Farmers Review Africa May-June 2020

Volume 8. Issue 3 May / June 2020

Mecmar for Africa importance of mobile dryers

In this issue...

Mustapha Diyaol-Haqq: The brain behind the AI wave Pg 16

FARMERS

REVIEW AFRICA

Coffee in the time of COVID-19 Pg 25

t Please visi te si b e the w m ica.com frica.co

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AGRO-ECOLOGY: THE WEALTH OF THE SOIL BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY AN UNESTIMABLE TREASURE !

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ll the continents, and especially Africa, should take on a challenge for the future :

To feed more and more populations under increasingly difficult soil and climatic conditions.

The diversity of soil microorganisms allows them to occupy all environments, even extreme. Micro-organisms are present in the most acidic soils, basic soils, desert environments, saline soils, demonstrating activities involved in ecological processes essential for human activities.

The massive use of synthetic products is likely to profoundly modify the interactions between soil fauna and plant / microorganism symbiosis. Declining populations of mycorhizal fungi imply poorer plant nutrition and therefore require higher fertilization with significant ecological and economic costs.

Consequently, adopting practices favorable to the development of soil micro-organisms (fungi, telluric bacteria, earthworms, etc.) is the essential condition for maintaining the profitability of agricultural activity, for the necessary increase in production and respect for ecological balances.

> An increase in yield Located in the middle of Europe, the geographic position of their production sites gives FCA Fertilisants and Fertilux direct access to natural raw materials for the agro-industry and microbiology.

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The solutions for eco-friendly fertilisation provided by FCA Fertilisants and Fertilux stabilise the soil by including nutrients and nourishing the microorganisms that are naturally present.

Through a symbiotic relationship with plants, these microorganisms shape plant health in two ways : By helping to fight off diseases or pests By reinforcing the resistance to biotic and abiotic stress

> Sustainable strengthening of soil and plant health > Perpetuation of the biological, physical and chemical fertility of the soil FCA Fertilisants and Fertilux are dedicated to the preservation of relations with farmers and devotedly carry out tests each year directly on "pilot" farms in order to continuously evaluate the pertinence of their solutions and optimise their recommendations and fertilisation programmes.

We invite you to follow the results of these tests and partnerships in the next issues of Farmers Review of Africa...

To contact us : Mr. SĂŠbastien DAVID sebastien.david@group-shfc.com +33.6.51.17.54.62 Mr. Christophe MONNOT christophe.monnot@fertilux.lu +33.6.74.23.68.27

Volume 8. Issue 3 May / June 2020

CONTENTS

Volume 8. Issue 3. May/June 2020

Mecmar for Africa importance of mobile dryers

Editor’s Note

News Ethiopia deploys helicopters to spray desert locusts.....................04 Government body buys rice from farmers in Mwea, Kenya.......05 Kenya poultry farmers lobby group asks for a halt in imports

In this issue...

Mustapha Diyaol-Haqq: The brain behind the AI wave Pg 16

FARMERS

REVIEW AFRICA

Coffee in the time of COVID-19 Pg 25

because of oversupply......................................................................................06

Please visit the website

m .com

viewafrica .farmersrev farmersre

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Image courtesy of MECMAR

Executive Editor Nita Karume editor@farmersreviewafrica.com Writers Silimina Derick, Bertha M. Contributing Writers Nqobile Bhebhe Zimbabwe Oscar Nkala Botswana Bertha M South Africa Nita Karume Kenya East Africa Advertising Executives Ken Tobby, Paul Amimo, M. Cherono Project Manager Victor Ndlovu sales@farmersreviewafrica.com Graphic Design & Layout Faith Omudho Art Director Augustine Ombwa austin@arobia.co.ke Correspondents - Isabel Banda zambia@farmersreviewafrica.com Sales & Marketing Gladmore. N gladmoren@farmersreviewafrica.com Mandla M. mandlam@farmersreviewafrica.com Kholwani. D kholwanid@farmersreviewafrica.com Polite Mkhize politem@farmersreviewafrica.com leslien@farmersreviewafrica.com East African Liaison Arobia Creative Consultancy Tel: +254 772 187334, 790 153505 arobia@farmersreviewafrica.com eastafrica@farmersreviewafrica.com Published by : Mailing Times Media +27 11 044 8986 sales@farmersreviewafrica.com

New digital publication for nut processors...........................................07 S. Leone’s varsity signs MoU with AVDP for oil palm project....08

Poduct Lemon exporter acquires second Bobcat S550................................12 Liquid Fertilizer LF 600 - With diversity to healthy soils...............13

Cover Story Mecmar for Africa: importance of mobile dryers............................10

OPINION Coronavirus has stress-tested our food systems, and many are set to fail..................................................................................................................14

Feature Mustapha Diyaol-Haqq: millennial prodigy behind the AI wave that is Okuafo Foundation..............................................................................16 The “High 5s”: A strategic vision and results that are transforming Africa............................................................................................18 How cows saved carrots.................................................................................20 Use of Aloe Vera, magadi soda as EVM in animal healthcare and management.................................................................................................23 New multi-purpose solutions for soil cultivation in africa............24 Increasing fuel efficiency and reducing costs in the agricultural industry.....................................................................................................................26 Coffee in the time of COVID-19...............................................................27 Solea removes metal contaminants from soya powder residue with a magnet........................................................................................................28 International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC)...............30 Proper grain post-harvest practices.........................................................32 FES - the ideal service partner for your agricultural needs..........33 PHATISA and partners acquire southern african agricultural solutions provider FES......................................................................................34 Nestlé continues to empower its consumers and the dairy industry.....................................................................................................................35

Mailing Times Media (Pty) Ltd makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the contents of its publications, but no warranty is made as to such accuracy and no responsibility will be borne by the publisher for the consequences of actions based on information so published. Further, opinions expr essed are not necessarily shared by Mailing Times Media (Pty) Ltd

Hoping for a COVID-19 free future As COVID-19 continues to devastate lives all over the world, agriculture and food systems come under critical strain. Recessions, food shortages, hunger and malnutrition are feared to be likely, with grave impact on vulnerable communities in developing regions like subSaharan Africa (SSA).

Agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa is largely dominated by smallholder farmers, many of whom already farm under severe strain of climatic variability and resource constraints.

With the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on food and nutrition security expected to be harsh, poverty and malnourishment could become even worse. SSA must guard the basic operations required to produce, trade and supply food.

The May/June issue of Farmers Review Africa features among others; proper grain harvesting as storage and multipurpose solutions for soil cultivation by Celli. There is also a special feature of an upcoming young AI researcher and the recommendable work he is doing as a contribution in Agriculture.

This, of course, is in addition to the latest news in agriculture across Africa. We highlight how some of the produce are faring in the current pandemic together with some of the measures taken to mitigate or contain the spread of the virus.

As we look towards a possible future sans COVID-19, I am reminded of Kenya’s former Prime Minister Hon. Raila Odinga’s words: “Post Covid-19, we in Africa will have to thoroughly review our health, agriculture, manufacturing, education and social safety net policies, according to the lessons learnt. Otherwise, the next crises of similar dimensions will find us exactly where we are today.I expect Africa to embark on pragmatic and not idealistic solutions to her problems post Covid-19. It may involve revisiting pragmatic solutions that worked for us but which we abandoned just to be seen to be marching in tandem with the developed world.”

Nita Karume

editor@farmersreviewafrica.com

FARMERS

REVIEW AFRICA

www.farmersreviewafrica.com

NEWS

Ethiopia deploys helicopters to spray new swarms of desert locusts that this method proved to be effective as hours after spraying the locusts lay scattered on the ground dead.

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thiopia has deployed helicopters to spray new swarms of desert locusts that are eating crops and threatening the country’s food security. The U.S. Agency for International Development warned that billions of the pests which have descended on East Africa in recent weeks targeting crops and pastures across a region already facing widespread hunger and humanitarian needs are bound to get worse than they already are.

According to Ethiopian officials in the latest development, huge swarms swept into Ethiopia’s

southern Oromia region last week from Kenya and Somalia, displacing thousands of people.

Furthermore, thousands of people have been displaced from Wachile in the Southern Oromia region of Ethiopia, since the beginning of this month.

Top advisor in the crop protection department at Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture Zebdios Salato said that Ethiopia engaged the swarms by spraying pesticides from the air, using three helicopters leased from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). He further added

Displacement of people But in some cases, aerial spraying is not enough.

Huge swarms of locusts, the size of a city, forced more than 15,000 people to flee their homes this month in the Wachile region, said another agriculture official, Mohamed Abaqoda.

Abaqoda further explained that the displacement is because these are immature, wingless locusts that get around by hopping.

As such, he added, they feed on every green leaf, flood lakes, houses, anywhere. Well over 12 villages in the area have been displaced.

Experts have described the ongoing desert locust infestation in the Horn as the worst in 25 years. Salato said widespread rainfall in late March created an ideal environment for locust breeding. The situation may get worse when the insects mature and grow wings. The desert locust can fly up to 19 kilometers per hour and cover up to 130 kilometers per day.

Industry has pesticides ready for locust spraying, as swarms threaten on delays

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he government of Kenya has launched a potato seed multiplication program in six counties to address seed shortages that occur perennially. The Agriculture CS Peter Munya said the seeds have been produced under the highest level of genetic control to ensure they are pure and accurately represent the variety characteristics identified by the breeder during selection.

He added that the two-year project intends to add 2,500 metric tonnes of certified potato seeds into the national supply annually. He also explained that the output will be achieved through training of county extension staff on climate-smart potato production practices with an emphasis on revitalizing seed production and distribution.

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According to media reports, approximately 60 staff from Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Bomet, Nyandarua, Nyeri and Taita-Taveta counties have been trained on the multiplication process.

The new seeds, which have been produced by plant breeders at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (Kalro), will improve farmers’ access to certified potato seeds. This, in turn, will mitigate the effect of COVID-19 on potato production.

Production challenges Potato farmers in these counties continue to face various production challenges leading to an average production of 10 tonnes per hectare against a potential of 60 tonnes. Conversely,

climate change remains a major challenge generally to agriculture, including potato production.

Yara East Africa country manager William Ngeno notes that local potato farmers face numerous challenges, especially lack of quality seeds, which eventually dips their productivity and incomes.

“Most potatoes used by processors in Kenya are imported because the local produce is of poor quality and comes with a lot of defects,” explained Ngeno. To produce high quality tubers, according to him, farmers need good seeds, the right fertiliser and proper crop husbandry.

NEWS

Government body buys rice worth US $2.8m from farmers in Mwea, Kenya

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he Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC) has bought rice worth US $2.8m from farmers in Mwea, Kirinyaga County, following the presidential directive issued in March. A kilogram of rice is being bought at US$0.80 (Ksh.85) and farmers have delivered 9m kilos of their produce to their Mwea MultiPurpose Cooperative Society’s stores. Initially, unprocessed rice sold at US $0.42 (Ksh.45).

KNTC Chief Executive Officer Timothy Mirugi said the presidential directive must be implemented and urged the farmers to be patient.

When President Uhuru Kenyatta visited Kirinyaga recently, he directed KNTC to buy the rice to protect farmers, who grow the crop at the giant Mwea Irrigation Scheme, from exploitation by brokers.

