How much water do pigs need to drink? In hot weather they go to the watering point and seem to be looking for more water. Is giving them water once or twice a day enough? They tend to knock containers over and waste water. What is the best way to…
Everywhere we look, technology is being touted as the enabler of a new era of African agricultural prosperity. The exciting world of possibilities offered by blockchain, IoT (the Internet of Things), machine learning and the like has made companies, governments and policy-makers sit up and take notice of how such…
An array of stakeholders, including the Zambia National Farmers' Union (ZNFU), slated a proposal by the Zambian government to commercialise the Food Reserve Agency (FRA). The Zambian Ministry of Agriculture says that FRA can become commercially viable by raising revenue through grain exports. But ZNFU, Grain Traders Association (GTAZ), National…
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the government of Madagascar have signed an agreement for the provision of US$250 million to support a programme that will help develop smallholder agriculture and produce value chains in the south of the island nation. In a statement issued from its headquarters…
The agriculture sector showed the biggest growth in the South African economy during the third quarter of 2017. According to Statistics SA, agriculture, forestry and fisheries showed robust growth of 44.2%, the biggest quarterly growth since 1996. The country’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 2% during the quarter and…
Zimbabwe’s post-Mugabe era could dwarf Zambia’s investment prospects in agriculture, investment analysts say. Some experts believe Zimbabwe is likely to draw renewed interest from investors, given its huge agricultural and industrial potential. “There is a strong possibility that renewed investor interest in Zimbabwe will come at the expense of countries…
The Kingdom of Morocco says it will launch 110 new projects in 2018 that are aimed at boosting agricultural production and raising product quality across its 12 regions. Minister of Agriculture Aziz Akhannouch said the projects due to be launched under the Pillar II project of the Green Morocco Plan…
Farmers globally find it difficult to get access to investments, but for smallholder farmers on the African continent it is even more so. During the recent African Agri Investment Indaba, many speakers cited that factors adding to investors shying away from agriculture on the African continent include; policy and political…
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa says agriculture will remain the mainstay of government economic policy in pursuit of an investment-led process of job creation. Mnangagwa was sworn in as Zimbabwe’s new president on Friday following the resignation of Robert Mugabe. Addressing thousands of people at his inauguration in Harare, Mnangagwa pledged…
The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) have rolled out a new US$1 billion project that seeks to boost agricultural production along important crop and livestock value chains in Nigeria, Somalia and Uganda. The two financial institutions will also collaborate to fund projects to prevent and…
A US$390 million contract between the Zambian government and China Railways Seventh Group will transform the 200 000 ha Kalungwishi farm block into a model of inclusive agricultural growth, said Zambian Agriculture Minister Dora Siliya. Under the deal, 800 jobs are expected to be created when the project starts, while…
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned livestock farmers and food producers globally to stop using antibiotics on healthy animals. “The WHO strongly recommends an overall reduction in the use of all classes of medically important antibiotics in food producing animals, including complete restriction of these antibiotics for growth promotion…
The 13th African Dairy Conference and Exhibition, known as AfDa, will be held in South Africa this year. ESADA, the Dairy Association of Eastern and Southern Africa, will host the event from 15-17 November at the Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre in Boksburg. The theme is Sustainable Dairying:…
AgDevCo’s Smallholder Development Unit (SDU) has partnered with Mozambican livestock company MozAgri to help smallholder farmers. Through the partnership, roughly 9 500 farmers will see an increase in productivity and income. MozAgri, established in 2009, supplies improved genetics and buys fully-grown goats from 6 000 local farmers across a wide…
Zambia has been encouraged to join the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) to enhance trade and investment in the sector. The initiative intends to be a code of conduct involving states, civil society, development partners and operators in the fisheries sector. It will provide each member country with fisheries legislation and…
The Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) predicts a drop in maize production for this year’s farming season. Farmers are likely to shun the crop due to poor returns. ZNFU President Jervis Zimba said many farmers say they will not grow commercial maize because of the meagre price offered by the…
When David Samutela bought his 1 000 ha farm just south of Mkushi town in Zambia’s Central Province in 2006 he had no intention of farming. He had just retired from a corporate career at the Zambia’s national airline and bought the land as an investment. The advertisement in the…
Ovine Johne’s disease, or OJD, is also called Paratuberculosis. As this last name indicates, it is related to tuberculosis and is a definite concern for all sheep farmers. It can get onto a farm mainly when a farmer buys sheep that are infected, but show no signs of ill health.…
Cassava production has increased to 3.8 million tons from 1.2 million in previous years. The Zambia National Cassava Association (ZNCA) said the growth is driven by the use of tubers. “There is a growing demand in food manufacturing and industry,” said Chairperson Brighton Mulonga, speaking at the third Cassava World…
The Farmers Development team of Grain SA held its annual Day of Celebration in Bloemfontein, South Africa. The Day of Celebration, established in 2009, was created to recognise excellence in the field, acknowledge transformation in grain production. The awards included the following: Grain SA Subsistence Farmer of the year, Grain…
The World Bank will give Zambia US$150 million to support the development of the agriculture sector, said Ministry of Finance Permanent Secretary, Mukuli Chikuba. Chikuba said the money forms part of budget support for the next three years to solve urgent problems in the sector. Zambian Finance Minister Felix Mutati…
The World Bank has endorsed Zambia’s agricultural progress and urged for more investment to accelerate gains. Country manager Ina-Marlene Ruthenberg said despite progress, there is still a need for increased investment in the agriculture sector to reduce poverty. “Agriculture is a significant sector that needs concerted support to not only…
Agriculture is no longer a popular career choice, and a ministerial committee should be appointed to discuss urgent problems. This was one of the recommendations from a panel of the Academy of Science of South Africa (Assaf) in the report “Revitalising Agricultural Education and Training in South Africa.” Several panel…
The 2018 budget will especially benefit Zambian crop, livestock and fish farmers, said Zambian Finance Minister Felix Mutati. Mutati delivered his K71.6 billion budget on Friday, highlighting the improvement of agriculture market information systems and the development of functional markets. The focus will be on sustaining high production and enhancing…
