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
Oct 16, 2008
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”.
Oct 15, 2008
Cassava growers ask FG to compel banks to give loans
By Olusola Fabiyi, Abuja
NIGERIA.The Punch - Lagos, Oct. 14, 2008
Members of the Nigeria Cassava Growers Association have called on the Federal Government to appeal to banks to give them credit facilities. They said this was the only way the government could achieve the expected annual foreign earnings of $5bn from the crop. The farmers made this known during the inauguration of their association in Gwagwalada, Abuja on Monday.
The farmers also called on the Federal Government to reactivate the moribund Presidential Initiative Committee on Cassava to enhance the $5bn cassava products’ export to the international market annually.
Speaking on behalf of farmers, the National Coordinator, NCGA, Chief Tola Adepomola, said there was no way the nation would achieve the lofty idea if the banks continued to turn their back on the farmers anytime they asked for loans.
He said, “We are now begging the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency help us beg the banks to extend credit facilities to us, the grassroots farmers.
“It has been said that agriculture is the bedrock of Nigeria’s economic development. It is the most certain solution to poverty reduction, employment generation and sustainable food security.”
Nigeria is said to be producing about 50 million metric tonnes of cassava per annum, making her the largest producer of the crop world over.
However, the Presidential Initiative Committee on Cassava realised that Nigeria could produce 10 times that quantity based on the fact that it had comparative advantage on production of roots and tuber crops, especially cassava more than many countries of the world.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman, Board of Trustees, NCGA, Chief Anson Eke, appealed to the government to assist the farmers by providing them with tractors and preservatives, which would help in their work.
He said that if this was done, cassava farmers spread across 20 states, would be able to do mechanised farming.
Eze said that cassava as a crop, had assumed the position of a domestic and commercial crop.
The crop enjoys the patronage of about 70 per cent of the farmers in Nigeria because of its adaptability to various weather conditions, which often makes it succeed where other crops fail.
NIGERIA.The Punch - Lagos, Oct. 14, 2008
Members of the Nigeria Cassava Growers Association have called on the Federal Government to appeal to banks to give them credit facilities. They said this was the only way the government could achieve the expected annual foreign earnings of $5bn from the crop. The farmers made this known during the inauguration of their association in Gwagwalada, Abuja on Monday.
The farmers also called on the Federal Government to reactivate the moribund Presidential Initiative Committee on Cassava to enhance the $5bn cassava products’ export to the international market annually.
Speaking on behalf of farmers, the National Coordinator, NCGA, Chief Tola Adepomola, said there was no way the nation would achieve the lofty idea if the banks continued to turn their back on the farmers anytime they asked for loans.
He said, “We are now begging the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency help us beg the banks to extend credit facilities to us, the grassroots farmers.
“It has been said that agriculture is the bedrock of Nigeria’s economic development. It is the most certain solution to poverty reduction, employment generation and sustainable food security.”
Nigeria is said to be producing about 50 million metric tonnes of cassava per annum, making her the largest producer of the crop world over.
However, the Presidential Initiative Committee on Cassava realised that Nigeria could produce 10 times that quantity based on the fact that it had comparative advantage on production of roots and tuber crops, especially cassava more than many countries of the world.
Also speaking at the event, the Chairman, Board of Trustees, NCGA, Chief Anson Eke, appealed to the government to assist the farmers by providing them with tractors and preservatives, which would help in their work.
He said that if this was done, cassava farmers spread across 20 states, would be able to do mechanised farming.
Eze said that cassava as a crop, had assumed the position of a domestic and commercial crop.
The crop enjoys the patronage of about 70 per cent of the farmers in Nigeria because of its adaptability to various weather conditions, which often makes it succeed where other crops fail.
Oct 14, 2008
Nsibambi hails Kibirige
By Francis Kagolo and Moses Mulondo
UGANDA, The New Vision - Kampala, Oct. 14, 2008
The cassava improved the capacity of Ugandans to increase their food security,” Nsibambi, who spoke on behalf of the Government, pointed out. ...
