Nation encouraging investment in meat and meat product export as part of effort to increase hard currency earning.   Ethiopia is home to Africa's largest livestock population. A 2013 survey by the Central Statistical Agency on country's rural sedentary areas revealed the existence of over 53.99 million heads of cattle and 25.5 million sheep.   Despite a stark annual progress, the annual revenue the country gets from the export of.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 20th December 2016

Dar es Salaam — The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund (ADF) has approved a loan of $93.51 million (over Sh200 billion) for on-lending to the Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB).   The funding will contribute to supporting Tanzania's agriculture sector and achieving the country's development goals, the African Development Bank (AfDB) said in a statement.   The ADF is the concessional window of the.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 20th December 2016

The 235 million USD sugar factory would also generate 45 MW power.   The Omo Kuraz I sugar factory is conducting final test-run to enter sugar production phase.   The construction of the factory was launched three years ago at a cost of 235 million USD. It is one of the four sugar factories planned to be built in South Omo Zone of SNNP State.   The factory is being constructed by the Metals and Engineering Corporation.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 19th December 2016

Dar es Salaam — Indian business executives have been urged to invest in Tanzania's agriculture.   This was said by Indian High Commissioner Sandeep Arya here yesterday.   He was speaking during an event to promote India's food.   Clove and cashew production have been cited as areas of investment.   According to him, Tanzania has a comparative advantage in clove and cashew farming.   "It's high time.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 19th December 2016

 The Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) has assured Zambia Sugar Plc that it will support the company’s efforts to increase exports of sugar provided it has all the necessary documentation. ZRA Commissioner General Kingsley Chanda said the authority is aware of the challenges Zambia Sugar Plc is currently facing, which among them, is increased smuggling of sugar into the country, which is affecting the company’s.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 19th December 2016

 KENYA - Capwell Industries Ltd, one of the most diversified food processing enterprises in Kenya, has achieved a major milestone in the region by achieving the highly respected HACCP food safety systems certification. The company, the leading processor of rice, maize flour, porridges, pulses and packer and distributor of wheat flour products and spaghetti has become one of the few milling companies in Kenya and the.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 16th December 2016

 Fisheries is considered a resilient earner of foreign exchange to the country, if and when methods such as cage fish farming are harnessed by fish farmers. For a period of about 10 years, the sector had the second highest export earnings after coffee. But there is declining trend in species such as Tilapia and Nile Perch that are mostly the staple of capture fisheries due to overfishing in the freshwater bodies. Lake Victoria is a case.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 15th December 2016

In its fifth economic update for Ethiopia, the World Bank reported that the country's growth will remain relatively steady in the coming years. The country has been growing at an average of 11pc over the past decade.   Last year, the country registered a growth of eight percent, despite facing the worst drought in five decades.   Even though the country has reduced the problem of unemployment, the figure is still remained.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 14th December 2016

Dar es Salaam — Tanzania's Private Agricultural Sector Support (Pass) has signed an agreement with Nairobi-based African Guarantee Fund (AGF) to boost loan guarantees in the county.   The two parties agreed to share the risks of loan guarantee to eligible clients in Tanzania, with the aim of enhancing the outreach impact and reducing duplication of efforts and resources.   "Pass and AGF are determined to ease access to.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 13th December 2016

Rwanda's earnings from export of dairy products increased from $85,000 in 2012 to $11.5 million in 2016, Rwanda Dairy Competitiveness Programme II (RDCP II) Impact Report shows.   By 2016, according to the report, 78,000 additional litres of milk were being processed per day in Rwanda, helping meet a growing need for milk used in value added products.   This move brought the quantity of milk processed daily to 110,000.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 13th December 2016

African countries should invest more in agriculture and agro-processing to boost industrialisation on the continent, Akinwumi Adesina, the African Development Bank President (AfDB), has said. He noted that there is need for both governments and private sector bodies to partner and leverage the continent's resources to transform the sector amid the global economic recession.   Adesina also urged governments on the continent to promote.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 12th December 2016

 An aerial drone to monitor crops for Irish potato farmers in Northern Province was launched, yesterday, in Musanze District. The US Agency for International Development (USAID), through its Private Sector Driven Agricultural Growth Project (PSDAG), is partnering with AgriLift to pilot the drone-based crop monitoring technology. It will serve 2,000 potato farmers affiliated with 20 potato cooperatives in the Imbaraga Cooperative.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 9th December 2016