Below are some current developments on agriculture in Africa:
Agricultural Issues:
10,000 Cocoa Farmers Paid Through Mobile Banking
One of the world’s leading chocolate and cocoa products manufacturer, Barry Callebaut, has succeeded in subscribing 10,000 cocoa farmers on its mobile banking programme, it has announced in a statement. The chocolate firm said a few days before Christmas, it celebrated “the 10,000th cocoa farmer to join its mobile banking programme”. That cocoa farmer was Zallé Alimissi Salame, from the village of Tiokorodougou. He received his mobile phone and solar charger from Barry Callebaut’s local team in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire, the world’s largest cocoa producer. “This innovative financial system is based on secure mobile phone technology and offered to farmers, who are registered with Biopartenaire, Barry Callebaut’s direct farmer sourcing and services organisation in Côte d’Ivoire …
Cocoa Farmers Urged to Build United Front
Cocoa farmers in Ghana have been urged to liaise with officials of the Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod) in their districts, in order to access fertilisers and other inputs for their cocoa farms. Cocobod CEO Dr Kwabena Opuni gave the advice when he delivered the inaugural address at the maiden World Cocoa Farmers Organisation (WCFO) summit in Accra. The summit was held under the theme: “Creating a uniform voice for world cocoa farmers for improved livelihood and sustainable world cocoa sector”. Dr Opuni told cocoa farmers that forging a united front can help revamp the cocoa sector, which has over the years, sustained the economy of producing countries, adding that the collaboration of cocoa stakeholders was crucial in global cocoa sustainability. He also expressed worry about diseases and pests, ageing cocoa farmers, moribund cocoa farms, as well as lack of interest by the youth in cocoa cultivation, illegal mining and harsh weather conditions facing the cocoa sector…
Ivory Coast Harmattan Wind Raises Concern over Cocoa Crop
A strong Harmattan wind blowing last week across most of Ivory Coast's main cocoa growing regions raised concern over damage to the crop amid a tightness of supply elsewhere, farmers said on Monday. The Harmattan is a dusty, dry wind from the Sahara that usually prevails from December to March. When severe it can kill small cocoa pods and sap soil moisture, reducing the size of beans. In the centre-west region of Daloa, which produces one quarter of Ivory Coast's output, farmers reported no rain and a strong Harmattan wind. "The weather is very dry with too much dust. Lots of leaves are starting to fall from the trees," said Raphael Kouadio, who farms on the outskirts of Daloa. "If the wind continues this strong the harvest season could be shortened."…
Deputy Agric Minister Calls for Safe Handling of Meat Products
Dr. Hanna Louisa Bisiw, Deputy Minister of the Food and Agriculture in-charge of Livestock, has asked veterinary doctors to do everything to ensure safe handling of meat. He said they should give priority to the protection of public health and safety and this required being diligent on the job. Dr. Bisiw was speaking at a meeting with veterinary officers, butchers and management of the Kumasi Abattoir Company in Kumasi. She was accompanied by the Health of Public Health, Veterinary Services Department (VSD), Dr. Bashiru Boi Kikimoto, and the Ashanti Regional Director of the VSD, Dr. Kofi Kwansah-Filson. The Deputy Minister reminded the officers not to under any circumstance compromise best practices …
No Cause for Alarm, It is Safe to Consume Local Poultry
Dr. Hanna Bisiw, Deputy Food and Agriculture Minister in-charge of Livestock, has assured Ghanaians that it is safe to consume the local poultry. This comes amid reported outbreak of the avian influenza (bird flu) in Tema. The Deputy Minister insisted that this had been contained and that there was no cause for any anxiety. She was addressing separate meetings with live birds’ sellers at the Kumasi Central Market and the Railways Station during a day’s visit to the region to address the bird flu scare. The government, she stated had made available the necessary logistics – vehicles and chemicals, to fight any outbreak of the disease. Dr. Bisiw again spoke of compensation payment to affected farmers to aid them to re-start their business …
Poultry Farmers Schooled on Bird Flu Control
Poultry farmers in Tema were on Tuesday sensitized on Avian Influenza (bird flu) control and containment as a means of preventing further outbreak of the disease. The day’s forum organized by the Ghana Veterinary Service and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, was to educate veterinary officers, poultry farmers and feed milers among others on the need to ensure best practices on their farms to prevent bird flu. The Accra Veterinary Laboratory and the Noguchi Institute of Medical Research in May this year confirmed two cases of Avian Influenza caused by the H5N1 virus in Tema and New Achimota, all in the Greater Accra Region. Unlike previous years when farmers had a boost in the sale of poultry birds during the Christmas, there has been a drastic reduction in sales as a result of the outbreaks of the virus …
Livestock Insurance – Burgeoning?
