The Eastern African Grain Council (EAGC) has gazetted 9 standards that will be applied across the region to govern the quality of staple foods like cereals and pulses. The standards are part of a drive to promote and formalise intra-regional trade in staple foods, which remains largely uncoordinated and informal…
Dr Edson Ncube: Agricultural Research Council - Grain Crops, Potchefstroom Mycotoxins are by-products of fungal growth that can survive various forms of heat treatment and they are harmful to both humans and animals. Fungal species such as Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Penicillium infect grain crops such as maize, groundnut and sorghum…
The Mozambican government has restructured and revived the Mozambique Grain Institute (IGM) with enhanced powers to coordinate the marketing of all agricultural produce. On Wednesday, Trade and Industry minister Max Tonela told parliament that apart from acting as the central agricultural marketing authority, the IGM would maintain strategic national grain…
The Zambian government is going all out to ensure a smooth 2017/’18 planting season, despite many farmers getting despondent about delayed farming inputs. Agriculture Minister Dora Siliya at the weekend said government released K1 billion of K1.7 billion to activate electronic voucher (e-voucher) cards for the Farmer Input Support Programme…
Zambia’s food security is expected to remain stable, said the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET). According to FEWSNET, households will keep benefitting from lower staple food prices and adequate supply. “Food security in the country is generally expected to remain stable due to higher household food supply,” read the…
Zambian Minister of Agriculture Dora Siliya said K1.7 billion will be released next week for the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP), which this year runs on a full electronic voucher (e-voucher) system. “By the end of November, government will release the money to pay farmers under the e-voucher system,” Siliya…
The Zambian government has ordered the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to continue buying maize, after it emerged that thousands of rural farmers are stuck with their grain. “The FRA will continue buying grain beyond the targeted 500 000 tons for strategic reserves to ensure farmers are not left stranded with…
Modern grain warehouses will strengthen Zambia’s maize futures market, said business consultant mr. Victor Nyasulu. He believes having adequate grain storage capacity will play a significant role in the efficient functioning of maize futures trading. “These facilities will give farmers the ability to hold the commodity for future profit and…
The Zambian government has embarked on the construction of 98 warehouses countrywide, at a cost of K300 million, to reduce post-harvest grain losses arising from lack of storage. This followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Advanced African Solutions (ADAS) and local contractor Savenda Management Services. “This will harness…
Many farmers are worried after rain lashed parts of Zambia, but the Zambia Meteorological Department (ZMD) has advised farmers not to rush into planting. ZMD said the rain experienced in parts of the country over the weekend and early this week will subside over the next few days. “The rains…
Large maize harvests combined with large carry-over stock could mean South African grain farmers will have to turn to planting more groundnuts in the coming season. Higher yields and prices in the previous season can now stimulate local markets to explore historic markets and exploit new opportunities. Data from GrainSA…
As temperatures increase, fall armyworm has also been spotted in maize fields in the northern parts of Namibia, near Ruacana. According to Albertus Viljoen, manager of the government farm Etunda, the worms already occur in large numbers on young maize on the farm. The worm was first spotted on the…
Zambian President Edgar Lungu says he will not dictate the review of the current price of K60/50kg being offered by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) for white maize, but will consult his cabinet to come up with an amicable solution. “I have heard the cry of stakeholders over the price of maize…
The Champion Communal Grain Farmers’ Awards in the Zambezi Region in Namibia have returned after an absence of two years, with champion farmers delivering bumper harvests in 2017. The Namibian Agronomic Board (NAB) crowned Alex Siseho the dry-land white maize champion farmer in the Zambezi Region for 2017, while Fred…
Stanbic and First National Bank (FNB) have started providing financing against warehouse receipts for grains deposited with the Zambia Agriculture Commodity Exchange (ZAMACE). According to the banks, receipts against deposited grains will also act as collateral to be redeemed for cash. ZAMACE operates an agricultural commodity exchange, supported by a…
South Africa has moved out of recession and returned to growth. It was driven by a growth in agriculture production after recovering from the worst drought in years. The Financial Times reports that agriculture added 0.7 percentage points to the overall growth of 2.5% the economy experienced in the second…
The maize pricing stand-off has degenerated into a war of words between the Food Reserve Agency’s (FRA) Executive Director Chola Kafwabulula and Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) President Jervis Zimba. Reacting to Zimba calling FRA’s price offer of K60/50kg for white maize a “swindle”, Kafwabulula is now threatening to sue…
A new online portal provides the necessary information for southern African farmers, researchers and governments to arm themselves against the threatening maize disease, maize lethal necrosis (MLN). Scientists have named the MLN disease as one of the most threatening diseases to one of southern Africa’s most important food sources, namely…
Several maize farmers in Luapula Province have allegedly been swindled by unscrupulous people using counterfeit kwacha, says the Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC). This forced the DEC to conduct an intense awareness campaign among traditional leaders in the province to curb the scourge. According to a media statement by the DEC,…
Except for fall armyworm which has already wreaked havoc in southern Africa this year, two more migrating pests and plagues are moving south. It is only a matter of time before others reach Africa. Dr Marinda Visser, Grain SA Manager of Research and Grain Policy, at an Agbiz Grain mini…
The lobby group African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) warns that amendments to the Plant Improvement Act 53 of 1976 and the Plant Breeders’ Rights Act 15 of 1976 could, among other issues, restrict the exchange of seed. According to Linzi Lewis, researcher at ACB, small farmers will be held to…
Zambia’s tumultuous maize marketing season has taken a new twist with the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) urging farmers to hold back their crop. This followed the price offer of k60/50kg by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA). Following the FRA, there has been national outrage among farmers and stakeholders in…
President Edgar Lungu has weighed in on the backlash over the maize price offer of K60/50kg, urging buyers and sellers to reach a mutually beneficial outcome. Angry farmers have already garnered much sympathy, including from millers who accuse the FRA of being stingy. “There should be a bargaining process so…
The Food Reserve Agency (FRA) today in Lusaka announced it will buy maize from farmers at K60 for 50kg. The price offer, flying in the face of the more than K85/50kg government promised last week, provoked sharp reaction from the Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU). At the same briefing, FRA…
