Centre of excellence to improve productivity, says Tufton
Ross SheilM Online Co-ordinator rsheil@jamaicaobserver.com
JAMAICA. Jamaica Observer - Kingston, Oct.15, 2008
Cassava flour is being piloted as a 20 per cent flour substitute in Nutribuns in conjunction with the Ministry of Education with the initial response being favourable, he reported. He said that Jamaica Flour Mills have expressed a willingness to use cassava to provide 15 per cent of its flour, dependent on reliable supply - he added that at current levels of productivity cassava is yielding 7 tonnes per acre but that this could be raised to 20 tonnes.
State Minister in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Michael Stern (right) listens keenly to Minister of Agriculture, Dr Christopher Tufton at the opening ceremony for a week-long agricultural science and technology workshop held at the Hilton Hotel in New Kingston Monday, organised by the Scientific Research Council (SRC), the National Council for Science and Technology (NCST) and the African Caribbean and Pacific Countries (ACP)-European Union (EU) Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation.
Agriculture Minister Christopher Tufton says that a Centre of Excellence for the sector, scheduled to launch early next year, will help train farmers islandwide in up-to-date best practice and technology to boost production, which has fallen by 30 per cent in the past 15 years, and hence domestic food security.
Headed by former World Bank agricultural economist Wayne Henry, and now special advisor to the minister, the centre has been promised funds of US$3 million by the Spanish government. Henry will have responsibility for co-ordinating with the various bodies carrying out agricultural research and education.
The centre will be based at the ministry's existing facility in Bodels, St Catherine, which is being refurbished for the purpose and two satellites: A greenhouse project in Coleyville, Manchester and ruminants (sheep and goats) in Hounslow, South St Elizabeth.
"The farming community doesn't benefit from a study! It benefits from a practical application of the study to improve its techniques in the field. One of the things we want to do is to have a body that co-ordinates all existing studies and develop a training agenda that is practical and implemented out of the findings of those studies and train farmers in the field to implement those best practices, so we can advance the agenda of improving production and productivity levels," Tufton told an audience at the opening ceremony for a week-long agricultural science and technology workshop. The Workshop was held at the Hilton Hotel in New Kingston Monday, and organised by the Scientific Research Council (SRC), the National Council for Science and Technology (NCST), and the African Caribbean and Pacific Countries (ACP)- European Union (EU) Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation.
He said that the current world economic situation and concern over food security presented an opportunity for Caribbean agriculture, a sentiment shared by his special advisor.
"It's a tremendous vision and the potential for the country is there, there are a lot of able people involved and there is a lot of initiative as well. We have this window of opportunity with the concern of food security and with the support of international partners and locally interest in agriculture is resurgent. But we don't know how long this window is going to last for and there is a lot of work that needs to be done," Henry told the Business Observer.
Jamaica currently chairs the Caricom Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) on agriculture, which convened in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines last week. Tufton said that there was a growing realisation among Caricom countries that imports need to be substituted for increased local production.
"Out of those discussions it was quite clear that as a region there is a recognition of a need to refocus our attention towards rebuilding our agricultural capacity.
Territories within the region that once saw their salvation coming from services - Jamaica included, from tourism, from fossil fuels in the case of a Trinidad and Tobago - and so food or the sourcing of food coming primarily from trading with other countries are now rethinking that mode because of the developments that have occurred over time," he said.
The resulting communiqué to CARICOM heads of governments included: Recognition of common commodities to sustain local demand; greater investigation of thd potential for biofuels that do not conflict with existing food profduction; the establishment of local research bodies and an agricultural development fund to be financed from import levies; and a recommendations that 25 per cent of feedstock be locally produced.
"We need to put a system in place that says if we gave 100 per cent import duty concessions to corn imports, which we currently do coming into the country, apply a five per cent duty and take that five per cent put in a pool and give it to our farmers so that they can grow... Those who oppose that process claim expense to the consumer but the truth of the matter is, sometimes I believe this is an excuse, and it maybe a small price to pay for building out our capacity."