“If you want to rear chicken, beware” – A contemporary Tema proverb. It is instructive to note that the very week my article on Agric Insurance was published, consciously advising poultry farmers to consider such an insurance policy, was the same week news broke out about the detection of bird flu in Tema and its environs. Following this sad news, many financial experts joined in the chorus to call on poultry farmers to seek financial risk protection. Indeed, I felt ‘prophetic’ when I woke up to the news after my feature was published just a day prior (December 7, 2015). Livestock insurance is a restricted policy largely offered by specialist insurers, often associated with Lloyds in the UK. The policy is primarily patronised by farmers, camel and cattle herders, and some pet owners. Generally, the loss of livestock by slaughter, death, disease or theft can …
Jomoro MOFA Fights Coconut Eating Insects
Officials of the Jomoro District office of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), have sprayed the 10 hectares coconut plantation being destroyed by insects at Appolonu near Half Assini. The District Director of MOFA, Mr. Kenneth Addai Boadu who made this known to the Ghana News Agency in an interview at Half-Assini indentified the insects as "Hemophilus Catori". He said the MOFA officers were assisted by officials from the National Mosquito Control Programme of Zoomlion Ghana Limited. He stated that the spraying machines were donated by the Member of Parliament for the area, Wing Commander Francis Kabenlah Anaman (Retired), while the exercise was funded by the District Assembly…
EPA Discusses Ways to Preserve the Environment
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has organised a roundtable to discuss the draft biodiversity guidelines that would guide individuals and organisations on how to preserve and conserve their ecosystems or environment. Biodiversity is defined by the Oxford Dictionaries as the variety of plant and animal life in the world or in a particular habitat, a high level of which is usually considered to be important and desirable. Participants including business community as well as those from both the private and government sectors are to discuss the guideline and make appropriate recommendations and inputs that would culminated into adoption of acceptable document that would help halt the loss of biodiversity in Ghana. Ghana’s direct annual cost of environmental degradation has been estimated at 10 per cent of Gross Domestic …
ADB Recommences IPO
The Initial Public Offer (IPO) of Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) has finally taken off. The launch follows approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The launch was been put on hold several times following a number of law suits filed against the bank for the move. The last suit that was filed against the launch of the offer was by the Member of Parliament for New Juaben South, Mark Assibey Yeboah, but was later withdrawn. His lawyer, Alexander Afenyo Markin, who announced that at the Supreme court in October,2016 said the decision to withdraw the case was due to assurances by management of ADB to engage parliament to resolve the issues of contention. But the reason cited was vehemently denied by lawyer for ADB Tony Lithur, who stated that his clients never held talks with the plaintiff …
Ensure Compliance of Laws, Fishermen Urged
Ms Sherry Ayittey, Minister of Fisheries and Aqua-Culture, has said government has initiated an alternative livelihood programme to help fisherfolks during off-fishing seasons. She said the policy would involve the fishing industry chain operators to ensure compliance with the various laws of the country. Ms. Ayittey said this during a forum with some fisherfolks at Keta. She said the chief fishermen should work with their members to tackle compatriots engaged in the unauthorized fishing methods including light fishing, use of explosives and inappropriate nets. She said government would introduce alternative livelihood programmes so that during the off-fishing season, “you could allow the sea to rest as you harvest tilapia, shrimps and oysters”…
FDA Cautions Consumers on Expired Products
The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has cautioned vendors, who are taking advantage of the Christmas and New Year festivities to sell relabelled expired products to desist from the act since it is against the law. It said although the Authority had increased its surveillance to check these illegal activities of some vendors, it could not cover every corner of the country. It has, therefore, called on consumers to be wary of these illegal activities by checking every product they purchase of their expiry dates, explaining: “If you notice it has been altered, please do report to the nearest FDA office for prompt action to be taken.” Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr. James Lartey, Head of Communications of FDA, said it had come to the notice of the Authority that some people are relabeling their expired products to sell to …
Resurgence in Global Wood Production
