Below are some current developments on Agriculture in Africa:
Agricultural Issues
AGRIPRO Presents 2nd Edition of “THE PLATFORM”
AGRIPRO presents the second edition of THE PLATFORM, a monthly Agribusiness creation and management workshop with networking for people who are interested in initiating new Agribusinesses as well as people who aspire to venture in the Agricultural Industry. Come and find out how to start up an agribusiness, the cost involved, the problems associated with it and how they can be solved. Find out new and improved methods of operating such businesses and form a network which may help improve production. The workshop would be made up of two main intensive focus group discussions on Poultry production and Vegetable production… It’s our aim to create a healthy relationship between investors and entrepreneurs in the industry.
Water Scarcity Requires Agriculture To Be "More Productive" - FAO
Agriculture needs to be more productive to make up for a scarcity of water in the Near East and North Africa, according to the UN's food agency, FAO. Agricultural productivity in the region is expected to fall in the next 25 years as the availability of water drops by 50 per cent. On Monday, ministers and experts from across the Near East and North Africa are gathering in Rome to discuss how to face the increasing scarcity of water. Pasquale Steduto, the FAO's representative in Egypt said farmers need to adapt. "There is probably enough water for potability, for drinking, but for agriculture, for producing food, there is not enough. There was never enough in the past, there will be a lot less in the future. So one of the major challenges is that agriculture needs to be more performing, it has to be more productive."
NGOs Petition against Plant Breeders Bill
We, the undersigned organizations from Africa and around the world are concerned with the conservation of agricultural biodiversity for livelihood security and food sovereignty, promoting farmers’ rights and self-determination and citizen involvement in the decision-making process. The undersigned organizations would like to express our solidarity with farmers and civil society groups in Ghana that have expressed serious concerns with the Plant Breeders’ Bill pending in the Parliament (“the Bill”). The Bill is modeled on the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants of 1991 (UPOV 1991) which a rigid and an inflexible regime for plant variety protection (PVP)… Ghana has full flexibility under the World Trade Organization (WTO) to develop an effective “sui generis” system for plant variety protection, i.e. to develop a unique system that suits its needs
The True Effects of the Plant Breeders Bill If Passed
Food Sovereignty Ghana appreciates the efforts of Hon. Alban Bagbin, Member of Parliament for Nadowli West, and chairperson of the Parliamentary sub-committee on Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs, to clarify issues surrounding the Plant Breeders Bill. Unfortunately, it is Mr. Bagbin who is misinforming the Ghanaian public about the contents and true nature of the Bill. What will happen to Ghanaian agriculture as a result of the Plant Breeders’ Bill: *Exploitation and marginalization of smallholder farmers which represent about 80% of the total agricultural production of Ghana. The Bill is unbalanced and inequitable as it fails to include the contribution and interests of Ghanaian smallholder farmers which have been breeding and are the backbone of the Ghanaian agriculture;* Smallholder farmers will not be allowed to sell (even small amounts) or exchange farm-saved seed.
Fish Smoking Revolutionalised
For many centuries, women on the coastline of some regions in the country have relied on the smoking of fish for sale as a major source of livelihood. They use conventional means such as the building of clay ovens in which they burn large volumes of firewood to keep the traditional ovens hot after which they put in the fish to smoke them. This traditional process costs the women a fortune and they make little or no profit at all, particularly as the price of fish can go up due to low catch and firewood becomes scarce most of the time. One of the biggest challenges of local fish-smokers and traders in general is access to loans from the traditional banking system to expand their businesses. Several studies attribute the challenge partly to improper bookkeeping.
