Welcome To Talk Agriculture Nigeria

Technology and innovation as a key to agricultural development in Africa

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 Jul 2016 16:16:00 +0000

The author in the cooperative’s tomato green house

The use of science, technology and innovations in the agricultural sector can help farmers to plan or expand their activities while reducing the challenge of climate and weather change. I found that one of most sustainable technologies could be the use of greenhouses.

In this story I would like to showcase the use of greenhouses in Rwanda, by “The Sake Women’s Cooperative”, a women’s farmers cooperative cultivating tomatoes in a rural area.

This cooperative started with an idea of using new technologies and techniques to generate an additional income. Based on information obtained through their networks and their own experience, they chose to use greenhouses to grow tomatoes. They received a grant of 11 million Rwanda francs (appr. US$14,000) from the Imbuto Foundation. Of this, a budget of 10 million Rwanda francs was used for the construction of the 40m x 10m greenhouse itself. This was rather expensive as it is difficult to find the expertise and technicians locally. Technicians from outside of the country had to brought in, increasing the start-up cost of the project.

“The Sake Women’s Cooperative” members learned the advantages of greenhouse farming, and how they could get a high yield on a small parcel of land. Growing tomatoes in greenhouses also reduced the risk of damaged or infested crops and reduced the need for extensive weeding, typical for the outdoor’s cultivation of tomatoes.

In their greenhouse of 40m×10m, they have 870 tomato plants. They use manure as an organic fertilizer. They use rain water for irrigation of the plants. The cooperative plans to harvest about 7,2 tons of tomatoes in their first harvest. In one year they harvest three times, with an income of 3 million Rwanda francs (appr. US$3,800) per growing cycle. So per year, they will get a revenue of about 9 million Rwanda francs (appr. US$11,500).

The use of greenhouses is a relative new technology in Rwanda, and the cooperative still has to learn as they go along… One of the challenges is also to find new markets, and get market access. They need to learn the skills to tend to their crops day per day. They are challenged with finding adequate storage techniques and post-harvest technologies. But they are motivated and will learn as they go along.

I am looking forward to attend the 7th African Agriculture Science Week to see how the government and the private sector are willing to invest in educating local youths on greenhouse technologies, specifically in the construction of the structures. Reducing the current high construction costs will decrease the start-up cost, and increase the profit for local communities and cooperatives such as “The Sake Women’s Cooperative”.

Blogpost and picture by Muhire Rodrigue – rodriguemuhire7(at)gmail.com, #AASW7 social reporter.
This post represents the author’s views only.

About crops, pests and plant clinics

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 Jul 2016 16:13:00 +0000

Some 795 million people in the world do not have enough food to lead a healthy active life. Worldwide,about 40% of crops are lost to pests and diseases. Research has shown that 1% reduction in crop loss could feed millions.

Agriculture should be taken as key driving force for many African countries’ economic development. Modernizing agriculture development requires polices to empower farmers, to increase their knowledge and skills related to plant disease management.

Those are the the challenges CABI (Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International) has taken on. CABI is an international nonprofit international organization that aims to improve people’s lives by providing information and applying scientific expertise to solve problems in agriculture and the environment through knowledge sharing and science. CABI wants to address issues of global concern such as improving global food security and safeguarding the environment.

CABI, in partnership with different states and other government institutions, initiated a program to help farmer reduce crop losses, through their plant health knowledge program called Plantwise. Plantwise is helping countries create new linkages between farmers and the science-based knowledge they need to manage pests, increase food security, improve rural livelihood and reducing crop losses.

In the context of achieving this, CABI established a plant clinic network to better connect farmer with plant doctor and get advice to to prevent crop problems and get recommendations to better handle and fight crop diseases.

Farmers receive help at plant clinics by national extension staff, trained as plant doctor by CABI where they learn methods to identify any problem on crop. This extension-led program helps also farmers to gain confidence in pursuing agriculture in a very profitable that prevents and reduces crop losses thus increase yield and income while protecting crop health.

Plant clinics work like clinics for humans: farmers visit a clinic with samples of their crops. Plant doctors diagnose the problem and make science-based recommendations on ways to manage it. This has proven more sufficient to help farmers lose less, and grow more.

Maybe, one day, we will not only reduce 1% of the crop losses that could feed millions, but 100% of the losses, feeding feed a billion…

Blogpost by Fred Shema, shemfred08(at)gmail.com, #AASW7 social reporter.
This post represents the author’s views only.
Picture courtesy CIAT

Never too young to engage in agriculture

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 Jul 2016 16:11:00 +0000

Anastase Murekezi, The Prime Minister of Rwanda and Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank pose with students from the Gashora Girls’ School, showcasing their products.

Young people in any country represent the future. They have a vital role to play the development of their country in by working hard in any field they are involved in, be it teaching, engineering or farming.

But it they are to actively participate in national agribusiness, they need to be supported and encouraged by the government, the private sector, the civil society and their parents. They also need to have a mind-set that agriculture isn’t a way of life, but a business which should be taken seriously.

Changing common perceptions of agriculture is a major challenge in Africa. Images of hoes and cutlasses are outdated, while people tend to think of agriculture just for people in the rural areas, as a tool for poverty eradication, or as a retirement job.

We as youth should start to see agriculture as a business, and explore value chains looking for potential opportunities, such as investing in inputs, production, post-harvest and aggregation processing, and in wholesale, retail, and consumer sectors. Production is only one part of agriculture: we can be innovative in other areas. For instance, by adding a little value in processing a farm commodity increases the market value of that commodity.

These days, modern tools like the internet and information and communications technology link the market to farmers, and farmers to farmers, in procuring chemicals, seeds, machinery, fertilizers, and other inputs, cutting out the intermediaries and reducing corruption.

The government should put in place policies (which involve the youth) that would encourage the participation of the private sector in providing soft loans to youth to set up their agriculture enterprises.

As youth, let us see the opportunities in these few challenges that our beloved continent and other parts of the world may face. Let us innovate and make a business out of these problems.

Blogpost and picture by Regis Umugiraneza, rajregis1(at)gmail.com, #AASW7 social reporter.
This post represents the author’s views only.

Soybean: from words to action

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 Jul 2016 16:07:00 +0000

Farmers in a soybean field

Around the world, 2016 was recognized as the international year of legumes. Several legumes promotion initiatives have emerged especially in Africa, to contribute to food security.

At the Seventh Week of Agricultural Sciences in Africa (# AASW7), soybean processing in different products is one of the answers to the promotion of legumes to better nutrition and improved livelihoods of the populations.
Thus, several results of the research are used for the development and enhancement soy derivatives especially in Benin. Patrice Sewade, agribusiness, and Coordinator Sojagnon Association in Benin, soy is an essential part of the staple food of many populations.

In addition to its nutritional value, the soybean has the qualities required to contribute to reducing poverty, improving household nutrition and strengthen the sustainability of farms.

In addition, "Soy improves soil fertility and has a fit with agribusiness in the production of vegetable oil and animal feed and many products from small-scale processing to enrich the diet protein, "he said during a visit to its stand at the exhibition of the products during the conference.

Soy is much valued through initiatives like SOYA MILK afitin-which is also an innovation for the health of fortification. This initiative improves food chain soy derivatives, milk and afintin for better food security in highly food insecure areas.

Soybean processing in products such as biscuits, milk, cheese, cake is a real alternative to improving the nutrition and incomes. This example of improved soybean value chain needs to be replicated in many countries to improve the living conditions of rural communities especially women.