Protection from brokes He noted that for decades, farmers had been exploited by middlemen, making it difficult for them to break even. Brokers normally offer between US $0.42(Ksh45) and US $0.47 (Ksh50) per kilogram of rice and farmers had been complaining that the prices were too low.

These prices made it difficult for farmers to make profits since the brokers took advantage of lack of markets for their produce to buy the commodity at a throw away price.

Deficits The Mwea scheme produces 80% of rice consumed in Kenya. However, the production is

not enough and Kenya has to import more rice to cater for the deficit. Currently the government is constructing the US $188,582 Thiba Dam in Rukenya village, Gichugu Constituency to boost rice farming so that the country can produce enough for its rising population and surplus for export.

Kenyan government launches potato seed multiplication program to address shortage

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he government of Kenya has launched a potato seed multiplication program in six counties to address seed shortages that occur perennially. The Agriculture CS Peter Munya said the seeds have been produced under the highest level of genetic control to ensure they are pure and accurately represent the variety characteristics identified by the breeder during selection.

He added that the two-year project intends to add 2,500 metric tonnes of certified potato seeds into the national supply annually. He also explained that the output will be achieved through training of county extension staff on climate-smart potato production practices with an emphasis on revitalizing seed production and distribution.

According to media reports, approximately 60 staff from Uasin Gishu, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Bomet,

Production challenges Potato farmers in these counties continue to face various production challenges leading to an average production of 10 tonnes per hectare against a potential of 60 tonnes. Conversely, climate change remains a major challenge generally to agriculture, including potato production.

Nyandarua, Nyeri and Taita-Taveta counties have been trained on the multiplication process.

The new seeds, which have been produced by plant breeders at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (Kalro), will improve farmers’ access to certified potato seeds.

This, in turn, will mitigate the effect of COVID-19 on potato production.

Yara East Africa country manager William Ngeno notes that local potato farmers face numerous challenges, especially lack of quality seeds, which eventually dips their productivity and incomes.

“Most potatoes used by processors in Kenya are imported because the local produce is of poor quality and comes with a lot of defects,” explained Ngeno. To produce high quality tubers, according to him, farmers need good seeds, the right fertiliser and proper crop husbandry.

May - June 2020 | 5

NEWS

Canna-Q seeks international partnerships

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anna-Q, a transformative Lesotho-based medicinal cannabis project is seeking strategic partners in Europe and the United States in the coming months.

Rawjee notes that while there has been significant interest in the project from both local and international partners, a lack of knowledge around the country and its frontier market status mean that many potential partners are still trying to understand the operating environment.

The $15m project will be seeking partners interested in offtake and distribution agreements as well as other strategic and funding partnerships.

“Despite the disruption caused by the COVID-19 lockdowns, we have seen a significant amount of interest in this project,” says Canna-Q CEO Shabeer Moosa. The company recently hosted a webinar for investors, media and other project partners who are interested in entering one of the top frontier markets.

“Ideally we would like to engage partners in developed markets who are interested in supply agreements from a GMP certified manufacturing facility,” says transaction advisor Zahra Rawjee from Uzenzele.

Lesotho – with its progressive regulatory environment - has positioned itself as a gateway to the African cannabis sector. The country enjoys a high-quality water supply, fertile soil and robust labour market – making it an ideal country to partner with for long-term medicinal cannabis supply.

International investors have begun to recognize the potential in emerging markets with a number of US listed businesses making investments into Lesotho based cannabis projects.

“Research from Prohibition Partners estimates that the global cannabis industry will be worth over $103bn by 2024 and emerging markets are likely to be major contributors to the global supply chain but there is still limited knowledge around the projects and the licensing in countries like Lesotho – our on-the-ground experience in Lesotho and South Africa means that we can help guide partners as the market evolves,” says Rawjee.

Moosa concludes: “Canna-Q is backed by an experienced project team that understands the local market and we believe we offer access to one of the most exciting frontier cannabis markets in the world.”

Kenya poultry farmers lobby group asks for a halt in imports due to oversupply

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he Federation of Kenya Poultry Farmers, a farmer lobby group has asked the Department of Veterinary Services and Department of Livestock Production to temporarily suspend the importation of processed poultry products from all the East African Community countries following what they said was an oversupply of the same.

Failure to do this, they said, would result in the local poultry farmer selling their processed meat at throwaway prices. In April, President Uhuru Kenyatta urged farmers to increase production so that Kenyans don’t get hungry during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a press statement issued by Kenya Poultry Breeders Association, in the same month, also urged poultry farmers to increase production, “we foresee a massive shortage of chicken and egg supply in the next coming months due to decline in day-old chicks placement over the past three weeks. Therefore, we are encouraging our farmers not to stop the chicken business. The government has laid down measures to ensure poultry farming will not be interrupted including feed supply and chicken distribution.”

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Monica Wanjiru, the President of Federation of Poultry Farmers said Kenya has a surplus of 253 days in chicken inventory. This means that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the projected supply of poultry products will be good to last at least until the second half of 2021.

Infact, and conversely, Monica says, The COVID-19 crisis has severely aggravated the situation with the closure of hotels, restaurants, and other institutional buyers coupled with the restrictions in the movement of goods and people.

As of May 20, the inventory for dressed chicken frozen inventory stood at 71.86m kilos, a data from the Kenya Poultry and Breeders Association (KPBA). This according to only cold storage facilities accredited by the association.

According to the farmers’ lobby group, the cessation of imports will help preserve the remaining production potential for 2020. This will cushion the local industry, especially those at the breeder stage of the value chain, to be able to hold on until times are less volatile.

NEWS

New digital publication offers nut processors valuable advice The loan will extend additional resources to Kenya as the country takes steps to contain the spread of the pandemic and deal with its unprecedented impact

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he Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org) today approved an €188 million loan to support the Government of Kenya’s efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigate the related economic, health and social impacts.

The loan will extend additional resources to Kenya as the country takes steps to contain the spread of the pandemic and deal with its unprecedented impact. It follows a request by the Government of Kenya, as part of its COVID-19 Emergency Response intervention, to help contain the scourge.

The Bank’s support will strengthen the national health system to effectively respond to the pandemic, build economic resilience and ensure quick recovery. The Bank’s intervention will also

be used to support the poor and vulnerable people who have been negatively affected by the pandemic.

“We are very pleased to join other development partners in supporting the Government of Kenya’s efforts in mitigating the financial impact of the pandemic, especially in terms of the country’s expenditure in the health, social and economic sectors. The next step will focus on helping build resilience for post COVID-19,” the Bank’s Acting Director General for East Africa, Nnenna Nwabufo, noted.

Since Kenya’s first COVID-19 infection was confirmed on 12 March 2020, cases have risen to over 1,000, while the number of recoveries and deaths are 375 and 50, respectively, as of 22 May 2020. The pandemic is placing significant

TOMRA FOOD PUBLISHES E-BOOK FOR NUT PROCESSORS New digital publication offers nut processors valuable advice

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OMRA Food has published an eBook to help nut processors tackle underlying operational challenges, which are now intensifying because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new 15-page publication, downloadable free-of-charge from TOMRA Food’s website, spotlights how some nut processing challenges are longstanding but others are new and unprecedented. Not least, market trends and climate change threaten to shake-up the industry.

The eBook explains why the global demand for nuts is booming and how this is putting processors under pressure to achieve higher throughputs.

The eBook also looks at how processors, in apparent contradiction to their need for speed, are also expected to raise product quality because

of the heightened expectations of consumers and retailers. This shift towards higher quality specifications is at the heart of another conflict of objectives: processors are simultaneously expected to contain costs, particularly now that global economies are affected by the pandemic.

And in yet another conflict, labor, water and energy are all becoming more expensive.

Labor and water are also becoming increasingly scarce. As workers in developing nations find themselves with more options, many become unreliable or opt out of manual labor jobs. And as climate change alters rainfall patterns and water availability, growing and harvesting seasons are disrupted in ways which require processors to operate with more agility.

pressure on an already stretched healthcare system. It has disrupted supply chains and caused job losses in the tourism, hospitality, horticulture and airline industries, among others.

In addition, informal and self-employed workers have also lost their livelihoods due to the impact of the pandemic.

The government’s response to the pandemic has been swift and multi-faceted, covering a range of measures including health-related containment measures, protection of the poor and vulnerable, provision of support to local businesses and to sustaining jobs. The Bank’s intervention, through the COVID-19 Emergency Response Support Program, is designed to support these measures.

As a result of demand and supply shocks, Kenya’s real GDP growth is projected to fall to between 0.6 and 1.4 percent from the initial 2020 projection of 6 percent.

In April, the Bank extended an emergency grant to help countries in the East and Horn of Africa, including Kenya, that are contending with swarms of locusts that are threatening food security.

Kenya is facing its worst swarms in 70 years. In Ethiopia and Somalia, the outbreak is the worst in 25 years.

A further challenge is food safety standards.

Always vital, these are now under even greater scrutiny because consumers are increasingly aware of allergens, pathogen, and aflatoxins – and of their power, through social media platforms, to broadcast any dissatisfaction with product standards.

These challenges are remarkable for their breadth, but so too are the capabilities of sorting machines. As the eBook observes in its concluding section, state-of-the-art sorting technologies can now do more than detect and remove unwanted materials from processing lines. Sorting machines also reduce labor dependency, reduce water usage, minimize food waste to maximize yields, enable traceability, and help processors optimize productivity and profits.

Many of the challenges faced by nut processors can be answered with technology, and those processors who invest in state-of-the-art solutions can gain a competitive advantage.

May - June 2020 | 7

NEWS

IFAD supports projects that increase agricultural productivity and incomes in Madagascar Rural development projects financed and supported by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have helped to reduce rural poverty and increase rural entrepreneurship in Madagascar, according to a new report presented today.

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benefited from training and outreach activities, which are essential for the development of our beneficiaries’ capacities and the dissemination of improved production techniques”, said Fabrizio Felloni, Interim Officer-in-Charge, IOE.

he report, prepared by IFAD’s Independent Office of Evaluation (IOE), reviews the joint work of IFAD and the Government of Madagascar over the past seven years (20132019), covering six projects with a total project cost of US$510 million, of which 59 per cent was financed by IFAD. The evaluation report highlights achievements as well as areas for further improvement.

IFAD- supported projects aim to raise the incomes and improve livelihoods, food security and living conditions of the world’s poorest people, who live in rural areas of developing countries. In the years after the 2009-2012 political crisis, IFADsupported projects helped rural poor by providing them with the abilities and skills to improve their productivity and better capitalize on economic opportunities.

Several projects introduced innovations into Madagascar, leading to positive results. For instance, IFAD was successful in integrating a large number of microenterprises and small businesses into high-value sectors by pairing farmers’ organizations with market operators, which improved farmers’ access to the markets.

According to the report, the creation of nearly 400 of these pairs attracted over US$5.4 million in private sector investments.

“We are quite proud of our gains in Madagascar in terms of rural productivity, incomes and entrepreneurship. Linking farmers with market operators was key for improving economic opportunities in rural areas”, said Sara MbagoBhunu, Regional Director of IFAD’s East and Southern Africa Division (ESA).

IFAD played a key role in improving access of rural entrepreneurs to productive assets, support services and financial services. The report states that IFAD helped create networks of service providers, and collaboration and support platforms, thus contributing to the development of rural entrepreneurship.

