ProAgri Zambia 89

John Deere aims for growth across Africa

Maize farmer progresses with

The magic of Moringa

We meet the nutrient demands of Tilapia

NOVATEK FISH FEED IS A COST EFFECTIVE AFRICAN PRODUCT RANGE

NOVATEK FISH FEED IS A COST EFFECTIVE

Novatek ensures optimum results in fish farming and is dedicated to promoting sustainable aquaculture throughout the African Region.

Novatek ensures optimum and is dedicated to promoting aquaculture throughout the

OUR CLIENT’S NEEDS ARE OUR TOP PRIORITY

OUR CLIENT’S NEEDS

We want to understand your production goals and align our feed quality and product efficiency to meet your goals.

We want to understand your align our feed quality and

As a forerunner in the industry we engage with fish nutritionists and aquafeed experts to meet international standards for aquafeed formulation and production.

As a forerunner in the industry fish nutritionists and aquafeed international standards for

We meet the nutrient demands of Tilapia farming in a safe, cost-efficient and environmentally friendly way.

We meet the nutrient demands safe, cost-efficient and environmentally

For more information on the Novatek Aquafeed range or feeding management, please contact us at:

For more information on the range or feeding management,

After our recent visit to the Agritech expo in Chisamba, I clearly realised that not everything coming from Europe or America is necessarily good and right for Africa, but they have been mechanising agriculture for a very long time, using the right machine for the right job to farm more productively and make more money.

In a recent high-level dialogue meeting, which I think we can take to mind as well, President Hakainde Hichilema reiterated his desire to be prudent with public resources by avoiding wastage. He even does not want to live a luxurious life because it does not add any value to governing the country.

According to Hichilema, the agricultural sector in Africa faces numerous challenges, including low levels of mechanisation and irrigation, restricted availability of cost-effective agricultural financing and credit, and slow investment in research and development pursuits.

Hichilema reiterated the need to “reverse the trend” and ensure that the majority of the people have access to affordable, nutritious and safe food, as well as improved livelihoods. He urged African nations to formulate smart policies and make financial investments that

Cover

Any crop requires precise and accurate irrigation to ensure successful harvests. Zimmatic pivots are known for their meticulous and dependable water application, while also reducing any potential water wastage during irrigation cycles.

will foster advancement and comprehensive involvement in the agricultural value chain.

I think an important thing that came to mind when reading the President’s statements is the fact that commercial farmers should help train the next generation.

In our cover story, Sakkie Bibbey, farmer east from Verkykerskop, relies on his trusty Zimmatic pivot to keep his crops well irrigated! Read on page 3 why Sakkie chose Zimmatic as his trusted irrigation partner.

If you haven’t heard of John Deere’s SMART programme and how they assist farmers all over Africa, be sure to turn to page 5 and read the full article.

We also touch on more highlights of the 2023 Agritech expo in case you have missed some of the excitement!

What is happening on your farm this winter? I would love to hear from you! Get in touch with me by sending me an e-mail.

Copyright

Lusaka

Farming in the mountains: Zimmatic ensures sustainable irrigation

John Deere aims for growth across Africa

Grow your fish with Novatek

Herbivore sweet feed: One feed for all ruminants

Are your broilers not performing? It could be coccidiosis

From silkworms to silk garments Part 5: Silk weaving

Processing of condiments Part 30

Pig breeds part 1: Southern African pig breeds

Fruit production part 6: Blueberries

More highlights of Agritech Expo Zambia 2023

Apimondia focus: Bee conservation in Africa

Land management and rehabilitation part 1

Production, cultivation, and consumption of moringa in Southern Africa

Snail production – Part 2

Combat soil erosion: ‘Malawi dumpy level’ set things straight Wintering of ruminants: Feed wisely and farm efficiently

Dry season feeding and supplementation of grazing cattle, sheep, and goats

Editor Bianca Henning >

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Client Relations Manager

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Marketing Manager

Diane Grobler >

Marketing

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Creative Director

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Design

Michelle Kruger & Enquiries

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ProAgri Zambia

Zimmatic ensures sustainable irrigation

About 30 kilometers east from Verkykerskop in the magnificent mountain range of the Eastern Free State, one finds Groothoek Farms. This is where farmer Sakkie Bibbey spends most of his time, tending to his crops and lands with exceptional attention to detail.

Sakkie Bibbey has been farming for the past 30 years and according to him, it is all he has known his whole life.

“Groothoek is not a family farm. We started farming in Mpumalanga where our strategy was to develop farms and sell them. This way of doing business meant we moved around a lot, but five years ago, we ended up here on Groothoek. The moment we set foot on this farm, we knew this is where we wanted to settle down after nearly a decade of farming all over the country,” Sakkie commented.

According to Sakkie, the area in which Groothoek is located is ideally suited for farming. This makes the process all the more enjoyable and rewarding.

“There is nothing better than farming for me. On our farm, we mainly focus on cattle, and we only grow crops for cattle feed,” he said.

Approximately 1 700 ha of Groothoek’s land is used for the growing of crops, of which 100 ha is used for irrigation purposes.

In the irrigated section of the farm, Sakkie mainly grows maize. Maize requires precise and accurate irrigation to ensure successful harvests. That is exactly why Sakkie bought a Zimmatic pivot in 2022.

“From the first day we used the Zimmatic pivot we were very satisfied with the results. What stands out to me about Zimmatic in particular is their belief in sustainable agriculture. In today’s world, farmers must consider how their practices impact on the environment, and I feel that Zimmatic understands this most important task,” Sakkie said.

Zimmatic pivots are known for their precise and accurate water application, which reduces any potential water wastage during irrigation cycles.

Good customer service and aftersales support is another advantage that convinced Sakkie that his investment in Zimmatic was a wise one.

“Irrigation has its challenges. That is why good support is crucial. Luckily, Zimmatic’s support and help has been unparalleled. In fact, I

am willing to go on record and say that in all my years, Zimmatic’s service has been the best I have received from irrigation product manufacturers,” he commented.

Groothoek is unique because it is located in the mountains. This makes the natural water supplies cooler than what one would traditionally expect to use for irrigation. But Sakkie says they have not had any major issues when using the cooler water sources.

“Right now, we have five Zimmatic pivots on the farm. We also use Zimmatic Control Panels to make our jobs a bit easier. The ultimate goal is to fully automate our irrigation operation - something that Zimmatic’s products make a very achievable goal,” Sakkie explained.

They plan to add four additional Zimmatic pivots to their arsenal of irrigation equipment.

“Our dealer in the area is Pinetree Irrigation. They have been fantastic at assessing our needs and making bespoke recommendations as to which Zimmatic pivots to implement on the farm for the best results imaginable,” Sakkie said.

“Without a shadow of a doubt, Zimmatic is one of the best pivot brands on the market. I can recommend them to any farmer looking for new irrigation systems,” he said confidently.

JohnDeereAME

John Deere Africa & Middle East

John Deere

John Deere aims for growth across Africa

by Bianca Henning

clients. The John Deere financial team assess clients as individuals alongside basic operational needs, and then provide agricultural asset finance packages tailored to the specific circumstances and mechanisation requirements.

This process is achieved in partnership with commercial banks and their comprehensive dealer networks; equipping clients with a team that can offer support and advice in making the best operational decisions throughout the entire process.

This professional relationship is beneficial to farmers; it allows farmers to focus on what farmers do best-farming.

Zabion highlights a few points on the drive behind the SMART programme:

• We are committed to seeing you through to your next harvest.

John Deere is a well-known name and brand across the globe. John Deere not only offers smart mechanisation solutions to farmers, but they also support and enable farmers in Africa to grow by providing smart solutions.

John Deere’s SMART programme

The John Deere SMART campaign is a bold initiative to raise Africa’s agricultural productivity by helping new era farmers to mechanise, improve yields and increase profitability. John Deere’s SMART programme has been helping smaller farmers improve yields and reduce costs across South Africa, as well as East and West Africa for the past few years.

SMART stands for:

S olutions for farmers

M echanisation for higher yield

A ccess to finance

Reliability for lower costs

Technology and training

John Deere lives the difference

Tell me and I'll forget. Show me and I'll remember. Engage me and I will understand. John Deere understands this saying, and also applies the message effectively in their SMART programme.

John Deere’s SMART model has the potential to revolutionise the agrarian sector, create jobs for the growing youth population, and uplift the African population out of poverty through the establishment of vibrant mechanisation businesses.

"The John Deere SMART campaign is an initiative to increase Africa's agricultural productivity by helping new generation farmers with mechanisation, improving their yields and increasing profitability," explains Zabion de Wee, Business Development Manager of John Deere.

Where is John Deere heading with SMART?

“With this concept, we are trying to eliminate the traditional way of access-

ing mechanisation, and supporting our farmers,” Zabion says.

He explains: “Instead of trying to sell tractors to smallholder farmers, John Deere identifies specific farmers who are interested in cultivating not only their own fields, but also those of their neighbours.”

By outsourcing their services to between 20 and 30 of their neighbours at an appropriate fee, John Deere believes they will be able to offer mechanised farming solutions to a larger number of smallholder farmers in Africa.

"We don't want to redesign the wheel. We are a mechanisation company, and we want to assist farmers with mechanisation," says Zabion.

Challenges that Africa farmers face

One of the biggest challenges that farmers face is limited access to finance.

John Deere’s support to farmers does not stop when the tractor is delivered on the farm. John Deere understands that access to finance has always been a significant stumbling block for most new era farmers for generations.

John Deere firmly believes in providing solutions to farmers to help them grow and achieve their goals.

“At John Deere, we do not believe in a “one-size-fits-all” approach to finance; we understand that new era farmers cannot be expected to have everything in place when starting up new agricultural operations,” Zabion adds.

John Deere, in collaboration with John Deere Financial, aims to assist new era farmers to overcome the barriers related to limited access to finance. By pulling in partners, considering other avenues of finance, and the constant generation of new ideas, John Deere is committed to the prevention of failure for the emerging operations of new era farmers.

John Deere offers creative financial solutions

John Deere Financial offers solutions that are tailored to the exact needs of their

• We offer you a convenient experience by saving you time and coming directly to you, wherever that may be.

• We offer competitive financial solutions that are available to you through any of our dealer touchpoints across Africa and the Middle East.

• We provide you with insight by sharing our generations of expertise through our widespread dealer footprint.

• With a wealth of experience, we can help you make the best decisions for your business.

Zabion concludes: "We as John Deere want to make a difference in food security. Our farmers have always been ready, we just had to find the right way to assist them in moving forward as we do. Giving them the right mentorship, and helping farmers grow, is our ultimate goal."

John Deere is with you every step of the way, ensuring that new era farmers are at no point left feeling confused or struggling while starting up and running agricultural operations.

John Deere (www.JohnDeere. com) is a world leader in providing advanced products and services and is committed to the success of customers whose work is linked to the land – those who cultivate, harvest, transform, enrich and build upon the land to meet the world’s dramatically increasing need for food, fuel, shelter and infrastructure.

Zabion de Wee, Business Development Manager of John Deere, at the recent NAMPO agricultural show.