Africa is rich in the diversity of these products but also by the similarity between different cultures. The dissemination of various success stories in Africa is an important step to encourage people to learn from the experiences of other countries. It is time that African enjoy the use of their natural resources to achieve sustainable development.

Blogpost by Christel KENOU, ckenou (at) gmail.com, # AASW7 social reporter.
This post Represents the author's views only.
Picture courtesy CIAT

No Youth, No Farmers, No Food

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 Jul 2016 16:02:00 +0000

“Our youth are not failing the system; the system is failing our youth.”

— Rachel Jackson (anno 1800)

Youth unemployment remains one of the biggest hurdles faced by developing African countries, especially those of the Sub-Sahara. So it was encouraging to hear, at the 7th Africa Agriculture Science Week in Kigali, that the African Development Bank will invest in young people interested in agriculture.

A large section of the population in developing countries is made up of young people. In Rwanda, figures show that they constitute 39% of the total population. Finding decent and productive employment is a major challenge. Lack of formal education is one of the main reasons most youth remain unemployed, although school enrolments continue to increase in many countries, including in Rwanda.

In Rwanda, agriculture is one of the four largest sectors that contribute to the national GDP (up to 33%). The sector holds huge employment potential, and yet young people’s engagement and contribution in agriculture value-chains remains terribly insignificant.

With the population of this country set to increase in the coming years, inevitably, food production will have to increase to sustain it. Agriculture will have to play a vital role in ensuring food security, reducing hunger and poverty, and at the same time be sustainable.

One thing is for sure, the amount of land will not increase, which means, we need to make do with what we have. More needs to be done to produce more using the limited land that we have, and this should be provide a business opportunity for the youth, as this area remains generally untapped.

There is a need to transform the agriculture sector into an agro-industry to feed this growing population and this must be done with the help of the young people.

The lack of youth participation in agriculture sector in Rwanda is due to the fact that many see it as highly unattractive, and as only for the uneducated. However, the lack of start-up capital is also a major constraint where those willing to venture into agriculture have limited or no access to finance. This is problematic, because, despite all the efforts that have been put in place to cushion this sector against a myriad of shortcomings, financial institutions remain reluctant to invest, saying it is a “risky sector’ because it depends so much on the weather.

Also, there are few job opportunities in agriculture. Educated youth who have pursued agricultural sciences are presently finding themselves in a situation where there are no jobs available in this sector and so must search for work in other sectors. This discourages others from studying agriculture.

However, all is not lost as there is still a chance to salvage the situation. Training and mentoring in partnership with the private sector can help young people develop the skills they need to be successful in agriculture and agri-business.

Among the most sustainable solutions to this problem of youth unemployment is a greater youth involvement in rural development. Thus, motivating the youth to view agriculture as a career opportunity will require a multi-level intervention. Firstly, those within the school system in secondary and university need to be targeted and facilitated through agribusiness incubation centers.

Secondly, those outside the school system must be sensitized to the opportunities agriculture presents and given agricultural training and seed capital incubation facilities program. How should this be done? We can teach them by delivering appropriate information inside and outside of the formal school system.

One way to support this education model is to encourage partnerships between all institutions involved in the agriculture sector in Rwanda with the education sector. For instance, this can be done through employing agriculture students in universities in extension activities in agriculture, so that they can gain knowledge within those activities and contribute to the welfare of the rural community. This will increase youth employment opportunities while reducing the problems associated with an aging farm population.

Young people are critical to the future of agriculture and to Africa, but it is going require a concerted effort across many fronts – including investment – to encourage them to take up a career in the agricultural sector and help them to maximize their full potential and realize their dreams. If we can’t keep youth interested in agriculture, then who will grow our food ten, twenty years from now?

Are you young, and engaged in agriculture? Join YPARD – the Young Professionals for Agricultural Development.
Interesting in sponsoring YAP – the GFAR/YPARD Youth Agripreneurs Project? Check this post!

Blogpost by Aime Kayumba, kayumbaaime(at)gmail.com, #AASW7 social reporter.
This post represents the author’s views only.
Picture courtesy P.Casier/CCAFS

More investment could make agriculture the "game-changer"

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 Jul 2016 15:58:00 +0000

Africa must work hard to increase agriculture production to reduce poverty and promote economic growth, says Dr Chiji Ojukwu, Director of the Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department, at the African Development Bank (AfDB).

This was Dr Ojukwu’s message to participants attending the 7th Africa Agriculture Science Week in Kigali Rwanda. Through advocacy efforts and investment, Africa seeks innovative solutions to agricultural policy challenges, working to foster the political will and public support to solve these challenges. To achieve the goal of sustainable agricultural productivity, its strategy relies on strong partnerships with donor countries, multilateral institutions, private foundations, and other organizations. While strengthening existing partnerships, countries from Africa must build new partnerships with other countries from all over the world.

AfDB has made steady progress in helping its regional member countries to grow their economies by investing in the agriculture sector. Dr Ojukwu says that during 1968-2014, the bank approved many operations committing approximately USD$14.78 billion to support agriculture and rural development. About 1.5 million African people had access to improved technology and many production and marketing facilities were constructed. In terms of natural resource management, more than 0.8 million hectares of land were improved, benefiting about 19 million people.

According to Dr Rufaro Madakadze (in charge of capacity building for the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, AGRA), with transformation, agriculture can be the much-needed game changer in the continent’s economy. Currently the rate of total unemployment is higher than GDP, and about half of Africa’s people are under the poverty line. Commodity instability is being caused by different barriers including an under-performing value chain, insufficient infrastructure, and limited agricultural-finance. AGRA is focusing on capacity building through providing training and extension services to farmers, seeds companies and post graduate students.

AGRA is working to transform agriculture by risk sharing, providing agri-inputs to the farmer, and facilitating the building of warehouses, insurance, finance for infrastructure. These are significant investments worth many hundreds of million dollars.

AGRA will continue collaborating with different partners to accelerate transformation. He says that there are still many opportunities for Africa, including exploring how to increase productivity. Agricultural transformation will increase the standard living of African people, the country’s economic development and economic growth.

Investing in agriculture, science, innovation and technology are all effective ways to improve productivity, reduce hunger and poverty, particularly in rural areas. Dr Madakadze said that many countries that have consistently invested in agriculture had made progress in meeting the 2015 Millennium Development Goal of reducing by half the proportion of hungry people.

In closing, Dr Madakadze announced that AGRA would provide USD$50 million for capacity building, working in partnership with governments and private sector, with national and international organizations and with financial institutions to increase the volume and effectiveness of investments in agriculture and rural development.

Blogpost by Olivier Ngwije, olivierngwije(at)gmail.com, #AASW7 social reporter.
This post represents the author’s views only.
Picture courtesy Preet Agriculture

When Nigerian farmers went digital

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 Jul 2016 15:55:00 +0000

The application of science and technology has no doubt improved the livelihoods of Nigerian farmers. This is a case study of Nigeria Farmer’s E-wallet System, the first in Africa, which is indeed worth of emulation and implementation by other African nations.

In October 2011, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nigeria under the leadership of the –then- minister, and present President of Africa Development Bank, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, introduced one of the largest agriculture transformation programs in the world.