Capacity development and training for young farmers helped them set up and develop their own businesses. “Approximately 70,000 people

IFAD’s work in the country is not over, however, and he went on to describe some of the areas for future work. “The report shows that there is a need to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of the operations, by better engaging key actors such as microfinance institutions, better defining the geographical reach of operations and further strengthening capacity development and skills,” Felloni said. “Additional efforts are also needed to integrate the most vulnerable into the country strategy and programme. The evaluation recommends to fine tune targeting, providing more subsidies for income-generating activities and credit to help the most vulnerable people participate fully in these activities.”

According to the evaluation report, the management of natural resources and adaptation to climate change impacts needs to become a key objective in IFAD’s next country strategy for Madagascar. IFAD is looking at how it can improve work in this area in order to ensure sustainability and improve the livelihoods of the rural poor.

Sierra Leone’s varsity signs MoU with AVDP for oil palm project

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jala University Sierra Leone has signed a US $ 191m Memorandum of Understanding with the Agriculture Value Chain Development Project (AVDP) to implement an Oil Palm project at the University Secretariat.

of Agriculture and the Project Management Unit of AVDP to Njala Campus. He assured the AVDP Project Management Unit and the Deputy Minister that his staff at the School of Agriculture have all what it takes to implement the project.

School of Agriculture and Food Science, praised the Acting Vice Chancellor and Principal for the support accorded to the School of Agriculture in actualizing the eventual signing of the MOU.

The project is funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and is geared towards nursing around 540, 000 oil palm seedlings in the next three months for onward distribution to fifteen districts across the country.

On his part, the deputy minister of Agriculture, Dr Abdu Karim noted that the New Direction Government was not only keen in improving agriculture for farmers but it is also committed to building the capacity of key institutions like Njala University to enhance national agricultural promotion. While giving the vote of thanks, Dr Alieu Bah, Head of Department, Crop Science,

He underscored the point that the project would increase the profile of the University to once more provide jobs and enhance the capacity of women and youths in the surrounding communities. He continued that Njala University would also benefit from tools and training for its students during the project implementation stage.

Acting Vice Chancellor and Principal, Professor Osman Sankoh welcomed the Deputy Minister

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NEWS

These factors driving extreme hunger could kill far much more than COVID-19 in Africa if lockdowns persist without clearing the “choke-points” in the food supply chain to the vulnerable, the meeting observed.

Retool annual budgets toward agriculture production and expand food reserves, as COVID-19 exacerbates food scarcity, urges African Development Institute seminar Africa must now, more than ever, develop and implement policies to enhance capacity to compete in the agriculture sector, processing, trade and industry

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frican countries need to urgently expand food reserves, keep food supply flowing and boost their agriculture budgets to avert a possible hunger pandemic, partly caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, delegates at a twoday webinar hosted by the African Development Institute (ADI) urged on Tuesday.

Africa must now, more than ever, develop and implement policies to enhance capacity to compete in the agriculture sector, processing, trade and industry, the speakers said in a clarion call for action.

Noting that COVID-19 has fast-tracked the transition to the 4th Industrial Revolution era, participants also called on African governments to scale up technology for agriculture production, including private sector-led initiatives, to build resilience and grow the sector to self-sufficiency.

The webinar, titled, Building Resilience in Food Systems and Agricultural Value Chains: Agricultural Policy Responses to COVID-19 in Africa, examined the pandemic’s impacts on Africa’s agri-food systems and offered policy recommendations to make them more resilient and efficient.

The dialogue, which drew 770 experts from 57 countries, was the second in a series ADI organised under its Global Community of

Practice (G-CoP) to provide evidence-based policy guidance to African Development Bank Group member countries.

Participants urged governments to prioritise agriculture and agribusiness in national security agenda by implementing structural reforms.

Reforms proposed include merging ministries of agriculture, health, trade and industry and environment into ‘One Health Ministry’ for greater impact.

Introducing trade or non-trade barriers is not a welcome policy in Africa, especially during the pandemics, the forum noted. It therefore called on Africa to establish green corridors and domestic food systems and keep inter-regional food supply chains open during the pandemic.

Many African countries must import food to meet domestic demand and so face dangerous food shortages due to COVID-19 related supplychain disruptions. Further, a number of countries in East Africa and the Horn are grappling with another food security threat: locust swarms.

Participants noted that food insecurity had been a problem prior to the pandemic, as many African countries lack adequate strategic food reserves.

Other challenges, including climate change, water scarcity, and poorly developed agricultural markets were also discussed.

Without COVID-19, many of our people were already hungry. The pandemic has worsened the situation. Let’s call this an emergency for food production and let this crisis not waste, they noted.

Speakers likened this to “a silent war on the most vulnerable populations without guns.”

Participants offered several policy solutions, including promotion of research; enhancing capacity; and expansion of regional agricultural trade, with the African Continental Free Trade Area representing one pathway to resilient regional food supply chains. The experts also called for the establishment of national agricultural productivity accelerator funds to support smallholder farmers and SMEs to ramp up production.

Women represent a large share of the agriculture workforce, and participants urged the deployment of funding and technical support, including cash transfers to women and smallholder farmers, to accelerate agriculture and food production. They proposed that long-term contracts should be signed with local producers, urban farmers and suppliers to help safeguard supply. The Bank’s Technologies for African Transformation (TAAT) and the Special Agricultural Processing Zones (SCPZs) were identified as good stimulators for building resilience in African food systems and agricultural value chains.

The webinar, organized in partnership with African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE), featured speakers from the World Bank, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), universities of agriculture, and agricultural policy research institutions and networks.

The African Development Institute (ADI) is the African Development Bank’s focal point for Capacity Development. Its goal is to lead efforts at building sustainable capacity for development effectiveness in the Bank’s regional member countries.

May - June 2020 | 9

COVER STORY

Ve r o n a - I TA LY w w w . m e c m a r . i t m e c m a r @ t i n . i t tel +39 044299229 fax +39 044299531

Mecmar for Africa:

importance of mobile dryers E

very year, 1/3 of cereals produced globally is lost before reaching the consumer, for a total of about 600 million tons of loss. One of the main causes is the presence of aflatoxins – harmful and carcinogenic elements – that expose everyday millions of people to health damage and economic loss. The reason why these toxins occur is humidity, which leads to the degradation of crops; the solution is drying through mobile grain dryers.

Advantages of grain drying Drying has been a technique known for thousands of years, but its mechanization through grain dryers is the turning point that can bring a decisive added value in terms of health, economy and social well-being.

The grain dryers are specifically designed to remove moisture from any type of cereal (corn, rice, barley, soybean, ‌). These machines

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operate an effective and rapid treatment, without damaging the beans. Mobile grain dryers represent the optimal solution for any farm or farmer.

Their use allows to eliminate several risks, like the presence of aflatoxins. Aflatoxins are among the most carcinogenic existing substances: they can cause serious damage to health, such as hepatocellular carcinoma, both in humans and in animals. These mycotoxins represent a danger not only for the liver, but also for the kidneys, lungs, urinary tract and digestive system.

The use of mobile grain dryers allows to eliminate humidity and therefore the presence of aflatoxins, but there are many other advantages. Traditional methods of sun drying implicate a long time, unpredictability due to variable atmospheric conditions, as well as risks of attack by birds or rodents and risks of theft of the cereal.

Compared to traditional methods, a mobile grain dryer allows to reduce the drying times: to complete the treatment this solution takes only a few hours. Mecmar mobile grain dryers are delivered pre-assembled, they are easy to use and robust (many dryers, mounted in the ’80, are still perfectly functioning); they are transportable, for quick repositioning from one place to another.

Thanks to Mecmar mobile grain dryers, the cereal is treated homogeneously, so that it can be preserved and stored even in the long term: this entails a significant improvement in the postharvest phase as well as a reduction in losses and waste, normally caused by the deterioration of the product due to the excess of moisture in the beans.

The range of mobile dryers Mecmar include small and big dryers, to satisfy several different needs. Mecmar mobile dryers can adapt both to smallholder farmers and drying centres. A few examples of use: • CPT 10 mobile dryer, perfect for small cooperatives of farmers who can use the same dryer together thanks to its easy portability.

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SSI 28 and S 34 mobile dryers, ideal solution for storage centers that create collection points to dry 200-250 tons of product per day.

STR 13 mobile dryer, excellent for contractors who offer their service by moving from one farmer to another, to dry small or medium quantities of product.

When to use a mobile dryer?

Mecmar mobile grain dryers adapt to numerous realities, thanks to models of various sizes, capable of drying small and large quantities of cereal. This solution can be advantageously adopted by small and large farms, storage centers, subcontractors who offer a drying and cleaning service for cereals at farms and also by purchasing groups formed by small farms, which can bear the cost together for joint use of the dryer.

The wide range of Mecmar mobile grain dryers, made up of numerous different models in terms of capacity and size, can satisfy all drying needs and guaranteeing optimal yields.

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PRODUCT

Limpopo citrus, lemon exporter acquires second Bobcat S550

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small agricultural enterprise in the Loskop Dam Valley in the Sekhukhune District of Limpopo in northern South Africa has just acquired its second S550 skidsteer loader from Bobcat Equipment South Africa. Krokodilsdrift Boerdery, trading as KDB Farm, has been a family-run operation since 1963, mainly exporting lemons and grapes. It uses the Bobcat S550s with a pallet fork attachment to convey full fruit bins out of the orchard, from where these are transported to the packhouse, owner Chris Moolman explains.

Hailing from the construction industry, Moolman is a lifelong fan of the Bobcat ‘One Tough Animal’

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brand due to the quality and versatility of its machines, due to the wide range of attachments available for its skidsteer loaders in particular.

“I am extremely satisfied with the service from Bobcat, both during the sales process and the aftermarket support provided. We have not yet had to rely on this support because the machines are so durable and have performed amazingly to date,” Moolman comments.

Bobcat and SANY sales representative Jean Botha elaborates that KDB Farm also uses its Bobcat S550s for road-repair work, in addition to bin collection and crate packing using the handy pallet fork attachment. The second skidsteer

loader was delivered at the end of April.

“This is an ideal all-round machine for an operation like KDB Farm, as it is able to switch-out the standard bucket to the pallet fork attachment in a mere 30 seconds,” Botha adds. Another key benefit for such clients is the low total cost of ownership and reduced maintenance.

Moolman is so impressed with his Bobcat S550s that he is likely to continue his relationship with Bobcat Equipment South Africa by acquiring a versatile B730 in the near future. This tractor loader backhoe is ideal for a range of applications, from digging to trenching, breaking, or even materials-handling.

PRODUCT

Liquid Fertilizer LF 600 -

With diversity to healthy soils

agent doser are particularly suitable here. The microorganisms mixed in immediately, which increases efficiency even more. The aim of the application is to stimulate soil life, the effective reduction of pathogens and accelerate rotting of crop residues.

Liquid Fertilizer LF 600 M1 - The specialist for liquids The Liquid Fertilizer LF 600 M1 has been specially developed to take advantage of the benefits of our Pneumatic Seeders PS for liquid applications. It maximizes the localization with a spot jet or flat jet, which is used for liquid and inoculated fertilizers.

Key elements are: the regulation of the dosage, the simultaneous use during the main operation as well as the possibility to determine with the highest precision the area and the type of product distribution. It increases the effectiveness of the application.