Grow your fish with Novatek Simple pre-requisites to a successful aquaculture season

Aquaculture is becoming very popular amongst Zambians because it provides people with employment and a cheaper source of protein. The government, through the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, supported by other line ministries such as the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises, the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, and local government, are encouraging citizens to venture into fish farming.

Fish farming is a form of aquaculture specific to the growing of fish for business purposes. It is an industry on the rise, one that will play a pivotal role in scaling up nutrition for the local communities. To successfully raise fish in ponds, cages, tanks or raceways, there is a need to conduct a checklist.

Mostly in the Zambian scenario, fish farming is conducted in ponds and cages and placements of fingerlings occurs between August and April. This is due to the weather pattern. Between June to August, water temperatures drop to below 20 °C inhibiting growth as a result of the fish’s inability to consume enough feed. Once summer comes, fish farming activities restart, and it is then important to observe the following:

1. Check the status of the production system

Before you begin your fish farming cycle, ensure that you inspect your production facility very well. In ponds, ensure that the dykes, drainpipes, and liner (if it is lined) are without holes and all sieves are present. In cages; check all your fish nets and ensure they are without holes. For those using tanks, make sure all the aeration and filtration systems are working properly. Take time to observe your production systems before stocking, rather than doing amendments midway through the cycle. It will save you money.

2. Lime the ponds

Liming is important for disinfection. Ponds are usually limed to

by Robert Kanyembo

kill off pathogens that might have remained from the previous cycle. For newer ponds, it is not necessary to lime unless the pH of the soil is acidic.

3. Filling the water

Begin filling in the water once you have checked for punctures or holes. Failure to spot the holes in your production system will lead to water loss in ponds and fingerling escapees in cages.

4. Fertilizing

Fertilizing helps with enriching the water to be able to produce natural food called plankton. Manure is commonly used as fertilizer. There is a misconception that manure is used as feed in fish farming. It is not! Manure is a catalyst for the growth of plankton in water which fish will eat. Plankton is natural food found in water that is made up of two components; zoo-plankton, which are minute animal-like organisms and phyto-plankton, plant-like organisms. So, the concept of fertilisation is to enhance growth of natural food which provides extra nutrition to the newly introduced fingerlings. Do not feed manure, feed Novatek Fish Feeds.

5. Acquire seed/fingerlings

A good seed source is essential in fish farming. Always get fingerlings from a reputable fingerling supplier. There are a number of suppliers in Zambia that provide quality fingerlings. You can consult Novatek should you be looking for one.

Another important point to remember is to understand the species allowed in your area. Certain species are not allowed for farming in certain limnological systems. For example, Oreochromis niloticus is not allowed in the Northern Region of Zambia and only allowed in the Southern Region that includes Lake

Kariba. Visit or consult the Fisheries Officers in your area.

6. Acquire feed

Fish feed makes up more than 50% of the total production expenses. It is therefore important to pick the right feed that will in turn offer you better harvesting weights and profitability. Ensure you choose Novatek Fish Feeds today. At Novatek, we have a wide variety of fish feeds from fry stage to harvesting size; Pre-starter to Grower and Finisher or Pond 18% for those in pond culture. Our fish feeds are affordable, of the highest quality and found country-wide at our many agents and Zambeef Macros.

7. Testing kits

A good fish farmer will always diligently monitor the water quality daily. Water quality parameter checks provide essential information about the environment the fish is growing in. Parameters such as temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and ammonia need to be observed constantly as an imbalance may result in fatalities in the production systems.

Changes in temperature may lead to fish not eating or reduce the oxygen level in the water causing an anoxic environment, in which the fish will die. Increase in ammonia concentration will also kill fish. With a water quality testing kit, you will be able to measure the changes in these parameters.

8. Observe market All business decisions should be related to the market around you. Fish is popular in Zambia and currently, the country has a deficit. However, it is important to define your market before you start your business. Once you know your market, it will help you to plan the target weight you will grow your fish.

Most table-size fish in Zambia is grown to an average of 350 g but your market may require smaller or bigger fish. Your market will define the size. Listen to your market through your market research.

At Novatek Animal Feeds Zambia, we have all your fish feeds and the expertise required to help you through your fish farming experience. We have quality affordable fish feeds, found throughout Zambia and other countries in East, Central and Southern Africa. We also recently appointed Everett Pieterse as a Fish Nutritionist to add to our body of Aquaculture Experts. Reach out to us today on +260-971-252-522 or visit www.novatekfeeds.com.

Novatek Tilapia feed range. All our tilapia feeds are fortified with natural phytogenic compounds, adding functional- and health benefits to Tilapia farming.

Herbivore sweet feed: One feed for all ruminants

Most farmers in Zambia today have a combination of livestock on their farms. They have cattle, goats and sheep. A few even have horses and ponies, as well as game.

Now, the question is, how does one manage to feed all these animals and still keep within the constraints of the budget? We all know that rearing animals is no small task and it can weigh heavily on our pockets. Tiger Animal Feeds provides a solution — one feed for all ruminants!

Herbivore Sweet Feed is a ration that is fast becoming the farmer’s best friend. Produced by Tiger Animal Feeds, Herbivore Sweet Feed is a costeffective feed that can be fed to cattle, goats, sheep, horses, ponies, and game. It can be used as a complete feed or as a protein–energy supplement during winter when vegetation is limited. Herbivore Sweet Feed ensures healthy and productive animals during all the seasons of the year. Call it “A bag full of feeding solutions for the ruminant farmer”.

Lactating dairy cows: The quantity to be fed depends on the following;

• The quantity and quality of pastures/roughage

• The stage of lactation

• Milk-butterfat yield

Feed a maximum of 10 kg/cow/day to small frame breeds such as Jerseys, and 15 kg/cow/day to large frame breeds such as Holsteins.

Goats and sheep

Finishing and complete: Feed ad libitum with free access to grazing/ roughage.

Horses

Geldings and stallions: Feed 4 to 8 kg/day to horses and half as much to ponies, with free access to roughage/ pasture.

Dry mares: Feed 2 to 3 kg/day to horses and half as much to ponies, with free access to roughage/pasture. Pregnant mares: Feed 3 to 4 kg/day to horses and half as much to ponies, with free access to roughage/pasture. Lactating mares: Feed 6 to 8 kg/day to horses and half as much to ponies, with free access to roughage/pasture.

Yearling foals: Feed 4 to 6 kg/day to horses and half as much to ponies, with free access to roughage/pasture.

The quantity of feed for horses and ponies will depend upon body weight and condition, stage of reproduction, work intensity and growth rate.

Game protein-energy supplement

Ewe and lamb: Feed a daily maximum of 1% of the ewe’s body weight as supplementary feed to lactating ewes, or as a flush feed for 3 weeks after mating, together with roughage/grazing.

Let us have a look at the recommended intake:

Cattle

Finishing & complete: Feed ad libitum with free access to roughage/ grazing.

Bulls: Feed 15 kg/bull/day or max of 1% of body weight, with free access to roughage/grazing.

Feed 1 to 3 kg/animal/day to large game, and 200 to 600 g/animal/ day to small game, with free access to roughage/ grazing.

For more information, contact Barbara Mulonda Simbaya on barbara. mulonda@tigerfeeds.com.zm or (+260)969-202-207.

Table 1: Composition of Herbivore Sweet Feed

Are your broilers not performing? It could be coccidiosis.

by Dr Oscar Blanco (DVM, PhD), Phibro Animal Health, Central and Eastern Africa.

Coccidia are unicellular, microscopic parasites, responsible for the disease called coccidiosis. When the parasite invades the intestinal walls and multiplies inside its cells, it could produce diarrhoea, an increase in mortality, and a variable negative effect on intestinal function, growth, and feed conversion.

Coccidia affecting poultry are from the genus Eimeria. In broilers, there are three important species, namely Eimeria acervulina (EA), Eimeria maxima (EM), and Eimeria tenella (ET). Frequently, birds are affected by more than one species at a given time.

The symptoms and effects on productivity depend on the cocci species affecting the flock, the immunity level of the birds, as well as on the severity of the infestation. In some cases, symptoms are clear and typical, resulting many times in important losses due to mortalities and reduced performance. However, most cases are subclinical, which means that chickens do not present overt symptoms or a high mortality rate. Instead, the efficiency in production is greatly affected. This situation is further impaired if secondary conditions, such as necrotic enteritis, set in after the damage to the gut wall produced by the coccidia multiplication.

The cycle of cocci and the importance of the environment

Coccidia go through a replication cycle consisting of many stages, some of them occurring inside the bird and some outside. The only stage capable of infecting a bird is the sporulated oocyst, which looks like a microscopic balloon inside which there are eight infective cells; each one of these cells is called a sporozoite (Figure 1). When a sporulated oocyst is ingested by a chicken, it is broken down in the gizzard, and the sporozoites are released. Then, the sporozoites invade the cells of the epithelium lining of the intestinal wall and start multiplying. After two or three multiplication cycles, new oocysts are produced and released to the environment in the faeces (Figure 1).

When oocysts are excreted, they are still immature and unable to infect. For them to become infective, the content of the oocyst should divide into the eight sporozoites we mentioned above, in a process called sporulation (Figure 1). The oocyst will undergo sporulation

only if in the environment has enough moisture and the temperature is between 21 and 32 °C. This is the reason why coccidiosis is more common during the rainy season, or when the litter becomes wet (for example due to spillages from the water source).

How do different cocci strains affect broilers?

Eimeria acervulina (EA)

EA is the species that appears first. It affects the anterior section of the

intestine, mainly the duodenum. In the first stages of infestation, the walls of the intestine show short transversal white lines, which begin to grow and join to each other as the problem progresses (Figure 2).

Moderate to severe cases usually result in diarrhoea, problems of digestion and absorption, and poor performance. Mortality is normally low to moderate.

Eimeria tenella (ET)

ET appears after EA, affecting mainly

Figure 1: Structure of the coccidia oocyst (Eimeria spp).

Figure 2: Distribution of the 3 main species of coccidia in the gastrointestinal tract of a chicken. Note the different ages at which they peak.

the caeca (Figure 2). It starts as small haemorrhages in the wall of the caeca. It progresses with thickening of the caecal walls and increase in haemorrhages, until the caeca are distended with blood and clots. When birds reach this stage, death follows soon after.

Although the lesions and symptoms are alarming, the effect in productivity is usually lower than for the other two strains. The reason for this is twofold. Firstly, since not much digestion/absorption takes place in the caeca, the effect on efficiency of feed utilisation is not so important. Secondly, since blood-tinged faeces appear soon in the disease, farmers normally act much earlier with this species.

Eimeria maxima (EM)

EM is, the largest of the three cocci species, appears later than EA and ET, and produces the most damage. It affects the middle small intestine (the jejunum), where most of the digestion and absorption take place (Figure 2). Therefore, EM has the potential of seriously affecting the performance of the flock, even in the early stages of the disease.

Soon after infection, the multiplication in the wall produces small areas of haemorrhages that are observed as red pinpoint dots on the outside and inside surfaces of the intestine. In some cases, the lesions are so small that they are very difficult to identify with the naked eye; the veterinarian needs to observe intestinal scrapings under the microscope to be able rule out a mild early infection. However, as the disease progresses, the wall of the intestine thickens, there is a significant increase in intestinal mucus, the intestine becomes severely distended, and haemorrhages increase in severity.

