Olam and InVivo to develop animal feed solutions in Nigeria

Bimini1002016-03-03T17:06:14-05:00

Global agri-business entity Olam International Limited and InVivo Animal Nutrition & Health have signed a consulting agreement to develop expertise in animal feed production in Nigeria Olam and InVivo NSA will jointly develop solutions and products in the animal feed sector. The agreement, which is for two years, will involve technical assistance and sharing of expertise to jointly develop solutions and products in the animal feed space. The knowledge transfer between the two companies will help develop solutions, formulate animal feed, characterise [...]

March 3, 2016 ARTICLES Comments OffRead more...

African farmers can boost food security by attracting bees, says FAO study

Bimini1002016-03-03T17:02:32-05:00

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) released a new study that for the first time shows the positive impact bees have on crop yields as they move from flower to flower to fertilize plants The FAO study indicated crop yields were much lower in farming plots that attracted less bees during the main flowering season. According to the FAO, bees may have a vital role to play in improving production levels for around two billion smallholder farmers worldwide and [...]

March 1, 2016 ARTICLES Comments OffRead more...

Entire country affected by drought, report reveals

Bimini1002016-02-25T17:24:07-05:00

By Annelie Coleman The devastating drought experienced by South Africa last year could be expected to put consumers under great pressure for the foreseeable future, according to a report from the University of the Free State. The report, dealing with the drought’s impact on the local economy, was compiled by Prof Johan Willemse and Frikkie Mare. Although good, widespread rains were reported in the second half of January 2016, this would not go a long way to mitigate the effects [...]

February 24, 2016 ARTICLES Comments OffRead more...

World cereal stocks are set to end 2016 seasons at 642 million tons, higher than they began.

Bimini1002016-02-16T21:16:54-05:00

Weather patterns associated with El Niño are sending mixed signals about the early prospects for cereal crops in 2016, especially in the Southern Hemisphere, according to FAO's Cereal Supply and Demand Brief, released on Thursday. 2016 crop prospects have been “severely weakened” in Southern Africa, and a 25% cut in wheat production in South Africa now appears likely. Conditions for the crop are generally favorable in the Russian Federation and the European Union, but winter plantings declined in the United [...]

February 22, 2016 ARTICLES Comments OffRead more...

Portucel revises investment to US$3bn in Mozambique forestry project

Bimini1002016-02-16T21:12:53-05:00

Portugal’s pulp and paper company Portucel has increased its forecast investment in a major forestry project in Mozambique to US$3bn from US$2.5bn The 40,000 ha of eucalyptus is a small portion of the 356,000 ha to which Portucel has the land rights for 50 years. According to a Portucel Board member, the firm hopes to plant 40,000 ha of eucalyptus in the central provinces of Manica and Zambezia. This revision in investment, he elaborated, has been made due to the technological advances in [...]

February 18, 2016 ARTICLES Comments OffRead more...

Tata subsidiary to increase exports of pulses from Tanzania

Bimini1002016-02-16T21:10:31-05:00

Tata Africa Holdings (Tanzania) Ltd has plans to increase exports of pulses to India Tanzania will export pulses initially, followed by other essential food commodities. The company, a subsidiary of Tata International, began exporting pulses from Tanzania around a year and half ago. So far, has achieved an export volume of 5,000 tonnes of pulses and now plans to scale up the business, mainly because India experiences a shortfall. Tata Africa Holdings (Tanzania) Ltd executive director Ajay Mehra said, “We are now [...]

February 16, 2016 ARTICLES Comments OffRead more...

Africa gets new agricultural innovation centre

Bimini1002016-02-18T08:38:19-05:00

Africa has a new innovation centre aimed at boosting agricultural productivity, increase incomes of smallholder farmers and create job opportunities for the youth and women in various African nations The innovation centre will focus on boosting agricultural produce of rice as well as create jobs for women. The Green Innovation Centre, inaugurated at Benin’s AfricaRice, will particularly help Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Togo, Tunisia and Zambia. Through this initiative, the exchange of knowledge and interaction between [...]

February 11, 2016 ARTICLES 1 CommentRead more...

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) hosted a planning meet with a delegation from Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) to revitalise and transform agriculture

Bimini1002016-02-16T21:03:14-05:00

The meeting was also attended by the consulting firm Dalberg Global Development Advisors, which has been contracted by the bank to develop the African Agricultural Transformation Strategy. Raising agricultural productivity depends on a number of factors, but the most critical one is new knowledge and technology generated from research. AfDB director of agriculture and agro-industry department Chiji Ojukwu spoke about the numerous studies that show the GDP growth generated by agriculture can be up to four times more effective in reducing [...]

February 9, 2016 ARTICLES Comments OffRead more...

US Dept of Agriculture studying Brazil’s success as an agricultural powerhouse

Bimini1002016-02-11T10:53:30-05:00

Over the last 25 years, the US farmer has become increasingly aware of the impact of South American agricultural output on the global supply of grains and oilseeds. For example, in recent years Brazil has risen to the number one position as an exporter of soybeans.   Further, the combined output of Brazil and its neighbors, Argentina and Paraguay, is challenging the United States’ position as the world’s leading supplier of corn. According to a paper from the US Department of Agriculture, [...]

February 3, 2016 ARTICLES Comments OffRead more...

Rwanda aims for US$140mn annually as export returns through horticulture

Bimini1002016-01-23T16:59:37-05:00

Rwanda is depending on its horticulture sector to fetch export returns worth around US$140mn annually by the end of the decade Around 10-20 medium-sized exporters and production on 2,000 hectares of nucleus farms with 6,000 hectares of outgrowers could accomplish the set target, said officials. According to the country's National Agricultural Export Development Board chief George William Kayonga, the horticulture sector presents huge investment opportunities, and the government is keen to support the sector to push exports from US$6mn to US$140mn [...]

February 1, 2016 ARTICLES Comments OffRead more...