Prime Minister Apolo Nsibambi has commended former agriculture minister Kibirige Ssebunya for his exceptional research and development initiatives. Kibirige succumbed to cancer last Wednesday at Mulago Hospital. Speaking during a funeral service at the packed Namirembe Cathedral yesterday, Nsibambi said Kibirige would be remembered for discovering clonal coffee, introducing palm oil cultivation on Ssese Islands, and having led the research team that produced mosaic-resistant cassava varieties.
“The clonal coffee he initiated is a high-yielding variety which has earned Ugandans foreign exchange and homestead incomes. The cassava improved the capacity of Ugandans to increase their food security,” Nsibambi, who spoke on behalf of the Government, pointed out.
He hailed Ssebunya for demystifying the perception that highly educated people cannot make good political leaders. “Although he was a staunch NRM supporter, Kibirige did not discriminate against people of other political parties. Indeed, in being gregarious, he shared local brew with ordinary people.”
The Prime Minister called the deceased a humble and accessible man. “He rejected constructing a fence and a gate at his residence in order to enable members of his constituency access him readily. He also rejected being guarded by Police men, arguing that he did not wish to be protected against the people who loved him dearly.”
The Kabaka (king) of Buganda, Ronald Mutebi, hailed Kibirige for having demonstrated that a Muganda politician can serve the central Government and remain committed to his kingdom. “Kibirige has been our great friend. He has been very helpful to us, especially on matters concerning the kingdom’s agricultural programmes,” the Kabaka said in a speech read by Edward Lutaya Mukomazi, the kingdom’s agriculture minister.
George Ssenabulya, the retired bishop of West Buganda, who led the service, hailed Kibirige for having been a man of wisdom and encouragement.
NRM secretary general Amama Mbabazi described Kibirige as hardworking and exemplary in NRM. “He did not entertain nonsense, even in the party.”
Other dignitaries at the service included deputy chief justice Laetitia Kikonyogo, agriculture minister Hilary Onek, gender minister Syda Bumba, state ministers and MPs.
Pro-Poor Biofuel Crops: Sweet Sorghum and Cassava
Written by Nick Chambers
USA. Gas2.0 - Portland,OR, Oct. 13, 2008
Posted in Food vs. fuel, International issues
Editor’s Note: I was in Houston, TX, last week, celebrating the International Year of the Planet at the first ever joint meeting between the American societies of Soil Science, Geology, Crop Science and Agronomy. With a significant focus on biofuels, this conference was rife with interesting materials.
The Challenge: Find biofuel crops that are “pro-poor.”
One Answer: Crops that can be grown with limited resources by small-scale farmers, can be converted to biofuel with existing cheap technology, and can simultaneously provide food, fuel, and livestock feed.
In my last post I discussed how agriculture could regain its rightful place as the keystone of civilization due to the rise of biofuels over the next 30 years or so. But, in what seems a ridiculously colossal conundrum, hundreds of millions of impoverished people worldwide could face starvation due to competition of fuel land with food land.
In that post, I began to address how to deal with this problem, but didn’t provide any concrete examples — the main reason being that nobody really knows how to solve it yet. Imagine my luck last week when I found myself amidst scientists at a forum on biofuels, food security and poverty who had plenty of good ideas on how to reconcile these two seemingly contradictory issues.
One of the most interesting solutions that cropped up (pun intended — so shoot me) involved what are being dubbed as “pro-poor” biofuel crops. Dr. Mark Winslow covered the pro-poor aspects of sweet sorghum and to Dr. Hernán Ceballos covered the same aspects of the cassava plant.
Sweet sorghum is an Africa-native plant that produces grain which can be harvested for human consumption. After grain harvest, the stalks can be squeezed for sugar, much like sugarcane, which can then be turned into ethanol. Even after ethanol production, the remaining stalk material can then be pressed and used as a high-quality livestock feed.
Cassava is a tropical plant that produces bulbous starchy roots. These roots can be eaten by humans and can also be converted to ethanol in much the same way that corn is. The leaves of the cassava plant are called “tropical alfalfa” and are used as livestock feed. The left over stem material is then cut into foot-long pieces and planted in the ground to propagate the plants.
