Lack of improved seeds, use of obsolete technology, lack of access to credit, effects of climate change and cartel-like behaviour are some of the factors that have been blamed for the East African Community’s (EAC) low production of potatoes. Last week during the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme’s (CAADP) regional Africa forum in Rwanda, which focused on the potato value chain in EAC, sector players called.... Read more »

Posted on : Saturday , 19th September 2015

 Tana and Athi Rivers Development Authority (Tarda) has planned for the project that aims to increase the production of sugar cane from 70 to 110 metric tonnes per hectare, scale up production of ethanol and animal feed, generate 35 Mega Watts of power and create employment. "Growing sugar cane along the Tana Delta will eliminate the sugar deficit that currently stands at 200,000 metric tonnes. This is because the climate is more.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 18th September 2015

 Group CEO of International Quality Awards Ltd. Mr. Mansoor Jiwani NAIROBI, KENYA: In the spirit of re-branding Nairobi, the County Executive of Trade Industrialization, Cooperative Development and Tourism, Anna Othoro touched on the need to differentiate "Nairobi as a Brand" and explore the Live-Love Nairobi campaign through culinary tourism. "Nairobi has so much to explore and so much to crave in terms of food and beverage.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 16th September 2015

The Ethiopian Trade Competition & Consumer Protection Authority (TCCPA) is distributing 250,000ql of sugar for residents in Addis Ababa to satisfy an expected increase in the demand for sugar in the New Year, and announced that there is enough stock to quickly respond to any shortage that may appear.   There is also 350,000ql of sugar already up for sale through bid.   The quota for the distribution of flour and edible oils has.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 16th September 2015

The State will write off Sh33 billion owed by sugar factories, a parastatal head has said.   Privatisation Commission Board chairman Henry Obwocha on Sunday said this will enable the factories to pay cane farmers.   "Due to the huge debts, the factories have been making losses," Obwocha said.   He was raising funds for a priest's house on Sunday at Amasago Catholic Parish, Nyaribari Chache.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 16th September 2015

The consignment was destined to a neighbouring country without the payment of custom duties.   Within the framework of ensuring that goods exported from Cameroon are not only monitored but must adhere to customs rules and regulations, over 10,000 bags of rice destined for export to a neighbouring country, have been impounded at the Idenau seaport in the West Coast. The operation to impound the rice was carried out over the weekend by the.... Read more »

Posted on : Wednesday , 16th September 2015

 A new mobile phone-based service has been launched in Tanzania to provide agricultural information to farmers Tanzania Mobile Agriculture DIVatUSAID FlickrM-Kilimo is expected to benefit more than 90,000 livestock keepers, crop farmers and fishermen.  The M-Kilimo platform is an innovative service that gives farmers access to markets for agricultural produce. Once registered on the M-Kilimo platform, farmers and buyers can meet.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 15th September 2015

Federal Government has tasked local fabricators to come up with locally produced agricultural equipment and machinery to promote indigenous technology as well as enhance food production in Nigeria.   The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development, Sonny Echono, gave this task at a meeting he held with members of the Tractors Owners and Operators Association of Nigeria (TOOAN) at the ministry's headquarters.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 14th September 2015

The Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) will soon launch a new effort to promote research on the use of solar energy in irrigation to boost farming, especially in drought-prone areas of Eastern Province. RAB is looking into running field trials for a solar-powered irrigation technology developed by a fresh graduate of the University of Rwanda.   The innovation project seeks to make the most of wetlands in drought-prone areas during dry season.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 14th September 2015

South African companies have expressed interest in investing in Zimbabwe's agriculture sector, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Dr Joseph Made has said. He said the companies were willing to invest in crop production through contracts and partnerships.   "I am satisfied with the level of enquiries from South Africa relating to that country wanting to invest in crop production in Zimbabwe," said Dr.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 14th September 2015

Farming projects along lines of transportation are being promoted as opportunities to attract investment and increase food security.   At a recent event in Nairobi, early-stage venture backer Village Capital brought to a close its programme by inviting a number of startups in the agribusiness space to present their solutions for assisting smallholder farmers.   This saw the likes of Ghana’s Farmerline, which expands access to.... Read more »

Posted on : Monday , 14th September 2015

 Listed Rwandese beverage-maker Bralirwa has received a Sh2.5 billion loan from the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to expand its Kigali-based plant.   Bralirwa — which listed on the Rwanda Stock Exchange after selling shares to East Africans including Kenyans — will use the fresh capital to add a soft-drink bottling line, improve on the company’s energy consumption and construct a waste-water treatment.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 11th September 2015