The Problem

The central idea is to bring structure to the historically chaotic inputs distribution system in the agriculture sector by integrating farmers into an ecosystem in which the farmer has access to inputs (fertiliser & improved seeds), finance (credits and loans) , technology (mechanisation) , markets (local buying agents and price stability / transparency mechanisms) and information (weather, pricing cultivation, best practices etc). This ecosystem was designed around what is known as “e-wallet technology and business processes”.

This transformation has to be done because historically the government has always provided subsidized seeds and fertilizers nation-wide. The system relies on government procurement and distribution. The private sector has always tendered for the fertilizer and seed supply, under a massive fertilizer and seed contracting system. The system was found to be fraught with many problems. The government input procurement and distribution system was very inefficient and costly, and suffered from corruption, and displaced private commercial sales of fertilizers.

As a result, only 11% of poor smallholder farmers in Nigeria got the government subsidized inputs. Majority of it ended up on farms from influential figures, or re-sold on the open market at high profit margins, and in neighboring countries. Despite the huge sums spent on fertilizer subsidies, rural poverty continued to rise and fertilizer use was still less than 10 kilograms per hectare, compared to over 100 kg per ha global average. The level of use of improved seed is only 8,000 MT annually, by only 5% of farmers, compared to the potential effective demand of 1 Million Metric tons

It was clear the government needed to make a change and the change is the implementation of the program we call GES – Growth Enhancement Support.

The Solution: “GES”

The Growth Enhancement Support (GES) Program is a component of the Agriculture transformation agenda of the federal Government of Nigeria. It seeks to lift 20Million poor farmers out of subsistence into self-sufficiency from the 6 geopolitical zones

The GES program puts the resource constrained farmer at the center of the agriculture inputs (fertilizer & improved Seeds) distribution value chain and creates a series of incentives to encourage the critical actors in the value chain to work together to improve the productivity, food and income security of the Nigerian farmer.

The GES program stimulates demand for fertilizer by putting a cash component of the product value directly into the hands of the farmers via mobile wallets or e-wallets.

The GES framework

The GES framework has 4 pillars:

GES as a Concept: a conceptual framework designed to lift 20 Million smallholder farmers out of subsistence into self-sufficiency through market-led approach to agriculture, production, processes and markets from the 6 geopolitical zones;

GES as a Scheme: an arrangement that gets government out of the procurement and distribution of farm inputs and gets private sector actors such as Banks, producers, distributors, agro-dealers to own the value chain for farm inputs. It stimulates demand for farm inputs by putting a cash component of the product value directly into the hands of the farmers via e-wallet. It promotes markets by linking farmers to uptakers.

GES as a set of business Processes: a set of business processes that allows Government to identify farmers and link them to agro-dealers, financial institutions and markets using the e-wallet technology.

GES as a Technology: e-wallet is a set of business rules and technology that brings together the concept and the processes and lay out a set of procedures to be followed, hence a convergence point is created through which the farmers receive GES support from the FGN and SG, is linked to an agro-dealer, to a suppliers, to financial institutions and to insurance schemes.

“E-Wallet”: How GES comes “to the farmer”

The wallet is the convergence point through which the farmer

Receives GES support from the FGN & SG;
Exchanges (pay) the support after adding his own funds for fertilizer and Seeds from agro-dealers;
Receives vital and relevant Agro-information alerts
Becomes visible as a real person to the
- farm inputs supply chain,
- financial system ; and
- is available to the Agriculture extension system.
Participate in micro-lending & insurance schemes
It enables a SYSTEM rather than a ISSUE approach to agriculture sector development

Scope and impact of GES

The E-wallet system was operated and implemented by “Cellulant” corporation through Nigeria Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has been used for 5 programs (Wet Season 2012, Flood Relief 2012 , Dry Season 2012, Wet Season 2013, Dry Season 2013, Wet Season 2014, Flood Relief 2014 and Dry Season 2014). In year 1 on behalf of the FGN in 35 States + FCT with about 754 LGA’s. It required the participation of 25 suppliers, 836 agro-dealers manned in 900 redemption sites.

Cellulant Corporation handled the 3 key aspects of the GES operations – technology, Supply Chain Management & Redemption Centre operations. In Year 2; the institutional arrangements was expanded to include 3 supply chain managers who took over responsibility for supply chain management and redemption center operations while cellulant focused on overall program coordination and operation of the e-wallet system. In year 2, 74 suppliers, 1450 agrodealers operating almost 1600 redemption sites participated in the programs.

Results from GES

In the first 20 months of implementation of e-wallet, 6 million farmers which includes more than 450,000 women participated in GES and received subsidized fertilizer and improved seeds

Furthermore, in 2012, Nigeria added 8 Million metric tonnes of food to the national food supply and in less than 160 days, though E-wallet, 150,000MT of fertilizer and about 10,000MT of seeds were supplied to agro-dealers, and distributed to 1.2million farmers. In 2013 Nigeria added 20million metric tonnes of food and distribute almost 450000MT of fertilizer and 50000MT of seeds to farmers, 33million transactions (deposits & payments) were conducted on the system in various languages – Hausa 45%, English 25%, Yoruba 17%, Pidgin 12% and Igbo 1%. Women represented 3% of all transactions.

Cellulant effected during this period almost 33Billion naira of subsidies disbursements on behalf of the FGN and State Governments into the wallets of farmers; unused funds, which potentially might have been lost to corruption, was returned back to Government coffers.

Despite the challenges of poor road infrastructure, low quality of service from mobile phone network providers, inadequate quantity of seeds; low number of agro-dealers, the GES program already proved to be a success, and an example for the region.

Blogpost and picture by Abe Oluwayomi Kayode, yommi.abe(at)gmail.com, #AASW7 social reporter.
This post represents the author’s views only.

Africa embraces the opportunities

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 Jul 2016 15:52:00 +0000

How do we build capacity in agriculture innovation to increase productivity and farm incomes while continuing to develop systems sustainably? That was the topic of a special side event organized as part of the FARA 7th Africa Agriculture Science Week (AASW7) in Kigali.

Investors, stakeholders, and researchers met for to review and accelerate transformation of Africa agriculture. During the side event discussions centred on a new framework for capacity development for agriculture innovation systems.

Innovation holds the key to higher farm productivity income, and to reducing poverty and improving food security. Yet many tropical countries lack the resources and capacities to sustainably develop their agricultural innovation systems In response the agriculture ministries of the G20 (an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from major economies) established the Tropical Agriculture Platform (TAP) where different stakeholders can come together to share information and forge partnerships.

A common capacity development framework, approved by TAP partners in January 2016, is now being validated in countries in Africa, Asia and Central America. The framework brings together a range of organizations and enterprises with supporting institutions and policies in the agricultural and related sectors that deliver existing or new products, processes and forms of organization into social and economic use.

The framework addresses four fundamental capacities: the capacity to navigate complexity; to collaborate; to reflect and learn; and to engage in strategic and political processes. These are the capacities that can help national agricultural innovation systems adapt and respond in order to realize the potential of innovation in agriculture.

The case study of Rwanda has shown a significant improvement on selected implementation niches. At the irrigation sites of Matimba and Rwangingo several hectares of land are being used with sufficient and reliable water resources. The horticulture, cassava and dairy value chains have been improved through community processing centers and the mainstreaming of nutritional plans through Twigiremuhinzi which is a home grown solution, and an initiative policy.

The lack of resources and capacity development in Africa no longer will be factors to hinder agriculture: opportunities are on the table, especially for small scale farmers. This is a truly collaborative approach that enables different country governments and agricultural stakeholders to come together to find innovative solutions to the world’s agricultural issues.

