african farming march april 2013

March/April 2013

Europe m14.50 - Ghana C1.3 - Kenya KSH150 - Nigeria N200 - South Africa R18 - UK £9 - USA $15

ServingAGRICULTURE

for

3333YEARS

Reducing the threat of mycotoxins

for local dairy farmers.

Mobile phonesfor farmers

New dynamicfor Angolanagriculture

Progress in tillageefficiency

www.africanfarming.net

AF March April 2013 Cover_Cover.qxd 14/03/2013 09:41

S01 AF March April 2013 Start_Layout 1 14/03/2013 11:52

Managing Editor: Zsa Tebbit

Editorial and Design team: Bob Adams, Lizzie Carroll, David Clancy, Andrew Croft, Prashanth AP,Ranganath GS, Kasturi Gupta, Meenakshi Nambiar, Rhonita Patnaik, Ian Roullier, Genaro Santos,Nicky Valsamakis, Julian Walker and Ben Watts

Publisher: Nick Fordham

Advertising Sales Director: Pallavi Pandey

Magazine Sales Manager: Richard RozelaarTel: +44 (0) 20 7834 7676, Fax: +44 (0) 20 7973 0076 email: [email protected]

Country Representative Telephone Fax EmailChina Ying Wang (86)10 8472 1899 (86) 10 8472 1900 [email protected]

India Tanmay Mishra (91) 80 65333361 (91) 80 40600791 [email protected]

Nigeria Bola Olowo (234) 8034349299 [email protected]

Russia Sergei Salov (7495) 540 7564 (7495) 540 7565 [email protected]

Singapore Tan Kay Hui (65) 9790 6090 (65) 6280 2823 [email protected]

South Africa Annabel Marx (27) 218519017 (27) 46 624 5931 [email protected]

Qatar Saida Daha (974) 5 745 780 [email protected]

UAE Camilla Capece (971) 4 4489260 (971) 4 4489261 [email protected]

USA Michael Tomashefsky (1) 203 226 2882 (1) 203 226 7447 [email protected]

Head Office: Middle East Regional Office:Alain Charles Publishing Ltd Alain Charles Middle East FZ-LLCUniversity House Office 215, Loft 2A11-13 Lower Grosvenor Place PO Box 502207London SW1W 0EX, United Kingdom Dubai Media City, UAETelephone: +44 (0) 20 7834 7676 Telephone: +971 4 448 9260 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7973 0076 Fax: +971 4 448 9261E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

Production: Nathanielle Kumar, Donatella Moranelli, Nasima Osman, Nick Salt, Jeremy Walters andSophia White E-mail: [email protected]

Subscriptions: [email protected]

Chairman: Derek Fordham

Printed by: The Manson Group, St Albans, UK

US Mailing Agent: African Farming & Food Processing USPS. No. 015-224 is published six times ayear for US$90 per year by Alain Charles Publishing Ltd, University House, 11-13 Lower GrosvenorPlace, London, SW1W 0EX, UK Periodicals Postage Paid at Rahway, NJ. Postmaster: send addresscorrections to: Alain Charles Publishing Ltd, c/o Mercury AirfreightInternational Ltd, 365 Blair Road, Avenel, NJ 07001.ISSN: 0266 8017

CONTENTS

African Farming - March/April 2013 3

ContentsNews and Events 4A topical digest of news, views and events including Farmers’ Calendar.

Analysis 10Developing a vibrant African agricultural sector. Stephen Williams talks to Jane Karuku, thepresident of AGRA and Kanayo F Nwanze, the president of IFAD.

Poultry 14Ammonia in the poultry house sabotages production. Too many producers accept high levelsof ammonia in the poultry house as an inevitable nuisance — something to be tolerated.

Dairy Farming 18Reducing the threat of mycotoxins for local dairy farmers.

Angola 20Whilst oil continues to be by far the largest economic sector in Angola, non-oil activities haverecently been showing a new dynamic. This holds particularly true for agriculture, whichaccounts for more than 50 per cent of total employment in the country. Now, coffee, cottonand fruit are experiencing a revival.

Meat Processing 23John F N Ng’ng’a recently visited the Kenya Meat Commission factory outside Nairobi anddiscovered highly specialised meat gathering and processing activities.

Pumps 26Installation and use of pumps adds the energy required to facilitate movement and transfer ofwater from one place to another, or to accelerate normal movement down a natural gradient.

Rural Communications 28More and more smallholder farmers are now harnessing the power of the telephone to helpthem connect to agricultural services, information and markets.

Tillage 30Like much of the machinery on African farms, cultivation equipment is influenced by trendsand developments in Europe and the United States.

Half of Africa's one billion populationhas a mobile phone - an increasinglypopular tool with many smallholderfarmers.

A Great Plains Flatliner similar to the batch of subsoilerssupplied to Sudan.

Cattle breeding contributes significantly to Angola'sagricultural sector.

March/April 2013

Europe m14.50 - Ghana C1.3 - Kenya KSH150 - Nigeria N200 - South Africa R18 - UK £9 - USA $15

ServingAGRICULTURE

for

3333YEARS

Reducing the threat of mycotoxins

for local dairy farmers.

Mobile phonesfor farmers

New dynamicfor Angolanagriculture

Progress in tillageefficiency


Serving the world of business



March

28-30 Ethiopia Poultry Expo ADDIS ABABA

www.ethiopoultryexpo.com

28-30 Afri Green Expo ADDIS ABABA

www.expopromoter.com

April

4-7 IDMA ISTANBUL

www.idma.com.tr

10-12 4th Global Feed and Food Congress SUN CITY

www.ifif.org

16-18 2nd Cool Logistics Africa Conference CAPE TOWN

www.coollogisticsafrica.com

May

4-9 IFFA 2013 FRANKFURT

www.iffa.com

14-17 NAMPO Harvest Day BOTHAVILLE

www.grainsa.co.za

22-23 Sustainable Forest Management in Central Africa YAOUNDE

www.cifor.org

24-26 17th FOODAGRO 2013 DAR ES SALAAM

www.expogr.com/tanzania/foodexpo

29-30 AVI Africa JOHANNESBURG

www.sapoultry.co.za

June

5-7 IFTEX 2013 NAIROBI

www.hppexhibitions.com

6-8 AGRENA 2013 CAIRO

www.agrena.net

African Farming - March/April 20134

EVENTS

Farming Calendar

ZIMBABWE IS TO host an international beekeeping conference, API-Expo Africa, in 2014, meant to promote beekeeping in the country andAfrica at large.According to Beekeepers Association of Zimbabwe (BKAZ) NationalCo-ordinator, Chaipa Mutandwa, API-Trade Africa in Uganda is theorganising body and secretariat of the expo.Mutandwa said the expo is also to be co-hosted by the local Ministryof Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development.He added that the expo will be held under the theme: Beekeeping foreconomic empowerment for Africa.Mutandwa said at least 3,000 delegates are expected to attend theexpo, who include exhibitors, local producers including serviceproviders, just to mention a few.Delegates are also expected to come from the SADC region, other partsof Africa and also Europe. Wallace Mawire

THE THIRD AFRICA Rice Congress – to be held from 21-24 October2013, in Yaoundé, Cameroon – will have as its main theme: ‘RiceScience for Food Security and Agri-business Development in Africa’.The Congress will bring together representatives from the public andprivate sector, civil society organisations, farmer associations andresearch and extension communities engaged in the development ofAfrica’s rice sector.The Congress will take stock of advances in rice science andtechnology aimed at improving production, processing andmarketing practices across the rice value chain in Africa. TheCongress will also provide an opportunity to discuss institutionalinnovations, policies and key investments needed to significantlyincrease rice production, processing and marketing in sub-SaharanAfrica, thereby developing competitive and equitable rice valuechains, reducing imports and enhancing regional trade.The Africa Rice Congress will be organised by the Africa Rice Center(AfricaRice) in collaboration with the Government of Cameroon.

Third Africa Rice Congress 2013

Zimbabwe to host international beekeeping conference

BAYER CROPSCIENCE IS committed to helpraise the agricultural productivity in Africa, andplans to extend its operational footprint in thecontinent, said Christian Asboth, Senior VicePresident for Africa, Middle East and CIS, at the2nd AGCO Africa Summit in Berlin, Germany.

During a high-level business panel on"Making Business Work and Fit for Africa",Asboth emphasised the urgent need for asustainable introduction of moderntechnologies, with a strong focus on smallholderfarmers in Africa to boost productivity. "Overthe last years we have seen a strongdevelopment of agriculture in Africa, but thechallenges of the next decades can only besolved if smallholder farmers are empowered tosustainably pilot their own success," he said,noting that the lack of access to productioninputs such as fertilisers, high-quality seeds,innovative crop protection solutions, machineryand other important farming tools negativelyaffects agricultural production.

