conservation as they mainly feed on leftovers foods and waste crops that they later convert into organic waste that could be used as manure in the farm.
Gobin praised the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and requested a collaboration Mauritius, India to collaborate with others for food security agreement with it. Tomar discussed the role of ICAR in the development of Indian agriculture, as well as the role of its affiliated Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), agricultural universities, and over 100 other institutions. He requested that the Mauritian leader prepare the framework for the Memorandum of Understanding so that it could be considered.
NEWS July - August 2022 | 9 The governments of India and Mauritius have agreed that both countries will collaborate more closely with other countries on food security. Maneesh Gobin, Mauritius’ Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, met with Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar, and drawn on the Tomaragreement.stated that the Government of India, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is very serious about agriculture and that many concrete steps have been taken to advance it, and that India has achieved self-sufficiency in food grain production to meet not only its domestic needs but also to export to other countries. Gobin stated that he has family ties to India and that approximately 60% of the Mauritius population is of Indian origin. He urged the formation of an alliance in the field of food security, as Prime Minister Modi has done in the field of solar energy.
Rainforest Alliance introduces insect rearing project to Kenyan farmers An international Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Rainforest Alliance, has embarked on a programme of popularizing insect rearing as a new lifeline and source of income among youth and women in Embu and Kirinyaga Counties in Kenya. The NGO’s Mt. Kenya Sustainable Landscape and Livelihood Programme official Susan Kinyua said edible insect farming especially of crickets and black soldier flies was a rapidly growing enterprise providing income, affordable protein for human and animal feeds as well as a means of environmental conservation. Ms. Kinyua said cricket and black soldier flies rearing had proven to be a viable economic activity as their demands were on the rise for food and feed.
“Our aim is to expose youth and women to technologies that can be turned into viable business enterprises for those without any economic activity as well as livelihood diversification for those with other economic engagements. Insect farming is easy to
Morocco launches urgent measures to mitigate impact of wildfires
The effective launch is part of a US $28.3million framework agreement that will be implemented gradually in the short and medium term. To this end, a campaign to distribute sheep and goats to people affected by forest fires was launched. It will be followed next week with the distribution of subsidized barley, then the delivery of beehives and fruit tree seedlings, and the launch of an operation to reforest forest areas affected by the “Servicesfires. under the authority of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests have begun with the effective implementation of the provisions of the framework agreement,” said the Regional Director of Agriculture of the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, Mahjoub Lahrach.
The government of Moroccan has launched urgent measures to mitigate the impact of the recent wildfires on agricultural activity and forests and on livelihoods.
Nigeria sensitises agro-dealers, stakeholders against proliferation of fake agricultural inputs
The federal government of Nigeria has reaffirmed its determination in curtailing the rampant spread of fake agricultural inputs in the country, which are causing huge losses to farmers and affecting their outputs.
Pursuant to the High Royal Directives, the Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch chaired, in Rabat, the signing ceremony of the framework agreement for the implementation of a series of urgent measures to mitigate the impact of recent fires on agricultural activity and forests, and to provide support to affected local populations. This framework agreement was signed by Minister of Economy and Finance, Nadia Fettah Alaoui, Minister of National Planning, Urban Development, Housing and Urban Policy, Fatim Ezzahra El Mansouri, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Development and Water and Forests, Mohammed Sadiki, Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Labor and Skills Younes Sekkouri, the wali of the TangierTetouan-Al Hoceima Region Mohamed Mhidiya, the wali of the Fez-Meknes Region, Said Zniber, president of the Council of the Tangier-TetouanAl Hoceima Region, Omar Mourou, and president of the Council of the Fez-Meknes Region Abdelouhed Al Ansari. This agreement, which aims to mitigate the impact of the fires that broke out in July 2022
NEWS 10 | July - August 2022
of Agriculture and Rural Development has commenced the registration of agrochemicals manufactures and agro-dealers selling fertilizer and agrochemical pesticides to farmers,” said the Director. The Director of Farm Inputs Federal Ministry of Agriculture Alhaji Bashir Dutsinma said the aim of the sensitization was aimed to ensure that Nigeria Farmers have access to highquality inputs, fertilizer, and plant pesticides.
“Having access to high-quality fertilizer and inputs will help immensely in ensuring efficient and cost-effective manner to increase agricultural production, as well as ensuring food security in the country,” said Alhaji.
“This sensitisation training was geared toward enlightening the public and stakeholders, which includes Agro dealers who sell Agro chemical pesticides to farmers. The federal ministry on the population, includes the taking of various measures in the short and medium term to support the population for the rehabilitation of homes affected that have been identified by public authorities, to launch reforestation operations on some 9.330 hectares and rehabilitate fruit trees affected, strengthen the means of prevention and control of new fires and mitigate the impact on livestock farmers and beekeepers in affected areas, while continuing the implementation of integrated economic development projects in affected areas. The agreement also covers the creation of 1,000 additional job opportunities in the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Region, dedicated to affected people and members of their families.
The Director of the federal ministry of Agriculture and rural development in Kano, Alhaji Abba Gana Yamani made this disclosure, at a sensitisation program organised by the Farm Inputs Support Services Department of the Ministry, which was held at Sabon Gari market in Kano. The sensitization campaign was to sensitise all key players on the dangers of the proliferation of fake agricultural products in the country.
Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA) agreement becomes more widely felt, there is the real potential for South African exporters to build highly resilient and very lucrative operations across the continent. Immediate export prospects, into Africa and globally, remain very solid with an anticipated 160 million tons of produce likely to be packed for export in this season. This represents a marked year-on-year increase from the already high of 2.4 million tons exported in 2021. The exchange rate of the rand against most major currencies also remains conducive to good margins, which will hopefully offset any pressures created by the rising global inflationary environment. In terms of citrus, specifically, the recent breakthrough agreement with China around export/import protocols will likely have a very positive long-term impact on South Africa’s citrus export volumes into that country in the coming years. In the longer term, many of the global events outlined above – and particularly the RussiaUkraine conflict, could well have the impact of creating a greater focus by all global trade partners on ensuring a more open and fair international trade landscape. The hope is that this might catalyse a shift in global attitudes towards the removal of unfair tariff regimes, some of which still restrict South Africa’s competitiveness in many of its export markets. A typical example is the recent EU regulation on controlling False Codling Moth (FCM) that requires imports of citrus to undergo mandatory cold treatment and pre-cooling steps for periods of up to 25 days prior to the shipment. This is despite the SA industry having a rigid FCM Risk Management system in place and further providing scientific evidence. If this shift takes place, it will not only result on more open markets and export-conducive global conditions, but it will also provide further impetus for the application of the innovative digitised Agri systems that emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic as restrictions on movement led to the rapid implementation of digital processes for produce inspections and trade transactions. Such a combination of more open markets and digitally enabled trade will undoubtedly have very positive implications for South African Agri exports sector and will enable it to continue building on the very strong foundations it has set in place, particularly in recent years.
massive spike in demand translated into very solid agri commodity prices. Going forward, it’s likely that demand for quality, affordable agricultural produce will increase dramatically in both countries as the export bans imposed by many of their key supply regions take hold. While this may present opportunities for South African agri exports, the extent to which exporters in this country capitalise on those opportunities will still depend largely on their ability to overcome the logistics challenges and ensure security of payment from importers in the war-torn regions. Another significant factor that is shaping the prospects for SA’s agri exports is undoubtedly freight. Overall freight costs have been on a sharp and steady upward trend in recent months, not just on the back of steep fuel price increases, but also driven by general price hikes introduced by the key freight and logistics providers globally.
While it’s not quite at the high level it was this time last year, the contribution of South Africa’s agri sector to the country’s GDP is currently still very positive. This, despite the significant impacts of flooding in KwaZulu Natal, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and even an outbreak of Foot-andMouth Disease that resulted in a temporary ban by China on imports of products of cloven hoofed animals from South Africa. The good news is that this resilient South African agri performance is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. We remain in the La Nina climate phase, which means we can expect the good rains of recent months to continue through our winter season, and probably into the coming peak agriculture season. The summer grain crops outlook is also still very positive, with record sunflower, soya beans, and maize crops.
Of course, successful agri-sector performance is about much more than just good rains and growth-positive weather conditions. There are also a number of other factors that will impact – positively and negatively - on SA’s agri production and exports through the rest of 2022. Perhaps the most obvious of these is the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. While it’s difficult to consider that anything positive could come out of this devastating war, the reality is that it’s consequences for South Africa’s agri sector have actually been something of a mixed bag – and this will probably continue to be the case going forward as the world increasingly expects a very protracted conflict situation in the region. On the one hand, the produce that was anticipated to flow into Russia and Ukraine was suddenly halted due to the suspension of the former from SWIFT, which had significant implications for all countries that dealt in agri commodities with the two countries. South Africa is one of those countries, but not on such a large scale that the disruptions had a massively significant negative impact on our agri-export sector. Of course, there were some exporters that still had an opportunity to export produce into Russia and, for them, the Despite some headwinds, the positive agri export environment is likely to continue in 2022
Add to this the lingering global supply chain bottlenecks and infrastructure insecurity caused by Covid-19, much of which has still largely not been resolved, and freight complexities and costs have the real potential to impact very negatively on agri exports in the months and years ahead.
The other side of this freight challenge coin for South Africa is, of course, that around 41% of the country’s agricultural produce is exported across Africa. While this doesn’t insulate exporters from the challenges of rising freight and fuel costs, it does create opportunities for the savvy exporter to build a far more robust and resilient export supply chain that is largely protected from the influences of international freight challenges. And as the positive impact of the recent African By Paul Makube, Senior Agricultural Economist, FNB
INSIGHT July - August 2022 | 11
In fact, the country’s commercial summer grain and oilseed crop reached close to 18 million tons with the country’s biggest stable at 14.9 million tons. And when you consider the domestic maize consumption typically averages just under 12 million tons, reserve levels and the potential for solid exports are both very good.
InteliGro’s stewardship philosophy is comprehensive, wide-ranging and integrated –and is at the heart of our business model. We have always been convinced that there is more than one solution to every problem. Hence, we follow an integrated approach to pest and disease management, which is evident in crop solutions that combine chemical and biological options. Examples include the incorporation of biocontrol measures such as micro- and macroorganisms, plant extracts and mass-capture techniques. Biocontrol measures have no adverse impact on the environment and can be used by growers in the production of low- or noresidue produce, which means they are also safe for consumers. In terms of product stewardship, we believe the answer lies in the empowerment of people. We therefore invest significant resources in the
hosting of spray clinics where growers and their employees are trained in the safe handling and effective application of agricultural products.
InteliGro’s stewardship approach includes the investment in accredited CropLife collection points at InteliGro depots. Growers and their staff are taught to rinse empty containers three times before handing them in at the collection points from where they can be recycled in a safe and responsible manner. This service not only solves a waste headache; it also facilitates market access for growers who have to comply with strict export regulations.
