Agritech

Tanzania to establish stable market for tea

The government of Tanzania has expressed its determination to establish a stable market for local tea to bolster production of the cash crop. Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Mr Hussein Bashe assured Parliament that the government will do everything possible in its power to engage and seek support from various development partners and other stakeholders to ensure that tea farming is improved.

Mr Bashe said the government will ensure continued efforts to develop the tea crop to increase productivity, including doing researches that may lead to developing proper seedling for high yields. He said the government’s plan also aims to boost tea production to 40,000 tonnes from the current 34,000 tonnes, while equipping farmers with prerequisite skills and knowledge on better farming methods to increase production and income. He acknowledged that for many years, farmers have been complaining over getting low profit from the crop due to low prices and unreliable market. Mr Bashe said in 2021/22 financial year, the government plans to spend 400m/- for the production of quality seedling, provide training for small scale farmers and develop four big plantations managed by the Korogwe and Lushoto Smallholder Tea Farmers Agency (TSHTDA).

“We are up for quality tea seeds, we have the needed research funds and we’re determined to ensure that our farmers get reliable markets for the crop,”. “We’ll supervise to ensure that our farmers benefit from the crop,” he said. The Deputy Minister was reacting to a question from Mr Enosy Swalle, (Lupembe-CCM) on what measures were in place to increase tea production in the country. He added that through the AGRICONECT, which aims to increase productivity and value addition, more than 5.560 million euros has been allocated towards that.

Mr Bashe said the project will also promote value chain in Rungwe, Busokelo, Mufindi and Njombe in the next four years ending 2023/24. The project will be implemented jointly by IDH, TRITI and TSHTDA companies.

Mr Bashe added that in the 2021/22 financial year, 290.7m/- has been set aside for the production of 750,000 quality tea seedlings. Moreover, he told Parliament that the ministry will provide training to farmers on the principles of good farming practices and quality tea products; strengthening 34 Cooperative Societies as well as strengthening extension services.

The tea crop earns the nation foreign exchange amounting to US dollars 60 million a year and provides direct employment to more than 50,000 people in the tea processing industries. The crop is grown in 12 districts and 6 regions, which are Mbeya, Njombe, Iringa, Tanga, Kagera and Mara where about 32,000 smallholder farmers are engaged in cultivation of the crop.

Kenya keen on transforming smallholder agriculture into modern sector

The government of Kenya purposed to transform smallholder agriculture into a modern sector and SMEs have been identified as key actors and beneficiaries of the transformation. Ministry of Trade, Industrialisation and Enterprise Development, Cabinet Secretary, Betty Maina, said that further development of the sector is key to poverty reduction and economic growth, and therefore remains central to the National Agenda, as demonstrated by the presence of Food Security as one of the Pillars in the Big 4 Agenda.

Maina said this in a speech read on her behalf by the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA) CEO, Henry Rithaa, during the launch of the Strategic Plan for the Micro Enterprises Support Programme Trust (MESPT) for the period 2021-2025. Maina said that MESPT is known as a champion for Smallholder Farmers and Agri-SME Growth through their work in capacity building, business advisory services, agricultural financing solutions, value-chain and market systems development.

The CS lauded MESPT for consistently working and building a portfolio of Sh6.2 billion sustainable financing which has so far been disbursed to 36 Financial Institutions and 250,000 end-users through 55 financial products. “Most remarkable is the creation of a total of 70,000 jobs at various levels of the market system, the engagement of 100,000 farmers in various value chains and the generation of Kshs.6.8 billion total sales turnover by the targeted smallholder farmers,” said Maina.

She highlighted that the SME sector in Kenya is the life force of the Country’s economy constituting about 98 percent of all the businesses in the country employing about 15 million Kenyans and generate 80 percent of new jobs annually.

“I must laud all stakeholders in this sector because despite the challenges currently being faced by SMEs, particularly from the ripple effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic, on aggregate, this segment has still shown a steady growth over the years representing a contribution of nearly 40 percent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP),” said the CS.

She said that some key agencies within her ministry that are actively supporting agricultural and its value addition chain include the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (KEPROBA), the Micro and Small Enterprises Authority (MSEA), the Kenya Industrial Estates (KIE), the Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI) and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) amongst others.

MESPT CEO, Rebecca Amukhoye, said that their aim is to support small holder farmers and SME’s through value chain development by offering affordable credit to financial institutions for improved business competitiveness and job creation.

“We are focused on solving pressing challenges such as climate change, access to finance, food safety, women and youth unemployment by providing unique business models which increase agricultural productivity and access to markets,” said Amukhoye.

Kenyan farmers seek subsidised GM cotton seeds agriculture

Cotton farmers in Kenya have urged the government to subsidise genetically modified cotton seeds due to high cost. Farmer Francis Opallo in Teso South, Busia County, said Bt cotton is high yielding and he has been able to reduce the cost of pesticides. “A farmer can get between 80 to 100 balls in one Bt tree, unlike the conventional variety that could produce 20 to 25 balls, or even as low as 10,” said the farmer.

Opallo said, however, few farmers can afford the seedlings at Sh2,300 a kilo and urged the government provide the seedlings to farmers on credit, which will attract more farmers. “At this time, seeds are subsidised but the government cannot afford to continue and will look to the private sector to help revive the cotton sector. A kilo of seeds is enough to plant one acre and despite the high cost of seeds, the returns are worth it if the crop is managed well,” said Opallo. Agriculture PS Hamadi Boga said despite their price of Sh2,300 per kilo, these are high-quality seeds unlike the ones farmers are planting. “This is quality seed that will give a farmer higher yields, they are also guaranteed to save on the cost of pesticides as they need less. This is because the most destructive pest, the cotton boll worm, is managed by the plant so you don’t expect it to be cheap. The cost of other inputs will be lower and the returns are higher,” Boga said.

The PS confirmed farmers are not incurring the cost of seedlings as the government is buying and giving seeds to them. The government is now providing 100 per cent subsidy but going forward, the private sector will provide support to the farmers through contracts, he said.