Shallot Farming in Anloga
Shallot is an ingredient with a very low calorie value. It is a member of the onion family which is used as a flavouring agent in the preparation of soup and sauce. Raw chopped shallot is a must in many dishes, especially with potato salad, tomato, cold chicken and toppings for grilled fish. It is also ground with pepper and tomatoes and consumed with “Kenkey”, “Banku” ‘Etsew”, and “Abolo”… Shallot farming in Anloga has a rich history, according to Togbui Awalashie, an 87-year-old shallot farmer. He said during the 1930s, when there were demands for vegetables across the country, individual farmers at Anloga embarked on an intensive filling and reclamation of marshy depressions left by the sea and on the edges of the Keta lagoon, converting them into vegetable farms, and specialising in the production of shallots.
G8 New Alliance Condemned as New Wave of Colonialism in Africa
Landmark G8 initiative to boost agriculture and relieve poverty has been damned as a new form of colonialism after African governments agreed to change seed, land and tax laws to favour private investors over small farmers. Ten countries made more than 200 policy commitments, including changes to laws and regulations after giant agribusinesses were granted unprecedented access to decision-makers over the past two years. The pledges will make it easier for companies to do business in Africa through the easing of export controls and tax laws, and through governments ring-fencing huge chunks of land for investment.
Esoko Outdoors Helpline for Ghanaian Farmers
Esoko Ghana, a private organisation, set up to drive social and economic impact among rural farmers through the innovative use of technology, has launched Africa’s first helpline for famers in the country. Available to anyone dialing 1900, a group of agricultural experts had been made available to answer whatever questions that a caller might pose, ranging from the weather prediction to issues relating to best farming practices, prices of food items on the market, among others. Speaking during the launch of the helpline, Ms Mary Naah, Helpline Services Manager, said the call centre was available in 12 local languages, namely: Dagbani, Mampruli, Twi, Kusaal, Frafra, Sissali, Wali, Ewe, Ga, Fante,Hausa and Dagaari.
Outstanding Issues re President’s Mahama 2013 State of the Nation Address
Ahead of President Mahama’s 2014 State of the Nation Address to be delivered next Tuesday, we take a look back at what he said in 2013 and how many of his key messages and milestones have been realized…he stated he would build a robust economy through the modernization of the agriculture sector, assist local manufacturers to become competitive on the global market by reviewing the tax structure, improve the yield of cocoa by introducing hi-tech systems and also assist the tourism sector by funding activities such as the creative arts….The long-term sustainability of the cocoa industry must rest on indigenous acceptance of its multiple uses. The consumption of various cocoa food products such as chocolate drinks and chocolate paste could be encouraged by…
Charcoal Production, an Emerging Alternative to Farming
The fight against desertification is certainly challenged by the flourishing business of charcoal production, particularly in the Afram Plains in the Eastern Region. Charcoal burning has become such a lucrative business in the area that some farmers are abandoning their farms to burn and sell charcoal. Charcoal burning is an energy-sapping activity which involves the felling of mature trees, sawing them into chunks, artistically arranging them and covering them with soil before they are fired. The task requires a lot of energy as a result of which the business is increasingly becoming the preserve of the youth. Currently, in the Afram Plains, young men are abandoning their farms for the charcoal business.
Periwinkle is Not Apoofee
The special feature with headline “Special report on periwinkles” which appeared in the February 13, 2014 issue is very relevant and interesting because it purports to educate the public on an important aquatic resource. The author deserves commendation for the extensive culinary and dietary information provided. However, a misrepresentation of the English name of the organism in question led the author to project a different organism altogether, instead of the targeted one…Our apoofee is a snail with a turreted spiky shell as shown by the photographs displayed in the article under reference. This is unlike the “irregular oval shape” of the shell of Littorina littorea stated by the author…
Group Demands Extension Services for Women Pig Farmers
Members of the Somirinan Young Farmers League Cooperative Society Limited (SYFSL), have called for the provision of extension services to women pig farmers in the Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo District, to reduce high mortality amongst the animals, and improve the incomes of pig farmers. The call was contained in a statement issued by SYFSL, signed by its Chairperson, Madam Lydia Baba, and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Tamale over the weekend. The statement said a research conducted by SYFSL showed that “Most women pig farmers in the district do not have access to veterinary services, and are unable to utilize modern methods of production, thus resulting in low output.”
