Weiteithye Farmers Group in Mwala, Eastern Kenya, comprises about 100 small-scale farmers struggling with crop production, value addition and marketing of their produce.   Like other smallholder farmers in Africa, the Weiteithye group lacks access to inputs, financial services and skills in agri-business, efficient machinery for processing produce, market information, new technology, among others. David Mutiso, the group’s.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 15th September 2016

 A consortium of agribusiness organisations has launched a platform that will support professionalisation of agriculture in East Africa and generate businesses intelligence for the sake of better decisions.   This will enable cooperative societies and small scale agribusinesses in EA to work using globally recognised standards.   "The professionalisation begins with farmer organisations being rated using SCOPE assessment.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 15th September 2016

 The Minister for Water and Irrigation, Mr Gerson Lwenge, has said that more than 39bn/- has been allocated to the Irrigation Commission in a bid to boost irrigation projects from the current 460,000 hectares to one million hectares by 2020.   Speaking during a live broadcast programme aired by Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC) on Friday, Mr Lwenge said the commission was given strategies to ensure that by the year 2020.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 14th September 2016

 The department of food science and nutrition at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology is working to finalize research aimed at scaling farming in Kenya to foster food and nutrition security through insects. This comes after a successful research on cricket farming which is rich in protein, vitamin b and iron. The university revealed that the department of food science has also embarked on researching other insects like.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 13th September 2016

 Murang’a County is reaping big from betting on backing a cooperative society to drive milk production for 43,000 dairy farmers as output shoots to the roof.   The rise in output has lined the pockets of the county’s farmers and milk transporters attached to Murang’a County Creameries (MCC) with Sh127 million after producers registered high production over the past two years.   The county government-backed.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 13th September 2016

 Nairobi — Quality seed is the biggest game changer for agriculture in Africa helping countries to boost farm yields to secure food security and development, according to Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) top official.   Dr Joseph Devries, AGRAs chief of agricultural transformation told reporters during a media tour of Dryland Seed's field projects in Machakos County, south-east of Nairobi, that evidence shows.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 12th September 2016

 The 6th African Green Revolution Forum concluded in Nairobi on Friday, with delegates endorsing a communique to hasten agricultural transformation in the continent.   About 1,500 delegates from 40 countries, including heads of state, industry executives, and heads of donor agencies and researchers, attended the forum that sought to inject fresh impetus into the quest for a green revolution in Africa.   The communique said.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 12th September 2016

 Small holder tea farmers under the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) will now get a bonus of Sh36.26 per kilo of green leaf as the second payment for the financial year 2015/2016.   This brings the total bonus payment to the farmers for the full year to Sh50.26 per kilo after an initial payment of Sh14 per kilo. Last year the farmers received a total of Sh41.61 per kilo.   KTDA Chief Executive Officer Lerionka Tiampati says.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 8th September 2016

 Kenya plans to invest Sh20 billion in the agricultural sector in the next five years to improve the interests of farmers in the country.   This was announced by President Uhuru Kenyatta when officially opening the sixth Africa Green Revolution Forum in Nairobi.   President Kenyatta said the move is intended to facilitate more than 150,000 farmers with access to markets, finance and insurance for machinery among.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 8th September 2016

 Tea farmers are set for improved earnings after sales for the year 2015/2016 jumped 32 per cent on higher production and a stable currency.   The farmers' marketing agency, Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), has announced Sh84 billion in revenue this year, up from Sh63.5 billion last year.   The growers will earn Sh44 billion on average as the final payment, normally referred to as a bonus. A total of Sh17 billion has.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 7th September 2016

 Nairobi — Growth in agriculture has pushed down poverty in Ghana, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Burkina Faso, report says   African countries that took early action in the past decade to invest in agriculture have reaped the rewards, enjoying higher economic growth and a bigger drop in malnutrition, a major farming development organisation said on Tuesday.   In a report, the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) said:.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 7th September 2016

 Tanzania is to auction thousands of tonnes of brown sugar abandoned at the Dar es Salaam port by importers reportedly fearing President John Magufuli's tax crackdown.   The Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) has put the consignment in 44 containers for auction in the first week of October should its owners fail to show up and claim the cargo in 30 days.   A notice issued through the media on Wednesday listed the brown sugar.... Read more »

Posted on : Saturday , 3rd September 2016