“The only bottleneck is making the seeds available and the government is only able to provide a limited amount of seeds,” the PS said. On December 20, 2019, the Cabinet approved commercialisation of GM cotton. In March 2020, the Agriculture ministry started distributing the first batch of the GM cotton seeds to farmers in Western and Nyanza region to plant in the long rains season.

Egypt ranks first in fish farming in Africa

Egypt has ranked first in fish farming within Africa, sixth globally and third globally in the production of tilapia. Egyptian Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation al-Sayed al-Quseir made the announcement and said the country has self-sufficiency in fish production, producing more than 2.2 million tons of fish with a great deal of self-sufficiency, and now exports its fish wealth.

There are major fish projects that have recently been opened, such as al-Fayrouz, al-Diba and Berket Ghalioun project for fish farming. Quseir added that executive regulations of the recently issued lakes and fisheries development law are being prepared, which aims to control fishermen and fishing boats, and the quality of fish, as well as eliminating overfishing.

The government is making intensive efforts to provide safe food of various types, he said, explaining that in light of the coronavirus pandemic, most developed countries were unable to provide food to their citizens despite their financial capabilities. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ratified earlier in October Law 146 of 2021, promulgating the Law for the Protection and Development of Lakes and Fisheries published in the official Gazette. The House of Representatives had earlier approved the draft law, which crystallizes its objectives in achieving effective protection for Egyptian lakes, fisheries and beaches, being natural resources of economic and environmental importance.

The law enhances the development of fisheries, especially in light of the lack of procedures followed in protecting the lakes and its natural resources and the weakness of penalties prescribed for crimes of encroachment on fisheries and water channels and the inconsistency of provisions. Prior to the law, Egypt lacked a precise legal system for fish farming. This led to multiple issues such as the existence of multiple authorities with conflicting competencies related to lakes and fisheries especially those related to the protection and development of lakes and the regulation of fishing activity and the protection, exploitation and development of fisheries.

Tanzania places emphasis on palm tree block farming

The government of Tanzania placed great emphasis on palm tree block farming in councils with vast and productive lands as it wants to address edible oil shortage in the country.

Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Hussein Bashe, said the ministry has devised a strategic plan to ensure palm tree farming is being conducted in such a way that it will create massive production. Mr Bashe gave the announcement in the Parliament on Friday, when reacting to a question posed by legislator Mr Charles Mwijage (MulebaNorth-CCM) on what measures are in place for the country to produce edible oil to meet the local market demand.

The deputy minister said the government has intensified production of palm trees, to halt the importation of edible oil in the country. They are working closely with authorities in Kagera, Tanga, Coast, Katavi and Mbeya regions, to mobilise the public to engage in palm tree cultivation as they have arable land for the crop. The government is also ensuring the use of the best and quality tree seeds and getting timely training from the extension officers on palm tree farming. Annually the government spends over 400bn/- to import cooking oil. As such, the PM directed District Commissioners (DCs) and the District Executive Directors (DEDs) in Kigoma Region to effectively coordinate palm tree production in their respective areas.

“The government is committed to make a close follow up on the production of palm trees from the initial to securing of the seedlings. Parents, establish palm tree farms for your children for their bright futures and economic development... It will help them not to be dependent,” noted Prime Minister, Mr Majaliwa. Likewise, the Premier urged people coming from regions which famously engage in the production of palm trees to increase cultivation to boost their incomes and the country at large.

“Invest in palm tree production for your own development and the development of your children,” noted the PM. Mr Majaliwa revealed that the government has recorded great achievements in the production of cash crops including cashew nuts, tobacco, cotton, coffee and tea.

Based on the achievement made, the government has also placed emphasis on more crops including palm tree, sisal, grapes and avocado production to be grown in large quantities and boost their value.

He applauded other regions which joined the palm tree farming for accepting the government call of embarking on palm tree production, pointing out that their farm is setting a good example in the production of the crop.

In 2019, the government set aside 4.3 million U.S. Dollars to boost cultivation of palm oil as part of its strategy to end importation of edible oil. The Kigoma region in Tanzania has been resilient in this farming.

A number of strategies have been put in place to enhance more production of palm oil. The government has promised to help the farmers with palm oil seeds, which has become a priority in the agricultural sector. The farmers have been cultivating the crop early from the 1920s as it continues to gain popularity.

Borno to invest in RUGA, agricultural projects

The Borno State Government is establishing Rural-Urban Grazing Areas (RUGAs) for herders displaced by Boko Haram insurgency in the state. The Projects Coordinator to Governor Babagana Zulum, Mallam Tijjani Mohammed disclosed the report while briefing the Sudanese Economic Team leader to Borno, Dr Osman El-Fal at the Mafa RUGA centre.

Recalled that, Sudan Delegation with agricultural experts since last Friday were in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital to partner on areas of agricultural products such as Gum Arabic, Wheat, Date Palm farming and animal production, as peace gradually returns with massive relocation and resettlement of millions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) back to their liberated communities.

This is even as the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) in Khartoum, Sudan has donated $500,000 grant to the State Government for livestock artificial insemination across the 27 local government areas of the state. The visit to Borno by the Sudan delegation was sequel to Governor Zulum’s visit to Sudan in early September this year, where he led some state delegation to the headquarters of Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) in Khartoum, following which, the partnership was potentially reached for the bank and Borno to partner on exporting wheat and gum arabic produced by farmers in Borno.

Briefing both delegations from Sudan, led by Dr El-Fal, and that of Borno State Government led by the former Minister of State for Agriculture, Bukar Tijjani, the Projects Coordinator, Mallam Mohammed said, the RUGA centres are to be sited in three senatorial districts at Mafa, Gubio and Rumirgo in Askira/Uba Local Government Area. The establishment of the grazing areas, he noted, is supported by the Federal Government intervention of N4 billion in the state’s 25-year development plan.

“This project is built on 250 hectres of land, comprising various infrastructural facilities, including 1.5-km perimeter fencing,” he said.

According to him, the Mafa RUGA centre included 100 housing units to resettle the displaced herders in the Central Senatorial District. Other facilities at the centre, are a community primary school and veterinary clinic for the livestock.