In both cases, these crops are already grown by many impoverished cultures around the world as a source of food and livestock feed, so the agricultural knowledge needed to grow them already exists.
Both crops are grown on land that doesn’t compete with high value food crops such as wheat and rice. And, besides this, neither sweet sorghum or cassava would provide a large enough economic incentive due to biofuel production that major food crop growers would switch over to just growing these instead of staple food crops like wheat and rice.
Without a doubt, pro-poor biofuel crops have several kinks that need to be worked out before they can be widely adopted in developing countries:
Yields of the fuel-producing parts of the plants need to be increased before they can be economically viable, but through intensive breeding this hurdle is being quickly jumped.
The infrastructure for transportation of biofuel feedstocks from many hundreds of scattered farms to a central processing facility is no small feat to build. For this to be accomplished, countries need to be convinced that it’s a worthwhile goal enough to pour money into. It may be better to produce only enough fuel for local consumption.
Many pro-poor biofuel crops are grown in areas that are susceptible to drought. A worldwide source of crop insurance needs to be established so that these farmers are protected in the case of low rainfall. The crops themselves also need to be bred for drought tolerance.
Even with the hurdles, these types of pro-poor biofuel crops represent a promising way for poor farmers to become an integral part of the world energy supply, bring high value back to agricultural products in their respectively impoverished nations, keep food prices low, and provide food from local sources.
Other Posts From the Joint Meeting in Houston:
How Much Oil is Actually Left On This Planet? Should We Care?
Biofuels are Here To Stay: What To Do About Food Supply?
Image Credits: Pictures from talks by Dr. Mark Winslow and Dr. Hernán Ceballos.
Tags: alternative energy, alternative fuel, Biofuels, Cassava, Crop yields, Dr. Hernán Ceballos, Dr. Mark Winslow, Ethanol, Famine, Food Supply, Global Economy, Houston, Poor, Poverty, Pro-poor biofuel crops, Sweet Sorghum, texas
Africa: World Bank Awards $4 Million to Agricultural Projects
Bernard Busuulwa
THE EAST AFRICAN All Africa.com; Nairobi Oct.14, 2008
The World Bank has awarded $4m to innovative agricultural projects across the globe, including three based in Uganda, Tanzania and Nigeria. The Bank, under its Development Marketplace Programme, a competitive grant scheme aimed at financing innovation in development activities, awarded the money to 22 innovative projects from 16 countries, with the majority originating from Latin America and the Caribbean.
The latter has eight projects each, followed by East Asia and the Pacific region with six, sub-Saharan Africa with five and South Asia with three winning projects.
Cambodia, Ecuador, Mexico, India, Vietnam and Brazil have two winning projects each. The winners received up to $200,000.
The 2008 awards were co-sponsored by the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Global Environmental Facility and GTZ, the German development agency.
The World Bank is also keen on uplifting the status of rural agricultural producers through the awards initiative.
"The World Bank is delighted to sponsor the Development Marketplace as a launching pad for new ideas in development. With the global community focused on the food price crisis, it is an opportunity to showcase the kind of creative thinking that can deliver tangible benefits to producers struggling with poverty in rural areas," said Katherine Sierra, vice president of sustainable development at the World Bank.
Among the winning projects are milk coolers supported by beer cooling technology for use by Ugandan farmers with facilitation from the University of Georgia.
The technology is focused on alleviating problems faced by smallholder diary farmers. Incomes are expected to increase through boosting supply of high quality milk to the market.
It is also expected to boost Uganda's ongoing Prosperity for All programme that is designed on a mixed-income strategy that comprises crop and livestock production activities with strong emphasis on dairy farming. The programme will benefit over 5.5 million Ugandans, according to the government.
The innovation is also seen as a welcome boost for Uganda's underexploited dairy sector, which is still plagued with problems of disease, poor budget allocations and low export income.
"We are investing in export of dairy products but we need to boost quality. Disease is still a problem. Most of our products are consumed locally. The project will help to boost capacity to meet both local and external demand, which will increase foreign exchange earnings. However, we need to protect our borders effectively against unregulated movements of cattle, because they tend to spread diseases," said John Odit, a member of Uganda's Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries.