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odern agriculture and crop farming is plagued by many problems. The species impoverishment of soil life reduces many agricultural soils to their function as pure cultivable land. The natural ability of soils to provide stability and to cushion negative environmental influences well is increasingly being lost. The result is a structureless, bare soil that can no longer provide for healthy plants - which has already occurred in many places or is already foreseeable.

Stubble cultivation Fast rotting without rotting of straw, stubble and other crop residues is a desirable goal in stubble cultivation for various reasons. Combined applications of a soil tillage implement and liquid

Are you interested?

Then contact your local sales partner or an APV sales representative (Link: https://en.apv.at/contact/distributionpartners/

The use of regenerative microorganisms, combined with good agricultural practice, significantly strengthens the (microbiological) biodiversity. Their enormous importance is gradually coming into focus due to the role model effect of pioneering and rethinking. Soil health is our real capital - a fact that will have a major impact on our future. Because only intact ecosystems guarantee long-term security and yield. (Source: The Northern Forests)

May - June 2020 | 13

OPINION

Coronavirus has stresstested our food systems, and many are set to fail

By Eric Kimunguyi, CEO, Agrochemical Association of Kenya

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oronavirus has brought enormous setbacks, suffering, and forecasts of a global depression ahead following the closure of so many economies for so long. But if there has been one area where it has exposed our global fragility, that area has been food.

Certainly, the curfews, lockdowns and workplace closures delivered an uptick in power cuts, but there’s no great clamour about our energy infrastructure now being under threat of failure. Likewise, with water, it remains far from accessible to all, but has not been plundered by this year’s pandemic. Shelter could take a hit on joblessness and unpaid rents. But the elephant in the room is definitely food.

That hasn’t gone unremarked. At the level of international geopolitics, the World Food Programme has warned us all that we are moving into a famine of what it has called ‘biblical’ proportions, by which, it’s fair to say, the WFP meant ‘humanity threatening’.

That made some headlines. But not too much concern at street level. Likewise, economists and academics keep muttering darkly in jargon about food supply chain issues and food security. What they mean is, we are going to be short of food: very short of food indeed. In fact, we are going to be shorter of food later this year than we have ever been on Planet Earth in any of our lifetimes.

So, with the translations provided on the biblical famine and food supply chain issues, how has this happened, and what can we do to prevent starvation?

Well, the trouble began by locking most of the world into their homes during the planting season, stopping a lot of logistics that were transporting seeds, fertilisers and pest control products, keeping most seasonal workers away from the fields, and additionally messing up the ways food is bought (much of it through restaurants, for instance), resulting in agricultural throwaway and

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leaving farmers additionally short of payments to fund replanting, while other stocks were impaired as different food stocks were, conversely, run down.

Across all, the food chain took a row of hits, with far more food thrown away than normal, and far less planted.

In Kenya, our own horticulture, which was feeding Europeans with vegetables, couldn’t get air cargo space and is still being limited by tripled transport charges. We also had excessive rain that reduced our last harvests and the largest locust invasion this century.

There is, nonetheless, some time-lag in the impact of all those problems. Take our bread.

Wheat accounts for 28 per cent of the cereals we consume, where maize accounts for 56 per cent.

Yet we import nearly all of our wheat to make the bread that is a significant part of our diet. Some 30 per cent of that imported wheat comes from Russia, but Russia isn’t going to suffer a bread shortage of its own sending its wheat to us to keep our bread going. Threatened with running short, it banned its wheat exports on 26th April until later this year.

Some of its wheat was already on ships in transit to us. But by the third week of May, our commodity importers reported that wheat deliveries due from Russia had not arrived. Some ordered extra from Argentina, because Argentina and Russia – being southern and northern hemisphere – have different planting cycles and seasons. But as the disruption feeds through to those who were freshly harvested as well as to those who were due to harvest from now, the number of alternative sources will become fewer.

And without imported wheat Kenyans simply won’t have any bread. Nor any rice to speak of either. From the first glimpse of the hunger now ahead, we at the Agrochemical Association of

Kenya began communicating through every means possible that #EveryCropCounts this year, urging farmers to plant more, government to subsidise imputs, organisations to support every endeavour to control pests, manage soil, and maximise yields.

But as we face months ahead of unprecedented hunger, encouraging the maximum possible harvests through more planting and higher yields, is but a first step. For what this pandemic has brought home – and this will speak far more plainly to many in weeks and months to come as they cannot buy the food they need – is just how vulnerable our food system is.

We store little. We add value to little. We lose a lot to low yields and poor pest control, getting sometimes less than a fifth of the possible production from the land we have. Despite having some of the finest agricultural land in Africa, we import large swathes of our food, and while we talk about sustainable production in the face of climate change, we have paid far less attention to the resilience of our food supplies to all other disruptions.

And yet the lessons are there. In 2017, we lost 70 per cent of our maize to Fall Army Worm at a time when we could import maize from elsewhere.

This year, we have fed millions of locusts with food destined for our nation, and now face every kind of possible food shortfall.

Thus, if a single good thing can come from the food challenges we now face, it will be our attention to stocks and storage, to yields and selfsufficiency and value addition, and to how we make food security about protecting ourselves from all the risks we didn’t protect ourselves from in time for the Coronavirus pandemic.

And if we do that, something great will have come from all of this: as the first real stress test on our way-too-fragile food system.

PRECISION SPRAYING

danie.laeveld@ncrconsulting.co.za

danie@ncrconsulting.co.za

jan@ncrconsulting.co.za

FEATURE

Mustapha Diyaol-Haqq: millennial prodigy behind the AI wave that is Okuafo Foundation

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ustapha Diyaol-Haqq was raised in Old Tafo, in the Ashanti Region, Ghana. He is a Software Developer and a Code Instructor at Ghana Code Club, where he teaches children and adults in Ghana the fundamentals of Computer Science. As a Content Developer for Ghana Code Club, Mustapha worked to produce the Artificial Intelligence curriculum for children, the first of its kind in Africa. Mustapha is on a mission to bridge the gap between minorities and technology. Due to his exceptional and inspirational story, Mustapha was appointed the Youth Ambassador for Africa Code Week 2019 and his NGO, Okuafo Foundation, took home US$600,000 as the winner in the Food Category,– Zayed Sustainability Prize 2020.

As an Applied AI Researcher, Mustapha looks to solve some of the African continent’s biggest challenges using Artificial Intelligence. His research is focused on sectors that play important roles in improving the African economy such as Agriculture and Healthcare. Mustapha is the cofounder and Applied AI Researcher of Okuafo Foundation, an NGO in Ghana with the mission of minimizing hunger and poverty in Africa by building tech solutions to help farmers increase yield and prevent losses.

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of smallholder farmers. These farmers in rural communities mostly lack access to reliable information and real-time help with regards to pest control and disease management. However, with our mobile solutions, smallholder farmers can now have easy access to expert-level knowledge with a tap of a button – with or without internet connectivity. Our machine learning platforms enable farmers to detect, at an early stage, pest infestations and take actions to avoid spread and further damage to their crops. This means, farmers will spend little or no money on pesticides and have increased yield, enabling them to support themselves and their families beyond the farming season.

Mustapha Diyaol Haqq - Director of AI, Auricle

Farmers Review Africa managed to get a hold of the young tech-enthusiast and AI Researcher who provided more insight on the Foundation’s innovation the Okuafo AI App, the inspiration behind it, how it works and some of the challenges faced in the development and roll-out of the same.

“The Okuafo AI App is inspired by the needs

The Okuafo AI App uses an innovative user interface design. The interface allows you take a photo of a crop, then the app analyses the crop and detects the disease (if any). The predicted disease is shown as a number (Example: 1, 2, 3, 4…). The farmer can then tap on the number and get further insights.

The insights are delivered in a local dialect to enable farmers to take actions that are sustainable to prevent losses. Recommendations are in the form of an animated video that explains exactly

how the farmer should handle the infestation.

Our applications are trained with images of crops both healthy and infested (example images). The machine learning model is built to learn from these images, learn the patterns and features of diseases.

With an average accuracy of 93.3%, the applications are then able to predict whether a given image is healthy or infested. Due to the complexity of our algorithms, the machine learning model is able to extract very fine details which enables it to detect diseases at an early stage even before the human eye notices it.

The model is “frozen” and embedded in the application and runs on the device locally without the need for internet connectivity to make an inference.

Our greatest challenge has always been how to expand our platform and reach more smallholder farmers as most of them are in extremely remote locations and spread across the country. Scaling our initiatives will mean investments in expanding our server infrastructure, cloud computing platforms, trainers, and field officers. We could never have achieved this without the Prize. The Zayed Sustainability Prize is enabling us to scale

our platforms, develop new ideas and partner with Governments and other organizations for greater impact.”

On ensuring that the smallholder farmers are not locked out of the Okuafo AI App because of financial constraints, Mustapha and his very able team have introduced a program that allows them to serve a small village (20 – 50 farmers) with one smartphone. Farmers without smartphone can opt for their farms to be scanned by assigned ‘farmer leaders’. This ensures that a lot of farmers are able to access the Foundation’s tools and services.

He also adds that the Zayed Sustainability Prize has been instrumental in enabling them to develop a special plant disease detection kit.

The kit comes with a low-cost smartphone which has their apps installed by default. Powered by solar energy, the kit can work in extremely remote communities with or without internet connection. A smallholder farmer does not have to necessarily own a smartphone to benefit from our services, just being a farmer in communities within our reach, simply makes you a beneficiary.

The Okuafo AI App allows farmers with no literacy background to interact with the app and get insights into what is happening on their farms. This makes it the first of its kind as it is

an all in one package. Aside detecting diseases in real-time, the app connects farmers in rural areas with experts with a touch of a button.

This feature is only needed in cases where the farmer isn’t satisfied with the insights and recommendations or need additional information.

The recommendations feature built into the apps, brings top-level scientific knowledge to the farmer with ease. This removes the need for an Agriculture Extension Office in most cases.

“As it stands, we are optimizing our platforms for improved accuracy and access which includes translating content into different languages in order to be accessed by different countries in Africa. For the next 3 – 5 years, we will focus on research and development of low-cost technologies for sustainable agriculture as well as training field agents who can in turn, train small scale farmers to use our technology. This will impact the overall yield of small-scale farming in Ghana.

Our community intervention projects are also aimed at helping rural farmers process their harvests using renewable energy powered machines, reducing their reliance on more traditional energy sources such as diesel and kerosene.

We encourage SMEs, NPOs, NGOs and other sustainable organizations to apply for the prize – the experience is incredible and the prize money is truly transformative! Entries close this Thursday 11th June 2020.”

As a parting shot, Mustapha asserts that Artificial Intelligence presents a lot of potential for precision agriculture. AI can help in mitigating effects of climate change on farmers. In Ghana for instance, farmers have started experiencing the effects of climate change on their crops and overall output. Smart irrigation systems powered

by AI can help mitigate these effects on farmers and increase yield and profit.

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FEATURE

The “High 5s”: A strategic vision and results that are transforming Africa

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or the past ten years, Africa has recorded some of the world’s strongest rates of economic growth. At the same time, many African economies continue to function at well below their full potential. Structural transformation is needed to create more jobs, reduce poverty and accomplish sustainable development objectives.

The African Development Bank’s High 5 priority areas are intended to support African countries’ achievement of the SDGS. They are: Feed Africa; Light up Africa; Industrialise Africa; Integrate Africa; and Improve the Quality of Life for the people of Africa.