Besides, he added that modern ways of farming will be integrated with the building of hay silagemaking bunkers for the production of pasture and fodders. In ensuring all year-round pastures, he said that an irrigated pasture, including feed bins, are to be established for the livestock.

To upgrade RUGA’s standards, he disclosed that other facilities for fattening shades for bulls and rams are also to be constructed.

“Three earth dams are to be sited for the watering of livestock and production of vegetables,” he said; stating that youths and women are to be empowered in the production of fish, poultry and tailoring. He added that apart from these, the state government is to introduce improved breeds of cattle with insemination to produce 30 litres of milk a day from each cow.

“This is compared to the local breeds of cattle that produce a maximum of only two litres of milk per cow,” he said.

While under the second phase of the project, local herders in the district will be trained on the production hygienic milk before selling. Herders will also be trained on the production of pasture for their livestock; as seeds of irrigated pasture have been acquired for distribution.

Namibia to use drones in fight against IUU

Namibia is considering using drones to fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. An ongoing study is exploring the viability of deploying drones in monitoring, control, and surveillance activities aimed at combating IUU within Namibia’s exclusive economic zone. The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources said drones may be able to identify those engaged in IUU and collect data including the GPS position of those involved, as well as the date, time, and type of illegal activity being conducted, the ministry said.

Before the ministry makes a final decision on whether to use drones, it will collect additional data on issues such as “the usefulness of the pictures taken by the drones and the ability to detect IUU fishing activities at night,” it said in a statement.

“With respect to IUU, the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources is investigating the usefulness of drones in improving our operations. For instance, if a patrol craft (vehicle or patrol vessel) is in the vicinity of where a drone detects IUU fishing activity, the craft can be directed there to further investigate and take appropriate action,” the ministry said.

The ministry said a drone would only be useful if it can produce credible evidence that can be accepted in courts. Namibia, which has more than 500,000 square kilometers within its EEZ and a 1,500-kilometer coastline, has previously signed several agreements in support of the global war against IUU, including ratification of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Compliance Agreement, U.N. Fish Stocks Agreement, and U.N. Port State Measures Agreement. Moreover, Namibia has previously adopted National Plans of Action to Prevent, Deter, and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing (NPOAIUU) in line with its 200 Marine Resources Act.

Agriterra launches programme to increase production supply in Rwanda

Agriterra, a Dutch organization specialized in cooperative business development has launched a program set to increase production supply in Rwanda. Run in partnership with Enabel (Belgian Development Agency) and the Rwanda Agricultural Board (RAB), the project dubbed, “outgrower service company project aims at increasing the soybean and maize productivity and get the production delivered to the animal feeds industry in different parts of Rwanda.

Over 3,000 farmers are set to benefit from the project. It will be piloted in the district of Ngoma and scaled up in Kirehe and Gisagara next year. Jasper Spikker, Agriterra Rwanda country representative explains how they came up with the initiative. “We’ve learnt that Rwandan animal feeds millers are depending a lot on imports when it comes to maize and soybeans as raw materials for the animal feeds production, and that the local production is not meeting the demand of the animal feed industry because of low productivity and post-harvest losses,” he highlighted.

“Hence we want to increase farmers’ productivity and provide market opportunities at the same time, he added, through creating an outgrower service company that will supply farm inputs to farmers, offer extensions services, various training and buy the production from farmers at good prices.

This project’s budget is one million Euros in three years. Dr Tesfaye Dalgie, the Intervention Manager of Partnership for Resilient and Inclusive Small Livestock Markets Programme(PRISM), asked the farmers to own this newly born outgrower service company and make use of it to benefit them. You have to own this company and work for it. Don’t leave it to the supporters because we will register success from it, if and only if farmers commit to work for it, serve it and maximise its potential,” he urged.

First animal quarantine center in Liberia officially handed over

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UNFAO), in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has officially handed over a model Animal Quarantine Centre (AQC) to the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Agriculture.

The Animal Quarantine Center, located in Ganta, at the Liberian border with Guinea, is made possible with funding from the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) and USAID. The facility is used to identify, test for diseases and isolate livestock brought into Liberia from Guinea. The first of its kind in Liberia, the Center enhances the country’s ability for early detection, prevention, and treatment of animal diseases, which lead to loss of an estimated 20% animal production and transmission of zoonotic animal diseases to humans in Liberia.

UNFAO Country Representative, Madam Mariatou Njie, said the Animal Quarantine Centre provides a strong veterinary service with a surveillance component that is hugely needed in the country. She added that the construction of the AQC was conceptualized and started under the Multi-Hazard Preparedness and Response Support for Liberia project, which was funded by the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF). In strong collaboration, the FAO and USAID will continue to work with the Government of Liberia through the Ministries of Agriculture, Health, and Internal Affairs to strengthen and broaden quarantine and border security systems. This will enable improved import regulations, inspections at the 12 terrestrial border crossings (with Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and Sierra Leone) through the establishment of AQCs at Liberia points of entry to help protect, detect, and prevent the spread of zoonotic and import Transboundary animal diseases.

USAID Liberia Mission Director, Jim Wright, said the United States was proud to support the Center, which builds on the gains Liberia has made in strengthening its ability to detect and prevent the spread of infectious diseases. He added that ensuring the Centre is properly maintained and operated by a professional and adequately compensated staff, is essential to its long-term sustainability.

According to the Country Team Lead of the Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (FAO-ECTAD), Dr. Ibrahim Gashash Ahmed, the project was subsequently taken over and completed by FAO under the USAID funded ECTAD program. The AQC was constructed at the border between Liberia and Guinea in Ganta due to the large volume of transboundary trade and movement of animals and animal products between the two neighboring countries that occurs there. He added that the AQC will help to prevent the introduction of dangerous exotic diseases into the country through imported livestock products, which have the potential to cause severe disease outbreaks, with adverse socio-economic and human/animal health consequences.

The Center has two buildings, including a fully equipped Laboratory/Office building, and a twobedroom residence for staff. It also has a sixcompartment fenced lairage for sick and healthy animals and a crush for restraining and treating animals. A loading and unloading docks, a disinfectant bath, carcass pit and feed shed. The buildings have reliable electricity supply and safe running water provided by a borehole.