Production of biofuel from indigenous non-edible nuts by Africa Biofuel and Emission Reduction Ltd, based in Tanzania, was also honoured in this year's Development Marketplace awards. The project is engaged in cultivation and sale of an indigenous non edible oil seed for production of biofuel.
The seed, which is harvested from the croton tree, has helped provide a new and sustainable cashcrop for smallholder farmers in Tanzania, thereby boosting poverty alleviation and energy production efforts.
Utilisation of cassava waste for raising goats, an innovation undertaken by the University of Abeokuta in Nigeria, was similarly recognised.
The project's objective is creation of a new market linking cassava producers and goat keepers through introduction of a simple drying technology capable of turning cassava waste into goat feed.
Through the project, farmers' incomes are expected to rise while reducing carbon dioxide emissions by eliminating the need for burning cassava waste.
A Senegalese project for providing affordable and environmentally friendly transport for agricultural products to the market was also awarded.
The project employs traditional boats run by locally produced biofuel consuming outboard motors that rely on processed indigenous oil seeds for fuel supplies.
It is targeted at farmers and fishermen from 40 communities who are expected to benefit from reduced costs of transport to the market through generating their own biofuel using an alternative power transmission method that absorbs unrefined seed oil straight from the cold press, hence reducing operational costs.
Award winners have in the past used the grants as seed money for improving their operations or replicating their work elsewhere, according to the World Bank.
THE EAST AFRICAN All Africa.com; Nairobi Oct.14, 2008
The World Bank has awarded $4m to innovative agricultural projects across the globe, including three based in Uganda, Tanzania and Nigeria. The Bank, under its Development Marketplace Programme, a competitive grant scheme aimed at financing innovation in development activities, awarded the money to 22 innovative projects from 16 countries, with the majority originating from Latin America and the Caribbean.
The latter has eight projects each, followed by East Asia and the Pacific region with six, sub-Saharan Africa with five and South Asia with three winning projects.
Cambodia, Ecuador, Mexico, India, Vietnam and Brazil have two winning projects each. The winners received up to $200,000.
The 2008 awards were co-sponsored by the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Global Environmental Facility and GTZ, the German development agency.
The World Bank is also keen on uplifting the status of rural agricultural producers through the awards initiative.
"The World Bank is delighted to sponsor the Development Marketplace as a launching pad for new ideas in development. With the global community focused on the food price crisis, it is an opportunity to showcase the kind of creative thinking that can deliver tangible benefits to producers struggling with poverty in rural areas," said Katherine Sierra, vice president of sustainable development at the World Bank.
Among the winning projects are milk coolers supported by beer cooling technology for use by Ugandan farmers with facilitation from the University of Georgia.
The technology is focused on alleviating problems faced by smallholder diary farmers. Incomes are expected to increase through boosting supply of high quality milk to the market.
It is also expected to boost Uganda's ongoing Prosperity for All programme that is designed on a mixed-income strategy that comprises crop and livestock production activities with strong emphasis on dairy farming. The programme will benefit over 5.5 million Ugandans, according to the government.
The innovation is also seen as a welcome boost for Uganda's underexploited dairy sector, which is still plagued with problems of disease, poor budget allocations and low export income.
"We are investing in export of dairy products but we need to boost quality. Disease is still a problem. Most of our products are consumed locally. The project will help to boost capacity to meet both local and external demand, which will increase foreign exchange earnings. However, we need to protect our borders effectively against unregulated movements of cattle, because they tend to spread diseases," said John Odit, a member of Uganda's Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries.
Production of biofuel from indigenous non-edible nuts by Africa Biofuel and Emission Reduction Ltd, based in Tanzania, was also honoured in this year's Development Marketplace awards. The project is engaged in cultivation and sale of an indigenous non edible oil seed for production of biofuel.
The seed, which is harvested from the croton tree, has helped provide a new and sustainable cashcrop for smallholder farmers in Tanzania, thereby boosting poverty alleviation and energy production efforts.
Utilisation of cassava waste for raising goats, an innovation undertaken by the University of Abeokuta in Nigeria, was similarly recognised.