As a concept, stewardship has strong spiritual roots. However, one does not have to be religious to embrace the principle that we have to keep the planet and its resources safe on behalf of future generations. We are not the owners of all around us; we are simply the cultivators, managers and guardians.
While being highly rewarding, this interaction with the younger generation is also part of our investment in the future and sustainability of agriculture in South Africa, seeing that tomorrow’s growers hold our continued existence in their hands.
1. The fast-growing global population demands the production of more food. The problem is that we do not really have any more uncultivated arable land. On the contrary, urbanisation and development increasingly encroach on existing farms. The result is that more must be done with less.
Businesses have a responsibility towards their shareholders, investors, employees and other stakeholders to implement their business strategy in a profitable way. The mandate of companies in the agricultural arena is to optimise yield – but never at the expense of people, the environment and animals.
3. To address both these challenges, growers rely heavily on crop protection products and technology. Product stewardship is therefore also on agriculture’s agenda: the products and technology at our disposal must be protected so that they can remain usable to help realise optimal yields. The strict regulatory environment has led to an astronomical increase in the costs involved in researching and developing new crop protection molecules. The agriindustry is therefore under tremendous pressure to safeguard and even extend the lifespans of existing products by handling and using them responsibly and according to the guidelines. In so doing we not only address the continued effectiveness of the compounds, but we also limit to the absolute minimum any possible detrimental impact on the environment or the general wellbeing of humans and animals.
Stewardship’s focus on future generations is reflected in our InteliGro Kidz programme through which we invest in young people. In cooperation with agricultural high schools in particular, we aim to make a positive difference by exposing learners to opportunities in the broader agri industry, nurturing environmental awareness and encouraging stewardship.
Stewardship in agriculture is a shared responsibility with a role for growers, suppliers, consumers and every other stakeholder, and for it to be visible in our solutions, how we do things is just as important as what we do.
In the context of agriculture, stewardship is an extremely practical matter relevant to every person, given that the actions of growers and agri-roleplayers have a direct impact on the environment and natural resources – and that determines whether or not we have food on our Thetables.requirement and responsibility to not destroy what we have, consist of three facets as far as agriculture is concerned:
2. The scarcity of natural resources, soil and water in particular, requires responsible and sustainable production. We cannot afford to destroy soil fertility or to pollute or exhaust water sources in the name of production. In the short-term this causes, among others, food safety issues; in the longer term, food security is at stake.
INSIGHT 12 | July - August 2022
Effective application drastically reduces the possibility of resistance developing in target pests and largely eliminates negative environmental impacts. It also positively influences the grower’s profitability, given the correlation between product handling and action, and the desired control outcomes. Spray clinics furthermore focus on the safe handling of agricultural products in order to protect the health of farm employees, as well as the wellbeing of the environment and natural resources. The latter is addressed specifically through training on and practical support for the handling of product waste.
Agriculturists’ unique stewardship responsibility
On 15 July 2022, the Board of Directors of the African Development Fund approved a loan of €62.99 million to Cameroon. The funding will enable the country to increase production of major agricultural crops (rice, maize, sorghum, millet, soybean, potato, palm oil and garden crops) in order to mitigate the impact of the food crisis caused by the war between Russia and Ukraine.
INSIGHT
July - August 2022 | 13
On 20 May 2022, to address the effects of the war between Russia and Ukraine, which has led to soaring food prices, the African Development Bank Group authorised the establishment of a $1.5-billion African Emergency Food Production Facility (https://bit.ly/3vmxTAB). The Facility will provide agricultural seeds to 20 million African farmers. The main varieties concerned are wheat, maize, rice and soybean. The goal is to produce an additional 38 million tonnes of food, worth $12 billion, over the next two years. seeds available to producers. For example, 1,720 tonnes of seed rice, 2,500 tonnes of maize seed, 130 tonnes of sorghum seed, 2,400 tonnes of seed potatoes, 1.12 million pregerminated oilpalm seeds, 132 tonnes of soya seeds, 4 tonnes of garden crop seeds (tomato) and 67 tonnes of wheat seeds will be distributed. Small farmers will also have access to agricultural inputs – nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilisers and urea – with subsidies representing 30% of the market price. Another strand of the programme, one of its most innovative, is the digitalisation of the distribution of agricultural inputs. The pilot phase is currently being rolled out in the coffee and cocoa sectors, but it will be extended to the foodstuff sectors. The Bank’s investments will help Cameroon to produce an additional 221,449 tonnes of maize, 172,000 tonnes of rice, 9,750 tonnes of sorghum, 24,000 tonnes of potatoes, 45,000 tonnes of palm oil, 4,000 tonnes of soybeans, and 120,000 tonnes of garden crops (particularly tomatoes).
“This funding will allow the government to urgently procure the agricultural inputs needed for the current and future agricultural seasons and provide advice to farmers, while providing a boost to the reforms essential for improving governance of the agricultural sector,” explained Serge N’Guessan, the African Development Bank Group’s Director General for the Central Africa Region, based in Yaoundé. The financing is provided by the African Development Fund, the concessional window of the African Development Bank Group. The main focus of the programme will be on making
The programme will also include the transfer to the municipalities of 1,550 agricultural outposts and 367 community action centres. In this way, Cameroon will have emergency resources to finance both its current and next year’s agricultural campaigns. The main benefit of the programme will be to farmers, input importers and distributors, companies in the oilseeds and cereals sectors and the Cameroonian population as a whole.
African Development Fund approves €63 million loan to boost food security
PRODUCT 14 | July - August 2022
Such has been the success of the Massey Ferguson brand in the Delmas, Mpumalanga region that AGCO Africa appointed M&F Bemarking as a dealer over a year ago. A family-owned business, M&F Bemarking was established more than 20 years ago as a specialist agricultural equipment and tool Dereksupplier.Whitehorn, who has been in the area for 40 years, now works with son-in-law Morne van Heerden as General Manager. Morne says the switch from a rival dealership to the Frenchmanufactured Massey Ferguson Beauvais range has allowed M&F Bemarking to enter the high horsepower market segment, which is ideal for the Delmas region. “The parts availability is excellent, based as it is on a just-in-time basis. We have also found that the AGCO Africa team, comprising its product specialists, area manager and technicians, together provide an exceptionally high level of service.”
In fact, Morne points out that AGCO Africa’s main warehouse hub for the continent is a mere 40 km away from Delmas, which means that M&F Bemarking can quite easily offer its customers a same-day service for any parts or spares it might carry in its own extensive stockholding. M&F Bemarking has four certified technicians with their own vehicles for any fieldwork, in addition to four over-the-counter salespeople at its main office to assist walk-in customers. Any additional repairs or maintenance is carried out at the dealer’s fully equipped workshop facility. “We are privileged to have a dealer of the quality of M&F Bemarking onboard with us,” comments Dr. Dominik Reus, Managing Director, AGCO Africa. “The farmers around here have been keen to have Massey Ferguson represented, so we embarked on an extensive search to find the right business partner that fits in with our vision and ethos, which is to put the farmer first.”
Parts availability is therefore critical, with AGCO Africa putting in behind-the-scenes work to ensure it has sufficient spares stockholding whenever the demand arises. “While Covid-19 had a major impact on global supply chains, we have been proactive and forward-thinking to ensure our stockholding was not affected, which gives both our dealers and their customers peace of mind,” says Dominik.
MF 7700 Series tractors are fully kitted out for your specific farming requirements.
Yet another agri dealer switches to Massey Ferguson
July - August 2022 | 15 it has sufficient power for this application, even with the baler installed with its cutting blades. The dealer visited us personally at our office on the farm, and we sat and designed our tractor there and then using the AGCO ASK system.”
AGCO Africa is always on the lookout for new dealers in South Africa. We encourage potential dealerships to contact us to discuss their business plan.
Dominik concludes that AGCO Africa’s strategy to become closer to the farmer has paid huge dividends in terms of dealers with the reputation and integrity of M&F Bemarking.
Jacques also highlights that he does not have any other tractor on his farm that can match Massey Ferguson in terms of fuel efficiency and the lowest total cost of ownership. In addition, the lead time for his new equipment from Beauvais in France was quite short, meaning he took ownership of his new machines far quicker than anticipated. Martin Krog, who farms in the Delmas area with lucerne and oats on an alternating five-year cycle, has known Morne and his father-in-law for years.
MF 8700 Series, has sufficient power even with the baler installed with its cutting blades.
“We were on the lookout for a tractor specifically with a cutter option, due to the type of farming we are engaged in. We discussed our options with Morne, who suggested the MF 8700 Series, as Martin Krog, local farmer from Delmas and Morne van Heerden, General Manager of MF Bemarking.
“The agricultural industry is tough enough as it is, without having to worry out about the robustness of your equipment or the ready availability of aftermarket support. Our partnership with M&F Bemarking is ample testament to the success of this approach, and we are guaranteed to walk a long path together in the years to come.”
Jacques van Coller, who grew up in the Delmas area and currently farms with grains such as maize and soya, acquired his first tractor from M&F Bemarking in 2008. “About a month-andhalf ago, I contacted Morne to inform him we were on the lookout for a new tractor. He suggested we look particularly at precision farming, and we were impressed at the options he was able to offer Commentingus.” on his two latest MF 7700 Series tractors, Jacques says that what stood out for him most is that all implements are simply plugand-play, which means the tractors are fully kitted out for his specific farming requirements from the get-go. “You buy tractors that are immediately ready for your needs, as well as the fact that they are user-friendly and simple to operate.”
This year Massey Ferguson, a worldwide brand of AGCO (NYSE:AGCO), is excited to announce a fresh look for its iconic Triple Triangle logo and its new ‘Born to Farm’ brand identity in celebration of its 175th anniversary. MF has offered farmers around the world straightforward and dependable machines since its inception. Few global brands can claim such a lasting impact in the agricultural Inindustry.support of the farming community, Massey Ferguson has an extensive network of over 35 dealers covering the whole of South Africa, catering for parts, service, aftersales and new sales. Potential customers interested in the MF range can obtain all information from www. masseyferguson.co.za. Upon completing the contact form, potential customers will have the video, brochure and dealer contact details sent to their WhatsApp and email within 30 seconds.
Producers of seeds, such as corn, soybeans, cotton and rapeseed, have developed genetically modified crops, which stay stable and have high wind resistance, can withstand significant temperature variations, resist disease and parasitic infections. But the counterpart to a robust crop is equally robust, extremely rigid stubble, in order to cut which operators have to fit out their machines with special equipment and above all with highly resistant, high-performance tires. Stubble damages the tires in the areas of the sidewall and the tread, above all in the grooves. In passing over stubble the friction causes the detachment of large pieces of rubber, something which cannot always be repaired. Of course there are techniques to reduce or prevent the problem: cutting stubble higher at the moment of the harvest, for example, thus allowing the tire to pass over the stubble in a point which does not penetrate, or using stubble deviation devices, such as stompers , which help push aside the residue before passing over it. For the tires themselves too there are solutions and BKT has tried and introduced various ways to minimize the damage. The most effective interventions regard specific, highly resistant compounds and structural changes in the body of the tire. An excellent solution is to use belts in aramid, a fiber which is five times more resistant than steel and
16 | July - August 2022
PRODUCT and harvesting machines, in particular for combine harvesters. A special protection for the sidewall and the reinforced shoulder increase the resistance and, consequently, also the life-cycle of this product.