Cassava flour is being piloted as a 20 per cent flour substitute in Nutribuns in conjunction with the Ministry of Education with the initial response being favourable, he reported. He said that Jamaica Flour Mills have expressed a willingness to use cassava to provide 15 per cent of its flour, dependent on reliable supply - he added that at current levels of productivity cassava is yielding 7 tonnes per acre but that this could be raised to 20 tonnes.
"The point is that there are alternative options out there. It is for us to identify them and to tap into them and to develop business models, supported by research and development that is going to provide those options, which - in effect - will allow us to determine our destiny rather being overly dependent on others to supply us."
The Ministry is continuing to employ more extension officers with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) with 20 starting work this week and plans to recruit another 40, he said. Meanwhile, the Ministry is conducting two studies into soil nutrition and disease to better inform farmers in addition to best practice research into 12 crops including carrots, ginger and yams.
He said that the Ministry would also continue to work closely with farmers via the Producing Marketing Organisations (PMOs) of which there are 400 groups of farmers registered with RADA, following their revival last year.
"We are going to be working through those groups. On deciding that we are targeting a particular crop, we need to go in and train those farmers what are the best practices in growing those crops and work with them in finding those markets."
Oct 16, 2008
Cassava may replace some corn in animal feed
by Tracy Moore
BARBADOS. The Nation Newspaper - Bridgetown,St. Michael, Oct.15, 2008.
GOVERNMENT has provided $400 000 to the Ministry of Agriculture and the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS) to conduct feasibility studies to replace a percentage of corn in animal feed with cassava. According to the Ministry of Agriculture's Chief Agriculture Officer Barton Clarke, all that was left for the ministry to do "is essentially some demonstration work that we can grow the cassava at a price cheaper than corn".
"The whole idea is that we would be able to replace a certain per cent of the corn that is used in the feed with cassava.
"More importantly, we have to grow the cassava, harvest it, chip it, and dry it so that it can be readily used by the three manufacturers [in Barbados]," he said.
On board
He added that one of the three manufacturers, Pinnacle Feeds, was already on board and willing to supplement about 30 per cent of its corn with cassava.
"Of course, they will be purchasing that cassava at the same price that they now pay for the corn," Clarke noted.
In addition, he said the BAS was working with the Barbados Egg and Poultry Producers Association to garner some technical assistance from the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture based in Colombia, which has identified some varieties of cassava to develop agronomic practices for local conditions.
* tracymoore@nationnews.com
BARBADOS. The Nation Newspaper - Bridgetown,St. Michael, Oct.15, 2008.
GOVERNMENT has provided $400 000 to the Ministry of Agriculture and the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS) to conduct feasibility studies to replace a percentage of corn in animal feed with cassava. According to the Ministry of Agriculture's Chief Agriculture Officer Barton Clarke, all that was left for the ministry to do "is essentially some demonstration work that we can grow the cassava at a price cheaper than corn".
"The whole idea is that we would be able to replace a certain per cent of the corn that is used in the feed with cassava.
"More importantly, we have to grow the cassava, harvest it, chip it, and dry it so that it can be readily used by the three manufacturers [in Barbados]," he said.
On board
He added that one of the three manufacturers, Pinnacle Feeds, was already on board and willing to supplement about 30 per cent of its corn with cassava.
"Of course, they will be purchasing that cassava at the same price that they now pay for the corn," Clarke noted.
In addition, he said the BAS was working with the Barbados Egg and Poultry Producers Association to garner some technical assistance from the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture based in Colombia, which has identified some varieties of cassava to develop agronomic practices for local conditions.
* tracymoore@nationnews.com
Science must prove to Africa farmers that banana is profitable
Written by Henry Neondo
KENYA. Africa Science News Service - Nairobi,14 October 2008
He said examples from cassava in West Africa can teach one thing or the other to banana growers in east, central and southern African states saying that it is an excellent model to be emulated. To help popularize cassava, Nigerian President initiated a move to change perceptions around cassava---“a tough job in itself just as it is to change consumer tastes and preferences”, noted Hartman. The initiative began a media campaigns for 18 months and got support from the private sector to write on various issues on cassava in leading dailies and broadcast on showing the masses that agri-business is the way out for Africa’s subsistent farming. Cassava leaves, which are 20 percent protein and rich in fiber and energy, are being turned into animal feeds by processing firms who are now having ready markets in Botswana.