The issue of subclinical coccidiosis

Subclinical coccidiosis is much more frequent than one may think. It is estimated that of the total cases of coccidiosis, only 20% are clinical, the balance being subclinical. If this was represented as an iceberg, the visible tip would account for the proportion of infections with clear signs, whilst the

subclinical ones would be depicted by the biggest, hidden, underwater mass of ice (Figure 3).

This doesn’t mean that subclinical cases do not have an economical impact. On the contrary, they are responsible for the biggest losses due to coccidiosis. Mild levels of infection can already have a negative impact on digestion and absorption, resulting in high feed conversion ratios, delayed achievement of target body weights, and poor uniformity.

Therefore, a flock affected by coccidiosis does not necessarily show blood-tinged faeces and high mortality; most times you will only see that the broiler flock is not performing as expected.

How to prevent coccidiosis in my broiler farm?

In future articles we shall further analyse the control of the disease. This time we shall briefly discuss two extremely relevant factors of coccidiosis control, namely the management of the environment and the utilisation of coccidiostats.

As mentioned above, environmental conditions play a fundamental role in the sporulation of the immature oocysts. Such oocysts will only become infective if they are exposed to high humidity, warm temperatures, and ideal levels of oxygen.

Therefore, avoiding the formation of wet litter patches under the water sources and next to the windows on

rainy days, as well as removing damp/ wet bedding material, are essential measures to reduce the prevalence of coccidiosis. Using bedding material that absorbs water more efficiently (for example wood shavings instead of straw) is desired. Finally, proper cleaning and disinfection of the house after cropping the flock, as well as implementing an appropriately long down period between flocks, may also be beneficial.

Coccidiostats are drugs added to the broiler feed with the objective of stopping the multiplication of coccidia in the bird’s intestine. These drugs are routinely used in commercial diets; all reputable feed mills are currently implementing coccidiostat programmes.

One of the main premises to consider is not to use a given coccidiostat for prolonged periods to avoid the development of coccidia strains resistant to its active ingredient. Many times, this resistance can also apply to drugs that are similar in structure. The best option is to rotate products at least every four to six months (some products can only be used for one cycle every 18 months), making sure to alternate drugs of different chemical structure. We shall discuss different rotation options in an upcoming article.

As usual, remember to consult your veterinarian whenever you observe issues of low performance. He/she will be able to diagnose the problem and prescribe a treatment and establish suitable control programmes.

Figure 3: Analogous to the largest, hidden portion of an iceberg, the major proportion of cases of coccidiosis are sub-clinical and unnoticed.

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From silkworms to silk garments Part 5: Silk weaving

The silk must be woven into a fabric before the process is complete and the product can be sold. The procedure involves the interlacing of two yarn systems that run perpendicular to one another.

Preliminary weaving processes:

In general, weaving involves using a loom to interlace two sets of threads at right angles to each other: the warp which runs longitudinally and the weft (or woof) that crosses it. One warp thread is called an end and one weft thread is called a pick. The warp threads are held taut and parallel to each other in a loom.

Silk threads are held on bobbins on a frame called a creel. High-capacity creels are used in power looms. A horisontal creel can hold up to 400 bobbins. The central opening allows the worker to inspect and organise bobbin threads. Gathered threads are fed through a reed before being wound onto the warping drum.

by Natasha

Pansegrouw

(Source: pexels by Narasimhan AVPL)

(Source: pexels by LoggaWiggler)

Depending on the width or ends of the fabric, the drum will prepare a specific number of sections after each one is made. The width of the fabric necessitates more warping machine sections and threads. A 400-bobbin creel, for instance, will have 400 threads in each bobbin.

Small warping devices are used in handlooms. Handloom weavers often make their own warp by combining threads into sections or balls and then warping a sheet.

What is beaming?

Weavers use a process known as beaming to transfer sectional warp from the warp drum to the warp beam. In order to draw the reeds through the loom, the ends must be passed over a whip role, over and under the lease rods, and finally through the current of the heddle eyes of the respective heddles.

Spinning a pirn

A pirn holds the strands and fits inside the shuttle that takes the weft strands through the warp strands for the actual weaving. The pirns are made small enough to fit in the shuttle's mounting system. The pirns used in power looms are typically larger and hold more yarn. Power loom weaving, then, requires a pirn winding machine. Automatic or manual pirn winding machines are available.

Back rest

Warp yarn

Heald wire

Reed

Woven cloth

Heald shafts

Warp beam Filling carrier

Filling yarn

Cloth roll

Heddle

Drop wire

Lease rods

Whip roll

Warp beam

Harness

Reed Cloth fell Front rest Shuttle

Lay Breast beam

Cloth roll

Components of a loom and their respective functions. (Source: Mahesha, Silk weaving)

The thread tension and coil distribution on an automatic pirn winding machine can be precisely adjusted, and the machine can immediately stop working if a thread breaks. The greater the yarn content and the more precisely packaged the pirn, the less often the shuttle will need to be stopped to replace the pirn, resulting in greater weaving efficiency.

Drawing

This is executed using a warp beam. The strands are threaded over a whip roll, under the lease rods, and into the right heddle eye before being drawn through the reeds' dents. Reeding is the process of creating threads from reed.

Gating

Gating refers to the process of adjusting the loom so that the warp beam, heddle shaft, and reed are all at the correct height and angle.

Primary and secondary motions are involved in the actual weaving mechanism

1. Primary motions Movement of shedding

When a warp is divided into upper and lower thread systems, the shuttle can move through the resulting gap, drawing the weft thread between the two sets of warp threads.

Reeled silk is wound onto a wooden spool. (Source: pexels by Jana)

Weavers at work on their frame looms. (Source: pexels by LoggaWiggler)

Diagram of the weaving procedure using a pit loom. (Source: Mahesha, Silk weaving)

Power looms do it automatically, while hand looms require manual intervention, and handloom shuttles are smaller.

The motion of picking

The movement of the shuttle between the sets of thread is called picking. As the shuttle travels across the loom, it releases a pirn of filling yarn. During a pick, one shuttle travels the length of the loom.

Beaten up

This is the process of pushing the weft tight to the already woven part of the cloth. A slay moves forward to beat the final weft pick and then back to clear the way for a shuttle in a shed.

2. Secondary motions Releasing Pressure

The let-off motion is set up to let the warp out of the weaver's beam at a constant rate, keeping the warp tension steady as the weaving progresses.

Motion of pick up

The take-up motion is what winds the cloth onto a roller after it has been withdrawn from the weaving area at a constant rate to achieve the desired pick-spacing (picks/ cm). The ratio of ends to picks per centimetre is established by the take-up motion.

Different looms

Handloom

A handloom is a simple, usually handmade weaving apparatus. Two distinct categories of handlooms exist:

1. The frame loom is a bit more upto-date than the pit loom. It may be set up in any regular home. When compared to pit looms, frame looms will take up less room.

2. The traditional loom is a pit loom, which is more robust and produces fewer vibrations during the weaving process. About five sarees can be made from a single ball of warp prepared for a pit loom. The weft is put into the weaving process in increments of one saree length using either a throw shuttle or a fly shuttle. The rate of production is really low.

An efficient weaver can produce about 3 metres of plain cloth every day. The leader of the family will do the actual weaving on the loom, while the rest of the family will undertake the preparatory work (warp and weft preparation).

Power loom

Power looms come in two distinct varieties: The first type is an overpick, while the second is an underpick. Weaving silk is best done in an underpick.

If the weavers warp beam (which contains longer warp) is prepared in another part of the warping machine, weaving can continue for months. Power looms have one weaver and larger pirns to increase yarn capacity and decrease the frequency of shuttle replacement.

The average daily output is 10 to 15 metres. High-quality yarn is essential for weaving on a power loom. Since the warp ends are tensioned while weav-

ing, charaka silk is typically used for the weft while cottage basin or filature silk is used for the warp.

Automatic looms

In the same way that some developed nations use automatic looms for cotton and synthetic weaving, they also do so for silk.

Automatic looms have a number of convenient features, including automatic letoff, pirn changing, break stoppage at the warp end, and break stoppage at the weft end.

By automating these processes, weavers can handle anywhere from six to ten looms at once. The output increases. Fabrics like sarees, saris, and checks predominate.

A weaver at her pit loom, threading her throw shuttle with a silk string. (Source: pexels by aiworldexplore)

References

Mahesha, H.B. (no date) Silk weaving, Weebly. Available at: https://hbmahesh.weebly.com/uploads/3/4/2/2/3422804/ silk_weaving.pdf

Textile weaving, https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Weaving.

Premium-grade silk fabric. (Source: pexels by LoggaWiggler)

Processing of condiments Part 30:

Pickled red cabbage

Pickled red cabbage is shredded red cabbage canned or bottled in brine. Red cabbage (Brassica oleracea capitata) is most frequently used and should be packed as soon as possible after receipt from the field or cold storage. Good-coloured varieties with tight heads are used.

Process description

Harvesting of cabbage

Cabbage is harvested by cutting the heads from the stems with sharp knives or blades, either manually or mechanically.

Cooling of the harvested cabbage

Water losses (wilting) occur as a result of transpiration (moisture evaporates from the surface cells), respiration, and surface damage which exposes the product to air and further losses. Products must be cooled as soon as possible after harvesting to ensure that the best quality is maintained.

Most harvested products will keep for a few hours at moderate temperatures, but if they are transported over long distances, the products must be kept at low temperatures. Hydro-cooling is used where the product can be sprayed or dunked in refrigerated potable water (16 to 20 °C). Dunking the product in potable water at this stage also gets rid of some of the residual dirt, dry leaves and other debris.

The product must be transported and handled carefully to ensure minimal damage. Bruises may result in soft spots, off flavour development and sites for insect infestation or enzymatic reactions. Products can be transported vertically or horizontally through mechanical methods, for example a simple moving conveyor or baskets in which the product can be loaded. Visual inspection can be performed while the product is conveyed.

Roller conveyors rotate the product to ensure visibility on all sides and are used especially for inspection. Some products are transported in potable water, where the water acts as a cushion against any possible mechanical damage. The potable water can be recirculated after filtration and treatment. A flume is the simplest, where a trough (V-shaped) is filled with running potable water. Pump systems can also be used where products are transported in a closed pipe to where it will be used, and the product and potable water is then separated. Potable water is defined as water free from suspended matter and from substances that could be deleterious to the product or harmful to health.

Inspection and sorting of cabbage

This is done to select the best suitable raw materials for manufacturing the value-added end product. Inspection is done on arrival of the cabbage at the processing plant to select the best

Commercially pickled red cabbage. (Image Source: londonprobe.com)

suitable raw materials for manufacturing the value-added end product. The outer leaves are removed manually while all infected, injured and overmature heads are also removed. The product must adhere to the minimum quality requirements to ensure optimum quality and processing efficiency. Sorting and inspection are very labour intensive practices.

