Below are some current developments on agriculture in Africa:
Agricultural Issues
Food Prices Lower for Longer FAO Maps Decline in both Trade Volumes and Volatility for Key Agricultural Commodities
Agricultural commodities are going through a period of lower and less volatile prices, according to the FAO Food Outlook. After several dramatic upward price spikes from 2007 through early 2011, most cereal and vegetable oil prices are on a trajectory that is both steady and declining, the Outlook reports in a special feature. Among the reasons are high inventory levels, sharply lower oil prices and the renewed strength of the U.S. dollar, none of which appear likely to be reversed in the short term, although unexpected shocks, such as weather-driven impacts on harvests, can never be excluded. The FAO Food Price Index, a trade-weighted index tracking international market prices for five major food commodity groups, fell to a …
Ghana's Poverty Eradication Remarkable - Fiifi Kwetey
Mr. Fiifi Kwetey, Minister of Food and Agriculture, at the weekend said Ghana’s performance in eradicating poverty has been quite remarkable at the national level and in urban areas. He said, there are pockets of disparities across the 10 regions and socio-economic groups in terms of the depth and incidence of poverty, adding, that the three northern regions, some districts in the south and some food crop farmers have not benefited from the remarkable decline in poverty incidence. According to the Minister available figures showed that the country has managed to halve extreme poverty from 36.5 per cent to 18.2 per cent from 1991 and 2006 and almost halved the proposition of the people living below the upper poverty line from…
Hunger Levels Remain ‘Serious’ or ‘Alarming’ in 52 Developing Countries
Despite progress in reducing hunger worldwide, hunger levels in 52 of 117 countries in the 2015 Global Hunger Index remain ‘serious’ (44 countries) or ‘alarming’ (8 countries). The Central African Republic, Chad, and Zambia had the highest hunger levels in the report, which will be released tomorrow by the International Food Policy Research Institute, Welthungerhilfe, and Concern Worldwide. Conflicts can be strongly associated with severe hunger according to the report, which focused on armed conflict and the challenge of hunger in the main essay. The countries with the highest and worst GHI scores tend to be those engaged in or recently emerged from war…
World Food Day And Its Significance
The celebration of World Food Day each year provides an opportunity for the International Community and all stakeholders to reflect upon the global food situation with the view to adopting pragmatic policies and programmes to ensure global food security and to combat hunger and malnutrition. Each year, the Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO, adopts a theme that provides food for thought and serves as a guide and a policy framework for the International Community to promote the goals and objectives Organisation, the World Food Programme and other allied institutions. The celebration of this year’s World Food Day marks the 35th edition of the event and the 70th Anniversary of the FAO. The theme for the 35th edition…
60,000 Mothers Benefit from Nutrition Project
Sixty thousand mothers and children suffering from malnutrition and food insecurity in ten districts in northern Ghana are now receiving help through a new nutrition programme, which currently is being implemented by the World Food Programme (WFP) and the government. The Ghana Country Director of WFP, Ms Mutinta Chimuka, said stunting and micronutrient deficiencies affected high numbers of mothers and children in Ghana and that almost 19 per cent of children under five in Ghana were stunted and as many as three out of ten in the Northern Region. She said the children would suffer irreparable cognitive and physical damage and would not reach their full productive potential in future if their poor diets were not…
Poultry Farmers Face Triad of Challenges …as Yellow Maize Shortage Escalates Prices
Shortage of yellow maize has hit farmers in the Brong Ahafo Region, pushing up the price of the commodity by almost twice in four months, B&FT has gathered. The commodity is a major input to poultry feed composite and its scarcity is now a worry to commercial poultry dealers. About four months ago, a 50kg mini bag of yellow maize was sold at GH¢40 in the region, but the current price of the same quantity is hovering around GH¢75, indicating a sharp price increase of about 87.5%. The disappointing domestic production of yellow maize has forced poultry farmers to rely on imports, particularly from Cote d’Ivoire, at exorbitant cost or substitute it with white maize. So most of the farmers, the prevailing market price coupled …
Agric Policy must Facilitate Employment Creation - Dr Cudjoe
Dr. Kofitsyo Cudjoe, Ghana’s Honorary Consul to Norway, has called for further policy interventions in the agriculture sector to reduce poverty and facilitate employment creation among the youth. He made the call during the fourth section of the Youth in Agriculture Workshop organized by National Democratic Congress Youth Activists, in the Ketu-South Constituency of the Volta Region. The seminar was to engage municipal agriculture directors, district officials, youth and women groups, party activists, traditional leaders and civil society groups in the District and across the Region to explore potentials in the agriculture sector for employment creation and to reduce poverty and dependency resulting from unemployment…
Sherry Ayitey calls for Investment in Fisheries Sector
The Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD), Ms. Sherry Ayitey, has urged Italian businessmen and other European investors to invest in Ghana’s fisheries sector. She said the government of Ghana had created the enabling environment for investment, and added that the fisheries sector played an important role in the socio-economic development of the country. Ms. Ayitey made the call when she addressed the opening session of the Blue Sea Land Expo for Mediterranean, African and the Middle Eastern Production District of Agro-food and fishing sectors in Palermo, Italy. She said the European Union Commission had responded to the positive developments in Ghana’s fisheries sector by removing the “yellow card”