There are numerous causes, but only one solution: to use compounds and structural solutions to make the tire more resistant, because the stage immediately after the harvest, as well as dry-ploughing, are the conditions with the highest risk of puncture.
BKT tires, resistant also against stubble Hybrid crops, excessively short cutting and bad soil maintenance can cause punctures and tears. For this problem, which is increasingly felt by farmers, BKT suggests tires with specific compounds, in the ranges dedicated to harvesting and ploughing.
There is no lack of traction, stability and a high load capacity, key features of AGRIMAX TERIS which guarantee excellent performance. Numerous sizes available and some equipped with IF technology. When instead it is time to plough and the machines are normally fitted with Flotation tires, for better distribution and weight support, in this case too BKT suggests specific products, FLOTATION 558 and FLOTATION 648, bias tires which already have Aramid Belted HD compound as standard to avoid punctures, and are especially suitable in the case of tough stubble.
FLOTATION 648 is particularly suitable instead for transport in the field, as well as spreading applications. Both have a high traction capacity; the particular design of the tread allows the transport of very heavy loads at low pressure, consequently guaranteeing reduced soil compaction and at the same time protecting crops from damage. Specifically, the rounded profile, which is a feature of these tires and typical of bias products, is an excellent ally to deploy in the field. Again from BKT and finally, there are the radial tires for agricultural equipment and trailers, which have already incorporated the use of different technologies to provide resistance to stubble. Among these, above all in the implement applications, we find: AW 711, specifically designed for soil tillage applications, it has a special tread compound which ensures its long life-cycle, when used on both soft and hard surfaces; RIB 713, a tire whose steel belted structure guarantees extraordinary resistance to puncturing; SR 713, an All Steel radial tire with VF technology, characterized by a large tire footprint, for reduced soil compaction; and finally I-1, designed with a compound which is resistant to stubble to increase its duration and overall performance in the field. characterized by high traction resistance. These belts also enable greater uniformity in the product on the ground, and at the same time guarantee better puncture resistance.
Given its sensitivity to this particular issue, for some years BKT has been working on its bias and radial tires, offering innovative aramidbelted versions , i.e. with belts in aramid for more resistance to punctures and special versions where the compound guarantees extraordinary resistance against cutting. Against stubble, punctures and cuts, BKT thus deploys the exceptional characteristics of AGRIMAX TERIS, a radial tire which has a different compound from that designed for tractors, tougher and more resistant, for cropping
Would you walk like a fakir barefoot on a bed of nails? This is the image which can help visualize how a tire can suffer punctures and tears in crossing a field after the harvest, where the toughest stalks, the so-called stubble, can represent a real problem.
FLOTATION 558 is a cross-ply tire for combine harvesters and round balers, both on and off the road.
VISIT THE LARGEST 17-20 October 2022 RIYADH INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE Agriculture, Agro-food, Food-pack and Aquaculture exhibition in the Region Showcasing: https://saudi-agriculture.com ٢٠٢٢مربوتكا١٧-٢٠قفاوملا١٤٤٤ـهلولأاعيبر٢١-٢٤ ةعارزللنوثلاثلاوعساتلايلودلاضرعملا ةيعارزلاةيذغلأا يئاملاعارزتسلااوةيذغلأافيلغت،ةيئاذغلاتاعانصلاو ينيتلابلايعارلا يملاعلااكيرشلا يجيتارتسلإاكيرشلا يوضعلاجاتنلإاعاطقل رمتؤملايعاريبهذلايعارلا يدوعسلاةيبرعلاةكلمملا–ضايرلا-ضراعملاوتارمتؤملليلودلارلاضايزكرم ةعارزللضرعمربكأةرايزباولضفت يملعلاثحبلايعار نومظنملا https://saudi-agriculture.com Organized by:Supporting Partner Diamond Sponsors StrategicPartnerOrganicGold Sponsor Conference SponsorPlatinum Sponsors ScientifcSponsorResearch Media Partners ٢٠٢٢مربوتكا١٧-٢٠قفاوملا١٤٤٤ـهلولأاعيبر٢١-٢٤ :ةرودلانمضتي٣٩ ةعارزللنوثلاثلاوعساتلايلودلاضرعملا يئاملاعارزتسلاا•ةيذغلأافيلغت•ةيعارزلاةيذغلأا• :ةــياعريئاملاتــحتعارزتسلااوةيذغلأافيلغت،ةيئاذغلاتاعانصلاو يساملايعارلا ينيتلابلايعارلا يملاعلااكيرشلا يجيتارتسلإاكيرشلا يوضعلاجاتنلإاعاطقل رمتؤملايعاريبهذلايعارلا يدوعسلاةيبرعلاةكلمملا–ضايرلا-ضراعملاوتارمتؤملليلودلارلاضايزكرم ةعارزللضرعمربكأةرايزباولضفت يملعلاثحبلايعار معادلاكيرشلا نومظنملا https://saudi-agriculture.com Future of Food Partner
SKF’s wide range of bearings, including Explorer roller and ball bearings, insert bearings, plain bearings and bushings, are specially developed to handle aggressive agricultural conditions. The SKF Explorer range, recommended for tractors, offer multiple features that deliver more uptime for these essential agricultural workhorses. Offering optimised internal geometry for reduced friction, wear and heat generation, these tapered roller bearings accommodate higher load levels (up to 23% increased dynamic load ratings). These extremely robust bearings deliver extended service life, resist contamination and offer long service intervals.
PRODUCT 18 | July - August 2022
Tecno Announces New Customer-Centric Strategy and Refreshed Brand Identity
shown that advanced sealing technology can significantly increase machine and equipment performance. SKF’s range of bearing seals delivers heavy-duty sealing performance on a great variety of agricultural attachments. “We have designed these application-specific agricultural products specifically to reduce the need for relubrication and simplify installation, saving valuable hours needed for field work,” explains Engelbrecht. “Furthermore, our seal designs eliminate the need for grease purge thus ensuring a positive impact on the environment. Our bearing seal types include Single lip, two to 7 lip, Cassette, double Cassette, SKF Mudblock and SKF Mudblock11 plus SKFCassette.”AgriHubs have been specially engineered to boost farm productivity and profitability through increased performance and improved machine up-time while minimising the impact on the environment. These remarkable greased-forlife hub bearing units, which are widely used on disc ploughs, fertiliser injector discs, opener and closing seeding discs, etc., do not require relubrication. In addition to saving farmers valuable time and lubrication costs, these grease-free units prevent land contamination.
Engelbrecht explains that the SKF Agri Hub’s advanced hermetic sealing solution ensures that no lubricant loss will occur over the complete lifespan of this virtually maintenance free, plugand-play unit. The cutting-edge ‘mud block’ seal and special labyrinth, which is central to the sealing principle, achieves excellent sealing performance providing dynamic sealing against stone, mud and dust ingress. A special cup and O-ring system provides the static sealing of the disc side in the unit, making it impervious to contaminant ingress.
“As a valuable partner to the South African agriculture industry, we provide our agricultural customers with solid hands-on support through our professional and dedicated after-sales service solutions,” says Engelbrecht. “We invite NAMPO visitors to our stand (#121) in the NAMPO hall to come and explore our range of Agri solutions and obtain sound advice from our skilled technicians,” concludes Engelbrecht.
“We supply bearings for the full range of agricultural attachments used for seeding including opener and closing discs as well as for gauge, press and implement wheels, seedmeter drive shafts and row markers,” continues Engelbrecht. “Our flanged insert bearing units are widely used on rolling baskets for independent tillage and gang discs.” He adds that one of the most commonly used gang disc bearing arrangements is the trunnion housing. The PEER Tillage Trunnion Unit (TTU) delivers countless benefits including increased productivity and bearing life. SKF solutions for combine harvester applications, such as baling and mowing comprise a range of radial ball and roller bearings as well as agricultural insert bearing units that incorporate a relubrication-free design and a high performance sealing solution. “In addition to increased service life and reduced maintenance and ownership costs, our insert units, which are quick and easy to mount for enhanced uptime, keep grease from contaminating the yield,” notes Engelbrecht. Years of SKF R&D as well as rigorous testing in both the laboratory and in the field have SKF’s bearings, bushings, hub units, chains, belts, seals and lubrication systems are renowned for their premium quality, reliability and efficiency. It therefore comes as no surprise that these components are extremely popular with South Africa’s agricultural industry and are widely used by farmers on Combines, Planters, Tractors and various agricultural attachments. “Our turnkey Agri-solutions, complemented by customer-specific solutions from our quality brands, SKF and PEER, add value to every stage of the crop cycle, from tillage, seeding and fertilizing/spraying to harvesting, mowing and baling,” states Charl Engelbrecht (Key Accounts Manager Agriculture). “The world-class quality and robustness of our products contribute to optimal and reliable machine and equipment performance, enabling farmers to sustainably maintain high production in less time to ultimately achieve profitable yields and successful business outcomes. Moreover, our products are specially designed to have a positive impact on the environment.” Irrespective of the biome, the agricultural environment is unforgiving on machines and attachments. Added to this, farmers have limited seasonal windows in which to complete their crop cycles. Subsequently, field breakdowns are simply not an option as this can result in catastrophic production losses and exorbitant costs. To ensure dependable performance and prolonged life cycles, all SKF and PEER products undergo rigorous testing to make sure that they are able to withstand stringent field conditions such as heavy vibration, temperature extremes and ingress of contaminants such as water, mud, dust, fibres and plant material. Agricultural customers are also under mounting pressure to increase yields to meet demand, while keeping input costs to an absolute minimum in order to remain profitable. They subsequently look to OEMs for equipment that delivers evergreater reliability, prolonged lifecycle, efficiency and performance. “We work in close collaboration with the agricultural OEMs and their engineers to help develop and supply complete systems,” affirms Engelbrecht. “Ensuring that our products are fully compatible with OEM machines promotes high quality, cost-effective solutions that deliver low total cost of ownership and a rapid return on investment.”