Commercially pickled red cabbage. (Image Source: londonprobe.com)

Harvesting

Inspection & sorting

Washing

Cutting

Cleaning & washing

Brining

Draining & drying

(Desalting)

Filling & sealing

(Heat processing)

Cooling

Labelling

Washing of cabbage

The product is washed in water baths (large containers filled with potable water which must regularly be changed to minimise the chance of contamination spreading) or by immersion in agitated potable water baths. High-pressure water sprays may also be used to ensure that all surfaces are cleaned. Salt may be added to the water to remove insects and their larvae.

Sorting and trimming

This is done to select the best suitable raw materials for manufacturing the value-added end product.

Trimming is the deliberate removal of unwanted or unfit fractions of a food product. Sorting is done to select the best suitable raw materials for manu-

facturing the value-added end product. The product is trimmed and the fibrous stalks removed; any damaged or immature sections must also be removed. The quality of the product and adherence to pre-set quality standards (colour, shape and size) must be controlled carefully. Only heads with minor defects can be trimmed.

Cutting for pickling

The washed cabbage is quartered or chopped finely, depending on the final product required. The cut surfaces must be clean cut across the cells otherwise it will result in a limp, discoloured product which will not allow for even heating during further processing. Only stainless steel knives, hand driven cutting devices or automatic cutters made from stainless steel should be used.

Care must be taken to ensure that these pieces of equipment are regularly cleaned and disinfected to minimise the spreading of contamination. The cutting edges must be sharpened at regular intervals. Blunt cutting edges will damage the product, exposing a lot of cells to air and also tearing the product resulting in a poor, unappealing appearance of the final product. Work surfaces must also be cleaned regularly and disinfected to prevent crosscontamination and possible build-up of micro-organisms.

Cleaning and washing of the cut cabbage

Washing with potable water removes insects and other impurities located inside the cabbage head. Undesirable, under-sized bits and pieces can also be removed through washing.

Brining

The cabbage can be brined using a solution containing about 10% salt. The brine may be slightly acidified with lactic acid. The cabbage is left in the brine for 12 to 18 hours (overnight) and then drained. Brining should not be done in corrosive containers such as metals, but rather in containers made of glass, earthenware and certain plastics. Brining flavours and preserves the product

Desalting cabbage (optional)

The cabbage strips can be briefly rinsed in potable water and allowed to drain thoroughly. The final product is then less likely to be too salty.

Filling and packaging

The cabbage is filled into suitable, noncorrosive or lacquered containers and covered with packaging liquid (pickle solution). The liquid can be added to the shreds in bulk and allowed to stand for a few days before retail packaging, or packed directly into the retail containers. Bulk packaging minimises the effect of minor variations in cabbageto-liquid ratio on the equilibrium acidity of the finished pack.

The packaging liquid consists of

natural or distilled malt vinegar, spirit vinegar, acetic acid, or any desired combination according to the final product requirements. Spices can also be added. The spices are usually in concentrated extract form and may include ginger, pimento, black pepper, chillies, cloves, and coriander.

The container is closed or sealed hermetically. Products that require further heat processing should be vacuum-sealed using evacuating or steam flushing techniques.

Heating of pickled cabbage

(optional)

The pickled cabbage may be given a heat treatment in the final retail container to pasteurise or sterilise the product and thus extend the shelf life and eliminate the need for refrigerated storage. Products may be pasteurised by a mild heat treatment that raises the internal temperature of the product to 66 °C. The time of exposure needed to destroy spoilage organisms and pathogens depends on the acidity of the product, container size and type of packaging material. Pickled cabbage should have a pH below 3,7.

This necessitates a heat treatment of 30 minutes at 66 °C. As the temperature increases, the time is reduced, within the limits set by the packaging container. Pasteurisation can be performed in open or closed cookers. More severe heat treatments may also be applied. High-temperature shorttime (HTST) treatments are generally used to sterilise the product and are usually performed in retorts. Still retorts (batch retorts) may be vertical or horizontal. Horizontal retorts are easier to load and unload.

The retort is closed and steam is pumped into the closed vessel. The time/temperature combinations depend on the heat and pressure resistance of the container. A heat treatment of 12 minutes is required at 100 °C, while only 3 seconds is necessary at 121 °C for commercial sterility. Inefficient heating results in premature spoilage of the product. A preservative such as sulphur dioxide may be added in recommended doses to extend the shelf life.

Cooling of heat-processed pickled cabbage

After heating, the product requires to be cooled to below 40 °C with cold water. The first stage of cooling takes place in the retort (for sterilised products) and further cooling takes place once the containers have been removed. Cooling prevents over-heating that could result in loss of sensory quality.

THE TRUSTED COMPANY THAT’S A BREED APART.

The TOPIGS Tempo boar is ideally adapted for African environmental conditions, this proven by our client list, their production results and profitability. Many top farmers in Africa have invested in the breed with huge success. The excellent health status of our genetics is considered a major competitive advantage. Many producers choose to repopulate with Topigs Norsvin genetics to reap the benefits of this advantage.

The TN70

• The TN70 is a cross between the Topigs Large White and the Norsvin Landrace.

Characteristics

• Highly prolific, easy in use sow

• Amazing weaning ability

• Top contribution to finishing pig quality

• Produces large litters of strong, uniform

TN70 & TN Tempo: The ultimate combination

• Tn Tempo brings robustness, uniformity and fast growth potential

• The TN70 is and excellent mother which strengthens these qualities by contributing the best feed efficiency to the finisher compared to any other sow in the world

• Together, the TN Tempo and TN70 offer you the potential to produce the most output against the lowest cost, combination unrivaled.

the potential to produce the most output against the lowest cost, combination unrivaled.

Zambian Pig Genetics is the distributor of Topigs Norsvin genetics in Central Africa. Built on our global research, innovation and absolute commitment to integrity and biosecurity, our close partnership approach means your farm benefits directly from our experience, energy and passion.

Zambian Pig Genetics is the distributor of Topigs Norsvin genetics in Central Africa. Built on our global research, innovation and absolute commitment to integrity and biosecurity, our close partnership approach means your farm benefits directly from our experience, energy and passion.

Pig breeds part 1: Southern African pig breeds

A Large White boar ensures uniformity and quality in pigs from almost any dam. (Source: petpigworld.com)

Acrucial factor in any farming operation is the market. If you cannot sell your product, all your efforts are to no avail. It is important to think about whether or not you have a reliable customer base before starting a pig breeding business.

It is also important to have a good understanding of the market demand for pork products in your area.

Additionally, you should have a solid business plan in place, that outlines your breeding goals, marketing strategies, and financial projections. With careful planning and hard work, a pig breeding business can be a successful and profitable venture.

Having a reliable customer base is crucial for any business, including pig

Large White sows have a well-deserved reputation for being excellent dams. (Source: morningchores. com)

breeding. Without customers, there is no demand for your product, and your business could fail. In the case of pig breeding, it is essential to have a clear understanding of who your potential customers are and what their needs and preferences are. This will help you determine the number of pigs to breed, the type of breeds to focus on, and the best marketing strategy.

The Large White

Around the 1890s, this English breed made its way to South Africa. It is a big, white breed, as the name suggests, so its litters tend to be big and healthy, and they grow quickly and consume food efficiently for their size. Large Whites are easily identified by their white colour,

The Landrace pig is characterised by a particularly long body and lop ears, and it is white. (Source: upperhandgenetics.com)

pink skin, long, deep sides, erect ears, slightly dished faces, and picturesque bearing.

Some lines mature late, at seven or eight months, but this does not affect their usefulness as mothers or workers. They have large, healthy litters and make excellent protective mothers, leading to young with rapid development and high feed efficiency. As a result, they are the gold standard of dual-purpose breeds. In general, boars are reliable workers. Bacon-type offspring can be expected from a cross with virtually any purebred animal. When crossed with the Landrace, the Large White proves to be a universal foundation mother breed that gives rise to fertile F1 (first crossbred generation) female stock.

The Chester White thrives in both extensive and semi-intensive conditions. (Source: agronomag. com)

The Large White is known for being a tough and resilient breed that can thrive in a wide range of conditions. Their ability to cross with and improve other breeds has truly made them a factor nearly everywhere commercial pigs are produced. They have been a staple in the market for decades because they produce such high-quality bacon and pork. Their tendency to grow and not lay down excess fat has made them favourites, not only when pigs are marketed at relatively light weights but also when they are marketed at heavier weights.

The Landrace

The Landrace originated in Denmark by mating domesticated pigs with Large Whites. In 1952, they were first brought in from the Netherlands to South Africa. The improved Landrace is a mothering breed that has been praised for their consistent delivery of large litters over extended periods of time, in addition to their economic production attributes (weight gain and feed efficiency). The Landrace pig is a white breed distinguished by its long body, lop ears, light forequarters, well-defined back, and large hams. This breed is also known for its docility and manageability.

tural integrity. The sows are commonly used as a mother line when crossing with Large White or Landrace pigs because of their adaptability to extensive and semi-intensive systems. The breed is robust and does well in extensive conditions despite its medium size compared to other local breeds.

Appearance-wise, they are perfectly proportioned, broad, well-balanced, and of high quality. Body depth is greater than in most other breeds. The hair is usually not overly wavy or straight. They have a thick, durable hide that does not cling too closely to the body.

The colour of Duroc can be anything from an extremely light golden, almost yellow hue to an extremely dark red that resembles mahogany.

(Source: upperhandgenetics.com)

leanness at larger sizes for the abattoir (105 to 120 kg). Good-quality carcasses without the red or red-black hair follicles found in the pure breed are the result of a terminal cross. The Duroc is used to produce terminal hybrid sires and synthetic sires due to the breed's many desirable characteristics.

The Chester White is a versatile breed because of its medium size, sturdy build, and ability to work.

(Source: upperhandgenetics.com)

The Duroc

Landrace sow has excelled as a universal foundation mother breed.

(Source: upperhandgenetics.com)

The breed shows a high rate of growth and low feed wastage, while the improved variety is praised for its highly fertility, superior mothering qualities and consistently large litter sizes. Their value lies in the fullness of their rounded hams and the length of their bodies relative to their bone structure and fat content. They show positive characteristics like a high proportion of lean meat, the absence of fat, and fine bone, as well as a small head, a short neck, and light shoulders. Less noticeable hams and a decrease in the breed's traditionally high proportion of lean meat followed the eradication of the MH-gene.

The Chester White

This American breed developed from the interbreeding of pigs from the Yorkshire and Lincolnshire regions. In 1983, the first Chester Whites arrived in South Africa from the United States.

The white-skinned boars of this breed are robust and well-adapted farm animals because of their size and struc-

This rusty-red coloured breed originated in the United States from four strains of red pigs. It was first imported into South Africa from Canada in 1980, to make available a third breed, primarily for crossbreeding purposes. When crossed with traditional white breeds, these boars with their high libido are known to produce offspring with superior growth rates, feed efficiency, and meat quality.

The modern Duroc, with its breed-defining characteristics, excels as a terminal sire. Crosses between Duroc boars and standard white breeds result in pigs with superior growth, feed efficiency and

The Duroc breed is known for producing exceptionally marbled meat compared to other breeds, which makes it the best of the breeds. The sows are considered to be excellent mothers despite having large litters. The breed is not very susceptible to stress. Inherited coloured hair follicles cause issues at the abattoir during hair removal if offspring inherit more than 50% of the Duroc genes.