Blogpost by Diane Uwanyirigira, duwanyirigira(at)dotrust.org, #AASW7 social reporter.
This post represents the author’s views only.
Picture courtesy P.Casier/CCAFS

"Nice vision": Growing Africa's Agribusiness

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 Jul 2016 15:47:00 +0000

Agribusiness is the field I find most interesting, exciting, and satisfying. I I have worked diligently to increase my understanding and mastery of this field. I want to help society find answers for serious problems like hunger, food insecurity, poverty and socio-economic development. I want to set a good example for my community and for young people to show that we can become our own bosses, enjoy rewarding careers, and build our economy, if we fully invest in what we have.

Belonging to the family of farmers, I had an innate interest in agriculture and for that reason I did my undergraduate study in agricultural economics and agribusiness. I am proud to say that I graduated with the first grade in my class. During my undergraduate career, I gained knowledge and experience in the classroom, and in practice. I have since established a company, “NICE VISION Ltd”, that is founded on my innovative, entrepreneurial and passionate spirit and approach to agribusiness and economic development for poverty reduction. I believe that agribusiness can provide me with a rewarding career that no other profession can provide.

In recent years, many innovations have improved the efficiency of the agri-food system. Agriculture innovation systems are being endorsed to formulate and analyze rural and agricultural development policies, programs and projects. Agribusiness incubators have become an important aspect of this innovation system and have proven critical to the survival of early-stage enterprises.

Youth engagement in agribusiness as “a network of organizations, enterprises and individuals focused on bringing new products, new processes and new forms of organization into economic use, together with the institutions and policies that affect their behaviour and performance. The innovation systems concept embraces not only the science suppliers but all the actors involved in innovation. It extends beyond the creation of knowledge to encompass the factors affecting demand for and use of knowledge in novel and useful ways.”

Agribusiness incubation programmes could contribute to creating economic opportunities, jobs and to alleviating poverty for young people in Africa. In order to effectively chart a pathway for Africa’s sustainable transformation, agribusiness incubation commitments to youth are captured in the document, Africa Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation Goals to be achieved by 2025 (3AGTGs 2025). Thus, agricultural transformation programmes should be directed towards enhancing the access of women and young people to input and product markets by adopting effective strategies for creating and linking farmers with markets. One of the most feasible ways of achieving this would be through the development of the agricultural value chain.

Agribusiness presents tremendous opportunities for economic growth and youth employment in Africa. Given that the majority of Africans work in agriculture, an increase in farm productivity directly increases rural incomes and livelihoods. A burgeoning agribusiness sector also boosts the rest of the economy by providing affordable food, raw materials and a greater demand for processing and service industries.

Strengthening the agribusiness sector will amplify these effects by creating employment and entrepreneurial opportunities in rural and urban areas and by contributing to the growth of micro- and small enterprises though the establishment of market linkages. These employment and entrepreneurship opportunities can help absorb the surplus youth labour force in rural Africa where 70 percent of the continent’s youth live. Targeted, localized agribusiness development will also benefit smallholder farmers and their organizations through greater access to and knowledge of markets.

Growth-oriented agribusiness development offers a pathway out of poverty for rural Africa. A shift in direction that is both critical and necessary.

Blogpost by Jean Wilson Ndoruhirwe, wndoru(at)gmail.com, #AASW7 social reporter.
This post represents the author’s views only.
Picture courtesy P.Casier/CCAFS

Africa needs to reduce it reliance food imports

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 Jul 2016 15:43:00 +0000

Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the President of the African Development Bank, visits exhibition booths at the 7th Africa Agriculture Science Week

Agriculture experts are gathered in Kigali, Rwanda to discuss ways how Africa can transform its agriculture into a technology-based sector.

Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the President of the African Development Bank has announced his institution will invest $24 billion USD in agriculture on the continent in the next 10 years.

“The continent holds a significant part of the world’s arable land that cannot only produce food for itself but the bigger part of the world”, Dr Adesina said.

However, Africa spends more than $35 billion every year on imported food stuffs. This trade deficit is a big problem that needs fixing fast. “It’s high time that Africa feeds Africa,” Dr Adesina told participants in Kigali, Rwanda, during the FARA 7th Africa Agriculture Science Week (AASW7).

At the launch of the event, Rwanda’s Prime Minister Anastase Murekezi said the country is center stage in innovating agriculture technology. He said Rwanda has been leading collaboration with other African countries in pushing the sector to the next level. “This sector is a crucial cornerstone for Africa’s transformation. Rwanda is among first African countries to sign the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).” The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) is Africa’s policy framework for agricultural transformation, wealth creation, food security and nutrition, economic growth and prosperity for all.

Michael Ryan, head of EU mission in Rwanda said the organization has set aside $9 billion to lift seven million children out of malnutrition on the continent by 2025, responding to United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Rwanda has drastically reduced the number of malnourished people,

State Minister for Agriculture, Tony Nsanganira said the country’s agro-processing industry is expected to grow by 14%. The sector needs to attract more young people and women and there is a need for more incentives. There are more than 832 proximity business advisory services working to help boost production and the agro-processing sector, with a target of reducing poverty by over 8.5% in the next 10 years.

Rwanda’s agriculture sector makes up 35 % of the country’s economy. Rwanda’s food exports accounts for more than 70% of the country’s export revenues, but yet, still too much food is imported.

Agriculture experts believe that science should be the backbone of Africa’s agriculture transformation, and making African countries self-reliant.

Blogpost and picture by Augustin Niringiyimana, augustinius01(at)gmail.com, #AASW7 social reporter.
This post represents the author’s views only.

Producing more, naturally

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 Jul 2016 15:40:00 +0000

Vermicompost: a natural fertilizer

Crops need fertilizers to grow. Fertilizers, synthetic or organic, increase the quantity of essential nutrients boosting the growth of crops.

As the global population increases, the demand of food increases too. Often people are using more chemical fertilizers to increase their production. However, many say, the soil composition needs to be maintained by using organic fertilizers, instead of chemical fertilizers.

In June 13th to 16th 2016, Rwanda hosted the 7th Africa Agricultural Science week. The theme was “Apply science, impact livelihood”. During this event, youth have been encouraged to engage in agribusiness and many institution are willing to support them. According the African Development Bank, in Africa, youth unemployment and underemployment constitutes crucial challenges to the continent’s development. If this problem remains unchanged, nearly 50% of youth will be unemployed. No will be hopeless.

Agribusinesses can support these youth, bringing innovation in agriculture through science and technology. This seems very promising, if you look at the examples of young innovators and agripreneurs like Dominique Xavior Imbabazi from Rwanda.

Dominique graduates this July 2016. He has a background in crops sciences from University of Rwanda at the college of Agriculture Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine.

He is making vermicompost, an organic fertilizer obtained after decomposition organic waste by earth worms. Vermicompost is a rich source of soil nutrients, and contains plant growth promoters such as auxins and cytokinins needed for roots and shoots.

Dominique encourages farmers to use this organic fertilizer as it is all-natural: Without depleting the soil, farmers can produce more. He confirmed this after his research project on Irish Potato where he has produced around 26 tons/ha by using combined organic fertilizer made by vermicompost (10tons/ha) and farm yard manure (20tons/ha).

Dominique now plans to establish a commercial vermicompost unit, where people can buy his vermicompost and can be trained about how to use it.