Genuine for over 50 years! Grain GRANIFRIGORCooling ™ The most natural way of grain preservation • Protection against insects & fungi • Without chemical treatment • Short amortisation period • Low energy demand • Independent of ambient weather • No respiratory losses FrigorTec GmbH • info@frigortec.com • www.frigortec.com AZ_FRA_GRANIFRIGOR_180x130_RZ.indd 1 10.02.22 16:27
PRODUCT July - August 2022 | 19
The direct ownership of spray boom production is the latest step in Case IH’s strategic road map for its sprayer product platform. As the company works to enhance its applicationproduct offering, the inclusion of longer, lighter booms enables accelerated development and deployment of new technologies. These solutions will be implemented across the Case IH product portfolio. “We are thrilled to be working so closely with Specialty, which has been a fantastic partner to Case IH over the last few years, as we deliver more productive application solutions,” said Scott Harris, Case IH global president. “This acquisition strengthens our in-house capabilities and allows us to retain key strategic personnel to ensure continuity in this vertical integration.” Helps maximize yield The acquisition of Specialty signals Case IH’s continued commitment to Agronomic Design, helping operators maximise yield and ROI potential. As aluminium spray booms are up to 50% lighter than their steel counterparts, they
CNH Industrial has acquired Specialty Enterprises LLC (Specialty), North America’s largest manufacturer of premium aluminium spray booms for agricultural applications. Specialty, which operates one manufacturing facility in Wautoma, Wisconsin, has been a supplier to Case IH since 2020.
CNH Industrial acquires agricultural spray boom manufacturer Specialty Enterprises / Longer, lighter booms bring agronomic benefits / Solutions to be implemented across the Case IH range/
Latest CNH Industrial Investment reinforces the global leadership of CASE IH in crop protection result in less field compaction, less rutting and better weight distribution. “At Case IH, one of our primary crop production goals is to help operators cover more acres more efficiently, with solutions that are built to last,” said Monte Weller, Case IH global product manager for Crop Production and Hay & Forage product lines. “This acquisition will be key to providing operators with the equipment and agronomic solutions they need to feed a growing Specialtyworld.” is known for its advanced engineering and high-quality workmanship as a world-class welding operation. The company’s sprayer boom design incorporates multiple patents to virtually eliminate the fatigue cracking associated with other aluminium boom designs. The aluminium used by Specialty is sourced and extruded in the United States.
there is currently a great need among producers for a hunting and outdoor expo with a practical approach. Livestock, outdoor life
20 | July - August 2022
The livestock industry in South Africa is growing and forms an important part of the local economy. This growth was clearly visible in the fact that ALFA has grown over a four-year period into the best livestock expo in the country. The next logical step would be to make it even bigger, and with years of successful shows against its name, NAMPO Park is the ideal place where ALFA can spread its wings. ALFA is not just an ordinary expo, and since its inception has offered several unique platforms that provide role players in the livestock industry excellent business networking opportunities. This applies to local role players and stakeholders across the African continent. For 2022, there is once again a packed livestock programme for young and Simultaneously,old.
Grain SA and ALFA collaborate for an expo like no other
The livestock developments include a variety of projects that cover all the different livestock species, including, beef and dairy cattle, small stock, pigs and goats. It further include the National Beef Cattle Interracial Championships, the Junior Interracial (Agricultural Schools), the various performance championships (Large and Small Stock), and the Money maker qualifiers (Large and Small Stock). Furthermore, the youth programs with the agricultural schools and students are also involved and the programs and mini-expos with workhorses, working dogs, rabbits and poultry, are also back. With a large variety of exhibitors, in the livestock, hunting and outdoor industries, the expo promises to be the one for livestock and nature lovers, hunters, adventurers and of course the adrenaline junkies. and hunting are extremely complimenting aspects of the South African agricultural community and the combination offers a winning recipe. NAMPO Park already has good systems and infrastructure including ample parking, kiosks, ablution facilities, livestock facilities and other venues that can not only accommodate this big event, but also facilitate opportunity for growth. In addition, NAMPO Park offers another great advantage - the South African producer already feels at home there. A multitude of opportunities lies ahead that includes practical demonstrations of 4x4 vehicles, caravans, camping and hunting equipment. It even includes the possibility of a shooting range where those interested can experience and enjoy the practical experience of equipment. NAMPO Park is also host to the national SARRC rally during the expo where visitors can see famous racers in action. After extensive discussions, Grain SA and ALFA decided in 2019 already to join hands and present a new agricultural expo, however, COVID-19 placed plans on hold for two years. Now, the two biggest role players in the industry will be hosting the very first NAMPO ALFA Livestock, Hunting and Outdoor Expo at NAMPO Park just outside Bothaville from 29 September to 1 October 2022.
EVENT
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Highly effective solutions exist for preventable illnesses and chronic conditions like osteoarthritis pain and dermatitis, but unfortunately, many of the smaller markets struggle to get regulatory approvals in a timely, efficient manner,” said Dr Mike McFarland, Chief Medical Officer at Zoetis. “We are committed to supporting practicing veterinarians around the world and providing them with the tools and new knowledge they need to deliver the best care options for the animals they treat. With these overlapping interests and respective missions to improve how veterinary medicine is practiced, Zoetis and WSAVA are building a strong partnership that can make a difference around the world.”
Lectures by some of the WSAVA’s 2022 Award recipients are also included in the program.
WSAVA World Congress to Highlight Global Inequity in Access to Veterinary Medicines
WSAVA President Dr Siraya Chunekamrai said: “After three years apart we’re all looking forward to reuniting our dynamic global veterinary community in Lima later this year and hope that as many of our members as possible will be able to join “WSAVAus. World Congress is, of course, an excellent congress – but it is so much more than that. It is an opportunity to learn, share experiences and socialize with colleagues from around the world – and this, in turn, creates the contacts and friendships that go on to enrich our delegates’ careers and lives. We are grateful to our member association AMVEPPA in Peru for all the hard work they are putting into making this yet another unforgettable congress and to our Industry Partners for their support. Lima – we’re on the way!”
22 | July - August 2022 By Libby Peacock As WSAVA World Congress returns as a face-to-face event for 2022, its signature ‘Shaping the Future’ session is set to highlight the serious problems faced by veterinarians in Latin America and other regions of the world in gaining access to essential drugs needed to provide appropriate care for their patients. For example, many veterinarians struggle to access to opioid analgesics to treat pain, resulting in the unnecessary suffering of millions of companion animals.
To register for WSAVA World Congress 2022, visit https://wsava2022.com/register/.
“Ensuring veterinarians have access to innovative and approved medicines is one way we can
Early Bird rates are available until October 6.
Taking place from October 29-31 October in Lima, Peru, WSAVA World Congress offers a packed scientific program in which global experts explore cutting-edge thinking and new trends in companion animal veterinary care.
EVENT Anja Fourie owner of Timeless Tomatoes
continue to raise the standard of care for pets in all parts of the world, which will help them live longer, healthier, happier lives with their owners.
Speakers from Peru and wider Latin America are well-represented with lectures in both Spanish and English. Some of the English lectures will be translated simultaneously into Spanish to maximize their accessibility to delegates.
The Shaping the Future session will be led by Professor Paulo Steagall, Co-chair of the WSAVA’s Therapeutics Guidelines Group (TGG). Both the causes and consequences of the difficulties veterinarians experience in accessing vital medicines will be explored by speakers from different parts of the world and TGG members during the session. They will also discuss potential solutions during a panel discussion. In 2020, the TGG launched the first List of Essential Medicines for Cats and Dogs. Aimed at supporting the availability of drugs required to perform minimum standards of clinical practice, the peer-reviewed List includes both core and complementary essential medicines. During the Shaping the Future session, Professor Steagall will call for suggestions, comments and revisions of the current List from individuals and veterinary associations as part of an ‘open audit’ before it receives its three-year update. The TGG aims to publish the revised List in 2023. Commenting, Professor Steagall said: “In addition to the welfare issues caused by the problems many colleagues experience in obtaining access to veterinary medicines, we should also consider the frustration this causes them as individuals as they are unable to provide the standard of veterinary care they have been trained to deliver. For a profession already under strain, this is just one more burden. “We are delighted to be putting this issue in the global spotlight during this year’s WSAVA World Congress and hope that our discussions will help to create practical solutions, supporting pharmacovigilance and helping to mitigate the effects of a growing market for counterfeit pharmaceutical products. I would also like to say thank you to Zoetis, Platinum Partner of the WSAVA, for kindly supporting the session.”
www.biochek.com BioChek South Africa Cambridge Office Park • 5 Bauhinia Str • Centurion For all inquiries, please contact natashaswanepoel@biochek.com The complete BioChek package for diagnostics of poultry and swine diseases is used all over the world. We offer a tailor-made advanced diagnostic service, including ELISA and PCR test kits, worldwide support and monitoring software. BioChek has an office in South Africa, for customers, inquiries and support in all Sub-Saharan countries. Contact us to see how we can help you add value to your test results. BioChek: Adding Value to Test Results
Growing produce inside can help reduce pest pressures, so the produce is grown without using any chemical pesticides or herbicides. The microgreens grown are 100% organic, nurtured with 100% organic compost, and grown with organic seeds.
US Microsoft’s Redmond campus inspires Zambia agritech startup
The tours would eventually inspire Chileshe to start Aiponics, an aquaponic and hydroponic farming startup based in Zambia.
HRVST allows farmers to list their produce and sell directly to end-users and restaurants, making it easier and more affordable for buyers and Thesellers.platform has different functionalities tailored to support each end-user’s needs. For instance, on the vendors’ or farmers’ side, the app includes integrated point-of-sale features to facilitate cashless transactions using mobile money and credit card payments, performance analytics, order management, and fleet management. On the side of the drivers who help in making fulfillment of orders, there are assigned orders, route optimisation, and delivery completion validation. Then the customers who are on the app to shop can order fresh food from an array of farmers to be delivered or picked up at designated involved in hydroponic farming. Automated cultivation machines called urban cultivators are used in the farm. The watering, light cycles, and ventilation system are all automated and can be controlled via a screen. The commercial-scale machines are said to be capable of producing 16 trays of microgreens (young seedlings of edible vegetables and herbs planted very close to home or the kitchen) at a time, and can go from seed to harvest in as little as eight days.
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Between September 2017 and August 2021, Chris Chileshe, a Zambian-American, worked as a software engineer at Microsoft in its Redmond campus, where he got exposed to sophisticated urban farming. The Microsoft campus has approximately 50,000 employees, with over 100 buildings. Each building has its own café and aeroponic and hydroponic gardens growing fresh vegetables used in the campus’s kitchen and salad bars. Chileshe, as an employee, had the privilege of touring these gardens and investigating the technology
“The team spent a year researching and learning about the various techniques involved in conditioning and maintaining an aquaponics ecosystem,” Chileshe told TechCabal in an email. He also said that since launching the company, Aiponics has successfully proven its own aquaponic prototype by developing a backgarden system that fits in a 40-foot shipping container. But as impressive as this may sound, there was a problem: the production cost outweighed the reward. There was a need for business change. Should the company shut down operations, continue the line while booking losses, or pivot into something light on cost and heavy on revenue? The company went for the third option and built HRVST, a digital farm marketplace where people can order farm produce directly from the farmer.
Chris Chileshe, founder of Aiponic/HRVST - Source Chileshe TECH
“We focused on building the digital marketplace where the demand could be derived. This would allow Aiponics to establish the marketplace where the container farms would plug in to address supply shortages in certain regions.”
“After building the container farm prototype and performing a cost analysis, the team decided to temporarily pivot from manufacturing containers due to how capital-intensive it would be,” said Chileshe.