Acknowledging the handover of the AQC, the Deputy Minister for Planning and Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Robert Fargans expressed appreciation and delight to receive the Animal and Quarantine Center on behalf of the Government. Responding to the appeal for the government of Liberia to take ownership of the AQC, the Deputy Minister assured FAO and USAID that his Ministry will set up a structure to lead on ensuring that the Center is made operational and functional. He however, said the Ministry will engage further with FAO and USAID to provide support for training of staff that will be assigned to run the Center to ensure effective management.

NGO helps families in Zimbabwe venture into poultry, hydroponic gardening

By Lawrence Paganga

Atotal of 940 families in Gweru, Zimbabwe have ventured into small agriculture-based self-income projects under the urban resilience-building projects supported by the German non-governmental organisation (NGO), Welthungerhilfe. The NGO this week toured the projects in Mtapa, a low-income suburb in Gweru.

Welthungerhilfe representative, Fanny Nyaunga said the projects being implemented by the residents include poultry, hydroponic gardening, and peanut butter manufacturing as part of the urban resilience project in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP).

“We have taken some households and assisted them with at least four sustainable projects that ensure that even when the financial assistance ends, there is continuity and that families have sources of income and can sustain their lives,” he said. A beneficiary of the hydroponic gardening project system had enabled her to realise quick harvests within a space of four weeks.

“In four weeks, l can harvest crops and vegetables through this unique farming technique,” she said. “Given the water crisis that we face in this city, hydroponic farming is effective and has assured not only good nutrition for my family, but it is also a source of income. Hydroponics is the future! It uses less water.”

Hydroponic gardening is a method of growing plants without soil. Water is mixed with nutrients and directly goes to the plant’s roots. Another elderly beneficiary involved in poultry farming said through the project, he was now able to take care of his orphaned grandchildren through proceeds from the venture. “However, our appeal is for the funders to increase the number of chicks they give to each beneficiary,” he said. Welthungerhilfe’s Nyaunga applauded the WFP for its support in championing dynamic approaches to achieve zero hunger. The project is being run under the Urban Resilience Building project to increase the knowledge of hydroponics farming.

Nine rural districts establish producer syndicates in Zimbabwe

By Lawrence Paganga

Nine District Pig Producer Associations (DPPAs) have been established in the rural districts of Mashonaland East and Mashonaland West provinces. The associations were created with the support of several key stakeholders, including the Pig Industry Board (PIB), Agritex, Department of Veterinary Services, the ministries of Women’s Affairs and Youth, and rural district councils.

The associations aim at driving the commercialisation for small and medium pork producers in rural communities. “The farmers greatly appreciated the formation of the District Pig Producer Associations which will in turn affiliate to the provincial Pig Producer Business Syndicates, which are vehicles for driving to commercialisation for small and medium pork producers,” said George Mudanga of Braford Farm in Mashonaland West.

In Mashonaland West, the rural districts of Chegutu, Mhondoro Ngezi, Zvimba, and Makonde now have established producers’ associations, while in Mashonaland East, the districts Marondera, Seke, Goromonzi, and Murewa are benefitting from the scheme. The Mashonaland East production corridor is supported by Shamiso Farms and line government line ministries. The pork producers’ district associations will also be avenues for farmers to address various challenges affecting the competitiveness of small and medium-scale producers in value chain through collective action from input supply to marketing to increase production and marketing efficiencies. The farmers receive training on commodity leadership, governance skills, and conflict resolution.

Before the setting up of the DPPAs, it was noted the rural pork farmers had limited knowledge of financial services and products on offer, including requirements and servicing of loans.

The farmers also lacked experience in negotiating for tailor-made pig enterprise financing packages. However, the farmers are now using a Blended Financing Approach focusing on multiple financing arrangements including loans from financial institutions.

Multiple stakeholder dialogue platforms have also been convened in the participating districts to increase awareness of the available products and possible solutions to address the challenges facing the farmers. Committee members are now working on constitution development, mobilising groups to initiate collective action activities and reduce transaction costs during production and marketing, and creating private sector engagements.

The committees, with the support from private integrators and other value chain partners, will guide farmers towards improving the production, productivity, and profitability of their business enterprises to realise more profit.

Business Management Units (BMUs) will also be formed to support syndicate value chain business activities through lowering costs on input supply, including feed, veterinary drugs, and vaccines, transport and logistics, and value addition and processing.

IFAD to increase investment and presence in transforming food systems in East and Southern Africa

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) regional team held its annual East and Southern Africa Business Planning meeting to outline a vision for the next three years, under the IFAD 12 replenishment cycle. With less than 10 years to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the region’s small-scale farmers and rural people suffering the effects of the pandemic, climate change impacts, locust infestation and other crises, it is essential to plan bold actions to preserve and advance development gains.

The meeting brought together IFAD staff from the East and Southern Africa region and corporate divisions to discuss and prioritize future actions for the next replenishment cycle and to map out interventions, financing instruments and partnerships needed.

The meeting came as the region is recovering and rebuilding from a number of shocks, namely drought, famine, floods, cyclones, locust infestation, exacerbated by the climate change crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic also worsened the situation, as measures put to contain the pandemic resulted in disruption of supply and distribution chains, loss of jobs and closure of markets. This greatly impacts the food systems and the people who work in them and, together with arising conflicts, also increases food insecurity across the region.

“Millions of people are facing hunger around the world, with the majority of them living in sub-Saharan Africa. Our work in East and Southern Africa is therefore cut out for us in our next replenishment cycle –we need to tap into technology and innovation to help the region rebuild and recover,” said Sara Mbago-Bhunu, Regional Director of IFAD’s East and Southern Africa Division.

For the current three-year replenishment cycle (IFAD11), the institution has invested US$708 million in the region as at 31st October 2021, targeting to reach 18.4 million households in 12 countries. Across the region, 48 per cent of IFAD-supported projects focus on value chain and food system development targeting smallscale farmers, rural women and youth.