Production of all major forest products exceeds levels seen prior to economic crisis. Villagers milling lumber for eventual manufacture of wood products such as furniture and even homes, for the local market, Back Kan, Viet Nam. Global production of all major wood products is showing its largest growth since the global economic downturn of 2008-2009, according to new data published by FAO today. In 2014, growth in wood products, including industrial roundwood, sawnwood, wood-based panels and pulp and paper, ranged from 1 to 5 percent, surpassing the pre-recession levels of 2007. The fastest growth was registered in Asia-Pacific and Latin America and Caribbean …
Reports/Articles
Influence of Seed Quality and Soil Fertility Management on the Productivity of Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) In The Guinea Savanna of Ghana
W Dogbe, IK Dzomeku, BS Yahaya, A Siise, EO Krofa… - UDS International Journal of …, 2015
Seed quality and soil fertility improvement are two key determinants of enhanced crop production to ensure food security in the savannah ecology. Field studies were conducted at the experimental field of the Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (SARI) during the 2011 and 2012 cropping seasons, from July to November, to determine the interaction effects of seed quality and soil amendments on yield components and grain yield of Gbewaa rice (Jasmine 85). Seed quality, using farmer-saved seed and certified seed, was combined with five levels of soil amendments and laid out in a randomized complete block design with four replications. The soil amendments were: No-amendment control, 28.75-12.5-6.25 kg NPK/ha and 60 kg urea /ha (55.2 kg N/ha) as basal and top-dressing applications, respectively (Half Recommended Rate of inorganic fertilizer = HRR), Half Recommended Rate of inorganic fertilizer + 1.5 tonnes of compost per hectare, 57.5-25-12.5 kg NPK/ha and …
Farming Within Limits: Using an Agricultural Innovation Systems Approach to Identify Barriers and Opportunities for Change
K Rijswijk, H Percy - Rural Extension and Innovation Systems Journal, 201
Farm plans have been identified as one tool for enabling farmers to respond to New Zealand's fresh water policy objectives. Regional councils are taking different approaches to the use of farm plans. However, the Horizon's Regional Council is requiring many of its landowners to have plans in place by 2016. This paper discusses how an agricultural innovation systems approach was used to investigate the opportunities for the development, delivery and implementation of farm plans within the Horizons region. The challenges of the innovations systems approach included the need to break down the theoretical framework and language into a more accessible process. However, the inclusive nature of the approach meant that a wide group of stakeholders were involved in identifying their roles within the wider system. This supported a shared understanding of the issues, enabling a range of barriers and opportunities to be identified, and shared actions for improved adoption to be …
Protein Enrichment of Cassava Residue Using Trichoderma pseudokoningii (ATCC 26801)
R Bayitse, X Hou, G Laryea, AB Bjerre - AMB Express, 2015
Solid state fermentation of cassava residue with Trichoderma pseudokoningii was conducted for 12 days. The fermentation was carried out at temperature of 24 °C and a pH of 5.0. Urea and ammonium sulphate were used as nutrient sources and moisture content varied at 60 and 70 %. Protein content of the unfermented cassava residue was increased from 8.4 to 12.5 % when urea was used with initial moisture content of 70 % w/v. This study showed that a maximum of 48.1 % protein enrichment was achieved using urea as a source of nutrient for the growth of the fungi, whiles ammonium sulphate achieved 36.9 % protein enrichment under the same condition …
Farmers’ Satisfaction with Agricultural Extension Service and Its Influencing Factors: A Case Study in North West Ethiopia
A Elias, M Nohmi, K Yasunobu, A Ishida - … of Agricultural Science and Technology, 2015
Customer satisfaction is the most important element for developing and sustaining organizational priorities and practices. Thus, we examined farmers’ overall satisfaction with agricultural extension services and its determinants using data collected from 150 beneficiary farmers in North West Ethiopia. The findings show that about 55% of the interviewees were satisfied whereas 45% of them were dissatisfied with the extension services, implying that the program still has a lot of room for improvement. The empirical result based on ordered logit model revealed that perceived economic return, regular extension contact, family size and off-farm income were driving factors for farmers’ satisfaction. On the other hand, limited technology choices, high price of inputs, inconvenient loan system and undefined boundary between the extension service and the local politics were among the reasons given by dissatisfied farmers. Thus, from a policy perspective, the findings suggest a need to …
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