Asmall idea born in the Microsoft Redmond campus in Seattle, Washington, the US, has grown to become a full-blown digital farm marketplace in Zambia.
“We feel this model allows us to have a shared success model with our vendors. We are highly incentivised to see them succeed and further incentivise our vendors by lowering the percentage transaction fee as their sales grow,” he said.
While this event hosted the big names in the Zambian and African agriculture industry, agriculture software companies were scantily represented. Lima Link was one of the only notable product-led startups in the event and thus hinted at how almost non-existent or, better put, unrecognised this part of tech is in Zambia, one of Africa’s biggest agricultural nations.
HRVST will be joining a host of other small upstart building software to make agricultural prosperity easily accessible to farmers across the region.
The platform is currently only available in Zambia but plans to extend into five new countries— Kenya, Tanzania, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Africa. “With many parts of Africa facing a food crisis and the inherent risk of relying on other nations for food security, there has never been a better time to bring innovation and technology into a space that sorely needs it,” Chileshe said. “We are focused on creating hyper-local capacity for food security while increasing the quality and diversity of the food available to every person on the HRVSTcontinent.”makes money by charging a subscription fee and a transaction fee to vendors.
For example, between April 7 and 9, the 7th edition of Zambia’s biggest agriculture technology event, Agritech Expo Zambia, organised by the Zambia National Farmers Union, took place. Due to its affiliation with the apex farmers association Fast, MycotoxinPreciseResults
While the new ambition to scale HRVST across the region is overarching, the idea that was born out of Redmond hasn’t died. Chileshe said that “beyond the digital marketplace, Aiponics will soon continue to build a container-based aquaponic farm franchise model where the team would train local marketers and young farmers in aquaponics to create additional local capacity and empower more people to get out of poverty.”
HRVST was launched into the market this month, and according to a company statement, the one -week old startup already boasts 79 restaurant partners across Lusaka, Zambia’s capital city, and hundreds of early-access users registered and already getting served by over 20 smalland large-scale farmers, who are a half of the Zambian population and, surprisingly, a decent backbone of Zambia’s economy. The agricultural sector, though only contributing about 8.2% to Zambia’s GDP, accounts for employing almost half of the country’s population. And the government and various investors continue to throw their weights behind the sector. However, little has been done in using software to solve most of the sector’s problems. Hardware has been the centre of its technology.
Tel: +230 403 44 44 | info@afrosep.com | www.afrosep.com in Zambia, the event website said it promotes the interests of over 600 000 farmers across Zambia and pulls in over 15 000 stakeholders including farmers, agriculture small businesses and corporate companies, financial institutions, investors, and government officials.
July - August 2022 | 25 locations. They can schedule future orders and explore nutritional benefits of foods listed.
Fishers can use this on their mobile phones to collect and transmit catch data on a daily basis. The information provided by the fishers informs the project when fish stocks are low. This data is passed on to local policymakers and feeds into recommendations that help avoid overfishing and ensure sustainable management of the fish stocks.
Betty has since become a project ‘champion’, taking the information she learnt back to her community and encouraging more people to eat small fish by offering them as snacks at her local bar. She has also been able to mobilise 11 women into forming a fishing group. Previously, the women had to buy fish from other fisherswho would determine who got what number of fish – but now, they own seven boats themselves and since coming together, have been able to enhance their earnings to an estimated US$1,200 per month from various fish-trading activities. The women are using the income to meet their family needs and expand their businesses.
Fish project malnutritiontacklesinUganda
FEATURE 26 | July - August 2022
In Ugandan lakes, three highly nutritious, fingersized fishes, known locally as ‘muziri’, ‘ragoogi’ and ‘mukene’ dominate fish catches. However, their nutritional – and economic – benefits are not being realised because high post-harvest losses, caused by improper handling and processing techniques, impact quality and consumer appeal.
The NutriFish project is making the most out of these fish through the development of five nutrient-packed, fish-enriched food products, including a cooking sauce and maize meal for mothers and babies. The fish sauce, which is used in place of beans as a source of protein, cooks in just 10 minutes compared to 1-3 hours for beans. Local families are therefore able to cut down on their energy requirements and reduce their environmental impacts whilst meeting their nutritional needs. The project has also engaged street vendors who make chapatti, normally served with beans, to encourage them to sell their flatbread with the fish-enriched sauce to increase uptake. It has also tackled Anaemia, a deficiency, caused by low iron consumption, that is commonplace in Uganda – where malnutrition in general is rife, and represents a serious challenge to human health and economic development. Anaemia affects women of reproductive age and children under five years in particular because these groups struggle to access food of animal origin, especially fish, due to unavailability and expense. Rich in protein and other nutrients essential for good health, fish is considered a ‘superfood’ and optimal for child development. To help communities reduce their post-harvest losses and access a more reliable supply of processed fish products, NutriFish has introduced solar tent drying technology as an alternative to traditional open-air sun-drying. The tent drying process is faster and cleaner than traditional methods, whilst also being sustainable, and is enhancing the livelihoods of women who constitute the majority of local fish processers. Processed fish quality has improved, increasing the shelf life from 6 to 8 weeks, to nearly 5 months, and has doubled incomes for the women processers. To further improve the sustainability of small fish processing businesses, the electronic Catch Assessment Survey (eCAS) assessment survey, a simple app, has been developed by the project.
Betty Mercy Timbe from Ntoroko landing site on Lake Albert never ate small fish whilst growing up: “I thought they were too small to eat,” she explains. But after attending a training session with the project to learn about the nutritional benefits of fish, she tasted fried mukene for the first time - “It was very delicious,” she enthuses.
Land claims can cripple a farm. Thousands of land deals, financing applications and plans to develop or expand have been bedevilled by land claims, and this has cost South Africa inestimable jobs and rural development. That is why the family farming network Saai today launched the most extensive digital land claims database. This web page enables users to determine their land claim status themselves in about 20 seconds. The database consists of all Government Gazettes since 1998 in which anything has been published about land claims or alleged land claims, as prescribed by section 11(1) of the Land Rights Act (No. 22 of 1994). Apart from giving users access to a database of land claims that have already been gazetted, it can also send a request to the relevant provincial land claims commissioner to find out if there is a claim on a user’s land which has not yet been published. It also stores all searches and information so that we can notify users immediately if a claim arises in the future. “This database is part of a comprehensive strategy of many years to enforce transparency and order regarding the land claims process. Saai makes this database available to the general public because it is in their best interest,” said Francois Rossouw, CEO of Saai. Until today, the department has never provided a complete list of all the claims that have been submitted. Therefore, on 4 May 2021 Saai sent a PAIA request to the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD), requesting them to provide Saai with copies of every land claim published in the government gazette from 1998 to 2021. According to the DALRRD, it would be a “laborious” task to comply with the request, and they simply ignored further writings. On 21 February 2022, Saai received a court order obliging the DALRRD to provide the information to Saai. However, the department has not yet complied with the court order. Therefore, Saai is Dr. Theo de Jager en Francois Rossouw applying for contempt of court by Minister Thoko Didiza.
“The uncertainty and crippling implications that a chaotic land claims office has on agriculture are unaffordable. As in many other sectors of the economy, there is no other alternative for South Africa than enforcing better service delivery and management through the courts,” said Dr Theo de Jager, CEO of Saai. The platform is available free of charge to members of the public at https://bit.ly/landclaim_ org. The next phase of the platform will also feature labour tenant claims.
Fish Farming in Mali Part of the Long-Term Solution to Militancy and Instability
Capital accumulation and investment in profitable businesses that meet basic needs catalyzes economic and social development. It holds longterm promise to reduce poverty, instability and the fuel for both militant and state violence. To speak with World Neighbors, the development organization implementing the fishpond and other programs, please contact me at 202-554-5796.
FEATURE July - August 2022 | 27
Militants recently struck Mali’s main military base outside the capital of Barmako. This is one of the many attacks by militants and “hooligans” the country has endured for years. While military force will play a role in stabilizing the country and laying the groundwork for better lives for its citizens, it’s not the entire story. The only long-term solution to poverty and violence— much of it committed by young men seeking a source of income—is economic development. This includes the kind of low-cost, highimpact community-based programs like those in Sourountouna. Villagers there are taking numerous steps to increase their incomes. An important one is cooperative fishponds.
That profit and others are deposited in a community-managed savings and credit fund to meet village and individual needs. This includes a pump to supply water for the village; a blackboard and other materials for womens’ literacy training; and contributions to the school’s management committee. Individuals can also take out loans at very low or no interest to invest in agricultural implements, home based businesses and other income-producing ventures.
By Kate Schecter, CEO, World Neighbors
Saai launches landclaim.org
The village cooperative is raising, harvesting and selling tilapia and catfish. In one recent sale, members sold fish to members of the cooperative and others in the village for a total of $470.00. Of this, $393.00 was gross profit.
FEATURE 28 | July - August 2022
Poultry Farming in Africa
The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) is leading an initiative called The African
Get AlthoughFundingmost banks aren’t likely to give money to lesser-known farmers, some grants are available to them. These help people begin their shot at the poultry market by starting a farm.
Organization Making Poultry Farming Affordable in Africa
The grant impacted about 2.5 million households in the four years after they donated. The end goal here was a sustainable supply chain that would provide healthy chickens to entrepreneurs in small farming in Africa.
Chicken Genetic Claims project. Their main goal is to change the genetic makeup of chickens and make them more productive for Africans with small farms.
The odds aren’t great because some farmers try to start with too many chickens to cash in on the need for poultry in the area. However, if you don’t know what you’re doing and don’t consider factors, you could be more in over your head than you realize. Chicken Initiative Agriculture is the fastest-growing market in Africa. Farmers there, however, don’t have access to research facilities to assist them with their breeds. African chickens need more of the high-priced feed than other birds in the market and African farmers don’t have access to broiler birds, which are good for meat.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provided $21.4 million and a four-year plan in 2017 to The World Poultry Foundation. The mission is to improve chicken genes and poultry production in Tanzania and Nigeria.
Chicken Breeds Throughout history, there have been over 200 breeds of chickens developed for different agricultural needs. Many chickens have common characteristics, although they aren’t of the same species and have another purpose from their counterparts. Chickens are grouped by their breed based on their physical origin and characteristics. The main large groups are Mediterranean, American, Asian, Asiatic and English. Many breeds fall into these categories, ranging from soft-feather species to hard-feather ones. Junglefowl is possibly the original prototype for creating different breeds. There are three main types of these birds classified by their coloring and existence in other parts of the world. Green, grey and red junglefowl are often in the wild or on domesticated farms and homes. Choose Poultry Farmers use different types of chickens for different kinds of poultry. When starting a business, like a farm, you must decide what sort of chicken you’ll need for the goods you want to provide. Broiler chickens produce meat and layer chickens are for laying eggs.