With the bulk of food produced by small-scale farmers, who often remain poor and even hungry, IFAD puts small-scale producers and other rural people at the heart of food systems transformation and efforts to achieve the SDGs. The current pandemic has shown the fragility of food systems and the need to transform them.

Speaking during the opening ceremony, Prof Hamadi Boga, Principal Secretary, State Department for Crop Development and Agricultural Research, Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives in Kenya, said, “to successfully transform our food systems, we need to understand the diversity of the community we are working with. The IFAD-supported project KCEP-CRAL in Kenya demonstrates this through its graduation model, which allows farmers to grow from subsistence to commercial over a period of time.”

Over the years IFAD has invested a total of US$455 million in 20 programmes and projects with a total cost of US$980 million, benefiting about 4.6 million poor rural households in Kenya. These programmes and projects have increased access to financial services, knowledge, markets, technology, land and other natural resources for small-scale farmers, pastoralists, fishers and small-scale entrepreneurs.

Speaking during the closing ceremony, Hon. Tendai Mtana, County Executive Committee (CEC) member for Agriculture, Mombasa County said, “we are happy that you choose to have your meeting in Mombasa County. The county is located at the centre of rural communities that make up the Coastal region and the Arid and Semi-Arid region (ASAL) and our deliberations with your team has provoked our thinking on natural resource management and the role the county can play.”

IFAD is getting closer to its Member States and beneficiaries in the field to better deliver on its mandate. The Regional Office, which will coordinate the delivery of all interventions in East and Southern Africa is therefore being relocated from Rome to Nairobi from January 2022. Presence in the capital will help build stronger partnerships for the sustainable transformation of food systems for the benefit of farmers and other rural people.

CSIR-SARI introduces new varieties of ‘Frafra’ potato in Ghana

The Savannah Agriculture Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research [CSIR – SARI] has introduced new varieties of the ‘Frafra’ potato crop to farmers in the Talensi and Nabdam districts of the Upper East Region of Ghana.

The Frafra potato is a common type of potato cultivated in Northern Ghana. Since 2018, the CSIR – SARI has worked to develop improved varieties of the crop to help farmers produce it in larger quantities due to its potential to help solve the problem of food insecurity in parts of the north. The Frafra potato is commonly called Pee’ha or Pee’sah in the Frafra and Kusasi areas of the Upper East Region. Its size is not like that of regular potatoes. They are just about the size of the fingers of an average adult human. Sometimes, they are also somewhat round and the size of marbles.

Traditionally, Frafra potatoes are consumed mainly as a snack, just like people would do with groundnuts, but they can keep a person quite satisfied for extended hours if consumed in large quantities.

COP26: Sweden steps up to help at-risk smallscale farmers adapt to climate change, pledging millions to IFAD’s climate fund

During COP 26, Sweden signalled its strong commitment to help some of the world’s poorest small-scale farmers to adapt to climate change, by pledging SEK100 million (nearly US$11.7 million) to the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The announcement was made at the UN climate change conference (COP26) in Glasgow.

The commitment, made through Sweden’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will direct funding to the Enhanced Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Programme (ASAP+), a climate financing mechanism launched by IFAD in January. It is envisioned to be the largest fund dedicated to channelling climate finance to smallscale producers to help them adapt to climate change and combat hunger and malnutrition.

“For small-scale farmers, climate change is a matter of survival. We urgently need to invest more to help them adapt. If they cannot produce food, then hunger and poverty will escalate,” said Gilbert F. Houngbo, President of IFAD. “With this timely and generous funding from Sweden, we will be able to support rural producers experiencing lower crop yields and livestock deaths to become more resilient and be able to keep feeding their communities.”

“The world’s poorest farmers are the hardest hit by the impacts of climate change, but have contributed least to its cause. At the same time, efforts to strengthen agriculture and food production are critical for sustainable development. By increasing financial assistance to small-scale farmers for enhanced climate adaptation, we can support climate resilient food systems and ensure food security for the most vulnerable,” said Per Olsson Fridh, Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation.

While small-scale farms produce about a third of the world’s food, they are at significant risk from increasing temperatures, erratic rainfall, rising sea levels and extreme events such as floods, droughts, landslides, typhoons and heat waves.

Recent research supported by IFAD shows that the yields of staple crops such maize could decrease by as much as 80 percent by 2050 in parts of Angola, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe due to climate change, resulting in increased hunger and poverty. If nothing changes, climate change could push more than 140 million people to migrate by 2050.

IFAD aims to mobilize $500 million for ASAP+. The programme’s targets include: building the resilience of 10 million rural people to cope with the effects of climate change, sequestering over 100 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, and bringing more than four million hectares of land under climate-resilient practices. ASAP+ will focus on low-income countries that face the greatest challenges in terms of food insecurity and rural poverty as a consequence of climate change.

IFAD has already committed $300 million in climate funding through ASAP’s first phase launched in 2012. So far, more than 6 million smallscale farmers have been helped to cope with the effects of climate change across 41 countries with investments in climate-smart agriculture and nature-based solutions, improvements to rural infrastructure (such as small-scale irrigation and rainwater harvesting systems), and climate information systems.

Sweden is a founding member of IFAD and it has committed more than $476 million to the Fund since 1978. With a specific focus on helping small-scale farmers adapt to climate change, Sweden has contributed substantially to building the resilience of more 30 million rural people.

Smart Fertilizer Software and Supplant Develop New App Combining Irrigation and Fertilization Capabilities

SupPlant, the Leading precision agricultural technology company, partners with Smart Fertilizer Software to create a sensor-less precision plant nutrition platform designed for farmers across the globe and in South Africa. The platform, named GroPlant, will offer farmers of all capabilities access to data and satellite driven information designed to improve water and fertilization efficiency, while taking into consideration weather events. It will provide recommendations to farmers based on collective data as well as remote sensing inputs. Smart Fertilizer’s one-of-a-kind fertilization algorithm has been built through data collection and machine learning, accumulated through global farmer partnerships, laboratory testing, academic research, and sensor inputs.