Africa can overcome her food problems, but it has to develop and harness the huge potential presented by such crops as banana, hitherto considered as food for the poor and help farmers put money in their pockets out these crops.For this to be realized, farmers must be shown growing banana is profitable. Peter Hartman, CEO, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA said in Mombasa at the first conference on banana and plantain in Africa that the continent needs to be doing things differently and need to realize the internal markets for banana and other crops---by itself huge.
“There is big enough market within Africa and the least worry for the continent now should not be external markets with exceptions for cash crops”, he said.
He said African farmers must be made to have some income in their pockets from whatever the crop they plant.
He said examples from cassava in West Africa can teach one thing or the other to banana growers in east, central and southern African states saying that it is an excellent model to be emulated. To help popularize cassava, Nigerian President initiated a move to change perceptions around cassava---“a tough job in itself just as it is to change consumer tastes and preferences”, noted Hartman. The initiative began a media campaigns for 18 months and got support from the private sector to write on various issues on cassava in leading dailies and broadcast on showing the masses that agri-business is the way out for Africa’s subsistent farming. Cassava leaves, which are 20 percent protein and rich in fiber and energy, are being turned into animal feeds by processing firms who are now having ready markets in Botswana.
Today, says Hartman, cassava is no longer seen as poor man’s crop and the rich are in cassava---with some having over 1000 hectares of land under the crop in bid to support numerous processing factories for cassava products such as flour, bread, cakes, glue and breweries factories.
According to Victoria Ndung’u, Senior Programme Officer, Africa Harvest, banana is good business without doubt. On the farmers’ side, she said, research has shown increasing incomes especially in three to eight years of establishing the orchard.
“Our study in some model farms in Kenya showed total cost in the first year of establishment of the orchard is USD1, 635 and net income was USD470. This however changed by the fifth year to USD532 for operational costs and USD2, 224 as net income”, she said.
“But efforts must be made to first change the mindset of farmers. They have known banana as a subsistence crop. Farmers have to see the crop and treat it equally as coffee and tea and have to be taught to manage their crop as those classified as high horticultural crops---giving it good agronomical practices".
Farmers have to be made to know the various products they can derive from bananas as to minimize losses, now estimated at 40 percent in east Africa.
Examples from Uganda, Ghana, South Africa and Tanzania are showing that there are moves across Africa to add value to banana and in effect change the way banana has been perceived.
Dr Irene S. Egyir, lecturer, University of Ghana said processed banana products such as banana juice have a niche market in Ghana’s second largest city, Kumasi.
“We target those who are healthy conscious and youths and try to compete with Coca cola. Our industry for example, sales off 200 boxes each of which contains 30 bottles of 350 ml of juice off in a month. This is a clear indication of the demand for the product”.
Agreeing, Mrs Mariam Asigri, Masig Natural fruits industries said the move to process banana is providing jobs to rural youths who would not have earned employment.
For example she said, her firm, although still small scale employs five people, all youths, and in high season when there is high demand, other casual labour gets hired.
Jones M. Mwandawiro, regional manager for Kenya Horticultural Development Authority for coast region said today in Kenya and in most of Africa, the demand for banana far outstrips supply.
“My organization began bringing TC banana in the coast region some 3-4 years ago for farmers to buy. After overcoming initial hurdles we are now struggling to meet demand for planting materials.
Prof Esther Kahangi, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology said the move in Kenya where farmers are currently seeing uprooting coffee and tea plantations and replacing them with TC banana is testimony that banana is big business.
“As a scientist, I am seeing many laboratories being set up to do work on TC banana and in turn sale them to farmers on the upper end while on the lower end, farmers are teaming up together and forming groups that buy TC germplasm from laboratories and establishing greenhouses where they grow the seedling to sale them in turn to their neighbours”.