Atta Abdul, Fatima-Zahra, Shuaibu, and Daniel are the faces of a continent that is being transformed. By betting on Africa’s youth, the Bank is banking on the future to make the continent a land of progress, prosperity and hope.

Feed Africa Since 2015, 74 million Africans have benefited from improved agricultural technologies through the Bank’s efforts to support increased food security on the continent. In western Mauritania, for example, the Brakna-Ouest irrigation infrastructure improvement project, supported by the Bank in the amount of $12 million, enabled 1 500 farming and livestock-producing families to return to cultivating their fields.

“We come from a farming and livestockproducing family and we grew up in that environment. Our harvest was very poor. We wanted to move somewhere else,” explains Atta Abdul Seck, a project beneficiary in Louboudou in western Mauritania. “As a farmer’s son, what I liked most when I returned was being able to continue farming. Farming is in my blood,” he says proudly.

Light up Africa Without electricity, agriculture cannot effectively meet the growing challenge of food security in Africa. The Bank has made investment in energy a priority.

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Since 2016, it has mobilised $12 billion for its “Light Up Africa” strategic priority.

Through this investment, 13.4 million people have gained access to electricity.

Morocco has made significant progress in widening access to electricity. In just the past twenty years, the electricity system has expanded to cover almost the entire country. The national rural electrification program, supported by the Bank with 155 million euros, has connected nearly 12.8 million Moroccans to the national power grid.

In Dar El Aïn, a village twenty kilometres from Marrakesh, the arrival of electricity has opened new doors for the women of the “Al Amal” cooperative. They use electricity to process their wheat into couscous or create other barley or wheat-based products. “The cooperative processes local crops into added-value products. Now, with electricity, the women are much more efficient, and their products are of better quality. It creates hope,” says FatimaZahra, a thirty-year-old member.

Industrialise Africa As part of the Bank’s “Industrialise Africa” priority, 9 million people have gained access to private financing. In Nigeria, for instance, where more than 70 percent of the population depends on agriculture, fluctuating harvests have significant repercussions on yields, income and food security.

One solution is fertilizer, particularly if locally produced. The Bank provided $100 million to support construction of a modern fertilizer plant in Port Harcourt.

Shuaibu Yusuf, a farmer in his thirties who live near Port Harcourt, has experienced the impact of this project in his daily life. “When I used this fertilizer, I saw the difference. My harvest increased by more than 40 percent. I can feed myself, pay for my children’s education, and even their medical expenses,” he says. “I’m going to encourage my children, my neighbours and members of my community to

increase their farming activities so we can all progress together,” Shuaibu continues.

Integrate Africa To derive more benefit from industrialisation, Africa must become better integrated in terms of trade and markets. Through integration, African countries can gain access to larger markets and thereby increase incomes for millions of residents through new opportunities.

Since 2015, 69 million people have benefited from the Bank’s support for new transport infrastructure that has advanced integration. Gaps in the primary transport corridors have been filled, links between countries have been strengthened, and intra-African trade has been revitalised.

A good example of this is The Nairobi-Addis-Ababa corridor, which received$670 million in Bank financing and which has enhanced the potential for trade and job growth in Ethiopia and Kenya.

Daniel Yatta, a forty-year-old Kenyan lorry driver, has been transporting goods between Nairobi and AddisAbaba for 15 years, and has seen the new road’s impact on his business.

“Back in the day, it would take more than two weeks to drive between Addis and Nairobi,” he says. The new road has made his life much easier. “With the new road, the trip takes only a few days. With 30 tonnes of freight, it only takes about 24 hours to drive to Addis!” he continues.

Improve the quality of life for the people of Africa An important part of improving living conditions is providing better access to essential services such as health, water and sanitation. Since 2015, Banksupported projects have given 43 million people access to water and sanitation.

WATER SHORTAGES

LABOR SHORTAGES

QUALITY

CLIMATE CHANGE

INCREASED COSTS

FOOD SAFETY

THE CHALLENGES NUT PROCESSORS FACE AND THE SOLUTIONS.

FEATURE

How cows saved carrots [IMAGE:] Eduardo Sekita, CEO, Sekita Agronegócios (Courtesy Sekita Agronegócios)

“A challenge is an opportunity in disguise.” In the case of the Sekita family, who have been farming in Brazil for the last 80 years, it really was. Their willingness to meet challenges head-on and to try new things has made them one of Brazil’s most successful agribusinesses.

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apanese emigration to Brazil began in 1908 with many immigrants working in the expanding coffee industry. By the onset of World War II, the corridor was quickly closing; 19-year-old Katsuji Sekita packed a few clothes and booked a one-way ticket to Brazil. His future wife, Etsuko, had arrived in Brazil thirteen years earlier. After marrying, they bought a small farm in the state of Paraná, and with their hard-earned knowledge of farming, threw themselves into their work and raising a family.

A cooperative is born The Sekita’s sons eventually set out on their own, establishing farms in the fertile São Gotardo region; first Tamio, then Seiji and finally the youngest, Makoto, as well as the elder Sekita’s themselves, made the move. It was hard going with lots of challenges, politically and physically, as many areas still required opening-up for farming. However, in time, all three sons were successfully growing coffee, beans, corn and wheat – pooling their resources to hire employees, purchase inputs and negotiate prices for their crops.

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With a handful of friends and family members, the Sekitas formed their cooperative in 1991, with Makoto serving as CEO for the first 25 years.

Carrots and later garlic were brought under cultivation. Eduardo, a third-generation grandson was drawn to the work his uncles were doing, studying agronomy before joining the team in 1999; he has served as CEO since 2015.

The dairy business is expertly managed by another third-generation family member, Leonardo Garcia, Makoto’s son-in-law.

Just add milk In 2007, with fertilizer reaching upwards of 3,000 to 4,000 kilos per hectare, costs weighed heavily on the group. They identified three options, all of which involved generating manure to alleviate fertilizer costs: breed pigs, raise steers or implement a dairy farm. In discussions with GEA, they decided to add dairy cattle due to the quality and volume of the expected manure and the efficient space requirements of the cows, thanks in part to the GEA Freestall system they would purchase.

Although lacking experience, their own determination combined with GEA’s expertise and support, allowed them to get the dairy off the ground by 2008, “Twelve years ago, when we started the dairy business, GEA was the only company that fulfilled all of our aspirations.

They gave us the most support regarding animal comfort, milking and issues related to manure,” says Eduardo Sekita.

Reaping the rewards of good stewardship The dairy has been a clear win-win. It allowed the Sekita cooperative to optimize the land by adding another activity using existing acreage, without reducing vegetable production; optimize the use of their existing machinery; and lower their overall costs while generating a monthly revenue stream from milk sales, thus enabling better cash flow. They have also reduced the corn crop cycle by producing silage for feed and reduced nutrient exports by rotating other animal feed crops, which they’ve also learned to use more efficiently. Overall productivity is higher thanks to the application of manure.

FEATURE Future-proofing success Not immune to the turbulences in the dairy industry, Sekita Agronegócios depends on the quality of all of its products for its success.

“We always work with the best genetics and the best feed to produce the best quality milk in the region. That’s how we achieve differentiated prices,” explains Sekita. “We have a wide range of products and when the price drops in one, others help keep the business viable. It’s all about optimizing resources.”

The power of smart waste management A common complaint leveled at farmers with cows is that the manure is improperly managed and bad for the environment. With the Sekita dairy herd hovering around 1,500 cows, plus 300 dry cows and 2,000 calves and heifers, manure management has been a top priority since day one. The first step in the process is collecting the manure, urine, animal bedding and water from the sprinklers and placing it all in a homogenization tank where the solids are separated from

the liquid. The liquid waste then goes to the biodigester, which produces methane gas, which in turn is converted into electricity. The electricity powers the machine that washes the carrots and provides the energy for the cold storage rooms.

After the bacteria have transformed the liquid waste into biofertilizer, it’s applied to the crops via the irrigation system. The solid part of the waste is sent to a composting area – along with other vegetable waste – and eventually applied to the fields to replenish the soil’s organic matter.

Today, the Sekita cooperative has more than 40 members. Milk production is around 20 million liters per year (54,000 liters/day) and roughly 100,000 tons of vegetables, raised on 3,000 hectares, are sold each year throughout Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. The work is carried out by 1,500 dedicated employees.

In 2019, the highly awarded Sekita Agronegócios was again recognized as the fourth largest milk producer in Brazil according to the Top 100 MilkPoint survey. “What we’re proud of is not our ranking,” says Sekita humbly. “We see this as a result of teamwork – and as a team we’re always in search of excellence, which means producing quality food in a sustainable way.”

SCREW PRESS

Cotton Ginning

For cold pressed vegetable oil High quality for a continuous 24-hour operation

Pure quality, hard to beat

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May - June 2020 | 21

FEATURE

BMG works closely with the food and beverage sectors to raise hygiene standards throughout the food and logistics chain – from farmers, processors, manufacturers and packagers, to distributors, retailers and consumers.

Bmg provides critical engineering support to ensure safe and efficient food and beverage production and handling during the covid-19 lockdown

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MG – leading engineering solutions specialists - has been authorised to provide engineering components and support services to essential service providers, during the country’s COVID-19 lockdown period.

Apart from the supply of necessary engineering consumables and components, industry requires ongoing maintenance and refurbishment services, to ensure efficient productivity, particularly as lockdown levels start to shift towards level 1.

distribution. Our engineering solution services help our customers deliver on food safety and environmental and energy-efficient initiatives, through the supply and support of components for light materials handling, belting products, gearboxes, motors and variable speed drives (VSDs), bearings, seals and gaskets, power transmission components, valves, tools and equipment, as well as fasteners, food-grade lubricants and maintenance chemicals.

“The BMG team, remains committed to making sure industry is able to continue operating as safely and efficiently as possible during this challenging time. It is absolutely critical - while we are all vulnerable - that extra care is taken by companies to maintain pristine hygiene standards during food and beverage manufacture, storage, packaging and transportation,” says Mark Barbour, Group Product and Sales Manager, BMG.

“Added to this, BMG – through its ‘Boer Slim’/ Smart Farming initiative - offers local farmers sustainability solutions that focus on effective food production, to ensure there are adequate supplies of fresh foods for an anxious and vulnerable population, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are currently working closely with our customers in all sectors, including the food and beverage industry, to ensure that each plant is well-prepared to resume full production, as soon as the Government allows this. According to authorities, this virus is going to be with us for a very long time, so we all need to be prepared for new, stricter operating conditions. Even small faults in design, operation and maintenance can have huge negative impacts on the quality and safety of food products.

“BMG’s solutions for the food and beverage sector extend from processing, where raw ingredients are transformed, to packaging, where products are enclosed and protected for safe

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“This agricultural programme – which involves assisting farmers with the correct use of qualitybranded equipment and the importance of investing in advanced technologies - has never been more important. Our people rely on the dependable supply of fresh food, which our farmers are under enormous pressure to keep producing.”

BMG’s distribution centre in Droste Park, Johannesburg, is operational and fully-stocked during the lockdown period, to help and support customers around the country and into Africa.

A comprehensive range of equipment and components comprises bearings, seals and gaskets; power transmission; hydraulics and pneumatics; fluid technology and filtration; drives, motors and controllers; materials handling; fasteners and tools.