This is a concrete example how African youth can contribute on growing more, naturally: feeding the continent without depleting the continent’s natural soil resources.

Blogpost and picture by Germaine Kayisire, kayiger1(at)gmail.com, #AASW7 social reporter.
This post represents the author’s views only.

Doctors for farmers

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 Jul 2016 15:38:00 +0000

Damien Nsabiyumve explaining the role of “plant doctors” in the “Plantwise” programme

The 7th Africa Agriculture Science Week (AASW7) organized by the Forum for Agriculture Research in Africa (FARA) is took place in Kigali-Rwanda from June 13-16. During this event many companies and organisations attended, and brought their products and services to market and share innovations from different regions.

Nsabiyumva Damien, a Rwandan national, was one of them. This man is a “plant doctor”, passionate about agriculture. Damien explained the role of plant doctors and what is their intension to participate in the FARA’s exhibition.

“I am working in the Kicukiro sector, in Rwanda, as as an agronomist and also volunteer at Rwanda Plantwise program as a plant doctor in the Masaka sector“, he introduced himself.

“Plantwise” is a programme led by a non-profit organization “Center for Agriculture and Biosciences International” (CABI). The mission of CABI is to improve people’s lives worldwide by providing information and applying scientifically expertise to solve problem in agriculture and environment.

“Plantwise” is working under CABI’s mission and helps famers to lose less of what they grow, by overcoming plant health problems.

This programme was officially launched in 2011 in Bolivia, Uganda, Rwanda and many other countries. It is working closely with national agricultural advisory services, to establish and support sustainable networks of plant clinics run by trained plant doctors where farmers can find practical plant health advice.

“Agriculture in Africa is a sector mostly concerning vulnerable and poor people in rural areas. Most of them are doing it for subsistence, and geared towards a market economy. They need to be approached and guided along their activities, mostly in pest and diseases diagnosis”, said Damien.

How do those “Plant Clinics” work?

Damien explained that plant doctors are local government leaders who volunteer in “Plantwise”. After being trained, they are appointed to manage their respective regions and are given a package of materials necessary to perform their work.

They have two days a week for this voluntary work at the “Plant Clinics”. Those clinics work like human clinics where farmers bring samples of their crops to plant doctors for diagnosis. After their consultation, they receive recommendations and records are kept for the next session references.

How far are the clinic services established at a local level?

“Today technology is the key to accelerate the work, make it quick and accurate. Now we are introducing a system called “E-clinic” where we use the electronic tablets for recording our data, and access to information. We have 180 plant doctors working in 66 different clinics across the country. The use of those tablets help us to share records and take measures for the next coming seasons”, explained Damien.

Damien says that participating in #AASW7 is important for “Plantwise”: they are interacting with different participants including researchers, investors and policy makers. It expands their reach, to make people aware of their service.

Connecting to farmers, government agencies and extension services, allows them to serve more farmers directly, with concrete advise. As, after all, farmers are pragmatic people: “They have a problem, and we give them a cure”, Damien says, “just like doctors for humans would do”.

Blogpost and picture by Diane Uwanyirigira, duwanyirigira(at)dotrust.org, #AASW7 social reporter.
This post represents the author’s views only.

Cakes with potatoes ?!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 Jul 2016 15:29:00 +0000

"They save lives in Rwanda." Clarisse Murekatete, smile, shows a large hand gesture, donuts and cakes, wrapped in transparent paper and placed on a small table.

In Rwanda, there obviously are breads, cakes and fritters made of wheat flour and there are those facts ... based sweet potatoes oranges came quite recently of farmers farms. These are the "Vit-A Bread" to the delight inhabitants of the land of a thousand hills.

To stand "RYAF - Rwanda Youth in Agribusiness Forum" Forum exhibition of town for Agricultural Research in Africa , many curious continue to ask questions to Clarissa, one of the co-founders of RYAF.

All want to know how we pass the potatoes to pastries. Patiently and with his eternal smile, the young woman says: "We buy our oranges farmers potatoes. We turn with our machines at the headquarters of our company, Carl Group Ltd ".

3000 potato fritters week
"Why sweet potatoes oranges?" Asks a visitor who just biting into a cake. "Because they are rich in vitamin A and protein. This is essential for the human being, "replied Clarisse.

Each week, the young woman and her three friends (two women and one man), co-founder of the Carl Group Ltd, manufacture 3,000 donuts, hundreds of cakes and some baquettes breads distributed mostly in the canteens of schools, colleges, colleges and universities in Kigali, the Rwandan capital.

In the city center, the "Vit-A Bread" are sold in a fast food restaurant. A site where the former university classmates receive mostly young customers and take the opportunity to raise awareness on the merits of agricultural entrepreneurship.

With the money from their various sales and money earned in the various competitions in Rwanda, the four co-founders were able to purchase a car for their distribution and now employ ten people.

Pasta sweet potato
But the main purpose of the Carl Group Ltd, established in 2014, is to produce breads, donuts and cakes scale oranges potatoes and distribute them in African countries.

"We also want to recruit engineers and scientists who study with us the right dosages and experience a production made with 100% sweet potato flour because at the moment we use about 10% of wheat flour to give consistency the potatoes, "said Clarisse.

Meanwhile, young entrepreneurs have another challenge: turning sweet potatoes pasta. Clarisse we swear they have already tried and "it was not bad."

We have only to taste the donuts and cakes with orange potatoes, sugar and vitamins, to guess the flavor coming spaghetti.

Blogpost and picture by Josiane Kouagheu, padochemie (at) yahoo.fr, # AASW7 social reporter.
This post Represents the author's views only.

Youth and agriculture, why disenchantment continues

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 Jul 2016 15:25:00 +0000

In 2008, a food crisis is shaking the world. The food prices experiencing dramatic increases and generates political and social tensions. The "hunger riots" were qualifiers for events around the world by people to scream their despair. This crisis has once understand that good food of people self-sufficiency far from being an empty word must be a reality! A popular saying would not it said that "hungry did ear mark"!

The reinvestment in agriculture especially south of the Sahara becomes a priority to curb the speculation on food prices. This renewed interest in agriculture was accompanied by investment and support to curb the effects of the crisis to the happiness of players in this sector. In West Africa especially, the actors of peasants had ceased to question the neglect of agriculture was a victim long ago.

The new with the old?
Among the many solutions for efficient agriculture encourage young people (qualified or not) to return to agriculture. In general the average age of the agricultural population is around 50 years. It is customary to hear that Africa is nourished by old! Reverse ! Bring young agricultural business is not new in itself.Experiments and dozens exist with more or less mixed fortunes! To attract young people to agriculture advantage of new concepts emerge son for years and realities.Among these models and concepts in vogue include that of agricultural incubation.

Why agricultural incubation for young?
Enabling young people to access technical advice, useful information for the development of his company is one of the basic premises. The difficulties of young entrepreneurs often the lack of skills and access to finance. On the occasion of the 7th Agricultural Science Week in Kigali, Rwanda, incubation center models were presented. Backed by research institutes, consortia of public / private the aim of these incubators is to develop youth entrepreneurship. Of Mali through Ghana, Kenya and Uganda incubators are taken over by young people. At the end of the incubation process varies by country and agricultural projects, youth has their farm.