KENYA. Africa Science News Service - Nairobi,14 October 2008
He said examples from cassava in West Africa can teach one thing or the other to banana growers in east, central and southern African states saying that it is an excellent model to be emulated. To help popularize cassava, Nigerian President initiated a move to change perceptions around cassava---“a tough job in itself just as it is to change consumer tastes and preferences”, noted Hartman. The initiative began a media campaigns for 18 months and got support from the private sector to write on various issues on cassava in leading dailies and broadcast on showing the masses that agri-business is the way out for Africa’s subsistent farming. Cassava leaves, which are 20 percent protein and rich in fiber and energy, are being turned into animal feeds by processing firms who are now having ready markets in Botswana.
Africa can overcome her food problems, but it has to develop and harness the huge potential presented by such crops as banana, hitherto considered as food for the poor and help farmers put money in their pockets out these crops.For this to be realized, farmers must be shown growing banana is profitable. Peter Hartman, CEO, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA said in Mombasa at the first conference on banana and plantain in Africa that the continent needs to be doing things differently and need to realize the internal markets for banana and other crops---by itself huge.
“There is big enough market within Africa and the least worry for the continent now should not be external markets with exceptions for cash crops”, he said.
He said African farmers must be made to have some income in their pockets from whatever the crop they plant.
He said examples from cassava in West Africa can teach one thing or the other to banana growers in east, central and southern African states saying that it is an excellent model to be emulated. To help popularize cassava, Nigerian President initiated a move to change perceptions around cassava---“a tough job in itself just as it is to change consumer tastes and preferences”, noted Hartman. The initiative began a media campaigns for 18 months and got support from the private sector to write on various issues on cassava in leading dailies and broadcast on showing the masses that agri-business is the way out for Africa’s subsistent farming. Cassava leaves, which are 20 percent protein and rich in fiber and energy, are being turned into animal feeds by processing firms who are now having ready markets in Botswana.
Today, says Hartman, cassava is no longer seen as poor man’s crop and the rich are in cassava---with some having over 1000 hectares of land under the crop in bid to support numerous processing factories for cassava products such as flour, bread, cakes, glue and breweries factories.
According to Victoria Ndung’u, Senior Programme Officer, Africa Harvest, banana is good business without doubt. On the farmers’ side, she said, research has shown increasing incomes especially in three to eight years of establishing the orchard.
“Our study in some model farms in Kenya showed total cost in the first year of establishment of the orchard is USD1, 635 and net income was USD470. This however changed by the fifth year to USD532 for operational costs and USD2, 224 as net income”, she said.
“But efforts must be made to first change the mindset of farmers. They have known banana as a subsistence crop. Farmers have to see the crop and treat it equally as coffee and tea and have to be taught to manage their crop as those classified as high horticultural crops---giving it good agronomical practices".
Farmers have to be made to know the various products they can derive from bananas as to minimize losses, now estimated at 40 percent in east Africa.
Examples from Uganda, Ghana, South Africa and Tanzania are showing that there are moves across Africa to add value to banana and in effect change the way banana has been perceived.
Dr Irene S. Egyir, lecturer, University of Ghana said processed banana products such as banana juice have a niche market in Ghana’s second largest city, Kumasi.
“We target those who are healthy conscious and youths and try to compete with Coca cola. Our industry for example, sales off 200 boxes each of which contains 30 bottles of 350 ml of juice off in a month. This is a clear indication of the demand for the product”.
Agreeing, Mrs Mariam Asigri, Masig Natural fruits industries said the move to process banana is providing jobs to rural youths who would not have earned employment.
For example she said, her firm, although still small scale employs five people, all youths, and in high season when there is high demand, other casual labour gets hired.
Jones M. Mwandawiro, regional manager for Kenya Horticultural Development Authority for coast region said today in Kenya and in most of Africa, the demand for banana far outstrips supply.
“My organization began bringing TC banana in the coast region some 3-4 years ago for farmers to buy. After overcoming initial hurdles we are now struggling to meet demand for planting materials.
Prof Esther Kahangi, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology said the move in Kenya where farmers are currently seeing uprooting coffee and tea plantations and replacing them with TC banana is testimony that banana is big business.
“As a scientist, I am seeing many laboratories being set up to do work on TC banana and in turn sale them to farmers on the upper end while on the lower end, farmers are teaming up together and forming groups that buy TC germplasm from laboratories and establishing greenhouses where they grow the seedling to sale them in turn to their neighbours”.
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