A number of countries, including Zambia and South Sudan, have expressed interest in Rwanda’s Irish potatoes, a development that could turn around the fortunes of farmers and expand the country’s exports base and revenue. Francois Kanimba, the Minister for Trade and Industry, said farmers must now double their efforts to satisfy the growing local and regional demand for Irish potatoes, and ensure quality along the value.... Read more »

Posted on : Saturday , 9th May 2015

On an average day at the Aalsmeer flower auction in the Netherlands – long considered the flower capital of the world – some 20m stems will change hands. During peak holiday period the trading in the country, which handles around 52% of global volume, is even more frantic. In the week running up to Valentine’s Day 2015, an estimated 200m red roses and tulips, 100m assorted other varieties and 20m pot plants were exported by.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 7th May 2015

Even though agriculture remains the main economic activity in the East African Community (EAC) partner states, public spending on the sector remain very low as reflected in the 2014/2015 individual national budgets published by Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda. This is despite the sector contributing about 30 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employing about 80 percent of the total work force of these countries. The.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 28th April 2015

Horticulture is gradually becoming a driving force not only to Arusha where the industry first cropped up, but to the entire agricultural sector, fresh data shows. The input of the sub-sector to overall agrarian exports value grew by 38 per cent in 2014, as opposed to the previous year when it contributed 31 per cent, registering a 7 per cent increase during the period in review. Horticulture brought home an extra $102 million in 2014,.... Read more »

Posted on : Saturday , 25th April 2015

    Although the gains are marginal, the fact that the trend in price is upward should bring some consolation to Kenya’s over 560,000 smallholder farmers who suffered a major erosion in their earnings last year, following a sharp price drop in the global price of the commodity.   In the last two months, tea prices at the Mombasa Tea Auction have increased from Sh181 ($2.02) – in the first week of January – to.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 10th March 2015

 ELDORET: Livestock breeding will receive a boost after the government set aside over Sh180 million to establish three liquid nitrogen plants in the country. Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix Koskei while commissioning one of the plants in Eldoret, said they are vital in preservation and transportation of high quality semen for cattle breeding.   “Animal breeds improvement through Artificial Insemination is among the.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 10th March 2015

 Efforts to implement the national coffee policy got ‘a shot in the arm’ after the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) earmarked about sh1.3b to promote development in the coffee sector. The policy is expected to rejuvenate Uganda’s coffee sector This funding is channelled through the National Union of Coffee Agri-businesses and Farm Enterprises (NUCAFE), a local entity, that is taking on the task.... Read more »

Posted on : Thursday , 5th March 2015

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix Koskei received the fertiliser at the Port of Mombasa yesterday.   Mr Koskei called on county governments in the Rift Valley region to support farmers to acquire lime to reverse soil acidity, which has affected maize production in the area.   The CS said the county governments should also complement the national government by importing subsidised fertiliser given that agriculture has already been.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 3rd February 2015

The project will focus on critical industrial location, whereby relevant factories are to be located in places where crops mainly used as raw materials are produced.   Speaking at IFAD National Roundtable workshop on Tanzania’s recent evalutaion of agricultural programmes across the country, the Minister for Agriculture,Food Security and Cooperatives, Mr Stephen Wasira, said apart from the current private sector initiatives of.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 3rd February 2015

This comes after the bank together with the Global Partnership on Output-Based Aid (GPOBA) and the Kenya government signed a grant agreement approving $11.8 million (Sh1.07b) in funding for water and sanitation in low-income urban areas.   The project is targeted to reach 30,000 low-income urban households – or 150,000 residents. Service providers that provide water and sanitation projects for low-income residents will receive money.... Read more »

Posted on : Tuesday , 3rd February 2015

 This is the case not only domestically but also within the region and across the continent.   “Africa now earns an average of 24 per cent of its annual growth from its farmers and their crops. If matched with more electricity and irrigation, smart business and trade policies and a dynamic private agribusiness sector that works side by side with government to link farmers with consumers in an increasingly urbanized Africa, the.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 30th January 2015

As part of its emerging markets strategy, American multinational food manufacturing company, Kellogg’s, is spreading its business to East Africa, starting with Kenya, the region’s largest economy. Last year, the New York Stock Exchange-listed firm appointed the former managing director of East African Breweries (EABL), Gerald Mahinda, as the head of operations in the region. Rumored to explore possible partnership opportunities.... Read more »

Posted on : Friday , 30th January 2015