Agricultural incubators: temporary to permanant
Incubation is seen as a stepping stone, a big step in the creation of agricultural enterprises. Many called little elected; here's what to sum up the reality of these centers. Availability of space and resources limit the number of candidates. Indeed most centers are grants per project. This is the first limit of the incubation model given the number of graduates who join the labor market in sub-Saharan Africa.

Second downside, the temporary nature of the incubation is shrinking. Indeed during the incubation period, some agricultural projects access to finance, facilities to develop their activities. But once the period of incubation is complete, many projects end up on the floor. incubations centers still play the role of "godfather" for access to funding. This is why some participants were quick to scoff, saying that many young people are not independent centers!

But Turyatunga Sam, a young incubation center in Uganda, very proud of his journey think the problem lies elsewhere. For the latter, it is the lack of monitoring and evaluation of projects once outside the incubation center. Furthermore incubators do not work do not work in network once outside the center. Indeed life after incubation present realities that some young people do not want to face it.

The latter think it's nice to show this model example, traveling to conferences but we must resolve the issue of funding. According to Sam, it is not uncommon to see incubated return to the employment market swell the ranks of applicants. Makes you wonder if they really had incubated the contractor temper because, as one sage, one can not wring dry wood! Entrepreneurship is risk, especially in agriculture. You must love and persevere otherwise lively disarray!

Blogpost by Minata Coulibaly, sehe20 (at) gmail.com, # AASW7 social reporter.
This post Represents the author's views only.
Picture courtesy FANRPAN

Never too young to start an agribusiness!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Jul 2016 13:37:00 +0000

Sandrine Mukezinka and Ariane Kangabo are young Rwandan innovators and entrepreneurs. When they ate peanut butter for the first time at their high school, they asked the school’s headmaster: “How could we make this? We want to produce this in larger quantities, and sell it!”

The school connected them with a mentor, who helps young innovators realize their dreams. She links the students with opportunities and networks. The mentor also coaches the youth, and facilitates the projects.

For their first try-out, the girls started with coffee blend and 1 kg of groundnuts. It took them just a few minutes minutes to make peanut butter. Since then, they improved their produce and increased their production.

Today, they both flank H.E. Tony Roberto Nsanganira, Rwanda’s Minister of State in charge of Agriculture, on their booth at the 7th Africa Agriculture Science Week, explaining their project.

Ariane said: “The challenges youth face today is to change their mindset. We want to help youth to think out of the box, and involve them in using the opportunities we have, here in Rwanda, or even in Africa”.

Sandrine and Ariane’s story shows African youth have a lot of talent. Their example shows us how youth are capable to innovate and invest in agriculture, but they often lack the possibility to link their talents with opportunities, knowledge, technologies or markets. Their story also shows the role model of schools, how schools can be critical in enabling youth, motivating them, and providing mentorship and guidance.

Blogpost and photo by Rodrigue Muhire, rodriguemuhire7(at)gmail.com, #AASW7 social reporter.
This post represents the author’s views only.

Cover the rice Africa ...

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Jul 2016 13:37:00 +0000

Rice is a staple food for millions of Africans and is important for achieving food security. However, in Africa, rice has a yield of less than 1.4 tonnes per hectare compared to the world average of 3.4 tonnes per hectare per year. Thus, the rice is not enough product in Africa to cover all needs.

The rice crisis in 2008 in Africa was already provided for by AfricaRice has alerted its member states a year before the crisis. The crisis has triggered a number of actions on rice production, including advocacy.

These pleas have contributed rice production interests in African countries and consequently to an increase in rice production. Many African countries have increased their rice production to be without much be self-sufficient. Self-sufficiency is one of the key food security assessment.

"Africa Riceing: The mobilization and application of science and the additional resources to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production" is one of the themes of the plenary session of the second day of the Week of Agricultural Sciences in Africa (# AASW7). "Africa Riceing" is a new business model developed by AfricaRice.According to Dr Harold Roy-Macauley, AfricaRice Director General, "Africa is the state or Riceing Africa was self-sufficient in rice.".

For this concept, AfricaRice and its partners are trying to meet the food program in Africa. To this end, Dr Harold Roy-Macauley think the agenda for African science basis for the transformation of this initiative developed by AfricaRice. The demand for rice will continue to increase in Africa and there is provided an estimate of 22 million tonnes by 2025.

"Africa Riceing" is a process by which African countries meet their needs in the rice sector through the use of technology and working with partnerships to transform African rice production.

It is a strong, in terms of investment concept, it requires several million dollars but meets the priorities of African countries in the development of rice production.

Several strategies are implemented by AfricaRice to achieve this goal. The irrigation and the expansion of cultivated areas, combined with the use of search technologies (map of irrigated areas, water management system) is needed to achieve this. high-yield rice varieties and good agricultural practices developed by AfricaRice and its partners must be taken into account in order to face the various challenges in Africa to increase rice production.

Similarly, the process of collaboration between the various partners must be established as innovation platforms in the rice value chain in order to move towards more efficient models.

Young people and women must also be taken into account and tools must be developed for this purpose. So we must put hoes in museums and create tools that reduce the constraints of rice production. Similarly, the issue of post-harvest and market access should be considered in this process.

The model "Africa Riceing" demonstrates how technologies Rice could be used to ensure the creation of income and employment for young people.

Blogpost by Christel KENOU, ckenou (at) gmail.com, # AASW7 social reporter.
This post Represents the author's views only.
Picture courtesy AfricaRice

What if?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Jul 2016 13:37:00 +0000

A Striga resistant maize crop in Ghana

Your soil fertility will be affected. You will get cancer. You will die. Better still, you will lose a leg. Well, the last one is pun intended to highlight just a few one liners that you hear when the GMOs discussion ensues. On the other end of the debate are those who push GMOs as the silver bullet for agricultural production and food security in Africa.

Its even worse that overtime, the media has portrayed and centered on the bad versus the good of GMOs resulting to mostly confusing or negative perceptions among the masses. For those who may not understand the popular acronym, GMOs are genetically modified organisms (or crops in this context).

With every new technology in the market, I prefer to give some benefit of doubt, for who knows, they could be the next internet discovery. This is what led me to the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) side event at the 7th Africa Agriculture Science Week whose thematic focus was on taking GM crops to market in sub-Saharan Africa – with special focus on policy and the regulatory environment.

African agricultural productivity is on a decline while the population growth is on the increase. Land pieces are giving way to residential settlement which begs the question, how will we feed the growing population? Of course, its said over and over again that technology has the potential to reverse the low productivity in Africa and unlock the potential of smallholder farmers. However, these technologies vary and may either be chemical, mechanical, biological or others.

While the society seems to readily accept the other technologies, the same can not be said for biological technologies, or biotech. In a nutshell, biotech refers to technologies that manipulate the genes of various organisms, crops in this case, to modify their characteristics with a specific purpose, and through that create better or worse products.

AATF is a biotech proponent whose main mandate is ensuring access and delivery of this technology to sub-Saharan Africa, a critical challenge for African agriculture. They do this by building partnerships with both public and private sectors to help access, adapt and deliver appropriate agricultural technologies for use by smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa.

After sitting through the session, I learnt that AATF has pioneered a couple of biotech projects in Africa. In the maize value chain, they are working with partners to introduce a herbicide-resistant maize seed coated with Imazapyr herbicide that kills Striga seeds on contact. Striga is a notorious weed that sucks out the life from farmers’ maize plants resulting to massive farm losses. In addition, I learnt that some countries like Kenya and Nigeria are facilitating the adoption of the Bt Cotton to help meet the growing demand for cotton.