Tailored offerings provided by BayerCropScience are well adapted to the needs of

African farmers. These include integrated cropsolutions based on improved seed varietiesand modern crop protection technologies aswell as product stewardship programmes andtraining in good agricultural practices. "Wehave excellent seed technology in severalcrops, such as in vegetables, cotton andhybrid rice," Asboth added. In order toimprove agricultural productivity, a close co-operation between the different stakeholders- including local governments, farmers’associations and co-operatives, NGOs, theagricultural input industry and the bankingand insurance sector - is absolutely

necessary, Asboth noted. "At BayerCropScience, we hope to increaseagricultural productivity by partnershipsalong the entire food value chain from seedto shelf," he commented.

Bayer CropScience is already involved inprojects to set up and improve farmer proximityshops, provide farmers with agronomical andproduct stewardship training, as well as connectsmallholder and industrial farmers to provideaccess to more advanced farming equipment.Asboth said: "We aim to help smallholderfarmers in East and West Africa to raise theirproductivity to improve their livelihood. This ishow we aim to help reduce hunger and povertyand how we can contribute to agriculturaldevelopment in Africa."

The AGCO Africa Summit is a joint initiative ofAGCO, Bayer CropScience, DEG, and Rabobank.Guest speakers included Prof. Dr. Horst Köhler(former Federal President of Germany), JohnAgyekum Kufuor (former President of the Republicof Ghana), and Olusegun Obasanjo (formerPresident of Nigeria).

Bayer committed to help raise agricultural productivity in Africa

Smallholder farmers key to increase agricultural productivity.



NEWS

THE CONSERVATION FARMING Unit (CFU) ofthe Zambia National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU)has continuously promoted conservationfarming since 1996 with the support of theNorwegian government.

More recently, the Ministry of Agricultureand Livestock and other organisations havebecome involved in the practice, and, today, itis estimated that about 250,000 famers applythe basic form of CF on portions of their land.

‘’This is good news because ask any of themany thousands of farmers who haveadopted CF and they will tell you that they aremore food-secure, they have surpluses to selland they can produce crops in all but thedriest seasons,’’ information obtained fromthe CFU indicates.

Hoe tillage allows farmers to completeland preparation in the dry season, plant ontime, reduce soil disturbance from 100 percent to 10 per cent, reduce labour peaks andapply nutrients more accurately. Cropsestablish more evenly, harvest rainfall andsurvive dry periods that are common at theonset of the rains.

Instead of ploughing, ox farmers rip furrowsin the dry season and when they havecompleted their own land preparation, they can

rip for their neighbours, thus earning somemoney in the process. Ripping takes four hoursper hectare compared to 14 hours for ploughingand can be undertaken throughout the dryseason, making better use of scarce oxen.

Farmers with tractors who rip instead ofplough reduce diesel consumption from 40litres per hectare to 12, reduce costs, wearand tear and can make a profitable businessout of providing this service to customers whobenefit from lower costs.

‘’CF is practical, relatively easy to adopt,costs less, produces more, arrests erosion,performs better in dry and wet seasons and incombination with leguminous crop rotationsand the judicious use of fertilisers on maize,reverses land degradation.”

From experience, it is true that ‘’CF offersfarmers many spectacular benefits, and that it isthe best ‘on farm’ solution for farmers to increaseproductivity and adapt to climate change.”

Around the world, CF is referred to byother names, such as No–Till, Reside Tillage,Conservation Tillage and Zero Tillagedepending on the amount of soil disturbance,the degree of soil cover and crop rotation.

Whatever terms are used, the mostimportant principles are constant and relevant

to all arable farmers whether they use a hoe,oxen or a tractor with satellite navigation –reduce soil disturbance to the minimumpossible, maximise soil protection to thedegree possible by preserving the previousharvest’s residues and rotate.

‘’Achieving these elemental goals indifferent farming conditions is the subject ofcontinuous refinement the world over. Today,nearly 100 million ha of the world’s crop landis farmed using these methods, with 85 percent in the US, Brazil, Argentina, Canada,Australia and Paraguay; yet Africa - acontinent that could benefit so much fromthese practices - contributes less than 0.5 percent of the total.

Nawa Mutumweno

Zambia takes the lead in conservation farming

African Farming - March/April 2013 5www.africanfarming.net

S02 AF March April 2013 News_Layout 1 14/03/2013 12:03


NEWS

TEN YEARS AFTER entering into a tripartiteagreement with the government and theNamibian Development Corporation(NDC) for one of the oldest green schemeprojects in the country, Tulio Van der MerweParreira could soon invest N$50mn(US$5.5mn) in upgrading the infrastructureon the government project.

Speaking to New Era, the Rundu-basedbusinessman said he is just waiting forAgriBank to approve his loan applicationfor N$50mn (US$5.5mn) to start with theenvisioned Private Public Partnership planthat could boost the country’s food securityand reduce food imports.

“Since the project is situated in acommunal area it will be impossible to geta loan from the commercial banks,therefore I approached AgriBank and listedmy own property as security to make surethat the entire available land at the projectis under irrigation,” he explained.

Parreira is confident the investment willboost food production at the 1,000-ha

Musese irrigation project, situated some 70km west of Rundu. Parreira sealed a 30-year tripartite partnership with thegovernment and the NDC.

Forming part of his new investment planswill be the acquisition of an additionalwater pump at the project which he says

pumps as much as 3000 cu m of water perhour. “The extra pump will be very useful,because its efficiency is very high, hence theelectricity we will use to pump water will beless,” said Parreira.

“When I partnered with government 10years ago only 112 ha were undercultivation. At the moment 280 ha of the800 ha are under cultivation, but we wouldlike to make maximum use of the entirearea,” he said.

After the agreement ends, all theinfrastructure will belong to thegovernment. The 53-year-old businessmansaid he wants to put up more infrastructureto produce more food at the farm and atthe same time create more jobs.

The region currently has seven greenscheme projects that fall under the Ministryof Agriculture, Water and Forestry.Following the global food crisis in 2008,extra efforts were made in the area of foodproduction to ensure that the countrybecomes self-sufficient in food production.

THE NIGERIAN MINISTER of agriculture has said that his ministry is toenrol more than five million farmers in its Gross Enhancement Support(GES) programme.Professor Akinwunmi Adesina made the statement at the opening of the2013 cropping scheme meeting headed by the Institute for AgriculturalResearch (IAR) of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in Zaria, Nigeria.Federal Department of Agricultural Extension director, Dr DamilolaEniaiyeju, said on behalf of Adesina that the main aim for GES was todeliver fertiliser directly to farmers within the country, working towardsincreasing productivity.Research institutes, such as IAR, were urged by Adesina to meet theneeds of Nigerian farmers by finding a way that would improve yieldsand productivity.Vice chancellor of ABU, professor Abdullahi Mustapha, said that theattitudes of key players, the right policies and opportunities for investmentwere all vital in ensuring food security and improving economic growthacross the country.IAR director Professor Ahmed Falaki, stated earlier that the institute hasresolved to renew its vision and carefully articulate its research strategies,despite issues related to financing the project.

NEW BREEDS OF Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) - aneconomically important fish that is native to much of Africa -which grow about 30 per cent faster than the most commoncommercial strains, will boost food security and farmers' earningsin Egypt and Ghana. The selective breeding programmes use natural selection, where youngfish with the desired trait of rapid growth are bred together. Thiscontinues for many generations to produce fish that grow ever-morequickly. The technique is simple but it takes a long time. The methoddoesn't use genetic engineering, gene transfer or growth hormones. Aquaculture represents 72 per cent of total fish production inEgypt, which is the world's second largest producer of tilapiaafter China. The Abbassa strain of tilapia grows 28 per centfaster than the most commonly-used commercial breed. In Ghana, the Akosombo strain was developed by nationalresearch body the Water Research Institute (WRI) in partnershipwith WorldFish. The eighth generation of the strain reachesmaturity more than 30 per cent faster than the unimproved strain. At the current pace, tilapia production in Ghana is projected toincrease tenfold by 2015.

Huge investment for Musese irrigation project

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT has pledged its commitment to revitalisethe Lower Anambra irrigation project through a private sector initiative.

The 3,850 ha irrigation land project established in 1981 is thebiggest irrigation project in the southeast, and will mainly facilitatethe cropping rice in the country.

Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, recently visited theproject in Omor, Ayamelum Local Government Area of the state andstated that the government would re-energise the project for theproduction of food, through an engagement with the private sector.He expressed apprehension that the project - if handled bygovernment agencies - would not achieve its desired goals. “If werevive this agricultural project now and hand it over to the

government to run, I can be very sure that in another five years, wewould come back and find the same problem,” he said.

He added that successive governments were unable to deliver onagriculture because they were based on the ideology that governmentwill run agriculture to produce rice and sell in the market, adding thatit was the same reason why many government agencies failed.

“If it was private farmers that had this opportunity, I am sure thatthe project would never have failed. It has not failed in othercountries, but because of our attitude, in the public serviceparticularly, the same reason that railway failed, NITEL failed,Nigeria Airways and several other agencies, because governmentand public service were unable to run them.”

President Hifikepunye Pohamba pictured at an irrigationsystem at the Musese project.

Nigeria’s FG to privatise Lower Anambra irrigation project

Fast-growing fish varieties to benefit farmers Nigeria to target five million farmers for GES programme



NEWS


THE UGANDA GOVERNMENT is in a drive to revive wheat productionneglected over thirty years ago, and researchers at Buginyanya ZonalAgriculture Research and Development Institute (ZARDI) are researching forwheat varieties that would mature faster in the mountainous areas, where it’scurrently grown, while other varieties that would thrive in flat lands are alsobeing developed.According to the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), thecountry presently produces over 30,000 tonnes of wheat in mountainousareas of Mt Elgon in the east, Mt Muhabura in the south west and in Mwiziand Buhweju in western Uganda.Dr William Wagoire, a wheat research scientist, says he and other scientistswill develop new varieties that can encourage farmers to try out wheatgrowing again. The team will also use funds from the Eastern AfricanAgriculture Productivity Project (EAAPP) to develop varieties that grow in areasthat have historically grown wheat and the focus is mostly on the Acholi sub-region in northern Uganda.Geoffrey Muleme

THE AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT Bank (AfDB) has earmarkedUS$150mn to support the rice value chain under the AgriculturalTransformation Agenda (ATA) of the federal government.Chief Operations Officer of the Bank, Dr Patrick Agboma,disclosed this recently in Abuja. He explained that AfDB in 2012pledged US$500mn to support rice, cassava, aquaculture andsorghum of the ATA. He said: “It is well known that the AfDB hascommitted US$500mn for the ATA over the next three years butfor this programme maybe up to US$150mn could be put up.”Agboma said there is the need for infrastructural development inthe sector for sustainable development across states.Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture andRural Development, Mrs Ibukun Odusote, said that theprogramme will be implemented across six Staple CropProcessing Zones (SCPZ) in the country. She added that thecentres will be located in areas where there are high potentialsfor production of the selected crops.

AfDB boosts Nigerian rice production Uganda in drive to revamp wheat production

silos agricultureequipment

livestockequipment

steel works

Madrid Office:C/ Azcona, 3728028 Madrid - SpainT: +34 91 726 43 04F: +34 91 361 15 94

Offices and Factory:Ctra. de Arenas km. 2,30013210 Villarta de San JuanCiudad Real- SpainT: +34 926 640 475F: +34 926 640 294

www.symaga.com [email protected]

VIV AsiaMarch 13-15

Hall 102 Stand P033

THE NEW RICE for Africa(NERICA) variety is poised toreduce rice importation costs inAfrica with annual savings of morethan US$90mn. But such goodnews is yet to be embraced by ricefarmers in Kenya.

According to an official at theNational Irrigation Board, agovernment agency in charge ofrice irrigation projects, mostirrigation schemes in Kenya likeBunyala, Ahero, West Kanoamong others have not gone fullthrottle to embrace the Nericavariety due to lack ofinformation.

“Lack of awareness onprofitability of the new ricetechnology to the African ricefarmer remains the mainimpediments to appreciate thesignificance and importance ofNerica,” he said.

Nerica, a drought resistantvariety does not require floodingwater as other varities acrossAfrica, thus making it a viableentity for the Africa rice productionbreakthrough, given the climatechange patterns. According tolatest findings, Nerica is oneagricultural biotechnologyapplication with promisingpotential to Africa's rice production

to address dwindling food securitysituation in the continent.

Scientists at the Africa RiceCentre (WARDA) in Benin havecreated Nerica by crossingOryza sativa (Asian rice) withOryza glaberrina (Africacultivated rice).

Researchers at WARDA revealthat the variety selected from theresulting germplasm is high

yielding; shorter growing season- takes 105 days to mature, highprotein content and resistant tolocal stress like drought.

It is estimated according toWARDA that more than 200,000ha of land will soon be underNerica cultivation, approximatedto produce not less than onemillion tonnes of rice per year.

Kenya, for instance, has a riceproduction deficit of more than200,000 tonnes, which has to bemet by importing rice, resulting inloss of currency.

Rice output in Kenya hassteadily decreased, falling shortto meet the consumption demandof 280,000 tonnes annually.

According to experts at theMwea Irrigation Scheme, the Riceimportation in Kenya has lockedfarmers into a vicious cycle ofpoverty.

Kenyan rice farmers yet to embrace Nerica variety

Collecting ears of Nerica rice.




NEWS

9

THE BANANA BACTERIAL wilt is threatening the growingof bananas across East and Central Africa. In partnershipwith local and international institutions the Rural Energyand Food Security Organisation [REFSO] has intensifiedan awareness campaign against BXW Xanthamonascontrol and promoting banana programmes. The five-yearKs35mn (US$408,000) campaign is funded by USAID.

The organisation has partnered with BioversityInternational, Research in East and Central Africa[ASERECA], NARO and Institute des Science Agronomiques du Burundi [ISABU], KenyaAgricultural Research Institute [KARI], Institute of Science Agronomy of Rwanda [ISAR] andLake Zone Agricultural Research and Development Institute [LZARDI].

The bulk of wilt effect is rampant in Northern Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, wherebananas are grown on a large scale. However, the disease originated in Ethiopia.

Threat to Africa farmers

A NEW INITIATIVE is being introducedto tackle cocoa pests and diseases inWest Africa. The International Cocoa Organization[ICCO] is to lead the initiative, inpartnership with the Common Fund forCommodities [CFC] and the EuropeanCocoa Association [ECA]. The world’s two leading chocolatemanufacturers, Mars and MondelezInternational, as well as other companies,are expected to get involved. The project, which will be launched inApril, aims to tackle the cocoa pests anddiseases that are the main challenges to asustainable cocoa economy. Together,they account for more than 40 per cent ofglobal crop losses in cocoa production,and result in reduced income for cocoafarmers. The ‘Integrated Management ofCocoa Pests and Pathogens in Africa’project is a US$3.2mn initiative that willaddress this issue in Cameroon, Côted’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo, thesource of 70 per cent [about 2.8mntonnes] of global cocoa production.With the Cocoa Research Institute ofGhana [CRIG] co-ordinating activitieson the ground, the project aims togather regional expertise, building onpast and existing initiatives in thesecountries, with the active support of thecocoa and chocolate industry, in orderto improve the productivity on cocoafarms by reducing losses to indigenouscocoa pests and diseases. In addition,the project will strengthen in-countryand regional capacity for improved pestsurveillance for prevention of spread,early detection, eradication andcontinued management of existing andinvasive pests and pathogens.Among the major indigenous cocoa pestsand diseases to be targeted are those thatcause significant crop losses in Africa:mirids; sting bugs; stem borers; black podand cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus [CSSV]. Also to be addressed is the recentemergence of parasitic plants such asmistletoes and epiphytes, which alsothreaten West African cocoa production. Particular attention will be given to CSSV,as new outbreaks in Côte d’Ivoire arecasting doubt over the future ofproduction. The viral disease is one of themost intractable and destructive to strikethe cocoa industry in West Africa, and ithas similar effects to witches’ broomdisease, which cut cocoa production inBrazil by over 50 per cent in the 1990s.

Combatting African cocoapests and diseases

Wilt-damaged banana plant.



Global food security is near the top of the international agenda as the world faces volatile commodity prices.Africa has a key role in coming to terms with a food crisis, not only to feed itself but to help feed the world,as Jane Karuku, the president of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and Kanayo F Nwanze,the president of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) explained to Stephen Williams.

JANE KARUKU AND Kanayo F.Nwanze were two of the speakers ata food security conferenceorganised by Chatham House in

London. Away from the meeting, theyfound the time to explain just how criticalis Africa’s agricultural sector to thecontinent as a means to eradicate poverty,hunger and malnutrition.