References

Pig Farming in South Africa. (2022). Available at: https://southafrica. co.za/pig-breeding.html

Breeds of Livestock - Breeds of Swine, Department of Animal Science. (1996). Available at: https:// breeds.okstate.edu/swine/index.html

Pig Breeders Society of South Africa. (2023). Available at: http://pigsa. co.za/

Duroc sows have large litters, they are thought of as excellent mothers. (Source: commons.wikimedia.org)

CONTACT US:

Phone: + 260 978 002 222

Tel: +260 211 233 105

Email: sales@zampipe.com

ADDRESS:

#687, Los Angeles Road, Makeni, Lusaka, Zambia

Pipes you can trust!

Pipes you can trust!

We pride ourselves on the quality and strength of our products. We aim to give our customers nothing but the very best. That is why our pipes require minimum maintenance, have high tensile strength and have unmatched durability.

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Our Fertilizer is a locally manufactured, innovative plant nutrition that complements our clients’ businesses. Our comprehensive range can match the nutritional needs of crops at every growth stage. All the ingredients we use are thoroughly researched and of A-grade quality sourced from first rate suppliers only.

Fruit production part 6: Blueberries

Blueberries are a well-known fruit across the globe. The juicy, marblesized fruits are a culinary favourite, making its way into the muffins, pancakes, bread and breakfast bowls of consumers everywhere.

Although the market value of the humble blueberry has declined in recent years, farmers still invest in this crop as demand for the product rises. What, however, remains a challenge is the growing input costs that make the blueberry industry far less profitable than it used to be.

As a food source, blueberries are an excellent choice. They are chock full of iron, calcium, zinc, magnesium, and manganese as well as vitamins C, E and K. It is often processed into juice, flavourings, jams or puree. These berries easily freeze to keep for seasons when berries aren’t fruiting.

Throughout history it has even been used as a cough medicine and clothes dye.

Climatic and soil requirements

Some blueberry varieties fare better in some climates than others. This is due to the differences in humidity and cold temperatures. The plants are relatively hardy as they actually need intense cold in the winter to optimally go into rest as this results in better yields. In extremely hot areas, the plants might require a little more irrigation in the warmer months.

You will need to research what variety is best suited for your climate. Some

varieties you can investigate include the O’Neal, Centurion, Sharp Blue, Brightwell, and Misty. It is best to plant more than one variety at a time. Some fruit earlier than others, so if you choose the right varieties, it is possible to have fruit six to eight months of the year.

The plant prefers more acidic soils, 4 and 5,5 pH. The plants also need full sun, so be sure to not plant them in shady areas. They also require soil that drains well and is rich in organic material.

Planting

Plant blueberries either in early spring or autumn.

When planting your blueberry plantation, it is necessary to use young plants that are propagated through cuttings. You can acquire these young plants from a nursery.

by Maryna Steyn

Start by digging a large hole, approximately 50 cm wide and 50 cm deep. Prepare the soil you have removed by mixing in some compost to improve nutrients and drainage.

Ensu re that you leave 1,5 m spacing between plants as they spread up to 1 m in diameter. Rows can be spaced 1,8 m apart.

A blueberry bush growns up to 1,5 m in height. Once plants are established, these perennials can provide the farmer with fruit for up to 20 years.

Fertilisation

Fertilise blueberry plants one month after planting.

A good water-soluble fertiliser that has nitrogen (65 g/kg) and higher levels of potassium (130 g/kg) can be used to fertigate every two weeks.

Be careful of nitrates as these can kill your berry bush.

Fertilise again after pruning.

Blueberries are delicious fruits that gained popularity due to its superfood status. (Source: Pixabay)

From the pollinated flowers, the berries form. (Source:Pixabay)

Distributors of Dekalb maize seed

Distributors of Dekalb maize seed

Irrigation

Plants require regular irrigation, approximately 25 to 50 mm per week.

Harvesting

Blueberries flower in early spring whereafter fruits start to develop. Most commercial varieties are self-fertilising, so you should not have any difficulties when it comes to pollination.

The berries turn into a deep blue colour when they ripen throughout December and January. Berries that are ready to harvest are so ripe they basically fall into your hand.

Remember to prune the bushes after they stop bearing fruit. Only prune the weak stems that do not fruit, as well as those who will let in more light into the bush.

Pest and disease control

Blueberries are resistant to most pests and diseases, but if its environment isn’t taken care of, the plant can be susceptible to stress. Enough water, nutrition and suitable drainage will help avoid this.

The blueberry bush can grow up to 1,5 m tall. (Source: Julia Volk on Pexels).

Punnets of delicious blueberries. (Source: Veeterzy on Pexels)

Sources:

Blueberry grow guide (no date) GrowVeg. Available at: https://www. growveg.co.za/plants/south-africa/ how-to-grow-blueberries.

Plant blueberries (no date) Gardening in South Africa. Available at: https:// www.gardeninginsouthafrica.co.za/ autumn-is-a-great-time-to-plantblueberries#:~:text=Blueberries%20 are%20sweet%2C%20highly%20 nutritious,pests%20and%20 diseases%2C%20and%20will.

Growing Blueberries Grow Guide (2019). Stark Ayers Garden Centre.

More highlights of Agritech Expo Zambia 2023

by Bianca Henning

The Agritech Expo Zambia 2023 promised more agro technology and innovation advancements, and surely delivered on that promise! We couldn’t depart from the Agritech show just yet. There were too many exciting things and highlights to capture in one edition, therefore, we decided to dedicate a few more pages to the show this month.

Many small-scale and emerging farmers were intrigued by Zambian pig genetics discussion. Zambian Pig Genetics (ZPG) has been distributing Topigs Norsvin genetics throughout Central Africa since 2015.

Joseph Phiri, Sales Representative and Technical Adviser from Zambian Pig Genetics, showed visitors what they have to offer to pig farmers.

Novatek is well-known as Zambia’s leading stock feed producer and distributor. They pride themselves in supplying the best quality feed, tailored to the needs of local livestock. The Novatek team welcomed farmers warmheartedly at the recent Agritech expo in Chisamba, supplying them with all the information on quality feed.

The Novatek team: Back: Vernon Muzamai, Lemmy Sikumba and Kuzwana Jere. In the front are Robert Kanyembo, Riyashna Rampersadh and Chisala Kapya.

Saro provides you what you need! Their impressive exhibition at Agritech attracted small-scale and emerging farmers.

Cuan Smith and Phidelis Mubagwe, representatives of Omnia, at the company's exhibition at Agritech Zambia 2023.

Holland Greentech is the all-in-one stop for vegetable farm inputs. Patricia Mwansa, Agronomist, tells us more about their business and what they offer to farmers.

Saro Agro is the proud supplier of Rotrix Africa Rainmaker Irrigation Systems. These irrigators are available in different sizes and are the most effective and cost-efficient travelling irrigation systems available in Africa.

Lindsay Africa are the distributers of Zimmatic equipment in Africa. Zimmatic dealers are conveniently located across Africa so that farmers have easy access to the irrigation equipment they need to ensure proper yields.

John Deere’s reliable green and gold workhorses attracted many farmers at this year’s Agritech expo. John Deere 5045 is a power packed agricultural tractor with high back-up torque and accelerated productivity for all agricultural applications.

Seed Co has 80 years of experience in the production and supply of certified high-yielding seed varieties bred in Africa for African conditions.

Zambia Seed Company Limited is the oldest seed company in Zambia. Their reliable seed attracted scores of farmers to their stand at this year’s Agritech

impressed crop farmers.

expo.

Reinke Irrigation’s representatives, Kachinga Simusokwe and Brian Phiri, at their Agritech stand.

Simon Ngwira, Assistant Sales Agronomist, showed farmers around at the Agritech expo. Their impressive trials

Zikulu Nkuku are the Zambian suppliers of chicks. Abeeauty Ngulale and Clive Mumfa represented the team at Agritech 2023.

Bee conservation was one of the seven themes presented at the recent Regional Apimondia symposium held in Durban, South Africa. Five bee specialists from different countries in Africa shared their research and experiences on the theme.

Conservation beekeeping and climate change

Sisiphiwo Dingana presented a paper on the University of the Western Cape’s (UWC) crop trials in the Eastern Cape towns of Mthatha, Bizana, Port St Johns, and Matatiele. He offered an insight into the valuable traditional ways of beekeeping, which could contribute to preserving bee genetics.

Sisiphiwo is currently working as a postgraduate research assistant at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). He is leading the UWC Plant Research Assistance Crop Trial Programme in the Eastern Cape.

Insect samples, including honeybees, were collected during the past three years as part of these trials. While doing so, he searched for local beekeepers in the surrounding areas. “Surprisingly, most beekeepers were not registered at the Department of Agriculture, Land Redistribution and

Bee conservation in Africa

by Tisha Steyn

Rural Development (DALRRD) or members of any beekeeping association.

I realised it is customary for people who are visited by bee swarms to let them stay in their homes for traditional benefits. It is customary that bees are ancestral,” said Sisiphiwo.

He found that bees are kept inside house closets, on the ground next to the kraals (villages), and under the roof ceilings. He used the opportunity to promote bee conservation, hoping that it would contribute to the publication of African indigenous bee-related knowledge. “Native bee-related knowledge may assist in recruiting more beekeepers to adopt sustainable beekeeping practices.”

His aim as a bee conservationist is influenced by the lack of public indigenous knowledge, food security, and nutrition with the potential for climate change impacts. “Indigenous people living in their local communities tend to interrelate and connect with their environments to make use of natural resources to manage the environments where they live.

“However, environmental, social, and economical challenges negatively impact this relationship. It has been argued that the conservation of native honeybees is crucial, as food security

systems highly depend on pollinators including honeybees in the wild or managed colonies.”

A decline in pollinators affects people’s well-being. Recent studies have outlined the lack of integrated management of native wild bees and managed agricultural colonies. “It is advisable to consider native peoples’ norms in beekeeping strategies to add value to integrated bee conservation planning. We should seek more indigenous knowledge to preserve the most crucial valuable bee genetic varieties at our disposal.”

Apitherapy

Sister Mechthilde Faist of the Franciscan Sisters of Siessen, in Ladybrand in the Eastern Free State of South Africa, presented a lecture on apitherapy, a branch of complementary and alternative medicine that uses honeybee products, including honey, pollen, bee bread, propolis, royal jelly, beeswax, bee venom, and larval bees, practised at the mission. But there is a delightful, albeit surprising, twist to this bee house.

Born in Germany in 1957, Sister Faist moved to South Africa in 1983. She is entrusted with the management of the Regina Pacis Retreat Centre. Besides the use of bee products for health

purposes, visitors can also enjoy spending a relaxing time with bees. Inside a small house, like a garden house, some beehives are installed in such a way that a bench or bed can be placed over them. The bees have their own entrance area at the outside wall of the building so that their normal behaviour is not disturbed.

Inside the building, the benches or bee beds are sealed properly so that the bees do not have access to the room. Because of mesh wires over openings, the air, smell, vibration, and the sound of the bees fill the room. This experience is believed to have a positive and healing impact on the human body.