Upper East Communities Boost Fish Farming
Over 1000 farmers in the Upper East Region have benefitted from aquaculture production under the Sustainable Livelihood Transformation (RESULT), making a total of GHȼ72,211.00 from Tilapia farming. The RESULT was established in 2013 to enhance food security and resilience for poor men and women in the three regions of the north. At Pusunamongo in the Talensi District, beneficiaries harvested 4.8 tons of fish and made cash after sales of GHȼ50.051.00, in Datoko community beneficiaries realized 1.5 tons of Tilapia with proceeds of over GHȼ13, 860.00 and in Bongo, GHȼ8,300.00 was realized. This was made known at a workshop held in Bolgatanga organized by ACDEP and RESULT to discuss progress of activities and the way…
‘No Food Shortage this Year and 2016’
Ghana will not experience any food shortage this year and in 2016 in spite of the change in the rainfall patterns across the country, the Northern Regional Director of Agriculture, Mr. William Boakye Acheampong, has stated. "I can tell you that farmers have worked tirelessly to ensure a steady increase in food production in the country so there will not be any food shortage this year in spite of the delays of the rains, especially up north, this year," he stated. Mr. Acheampong said this in an interview with the Daily Graphic in Tamale. He noted that farmers up north increased their production marginally, "so I do not foresee any shortage of food this year and the ensuing year."…
12 Million Metric Tonnes of Food Wasted Annually
About 12 million metric tonnes of food produced for consumption in the country is wasted annually. The causes of this food wastage or losses are numerous and occur through the stages of production, processing, retailing and consumption. The Deputy Chief Executive of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Dr John Odame-Darkaw, made this known in Accra at a forum organized by the FDA to create awareness of the need to adopt healthy practices to ensure food security. The forum brought together stakeholders, including traditional caterers associations, hotel operators, women in agricultural development, sanitation officers, among others. It was on the theme, “Social Protection and Agriculture: Breaking the Cycle of …
Armyworms Destroy Farms in Mampong, Nkoranza
There is an armyworm invasion in the Mampong municipality in the Ashanti Region and Nkoranza in the Brong Ahafo Region. The worms are fast destroying large acres of maize farms and this could pose a challenge to food security in the country if not dealt with immediately. Farmers, whose farms have been invaded by the armyworms, have, accordingly, appealed to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to help contain the situation. The early containment of the invasion, the farmers noted, would prevent the worms from spreading to other farms to cause more havoc. The worms have taken over more than 500 acres of maize and other farmlands in the affected areas within one week of invasion…
District Assemblies Urged to Enforce Wildlife Laws
Dr Andrew Kyei Agyare, Operations Manager of the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission has urged District Assemblies to be proactive and enforce wildlife laws to ensure their sustainability. He suggested that any individual found culpable of going contrary to the laws governing the operations of wildlife in the country must be made to face the law to serve as deterrent to others. Mr. Agyare was speaking during a panel discussion in Accra on the Ghana Journalists Association programme dubbed: “Business Advocate” on Ghana Television. The programme is supported by BUSAC Fund, Denmark Embassy and the United States Agency for International Development.
Plant Clinics for Plant Health - CABI-led Approach Introduced
The Centre for Agricultural Bioscience International (CABI), has introduced a new approach to extension services that links mobile services, to a fixed central or a national facility for an international diagnostic and advisory service to farmers. The extension, based on a trial in Bolivia in 2000, falls under a scheme, where farmers attend plant clinics that operate like a medical doctor’s consultancy. They provide advice on demand, tailored to the farmer’s individual needs. With access to these services, farmers could tackle pests and diseases and produce healthy crops and increase yields. Plant clinics are supported and run by diverse organisations with a common interest in providing practical support to farmers…
Southern Farmers Urged to Sow Early Maturing Crops
Farmers in the Southern part of the country have been urged to sow early maturing crops during this rainy season. “Soon after the end of October, we would be out of the rainy season. Crops that are planted have only about a month to grow.” Mr. Tetteh Portuphy, Senior Meteorologist at the Ghana Meteorological Agency, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview in Accra on Wednesday. He cautioned that people should de-silt choked gutters and drains to ensure that flood waters were not interrupted. “Where gutters and drains are choked, a 60 millimeter rainfall could easily cause flooding,” said the Senior Meteorologist…
US$36.5m Sugar Factory 70percent Complete – MOTI
Construction of the 380,000 metric tonne sugar factory at Komenda in the Western Region is about 70% complete and likely to come on-stream before the 24-month completion date, the Ministry of Trade and Industry has said. “The factory is supposed to come on-stream in the third quarter of next year; but because it is moving at a much faster rate, our estimate is that it will most likely be complete by the second quarter of the year,” George Kobina Fynn, MOTI’s Director of Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, told AGI members in Accra. The AGI had invited various ministries to come and explain to the private sector how far they have gone with implementation of various policies and projects captured in the 2014 budget statement…
