Sunday 20 May 2018

AFRICA SITS ON AN AGRIBUSINESS GOLDMINE

AGRIBUSINESS & AGRICULTURE

                    Photo credit: Heifer

 When most people think of agriculture in Africa, images of poor and overworked farmers with crude tools on a rural farm readily come to mind. Many, especially young Africans, still think that agribusiness is a poor man’s occupation. Nowadays everybody wants a white-collar office job in the city. Agribusiness is hardly on anyone’s mind.

Did you know that Africa sits on an agribusiness goldmine but most people just dont’t see it? If you’re one of the blind, allow me to open your eyes with a few exciting facts you need to know about agribusines in Africa…


 Photo: Ralf Kreuels | Lufthansa Cargo

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, recently invested $1 billion in rice production? Every year, Africa spends billions of dollars on rice imports, and Dangote wants a slice of the market.

Since 2009, investors in the USA, Europe, Middle East and Asia have been buying and leasing millions of hectares of African land for agricultural purposes? Many people may not know it but there’s a trend of serious land grabbing by foreign interests for African land.

Foreign Direct Investment in African agribusiness was $10 billion in 2010 and is projected to reach $45 billion by 2020? Agriculture is taking a huge leap in Africa and investors want a piece of the action too.

Africa’s agribusiness industry will be worth $1 trillion by 2030! That’s huge! If this projection by the United Nations comes true, agribusiness will become the ‘new oil’ in Africa!

In the light of these facts, the rich and wealthy folks are investing in Africa’s agribusiness industry while the majority of Africans are largely ignorant about the amazing potentials of agriculture on the continent?

Let me share with you five reasons why agriculture is the biggest business opportunity right now in Africa. And why many of the world’s top business people are investing in African agribusiness.

                   Photo: Design Indaba

1. Africa has cheap agricultural land

According to the World Bank, Sub-Saharan Africa is home to nearly 50 percent of the world’s fertile, usable and uncultivated agricultural land. The size: over 200 million hectares! The continent is now widely considered to be the future breadbasket of the world. It is this huge abundance of land resources that gives Africa the strategic potential to feed the world!

Most of Africa’s agricultural land lies in the savannah and tropical rain forest belt, which receives a favourable amount of rainfall and sunlight all year round. As a direct consequence, more than 80 percent of food crops consumed across the world can be produced here.

Interestingly, a large proportion of Africa’s agricultural land is located in the rural areas. That’s why they’re often cheap to buy or lease. On the average, one hectare of land (10,000sqm) can be leased for as low as $100 per year (depending on the location). This makes it one of the best land bargains you can find anywhere in the world!

2. Africa has a ready market and high demand for agricultural produce

Agribusiness is one of the best business opportunities in the world as food never goes out of fashion. People must eat food everyday!

Currently, Africa’s population is just over one billion people. At its current growth rate, the continent’s population is expected to reach 2.2 billion by 2050. Now and in the future, Africa will always have a lot of mouths to feed.

Africa currently spends billions of dollars every year to import grains, flour and all kinds of finished and semi-finished foods which it can produce locally. There is a huge opportunity for entrepreneurs who can provide cheaper and locally-grown alternatives to the food that Africa imports.

It’s not just the food industry that depends on agribusiness. Several other industries, especially the manufacturing and processing industries, depend on agribusiness for a wide range of raw materials. As Africa’s economies continue to grow, the demand for raw materials will surely increase and create more interesting opportunities for agribusiness on the continent.

3. Improved varieties and farm practices are changing the game across Africa

Agribusiness in Africa has suffered through the years because of its poor yields and crude farm practices. Most of the crops cultivated on the continent produce very little and are often very prone to pests, diseases and drought. As a result, most African farmers used to work very hard but have very little to show for all their hard work during harvest time.

However, due to advances in crop/animal science and technology, it is now possible to harvest more food per hectare than ever before in Africa’s history. There are now improved crop and animal varieties that mature earlier, require less resources, and are less susceptible to pest attacks, diseases and drought. Across Africa, these improved varieties are increasing yields by as much as 400 percent!

There are now improved and locally-adapted varieties of maize, cassava, millet, rice, sorghum, beans, sweet potato, cowpea, groundnut, soybean, pigeon pea, banana, durum wheat, and bread wheat.

There are also several local and international organisations that are focused on supporting African farmers with improved seedlings and support. One of such organisations is the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), launched by the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2006.

4. Agribusiness is very scalable.

You can start with what you have.