Examples like these got me thinking, what if?

What if the communications around the adoption or otherwise of GMOs are not so extreme and dismissive – and I mean on both sides of the debate? Given the diminishing pieces of land and the increasingly effects of climate change, what if GMOs can indeed contribute to, or be one of the solutions to food security of the growing African population?

What if we create regulatory frameworks to ensure that the food produced is of great quality and has no harmful effects to human beings with limited impact on the environment?

What if researchers communicate the effects, both positive and negative, of some of the biotech applications so that consumers are well aware of them? As, currently, there exists a lot of speculation around biotech crops and what they represent.

What if governments in Africa give biotech trials a chance to see how the same would be when it comes to feeding the expanding populations? I believe African agriculture could do with some of the benefits of biotech products, that is, increased yields, less labour, less inputs use and less tillage.

Besides, what if as communicators we don’t speculate on the effects of the biotech applications but work with the scientists to help raise awareness on the key areas of the debate when it comes to biotechnology? This could help clear the confusing perceptions in the minds of not just farmers but also consumers.

And lastly, what if GMOs are just given a chance?

Blogpost by Emmie Kio, emmiewakio(at)gmail.com, #AASW7 social reporter.
This post represents the author’s views only.
Photo courtesy: IITA

What science for African agriculture?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Jul 2016 13:37:00 +0000

International Research Laboratory breeding Nairobi, managed by ILRI-BecA

"Researchers who seek are found, but the researchers found that one looks in"

This assertion him alone summarizes the perception of citizens about researchers in many countries. Being a researcher is considered, rightly or wrongly as a member of a class of person that works recluse way on subjects which interest is hardly noticeable to the majority of people.

In Kigali, on Monday 13 June the 7th Week of Agricultural Sciences in Africa (# AASW7) organized by the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa / FARA is under the theme "Apply science, livelihoods impact." An official translation exists, I can venture to translate the theme "Science applied, impact on livelihoods."

In short how science can influence, impact the lives of especially agricultural populations. The opening ceremony is one of the classics: Welcome words, handed trophy, official opening ceremony, business stands (exhibition room), interview of journalists and official departure.

This week in agricultural science takes place in a context where hunger and malnutrition are realities in Africa, especially south of the Sahara. Innovations and solutions for better agricultural practice is slowly spreading among farmers.

What science for African agriculture?

This question is just as provocative. African agriculture faces long diagnosed evils: poor access to innovations and technical enough untapped areas, inadequate agricultural research to farmers' needs. However, an African country is cited as an example in the adaptation of science to the needs of farmers: Rwanda.

At the corner booth visit, we traded with herringbone Telesphore Ndabamenye, "Head of Crop Production & Food Security Department" to "Rwanda Agriculture Board" to better understand "the miracle Rwandans".

Why continue to do research on locusts in Malawi while our farmers have the problem of attack on the cornfields? Why not direct the research and extension of our experienced farmers? In Rwanda, the amalgamation of services for research and extension that allowed good quality at the plant and animal production. This merger was to make information available and accessible to farmers, facilitate technology transfer and especially to pool resources.

The example of Rwanda?

The change in attitude of the producer, popularizer and researcher builds a team that exchange and improve daily practice. Fluid communication between the three entities has proven beneficial for the transfer of knowledge. Exit the isolated researcher in his laboratory, Mr Ndabamenye faith. In terms of methodology of work, are tripartite meetings, definitions of needs, joint planning of the entity at the base to the top. Note that the Rwanda Agriculture Board has a department responsible for information dissemination.

In conclusion to the latter, the foundations for sustainable agriculture are in an integrated and research-oriented solving challenge of producers.

Blogpost by Minata Coulibaly, sehe20 (at) gmail.com, # AASW7 social reporter.

This post Represents the author's views only.

Picture courtesy ILRI

Africa, Agriculture and me

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Jul 2016 13:37:00 +0000

Forgive me if I take African agriculture issues personal…

Africa has 65% of all arable land left in the world. Africa has not only the potential to feed itself, but also to feed the world. But Africa can not eat “potential”. We need to turn Africa’s potential into a reality, keeping in mind that sustainable agriculture is at the very centre of the global development agenda.

– Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank,
during his opening speech at the 7th Africa Agriculture Science Week

Listening to the opening speeches, at the 7th Africa Agriculture Science Week, I realize the transformation of Africa’s agricultural sector is now well under way: Partnering the public and private sector will attract investments and finance solutions for African agriculture. Together, supply-chain partners and financiers can find ways to manage risk throughout the supply chain and to develop innovative finance instruments. We are developing commercial sustainable agriculture in partnership with the private sector. We can expand our opportunities, to increase food security and to reduce poverty.

We recognize that public spending would have to be matched by, and used to leverage, private-sector investment to truly transform the sector. We need models for bringing in foreign direct investment in ways that would support, rather than compete with, small-to-medium-sized agribusinesses that are vital to the long-term sustainability of the sector.

We also need to ensure that investment both by international and African agribusiness companies would raise incomes and create jobs for the rural population, in an eco-sustainable way.

And we’d better do it fast! By 2050, Africa will be home to one-fifth of the world’s population. This rapid growth, combined with a strong trend towards urbanization, poses significant challenges for food security, peace and security, and economic growth.

For me, this is not a void challenge. I take it personal. When we talk about Africa and agriculture, we talk about my future, my family’s future, the future of my town, my country and my continent. I take the topics of Africa and agriculture very personal.

My name is Jean Wilson Ndoruhirwe. I am Rwandan, African and an agriculturalist. I hold a BA in Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness.

My aim is to work as an agricultural or environmental consultant after graduating. I think I am on the right track already. I was selected to be a project coordinator in environmental related greening projects, and am also a part time consultant in a private business offering various services to promote farmer entrepreneurship for low and middle income families.

I sharpened my critical thinking and took responsibility for several agricultural or environmental projects. These skills helped me to identify innovative approaches to increase access to rural and agricultural development programs.

Agriculture in Africa is my future. I wish the 7th Africa Agriculture Science Week the best of luck. I applaud how it entices for agriculture in Africa to transition into full African ownership, how it strives to drive responsible business models and demonstrates increasing impact. But I will also look at this week, to see how I fit in. How I fit into the future of agriculture in Africa. Because I take it personal. When you talk about Africa and agriculture, you talk about me.

Blogpost and picture by Jean Wilson Ndoruhirwe, wndoru(at)gmail.com, #AASW7 social reporter.
This post represents the author’s views only.

The agricultural expertise to Rwandan students

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Jul 2016 13:37:00 +0000

Niyibisys Leon (left) explains to a student how to expose its product

Advise, train and support young people of Rwanda in their creative innovations of Agricultural Sciences, are the challenges that have been launched by teachers of science department and nutrient technologies of the University of Rwanda (UR-CAVM).

Exciting but also discipline, the teaching profession in the field of agriculture is a conviction for Leon Niyibisys who exercise with ambition in the department of nutritional sciences and technologies of the University of Rwanda (UR-CAVM).

The art of imparting knowledge has no secrets for him. The peculiarity of Agricultural Sciences is a great opportunity for him to contribute to the development of the agriculture sector in Rwanda.

According to him, "It is very important to support young people and direct them to agricultural and nutritional sciences because agriculture is a promising niche and the future for the youth of Africa."

The department of science and nutritional technologies teaches young people to learn agricultural techniques from the laboratory to the harvest of products such as wheat, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and many more encores.