Poultry farming is a lucrative market in Africa due to the inability to maintain them. The feed for chickens has rapidly increased and the banks don’t want to lend to small farmers. The demand for poultry is rising in Africa — and few places supply it. They often import chicken and eggs from other countries. However, this is costly and products can arrive damaged. Here are some ways poultry farming in Africa can become more affordable.
There are millions of Africans suffering from poverty that stand to gain a profit from potential poultry farming. Not only would they be monetarily benefiting, but they would also be fulfilling a need in their community and household.
The most lucrative areas of poultry in South Africa are raising chicks, incubating them and making meat and eggs. Choose one type of chicken to start with to gain experience and further your knowledge of poultry before you try to expand your Creatingmarket.Affordable
Individuals looking to begin farming in South Africa should apply for a grant and try to find an experienced farmer to learn from before they start. Smallholder farms are a growing trend in Africa that can use initiatives and assistance to bring more jobs and a sustainable market to their society.
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Bio: Jane is an agriculture and environmental journalist and the founder and editorin-chief of Environment.co, where she covers sustainability and eco-friendly living. crop growth. One study found regular pesticide applications negatively impact 70.5% of soil invertebrates and their biological services. Additionally, pests develop a resistance to the chemical compounds that target their populations. When pesticides are continuously used in agriculture, scientists believe the insects mutate and alter their genetic makeup. For instance, if one insect survives pesticide exposure and breeds with another insect, the offspring inherit a new genetic trait that breeds a pesticide-resistant population until chemical applications are rendered ineffective.
• Control: Ongoing monitoring and identification of pests and evaluation of preventive and control measures are continuously effective.
An Integrated Approach to Pest Control Pesticides’ impacts on ecological damage and failing crop health are troubling for Africa’s foodinsecure population, requiring more organic methods to prevent pesticide resistance and soil infertility while producing large quantities of healthy Althoughcrops.integrated pest management (IPM) doesn’t rid farms of pesticide use entirely, it applies as little as possible instead of relying on biocontrol methods like natural pest predation and monitoring to control unwanted insects. In the United States, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends following IPM’s four-tiered approach to control pests: • Action thresholds: Determining when action is needed for pest control, such as the level
Currently, Africa’s annual crop losses due to insect pests are even higher than the worldwide average at 49%, driving the number of foodinsecure people upward.
A 30-year-old World Health Organization (WHO) analysis found that pesticides kill about 20,000 people yearly – a study that hasn’t gone under review since. Nevertheless, the dire implications of overusing pesticides in agriculture call for a newer approach.
IPM applies to commercial and residential plant growth as an environmentally sound and safe pesticide alternative. For example, U.S. homeowners may have grubs. These are shrimp-like bugs that thrive in the soil beneath the lawn and chew on roots that leave grass with unsightly brown spots. Knowing the toxic effects of pesticides on soil health and following the IPM principles can ensure you have a green, grubfree lawn for years to come.
INSIGHT 30 | July - August 2022
Finding a Balance Between Pesticides and Organic Pest Control Methods
• Prevention: Utilizing measures to prevent pest threats, such as crop rotating, planting pest-resistant crops, and companion planting.
IPM also helps reduce pollinator deaths, further boosting crop yields. A recent study found that IPM watermelon saw a 129% increase in wild bee pollination, which resulted in 26% higher yields.
Farmers in Africa can utilize new technologies to assist them with an IPM approach. For instance, a new mobile phone app called Push-Pull aims to help farmers grow potent companion plants that repel fall armyworms naturally. Upon the technique’s initial adoption, farmers reported a significant reduction in fall armyworm populations and crop yields that had either doubled or tripled.
• Monitoring and identification: Accurately identifying pests and monitoring their growth to decide whether pesticides are needed.
While pesticides and insecticides are standard in the agricultural sector, long-term use is highly toxic and ecologically harmful to croplands. As such, there’s an increasing demand for more affordable, sustainable, and safer alternatives for adequate pest control. In fact, recent studies indicate that an integrated pest management approach could be far more effective.
The Problem With Pesticides Soils are some of the earth’s most biologically complex ecosystems, hosting about one-quarter of the earth’s biodiversity and being essential for crop yields. Optimal soil fertility is fuel for unique growth processes related to soil structure, nutrient cycling, carbon conversion, and pest and disease control. However, soil fertility is lost with each application of synthetic pesticides and insecticides, as is
of pest infestation that threatens significant crop and economic losses.
The world has already witnessed these impacts as 21% of Africa’s population became food insecure during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, equating to 282 million people.
Africa’s agricultural sector has long been a vital economic player and food source for feeding the continent’s growing population. Yet, in a world where the effects of climate change are rampant, the agriculture industry has become littered with unruly pests that threaten crop production and accrue catastrophic financial ruin worth billions of dollars. Global warming has made agriculture conducive to pests, already destroying about 40% of global crops and amounting to $220 billion in losses.
Getting to the Root of the Problem Pesticides have their place in agriculture. However, an integrated approach has far greater potential as an effective pest control method. The real challenge lies in helping Africa’s farmers implement IPM while ensuring they have the correct tools, crop varieties, and incentives to change their farming practices.
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The Seasonal Worker Visa (SWV) allows workers from a range of countries to enter the UK to work in agriculture for periods less than six months and limiting their right to change employers. A Health and Care Worker visa allows medical professionals to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job with the NHS or in adult social care. Researchers will discover more about the working conditions of agricultural and care workers by engaging support workers in charities and NGOs to conduct interviews.
Migrant workers to collaborate with experts on new study to analyse impact of post-Brexit visas
Dr Inga Thiemann from the University of Exeter, who is leading the project, said: “We want to centre migrant workers’ own voices and their lived experience in these sectors. We want to find out how they view their working conditions and which support they think would be useful to them. We feel it is important to base policy suggestions on that lived experience.”
The researchers will also carry out desk-based research on ongoing changes to the labour market and new visa regimes prompted by Brexit, Covid-19 and recent legislative initiatives.
Dr Thiemann said: “There is growing evidence that both insecure visa regimes and insufficient labour protections contribute to migrant workers’ vulnerabilities to exploitation, discrimination and modern slavery. This project will investigate the specific vulnerabilities experienced by migrant agriculture and care workers on the new postBrexit visa regimes.
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The research project is led by the University of Exeter, in partnership with the University of Bristol, the University of York, and the University of Durham, as well as NGOs Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX) and the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants (JCWI), with support from UNISON. It is hoped the findings will be used by policymakers in the future.
The project team also includes Dr Konstantinos Alexandris Polomarkakis, from the University of Exeter; Dr Natalie Sedacca, University of Durham; Dr Joyce Jiang, University of York; Dr Manoj Dias-Abey, University of Bristol; Meri Åhlberg, FLEX; Dr Lucila Granada, FLEX and Caitlin Boswell, JCWI.
The research will show more about living and working conditions of those who arrive in Britain to work on farms and with the elderly.
The project is among the first studies to be undertaken in the context of the new migration regimes following the end of free movement between the UK and the EU. It aims to analyse the effects of the visa conditions attached to short-term migration schemes on people’s vulnerability to exploitation. This includes access to protective labour market structures, such as union membership, and statutory enforcement and redress, for example through employment tribunals, and whether it creates vulnerability to exploitation.
The team and their frontline NGO partners will conduct a survey and in-depth qualitative interviews and focus groups with migrant workers and their representative organisations on their experience of work, their bargaining power and access to protective mechanisms, as well as what they would like enforcement mechanisms to look like.
Migrant care home and agricultural workers will co-create new research to analyse the impact of new visa rules introduced following Brexit.
“This project will actively engage migrant workers as co-creators of the research and collaboratively generate new data on their working conditions, experiences and risks of exploitation and access to protections and redress. It will also assess the suitability of the relevant laws and enforcement mechanisms to adequately protect workers.”
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“Effective climate protection is only possible together”
Concrete measures to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions have already been executed or are in the implementation phase. Some examples include the increased use of energy from renewable sources as well as additional investments in photovoltaic systems at the production sites. Since early 2022, SÜDPACK has been sourcing 100% carbon neutral natural gas for all of its German sites, and energy supply has been shifted to 100% renewable energy. With its firm commitment to a circular economy and recycling, as well as further measures that involve waste and material management or e-mobility, SÜDPACK is also on the right track when it comes to Scope 3.
Within the framework of its NET ZERO activities, SÜDPACK has joined the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) – and signed the commitment letter. The joint initiative of the UN Global Compact, Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), World Resources Institute (WRI), Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) and others has set itself the goal of anchoring effective climate protection on a corporate level to limit global warming to 1.5°C.
The SBTi commitment letter was signed in April 2022. Within the next 24 months, SÜDPACK will submit concrete goals to the SBTi and have them val-idated. Scope 1 and Scope 2 will be taken into account as defined in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol standards, as will Scope 3 emissions, which have the greatest effect on SÜDPACK’s total emissions. Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions that are directly emitted by the company. This includes the company’s vehicles, incineration plants and refrigerants. Scope 2 comprises indirect emissions, such as those from purchased energy, steam, cooling, heating or also from business travel, waste, leased assets and capital goods. Scope 3 takes a look at the indirect emissions from upstream and down-stream activities, such as purchased materials and their transportation, dis-tribution and logistics, waste and employee commuting.
34 | July - August 2022
SÜDPACK thus belongs to an international community of companies that share the same values and goals. But above all, the global film manufacturer is committing itself to even greater involvement in climate protection along the entire value chain, to involvement that is based on current findings in climate science –and is ensuring that its climate protection efforts are con-sistent with the highest standards of the Paris Agreement. “It is based on our NET ZERO vision here at SÜDPACK that we are working hard on the sustained improvement of our carbon footprint,” emphasized Valeska Haux, VP of Strategic Marketing at SÜDPACK. “We are convinced that it will only be possible to effectively meet the challenges of climate change if industry, institutions, politics and consumers develop an even greater sense of responsibility, join forces and work together on pioneering solutions,” elaborated Haux.
FEATURE
Located in the middle of Europe, the ge ographic position of their production sites gives FCA Fertilisants and Ferti lux direct access to natural raw materi als for the agro-industry and microbiology. Through their patented know-how in soil life biostimulation technologies, FCA Fertilisants and Fertilux enable farmers to take the initi ative towards a naturally fertile agriculture by following four principles : Enriching soil fertility Significantly reducing the carbon effect in comparison to standard fertilisers Increasing the effectiveness of inputs Decreasing the environmental impact What are the solutions ?
All the continents, and especially Africa, should take on a challenge for the fu ture : To feed more and more populations under increasingly difficult soil and climatic conditions. Despite significant progress, productivity in the African continent is still below the other regions in the world and remains a primary concern. At present, one person in four on the continent still suffers from chronic malnutrition. The situation will get worse over the next dec ades, considering that demographic growth in Africa, forecast at 1.3 billion additional inhab itants by 2050, will further increase the chal lenge to the African food system. This is compounded by intensifying climatic changes which will put crops and animal rear ing in peril and heighten food safety issues. Without adaptation strategies, the production of corn, which is a basic food in Africa, could fall by 40% between now and 2050. Although the extension of cultivated land has consider ably increased agricultural production in the past, it has been to the detriment of the en vironment. In the future, agricultural production should be intensified sustainably and with respect for the environment. Who are FCA Fertilisants and Fertilux ?