Whether you own one plot of land or 10,000 hectares, agribusiness is one of few business opportunities that allow you to start on any scale, with whatever you have!

Entrepreneurs like South Africa’s Anna Phosa started her agribusiness in 2008 in her backyard with just four pigs. Today, she owns a 350-hectare pig farm and is a major supplier to Pick n’ Pay, the South Africa supermarket chain.

The opportunity to start small means that people with little capital can become part of Africa’s multi-billion dollar agribusiness industry. Because of the guaranteed demand for agricultural produce, that small vegetable or poultry farm in your backyard could just become a huge business tomorrow.

Every evidence shows that you don’t have to be a wealthy investor with millions of dollars in the bank or a highly-educated person in order to start a business in agriculture in Africa. You can start where you are and use what you have, and grow from there. You can start your agribusiness journey in your home backyard or do it on a part-time basis with your day job. It’s very flexible that way!

5. Agribusiness is a huge job creator

Agribusiness is one of the most effective ways to create jobs and empower millions of Africans. At present, up to 60 per cent of the labour force in Sub-Saharan Africa is employed in the agribusiness industry. Agribusiness remains a top employer of labour in many African countries.

The value chain in the agribusiness industry, from food production, processing and marketing provide huge opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship.

So, if you’re looking to start a business or invest in an industry that makes a significant social impact, provides jobs and creates sustainable wealth, agribusiness is surely the way to go!

Africa is changing. You need to be a part of this big dream that’s finally coming true!

Thursday 17 May 2018

FOOD LOSS AND WASTE

            


Food loss and food waste refers to the decrease of food in subsequent stages of the food supply chain, intended for human consumption.

Food waste goes beyond the consumable food substances or produce that has been thrown away. Food loss and waste also results to a major wastage of resources, including water, land, energy, labour and capital.

According to Food and Agriculture organization of United Nations (FAO), an estimated 30 per cent of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted globally,this amounts to 1.3 billion metric tonnes of food produced per year.

The report says that, food currently lost in Africa could feed 300 million people. If one-fourth of the food currently lost or wasted globally could be saved, it would be enough to feed 870 million hungry people in the world.

In many developing countries,factors such as financial constraints,poor harvesting techniques,storage and cooling facilities promotes food waste and losses. This results to loss or low income to the farmers and higher prices to the consumers.

Establishment of a strong and effective supply chain by supporting farmers,good infrastructure, transportation and creation of food processing and packaging industries could help to reduce food loss and waste.

A report from Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations indicates that most of this wastage occurs in the developed world; per capita food waste by consumers (not including the production process) in Europe and North America is around 95-115kg per year, compared to just 6-11kg in sub-Saharan Africa and South/South-East Asia. Large amounts of food is still lost during the production process in developing countries, however, due to lack of infrastructure and poor equipment. Wastage at the consumption stage in these countries, meanwhile, is drastically less than developed nations.

The environment is also at risk as a result of immense food waste and losses. The carbon footprint of wasted food is estimated at 3.3 gigatonnes. FAO says that, if food waste were a country, it would rank behind only the US and China for greenhouse gas emissions.

Bulk shopping of human consumable products leads to more food waste. To reduce food wastage, avoid buying more food than you need. Instead make frequent trips to the grocery store every few days rather than doing a bulk shopping trip once a week. Make a list of items that you need to buy and stick to that list. This will help you reduce impulse buying and reduce food waste as well.


Improper storage leads to a massive amount of food waste. Store your food correctly. According to the Natural Resource Defense Council, about two-thirds of household waste in the United Kingdom is due to food spoilage.

Food crop productivity in most of developing countries have failed to exceed the population growth,leading to food insecurity. Reducing food loss and waste would nobly help in tackling food insecurities,promote growth and development and improved health.

Sunday 6 May 2018

FLOWER OR ENEMY??

From a distance it looks so attractive, radiating warmth from its entangles of yellow vines that are intertwined in a conspicuous pattern...You can mistake them for Chinese noodles!



Is it an ornamental plant species not yet domesticated by aborists or florists??

No it isn't....

This is a parasitic plant!!!

Its name is Dodder or Field dodder. It is a very dangerous invasive plant species.

Golden dodder, ( Cuscuta campestris or tasmanica )is a parasitic plant belonging to the morning glory family.

The many species of Cuscuta(dodder) are leafless, rootless, parasitic plants with thread-like stems that coil around and attach to host plants.