Food security is a very broad term andencompasses many different butinterconnected elements. Global warming,or climate change, will undoubtedly havean increasingly powerful impact on thecontinent, and many observers are alsoalarmed at a recent spate of “land grabs”in Africa as powerful corporates and evenstate actors move to acquire productiveland and water resources. The issue ofbio-fuels is also integral to Africa’s futurefood security.

Throughout Africa there is an increasingappreciation of the role that theagricultural sector plays in practically alleconomies. This is due primarily toorganisations such as the Alliance for aGreen Revolution in Africa (AGRA), andthe International Fund for AgriculturalDevelopment (IFAD). The AU Nepad’sComprehensive Africa AgricultureDevelopment Programme (CAADP) hasalso played its part in ensuring thatgovernments commit to allocating asignificant part of their national budgets(10 per cent) to agricultural development.

Two main policy directivesAGRA’s president Jane Karuku explainedthat the alliance that she heads has twomain policy objectives; namely to ensurethat Africa can feed itself and also usingincreased productivity for improving ruralincomes and livelihoods. AGRA, IFAD and

other actors such as the FAO and the IRDCare working together in close partnershipfor Africa’s agricultural development andtowards a food security agenda.Furthermore, the African Capacity BuildingFoundation prepared a major report lastyear on how Africa’s agricultural capacitycan be boosted.

“We currently work in 16 Africancountries across the full integrated valuechain,” Karuku says. “What we do is buildcapacity, training agri-scientists inparticular at African institutions. They workwith local crops, the foods that localpeople eat and that adds to the valuesystems they already have. There are about800 people working in colleges anduniversities, from low- to PhD-level whothen return to their countries to developstrains of crops and animal breedsbecause these are the property of nationalinstitutions – from maize to sorghum, milletto beans, groundnuts, cassava and wheatsuch as tef in Ethiopia. We work with localcrop varieties across all of Africa’s differentecological and climatic zones.”

AGRA, Karuku told African Farming, has

released about 330 new seed varieties andhas about 40,000 tons of new improvedseed varieties that are already within thesystem. But the Alliance’s work goes furtherthan this as it also supports SMEs that workin the agricultural value chain, such asthose small companies that distribute inputssuch as seed and fertilisers as well aslivestock feed. This whole programme isnamed “Seeds”.

But, as Karuku explained, that is just oneplank of AGRA’s work. “We are alsofocusing on agronomy such as looking atfertiliser use, and we’ve also noted thatsome farmers are now so successful that weneed to develop warehousing facilities. Wewant to move away from a buyers’ market,and having safe storage means that farmerscan choose when to sell their crops into themarkets as well as controlling post-harvestlosses. Warehouse receipts can also beused as collateral so that farmers can morereadily raise finance. We are also linkinginto the ‘purchase for progress’ initiative(P4P), which is where local farmers areselling food to the World Food Programmethat provides humanitarian assistance tohungry pockets of the continent, and furtherafield, where they are food shortages.

“There is also a move by AGRA tosupport agricultural groupings such as co-operatives as one farmer has no voice buta collective can exert pressure onauthorities to embrace pro-agriculturalpolicies. These groups can also cometogether to bulk purchase inputs. We havemany successful projects across Africa. Asimportantly, we are working on genderissues as 80 per cent of Africa’s agriculturaloutput eaten in Africa is from small-holdersand women comprise 80 per cent of small-holder farm labour. We are also workingwith governments to ensure that they canidentify and pursue policies that can raisesustainable agricultural productivity.”

For his part, Dr Nwanze said that IFAD’sfocus is enabling poorer rural people toovercome poverty by providing financialsupport, primarily through governments, byextending loans with levels of interest thatcan be as low as 0.75 per cent, really just

Developing a vibrant Africanagricultural sector


ANALYSIS

Jane Karuku, President of AGRA.

Throughout Africa there is anincreasing appreciation of the

role that the agriculturalsector plays in practically

all economies.


S03 AF March April 2013 Agro Ecology Feature_Layout 1 14/03/2013 11:57

an administrative fee. These loans canhave, for developing countries, terms aslong as 40 years with grace periods of 10years. Loans for middle-income developingcountries carry terms that are closer tocommercial financial arrangements withhigher interest rates and shorter terms,typically 15 or 20 years.

A financing institutionSo IFAD is primarily a financing institutionand as such carries quite a wide-rangingloan and grant portfolio, amounting toclose to US$14bn. But as Nwanze madeclear: “Loans and grants are only madewhen specific programmes have alreadybeen designed by governments and bycommunities, and specific targets havebeen set. We work solely in developingcountries and only in rural areas’ projectsand focus on agriculture and ruraldevelopment.”

Partnerships are central to everything thatIFAD does. The Fund is, in fact, a uniquepartnership of members of theOrganisation of Petroleum ExportingCountries (OPEC), other developingcountries, and member countries of theOrganisation for Economic Co-operationand Development (OECD). There are alsoparticularly close ties with the UN’s Rome-based agencies – the Food and AgricultureOrganisation and World Food Programme.In fact, IFAD is also a UN specialist agencybased in Rome. Since its establishment in1974, in the wake of the droughts andfamines that had struck Africa and Asia inthe preceding years, it has distributed morethan US$20bn in grants and loans.

Arguably, the most important role thatIFAD has (other than being a source foraffordable finance) is to bring the points ofview of small-holder farmers and ruralentrepreneurs to bear on internationalpolicy deliberations, and build theircapacity so that they themselves canengage in and influence relevant policyprocesses.

With a US$1bn annual budget, andAfrica receiving the lion’s share of around45 per cent, IFAD views farmers as itsprimary clients and the small-holders asentrepreneurs.

Nwanze made a number of particularlysignificant points. “If you go back three

years or so, no one accepted that small-holder agriculture was a business. Today, ifyou read the G20 and G8 declarations youwill hear them talk about smallholderagriculture, women farmers and nutrition,so at least some people are listening!

A major transformation“In recent years we have undergone amajor transformation in the way weoperate. We started decentralising awayfrom Rome and putting more people in thefield, establishing country offices, and wefound this had a tremendously positiveimpact in the way we can now supervisethe implementation of projects, supportthem, and have dialogue with partners.This is key, because these are not IFADprojects but IFAD-supported projects –they are host government owned and theymust target communities.

“And we have implemented a very robustresource measurement framework thatensures dollar for dollar value for money.For example, I can tell you that in 2011 ourportfolio of IFAD-supported programmesbenefited 19mn women, but we now wantto move towards not just stating the numberof beneficiaries to what it meant in terms oftheir livelihoods.

“This is what we mean when we say wewant to move towards “granularatory” inour system of measurement. In the lastfew years, when we published our ruralpoverty report, we have come to realisethat agriculture may not be the onlypathway for rural people to get out ofpoverty; there are other non-agriculturalmeans to do so. So we are looking at on-farm and off-farm relationships.

“And we also realise that increasedproduction and productivity is not enough;there has to be linkage to markets. So thisis where the whole value chain approachcomes in and this represents a lot of workfor IFAD and its development partners todo. And not just IFAD; there is even morefor governments to do. They must put theright policies in place and create anenvironment where the domestic privatesector can see the case to come in withinvestment, because if the domestic privatesector does not invest they will not take theproduce to markets.”

It was clear in speaking with both Karukuand Nwanze that they believe globalleaders recognise agricultural developmentis a major driver of economic growth andfood security in Africa. Cross-sectorinitiatives, like the New Alliance for FoodSecurity, demonstrate that there is thepolitical will to scale success and effect realchange on the ground. 2013 will be acritical year for Africa’s farmers and globalfood security, and the UK’s G8 summit willspotlight agriculture as a solution to hungerand malnutrition. The 10th anniversary ofNEPAD’s CAADP will celebrate theincreased public investment in agricultureby African governments.

Next year also presents an opportunityfor a continued global push for increasedsmart investments in agriculture, both bygovernments and the private sector.Farming is a business and the privatesector must fuel the development ofAfrica’s agribusiness in upgradingsmallholder agriculture to meet demandfrom foreign and emerging markets indeveloping countries.

The sad fact is that despite the enormouspotential for agriculture in Africa, it islagging behind and the continent is still anet importer of foodstuffs. That puts it at asevere disadvantage in the face of risingfood commodity prices. Last year may haveseen rises in “hard” commodities, such asgold (up 4.4 per cent); oil (2.4 per cent)and copper (2.2 per cent), but theseappear modest next to the “softs” thatconstitute staple foodstuffs for millions ofAfricans, such as wheat that soared 28.8per cent, soyabeans (up 18.6 per cent) andmaize (that rose 8.5 per cent) oninternational markets. h

ANALYSIS

Kanayo F Nwanze, the president of the InternationalFund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

IFAD’s focus is enablingpoorer rural people to

overcome poverty by providingfinancial support, primarily

through governments.