The project's objective is creation of a new market linking cassava producers and goat keepers through introduction of a simple drying technology capable of turning cassava waste into goat feed.
Through the project, farmers' incomes are expected to rise while reducing carbon dioxide emissions by eliminating the need for burning cassava waste.
A Senegalese project for providing affordable and environmentally friendly transport for agricultural products to the market was also awarded.
The project employs traditional boats run by locally produced biofuel consuming outboard motors that rely on processed indigenous oil seeds for fuel supplies.
It is targeted at farmers and fishermen from 40 communities who are expected to benefit from reduced costs of transport to the market through generating their own biofuel using an alternative power transmission method that absorbs unrefined seed oil straight from the cold press, hence reducing operational costs.
Award winners have in the past used the grants as seed money for improving their operations or replicating their work elsewhere, according to the World Bank.
Call them to account
says Paul
BARBADOS. Nation Newspaper. Barbados Leading Newspaper; Oct.13, 2008.
BARBADOS NEEDS stronger policies to deal with people who buy stolen produce. James Paul chief executive officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS), in making the point said farmers were losing their crops on an ongoing basis and, as a nation, Barbados had to clamp down on this activity. "We have a way of ignoring certain things according to who is involved in them. What is happening is that the people involved in praedial larceny are being ignored by the authorities," he said during a BAS Agrofest livestock presentation seminar on Saturday at Blue Horizon Hotel, Rockley, Christ Church. "It seems that in our society, when you do wrong, you are right. There is a network in Barbados where people arrange to steal produce and we need to condemn this in strong terms," he said.
He said that if praedial larceny continued unchecked it would result in less private sector investment and in agriculture operating below par, which would hurt Barbados.
"It's not a case where agriculture is not profitable; the level of wages for agricultural workers is better then some other occupations, but still we have the problem of people stealing rather than working," he said.
Paul also referred to farmer Patrick Bethell's battle with crop thieves as "a tragedy".
Bethell recently destroyed the remainder of his one-acre cassava field, worth between $30 000 and $40 000, after thieves took more than 100 plants in an 11-day period.
"I think it is a tragic event, especially since we are trying to get farmers to grow cassava.
"I understand why Bethell destroyed his crop although I was hoping to convince him to follow a different route, but he was making a point," he said.
The cost of feed has been a major worldwide bone of contention as corn, a major ingredient, is being used in ethanol production. Barbados has recently asked farmers to grow cassava, which could be used as a substitute in feed. (CA)
BARBADOS. Nation Newspaper. Barbados Leading Newspaper; Oct.13, 2008.
BARBADOS NEEDS stronger policies to deal with people who buy stolen produce. James Paul chief executive officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS), in making the point said farmers were losing their crops on an ongoing basis and, as a nation, Barbados had to clamp down on this activity. "We have a way of ignoring certain things according to who is involved in them. What is happening is that the people involved in praedial larceny are being ignored by the authorities," he said during a BAS Agrofest livestock presentation seminar on Saturday at Blue Horizon Hotel, Rockley, Christ Church. "It seems that in our society, when you do wrong, you are right. There is a network in Barbados where people arrange to steal produce and we need to condemn this in strong terms," he said.
He said that if praedial larceny continued unchecked it would result in less private sector investment and in agriculture operating below par, which would hurt Barbados.
"It's not a case where agriculture is not profitable; the level of wages for agricultural workers is better then some other occupations, but still we have the problem of people stealing rather than working," he said.
Paul also referred to farmer Patrick Bethell's battle with crop thieves as "a tragedy".
Bethell recently destroyed the remainder of his one-acre cassava field, worth between $30 000 and $40 000, after thieves took more than 100 plants in an 11-day period.
"I think it is a tragic event, especially since we are trying to get farmers to grow cassava.
"I understand why Bethell destroyed his crop although I was hoping to convince him to follow a different route, but he was making a point," he said.
The cost of feed has been a major worldwide bone of contention as corn, a major ingredient, is being used in ethanol production. Barbados has recently asked farmers to grow cassava, which could be used as a substitute in feed. (CA)
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