Farmers Archives - AfricaBusiness.com

12Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Fintech, Startups

Failing To Win

A new book from Burnet Media, Cape Town will inspire and guide the next generation of African entrepreneurs. Failing To Win by Mike Quinn is the authentic story of a uniquely African startup at the forefront of the continent’s fintech revolution. Inspired to become the “M-Pesa of southern Africa” after Kenya’s pioneering mobile money innovation, Zoona secured tens of millions of dollars in international investment and grew to serve two-million customers in Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique while processing $2.5-billion in transactions. This is an ideal read for anyone doing business or investing in Africa, and in particular for purpose-driven entrepreneurs and impact or venture capital investors. ABOUT THE BOOK In 2009, Canadian entrepreneur Mike Quinn packed his backpack and moved to Lu...

11Jun

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Agriculture

WPF releases training video series for Africa’s poultry farmers

Better profits, better nutrition through improved poultry farming methods The US-based World Poultry Foundation (WPF) has developed a series of online training videos to help emerging African poultry farmers learn poultry farming best practice and optimise their farming operations. WPF has collaborated with local organisations such as South Africa’s Kwazulu Natal Poultry Institute for several years to foster improved poultry farming and help small local farmers expand their operations. The new series of training videos, designed to assist small and mid-size brooding operations and rural farmers, cover key areas such as management of feed, water, brooding, vaccination, recordkeeping, biosecurity and poultry housing. WPF CEO Randall Ennis says the video series was developed to address challe...

World Poultry Foundation upskill emerging farmers on bird health and better business practices

23Apr

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

Agriculture

World Poultry Foundation upskill emerging farmers on bird health and better business practices

Emerging poultry farmers in KwaZulu Natal have benefited from hands-on training at advanced new facilities at the KwaZulu Natal Poultry Institute (KZNPI), with the support of the U.S.-based World Poultry Foundation (WPF). The training, the first in-person course at KZNPI since the start of the pandemic and lockdown, took place at the KZNPI poultry management training centre near Pietermaritzburg in February this year. Thirteen small scale poultry farmers experienced conditions in an advanced new chicken house financed by the World Poultry Foundation (WPF) last year. Lindelihle Nxumalo, KZNPI Farm Manager, says the training exposed farmers to the differences between the enclosed and open-sided chicken houses, underlined key factors in poultry mortality, and improved farm management and bus...

10Nov

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

African News, Morocco News

IBM Develops Plan to Help Moroccan Farmers Boost Skills, Production

RABAT, Morocco, Nov., 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) experts participating in the company's pro bono Corporate Service Corps program have recommended a strategy to lift the productivity of Moroccan farmers. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO) The plan focuses on improving coordination between the country's Ministry of Agriculture and the farming community, as well as improve internal coordination within the ministry. Closer ties with farmers will enable the ministry to provide more timely advisories, training, and research results -- enabling farmers to modernize work techniques and improve their production quality and quantity. The nine-member IBM team, comprising members who hail from five countries, presented recommendations on a varie...

17Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

African News, Malawi News, Zambia News

Zambia’s Agriculture Deputy Minister to Officially Open Regional Food Security Meeting

The Deputy Minister of Agriculture in Zambia, Nicholas Banda will officially open a regional food security policy dialogue taking place in Lusaka, Zambia on the 18th of October 2012. The dialogue, hosted by the Southern Africa Trust is in partnership with the Institute for Democracy (IDASA), an African democracy institute and the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU), will discuss ways to support small-holder farmers in southern Africa so they can increase food production at household level. Dr Chungu Mwila, the Chief Executive Officer of ACTESA-COMESA and Martin Muchero from SADC-FANR Directorate are expected to be part of the discourse together with government officials from SADC countries, farmer associations, members of COMESA and the SADC secretariat. Overcoming food insecurit...

11Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

African News

Investors Applaud Hershey’s Vow To Source 100% Certified Cocoa By 2020

Move to certify entire product line seen as significant step to eradicate trafficking and forced child labor on cocoa farms and plantations NEW YORK, Oct. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, a shareholder coalition that engages companies on labor and human rights standards in global supply chains, commends the Hershey Company for its commitment to certify all its cocoa by a third party by 2020. With a 43% share of the U.S. chocolate market, the investors view Hershey's decision as an important advancement that is certain to influence the industry and result in more sustainable cocoa farming and production. Said Chris Meyer of Praxis Mutual Funds and co-convener of the Hershey dialogue, "Seventy percent of the worl...

10Oct

By Africa BusinessNo Comments

African News, Tanzania News

IBM Presents Plan To Speed Timely Agricultural Information To Tanzanian Farmers

IBM's pro bono consultation also recommends strategy to improve air travel, tourism and education DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, Oct. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A team of IBM (NYSE: IBM) experts today presented recommendations to the Tanzanian government for improving the timeliness and availability of information needed by farmers to grow crops more successfully, feed more people and become more economically sustainable. IBM also suggested ways that information could be made more readily available for schools, leading to a more educated populace prepared for better paying jobs. In addition, the company presented a plan to improve the convenience of air travel in Tanzania, grow tourism and encourage investment. The 12-person IBM team making today's recommendations, comprising indi...

24Jul

By Louis BararmnaNo Comments

African News, Togo News

Togo / Tourism: bar restaurant “Manchester United” opened

The tourism landscape Togo recorded a newborn. This is the bar-restaurant "Manchester United" opened on July 15 in Lome in an environment well maintained by comedians and actors Togo renowned. Various personalities first and foremost the Togolese Minister of Social Action and National Solidarity Mémounatou Ibrahima, responded overwhelmingly to the invitation of the management of this jewel where the initiative comes from members of the Association of Young Farmers Modern (AJAM). By investing in this way in the tourism sector of Togo, the initiators of the bar restaurant 'Manchester United' agree to join forces and bring their stones in the development process in which Togo is firmly committed under the leadership of the Head of State of Togo Faure Gnassingbe Essozimna. '' This is also f...

22Jul

By The African Press OrganizationNo Comments

Republic of Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)

World Cocoa Foundation and First Lady of Cote d’Ivoire Partner to Improve Cocoa Communities

Agreement Provides for Social and Economic Support [19-July-2012] WASHINGTON, July 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — The World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) and the office of Dominique Ouattara, first lady of Cote d’Ivoire, announced today an agreement to develop and implement educational and vocational training programs to benefit cocoa farmers and their families in Cote d’Ivoire. The three-year agreement is valued at $3.6 million and will benefit more than 12,000 Ivorians through successful WCF educational programs that are active in the country and in other West African countries. The agreement was signed in a ceremony today in Washington by First Lady Dominique Ouattara and Bill Guyton, president of the World Cocoa Foundation. The collaboration expands access to quality universal basic e...

19Jul

By AfricaBusiness.comNo Comments

African News

5bn Euros Spent on Fairtrade Products in 2011

5 Billion Euros Spent on Fairtrade Products in 2011: World’s Most Recognized Ethical Label on Solid Ground in Established Markets, Taking Off in New Ones Bonn, Germany, 17 July 2012. Women, men and children around the globe spent almost 5 billion euros (€4.9bn, US$6.6bn) on Fairtrade certified products last year, according to figures released today by Fairtrade International. “Fairtrade is the norm for millions of people. It is a part of the regular weekly shopping. And now sales of Fairtrade certified products are taking off in new countries, as entirely new groups of people discover Fairtrade for the first time,” said Tuulia Syvaenen, Executive Operations Officer at Fairtrade International. In Fairtrade’s biggest market, the UK, shoppers spent 12% more on Fairtrade certif...