Bacterial strains a remedy for AFB?

Dr Teresa Goszczynska has been a senior researcher at the Agricultural Research Council, Plant Health and Protection since 1994. Based in Pretoria, she is a bacteriologist, working with plant pathogenic bacteria and Paenibacillus larvae, the causal agents of American foulbrood in honeybees. Her research is aimed at isolating and identifying indigenous bacteria present in South African honey and bee bread that can inhibit P. larvae.

She believes microorganisms present in colonies play an enormous role in the health and vigour of these insects, which are threatened by many diseases, including American foulbrood (AFB). AFB is deadly to the brood and can result in the collapse of the infected colony.

Members of the Agriculture Research Council (ARC) made valuable contributions to the symposium. Standing is Roman Tladi, a beekeeper from Gauteng, Mammikele Tsatsimpe from the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Dr Teresa Goszczynska (ARC), Thabang Nkgau (ARC), and Sam Mathibe (ARC), and seated Elizabeth (Elise) LundallMagnuson (ARC). (Source: Elise Lundall-Magnuson)

Clinical symptoms of AFB are present in the Western Cape. “It is intriguing that P. larvae have also been detected in other provinces, but the clinical symptoms were absent. There is a high probability that such colonies are protected by the naturally occurring P. larvae-inhibiting bacteria in their environment.

Saving the gum trees

Charles Verster, of Ulwando Bushclearing in Johannesburg, South Africa, is a practising horticulturist, specialising in alien invasive weed control. He believes a strategy is needed to protect Eucalyptus trees for the benefit of honeybees. Besides developing vegetation management plants, he conducted

Chris Nicklin, present chairperson of the Western Cape Beekeeping Association, doing an interview with Sisiphiwo Dingana, who presented a paper on his research on traditional ways of beekeeping in Eastern Cape towns. (Source: WCBA)

botanical assessment work. “For decades, there has been negative publicity regarding water consumption by gum trees and their related impact on biodiversity, which is the key driver behind the war against gum trees,” said Charles. “As a result of the eradication of Eucalyptus trees, especially from water catchment and riparian areas, beekeepers believe that their bee colonies and production have been significantly impacted.”

His presentation was aimed at stimulating thought and would hopefully be a catalyst in addressing some of the concerns in the quest to find solutions to boost honey production through Eucalyptus trees and or other species.

Pollinator decline in Tanzania

Dr Kathrin Krausa, of the Khan University, Arusha, Tanzania, is an entomologist with research interests in the communication behaviour of social insects, namely stingless bees, ants, and termites. Her current research focuses on the foraging and recruitment behaviour of African stingless bees with the aim of conserving and managing all pollinators.

“We are facing accelerating rates of changes in the environment and an ongoing loss of biodiversity that threatens ecosystem functions and services,” she said. “Flower-visiting insects and the ecosystem service of pollination they deliver, are not exempted from this.” She said evidence pointed to declines in important pollinators that could lead to food insecurity.

Like most other countries, Tanzania lacked a pollinator monitoring program

that would reveal changes in diversity over time, empower various stakeholders to make informed decisions underpinned by data and provide a measure for success.

The newly formed Aga Khan Research Station in Arusha, Tanzania is committed to tackling pollinator conservation and working towards holistic pollination management, including honey-, stingless-, and solitary bees to mitigate pollen deficits.

She concluded that it is important to raise awareness among farmers about the use of pesticides to preserve plant and animal biodiversity, ensure food security, and promote sustainable development.

Dr Kathrin Krausa, of the Khan University, Arusha, Tanzania, is an entomologist with research interests in the communication behaviour of social insects, namely stingless bees, ants, and termites. (Source: Twitter)

This beehouse at the Regina Pacis Retreat Centre in Ladybrand in the Free State offers a unique bee therapy as the bees, safely screened off, live inside the house. (Source: Facebook)

Land management and rehabilitation part 1: Land deterioration, the bitter fruits of careless exploitation

Humans have been modifying their environment for thousands of years. The earliest modifications had little impact, but as human numbers and ingenuity increased, natural resources were gradually depleted and, in some instances, destroyed.

Ken Coetzee of Conservation Management Services, who gained valuable experience in managing natural rangelands as a rangeland manager, works in an advisory capacity in South Africa, but also in African countries including Morocco, Senegal, Malawi, Namibia, Kenya, and Botswana.

This series on land management and rehabilitation is based on the second edition of his updated book Caring for Natural Rangelands, published by New Voices Publishing Services in 2023, and is available from Ken (contact details below).

“I have observed that very few natural areas are completely free of the destructive legacy of modern landscape development,” he says. “Most often, the consequences of these landscape modifications suggest that the general attitude of landscape users has been one of careless exploitation, with little regard for the future implications of unsustainable land uses. Little or nothing is ever

replaced or returned to the land.”

As populations grow, they need more food. This led to the establishment of vast fields of monoculture crops, such as maize for food, or tree plantations for heat, shelter, and construction. The results are the deterioration of natural landscapes and the inevitable loss of biodiversity.

Signs of deterioration are everywhere as the result of economic industries, including agriculture, fishing, forestry, industry, housing, and even tourism, as humans take whatever they want or think they need from nature without putting anything back. Legislation, the lack of policing, as well as growing population numbers, poverty, corruption, and poor decision-making, are not helping to stop this deterioration.

The deterioration is most visible on rangeland, where over-utilisation of natural grazing and consequent erosion of the critically valuable soil reserves have resulted in the advance of desert and semi-desert conditions all around the globe.

Desertification

At present, more than one-third of the earth’s land surface is vulnerable to desertification, with ten to twenty

by Tisha Steyn

per cent of all drylands already lost to advancing deserts. According to Ken, these consequences are most prominent in and around the sub-tropical deserts of northern Africa, western South America, southwest China, and Australia, as well as the steppes of subtropical Asia and the countries around the Mediterranean Sea.

“Desertification can change lands that were once productive into useless wastelands and these changes have serious negative implications for biodiversity, human well-being, socioeconomic stability, and sustainable development the world over,” warns Ken.

He believes the increasing demand for natural resources, which are most often harvested or used in an unsustainable way, manifests itself as the desperate need for restorative environmental management. “However, habitat restoration or rehabilitation is prohibitively expensive and considered to be the field of expertise of a relatively small group of professional rehabilitation experts.”

Landowners, range managers and tenant farmers are usually confronted with rangeland management problems that were caused by previous poor management that did nothing to

address the results. As a result, problems such as erosion, deforestation and eventually desertification, get worse.

Practical approaches

In this book, Ken does not dwell on the causes of landscape degradation or comment on who is to blame for it but rather concentrates on practical approaches that can be used to heal the scars and thereby give nature a chance to heal itself. “Nature is amazingly forgiving and will gratefully reward any kindness with astounding rejuvenation.”

He would like to inspire rangeland managers and farmers to take a fresh look at degradation and to approach the restoration thereof with a new attitude.

He quotes Aldo Leopold (1933), an American conservation writer who is considered the father of wildlife ecology and who was a renowned scholar, teacher, philosopher, and gifted writer of the book A Sand County Almanac (1933): “The hope of the future lies not in curbing the influence of human occupancy – it is already too late for that – but in creating a better understanding of the extent of that influence and a new ethic for its governance.”

Tools of destruction also tools of regeneration

Aldo Leopold believed that the land could be restored by the imaginative use of the same tools with which it was destroyed, namely the axe, plough, herbivores, fire, and mechanisation.

Leopold also believed that few

environmental fields depended as heavily on commitment, ingenuity, and resourcefulness as restoration management and that land care was an “integral component of the almost forgotten art of woodcraft which is based on the skills derived from individual and collective experiences of many generations”.

Ken provides some ideas of how the ever-widening gap in land care experience can be bridged by providing some ideas that may help with the restoration and rehabilitation of degraded rangelands. “The techniques described need not be followed to the letter. They should rather provide examples of how to think, understand and experiment, rather than be implemented as prescriptions.”

He believes there is no single or ‘correct’ way in which to approach rangeland restoration. “There are, in fact, endless answers or combinations of answers to every landscape restoration problem. A solution for each problem must be worked out according to its own specific situational characteristics, such as that of variability in soil types, climate, vegetation, land use, and land use history.”

Also, the approach need not involve elaborate or costly technology or highly specialised knowledge. “It should rather provide new insights and practical strategies for decision-making and implementation.”

The good news is that the solutions to many of the land care problems

that face land managers today are sometimes much simpler than is at first anticipated. He outlines practical and straightforward approaches as a way in which to get to grips with land management problems, no matter how small in the beginning. His methods are purposefully simple, and most can be implemented by unskilled or semi-skilled workers with some guiding supervision or limited training, and the tools already familiar to them.

Three interest groups must be motivated. These include:

• Land management practitioners, including farmers, game rangers, foresters, landowners, land managers, land management contractors, and rehabilitation consultants. These people will need methods and practical ideas about the planning and implementation of restoration projects;

• Environmental biologists, ecologists, botanists, zoologists, herpetologists, environmental scientists, and environmental agencies need to link their biological field of expertise with an improved understanding of the realities of practical field engineering; and

• Environmental education practitioners, including lecturers in environmental studies, teachers, extension educators and students of environmental studies, need to be provided with practical examples of successful rehabilitation options and the planning needed to implement them successfully.

“In short, we need to link practical land restoration practice with the range of individuals that may implement, study, regulate, finance, or have some other interest in land care projects,” says Ken.

Contact details

Conservation Management Services

Ken Coetzee and Wallie Stroebel

Ken: (+27) 76-227-5056 or consken@mweb.co.za

Wallie: (+27) 82-493-1441

Website: www.conservationmanagementservices.co.za

The conversion of formerly productive arid land into deserts is widespread and occurs at an alarmingly rapid rate alongside human population expansion.

Meet the miracle tree: Production, cultivation, and consumption of moringa in Southern Africa

by Natasha Pansegrouw

Both animals and humans can benefit from eating moringa (Moringa oleifera). Due to the plant’s high nutrient content, this "miracle tree" is useful in the fight against malnutrition, and its resistance to drought makes it possible to make better use of semi-arid areas.

To combat poverty and malnutrition, developing nations have increased their demand for food on a global scale. In the middle of 2019, the global population was estimated at 7,7 billion; by 2050, that number is expected to rise to 9,7 billion. Midway through 2019, the population of Africa was estimated to be around 1,3 billion people. Therefore, ensuring a sufficient food supply for a growing global population has become a top priority worldwide.

Medicinal and consumable plant varieties

Plants have long played an important role in human survival and well-being, providing essential nutrients, medicines, materials, and energy. Between 7 000 and 390 000 plant species are cultivated or collected for human consumption or other uses. About 95% of the world's food comes from only 30 plant species, and only about 150 of these are grown commercially.

These domesticated species might be able to meet human energy requirements, but they are not always able to meet nutritional requirements. That is why it is so important to raise the yields of less-studied plant species that are well-adapted to their rural environments and are used for food or raw materials. Moringa is one of 13 known species of the family Moringaceae and is endemic to the foothills of the Himalayas in northern India. While it is possible to plant seeds in the field, it is advised that seedlings be cared for in nurseries.