The solutions for eco-friendly fertilisation pro vided by FCA Fertilisants and Fertilux stabilise the soil by including nutrients and nourishing the microorganisms that are naturally present. Through a symbiotic relationship with plants, these microorganisms shape plant health in two ways : Proven by the results of official experiments, the performances of FCA Fertil isants and Fertilux solutions provide an answer in the African context.
SUMMARY : Eco-friendly fertilisation has several advantages : > An increase in yield > Sustainable strengthening of soil and plant health > Perpetuation of the biological, physical and chemical fertility of the FCAsoilFertilisants and Fertilux are dedicated to the preservation of relations with farmers and devotedly carry out tests each year directly on "pilot" farms in order to continuously evaluate the pertinence of their solutions and optimise their recommendations and fertilisation programmes. We invite you to follow the results of these tests and partnerships in the next issues of Farmers Review of Africa... By helping to fight off diseases or pests By reinforcing the resistance to biotic and abiotic stress To contact us : Mr. Sébastien DAVID sebastien.david@group-shfc.com +33.6.51.17.54.62 Mr. Christophe MONNOT christophe.monnot@fertilux.lu +33.6.74.23.68.27
FOR AFRICAN AGRICULTURE THAT IS NATURALLY FERTILE !
The Seasonal Monitor has also revealed that: certain areas have received up to about 30 percent less rain than usual; monthly deficits have decreased as we entered 2022, but conditions remain drier than average; and delays in the COVER STORY
As part of its ongoing engagement with the country, a delegation from the Africa Risk Capacity (ARC), an African Union (AU) Specialised Agency tasked with helping AU Member States plan, prepare and respond to extreme weather events, met with the Government of Malawi and civil society in Malawi last year. The meeting was an opportunity to strengthen ARC’s relationship with the Government of Malawi, build on the work done in the country over the years, understand the needs of the country, and share insights on what ARC can offer as part of its weather insurance for climate resilience offering. This, as part of a comprehensive engagement programme, led to Malawi participating in the ARC risk pool to cover its 2021/2022 agricultural season.
Fortunately, the WFP predicts that recovery will be possible, “provided abundant and regular rains are received from January onwards, and that there will be no early end to the rainfall season”.
Insurance payouts vital to protect Malawian smallholder farmers
The Seasonal Monitor showed the OctoberDecember 2021 period to have been the driest in a long time, or second driest, since 1981 across a spread of countries (from northern Mozambique and southern Tanzania, to southern Madagascar, the Angola-Namibia border and most of Malawi,).
According to the ARC Group Director General Ibrahima Cheikh Diong, ARC sees it as essential After Malawi and other countries in the region experienced an extremely dry 2021/2022 agricultural season, the Government of Malawi and a coalition of partners, joined forces to manage the risk and reduce the impact on vulnerable populations. to align its solutions to national policies and strategies such as the Malawi National Disaster Risk Financing Strategy. This will enable the government to optimise the use of any resources made available towards enabling response efforts in the event of a natural disaster to benefit the most vulnerable, including any payouts from an ARC insurance policy. “As [the] ARC, our job is to understand, support and complement Malawi’s disaster risk policy framework – among other things,” he said, addressing the attending delegates. “In the process, we are also interested in promoting the equal treatment of women and girls who are often the most vulnerable when climate disasters Notstrike.”long after this meeting, in January 2022, the World Food Programme (WFP) released its Southern Africa Seasonal Monitor results that confirmed the first stages of drought conditions in the region’s 2021/2022 season.
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Taking his turn at the podium during the meeting, the Civil Society Network on Climate Change (CISONECC) national coordinator, Julius Ngo’ma, spoke on behalf of non-state actors under the banner of Multi-Actor Partnership (MAP).
In this regard, as part of the ARC Replica programme, an initiative that allows humanitarian actors to take out insurance on behalf of a country, the WFP remains a crucial cog in advocating for better risk-management systems and funding related to climate-change effects. In November last year, following a drought and pests that destroyed significant volumes of crops, up to 65,000 Malawian farming households received cash payouts amounting to US$2.4 million from a UN WFP agricultural insurance programme.
Tecno’s brand identity has been refreshed as part of the new strategy. The Tecno logo has been modified to give it a streamlined look with a modern feel; ‘The Eggsperience’ tagline remains unchanged. “The Eggsperience is much more than a tagline for us,” explains Luimes. ”It defines our process of standing with our customers from idea to installation and beyond to ensure their hens have the right environment to reach their highest potential.”
“Most farmers in Malawi rely on rain-fed agriculture but with the surging effects of climate change, livelihoods are cyclically disrupted and this fuels hunger,” said the Malawian Minister of Agriculture, Lobin Lowe, who attended the payout launch. “Scaling up crop insurance can enhance people’s capacity to anticipate and withstand shocks, and [can] mitigate their effects in the long run,” he enthused. Says Lesley Ndlovu, ARC Limited CEO: “Agriculture is extremely important to African countries as it contributes one third of GDP and two thirds of employment opportunities and when you think about natural disasters they have the greatest and most disproportionate impact on small to medium scale farmers and in Africa currently 80%-90% agricultural output comes from these types of farmers.
“With the changing climate, farming can be an uncertain business in Malawi, especially for smallholder farmers,” says Paul Turnbull, WFP Malawi Country Director and Representative. “Payouts are a springboard for farmers to continue their efforts in adapting to increased weather-related shocks, and in fighting both food insecurity and poverty.”
The website PoultryEquipment.com has also been redesigned for easier navigation and access to information. It features the brand’s broad range of solutions, turnkey projects, and expert tips.
“Parametric insurance accelerates the speed of pay-out because we can run the model quickly and pay out a claim to a farmer within weeks, allowing them to bounce back and continue investing in their farms.”
Harry Luimes, Director and General Manager at Tecno “Our customers want their hens to be comfortable, safe and nourished,” added Stefan Caspari, Senior Vice President and General Manager, AGCO Grain & Protein. “Tecno uses decades
During the 2020-2021 farming season, farmers insured crops such as maize, sorghum, rice, groundnuts, pigeon peas and cotton to protect their income from harvest losses.
“The egg business keeps changing, and those evolving standards mean more complexity for our customers. Helping customers navigate those challenges drives us every single day,” said Luimes. “Tecno remains fully dedicated to the egg industry around the world, and we’re innovating to meet the needs of each customer while advancing the industry. Our strategy matches the right system to the customer’s operation, ensuring the highest performance in egg quantity and quality.” of experience to truly understand where our customers want to go and the right innovations to help them get there.”
COVER STORY Tecno, a global leader in the design and manufacturer of housing systems for laying hens, recently announced its new strategy focused on helping customers find the right fit to reach their highest potential. Harry Luimes, Director and General Manager at Tecno, unveiled the strategy, including a refreshed brand logo and website, to employees and partners during the brand’s annual meeting.
Tecno Announces New Customer-Centric Strategy and Refreshed Brand Identity
The ARC Group comprises ARC Agency, a specialised agency of the AU, and ARC Ltd, the financial affiliate of the Group. Together, the organisation supports AU member states to plan, prepare and respond to the negative effects of climate change.
While the government is the best source of information on exactly where any aid is most needed, “MAP brings together civil society, policy makers, the private sector, researchers and the media for a joint effort on pro-poor and humanrights-based approaches to climate and disasterrisk financing and insurance,” advised Ngo’ma.
38 | July - August 2022 availability of moisture for planting and early crop development have meant that the season was over five weeks late in kicking off. In addition to close monitoring of rainfall performance as the season progresses, an assessment of the extent to which vulnerable households have been affected is necessary. As stocks of certain staples become increasingly depleted, food prices are rising to accommodate transport costs to bring it in.
cash-one-largest-insurance-payouts-africanovember-2021/farmers-malawi-receive-https://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/AfricaWorldinsurance-under-spotlight-malawihttps://www.nepad.org/news/arcs-weather-FoodProgramme(WFP)’sSouthernSeasonalMonitor,January2022
An acceleration in funding Capital invested in alternative proteins rose at an annual rate of 124%, from $1 billion in 2019 to $5 billion in 2021, with investments in fermentation and animal-cell-based companies leading the way. Investment in alternative proteins is increasingly global. Middle East funders, which tend to focus on animal-cellbased investments, made up 11% of worldwide investment in alternative proteins last year while APAC investment, fuelled by plant-based deals, increased by 92%. For investors, a key finding of the report is the fact that investments in plant-based proteins are more CAPEX-efficient with regard to carbon dioxide and methane emission reductions than in any other industry. Plant-based protein market penetration as forecasted in the Food for Thought I base case would save 0.85 gigaton of emissions by 2035. This savings potential is equivalent to decarbonising a majority of the aviation industry. Investing in plant-based proteins has the highest emission savings per invested capital—at least twice as effective as investments in cement, iron, steel, chemicals, or transport. Blue Horizon developed a proprietary impact framework whereby every investment is assessed via a theoretical impact value, allowing the company to calculate a precise IoCE. Significant progress in the regulation of alternative proteins Sensible and effective regulation is imperative to ensure that the rapid innovation and growth of the alternative protein market deliver safe, healthy, and transparent food to customers. There has been an acceleration, around the globe, to provide regulatory approval for fermentationbased and animal-cell-based products. In 2015, Israel led the way by announcing that its novel framework for regulating food safety would apply to alternative proteins. And in its latest five-year plan released in January 2022, China acknowledged the need to “expand beyond traditional crops, livestock, and poultry to more abundant biological resources” and made animalcell-based meat and other alternative proteins part of its food security strategy. “Pivoting away from animal-based proteins will lead to shorter, more resilient, and potentially more local supply chains. Widespread adoption of alternative proteins can remove the risk of supply chain disruptions and play a critical role tackling climate change, with consumers playing a key part in propelling this transition.”
Bjoern Witte, CEO of Blue Horizon, adds: “The products consumers are seeing on the shelves today will be followed by a wave of cleaner, healthier, and tastier alternative proteins, as technology allows for increasing innovation. We’ve seen the fast-paced development of these technologies in our own portfolio as well as the wider food-tech industry, leading to an overall better consumer product range. This is great news for today’s consumers, but we’re just at the beginning, really. Future generations will benefit greatly from the demonstrable impact this will have on the environment, as shown through our analysis of climate data. This is the second report from BCG and Blue Horizon confirming that protein transformation is the most capital-efficient way to avoid emissions and deliver Impact of Capital Employed (IoCE). If we reach 11% market penetration by 2035, which is our goal, we could save more carbon emissions than decarbonising 95% of the aviation sector. The positive impact
The transition to alternative proteins continues, accelerated by consumers motivated by healthier diets and having a positive impact on climate
FEATURE July - August 2022 | 39 Dramatic, above-inflation price increases for animal-based products over the course of the pandemic led to an unprecedented spike in the sales, funding, and public awareness of the alternative protein sector. Increasing global concerns about food security and climate impact have further fuelled this development. With 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions caused by the food value chain, the shift to alternative proteins may be the most capital-efficient and high-impact solution to addressing the climate crisis. Projected to represent at least 11% of all meat, seafood, eggs, and dairy consumed globally by 2035, alternative proteins will save 3x the emissions for each dollar invested compared with the next-best tool in the box—decarbonising cement—according to a forthcoming report from Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and the impact investor Blue Horizon.
