A Chinese delegation is in Nairobi to scout for agricultural investments in arid and semi-arid areas and promote technology uptake for higher yields.   The 45 investors with interests in farm machinery, technology and specialised skills transfer have visited Naivasha flower and wheat farms.   The team also visited the Masai Mara National Reserve and held discussions with county executives in Nairobi on.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 23rd December 2015

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.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 23rd December 2015

The COMESA Mutual Recognition Framework (C-MRF) has been launched to facilitate grain trade between COMESA nations The goal of the C-MRF, launched in Uganda last week, is to establish common grading criteria for maize, enable proficiency testing for aflatoxin analysis and risk-based sampling protocol. The roadmap will provide analytical results and recognise analysis certificates issued by labs of participating countries, mitigating the.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 23rd December 2015

 Kenya's bilateral cooperation with China in agriculture, livestock and fisheries has reached a critical milestone with implementation of joint programs to achieve food security and boost rural incomes, officials said on Thursday   Speaking at a China-Kenya conference on agriculture cooperation in Nairobi, the acting Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Adan Mohamed said Beijing's contribution is critical to.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 23rd December 2015

Victoria — Fishermen in the Seychelles will soon benefit from an increase in the production of ice.   The Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) has purchased two new German-made ice plants, with each able to produce 10 tons of ice per day. The investment nearly doubles the ice production capacity in the country to 47 tons per day, officials say.   Seychelles, an island nation in the western Indian Ocean, has experienced.... Read more »

Posted on : Saturday , 19th December 2015

Lüderitz — The first consignment of export-quality grapes from Namibia were on Wednesday shipped to the Netherlands through the Port of Lüderitz.   The grapes trans-shipped through Lüderitz are produced at Aussenkehr. Since grape farming started at Aussenkehr, Namibian grapes have been exported to the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands via Cape Town in South Africa.   Agro-Marketing and Trade Agency (AMTA).... Read more »

Posted on : Saturday , 19th December 2015

Four Kenyan coffee brands are among the top 30 most sought after by coffee lovers in the world.   Announcing its list of the world's rarest Top 30 Coffee for 2015, Coffeereview.com's editor and lead taster Kenneth Davids said that the analysis took place in America since all the tasting facilities and 27 of the best coffee roasters were based there with the other three roasters being based in Canada, Taiwan and China.   Kenya.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 15th December 2015

A new window of opportunities may have been opened up in the nation's agriculture sector, with a pledge of N300 billion fresh financing of the economic segment and its value chains in 2016 by the Bankers' Committee.   Besides, the earlier plans by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to create about one million jobs through small businesses' development and support by lending at "ridiculously" lower interest rate to graduates got.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 15th December 2015

Cotton farmers in Malawi are all smiles following the raise in cotton prices by over 90 per cent for those on contract farming with Cotton Ginners Africa Limited.   The company's general manager Spencer Dzimbiri told a news conference in Blantyre that the cotton firm will splash out K1.3 billion in loans for farm input for over 100000 cotton farmers.   Dzimbiri said this planting season, his company will be buying cotton at K375.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 14th December 2015

Dar es Salaam — Dried sardines, known in Kiswahili as dagaa from Tanzania's fresh water bodies, have begun penetrating the Australian and Canadian markets to boost fish exports in the country.   Tanzania's exports of fish and fish products rose by 49.4 per cent in 2014 to reach $195 million from $130.6 million, according to the Bank of Tanzania (BoT) figures.   Government officials believe the increase might have been aided,.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 11th December 2015

Kanyakine Fish Factory constructed at a cost of Sh60 million is set to start processing fish from farms in Meru County.   The plant is capable of handing 15 tonnes of fish weekly once it is operationalised.   Speaking to the Nation, Meru county director of Fisheries Patrick Mbaabu said the fish factory will be run by a private firm or group of farmers.   He said the county government has put up two hatcheries with a capacity.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 11th December 2015

Kampala — Despite experiencing a prolonged dry spell early in the year, East Africa registered a 6.4 per cent increase in tea sales at the Mombasa auction.   The latest auction report released on December 1 shows the region exported 8.9 million kilogrammes, up from 8.3 million sold around the same time last year.   Kenya recorded most sales. Out of the total tea exported, Kenya sold 7.2 million kilogrammes up from 6.3 million.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 11th December 2015