Global leaders recogniseagricultural development

is a major driver ofeconomic growth and food

security in Africa.



Too many producers accept high levels of ammonia in the poultry house asan inevitable nuisance — something to be tolerated.

TO L E R AT I N G A M M O N I A C A Nnegatively affect flock performanceand can create health problems forthose who work in the poultry house.

And, in a growing number of cases, elevatedlevels of ammonia have resulted incommunity strife and litigation againstproducers.

Ammonia is the natural by-product of thechemical reaction between manure in thelitter and moisture. The wetter the litter, themore ammonia in the air.

Moisture in the poultry house can haveany number of sources, ranging from thenatural humidity in the air, to foggers andevaporative cooling pads, to the wateringsystem. You can control some, but not all,of these sources.

You can manage ammonia levels bypaying close attention to litter conditions. Ifthe litter is too wet, it’s time to do somedetective work and find the source of themoisture. The best way to quickly determinelitter condition is to grab a handful near adrinker and squeeze. If the litter clumpstogether in a ball, it is too wet. If the litterfalls apart immediately, it is too dry, creatingdusty conditions that can harm production.If the litter clumps briefly and then crumblesapart, it has the correct moisture content —about 20 to 25 per cent.

If the litter is substantially wetter underthe drinker line than elsewhere, the sourceof wet litter is undoubtedly the wateringsystem. Wet conditions are inherent inopen watering systems, such as bells ortroughs. If you are using such a system,your best chance for reducing ammonialevels is to replace it with an enclosedsystem with nipple-type drinkers. However,enclosed watering systems require propermanagement. This means ensuring thedrinkers are at the correct height for thebirds’ age and size and making sure thewater pressure is correct. Pressure toohigh causes wet litter; pressure too lowstunts the birds’ growth. Another source ofwet litter is leaking lines and drinkers. Youshould correct all leaks and drips as soonas you find them.

There are some who counsel growers to

manage their watering system by targetingspecific flow rates. For years, the poultryindustry focused on measuring flow rates todetermine how well a drinker performed.But, research revealed that this emphasison flow rates was counterproductive. Flowrates merely tell how much water passesthrough a drinker and not how much goesinto the bird or how much is spilled ontothe litter. Ziggity recommends judging adrinker’s performance by the measuresthat truly matter — bird performance, notby a preconceived flow rate that has noreal meaning.

Proponents of high flow rates will evenoffer complicated formulas to suggesthow much water to supply the birds.However, this ignores how birds drink: bypecking the trigger pin. Chickens can onlyhold so much water in their beaks. If the

drinker discharges more, that water endsup on the litter.

The consequence of wet litterThe consequences of wet litter and highammonia levels cannot be overemphasised. People usually can detectammonia at around 15 parts per million(ppm). However, prolonged exposuredesensitizes the nose. Some growers whohave worked in the poultry houseenvironment for years cannot detectammonia at 50 ppm, a level consideredthreatening. The U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency says humans should notbe exposed to 25 ppm for eight hours orlonger and exposure to 35 ppm should notexceed 15 minutes.

The ammonia is at its strongestconcentration at litter level, where thechickens are. The ammonia will dissolve inthe fluid around the eyes, causingirritation. In greater concentrations, thebirds can go blind. Other drawbacks ofammonia and wet litter include increasedfoot lesions, breast blisters, skin burns and

Ammonia in the poultry housesabotages production


POULTRY

It is essential to pay close attention to litter conditions.

You can manage ammonialevels by paying close

attention to litter conditions.


S04 AF March April 2013 Poultry_Layout 1 14/03/2013 11:58

scabby areas. Any disease in thebirds takes feed energy awayfrom meat production to fight offthe condition. Additionally, anyinjury or unhealthy conditionincreases downgrades andcondemnations. And, recentuniversity studies havedemonstrated ammoniaconcentrations above 25 ppmhave a definite impact on agrower’s settlement check.

Ammonia and wet litter alsofoster disease in the flock. Evenat a level of 5 ppm(undetectable to the humannose), ammonia can irritate the protectivelining of a chick’s respiratory system,making it more susceptible to disease.And, the wet litter conditions encouragepathogens to grow. Among the moreserious diseases fostered by wet litter areavian influenza, gangrenous dermatitis,exotic Newcastle disease, gumboro,botulism, E. coli and salmonella. Wetlitter also encourages coccidiosis.

Heavy concentrations of ammonia cancause a poultry operation to smell bad.

And, the wet litter provides a very fertile

breeding ground for flies. Both conditionscan annoy neighbours, and, as rural areasbecome more populated, people offendedby the smell and flies are more likely to turnto the courts for help. As a practical matter,you cannot eliminate ammonia but shouldstrive to keep it below 25 ppm.

Besides managing the watering system,there are several other steps you can take toreduce ammonia levels:● Maintain adequate ventilation in the

house, even in winter. During coldweather, many growers will reduce

ventilation to save on heatingcosts. The loss of incomebecause of the ammonia canrapidly outpace any savingson heat.● Immediately remove any wetspots that develop and replacewith dry litter.● Ensure there is adequatedrainage around the house toprevent surface water fromgetting in.● Remove all caked litter aftereach flock and ventilate thehouse well to dry the litter.

Wet litter and ammoniapose very real threats to your poultry flocksand to your settlement checks. Theseunsanitary conditions also threaten yourhealth and the health of anyone else whomust work in the poultry house. But, thereare a number of steps you can take toreduce wet litter and ammonia, especiallycorrectly managing your watering systemand ventilating your houses.

Ziggity Systems, Inc. is the onlymanufacturer 100 per cent focused onpoultry watering for improved performance.www.ziggity.com. h

POULTRY

Wet litter and ammonia pose very real threats to your poultry flocks.


P. de Heus en Zonen Greup,

traders in tractors and machinery.

Specialized in new and used

tractors agriculture machinery

from all different brands. We can

supply your complete inventory for

your farm and agriculture projects.

Transportation to and training at

the destination can be arranged by

us as well. Always 1.000 items in

stock, Heus Tractors your partner in

agriculture machinery since 1922.

P. de Heus en Zonen Greup B.V. Import – export tractors and machinery P.O Box 1529 3260BA Oud Beijerland - Holland Tel: +31 186 612333 - Mail: [email protected] - Web: www.heustractors.com

Worldwide professionals in agriculture machinery

De Heus Tractors Holland

Agriculture trailers and tanks

Second hand tractors

New tractors in all sizes

Machinery and implements

In businesssince 1922




TECHNOSERVE WORKS ACROSS a value chain to help create andsupport a thriving domestic poultry industry, transforming the lives ofthousands of farmers.In a hand-built barn in northern Mozambique, Domingos Alfredo Torrestends to his flock of 1,500 chickens. The farmer fills watering and feedstations, ensuring that his chickens grow healthy and plump. They will bein his care for barely five weeks, but these animals represent anopportunity for Domingos to build a better life.Domingos earned US$30 from his first flock – money that he used to puta better roof on his house and pay school fees for his children. He hasthe potential to raise seven flocks each year for Novos Horizontes, anearby poultry company. Compared to growing crops, chickensrepresent a more dependable source of income for Domingos, his wifeand their nine children.“With crops, I am always depending on the rain,” Domingos said. “Withchickens, I have more control over the outcome. I want to invest in mybarn and earn more money from chickens.”Thousands of similar stories have been playing out across the country inrecent years thanks to the growth of the poultry industry. TechnoServerecognised poultry’s potential to create jobs and economic opportunitiesin Mozambique, launching a comprehensive programme in 2005 tostrengthen the industry.

TechnoServe’s work began with a strategic plan for the industry, fundedby the US Agency for International Development and conducted incollaboration with local stakeholders. Research showed that much of thegalinha found in Mozambique stores was Brazilian chicken, importedillegally after sitting in Middle Eastern supermarkets for a year or more.Domestically produced poultry accounted for only a third of the market.The challenge was to make the local industry competitive enough to sellchickens at a better price than the Brazilian imports.Through the USDA’s Food for Progress programme, TechnoServesecured funding for a programme that brought together a wide range ofpartners, both public and private, to strengthen the Mozambican poultryindustry. One of the first steps was to bring local producers together andcreate a national poultry association. These early meetings, whichbrought together sometimes fierce competitors, weren’t always easy. Butthey resulted in the formation of an industry group, known as AMA,which gave domestic producers a unified voice.TechnoServe worked with AMA to recommend import requirements thatwould protect the health and safety of Mozambicans but not constitutea restraint of trade. The Mozambican government implemented thoserecommendations. AMA also launched a popular advertising campaign– featuring a voluptuous animated local chicken – that promoted thebenefits of buying domestic poultry. These measures helped localproducers capture a greater share of the Mozambican market.