Assessment of equipment and plant procedures A cornerstone of BMG’s service to the food and beverage sector is reliability engineering starting with an assessment of a plant’s operating processes and budgetary parameters. BMG’s initial design concept is enhanced by technical expertise for product specification, customdesign capabilities for improved productivity, timeous delivery of components, installation and commissioning, as well as support and maintenance of equipment. BMG also offers extensive customer training.

Selection of the appropriate FDAcomplaint equipment Through BMG’s assistance with careful and accurate product selection, correct installation methods and appropriate care of equipment, substantial savings can be made in reduced maintenance costs and minimal downtime.

The BMG team is also currently assisting essential service customers in other sectors, including water and waste water treatment facilities, coal mines and petrochemical plants. The company also works closely with service providers to power generation and pharmaceutical plants, as well as in ports, rail and road facilities.

Essential service providers requiring assistance are invited to contact BMG at this emergency number 0800022224.

FEATURE

Use of Aloe Vera, magadi soda as EVM in animal healthcare and management

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ith energy generated from renewable sources predicted to be among the major sources of power in the next decade, a company in the Philippines is tackling the challenge head-on and turning trash into a highly prized commodity. Ethno-veterinary Medicine (EVM) is stands for the belief, knowledge, practices and skills relating to animal healthcare and management, and is as ancient as the domestication of livestock.

Elements of ethno-veterinary culture include application of natural products such as pawpaw seeds and ginger, medicinal plants, edible earth and minerals on animal parts and products, manipulations and surgery such as castration and appeal to spiritual forces. In Kenya, EVM is highly practiced by the pastoral communities, but it is also gaining momentum in the medium and high potential farming systems.

BMG-AGR23102019 - Farmers Review Wednesday, 23 October 2019 2:03:19 PM

Government regulation The national government is mandated to provide for the regulation of production, quality assurance, import and export, marketing and sale of EVM alongside the conventional veterinary medicines while county governments are supposed promote judicious use of EVM in addition to modern medicine. However, successful implementation of EVM in the country starts with training adequate manpower that is able to integrate traditional animal healthcare with modern medicine. In this regard, therefore, veterinary medicine training institutions should consider allocating more time to the topic while the farming community should intensify production of medicinal plants for sustained supply.

Interaction with modern medicine For now, venturing into EVM requires caution due to possible interaction of EVM with modern drugs

that could lead to adverse effects, seasonality and geographical distribution of the plants used as traditional medicine, presence of quacks and unregistered traditional animal healers who are out to fleece farmers, variability and lack of standardization, inability by the herbal drugs to kill viruses and inadequate policy on the issue.

The EVMs whose use is on the increase include aloe plant species and magadi soda. There is a misconception that the above plants are a ‘treat it all’, thus their indiscriminate use has led to massive losses, especially in poultry where they are commonly applied. This is because the plants only treat a limited number of poultry diseases.

May - June 2020 | 23

FEATURE

CELLI PRESENTS NEW MULTI-PURPOSE SOLUTIONS FOR SOIL CULTIVATION IN AFRICA The Italian company, leader for over 60 years in the agricultural mechanization sector, offers a wide range of bedformers, rotary tillers, power harrows and subsoilers that are well suited for the land cultivated with cereals and vegetables in Mediterranean Africa, but also for and the various crops of Kenya and South Africa.

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elli’s solutions have always been born from attention and deep knowledge of the operators’ needs together with deep analysis of the features of the soil and the different crops. The company has been an Italian leader in design, construction and distribution of professional machines for soil preparation during the last 60 years.

Celli machinery is universally recognized for stiffness and durability over time: its products are capable of working in hard and stony soils that can be met in the cereal and horticultural crops of the Maghreb (Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco); at the same time, they have achieved excellent results in recent years on the South African market, a Country which is popular for the diversity of its crops (from corn to forage, horticulture and viticulture).

Celli products (all produced in Italy) distinguish by a high degree of customization (machines designed on the specific needs of the operators) and are able to optimize their work thanks to their modularity: a

24 | May - June 2020

single machine can obtain different types of soil cultivation through simple adjustments.

Bedformers are among the best-selling solutions that have established themselves in the market in recent years. Actually, they effectively treat stony and particularly hard soils, preparing an adequate seedbed to the most varied types of cultivation, even considering the presence of crop residues.

normal rotary tillers). This shows how Celli carries on its idea of modularity and multifunctionality, allowing operators to perform multiple kinds of tillage with a single working tool.

Bedformers represent the ideal solutions for crops that require pre-formed seedbeds; they are also available on request in the multi-bed versions, capable of creating different beds of various widths, thanks to the multiple adjustments of the shape of the bedformers.

Among the various models in the range, the fixed stone buriers – bedformers ARES and LOTHAR stand out. The first is an extremely innovative and versatile solution that can be combined with a seeder thus obtaining a double functionality of cultivation. This combined solution boasts a maximum power of 110 HP (81 KW) and can work the soil up to a depth of 22 cm.; it is thus able to prepare an adequate seedbed even in the presence of crop residues, guaranteeing drainage and permeability to the soil.

Celli innovations over the years have brought to the possibility of obtaining a double functionality in the rotation of the rotor in folding machines: the sense of rotation can be inverse with respect to the direction of travel of the machine (a typical feature for stone buriers) or standard rotation (like in

The LOTHAR stone burrier, on the other side, can refine the hardest and stony soils up to 25 cm. depth. Having a maximum power of 190 HP, it is also available in a folding version (LOTHAR P) of 280 HP, in various working widths and also matched with a bedformer (LOTHAR P / BF). The

range is then completed with the SUPER LOTHAR / P, which can be connected to high-power tractors (up to 450 HP), ensuring a high versatility of the offer also in terms of performance.

Talking about flexible solutions, MINIGO and GO fixed rotary harrows need a mention. Both can be equipped with an electrically operated mechanical seed drill: a single machine to work the soil in depth, preparing the seedbed and finalizing the seeding.

In addition to power harrows, rotary tillers have always been a very important part of the Celli range: a wide and complete program, ranging from smaller machines (such as the “bestsellers” B, DE and E) to more professional products such as ERGON and PIONEER. In addition to PTO-run soil tillage machines, Celli has also added in recent years a line of subsoilers, useful for carrying out the first tillage operation before proceeding with further steps to refine the soil. Celli thus confirms its attention to farmers’ needs. Thanks to this attitude, the company actually offers a range of professional machines that can be considered among the most complete

on the market (over 100 models of 10 different types), with solutions suitable for all types of soil and cultivation, as well as able to meet the needs of each customer. Celli machines are actually distributed to more than 70 countries, featuring technical innovations now considered as market standards and registered patents exported all over

the world. Production stands at 4 thousand units per year, all manufactured in its Italian factory.

For more information on the Company and its solutions: www.celli.it/en.

March May - -June April2020 2020| |25R 25

FEATURE

Increasing fuel efficiency and reducing costs in the agricultural industry

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rom simple things you can do like checking tyre pressure to leveraging the latest in agriculture technology, there are several ways farmers can increase fuel efficiency and save money. When the harvest season approaches, we know the last thing you want to worry about as someone who works in the agriculture industry is your fuel bill. That’s why we’ve pulled together some hints and tips to help boost fuel efficiency and save you money.

Healthy engine = better fuel economy Engine maintenance is key: Maintain and replace your air intake filters in line with the manufacturer’s specifications to ensure that enough air can enter the engine. Removing air intake filters and banging them on the tyre to clean them is a bad idea.

Minimise time spent at idle If you leave your engine on while you’re taking a break or catching up with neighbours, you’re

using fuel but not getting any value from it. It’s a simple change that can save money. Extended times spend at idle can also have a negative impact on engine life.

Easy, tiger!

Aggressive driving can increase fuel consumption, so avoid using unnecessary throttle. Can cultivation be done in a higher gear or baling done in Eco PTO mode to reduce engine speed? Try it. Most modern tractors display fuel consumption information to help you decide.

Get your tyre pressure right Low tyre pressure will increase fuel usage, but remember when operating in a muddy environment, low tyre pressures help to increase traction and reduce wheel slip, which will actually reduce wasted fuel. Many tractors are now fitted with tools to assist in generating traction and minimising wheel slip.

Keep radiators and radiator screens clean This will avoid any excess fan-on times and reduce the energy consumed by fan operation.

Be mindful of excess weight Using ballast in the field to achieve better weight distribution and traction, which will reduce fuel consumption overall, but avoid carrying excess weight when hauling loads at higher speeds. Take wheel weights off when hauling straw and fill your fuel tank with only the fuel you need. Remember, if you need 50 gallons to do a job, having a full tank will mean you’ve carried around more than 500 lb of additional weight throughout the day.

Check those oils Axle oil, rear axle oil and hydraulic oils should all be checked to ensure they are in-line with the manufacturer’s maintenance requirements and topped up where necessary. If the tractor is running low, it must work harder to cool the system, meaning more fuel is used.

Using the right equipment matters Use the right equipment for the job: Using appropriately sized equipment will help reduce your fuel bill. Don’t use a super heavy-duty tractor for grain carting if a 140 hp tractor will probably do.

Are you using those features correctly?

Use diff-lock and four-wheel drive appropriately: If these features aren’t used correctly, it can cause drag or wheel slip. You may have automatic settings to assist in using these features properly.

Technology can be your friend Make use of your vehicle’s features! Tools such as headland management, GPS coordination and field mapping have all been developed by OEMs to help you get the most out of their equipment.

Your local equipment dealer will be able to advise the best tools for your specific operation – if you don’t ask, you don’t get!

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FEATURE

Coffee in the time of COVID-19

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he COVID-19 effects are continuously being felt across the globe, with most of the countries under lockdown to reduce the spread of the virus. The changes of consumer habits as a result have had devastating implications on the different industries, and coffee is no different.

The coronavirus crisis is impacting every aspect of the coffee supply chain in some way — from the smallholder coffee farmer, to the exporter, to the roaster, to the consumer. As stay-at-home orders have become more widespread, many people have transitioned from drinking coffee at work or at a cafe to drinking coffee only in their homes. These changes in demand are having ripple effects throughout the whole supply chain.

While coffee sales at cafes and restaurants have plummeted due to COVID-19, home consumption has soared, with some supermarket chains in the United States reporting coffee sales up by 250% in recent weeks. Some specialty coffee companies that rely on cafe and food service sales have been hard hit, which has had a knock-

on effect for the farmers who sell a large share of their coffee to these companies. However, most farmers, cooperatives, and exporters have a diverse set of buyers and are not seeing a significant impact on sales.

Traders are reporting that they’ve been able to manage the few contract cancellations by finding new buyers in Asia — where sales are rebounding — or by canceling contracts for large diversified exporters who can cope with the cancellation.

Stable international prices On the other hand, and fortunately, international coffee prices have not fallen as has been the trend with other agricultural export crops like cocoa, cotton, and cashew nuts.

Mitigations have been put in place like wet mills that process cherry coffee which are operating in Kenya and DR Congo with social distancing and hygiene controls in place. This means that inasmuch as coffee exports may continue, there will definitely be significant risks of disruptions to supply chains because of the pandemic.

The main point of concern however, is the health of coffee farmers over this period. This is because if the virus begins to spread through coffee communities with limited healthcare services, the impact could be severe. The impact would vary depending on the populations in coffee communities. For instance, coffee communities with young populations may be less affected when compared to communities with older populations which could be especially susceptible to the virus.

