Agriculture Archives - Page 3 of 5

8Nov

By Joseph MainaNo Comments

Agriculture, Burkina Faso News, Kenya News

GMOs have lessened pesticide poisoning and improved yields in Africa, says report

A report by a top caucus of experts in the United Kingdom shows that many countries have benefited from improved economies and healthier populations by farming genetically modified (GM) crops. Most significantly, the low pesticide use associated with GM farming is linked to fewer incidences of pesticide poisoning among farmworkers—particularly for small-scale farmers, observes the Report on Genetic Technologies released in September by the UK’s Regulatory Horizons Council. In India, for instance, the report cites a 50-70% reduction in pesticide applications on insect-resistant cotton, which has led to significant health benefits for farmers. “It has been estimated that this GM crop helps to avoid several million cases of pesticide poisoning per year,” the report noted. “There have als...

4Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

African News, Agriculture, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya News, Uganda News

African climate innovators dominate global climate prize at COP26

Four African climate innovators were named as winners at 2021's presigious Ashden Awards held on November 4 at the global climate summit COP26 in Glasgow, UK. Three more of the continent’s low carbon pioneers were announced as runners up. The Ashden Awards honour pioneering organisations from the UK and low-income countries lowering carbon emissions and building a fairer world. World leaders and international organisations are gathering in Glasgow from November 1 to 13 to agree a global plan for tackling the climate crisis. The key note speech at the awards ceremony was given by Costa Rican President, Carlos Alvarado, who said: “We share the conviction that sustainable development goes hand in hand with economic growth, as well as a deep commitment to decarbonization and to promote nat...

3Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Agriculture, Nigeria News

AFEX predicts higher prices for core grains and advocates for African food balance sheet in new report

Nigerian commodities exchange releases 2021 Annual Crop Production report to boost agricultural data and guide financing and policy decisions Lagos, Nigeria – 2 November 2021. Nigeria’s core grain prices have been projected to trend upwards in the new season due to persistent gaps between commodity supply and demand, according to a new report by commodities exchange firm AFEX. The 2021 crop production survey report also forecasts an increase in production levels across six commodities: maize, sorghum, soybean, paddy rice, ginger, and sesame. AFEX’s annual crop production report seeks to provide robust market intelligence for the many key players in the agricultural value chain, with the data also being used to produce forecasts of area, yield, production, value and stock for major crop...

25Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Agriculture

Fairtrade Farmers Increasingly Threatened by Climate Change, Warns ‘Alarming’ New Study

BONN, Germany – The intensifying impacts of climate change pose a serious risk to global agricultural production and directly threaten the livelihoods of millions of Fairtrade farmers around the world, a new Fairtrade study has revealed, adding that increased investment in climate adaptation and resilience measures are critical if plummeting incomes for Fairtrade farmers are to be prevented. Released ahead of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, the report, titled Fairtrade and Climate Change and conducted by researchers from VU Amsterdam and Bern University of Applied Sciences, paints a bleak picture of the future of some of the world’s most beloved commodities, including bananas, coffee, and cocoa, and explicitly identifies how climate change will im...

22Sep

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Agriculture, Fintech, South Africa News

HelloChoice: South African Agri-FinTech Start-Up Secures Major Standard Bank Investment

Leading South African founded and owned Agri-FinTech start-up HelloChoice has announced the finalisation of a major investment from Standard Bank, solidifying its market leading position as the premiere digital fresh produce and agricultural marketplace. HelloChoice is a proudly South African success story, founded in 2018 by Grant Jacobs and Graeme Jarvie, who had a vision to modernise the traditional way of buying and selling agricultural produce. Initially self-funded and based on a vision to build a thriving trading community, HelloChoice has also always been committed to addressing broader food security and socio-economic needs in this sector. HelloChoice is the first independent fresh produce trading platform with a broader ambition to promote economic prosperity and market effic...

17Sep

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Agriculture, Tech

Cropnuts artificial intelligence driven platform makes soil testing affordable and accessible for farmers in Africa

Reduces cost of soil testing by more than 75% Backed by leading impact investors DOB Equity and AHL Venture Partners Crop Nutrition Laboratory Services Ltd (Cropnuts), Africa’s leading independent laboratory for agricultural and environmental testing, has launched AgViza, a disruptive AI based soil testing and digital crop advisory service for smallholder farmers. The livelihoods of smallholder farmers rely on resilient farming systems and this requires good soil management and the correct use of fertility inputs. This change can only be achieved with accurate field level soil information, derived from soil testing. Soil testing services have been out of financial reach for smallholder farmers, which is reflected in the fact that poor soil fertility remains a key driver of yield lo...

9Aug

By Joseph MainaNo Comments

Agriculture, Kenya News, Uganda News

Biotechnology and biodiversity in Africa

Though biotechnology is most often seen as a tool to meet Africa’s food needs, it could also play a role in protecting the continent’s unique biodiversity. Ugandan environmental activist, geneticist and conservation biologist Clet Wandui asserts that biotechnology has in fact helped to preserve and protect Africa’s biodiversity, a term that refers to the number of different species that are present in a given location, along with the numbers of individuals in each species and genetic variability within the species. “Actually, biotechnology has come to save biodiversity,” Wandui told this writer. “If you look scientifically at the drivers of biodiversity loss, there is nowhere biotechnology comes in.” He says that, broadly, biotechnology has been instrumental in increasing yields, reduci...

15Jul

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Agriculture

Avanti Communications and Clear Blue Technologies partner to deploy rural connectivity across sub-Saharan Africa

Expected to deliver rural network coverage for up to 400 million of the unconnected over the next 3-5 years London, July 15, 2021 - Avanti Communications (“Avanti”), the leading provider of high throughput satellite capacity across EMEA, today announces a partnership with Clear Blue Technologies International Inc. (“Clear Blue”) (TSXV: CBLU) (FRA:0YA) (OTCQB: CBUTF), the Smart Off-Grid™ company, to enable Mobile Network Operators and Telco Tower Companies to deliver rural network coverage to areas across sub-Saharan Africa. Within the next three to five years, the partnership is expected to deliver mobile network coverage to the 400 million people that currently cannot access mobile broadband services. Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to become one of the largest telecom markets in the wo...

15Jul

By Joseph MainaNo Comments

Agriculture, Kenya News

GM cassava promises higher yields and profits for Kenyan farmers

Cassava farmers in Kenya are set to reap more yields and earn higher profits from their crops as the East African country prepares for the rollout of a genetically modified (GM) cassava variety that can fight off two of the most devastating diseases affecting the crop in the region. The government’s approval in June for environmental release to conduct National Performance Trials (NPT) for cassava varieties offering disease-resistant traits marks the penultimate stage before the superior variety is finally released to farmers. Free seed material is just one of the many benefits that lie ahead for cassava farmers in the country once the improved crop is approved for release to farmers. “This cassava will be free to the small-scale farmers,” said Dr Catherine Taracha, Director of Biotechnolo...

13Jul

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Agriculture

World Poultry Foundation online videos to boost biosecurity in African poultry farming

The US-based World Poultry Foundation (WPF) has released a series of training videos to help Africa’s poultry farmers raise healthier birds and so enhance both their profitability and their communities’ nutritional status. WPF CEO Randall Ennis says the video series was developed to support WPF’s key goals of supporting improved poultry production and productivity, increasing rural household income, improving household nutrition and the empowerment of women. WPF’s training series, with three videos dedicated to poultry housing, outlines how to design and build a poultry house for maximum poultry health, and how to effectively sanitise a poultry house before introducing a new flock. The videos on housing and biosecurity also elaborate on how to ensure the right temperatures, drainage and ve...