Poultry promotes prosperity in Mozambique



NEWS

UBABEF, BRAZIL'S POULTRYassociation, has released the2012 statistics for thecountry’s poultry production,which have shown a drop of3.17 per cent (12.645mntonnes) compared to 2011.However the associationpredicts a three per cent risein both production and exportfor chicken meat in 2013.

According to UBABEF the fall in production was due to high feedcosts, which resulted in several businesses stopping. However 2013looks brighter for the industry, with higher grain production predictedand future contracts for corn and soybeans have indicated that theprices are below those of 2012, which negatively impacted theindustry. However, a return to historical levels is not expected.

On the other hand the potential for 2013 means the industry cangrow. USABEF plans to put international marketing initiatives in placethat will span 11 countries: ● participation in important international fairs and workshops in

France, UAE, China, Japan and South Africa;● opening the market in India; ● opening of new markets such as Nigeria and Algeria in Africa (the

continent that will receive special focus on actions this year), andIndonesia, Malaysia and Cambodia, Asia;Brazil has maintained its position as the largest exporter and third

largest producer of chicken, behind the United States and China.

G L O B A L A N I M A LNUTRITION and feedcompany, Nutreco,has shown interest ininvesting in Ghana’spoultry industryAn official for thecompany was in thecountry as part of aWest African tour toidentify businessopportunities in a bidto expand feed production in Africa.Poultry farmers continue to face issues with feed costs causing thebroiler sector of the poultry industry in Ghana to face competitionfrom imported poultry.In a presentation delivered to officials of the Ministry of Food andAgriculture (MoFA), Nutreco CEO Knut Nesse said that thecompany could provide feed to Ghana, which would benefit keyplayers across the value chain.“The company has what it takes to put Ghana’s poultry on its feetso far as feed is concerned,” Nesse remarked. The chief director of MoFA, Maurice Tanco Abisa-Seidu, insistedthat the ministry would provide adequate support to any companythat worked towards promoting growth to the poultry sector.Nutreco currently h as a plant in Egypt where it produces feedfor farmed tilapia in the country and across Asia, Europe andthe Americas.

Extruder OEE for the Production of Fish FeedExtruder OEE for the Production of Fish Feed

AMANDUS KAHL GmbH & Co. KG, Dieselstrasse 5-9, D-21465 Reinbek / Hamburg,

Phone: +49 40 727 71 0, Fax: +49 40 727 71 100, [email protected], www.akahl.de

Brazil’s poultry sector sees new potential Nutreco to invest in Ghanaian poultry



A mycotoxin is a toxic secondary metabolite produced by organisms of the fungus kingdom, commonlyknown as moulds. The term ‘mycotoxin’ is usually reserved for the toxic chemical products produced byfungi that readily colonise crops. One mould species may produce many different mycotoxins, and thesame mycotoxin may be produced by several species.

BIOMIN SOUTH AFRICA COO Albert van Rensburgpointed out that the contamination of animal feed withmycotoxins is a threat to farmers internationally. "Thecomplex diet of ruminants consists of forages, concentrates

and silages, which can be a source of diverse mixtures ofmycotoxins that contaminate individual feed components.Concomitantly, there has been an increase in feed intake to meetthe greater nutrient demand, which often exposes cows tomycotoxin contaminated feeds."

Van Rensburg noted that dairy cows have some capacity toprotect themselves against the harmful effects of mycotoxins, due tothe detoxifying action of certain rumenal micro-organisms. He did,however, highlight the fact that modern dairy cows have a muchfaster passage of feed through the rumen, which ultimately resultsin less time for rumen microbes to detoxify mycotoxins.

"The combined factors of high production, incompetent rumenmicroflora action, unbalanced nutrition and mycotoxins in the feed,are key factors that enable mycotoxins to escape detoxification andbe absorbed by the intestine, as in monogastrics," he said.

Dairy farmer Louis Lemmer, who is based in Lichtenburg in theNorth West province, has been making use of a mycotoxindeactivator since July 2012, and has noticed measurableimprovements in milk production in his herds. “Commonly thesetypes of feed additives are known as “binders” and, I have alreadynoticed a steady increase in milk production of between 2.5 and3.5 per cow, per day since switching to a product that offers threedifferent mycotoxin risk management strategies; biotransformationbio- protection and adsorption (binding)."

"At this point in time, it is too early to determine whether themycotoxin deactivator has improved the wellness of thelivestock. However, judging by the improvement in milkproduction, I am confident that it will have a positive effect inthe long-term. One of the most important aspects of farming isseeing a good return on investment, due to the fact that profitmargins are so low,” he continued.

Symptoms of mycotoxicosisSymptoms of mycotoxicosis in a dairy herd may be non-specific,wide ranging and sub-clinical, depending on the types ofmycotoxins and their interaction with other stress factors, such asfarm management, presence of infectious diseases and the welfareof the animals. Van Rensburg added that it is difficult to recognisewhen mycotoxins are causing poor health and performance inherds. "Mycotoxins such as zearalenone predominantly affectreproduction and are relatively easy to identify. Unfortunately, themost common and most difficult challenges for identification occurwhen rations contain low levels of mycotoxins, and when the healtheffects are subclinical."

Mycotoxins can be the primary agent causing acute health orproduction problems in a dairy herd, but are more likely to be afactor contributing to chronic problems, including; a higherincidence of diseases, poor reproductive performance andsuboptimal milk production.

Van Rensburg explained that mycotoxins exert their effects throughfour primary mechanisms, namely; intake reduction or feed refusal,reduced nutrient absorption and impaired metabolism, alterations inthe endocrine and exocrine systems and suppression of the immunesystem. "It is a well known fact that almost all mycotoxins suppress theimmune system and impair a proper rumen function, even at levelsthat may not cause metabolic or physiological problems. Accuratefeeding of dairy cows in combination with continuous mycotoxin riskmanagement is therefore key in managing the optimal performanceof livestock," he concluded. h

Reducing the threat of mycotoxinsfor local dairy farmers


DAIRY FARMING

The contamination of animalfeed with mycotoxins is a threat

to farmers internationally

Modern dairy cows have a much faster passageof feed through the rumen, which ultimately

results in less time for rumen microbes todetoxify mycotoxins.


S05 AF March April 2013 Dairy Farming & Angola_Layout 1 14/03/2013 15:32

ANGOLA

THE DIRECTOR GENERAL of the UnitedNations Food and Agriculture Organisation(UNFAO), José Grasiano da Silva, recentlysaid in Luanda that Angola has strongpotential for the development of familyagriculture, being well placed at thePortuguese Speaking Community (CPLP)level. Da Silva was speaking to the press atthe end of an audience with the Angolanminister of Agriculture, Afonso Pedro Canga.Da Silva said that a study conducted by theFAO in the CPLP places Angola above Brazil,with a considerable advantage, in terms oftheir potential production from familyagriculture. The FAO study shows thatBrazilian family farming employs 12mnpeople, whereas Angola currently employs13.2mn people in family agriculture. Brazil isalready considered successful in promotingfamily agriculture, whereas Angola has large,untapped potential to boost development ofthe sector. As such, the two countries areinterested in co-operating in experimentalresearch, under United Nations mediation. Da Silva’s audience with the Angolan ministerof Agriculture was aimed at tackling mattersconcerning projects involving FAO and the

Angolan Government. Following theirmeeting, Da Silva said that both FAO and theAngolan Government consider the assistancerendered to family agriculture and trade to bea priority area. It is important to make peasantfarmers more engaged and present in themarket and stimulate them into increasedproductivity so that their surplus can supplylocal markets, he stated. He also added thatthe audience enabled the parties to review thesouth-south co-operation with other countries,with emphasis on the role of co-operation withBrazil's Imbrapa, in the recovery of Angola'sexperimental research capacity.Da Silva recalled that before the war,Angola had an agro-farming and veterinaryresearch system that equalled that of SouthAfrica, in some cases even taking the lead.However, the specialist warned that the processof promoting an experimental research systemtakes time and requires investment. In his turn, the Angolan minister ofAgriculture, Afonso Pedro Canga, praisedthe friendship and co-operation with Brazilas, he added, it permits the transfer oftechnology, expertise and dialogue, inaddition to technical assistance.