Smart Fertilizer’s algorithm incorporates 215 crops, 5000 commercial fertilizers and is used across 72 countries. This has been integrated with SupPlant’s irrigation database and knowledge based on expertise in 31 crops grown in 14 countries representing over 2500 accumulative seasons. This partnership combines 20 years of experience, hardware application and data collection between the two companies, supporting the need for this trail-blazing new

Zimbabwe and IFAD join forces to transform small-scale agriculture

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has announced support for a new US$67.43 million investment programme that seeks to increase productivity and rural incomes for 78,000 vulnerable rural households in Zimbabwe.

The Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project (SACP) will increase productivity and household incomes by sustainably transforming the smallscale farming sector and increasing farmers’ participation in market-oriented and climatesmart value chains. It will provide technical assistance, matching grants and infrastructure investments to agricultural production groups (APGs), rural micro-enterprises and value chain lead enterprises that can take advantage of improved access to assets and opportunities for agricultural production and income-generating projects. Fifty per cent of the beneficiaries will be women and at least 30 per cent will be youth.

Agriculture underpins Zimbabwe’s economic growth, food security and poverty reduction strategies. A decade ago, the sector accounted for about 20 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), but this has since declined to about 10 per cent in recent years, with 70 per cent of the population depending on agriculture for their livelihood. Small-scale farmers play a critical role in the sector, as they own majority of the agricultural land.

Unfortunately, frequent droughts, low and erratic rainfall, intermittent floods and the current COVID-19 pandemic have affected productivity. This has exposed millions of people to poverty, food and nutrition insecurity, making the country a net importer of food and among the top 10 most fragile countries in the world.

The government of Zimbabwe has implemented several development projects to revitalize the economy, but more needs to be done to boost the agriculture sector and provide sustainable livelihoods to vulnerable poor people in rural areas.

“We have an opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of rural Zimbabweans, by investing in the small-scale farmers who dominate the sector, and can play a key role in job creation and addressing food and nutrition insecurity in the country,” said Jaana Keitaanranta, IFAD Country Director for Zimbabwe.

SACP will be implemented in five provinces - Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Midlands and Matabeleland North, where it will target key urban-rural agricultural production and food trading corridors to increase the role of small-scale farmers and private sector.

IFAD has financed the project with a loan of US$35.69 million. US$8.8 million is provided through domestic co-financing, which includes US$4.6 million from the Government of Zimbabwe and US$4.2 million from the beneficiaries themselves. Additional co-financing of US$15 million will be provided by the OPEC Fund for International Development and US$7.2 million from private sector.

Participants of the project will also benefit from improved access to irrigation water, domestic water supply and rehabilitated roads that will facilitate the commercialization of small-scale agriculture and attract the private sector. Small-scale producers and other rural people can contribute far more than they currently do, to growth, job creation, food security, nutrition and addressing climate change, with the right investments.

Since 1983, IFAD has financed seven rural development programmes and projects in Zimbabwe at a total cost of US$328.03 million, with an IFAD investment of US$125.71 million. These programmes and projects have directly benefited 1,246,240 rural households in Zimbabwe.

platform, Groplant, which will provide scope to empower millions of farmers.

The functionalities of GroPlant include field creation for selection of crops, field area, planting date, irrigation methods and auto geolocation. The software will also provide real-time weather alerts and lead the farmers to apply the appropriate irrigation strategy in response to extreme weather conditions. Alongside this, users will be able to utilize a ‘favorite fertilizers’ selection to create a preset list for ease of use as well as soil specs and nutrients status. Users will also receive periodic reports and irrigation and fertigation schedules.

According to estimations, there are 570 million farms worldwide. 12% of these farms are ‘small’ farms (less than 2 hectares) and 75% of these farms are family owned. 80% of the world’s farms are situated in lower to middle income countries where Africa alone equates for 33 million smallholder farms. Currently, most of these smaller farms located in low-income countries have little access to up-to-date fertilization and irrigation data. Most farmers are still using family methods, which have been passed down generationally, and may therefore not be the economically or environmentally efficient. Johnathan Kol-Bar, Smart Fertilizer Chairman and CEO, commented: “The development of GroPlant is set to revolutionize and empower smaller, low-income farmers across the world. Together with SupPlant, we have collected a vast amount of fertilization and irrigation data which will now become accessible to millions of farmers at an affordable cost. GroPlant has the scope to transform the way in which farmers grow their crop, creating a more sustainable process which benefits both the farmer and the environment. It is an invaluable tool for governments who need to ensure they play their role in sustainable agriculture and give support to their growers to achieve this in their country. This has never been done before, and will be the first app of its kind to exist.” Ori Ben-Ner, SupPlant CEO: “SupPlant’s and Smart Fertilizer’s capabilities to find a unique solution that for the first time is intended for GroPlant has a vast potential with extraordinary implications on the economy of entire communities and food and water reserves in these countries.”

AFGRI leverages technology to help local farmers build a sustainable future

There’s a misconception that the agriculture industry is behind the curve when it comes to technology adoption. In fact, the opposite is true, although unfortunately often at the expense of the individual farmer.

So said Pierre Durand, Head of IT and Innovation at agricultural services company AFGRI Agri Services, in recent conversation with Datacentrix CEO, Ahmed Mahomed. Durand explained that when it comes to technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) devices, they’re only as good as the connected infrastructure that underpins them.

“The truth is that unless you have a way to actually use that data being gathered by your drone – showing for instance those pieces of land that need specific assistance in crop growing or additional water requirements – it’s difficult to understand how exactly you can increase yield significantly.

“What we’ve seen with many of the leading-edge farms is that they have self-created platforms to get the connectivity right,” he continued. “They have been using varying combinations of 3G, fibre and copper, and, particularly in outlying areas, many farmers have put this infrastructure down themselves.”

Bringing economies of scale to local agri

Said Jacob de Villiers, Financial Executive at AFGRI Group Holdings: “Modernisation is probably the conversation we have the most frequently with our customer base. Technology in the form of agricultural equipment has come on in leaps and bounds, and is the leading driver of crop production.

“Our farmers’ ability to innovate and use technology is often underestimated, and so, as a 98-year-old organisation, AFGRI is continuously striving to be at the cutting edge of innovation to help our clients ensure sustainable business into the future.”