Challenges faced by coffee farmers Coffee farmers in communities where COVID-19 has spread are being affected in three ways.

First, farmers who hire outside labor are reporting labor shortages, as farm laborers are either afraid or unable to travel. Farmers around the world are paying higher transportation costs to get their coffee to market. Finally, agro-inputs such as fertilizers are not readily available in some rural communities because of shop closures. More coffee farmers are likely to experience these disruptions in the coming months as the virus spreads to more coffee communities.

May - June 2020 | 27

FEATURE

Solea removes metal contaminants from soya powder residue with a magnet

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olea Belgium N.V., a Dupont company, recently introduced a new type of magnetic separator in their powder line; the Easy cleanflow magnet from Goudsmit Magnetics of Waalre (NL). This magnet checks soya powder for metal contaminants, such as stainless steel wear particles. The metal particles get into the product as a result of friction at the dryer drum and are absolutely undesirable. Solea’s design requirements for the magnetic separator were

that no operator would be required and that cleaning of the unit could be performed safely and efficiently. The unit also had to be dust-tight, food-proof and fitted with food-safe EC1935 seals.

The magnetic separator placed under the vibrating sieve meets all the requirements and removes minuscule metal particles and weakly magnetic stainless steel particles as small as 30 µm from powders.How the magnet works.

Stainless steel particles Solae is a food producer and, among other things, they process a residue of soya powder into an ingredient for the animal feed industry.

The residue contains minuscule metal particles approximately 30 µm in size and stainless steel wear particles, which the Easy cleanflow magnet removes. Grade 316 stainless steel, in particular, is difficult to extract.

This magnet is suitable for large production flows, and its distinguishing characteristic is the very high magnetic flux density of over 12,000 gauss at the contact surface of the bars. The presence of a deflector ensures that the product comes into direct contact with the bars, and the magnet captures no less than 60% of the difficult-to-filter grade 316 stainless steel particles. The magnet has a deep magnetic field and is dust-tight to an overpressure of 0.5 bar. It has a simple electric/ pneumatic control for user-friendly cleaning.

Magnetic separators Found in most food processing companies, magnetic separators are important filters for very fine metal separation. They even capture metal particles that a metal detector would miss.

Magnetic separators, such as the Easy cleanflow magnet, ensure optimum quality of the end product. They also prevent product recalls and costly damage claims, as well as – in some cases – machine crashes.

28 | May - June 2020

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PETKUS. May - June 2020 | 29R

FEATURE

International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC): Africa’s Trade Solutions Championing Partner in Agricultural Development

ITFC CEO Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol and Delegation inspect cotton farm in Burkina Faso

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tools, which would enable them to successfully mainstream in the global market.

he International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC) is a member of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group.

It was established with the primary objective of advancing trade among OIC Member Countries, which would ultimately contribute to the overarching goal of improving socioeconomic conditions of the people across the world.

Strategic Positioning and Unique Access Commencing its trade finance operations in January 2008, ITFC has provided more than US$51 billion to OIC Member Countries, making it the leading provider of trade solutions for the Member Countries’ needs. With a mission to become a catalyst for trade development for OIC Member Countries and beyond, the Corporation helps entities in Member Countries gain better access to trade finance and provides them with the necessary trade-related capacity building

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Farmers Review Africa was able to get an indepth interview on the activities of ITFC with the General Manager for Trade and Development, Nasser M. Al-Thekair. Mr. Al-Thekair explained how as a leader in Shari’ah-compliant trade finance, ITFC deploys its expertise and funds to businesses and governments in its member countries- with a primary focus of encouraging intra-trade among its member countries. In Africa, these countries include Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali, The Gambia, Guinea, and Senegal.

Nasser M. Al-Thekair -ITFC

Projects in Africa Agriculture value chains are an integral part of regional and global integration, linking countries to the global economy. Nowhere is this more prescient but in Africa, given its immense

importance to global agriculture and the launch of the long-anticipated African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA). The challenges are many, including financing gaps, value chain optimization and trade lines outside the continent, however, the opportunities for job creation and economies of scale are undeniable.

• A fundamental part of ITFC’s strategy is to align its financing efforts with the national development strategies of its Member Countries, with agriculture playing a key role. Since its inception, ITFC has provided about US$5.6 billion of financing towards the food and agriculture sector. In 2019, concretely, ITFC has allowed 500,000 West African farmers in ITFC cotton and groundnut operations to share US$ 290 million of income.

Most financiers in Africa are just that-financiers, and this is what sets ITFC apart from the most of them. According to Mr. Al-Thekair, ITFC has gone well above and beyond its mission of financing agriculture across Africa through engaging in capacity development in the member countries as a means of adding value.

This is also in line with its mission statement that entails promoting trade of member countries of the OIC through providing trade finance and engaging in activities that facilitate intra-trade and international trade.

This includes pre-export financing in key value chains, such as cotton and groundnuts and import of key commodities such as rice, sugar and wheat for the food security of member countries. ITFC has been operational in Africa since its inception

in 2008 and approved its first operation in The Gambia in Africa.

Part of the US$ 210 million Framework Agreement signed with The Gambia in 2018 focuses on Agriculture and concerns the import of fertilizers and pre-export finance for groundnuts and cashew nuts, the country’s main agricultural exports. The agreement also extends to technical assistance with the Aflatoxin Mitigation Program.

The program is aimed at getting rid of aflatoxin fungus and improving the quality of the groundnut produced in The Gambia for local consumption and for export into key European and other international markets. The program, which commenced in 2018, is set to run for a period of three years. ITFC has also signed an agreement with the Senegalese government to support the 2019-2020 groundnut planting season.

The Cotton Bank for Africa The development of the African cotton sector remains a major focus of ITFC, particularly in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire and Mali. It is for this reason that ITFC identifies as the ‘Cotton Bank for Africa.’ ITFC is delighted with its over US$ 1.4 Billion financing efforts in cotton in Sub-Saharan Africa.

ITFC’s structured trade finance interventions have also proven to be a huge relief for the cotton farmers in terms of ensuring a fast and efficient method of transacting during handling of the cotton after harvest.

Also, among the projects under implementation is the revolutionary Reverse Linkage Project on Mango and Cashew sub sectors with Guinea and

Tunisia. Alongside developing and improving the effectiveness of the Mango and Cashew value chains, this program aims at strengthening the technical and organizational capacities of the institutions in charge of promoting exports of mango and cashew.

The program, launched in November 2019, is set to benefit more than 280 participants who will take part in 130 days of training and learning. This will also include coaching and follow-up.

Staying Ahead of the Game Agriculture in Africa is gradually being characterized by rapid development of technologies; changes in agricultural production practices, such as improved seeds, chemical fertilizer use, technologies to control weeds and harvesting; improved rural infrastructure; and diversification in food demand patterns. As such, it is pertinent that ITFC stays ahead of the game so as not just to remain relevant, but to ensure that its impact continues to make a difference in the communities it is involved in.

One such way we have been able to achieve this, Mr. Al- Thekair explains, is through partnership with OCP Africa for the OCP Mobile School Lab initiative. The Mobile School Lab provides farmers with soil analysis, fertilizer recommendations tailored to specific soil and plant needs, and training in sound agricultural practices. The program aims to increase crop yields and improve farmers’ living standards. This has been pivotal in how we engage the farmers since a participatory approach is preferred. As such, we engage the farmers from a point of colearning and capacity building as opposed to the linear financier approach, which often dictates the terms with little or no input from the farmers.

Further is the ITFC digitalization plan in 2018, where ITFC is already starting to deploy several technologies to enhance the experience of the beneficiary in dealing with ITFC as well as facilitate processing transactions for our Member Countries. The ITFC also organized a panel discussion during the World Trade Organization (WTO) public forum in 2018 in on agri-tech options for ITFC member countries as well as an Experts Group meeting on the same matter in Istanbul in late 2019.

OCP School Lab Launched in Senegal.jpg” “Farmers Review Africa

Finally, ITFC, in its efforts to increase its footprint in trade and finance on a global scale, has come up with a total of US$850 million response package initiative in joining the fight against the COVID-19 Pandemic that currently has the global economy on its knees.

May - June 2020 | 31R

FEATURE

Proper grain post-harvest practices

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ereal grains are edible seeds and, as such, would eventually be released from the plant when fully mature. Grains can be divided into three groups; cereals (maize, wheat, millet, rice, etc.), pulses (beans, peas, cowpeas, etc.), and oil seeds (soya beans, sunflower, linseed, etc.). In many parts of Africa, crops are produced throughout the year. However, the major food crops such as cereal grains and tubers, including potatoes, are normally seasonal crops. As such, the food produced in one harvest period, must be stored for gradual consumption until the next harvest, and seed must be held for the next season’s crop. Unfortunately, this seed may last for only a few weeks.

In addition, in a market that is not controlled, the value of any surplus crop tends to rise during the off-season period, provided that it is in a marketable condition. Therefore, the main aim of any storage system must be to maintain the crop in the best condition for the longest time possible. The storage and handling methods should not only minimize losses, but must also be appropriate in relation to other factors, such as economies of scale, labour cost and availability, building costs and machinery cost.

Grain drying Requirements for safe storage Crops left standing un-harvested start to show diminishing quantitative and qualitative returns through shatter losses and attacks by insects, mould, birds and rodents. It is therefore important to complete harvesting as soon as possible.

In addition, it is necessary to remove dust and contaminants, which can include insects, and vegetable material, such as bits of straw and chaff and weed seeds. These will fill up pore spaces within the crop, inhibiting air movement and adding to any possible spoilage problems.

The crop must therefore be clean.

One of the most critical factors in successful grain storage is the moisture content of the crop. High moisture content leads to storage problems because it encourages fungal and insect problems, respiration and germination.

However, moisture content in the growing crop is naturally high and only starts to decrease as the crop reaches maturity and the grains are drying. In their natural state, the seeds would have a period of dormancy and then germinate either when re-wetted by rain or as a result of a naturally adequate moisture content.

Another major factor the causes spoilage is temperature. Grains are biologically active and respire during storage. One of the products of respiration is heat, and reducing the temperature of the crop can help to diminish the rate of respiration, thereby lengthening the storage life by lessening the possibility of germination.

Another major temperature effect is on the activity of insect and fungal problems. With lower temperatures, the metabolic rate of insects and fungi decreases and consequently so does the activity causing spoilage.

A damp or warm spot in grain will increase the rate of respiration. In addition to heat, another product of respiration is moisture. The heat and moisture from such a ‘hot spot’ can spread by convection, encouraging moulds and bacteria, which in turn respire and give off more heat and moisture. It therefore becomes a self-generating process. Insect activity also increases with a rise in temperature. These spoilage mechanisms can also affect the viability of grain required for seed or malting, where the inability to germinate would render it unmarketable.