FAO recognises Angola’s family agriculture potential


THE ZAMBIAN GOVERNMENT plans toinvest more than K3bn (US$579,576) inbuying equipment for small-scale dairy farmersacross the country through their respective co-operatives and milk collection centres.Benson Mwenya, ministry of agriculture andlivestock director in charge of livestock, saidonly about 15 per cent of the country's dairypotential was tapped leaving room forincreased investment and expansion of thesector, which will include establishing moremilk collection centres. Mwneya pointed out that Zambian milk hasremained uncompetitive on the regionalmarket in terms of pricing because of the highcost of feed, which accounts for more than 50per cent of the total production cost. “The milkis, however, more competitive in terms ofquality because of its low bacterial count.”

Zambian govt invests in small-scale dairy equipment



Whilst oil continues to be by far the largest economic sector in Angola, non-oil activities have recently been showing a new dynamic. This holdsparticularly true for agriculture, which accounts for more than 50 per cent oftotal employment in the country.

APART FROM OIL and diamonds, Angola's major exportearners for the past four decades, the country previouslyhad substantial exports of cash crops which fed food-processing and textile industries. Much reduced in scale

since independence, coffee, cotton, fruit and other plantationcrops are now experiencing an accelerating revival in KwanzaNorte.

An agricultural project nearing completion is the Mucosoirrigated perimeter, near Cambambe. Mucoso once exported toEuropean markets but output slumped in the 1990s and much ofits area reverted to subsistence farming.

Spanish company Incatema Consulting has upgraded Mucosowith the installation of a modern drip-feed watering systemcomposed of two million metres of pipes. As a result, some 500ha will benefit from mechanised farming. Another 500 ha will besubdivided into 166 smaller holdings, which will producepineapples, mangoes, citrus fruits and vegetables.

Coffee, cotton and fruit are now experiencing a revival

ANGOLA

Cattle breeding contributes significantlyto Angola's agricultural sector.

Coffee output is slowly reviving as neglectedplantations are being removed and replaced.

For inquiries, Please contact us on Tel: +2711 762 5341 E-mail: [email protected]

We specialise in:Silo’s, Bucket elevators, Aera�on, un-loading machinery, Bunkers, Mobile Augers, Mobile Conveyors and Grain Vac’s.

LEADERS IN STEEL CONSTRUCTION


Coffee has a long history in thearea, thanks to the shade providedby its highland forests.



Apart from improving the local diet, Mucoso will also provideraw materials for food-processing industries at Cambambe.Irrigated fruit growing is generally labour-intensive and thus agood source of employment. The hope is to eventually resumeAngola's once buoyant agricultural export trade.

Another cash crop being resurrected is cotton. Kwanze Nortehas long been a cotton producer, but plans are afoot to boostlocal cotton production by irrigation.

Coffee also has a long history in the area, thanks to the shadeprovided by its highland forests. Coffee output is slowly reviving asneglected plantations are being removed and replaced. Bushesshould ideally be replaced every seven years, but Angola hasmany trees over 30 years old.

Co-operation agreement with VietnamAngola has signed a co-operation agreement last July withVietnam's Thai Hoa Group, the country's top arabica producerand trader, and with Brazilian consultants to refurbish coffeeplantations. The plan is to plant 100,000 ha over the next decade.

Before independence, the Camabatela area in the Northeast ofthe province was a major cattle-rearing area, and it provided 60per cent of northern Angola's beef supply. Angola's Ministry forAgriculture has been bringing more cattle into this region andcattle numbers are today around 7,000. Local breeders receivethe cattle on the condition that they return a similar numberseveral years later. The government is now providing veterinarysupport services.

Another government-led agribusiness project in Kwanza Norteaims to replace more expensive meat products while also cuttingimports of poultry products. This is the role for the recentlyestablished poultry and egg enterprise at Lucala, which is locatedon the railway and main highways as well as having good accessto water and electricity supplies. This US$42mn South Korean-financed project produces two million eggs a month and hatches150,000 chicks a week for distribution to small farmers in theregion. The project will also produce chicken feed and a factorycapable of processing 32,000 chickens a day. h

ANGOLA

Plans are afoot to boost localcotton production by irrigation.

Another government-led agribusiness project inKwanza Norte aims to replace more expensive

meat products while also cutting imports of poultry products.



ANGOLA

A TOMATO PROCESSING factory, whoseworks begin in January 2013, and another forpackaging shall be built in the southernBenguela province, according to the Minister ofAgriculture and Rural Development, AfonsoPedro Canga.Speaking to ANGOP at the end of a meetingwith farmers in the framework of his visit toBenguela province, Afonso Pedro Canga said

the equipment for the construction of the tomatoprocessing factory is already in the country.Regarding the packaging plant, Afonso Cangadid not mention the date for the start of the works,but stressed the need for it to be set up to produceequipment meant to withstand concentrate tomatounits in Benguela and two others already installed,one in Namibe and another in Bengo.During his stay in Dombe-Grande, accompanied

by the deputy governor for the economic sector,Agostinho Felizardo, Afonso Canga visited theCoporolo River Valley Agricultural Perimeter, aswell as learning of the main concerns of thefarming co-operative.As part of his first visit since the swearing in of thenew government stemming from last August'sgeneral elections, the minister also visited thedistricts of Caimbambo, Cubal and Ganda.

AN ANNOUNCEMENT, MADE in January by Foreign RelationsDirector Francisco da Cruz, detailed plans to boost Angola’s selfsufficiency drive by increasing domestic food production to 25mntonnes.The ministerial director stated that the initiative is aimed at developmentand combating poverty. Da Cruz said that the targets for foodproduction would include grains, cereals and tubers and that therewould be, in addition, an expected drop in milk imports of up to 15 percent and production of 60 per cent of the chicken meat the countryconsumes, as well as 50 per cent of beef, goat and mutton.According to a statement cited by news agency Angop, targetfigures include:● 20mn tonnes of cassava● 2.5mn tonnes of grains● 1.5mn tonnes of potatoes● 1mn tons of grains (beans, peanuts and soy)

These targets are to be achieved through public-private partnerships atexisting agro-industrial zones such as Capanda, Quizenga and Cubal.The Capanda zone is a government-driven initiative managed by a specialentity called Sodepac, charged with attracting interest from the privatesector using a PPP model.The zone benefits from existing infrastructure including a railway linebetween Luanda and Malanje as well as road access. Power is suppliedfrom the Capanda dam on the River Kwanza.Produce and processing in this zone will include soya beans, maize,cassava, sugar cane, cotton and dairy.The Pedras Negras cereal farm project was inaugurated in August 2012in Casuco, northern Malanje. The farm has been developed to alleviatehunger and poverty across the whole country and reduce Angola’srequirement for imports. The project also aims to educate and up-skill localpeople and includes a training centre for 60 students, 260 dormitories,four protocol houses and other facilities.

Angola to up domestic food production

Tomato processing plant to be unveiled

African Farming - March/April 201322 www.africanfarming.net


AFACT-FINDING VISIT to the Kenya Meat Commission(KMC) factory in Athi River about 50 km to the south-westof Nairobi City may not be quite a pleasant experience forthe compassionate or faint-hearted. KMC public relations

officer mr John Mutwiri met our team at the reception and integrityroom. We had intended to meet the managing commissioner, DrIbrahim Haji Issak, PhD. for an interview but he was held up in animpromptu meeting that was expected to last quite a while, so weand John agreed that we visit the factory in the meanwhile.

He introduced us to the enthusiastic and lively ms Lorna, abiochemist at the factory’s quality assurance laboratory, whoexplained briefly about the laboratory’s activities and later warmlyaccepted to take us (as requested by John) on a factory visit.

Both big (cattle) and small herds (sheep and goats) are receivedat the Boma entrance by a team of veterinary officers and the Bomasupervisor. Here the herds have to be assessed for mad-cow andanthrax among other diseases; they are also assessed forpregnancy and must have their movement permit duly signed byveterinary officers from their area of origin. The company maintains72 Bomas sub-divided into pens; while 22 cows and 15 bulls areideally allocated into each respective pen, a group of 150 to 200sheep or goats occupies each pen. The animals should supposedlystay at the Bomas for 24 hours awaiting slaughter and withoutbeing fed anything. If their ‘waiting’ time is extended forunavoidable circumstances, then feeding can be done. Anyanimals suspected to be sick, pregnant or not included in theveterinary permit or those that are violent and hostile to the rest ofthe herd are kept in the ‘suspect’ pens.