AFGRI has taken on the role of integrator, assisting the local agri sector to find these critical technologies and pull them together in a meaningful way while leveraging economies of scale, Durand explained. “For a single farmer to put down the proper infrastructure is an expensive exercise. But, with a co-operative approach, a packaged solution can provide economies of scale, bringing the cost down to a place where it makes sense for our clients.”

As such, the organisation has made significant investments to extend its support to the industry. There are many examples, such as the revamping of AFGRI’s siloes for faster offload speeds, as well as the updating of its stock monitoring systems, ensuring that there is a constant view of stock and its movements through the siloes. Then, there are also the softer issues, such as the company’s online platform, which allows easier transacting for its farmers.

“Our smaller farmers need practical solutions, and another example of how AFGRI has stepped in to help unlock this value is with the introduction of Axl in 2020,” Durand added. Axl is AFGRI’s online platform designed for the convenient rental of farm equipment, facilitating the contract between the renter and the owner in a few simple steps online. “Every farmer is sitting with underutilised equipment that stands idle between seasons,” he stated. “Axl provides a platform for the farmer to rent out equipment during downtime to produce another source of revenue for the farm. The platform takes the risk away from both sides.”

Fostering a partnership approach

“It is clear that for an organisation like AFGRI, connectedness throughout the business is vitally important. “Our value chain has become very interesting, and from a client’s point of view, AFGRI wants to avoid the frustration that can come from dealing with a large corporate,” Durand continued. “In line with this, we’re increasingly seeing a theme of partnership emerge, where our clients are treated as true partners. By the same token, AFGRI itself needs its own strong partners, and we’ve found this in Datacentrix. By working with Datacentrix, we are able to provide our clients with a holistic solution, one that includes the underlying technology infrastructure.

“An element of true partnership is understanding where your clients want to go, and even more importantly, particularly in the face of the current pandemic, remaining flexible enough to shift with the changing business as needed,” he added.

“This is how AFGRI operates, and the fact that Datacentrix is willing to take the journey with us has been reinforced over and over during our time with them. The relationship we have with Datacentrix is extremely honest and transparent.”

Technology to deliver agri business results

AFGRI’s investment in innovation extends to executing on its digital transformation strategy. Last year, the organisation kick-started a three-year project with Datacentrix, which encompasses the rollout of a software-defined networking solution, cloud-delivered security, endpoint visibility with the software-defined WAN rollout, monitoring, connectivity delivery through Datacentrix company, eNetworks, an ISP and network specialist, and more.

“Roughly one year down, the bulk of the transitional work for AFGRI has been completed,” commented Ahmed Mahomed, CEO at Datacentrix. “AFGRI is leveraging Datacentrix’ holistic Hybrid IT value proposition, optimising workloads by migrating to Datacentrix cloud services to boost performance and improve cost management. The most important reason behind this, is the positive impact it will have on AFGRI’s ability to continue delivering value to local farmers.

“Farming is core to any country when it comes to sustainability, and modernisation is critical to safeguarding this asset. Technology plays a massive role in ensuring that you get the best yield from a piece of land and achieving the planned outcome. Looking at it from this perspective, as a technology partner, Datacentrix’ approach is to partner with its clients to solve business challenges by leveraging technology to deliver real business value.”

Said De Villiers: “In South Africa currently, we’re at a watershed moment. As a country we’re fortunately still food secure, but we need to understand that population growth will put pressure on our ability to look after our people. Logistical constraints also hamper our own affordability of food, if we can’t ensure that we produce locally at a better price than importing.

“AFGRI takes its role in delivering the best services at the best cost to our customers very seriously, with the aim of profitable, sustainable farming. Through our partnerships with companies like Datacentrix, we will continue to help our farmer base to solve their problems, providing a solid foundation to really deliver sustainable value,” he concluded.

About Datacentrix:

Datacentrix is a leading hybrid IT systems integrator and managed services provider that enables digitalisation success.

Our expert teams leverage the power of ICT technologies to connect, transform, optimise and future-proof business, supporting clients throughout their digital journey.

Datacentrix offers deep technical expertise across a mature offering and provides proven execution capability that is endorsed by the world’s foremost technology partners. With a strong African footprint, the company is recognised for its agility, in-depth industry knowledge, ethical practices and strong overall performance. The company is a Level One (AAA) B-BBEE Contributor, with 135 percent procurement recognition.

ARU launches SA component of global project towards understanding the future of alpine systems

What impact has global change had on alpine vegetation in our own mountains and those around the world, and why are certain plants in mountains around the world rapidly expanding their ranges?

This is the question on which the Afromontane Research Unit (ARU) on the Qwaqwa Campus will be shining the research lens over the next three years, through Project ‘RangeX’, a multiinstitutional research consortium under the Mountain Invasive Research Network (MIREN), with ETH Zurich (Switzerland) leading the research project. The project is underway in the Witsieshoek area of the Free State component of the Maloti-Drakensberg, as part of a global consortium to better understand the ecological drivers of range-expanding plant species in mountains around the world.

South Africa’s participation in the project is led by the ARU Director, Dr Ralph Clark. Other RangeX partners are Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Australia, China, Chile, and France, with research locations in the Swiss Alps, Himalayas, Andes, Australian Alps, and Scandes. The official launch of the research site for the Maloti-Drakensberg mountains, which took place on 20 October, marked the beginning of the South African component of globally coordinated research to understand how range-expanding species may affect current alpine environments under future climatic conditions. The launch involved a site visit to the summit of the MalotiDrakensberg. Situated at 3 100 m above sea level in the Witsieshoek area, the research seeks to determine whether typical range-expanding species might colonise the alpine zone above 2 800 m under a simulated future warmer climate. The South African component of RangeX is funded by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) through BiodivERsA, an initiative of the European Union’s Horizon 2020, which promotes research on biodiversity and ecosystem services and offers innovative opportunities for the conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity.