Dodders lack chlorophyll, which is why they penetrate the tissues of host plants and steal their nutrients. Stems can range in color from white, to yellow and orange, and even to purple. Dodder bears small clusters of flowers in white, pink, or yellow in the summer months.



It is invasive in parts of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda (CABI Crop Compendium 2007). Though the species is widely distributed throughout East Africa, there are few representative collections. In Kenya C. campestris is widespread at 1370-3000m altitude.

Cuscuta campestris seeds are dispersed by wind, water, birds, other animals, and by man on machines and planting material contaminated by dodder seeds.

Damage:

The plants have specialized adventitious roots(hausteria) that penetrate into the supporting plant and draw all needed nutrients and water there from.

Dodder is poisonous to animal and human beings read here.

Dodder can absorb toxins from the plants it feeds from. Many of these toxins can affect the liver and nervous system.

These are the signs of poisoning... 

Management of Dodder

Prevention

The use of dodder-free planting seed has long been a primary way of preventing the spread of dodder infestations.
Clean and inspect clothing and equipment before moving from infested to “clean” areas. Once you know an area is infested, you must manage it to prevent the further production of dodder seed. 
Isolate small infestations, and remove them by hand before the plant produces seed. Monitor larger infestations, and mow, prune, burn, or spray herbicides to prevent seed production.

Cultural Control

Planting nonhost plants can be an effective means of managing a dodder infestation. Plants that aren’t hosts of dodder include grasses and many other monocots including lilies. Plants that grow primarily during winter such as crucifers and legumes and transplanted trees and shrubs usually are good alternatives.

Dodder can’t penetrate tree bark, but it can penetrate tree foliage, if it is able to contact it. Be sure to remove weeds in these plantings, so the weeds don’t serve as hosts for dodder and increase the amount of dodder seed in the soil.

Dodder seedlings are difficult to find, but if you see them before they attach to a host, remove them by cultivation or hand pulling.

If you see dodder soon after it has attached itself to a host, prune the infected portion of the host plant 1/8 to 1/4 inch below the point of attachment, otherwise the dodder can regenerate from the haustoria left embedded in the host plant. 

If the dodder plants have set seed, remove the plants from the area to prevent future infestations. Place plants in a plastic bag, and dispose of them in the trash.

Dodder seed can survive soil solarization—a method for killing weeds using a clear, plastic tarp and the sun’s heat—probably because of its hard seed coat. 

Although studies haven’t been conducted, composting might kill most dodder seed, because higher temperatures are reached in the composting process than in solarization.

In agricultural settings, cultivate dodder before it attaches to a host plant, since cultivation done after dodder has attached itself to the host is of no benefit. Hand pulling, cutting, or mowing also can reduce dodder infestations. Be sure to break off, cut, or mow the host plant just below the point of dodder attachment (about 1/8 to 1/4 inch) for these methods to be effective. Close mowing is an effective management tool for dodder.

Burning reduces a dodder infestation as long as you destroy the invaded tissue of host plants along with the dodder to prevent regeneration of the dodder from embedded haustoria. Burning kills only some of the dodder seed; the amount of seed destroyed depends on the duration and intensity of the fire.

Biological Control

Several disease organisms are known to infect dodder including Fusarium tricinctum and Alternaria species, which attack swamp dodder(C. gronovii) , and A. alternata and Geotrichum candidum , which attack field dodder (C. pentagona) . 

Researchers in China have found that a suspension of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides can selectively control the dodder species C. chinensis and C. australis in soybeans. 

Breeding programs aimed at developing dodder-resistant varieties are not known to exist; however, some varieties of normally susceptible species have some resistance. Several varieties of processing tomatoes, a plant generally susceptible to dodder, have been observed to be either totally resistant or tolerant to dodder attack.

Chemical Control

Generally chemical control isn’t necessary in the home garden and landscape, since you can control dodder for the most part by cultivating seedlings or through hand removal or pruning. 

Although pelargonic acid (Scythe) is effective, it also kills any plant tissue it contacts; consequently good coverage and careful spraying are important, so desirable plants aren’t damaged.

Where dodder has been a persistent problem in certain commercial agricultural fields or in landscapes, apply preemergent herbicides (e.g., trifluralin) before dodder seed germinates; where practical, follow up with close mowing, burning, or spot removal of parasitized host plants to control dodder plants that escaped the herbicide application.


Usually postemergent herbicides, which you apply directly to the dodder plant to control it, don’t selectively control dodder without injuring the host plant and aren’t a good choice for controlling established infestations.


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