Food Security
Ghana: Food Security Is Vital to Ghana's Economy
The Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan has observed that though Ghana had been adjudge the fifth most food secured national in Africa, a number of people still experience physical hunger. The Minister called for more work to be done in order to meet the nation's food demands, as well as achieve the national policy driven to boost agriculture output, adding that "It was to meet the set goals that government has resolved to transform the agriculture sector by assisting farmers with improved seeds, fertilizers and other technologies through their participation in markets. "We need to build the machinery to take such technologies through coordinated efforts among donors so as to guarantee consistency in delivering effective and sound agricultural practices", he said.
Water Scarcity is most Urgent Food Security Issues at NENA
Water scarcity is one of the most urgent food security issues facing countries of the Near East and North Africa (NENA), with fresh water availability in the region expected to drop by 50 percent by the year 2050, said FAO, as ministers of agriculture and national officials prepared to tackle the issue at a meeting of the organization’s highest regional governing body. Participants in the 32nd FAO Regional Conference for the Near East and North Africa (NERC-32), to be held from February 24-28, are set to discuss a new Regional Water Scarcity Initiative, launched by FAO to support member countries in identifying strategies, policies and practices that promote sustainable solutions to water scarcity and related food security problems.
Ghana Hopes G8 New Alliance will End Long History of Food Insecurity
Despite Ghana's large tracts of fertile land, the west African country has a long history of food insecurity. Millions in the south are no longer at risk, but the number of vulnerable people in the more arid north has increased in recent years. The government says that is why Ghana became one of the first six African countries to sign up to the G8 New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition in 2012. Under the initiative, the country will focus on five crops: cowpea, maize, cassava, rice and yam."This is really about improving the environment of aid effectiveness, food and nutrition so that countries can really take ownership of their food security and initiatives," said Ahmed Yakubu Alhassan, the deputy food and agriculture minister with responsibility for crops.
Kenya Scores Poorly in Food Security
Poor infrastructure, corruption and inadequate agricultural policies have led to high food prices and an increase in food insecurity in the country. According to data from the World Food Programme ( WFP), the World Bank and the Economist Intelligence Unit, Kenya has remained stagnant in its efforts to make quality food accessible to the majority of its citizens. The study notes that the country is ranked 79 out of 107 countries in terms of food security, with Kenya lagging behind countries like Ghana, Uganda and Cote d’Ivoire. This paints a grim picture of the country’s agricultural industry, which is considered the mainstay of the economy employing close to 80 per cent of Kenya’s labour force. Titled Global Food Security Index, 2013, the study ranked food inflation of 107 countries in the world looking at several matrices, including food availability, affordability and quality and safety.
Reports/Articles
Development of Business Capacity and Organization of Commercial Business of Farmer Based Organizations in the Northern Intervention Zone in Ghana: A Case Study of Nine-farmer Based Organizations
C Tortoe, W Amo-Awua - Agricultural Sciences, 2014
The Agricultural Component of the Millennium Challenge Account Ghana Compact was to alleviate poverty and improve livelihoods of farmers through commercial development of farmer organizations in the intervention zones in Ghana. In Ghana, there were three intervention zones as Southern Horticultural Zone, Afram Basin Zone and Northern Horticultural Zone. Nine Farmer Based Organizations (FBO’s) of 450 farmers consisting of 65.1% males and 34.9% females in the West Mamprusi district of the Northern Horticultural Zone were trained by authors under the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) Agricultural Project. Farmers of the FBO’s were trained on nine modules on Business Capacity Building and five modules on Organization of Commercial Business over a period of six weeks.