Minister Urges Active Community Involvement to Protect Reserves
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Nii Osah Mills, has rallied people in the forest fringe communities to lead efforts at protecting the reserves. They should show ownership and do everything to make sure that the forest and its resources were properly and effectively managed. He was speaking at a meeting with the chiefs and people of Kansakrom, a community on the edge of the Asenayo Forest Reserve in the Atwima-Mponua District. This was after the Minister had inspected the reserve to acquaint himself with the general state of things. Nii Osah Mills suggested the formation of community forest committees to support forest guards to prevent encroachment by, particularly illegal miners and loggers…
Yara Ghana Seeks to Develop Agriculture Students’ Potentials
Yara Ghana, the leading fertilizer producing company, has initiated a joint programme with academic and research institutions to engage undergraduate students studying agriculture develop their expertise by exposing them to the dynamics of the market. The move forms part of the company’s commitment to remain a number one stakeholder in the agriculture industry by giving support to young people who play critical roles in transforming the country’s largely subsistence agricultural sector into a more robust market economy. Managing Director of Yara Ghana, Mr. Sergio Godoy, said this in a statement issued in Accra and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Monday, after the company’s maiden engagement with…
Reports/Articles
Domestication and Sustainable Use of Genetic Resources of a Native Tree with High Economic Potential in Ghana
T Peprah, KA Oduro, DEKA Siaw, JR Cobbinah… - Open Journal of Forestry, 2015
Allanblackia parviflora A. Chev., an underutilized fruit tree species commonly found in tropical rainforest of West Africa, has potential for integration into agroforestry systems for economic and environmental benefits. The seed oil of A. parviflora is considered economically important but wild fruits collection produces an average of 40 tons of oil annually. However, over 100,000 tons of Allanblackia seed oil is needed annually by food and cosmetics industries. The need to domesticate and conserve A. parviflora to ensure adequate sustainable supply of seed oil and to sustainably manage the genetic resources is therefore critical. This paper reviews the current state-of-the art on domestication and sustainable use efforts of Allanblackia…
The Role of Bushmeat in Food Security and Nutrition
R Nasi, JE Fa
Bushmeat (primarily the meat of wild mammals) can provide a food security safety net for tropical forest inhabitants. In this paper we focus on use of wildlife as food in Rainforest Biotic Zone (RBZ) of western and central Africa. First, we briefly describe which wildlife species are important as bushmeat in the RBZ. We then review the available literature on consumption of wild species to argue that many peoples in the RBZ invariably consume bushmeat, but highlight that although data are available on amounts of bushmeat eaten the importance of bushmeat in people’s diets cannot be merely assessed by volume consumed. We then examine how bushmeat consumption and food security may be linked by presenting data…
Climate Change Effects on the Suitability of an Agricultural Area to Maize Cultivation: Application of a New Hybrid Land Evaluation System
A Bonfante, E Monaco, SM Alfieri, F De Lorenzi… - Adv. Agron, 2015
Climate change is likely to have a major impact on agricultural production in Mediterranean regions, due to higher temperatures and lower water availability for irrigation. A Hybrid Land Evaluation System (HLES) is proposed allowing a comparison between plant demands on the one hand and estimated future temperatures and soil water regimes on the other. A storyline is followed for each plant species hybrid and each soil mapping unit in the area to be studied, starting with step 1: evaluation of thermal conditions, followed by step 2: a traditional empirical land evaluation procedure identifying limiting features that are not covered by crop simulation models (such as flooding, surface stones, salt). Step 3 applies the quantitative …
Assessment of Organochlorine Pesticides in Water, Sediment, African Cat fish and Nile tilapia, Consumer Exposure and Human Health Implications, Volta Lake, Ghana
G Gbeddy, E Glover, I Doyi, S Frimpong, L Doamekpor - Ghana. J Environ Anal …, 2015
The levels of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in water, sediment, Nile Tilapia and African Catfishes were assessed to estimate possible consumer exposures and potential health implications from the Volta Lake, Ghana using gas chromatography equipped with 63Ni electron-capture detector. In agreement with their lipophilic nature, higher levels of OCPs were measured in fish samples than water and sediment samples. Heptachlor was the highest level of OCP measured with concentration of 37.75 ng/g in tilapia gill followed by δ-HCH in tilapia muscle and catfish muscle respectively. All OCP residues in tilapia muscle and catfish muscle did not differ significantly (p<0.05). The highest total OCP load of 66.70 ng/g was …
Optical Imaging Method for Determining Symptoms Severity of Cassava Mosaic Disease
B Anderson, MJ Eghan, E Asare-Bediako… - Applied Physics Research, 2015
Cassava mosaic disease (CMD) is a major constraint to cassava production in cassava growing regions. Severity of CMD symptoms on cassava leaves is usually assessed visually using an arbitrary scale, which is semi-qualitative, and does not represent the actual surface area of diseased leaf. The objective of this study was to develop a quantitative method of assessing the severity of CMD. A combination of polarimeteric digital colour images, L*a*b* colour model and K-means clustering algorithm were used to determine the areas of CMD symptoms and healthy areas on leaves. The severity of CMD on a leaf is determined by computing the percentage of the CMD symptomatic area to the total leaf area. The analysis provides relatively …
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