news | african
African innovators shortlisted for engineering award
IITA
AFRICA - A solar-powered high-tech greenhouse, a three-wheeled mini-tractor and food supplements made from caterpillars are among twelve innovations shortlisted for the 2015/2016 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation by the Royal Academy of Engineering. The Africa Prize, in its second year, is Africa’s largest award dedicated to engineering innovation, covering covers all engineering disciplines from mechanical, civil and computing to agricultural. This year, the number of agro-based innovations that have been shortlisted is especially high. Other agro innovations included a mechanical cassava harvester, bio-briquettes made from maize waste, a renewable energy micro-grid for rural areas, and software to help farmers analyse their soil and a three-wheeled mini-tractor which doubles as a generator. “We see a massive benefit from engineering innovations designed specifically to meet local challenges,” said Malcolm Brinded CBE FREng, chair of the Africa Prize judging panel. These innovations include the mechanical cassava harvester by Emmanuel Bobobee from Ghana, who made an affordable tractormounted implement, which turns up the soil to expose the root without damaging it. The labour intensive process, which takes 5-10 minutes and is a hindrance to commercial cassava production in Africa, can be done in
one second by the implement. The UjuziKilimo, a soil analysis system by Brian Bosire from Kenya also joins the list of innovators. From Burkina Faso, Kahitouo Hien has come up with a breeding system that ensures a year long supply of Shea caterpillars known as ‘chitoumou’ to make FasoPro, a line of nutritional products. This high protein food can be used to combat malnutrition as well as protect the shea trees from being cut down by communities. Taita Ngetich and his team from Kenya have also been shortlisted for their Illuminum greenhouse, where solar and sensor technology and the use of local materials enable the growing of crops in a controlled environment in an affordable manner. Other innovations include Tryctor from Nigeria, a three-wheeled minitractor which can also be used as a mobile generator and Drylobag, which prevents the development of mould in grains by reducing the grain temperature and drying it evenly from South Africa. The twelve entrepreneurs will be encouraged and supported to grow a business from their innovation through six months of training and mentoring from business development and engineering experts. An overall winner will be announced in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in May 2016. The winner will receive £25,000, with £10,000 awarded to two runners up.
Dairy processor to buy milk from community TANZANIA - Agro-pastoralist cattle keepers in five villages in Kilosa and Mvomero districts in Tanzania’s Morogoro region are set to become more commercial and reap huge benefits from milk sales following an agreement with a leading dairy processor to buy their milk. Under the agreement between representatives of milk producer groups in the two districts and ASAS Dairies Ltd, the smallholder farmers will supply milk to the 10
august 2015 | agri-Business africa
Asas hub in Iringa region starting February 2016. The agreement was facilitated by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)-led MoreMilkiT project. The new arrangement will provide opportunity for farmers to deliver up to 1,000 litres of milk per day to the processor, providing a key market which was previously unavailable to individual farmers and farmer groups created by the MoreMilkiT project in the area.
New maize varieties released in Nigeria NIGERIA - The Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IART), Obafemi Awolowo University in Ibadan have successfully released two new high-yielding, early maturing maize hybrids. The varieties, Ife Maizehyb-07 and Ife Maizehyb-08, have potential yields of 7.0 tonnes per ha and 8.5tonnes per ha respectively, attracting preference from most farmers. The early maturating maize varieties have an advantage during erratic rainfall seasons especially in the second planting in South West Nigeria. They also have good grain size and high in starch, which is an important attribute good for livestock feed milling. The Ife Maize hyb-07 has forest and derived savanna agro-ecologies adaptation with 98 days maturity period. The Ife Maizehyb 08 takes 110 days to maturity. Both varieties are tolerant to maize streak virus, rust, leaf blight, and curvularia leaf spot. The release of these varieties has been made possible through AGRA’s grant to the Institute.
Selina Wamucii acquires Mt. Kenya fresh avocados
KENYA - Selina Wamucii Ltd, a Kenyan fresh produce export company, has acquired a majority stake in Mt. Kenya Avocado Farms, a leading producer and exporter of Kenya avocado fruits and avocado oil. The acquisition seeks to make solid an already successful avocado brand that has seen Mt. Kenya Fresh Avocados play a winning role in positioning Kenya as the world’s preferred source of high quality Hass and Fuerte avocados. Mt. Kenya Avocado works with farmers in the Highland region’s Muranga, Nyeri, Kiambu,Kisii and Meru areas. Under the terms of the acquisition, Selina Wamucii will immediately gain a controlling interest in Mt. Kenya Fresh Avocados. Overall management responsibilities from marketing to finance will be undertaken by Selina Wamucii. agribusinessafrica.net