More than 30% of consumers would fully switch their diets to alternative proteins to make a positive climate impact, reports the first BCG and Blue Horizon multi-market survey of alternative proteins
Three-quarters of survey respondents cited a healthier diet as their primary motivator for consuming alternative proteins, while more than 30% of consumers would fully switch their diets to alternative proteins if they believed doing so would have a major positive impact on climate. Across all markets surveyed, consumers view alternative proteins positively: 76% are aware of the category, and approximately nine out of ten said they like at least some of the alternative-protein products they have tried. While consumers in China and Germany are the most willing to pay close to parity with protein equivalents, no consumer in any region is willing to pay a premium for alternative proteins that match meat for taste, texture, and nutrition—a price premium requires value add. “Nearly one in three people across the world are plagued by food insecurity. Coupled with the impact of the continued geopolitical crises on the supply chain and food prices, there is immense pressure on the global food system,” says Ben Morach, a BCG managing director and partner.
The report, The Untapped Climate Opportunity in Alternative Proteins, will present findings from a survey of more than 3,700 consumers in seven countries (China, France, Germany, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States) regarding their reasons for trying alternative proteins and the inhibitors that keep them from buying even more.
is absolutely massive, and secular drivers have never been stronger—the time to invest is now.”
40 | July - August 2022
Here, 180km southeast of the Namibian capital Windhoek, in Springbockvley, far away from all factory farming, pesticide and antibiotic culture, the German-born Külbs brothers run a cattle farm in the 3rd generation.
Thanks to Saloodo!: GermanNamibian farmer expand to Europe
Here in Southern Africa, the entrepreneurs face the crucial question of finding the right partner for the global transport of goods for distribution in Germany and Europe. Digital platforms have fundamentally simplified access to logistics “While sitting on the terrace of our farm in Namibia, I was looking for an efficient solution for the onward transport of our biltong within Europe. That’s when I discovered Saloodo! With just a few clicks, the optimal transport service providers were booked and during the entire transport process I always had only one contact person. For me, the flexible service with complete transparency was another plus point: the response times on the platform were really great,” says Valentin Külbs, Managing Director at KÜLBS TM Original Namibian Biltong, about his first experience with Saloodo!.
FEATURE
Two brothers - two continents - with a partner like Saloodo!
The completely digitized processes save users time and money, regardless of longitude or latitude. And the intuitive, simple user interface of the Saloodo! platform ensures that even customers with little logistics experience, such as the Külbs brothers, have uncomplicated, fast access to the right freight forwarder for their needs. The plan is working: Europe-wide expansion Biltong is air-dried beef and, apart from vinegar, salt and a few spices, is free of additives. In Namibia, the “steak on the go” has been a healthy, traditional snack for over 100 years, but it is also finding more and more sales in Germany and Europe. Tourists find the dried meat in the minibars of game lodges in southern Africa, but also at rental car companies for the small hunger in between. Selected German supermarkets are grateful buyers of the African biltong in the wake of the “low carb” and protein food trend, and Europe-wide expansion is also becoming easier for Valentin Külbs thanks to the uncomplicated transport options via digital marketplaces.
Already since the end of the 1950s, the Külbs family has been engaged in sustainable cattle breeding on their farm “Springbockvley”. After the brothers Valentin and Jonathan Külbs lost their father in a tragic accident at an early age, the young men decided to preserve the family farm. While Jonathan continues the actual farm business with his wife Svenja, Valentin serves and expands the market in Germany and Europe. The goal is to leave more revenue with the farmers and in Namibia through first-class quality of products and services, as well as the reduction of intermediate trade stages in the medium term. Successful with the right partner Saloodo! is an innovative digital logistics platform meeting the needs of small and medium-sized companies, such as the cattle farms in Namibia. The platform is the right partner for full loads, part loads and general cargo shipments based on competitive offers - worldwide! Because since the foundation of Saloodo! in 2016, the company has continuously expanded, also outside of Europe, into growth markets such as the Middle East, Africa and South America. Today, Saloodo! already counts more than 30,000 shippers and over 12,000 transport companies among its customers. The platform is available in more than 50 countries on 4 continents. For the Külbs brothers, this means an efficient, simple solution for their planned expansion in Germany and Europe - whether from Namibia or Germany.
Der Digital logistics marketplace Saloodo! makes freight transport more efficient for SMEs and startups Your eyes wander across the shimmering vastness of the Western Kalahari, over the hills of deep red earth, past the endless pastures of cattle. In the shade of the acacia trees, the animals graze the African steppe for food. It is a peaceful scene, full of tranquility and nativeness.
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FEATURE 42 | July - August 2022
“Slow Food has also evolved into a complex ecosystem — this gives us the strength to tackle complex challenges using a local approach and local wisdom...” he says. “I have been a farmer all life — my story is part of hundreds of stories out there: We are all part of the change.”
All this, he believes is more important than ever before given the challenges the world faces today. “We are in a climate emergency, and need to act quickly. There is a looming water crisis. We have a food crisis in many parts of the world.”
A younger, more diverse leadership is likely to be able to pivot faster and adapt to new challenges. After all, as Edie points out, “the world is growing younger — In Africa alone, 70% of the population is below the age of 40.”
Ugandan farmer takes over as president of Slow Food
Edward Mukiibi. Source: Slow Food agriculture. “When hybrid seeds failed because of the drought — they were disappointed, and so was I. We realised that with mixed farming, even with drought, farmers would not lose 100% of their crop.”
Mukiibi began to work with the farmers to rebuild traditional systems and rebuild trust. “We began using regenerative approaches, permaculture and agroforestry. We started working with plants that are resilient, so even with strong winds or drought you will have something to harvest, something to eat. We began working with heritage millet.”
With active communities in over 100 countries, the global movement defends biological and cultural biodiversity, encouraging people to eat and advocate for food that is ‘good, clean and fair.’ Working with policy makers, local communities and activists, Slow Food is quick to adapt to a rapidly changing world, largely because of its enthusiasm for mentoring young leadership.
“It was a heavy job to do alone. I started looking for organisations working to truly transform the food system. That’s when I was invited to Slow Food’s Terra Madre event in Italy to share my “Istory.”realised
I didn’t make a mistake when I chose to work with resilient agricultural systems. I realised there are millions doing the same work around the world... It is an emotional moment for people feeling lost — you feel you are part of something big, part of a solution.” He returned to Uganda to work with school gardens. “They were using farming as a punishment for students. I wanted to change that
“Most people think a garden just produces vegetables: but it also teaches you how to learn to manage resources, and create dialogue with nutrition and school meals.”
The young farmer is the new president of Slow Food taking over from Italian founder Carlo Petrini who has led Slow Food since 1986, when it launched in Rome, Italy.
When Edward Mukiibi began to grow tomatoes at his home in Uganda, he had no idea it would change thousands of lives. Including his own.
Mukiibi talks of his family’s farm in the small village of Kisoga, in Uganda’s Mukono district. It is here he began working with schools, encouraging students to set up small, organic vegetable gardens. “I studied agriculture at university, and was born in a farming community,” he said. “My parents have a small farm, where they grew a lot of tropical crops, coffee, bananas, beans, maize... and fruit trees along the boundary.” At university, he says his work with local farmers taught him the value of traditional methods of negative attitude,” he said, adding that Slow Food has always had a strong approach to education through gardens, where students learn to grow their own food. Inspired by meetings with educators like the iconic Alice Waters, Edie began to collaborate with young leaders from different African countries to revive indigenous farming systems, and their inspirational ‘1000 Gardens In Africa’ project began to pick up speed. “We have over 3 000 gardens in Africa now, and they are important for food security and sovereignty for communities, families and school. They are also part of our open-air classrooms.”
“We look forward to involving our top researchers and students in projects under the umbrella of FreeFarm Innovation. Additional areas of collaboration will include, among others, soil science, marketing, logistics, water quality, production systems, plant breeding, entomology, chemistry, and animal science” says Prof Witthuhn. Shared benefit for partners “As one of the oldest, most respected institutions of higher education in South Africa, the UFS brings experience, top-class researchers, facilities, technology, and knowledge to the partnership. This is enhanced by ZZ2’s established, reputable, and successful business and network structure within the agriculture sector, both locally and globally,” she says. The initial key to the partnership will be the development of effective fertilisation products and strategies. “The values of the university to not compromise on quality and impact aligns with ZZ2’s focus on fresh product quality. Further alignment is also achieved through the employee training programmes and the ZZ2 academy,” says Prof Witthuhn.
FEATURE 44 | July - August 2022 Advertiser’s index TO ADVERTISE IN FARMERS REVIEW AFRICA CALL: +27 11 044 8986 | Email: sales@farmersreviewafrica.com Agritech .................................................................................................03 BioCheck................................................................................................23BigAgruline..................................................................................................29Dutchman.........................................................................................21 Humofert.................................................................................................07GPCA......................................................................................................33FRIGORTEC...........................................................................................19Fertilux....................................................................................................35CHCNAV.............................................................................................OBC Irrigation Association.............................................................................37 KSB Pumps & Valves..........................................................................IBC Marketing WoodSimmerSaudiPolmacMicrosep.................................................................................................25Arm........................................................................................41S.R.L..........................................................................................31AgricultureShow..........................................................................17Enterprises.............................................................................IFCMizer.............................................................................................45 The publication of this magazine is made possible in part from fees paid by our advertisers. To help our advertisers evaluate the effectiveness of informing you of their company, products and services, and to help us retain our advertisers, tell them that you are contacting them because you saw their advert in the Farmers Review Africa The University of the Free State (UFS) has formed a partnership with ZZ2 – a well-known South African farming and fresh produce company. The partnership includes the establishment of a company, FreeFarm Innovation, as a vehicle for combined outputs of the university and ZZ2’s diverse, but complementary capabilities, skills, and resources. Several opportunities relating to research, commercialisation, and the enhancement of various agricultural products have been identified and will form part of the operations of FreeFarm Innovation. New solutions and practices for the agricultural sector “Universities are key role players in bridging the theory-practice gap by ensuring that we generate functional knowledge. The UFS is constantly exploring meaningful partnerships to support the improvement of local and global communities and industries. We are excited about the collaboration and partnership with ZZ2 in developing new solutions and practises for the agricultural sector” says Prof Corli Witthuhn, Vice-Rector: Research and Internationalisation at the UFS.
UFS partners with ZZ2, well-known South African farming and fresh produce company
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