Uses and benefits of moringa

In addition to its many applications in the food and medical industries, moringa is used to make biofuel and purify water. Almost every part of a plant contains some combination of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3, C, and E), and minerals. There is a lot of antioxidants, phenols, tannins, and flavanols in the leaves and roots. The use of moringa leaves in a daily diet has been argued to be safe and without adverse effects.

The leaves and seeds are used for both nutritional and medicinal purposes and can be consumed raw,

boiled, or as a powder. Several international development programmes have incorporated moringa into their strategies to address hunger, poverty, and global warming. In 2006, the Lammangata Moringa Project in the village of Tooseng in South Africa's rural Limpopo Province introduced moringa as a crop for subsistence farmers.

There has been a significant rise in moringa production and consumption across all the continent's agro-ecological zones. Stakeholders, including the governments of some countries like South Africa, farmers, and educational institutions, have established flagship projects in response to rising national interest in moringa. The biological and chemical properties of moringa, for instance, were studied by the Vegetable and Ornamental Plants group at the Agricultural Research Council in Roodeplaat.

Moringa has the potential to improve nutrition, income, and livelihood throughout the southern part of the continent. Work on moringa in South Africa and elsewhere in Africa is thoroughly examined with regard to productivity, growing conditions, and government department programmes.

Locations for growing Moringa in South Africa and similar locations in Africa

Approximately six of the nine provinces in South Africa are dedicated to the cultivation of moringa: Limpopo, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, and North West. Most of these provinces' farmers and households grow it in Limpopo. The Moringa Development Association of South Africa (MDASA) is a hub of information and resources for the moringa industry in South Africa. Initiated in 2013, its stated goal is to increase moringa sales, usage, and production.

Moringa tree at maturity.

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of farmers cultivating moringa in certain regions of South Africa. On 0,25 ha of land in Limpopo, farmers harvested between 50 and 100 kg of moringa seeds per hectare. The annual revenue from selling moringa leaves was estimated at $13 000, with a $6 000 profit margin. It was determined that only 17% (or 200 837 km2) of South Africa's total land area was optimal for growing moringa, while 18% (or 216 758 km2) was suitable, 46% (560 794 km2) was less suitable, and only 19% (or 240 699 km2) was completely unsuitable.

In the province of Limpopo, about 80% of the land was considered good for growing moringa. Optimal conditions were predicted for the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, and Western Cape provinces, in addition to KwaZulu-Natal, suggesting that production could take place in all nine of South Africa's provinces. Since moringa cultivation in South Africa is just getting started, it is impossible to assess the total area under cultivation or the number of harvested hectares. Therefore, it is necessary to encourage farmers in areas with suitable growing conditions to engage in its production and gain the potential benefits. By controlling environmental factors, such as in greenhouses, moringa can be cultivated outside of its native range.

Initiatives by governments regarding moringa

Governments in Sub-Saharan Africa use moringa to combat hunger, poverty, and food insecurity. Similarly, the South African government has been promoting moringa cultivation in an effort to reduce the prevalence of hunger in those regions.

The Department of Science and Technology (now DSI) has made funds available for moringa-related initiatives. DSI also maintains its push for moringa farming and processing facilities in rural communities. Since 2010, DSI has funded projects that aim to increase the quality of moringa and develop new products by fusing scientific and traditional knowledge.

New moringa farmers have received roughly the same amount of financial and technical support from the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform, and Rural Development (DALRRD).

To combat unemployment, DALRRD keeps pushing local communities to use moringa. Recent research has shown promising results for encouraging kids to add moringa leaf powder to

their daily diets. These facts suggest that the Department of Basic Education sees the potential for using moringa in schools to combat child malnutrition.

References

Mashamaite, C.V., Pieterse, P.J., Mothapo, P.N., and Phiri, E.E. (2021) Moringa oleifera in South Africa: A review on its production, growing conditions and consumption as a food source. South African Journal of Science. Issue 117(3/4), Art. #8689. Available at: https://journals.co.za/doi/ pdf/10.17159/sajs.2021/8689

Moringa flowers and leafy greens can be consumed raw or boiled.

Moringa seed pods on a tree.

Moringa flowers and leafy greens can be consumed raw or boiled.

Snail production – Part 2

by Tapuwa Mashangwa

Heliciculture is not only a feasible option for farmers due to the few participants in the industry and therefore limited competition, but also due to the market options available both regionally and internationally. Success of course depends on good agricultural practices.

Soils used for snail farming should not be heavy, clayey soil that becomes waterlogged and compacted in the rainy season. Very sandy soil is also undesirable because of its low water holding capacity. Acidic soils should be avoided because acidity will interfere with the development of the snail’s shell. Soils that are too acidic might be neutralised with lime to about 7 pH.

Soils with high organic matter support the growth and development of snails. In general, if a soil supports good growth of cocoyam, tomatoes, and leafy vegetables, it is suitable for snail farming.

Before introducing snails to the site, the soil should be loosened by tilling. It is important to remember that snails need damp, not wet, environments, therefore despite their moisture requirement, wet or waterlogged soils must be drained. In areas of high rainfall, rainwater must run off quickly as the snails may drown in excessively wet conditions. A soil moisture content of 80% of field capacity is favourable.

In the hours of darkness, air humidity over 80% will promote good snail activity and growth.

Most snail activity takes place 2 to 3 hours after the onset of darkness, including feeding. Low night temperatures rouses activity, and the snails move easily aided by night-time dew. In some cases, to maintain adequate humidity and moisture levels in drier locations, misting sprayers can be used (like those used for plant propagation) − if technically and economically feasible.

Snails dig in soil and ingest it. Good soil favours snail growth and provides some of their nutrition. Lack of access to good soil may result in fragile shells even if the snails have well-balanced feed; the snails’ growth may lag far behind the growth of other snails on good soil. Snails often eat feed, then eat dirt. Sometimes, they eat only one or the other.

Eventually the soil in the snail pens will become fouled with mucus and droppings which would alter its chemical composition, therefore is it important that the soil is changed once every three months.

The next phase in snail production is construction of the snailery. The housing can be extensive, semi-intensive, or intensive, in increasing order of

complexity, management, and financial inputs. An extensive production system can be outdoors, or comprised of freerange snail pens. A mixed, or semiintensive system will involve egg laying and hatching going on in a controlled environment. In this case the young snails are removed after 6 to 8 weeks to outside pens for growing or fattening or both. An intensive system can include plastic tunnel houses, greenhouses and buildings with controlled climate.

Regardless of the size and type of the snail farm, the following requirements must be met: the snailery should be escape-proof as snails are master escapists and can therefore quickly wander all over the farm, entering gardens or places where they are unwanted. The snailery should also be spacious, of course taking into account the growing stage of the snails (hatchlings, juveniles, breeding snails, or mature snails fattened for consumption). Snails suffer from overcrowding, which impedes their development and increases the risk of diseases. Suitable rearing densities range from > 100/m2 for hatchlings to 7 to 10/m2 for breeding snails. It should also be easily accessible and easy to work in or with, for handling the snails, placing feed, cleaning and other tasks.

Some of the materials that can be utilised for construction include decayand termite-resistant timber. Poles can be made of species of teak like tectona grandis, which is widely planted on other continents as well. Sand-concrete blocks, or mudbricks and second-hand materials, like car tyres, oil drums and old water tanks are good options as well. Galvanised sheets, and polythene sheets, and chicken wire works well for the snails' protection. Other materials commonly used for the protection of the snails are mosquito nets or nylon mesh, for covering the pens as protection against insects.

Car tyres or oil drums, hutch boxes, trench pens, mini-paddock pens and free-range pens might be considered for simple snaileries. With discarded tyres or oil drums three or four tyres are placed on top of each other, with chicken wire and mosquito mesh between the topmost tyre and the second one from the top. Oil drums should have some holes in the bottom for drainage, be filled with good soil to a depth of 7 to 10 cm, and be fitted with wire plus mosquito mesh on top. Car tyre or oil drum pens are suitable for keeping a few snails (up to about four mature snails in each container).

References

Rygało-Galewska, A., Zglińska, K., Niemiec, T. (2022) Edible Snail Production in Europe. Available at: https://www.mdpi.com/20762615/12/20/2732

Helicicultural Entrepreneurship. Available at: https://www.turkeytrainings. com/heliciculture

Snail Farming Startup Guide. Available at: https://www.agri4africa.com/snailfarming-startup-guide/

Source: financialfreedomng.com

Lime Your Fields, Get Better Yields

A Practical Approach To Backyard Snail Farming. (1998) Available at: https://www.ajol.info/index.php/njap/ article/view/124545

Akharume, C. O., Alao, B. O., Eyinade, G. A. (2019) Costs and returns analysis of smallholder snail production in south western Nigeria. Available at: https://serialsjournals.com/abstract/21186_chap-2_celestine_ohi_ akharume-chapter_2.pdf

Ngenwi, A. A., Mafeni, J. M., Etchu, K. A., Oben, F. T. (2010) Characteristics of snail farmers and constraints to increased production in West and Central Africa. Available at: https://idlbnc-idrc.dspacedirect.org/bitstream/ handle/10625/48747/IDL-48747.pdf

FOR EACH TON OF FERTILISER, THE SOIL NEEDS ONE TON OF LIME

Also available:

Combat soil erosion: ‘Malawi dumpy level’ set things straight

Tisha Steyn

The Malawi dumpy level is a simple tool that can be constructed with local materials, which can be used to ensure that contour berms are cut exactly level.

Ken Coetzee of Conservation Management Services, based in George, does consultation work for NGOs in Malawi where he teaches locals how to remedy and prevent further erosion.

“Malawi dumpy level” is Ken’s name for an ancient agricultural tool that has been used for setting out contours and water furrows all over the world for a very long time.

What is soil erosion?

Soil erosion takes place when topsoil is washed away by runoff water where protective plant cover has been removed because of deforestation, overgrazing, incorrect land cultivation practices, paths caused by animals and humans, and fire.

Slope stabilisation

In previous articles, Ken provided information on how to take care of different types of erosion, including head-cuts or dongas, gullies and rills, and erosion on slopes, open ground and bare, mostly flat land.

The methods used include branch checks with grass fences, and dense packing with brush or grass on the upward side of these and on the steeper downward side of the hollows. The materials needed to create the structures and brush packing are usually freely available in the area.

However, care must be taken not to strip the area bare of vegetation as it will create a new erosion problem. Also, the installations must be regularly inspected after rains to ensure they are still in good shape. If not, they must be repaired without delay, otherwise, all the money and labour spent to fix the erosion will literally simply be washed away.

Contour berms

Contour berms are another way of stabilising a slope to stop rainwater from running downhill and causing erosion. A berm is a furrow with an earthen wall on its lower side. These berms can be installed on moderate to steeper slopes where the topsoil is washed away because of the removal of protective plant cover by overgrazing, deforestation, fires, and paths caused by humans or animals.

Aim of a berm

The aim of berms along a slope is to prevent the run-off of fast-flowing water by stopping it and deflecting the water to safe outflow sites. The berm helps the water to infiltrate the soil, thereby improving it and preparing it for planting.