Speaking at the launch of the project, Dr Clark said the alpine zone of the Maloti-Drakensberg is an ecologically severe environment, resulting in only specialised species being found above 2 800 m. “However, with climate warming, it can be expected that many lower elevation plants might start to ‘climb’ the mountain and invade its upper reaches. This will have a major impact on ecology, livelihoods, endemic alpine species, and water production.”

Evelin Eseli (a Swiss PhD student), Dr Onalenna Gwate (UFS), Dr Stephanie Payne (UP), Dr Sandy-Lynn Steenhuisen (UFS), and Dr Ralph Clark (UFS ARU) on RangeX at the open top chambers on the Maloti-Drakensberg mountain range.

This is the first time that such experiments will be undertaken in the alpine context of the MalotiDrakensberg, Dr Clark explained. The ARU is using this project to promote an ambitious and long-term alpine research programme centred on the Mont-aux-Sources area, where the Free State, KwaZulu-Natal, and Lesotho meet.

Toto Matshediso, Deputy Director: Strategic Partnerships at DSI, said the Range X project with South African funding from the DSI was aligned with the departmental priorities for investment in global change and biodiversity research and innovation.

“The research conducted is strengthening international cooperation in terms of research collaboration with its European Union partners as a region, as well as bilateral partners involved in the project. The project is also located in an area that has been historically disadvantaged, and the DSI is proud to be part of contributors to mountain research initiatives and direct contribution to the local community. The project also places the spotlight on the rich biodiversity data of the area, and how it could contribute to the overall government priorities regarding biodiversity.”

The impact of stock theft

By Jess de Klerk

Stock theft is an emotional topic for farmers but the full impact has not yet been realized. Most farmers seems to be apathetic towards the problem and only react when someone steals from them. Most of the operations and patrols focusses on the so-called runners who are responsible for stealing the stock. Farmers and the SAPS are using an enormous amount of energy, time, and resources to combat stock theft, but they are fighting a losing battle at this point.

We will have to change our strategy to combat the wave of stock theft and this can only be done by looking at the extent, modus operandi of the syndicates and outlets of stolen stock.

What is the extent and worth of stolen stock? There are more than 131 000 cases of stolen stock each year. The Free State alone has about 4 000 stock theft cases reported yearly. A significant amount of stock thefts are not reported as farmers feel that nothing will be done in any case which means that thousands more cases need to be added to these numbers. According to Statistics South Africa the non-reporting of stock theft comes down to about 70.7% of cases.

UNISA estimates the value of livestock stolen during 2019/2020 to be around R1 179 458 600. On average there are about 182 cattle, 282 sheep and 138 goats being stolen every day in South Africa. The road between Ficksburg and Senekal has been monitored for a while and during this time there was on average about 40 vehicles with trailers transporting sheep per month. The trailers held a minimum of 30 sheep at a time which comes down to about 14 400 sheep per year that are being transported only on this route.

Where do the sheep come from and where is the outlet area? The majority of the public is of the opinion that stock that is stolen is being used as food sources in local townships. However, when we look at the numbers it becomes clear that there does not exist such a large informal market for stock. Bheki Cele, Minister of Police, asked during his visit to Senekal after the murder of Brendin Horner, where stolen stock goes and how the thefts take place. We realised that stock is being stolen by runners who are paid as little as R500 per night.

These people steal enough livestock to fulfill the order, these livestock are then either hidden for a while or immediately loaded onto bakkies and trailers to be distributed. Sheep that remain after the order has been filled are sold in the local informal settlements. Cattle are driven for several kilometers and young lambs that slow down the process are swiftly killed. Livestock is then transported to neighboring countries and farms until the case has cooled down. Citizens of Lesotho are often involved in stock theft in the Free State and farmers in Lesotho are suffering under the same syndicates.

Where are the stolen stock going to? The extent of stock theft is simply too great to just be sold on the informal market. Stolen stock are rebranded and then added once again into the production chain where they are sold at auctions to farmers, livestock speculators and abattoirs. Stock theft, as such, is then a specialised, organised crime. Cele mentioned that the impact of stock theft is just as big, if not bigger, than that of robbery of cash in transit vehicles and therefore must be taken seriously. To combat stock theft effectively alternative approaches and strategies needs to be considered.

It is clear that there should be a greater focus on transport, outlets, buyers and identification of stock to destabilise the stock theft ring. The provincial office of the SAPS in the Free State has already done a lot in this matter. There were a lot of operations in the province over the course of the year. One of the operations involved stopping vehicles with trailers transporting livestock for a few months to check their documentation and loads. A lot of these drivers did not have the correct documentation. In time a lot of these people registered their own brandings and added the brand to their documentation, even citizens from Lesotho has their own brandings.

Fines have been issued but have since been withdrawn or have simply not been paid. The National Prosecution Authority (NPA) sometimes refuses to prosecute these people or cases are simply removed from the court roll – this tendency also needs to be placed under scrutiny. Cases that are simply withdrawn or removed undo’s the work of the SAPS and demotivates them to do something about the problem in the future. Livestock farmers, at the end of the day, must carry the consequences of poor prosecution. The only way this problem will be actively addressed is to ensure that offenders are brought before the court. Documentation and ownership of stock will be assessed carefully, and offenders must be prosecuted. Stock theft needs to be investigated as an organised crime with the help of proper experts.

Who is the stock thieve? It could be your neighbour, your local livestock speculator or auctioneer. Do not be the one to buy stolen items on the street corner. Farmers must take responsibility for branding their stock and having the correct documentation filled out to avoid the possibility of a criminal record. Auctioneers and speculators can no longer shrug and say that they did not know. It is high time that this industry is cleaned up. Operations must be approached from multidisciplinary teams including SAPS, crime intelligence, SARS, Department of Home Affairs and farm safety structures, Stock theft units are not up to the task to fight this problem alone because of poor leadership, shortage of staff and shortage of the necessary expertise.

The SAPS have especially done great work in the eastern part of the Free State where outlet points and the transport of stock is monitored to ensure the legitimacy of events. Many arrests and warrants have been issued during this operation. These offenders must be addressed by livestock theft units but these units have been failing for years to perform their duties.

The stock thieves and syndicates are unscrupulous and violent and will not hesitate to kill.