Food Security and Sustainable Intensification
HCJ Godfray, T Garnett - Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: …, 2014
The coming decades are likely to see increasing pressures on the global food system, both on the demand side from increasing population and per capita consumption, and on the supply side from greater competition for inputs and from climate change. This paper argues that the magnitude of the challenge is such that action is needed throughout the food system, on moderating demand, reducing waste, improving governance and producing more food. It discusses in detail the last component, arguing that more food should be produced using sustainable intensification (SI) strategies, and explores the rationale behind, and meaning of, this term. It also investigates how SI may interact with other food policy agendas, in particular, land use and biodiversity, animal welfare and human nutrition.
Food Security in a Perfect Storm: Using the Ecosystem Services Framework to Increase Understanding
GM Poppy, S Chiotha, F Eigenbrod, CA Harvey… - … Transactions of the Royal …, 2014
Achieving food security in a ‘perfect storm’ scenario is a grand challenge for society. Climate change and an expanding global population act in concert to make global food security even more complex and demanding. As achieving food security and the millennium development goal (MDG) to eradicate hunger influences the attainment of other MDGs, it is imperative that we offer solutions which are complementary and do not oppose one another. Sustainable intensification of agriculture has been proposed as a way to address hunger while also minimizing further environmental impact. However, the desire to raise productivity and yields has historically led to a degraded environment, reduced biodiversity and a reduction in ecosystem services (ES), with the greatest impacts affecting the poor.
Closing Yield Gaps: Perils and Possibilities for Biodiversity Conservation
B Phalan, R Green, A Balmford - Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: …, 2014
Increasing agricultural productivity to ‘close yield gaps’ creates both perils and possibilities for biodiversity conservation. Yield increases often have negative impacts on species within farmland, but at the same time could potentially make it more feasible to minimize further cropland expansion into natural habitats. We combine global data on yield gaps, projected future production of maize, rice and wheat, the distributions of birds and their estimated sensitivity to changes in crop yields to map where it might be most beneficial for bird conservation to close yield gaps as part of a land-sparing strategy, and where doing so might be most damaging. Closing yield gaps to attainable levels to meet projected demand in 2050 could potentially help spare an area equivalent to that of the Indian subcontinent.
Reducing Pesticide Risks to Farming Communities: Cotton Farmer Field Schools in Mali
W Settle, M Soumaré, M Sarr, MH Garba, AS Poisot - Philosophical Transactions of …, 2014
We provide results from a study of two separate sectors within the cotton-growing region of southern Mali. In one sector, farmers have engaged in a farmer field school (FFS) training programme since 2003—the other not. One goal of the training was the adoption of alternatives to the use of hazardous insecticides, through integrated pest management (IPM) methods. Over an 8-year period, analysis showed that with roughly 20% of the 4324 cotton-growing farm households having undergone training, hazardous insecticide use for the entire sector fell by 92.5% compared with earlier figures and with the second (control) sector. Yields for cotton in both sectors were highly variable over time, but no evidence was found for changes in yield owing to shifts in pest management practices. Evidence is presented for a likely diffusion of new practices having taken place, from FFS participants to non-participants. We discuss strengths and weaknesses of the FFS approach, in general, and highlight the need for improved baseline survey and impact analyses to be integrated into FFS projects.
Dimensions of Urban Food Insecurity: The Case of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
GG Gebre - Journal of Agriculture Economics and Rural …, 2014
The purpose of this study was to examine the food insecurity situation among urban households in Addis Ababa city. The necessary data were generated from the secondary data of second round Young Lives survey conducted by Young Lives Ethiopia in the year 2006/07. The data analysis techniques involved descriptive statistics, FGT and econometric analyses. FGT index is used to analyze the incidence, short-fall and severity among sampled households and in the econometric analysis the determinants of urban household food insecurity is analyzed using the binary logistic regression procedure. The food insecurity line is computed using cost of basic needs approach. The head count index shows that the amount of households who do not satisfy the recommended daily allowance rated as 58.16 percent of the total households. The food insecurity gap and severity were 20 and 9.4 percent respectively. The result of the logistic regression model estimate indicates that out of the 10 factors included, 6 variables were found to have a significant influence on the probability of being food insecure at less than 10% significance level…