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VISIT GSIAFRICA.CO.ZA 32 | May - June 2020

124 Ridge Road, Laser Park, Honeydew, Ext 15, Gauteng P O Box 4012, Honeydew, 2040, South Africa Phone: +27 (011) 794 4455 Fax: +27 (011) 794 4515 Email: sales@gsiafrica.co.za Website: www.gsiafrica.co.za

FEATURE

FES - the ideal service partner for your agricultural needs

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arming and Engineering Services (FES) has well over 50 years’ experience in providing agricultural solutions. Their services are backed by world-class brands, expert technical services, advice and practical know-how to Malawi’s farming communities as well as other related industries. As is in line with the times, FES prides itself in evolving and reinventing itself. It’s not just about equipment anymore; but integrated agricultural solutions, providing services which support their customers at every step on their mechanized journey. They are thus involved in activities not limited to roadway and ditch maintenance, land clearance, land preparation, irrigation schemes and contracting.

their services, Aldworth explains that FES has taken the effort to adapt and change their products and services to suit the smallholder context. Both technically and financially, for example the use of micro drip kits that are affordable and suited to smaller land areas.

Farmers Review Africa had the opportunity to interview Mike Aldworth, the group Managing Director on the work FES is doing in Malawi as well as other important facets influencing agriculture across Africa today.

Below are other insights Mr. Aldworth provided on some of the issues posed in the interview:

Progressive agricultural trends in Malawi FES pioneered the use of contracting farming solutions for emerging farmers as well as some of the biggest farms in Malawi. Some of these functions include land preparation, crop spraying, material handling, bulk water infrastructure installation, full maintenance leasing and harvesting. This practice has come in handy and also proven to be cost-effective for the farmers, who instead of purchasing equipment which will only be used for a short period in the year, will instead contract FES which will provide the needed equipment and charge per hectare or hourly basis.

The internet of things has brought with it change in agriculture that has enabled precision in farming, and FES have managed to integrate the same into their services. For instance, farmers in Malawi are gradually adapting to the use of tractors fitted with GPS-guided auto-steer technology. Moreover, their drone technology is utilized for topographical surveys, plant health inspection and spraying for pre and post emergent herbicides, pesticides and crop ripeners.

The innovation though, which undoubtedly takes the cake would be FES’s AgriLab, Malawi’s first independent soil- and leaf-testing facility which allows farmers to test and manage their soil, leaf health and water quality. The lab’s ability to focus on the agriculture sector while utilizing state-ofthe-art equipment that delivers superior results compared to other facilities in the region sets it apart. To put to rest the query on affordability of

He further adds that they ensure, where necessary, that appropriate models are in place to ensure that financial access is not a constraint, like partnering with microfinance institutions or off-takers that can provide services on credit. All these, he asserts, is done only after pilots are carried out to fully understand and cater for the context in which they are implemented.

What are the top five lessons learnt about farming solutions in Southern Africa?

Aldworth: Better or more efficient use of available capital – spend your capital on improving your irrigation infrastructure as an example. This has a lasting sustainable effect on your enterprise.

Embrace modern technology in your farming operation, using facilities such as the FES AGRILAB, GPS technology, drones, etc. AgriLab is a FES initiative, designed to help farmers increase their yields, improve their crop quality and build a sustainable food supply.

Maintenance of your equipment is the single biggest lesson to be learnt. Look after your equipment, service your equipment properly, using original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts, no such thing as a short cut. Do not over capitalize on equipment. Sweat your assets make them work harder for longer. They are designed to work, but look after them. Look after your soils. They are the lifeblood of the agric business.

Which are the farming solutions available to commercial farmers in Southern Africa as an alternative to owning extensive equipment?

The option is to contract your operations out if it makes financial sense. Calculate the full cost of ownership before deciding to purchase, include your management time, your cost of capital and all operational costs and then look at your productivity for that unit. Ask yourself, is purchasing a $300 000 tractor to work 1000hours per year worth it on a cost per hectare basis compared to a contractor who might do 2000hrs per year?

Mike Aldworth Group MD

In this era of COVID-19 and the uncertainties it has brought with it, this is what Mr. Aldworth had to say on what a post-COVID-19 reality would look like for emerging famers in Southern Africa and whether it will change for the emerging farmer. The post COVID reality for smallholder farmers in Southern Africa is likely to contain a plethora of challenges, but in some ways, it may be the catalyst for change that has been needed for so long. For example, profit margins are likely to be squeezed. This is due to increased costs of doing business, like transport costs increased due to social distancing measures, and increased input prices due to import challenges.

Input markets may be less competitive if some businesses have struggled to survive during the COVID period. Some smallholders will simply weather this, others may slip back to subsistence farming, others will continue to commercialize but at a slower pace, but others may seek improved technologies to increase productivity and cost savings. There is likely to be a decrease in support to smallholder farmers both during and immediately after COVID-19. Engagement of smallholders tends to rely on gatherings, field days, community meetings, etc. New skills and technologies need external input, i.e. visiting personnel to go into an area to showcase/ sensitize. This activity will have decreased. In some cases, this will mean a slower adaption of improved farming practices and technologies, but it could also facilitate the use of innovative methods of engaging with farmers, for example, use of mobile technology, social media, etc.

Market demand and market prices are likely to suffer shocks. This will be very much crop and context specific. It is likely, that with support, this could catalyze farmers into crop diversification.

Crop diversification can help farmers cope with the impacts of COVID but also be a longterm strategy to attain economic stability and development. There will likely be a change in the number and volume of donor support to smallholder farmer development programs. If western economies suffer a recession, then funding to international development may decline but on the other hand, currently resources are being mobilized into funds to mitigate the impact of COVID and these could be accessed by smallholder farmers.

May - June 2020 | 33

FEATURE

PHATISA and partners acquire southern african agricultural solutions provider FES class operation in a developing country. This investment is fully in line with Norfund’s mandate to support economic growth and development impact in these countries. We look forward to being an active, strategic minority investor in FES and supporting its regional growth ambitions.’

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hatisa Food Fund 2 (PFF 2) and a group of co-investors – Norfund, Mbuyu Capital and DEG – have acquired integrated agricultural solutions provider Farming and Engineering Services Limited (FES). The investment will support FES’s long term growth strategy, assisting the company to expand its successful business model to neighbouring countries.

FES, established in Malawi in 1967, caters for a broad customer base of commercial and emerging farmers. It is the single largest investor in Malawi’s agricultural equipment industry and the sole distributor of several well-known and trusted brands, including Massey Ferguson, Komatsu, AJ Power and Toyota Forklift. The company provides a wide range of high-tech agricultural solutions including precision and lowtill farming; drone technology for crop analysis and crop protection; irrigation systems including water management solutions; and contracting services. AgriLab, an FES initiative, is Malawi’s first independent soil- and leaf-testing facility which allows farmers to test, manage and control their soil, leaf and water quality. This initiative contributes to improved yields and crop quality, increased revenue and reduced input costs.

FES’s impact objectives of mechanising African agriculture, ensuring food security and enhancing farmer profitability are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Located in a region where resources are limited and input costs high, FES has expanded its offering to include a comprehensive range of climateresilient precision agricultural solutions.

As part of the new owners’ expansion strategy, FES is acquiring (subject to normal conditions precedent) the business assets of agricultural equipment supplier BHBW Zambia. On the back of this, AGCO has agreed to award FES the Massey Ferguson and Challenger franchises for

34 | May - June 2020

Zambia. FES intends to replicate its successful model of equipment dealership with precision contract farming and other agricultural solutions in Zambia. The consortium bought the FES stake held by Phatisa’s inaugural food fund (African Agriculture Fund) while the company’s management maintained their shareholding.

Lize Lübbe, deal leader for Phatisa, commented: ‘We are excited about FES’s growth prospects into new markets. PFF 2 is backing a proven management team who are pushing the boundaries of technology and professionalism in the region’s agricultural sector. Apart from the regional expansion, new product offerings such as the nascent drone operation and the agricultural lab will lay the foundations for the future and keep FES at the forefront of its industry.’

Olav Akrawi, Senior Associate – Scalable Enterprises at Norfund, said: ‘FES is a world-

Michiel Timmerman, Managing Partner of Mbuyu Capital Partners, noted: ‘FES is a leader and innovator in bringing precision-farming and agritech to Africa. New product development and expansion in the region can be expected to benefit the company’s growth as well as its customers, including smallholder farmers, by increasing yields, optimising use of inputs and improving climate resilience.’

Christof Gross, Vice President – Africa Equity at DEG, added: ‘DEG supports FES’s vision to mechanise agriculture in developing African economies through increased access to yield and productivity enhancing equipment. From improving local farming practices to contributing to food security, our investment will have positive developmental effects.”

Mike Aldworth, Group Managing Director of FES, stated: ‘This transaction is a vote of confidence in the entire FES team. Over the years we have evolved from purely an equipment supplier to an integrated agricultural solutions provider that continuously looks at ways to expand our offering to assist our clients. With the support of our new partners, FES looks forward to the new growth chapter that awaits us.’

FEATURE

Nestlé continues to empower its consumers and the dairy industry

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prefer products with improved nutritional value as part of their healthy and balanced lifestyles,” added Mnisi.

Like most industries, the dairy industry is facing various challenges in order to remain profitable and sustainable. To respond to some of these challenges, Nestlé formed various strategic partnerships and continues to support the dairy sector through a number of initiatives across the region.

“Adequate nutrition plays a huge role in the physical and mental development of persons from infancy to old age. It is our firm view that the quality food is the first medicine that reduces any risks of illnesses. Our products, such as NESTLÉ NESPRAY FORTIGROW, provide the right amount of minerals and nutrition that are needed for child development and ensuring that school age children are always mentally and physically ready for school,” concluded Mkhize.

elivering tastier, healthier and value to nutritional dairy products that benefit consumers whilst supporting the dairy industry; is one of the important pillars of Nestlé across the East and Southern Africa Region (ESAR). This was a view shared by the company as it marked today’s celebration of World Milk Day. Twenty years ago, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations began commemorating 1 June as World Milk Day to recognize the importance of milk as a global food and to celebrate the dairy sector. Each year since, the benefits of milk and dairy products have been actively promoted around the world, including how dairy supports the livelihoods of one billion people.

“Creating shared-value for the dairy industry across our region remains one of our fundamental pillars because livestock farming is one of the important contributors to the economy. Our continent is faced with triple burden of disease: obesity, micronutrient deficiencies as well as undernutrition. It is therefore becoming

Innovative drinking technology

For centuries, milk has been scientifically identified as a rich source of calcium, which is essential for the development of strong bones in human beings. “To adequately respond to these physical and mental development challenges facing consumers, Nestlé products have been providing much-needed nutritional benefits for all age groups including school age children and adults,” stated Pumla Mkhize, Category Marketing Manager Ambient Dairy.

increasingly challenging for farmers as well as food manufacturing companies to produce foods that can address these challenges,” stated Zweli Mnisi, Corporate Spokesperson for Nestlé East and Southern Africa Region.

“In South Africa, through our farmer support and partnerships, we procure our milk from around 150 local dairy farmers within all milk districts and therefore creating over 4000 permanent jobs. The emphasis of farmer support to produce quality milk is crucial as it enables us to increase the nutritional value of our products without compromising on taste and health. This is particularly important as today’s consumers

Nestlé is a proud manufacturer of NESTLÉ NESPRAY, NESTLÉ KLIM, NESTLÉ MILO and a variety of culinary milks such as; Ideal evaporated milk, Caramel Treat Dairy Dessert, Gold Cross Full Cream condensed milk and Dessert and Cooking Cream.

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May - June 2020 | 35

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AP AGRI-2_A4_GB- NTN-SNR © 05/2020 - Photos: NTN-SNR / PEDRO STUDIO PHOTO / SHUTTERSTOCK

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