The department also assists young people to innovate the equipment used in the field of agriculture, such as for example the manual grinding machine, which was created by young university students of the department said.

According Leon Niyibisys: "Many young people come increasingly to innovate in this area and that comfort us and show us that our efforts are not in vain."
Indeed, the booth run by the department during the 7th edition Week of Agricultural Sciences in Africa, reflects the diversity of the innovations made by university students: Cake based sweet potatoes, wheat, etc ..., harvesting machinery, etc. ...

Leon Niyibisys think that "It has is no better job than that of a teacher. You could simply use our knowledge to create ourselves, but it is not our role. There is no better reward for a teacher to see what served knowing that passed. "

Blogpost and picture by Assétou Diarra Aastaoo (at) gmail.com, # AASW7 social reporter.
This post Represents the author's views only.

Incubating young agripreneurs…

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Jul 2016 13:37:00 +0000

The biggest challenge Africa is facing is its high level of youth unemployment. 60% of of the unemployed in the continent are youth. And youth constitute 40% of the continent’s population.

African countries, institutions and partners are striving to reverse this negative trend, through different programs: Youth in Africa are being mobilized and empowered to grab opportunities. They should become job creators rather than job seekers.

Africa should use youth as the source of enormous potential for economic development. Research has found that agriculture sector has a huge potential for youth employment.

To grab this great opportunity, many African countries want to accelerate growth and social transformations, by engaging youth. Youth have to participate and benefit from the growth and transform opportunities to improve their livelihoods.

Taking into considerations different challenges that face youth in Africa, including lack of access to land or market, lacking proper and stimulating policies, inadequate finance and infrastructure…etc, FARA and partners have initiated the African Agribusiness incubation Network (AAIN) to support youth to accelerate business development in agribusiness with a mandate of enhancing entrepreneurial talent, science and technology integration for job creation and wealth

AAIN is a functional business network that aggregates, convenes and coordinates agribusiness incubators and other private sector related agribusinesses in trade and investment in Africa. AAIN, through its agribusiness incubation model, offers a great potential for youth engagement, job and wealth creation as well as making science work in a way of changing youth perceptions towards agriculture, responding to different challenges faces youth.

Agribusiness incubations means mentorship, coaching and business planning services. AAIN was established to support start, growth, accelerate and develop agribusinesses along selected regional commodity value chains. That have played a crucial rule in agribusiness innovations encouraging job creation and startups development in the agribusiness sector in different countries of Africa. AAIN accounts for more than 12,000 jobs created through their inclusive business development.

Rwandan youth has shown interest in agripreneur incubation, helping them to reverse the trend of high unemployment rates, caused by a lack of information, access to land and finance. Young Rwandans expect to benefit from the AAIN program “Enable Youth”, which supports young unemployed graduates to go into agribusiness.

Quoting one of AASW7 presenter Ms. Mary N. Thiong’o from the AAIN Joint Research: The private sector can help in job creation and enhance the agriculture value chain. Rwanda needs to strengthen their policies linking up the youth private sector and science, to support agribusinesses, agriculture modernisation and employment development

The sky is no longer the limit in promoting agribusiness incubators, it is key to the success of young entrepreneurs and way of creating wealth and jobs.

Blogpost by Fred Shema, shemfred08(at)gmail.com, #AASW7 social reporter.
This post represents the author’s views only.
Picture courtesy FAO

let's be concrete

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Jul 2016 13:37:00 +0000

Despite "the vast agricultural potential that Africa" expression seemed to me more and more "truism" hunger and malnutrition persist on the continent. In 2003, African leaders had pledged to devote 10 percent of their national budget to agriculture "conscious" of its importance in the economic development.

13 years later, all countries seem to have achieved the goal and Agriculture did not so much change in the continent.

Agriculture priority of priorities right, agriculture future is left African agriculture in general saw speeches and few concrete commitment.

Agriculture remains ranked at the bottom of human activities in Africa. The peasant is considered a second-rate citizen. This is less than nothing. Paradoxical as it may seem, all African countries make agriculture the basis of their development. But they do nothing yet to develop the agriculture. And that's not a euphemism.

When is that African governments will understand that the hoe and hoe will not make Africa self-sufficient nutritionally.

When is that African governments will understand that climate change and population boom must find answers now.

When is that African governments will understand that it is paradoxical to produce cocoa and imported chocolate.

These are all questions that I ask myself in this last day of the 7th African Agricultural Science Week, I think Africa needs a real change of paradigm and political commitment. We must quickly find a mechanism for decision-makers understand that agriculture and research can bring more than weapons in which they have continued to invest without ultimately improve the lives of people.

Africa certainly has everything it needs to be earning in agriculture as saying Akinwumi Adesinia, AfDB President, but it still lacks a true transformational leadership among its son because this is only the African depleting the Africa.

As so aptly signified Martial D-P Ikounga Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology in the Commission of the African Union it is time for Africa to eat the fruits of his actions, not his words.

Blogpost by Arsène Birindwa arsenebirindwa (at) gmail.com, # AASW7 social reporter.

This post Represents the author's views only.

Picture courtesy CCAFS

Made in Africa

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 15 Jul 2016 13:10:00 +0000

Dr. Deepak Das and his students.

A lecturer, Head of the mechanization department in the College of Agriculture at University of Rwanda, has found interesting ways to reduce the drudgery often faced by farmers in their various farming and non-farming operations.

Dr. Deepak Das, together with his final year students, have designed innovative machines and equipment which can be used by farmers with a minimum investment on the farmer’s part.

An exhibition booth full of “Made in Africa” inventions

The Non-electrical Refrigerator

The team of Rwandese students designed a cooling device which can work without electricity. It’s easy to take that hulking great white beast of a machine in our kitchens for granted, but for the farmers in Africa who in many cases face power outages, a working refrigerator is not an option. The device is cheap, portable and ideal for home use and storage of farm produce. Its inherent potential to keep farm produce fresh holds a lot of promise to reduce food loss.

Improved Stove

The improved stove is another promising technology. During the interview with Dr. Das, he revealed there were local institutions which were that impressed with the technology, they placed an order already. This technology will particularly benefit the women as they will spend less time preparing meals, reduce the burden (and risk) of searching for much needed firewood and use less wood.

Transplanter

When transplanting seedlings to the field, a transplanter is normally used for this purpose. It will be possible, according to Dr. Das and his team, to reduce the time needed for row to row planting with their new transplanter.

Sorghum Thresher

In other to reduce the manual way of threshing, final-year students of UR College of Agriculture manufactured an affordable sorghum thresher which can be bought at an reasonable price. This thresher reduces the drudgery endured by women and features high efficiency. It can also work with any power source.

There is a beauty to be seen when lecturers and students in agriculture use their knowledge and skills in the service of farmers. Truly, “Made in Africa”.

Blogpost and pictures by Abe Oluwayomi Kayode, yommi.abe(at)gmail.com, #AASW7 social reporter.

This post represents the author’s views only.

7th Africa Agriculture Science Week (AASW) and FARA General Assembly website 13-16 June 2016, Kigali, Rwanda

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 29 May 2016 12:37:00 +0000

Details coming soon...

Hook up with Caribbean and Pacific Agri-Food Forum in Barbados

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 03:27:00 +0000

Hook up with Caribbean and Pacific Agri-Food Forum... http://bit.ly/1WqaDfi