How to create a berm

• Mark out the contour line, making it perfectly level with a Malawi dumpy level (described below), driving pegs into the ground to mark the position of the contour berm;

• the ends of the contour berm must allow water to flow out in a safe site, such as an existing drainage ditch or an area with lots of plant cover;

• dig out a furrow about 45 cm wide at the top and about 25 cm at the bottom;

• dig the furrow about 25 to 35 cm deep;

• pile the soil removed from the furrow on the downslope side of the furrow to form a berm or embankment along the furrow;

• compact or firm down the berm soil by hand;

• construct further contour berms about 50 m apart, depending on the slope. On a steep slope, they must be closer together, while they can be further apart on more gradual slopes;

• pack cut brush or plant trees, or do both, between the contour berms;

• to ensure that the water running from the outflow points at the ends of the berm doesn’t cause new soil erosion, pack some stones or brush on the site, or install an erosion control fence.

How to make and use the Malawi dumpy level

The Malawi dumpy level can be used to ensure that the contour berms are cut exactly level and on the contour. The furrows and their berms must be level. If not, the runoff water will simply flow out at the lower end and rush

Plate 1: Berms can be created on gentle slopes.

Plate 2: Berms are useful to prevent the runoff of rainwater where there is little or no vegetation left on a slope.

Figure 1: Cross-section of a contour berm.

Earth berm

down the slope, causing more erosion.

The idea is that the water collected in the furrow must remain there so that it will sink into the soil. Once the soil is saturated and the furrow is full, the water will flow out at the exit points that are provided and protected by vegetation, brush, or stones.

The makeshift dumpy level consists of an A-frame with a weighted vertical line. The A-frame can be constructed with thin wooden poles of equal length and firmly tied together at the top with binding wire. A crossbar between the legs of the frame is marked in the centre.

A line with a weight, called a plumb bob, at the bottom, is tied to the top of the A-frame. When the instrument is perfectly level, the weight will match up with the middle of the crossbar.

If available, two planks can be glued or bolted together at the top of the A-frame and between the legs. The best option would be to construct an Aframe out of metal angle iron or square tubing with welded joints that will not ever come apart.

It is important that the top of the A-frame is tightly secured, for when the legs come loose during the operation, it will go out of shape and become inaccurate.

Measurements

Certain measurements are critical for the instrument to be accurate.

‘Walking’ the dumpy level When marking out the level contour, the

Figure 3: Laying out the levels for contour berms by ‘walking’ the “Malawi dumpy level” along the slope. A wooden peg is driven in at each point when the plumb line lies across the midpoint on the crossbar.

instrument is simply ‘walked’ across the ground, making sure the plumb line is exactly on the middle mark with every ‘step’.

Starting a contour berm

To start a contour berm, both feet of the A-frame must be put on the ground and moved around until the plumb line is on the centre mark of the cross-bar.

• Drive wooden pegs into the ground at both feet of the instrument.

• Keeping one leg in place, swing the whole frame over in the direction that you want to go.

• Move the foot around until the plumb line is in the centre of the bottom bar again.

• Mark the position of the foot with another wooden peg.

• Keeping one leg in position, swing the other one around again and continue until the whole contour line is marked with pegs as far as you want to go across the slope.

Figure 2: Measurements of the Malawi dumpy level.

Contact details:

Conservation Management Services

Ken Coetzee, Wallie Stroebel and Bruce Taplin

Ken: (+27) 76-227-5056

Wallie (+27) 82-493-1441

Website: www.conservationmanagementservices.co.za

Plate 6: The furrow is cut to the suggested measurements and the berm is compacted by hand with a shovel.

Plate 5: The soil removed from the furrow is piled on the downside of the furrow to form a berm or embankment.

Plate 8: A hand-constructed contour berm successfully holding runoff water on a steep slope.

Plate 7: The areas between the contour berms are brush-packed or planted with trees or grass.

Plate 4: The furrow is excavated below the line of pegs.

Plate 3: First the level contour is marked out with the Malawi dumpy level and pegs are knocked into the ground to mark the level line.

Wintering of ruminants: Feed wisely and farm efficiently

by Bianca Henning

Winter is properly rearing its head with the first frost that had already occurred in places. The unpredictability of nature always presents challenges and can catch even experienced farmers unexpectedly. It is therefore of the utmost importance to not only rely on what the weather prophets say.

Even if a wet winter is predicted, our planning should rather be to prepare for the worst. Farmers who act proactively will reap the benefits in the form of cost savings and better production.

The challenges that the winter months pose to livestock farmers can easily be overcome if a farmer plans for it throughout the year. Challenges that farmers should provide for are the quality and quantity of grazing available in the winter period, veld fires, unusually long winters, as well as production targets that must be achieved to farm profitably.

As seasoned farmers always say, you should never run out of plans. Based on the information provided by nutritionists, ProAgri compiled the following tips on feed flow, feed requirements, and other guidelines to tackle wintering as practically and economically as possible. The timing of the placement of winter licks is extremely important. Knowledge of the existing nutritional resources to provide the right supplements for your animals, is the key secret to the successful wintering of your cattle so that they can maintain condition and achieve the long-term goals for reproduction.

Lick programmes and lick intake

One of the most important factors in determining how much feed should be provided, is the fact that feed intake is the crucial driver of livestock production. After the first frost, the nutritional value of the veld decreases drastically, and it then consists mainly of fibre. Lick can supplement the nutritional value. It is therefore important to provide a good protein lick as soon as the first frost appears.

Lick intake is also a good indication of roughage quality and availability. The lower the roughage quality or its availability, the higher the lick intake of ruminants. Lick can be a large part of a farmer’s input costs, but if lick is used judiciously, it is very cost effective. It is therefore important to follow a wellplanned lick programme.

Please note that lick only serves as a supplement to the limited nutrients or nutrient values from grazing. It is not a feed in itself. Lick is only recommended when there is sufficient grazing or other roughage available.

Maintaining body condition

The economic maintenance of body condition is of cardinal importance in any wintering programme. Ruminants create energy from digestion of feed, but they also need sufficient protein to feed the rumen microbes that help to digest the feed. To measure the feed requirements of the livestock and the availability of the different feed sources, the terms dry matter (DM) and dry matter intake (DMI) were created. This is the value of the feed, without the effect of moisture and other aspects, to determine and balance the roughage intake of the animal accordingly. Wintering of livestock remains one of the biggest challenges for any livestock farmer.

The following guidelines or principles are important: Adequate quantities of roughage in the form of saved grazing are a prerequisite for successful wintering of livestock on winter fields. Supplementation should be given from as early as midMarch, even earlier depending on the season. Weighing animals regularly can

determine exactly when growth stops, or weight loss occurs.

Supplementation should not be stopped after the first rain, but only when enough edible material is available in the spring to cause lick intake to drop drastically.

When non-protein nitrogen or (NPN) such as urea is used as a protein source, a limited energy supplement is essential to achieve the best utilisation of urea. When urea is used in winter licks, it remains economical and beneficial for body mass to add a small quantity of ammonium sulphate.

Phosphorus supplementation has a suppressive effect on body mass and should not be included in winter licks for dry animals. If the volume of your winter grazing is a problem, get rid of old and surplus animals in time.

Preserve your cash flow and take care of the core herd. It is important to decide which animals are the producing ones, and to maintain them in the best possible condition.

Good grazing management remains the key to success for wintering in the summer rainfall areas of Africa. It is important to adapt the animal numbers to the climatic conditions each year so that your core herd’s condition is maintained, longevity can be ensured, and long-term reproduction goals can be achieved.

The late dr Jasper Coetzee was well-known for his excellent knowledge of sheep farming.

ProAgri is grateful that a legend in the agricultural industry, dr Jasper Coetzee, made his Manual for Profitable Sheep Farming available to the readers of ProAgri. His revised ‘A guide to profitable sheep farming’ is now available as a hard copy or an online version. If you want to obtain more information about profitable sheep farming, order your Manual for Profitable Sheep Farming today by sending an e-mail to: mvs@meadowcape.co.za

by Ceaser John Katulwende, Novatek

Dry season feeding and supplementation of grazing cattle, sheep, and goats

Dry season feeding and supplementation for grazing animals requires good planning. The plan should take into account of the long-term effect of the dry season on the land, pasture, finances, people, and cattle.

Assessing pasture quantity and quality and adjusting stock numbers accordingly can reduce the need for highcost feeding. Animal welfare is a very important issue, particularly in such times and must be considered when making any management decision.

Efficient feeding depends on segregating cattle according to their feed requirements, identifying the nutrient most limiting production and selecting the right feed for the situation. As such, one needs to determine what nutrients are limiting or are most likely to limit performance; and then choose a supplement that rectifies the deficiency and achieves the desired performance economically.

Dry feed (grass) is often deficient in protein and sulphur. In cases where the vegetation is green but very short, it is the low energy in the vegetation that limits production.

Late in the season, there is plenty of poor-quality dry feed (grass), which animals cannot use efficiently. Supplementary feeding at this stage aims to make better use of this feed by supplying those nutrients that the pasture is deficient in, so that animals can be maintained affordably.

Principles of supplementation:

• Identify the most limiting components and select supplements containing high levels of the identified limiting components

• The supplements must be well balanced (also with the dry feed) to ensure efficient rumen function with

minimal disruption of the animal’s digestive system

• Choose the most appropriate feeding technique

• Cost out the program, considering alternative measures

• Start feeding those animals with the greatest needs (for example pregnant cows with a low-fat score, or weaners below critical live weights) and monitor feed consumption, live weight and condition, so that you can confirm that your strategy is working.

Depending on the nature of the supplement (energy or protein supplement) used and its interaction with the pasture during digestion, the three possible outcomes are:

Supplementation

The supplement is eaten and pasture intake is unchanged — this is a rare event.

Substitution

The supplement eaten causes reduced pasture intake — this happens with high-energy feed supplementation.

Complementation

The supplement is eaten and pasture intake increases. This occurs when animals are grazing on dry pasture or crop stubble and the supplement improves the animals’ ability to utilise the feed.

For grazing cattle, use Winter 100 and for sheep and goats, use Ewe Mix concentrates for minimizing weight loss during the dry season by supplying proteins, energy, vitamins, and minerals.

Farmers can further supplement the vitamins and minerals provided in the mentioned concentrates, with Rainfos P15 Concentrate in both the dry and wet seasons. These products offer both substitutional and complementary effects on the pasture.

For more information on Novatek’s products, contact the technical team for further help regarding options available for dry season feeding and other general options for livestock farming. Send an e-mail to salesmanager@novatek. co.zm or call Robert Kanyembo on (+26)-978-779-017.

minimising weight loss of grazing cattle throughout the dry season. It stimulates rumen microbial action by supplying mainly protein and energy as well as all essential minerals & vitamins.

minimising weight loss of grazing cattle throughout the dry season. It stimulates rumen microbial action by supplying mainly protein and energy as well as all essential minerals & vitamins.

A member of the Zambeef Group of Companies

A member of the Zambeef Group of Companies

CONTROL OF BROADLEAF WEEDS IN WHEAT, BARLEY, AND MAIZE

A post emergence herbicide targeting weeds, ensuring a high yield and good grain quality. Available in 5 litres (water dispersible granule).