From the Boma pens, the animals are herded into the runningraces for big and small herds respectively. During our visit, only cattlewere scheduled for slaughtering. The running race for big herds leadsto the stunning box area. Closer to this area, the running race widthaccommodates only one animal forcing them to queue up for‘stunning’. Stunning involves using a captive bolt gun which thestunner uses to hit the animal on the forehead between the eyesleading to loss of consciousness after which it is shackled and hoistedup by one find leg and slaughtered with a highly sharp and sterilizedknife. Slaughtering involves slitting the jugular and carotid veins.

The shackling allows for maximum flow of blood from the animalinto a special channel for collection in the sticking area. Why the‘stunning’? Loss of conscious does not interfere with maximum flowof blood out of the animal body and allows for smoothslaughtering of the animals. In the area immediately next to thestunning box, the animals are evidently afraid and unwilling tomove on apparently due to the sound of the captive bolt gun.

John F N Ng’ng’a recently visited the Kenya Meat Commission factoryoutside Nairobi.

Highly specialised meat gatheringand processing activities

MEAT PROCESSING

KMC Head office at Athi river Townabout 50 Km south west of Nairobi.

The herds have to be assessed for mad-cow andanthrax among other diseases; they are alsoassessed for pregnancy and must have theirmovement permit duly signed by veterinary

officers from their area of origin.

Bowl CuttersUsed Rex 200 litre all stainless steel Bowl CutterUsed Laska 200 litre Bowl Cutter with black bowlUsed Meisner 120 litre all stainless steel Bowl CutterUsed Alpina 80 litre Bowl Cutter with black bowlUsed K & G 65 litre Bowl Cutter with black bowlNew Fatosa 35 litre all stainless steel Bowl CutterMincer and Mixer GrindersUsed Biro 56 Flat pan mincerUsed Kilia 130 self feed mincer with agitatorUsed Cato 160 cross feed mincer, as newUsed Hobart 4346 Mixer GrinderUsed Wolfking 140 Mixer GrinderVacuum Packers & Shrink TunnelsNew ATM Vacuum Packers, table top to Doublechamber MachinesUsed Tecnotrip large single chamber machineUsed Cryovac ST 90 hot water shrink tunnelUsed Roschermatic large hot water dip tank

Used Webomatic small rise and fall DiptankUsed Webomatic automatic rise and fall diptankUsed Cryovac CJ 51, hot air shrink tunnelMixers and TumblersUsed Vakona 220 litre vacuum mix tumblerUsed Dorit Vacuum Tumbler 1,000 litresUsed Laska 800 litre Twin Z arm MixerUsed IFM 1,000 litre Twin ribbon MixerUsed Tecmaq 250 litre single paddle MixerDicers and FlakersUsed Urschel RAA Dicer was used on cheeseUsed Urschel RAA Twin dicer set up fast productionUsed Treif Felix Dicer set up with wire frame for cheeseUsed Holac meat Dicer chamber 84 mm x 84 mmUsed Butcher Boy meat Flaker with loaderUsed Dunhelm two stage cheese cutterMiscellaneousUsed Burger Machines, sausage makers.Used Frying lines, batter and breading machines Used bag Makers, Twin linear weighersUsed trolley loaded ham cookers

New & Used Food Machines All With Warranty

www.machines4food.co.ukEmail: [email protected] 40, Second Avenue, Westfield Industrial Estate, Midsomer Norton, Radstock, BA3 4BH, EnglandTel: 44 (0)1761 410345 Fax: 44 (0)1761 410332


S06 AF March April 2013 Meat Processing Feature_Layout 1 14/03/2013 11:35

ms Lorna explained that the animals are apparently conscious ofthe ‘death’ awaiting them ahead. To nudge them ahead into thestunning box in turns, a factory employee uses a low voltage liveelectric wire as opposed to beating them; “beating or hitting theanimals on the back spoils the quality of meat,” explained Lorna.

Next to the large herd running race is the small herd runningrace from where the animals are herded into a crane (lift) andtransported to an upper floor from where they are slaughtered withthe need for prior stunning. All the blood retrieved from theslaughtering is collected for future use.

At the stunning and sticking areas the Muslim religion Halalguidelines are evident; just facing the sticking (slaughtering) zoneon a raised cabin is a Muslim man who offers prayers at the startof each slaughtering session. One among the two slaughteringmen is a Muslim who is tasked with ensuring that each animalbeing slaughtered is facing towards Mecca, the Holy Muslim city.

The carcasses are then hoisted in a moving pulley line to theproduction area where removal of face skin (masking) followed bydehorning and removal of hooves --From the hooves backside atendon is removed from which a binding agent is made for canned(corned) beef. After the hooves are removed, the carcasses are hoistedfrom this point (heads facing down) and a team of skinners (ready withsterilized knives that are sharpened every other moment) (and who areeach assigned the specific area to skin) readily perform the act.

At the end of the skinning line, removal of offal and otherinternal meat and organs is carried out. Meat inspectors can beseen busy at work but are very particular at this point to assure thatthe meat is fit for consumption. Fit or unhealthy meat and internalorgans are either passed or condemned at this juncture. Fit internalorgans are fed into a chute to another point for cleaning andpackaging while the unfit is also sent via another chute to theinedible meat section.

After removal of internal organs a huge electric power saw slitsthe carcasses into two to allow for further trimming (removal of fatand some internal meat) and thorough cleaning of the meat usingpressurized water. The carcasses (now half of each animal) arepushed further on to the grading section where several graderswork closely with the meat inspectors; each half is weighed andgraded and its details recorded. The graded and approvedcarcasses are then directed to the chilling area, where they arechilled for 8 to 10 days to gather the meaty taste and flavor as theyawait processing and packaging ready for the local and exportmarkets. Some carcasses are condemned and await furtheranalysis in secluded storage in the factory.

The six meat gradesMeat grading depends on a number of factors viz. age of theanimal; conformation (amount of flesh on the carcass); finish (andtrimming that determines the amount of fat on the meat); weight(certain grades must reach certain weights) and the amount ofdamage on the meat (damage could result from factors such aspoor handling, flaying and splitting).

Prime is the best grade and retrieved from young animals of 18 to30 months (two and a half years; male and female animals must weigha minimum 180 to 310 kg and 160/170 to 310 kg respectively. Primegrade is soft and juicy and has adequate fat to give the meat flavour

Choice is the second grade where the animal weight must be thesame as for prime but with a maximum of 320 kg. Fullness of themuscles is a critical consideration here while age may vary from 18to 42 months.

Fair Average is the third grade; there is no age limit here but thecarcass must weigh 140 to 340 kg. For the fourth grade (standardgrade), the carcass is of average quality and there is no age or weightlimit but it is preferred that the carcass weight be from 80 to 400 kgs.

The commercial (fifth) grade is poorly placed. The carcass isfrom starved animals - starvation causes loss of fats and leads towasted muscles. Here there is no weight or age limit.

Manufactured grade is the lowest and the carcass is very poorlyplaced in terms of quality; there is no age or weight limit. Extensivelybruised carcasses and starved animal’s watery-like carcasses can belowered to the manufactured grade. After grading, all the meat istaken to the chilling areas where it is stored for eight to 10 days.

Rejected meatThe inspectors and graders reject meat (it carries the stamp “R”) ifthey identify more than six parasites (worms) on the meat. Suchmeat is not fit for fresh sale but suitable for canning where it isstored for 10 days under minus 10°C; the cold temperaturesdestroy the worms. Meat identified with six to 20 parasites is alsofrozen and later sold to institutions where thorough cooking isexpected to fully destroy the worms.

Diseases such as anthrax and mad cow disease can be identifiedat the Boma by veterinary officers who issue ‘disease-freecertification’ before the animals can reach the production area butif such accidentally pass through, the meat inspectors and gradersat the factory are able to readily identify this. Anthrax, for instance,can be identified through identification of oozing of blood(bleeding) that does not clot in an animal’s openings; other formsof hemorrhages are also a sign of the disease; once theslaughtered animal is infected with anthrax, the spleen is extremelyswollen. If anthrax, for instance, reaches the production areaaccidentally, production stops immediately and all the peopleinvolved in the line are put on quarantine; the carcasses on thatline are destroyed through burning and special processes and

KMC factory rulesand guidelines.

Anthrax can be identified through identificationof oozing of blood (bleeding) that does not clot

in an animal’s openings.


MEAT PROCESSING

Dr Ibrahim Haji Issak MCommissioner.



precautions have to be undertaken before normal productionresumes given that Anthrax is highly contagious.

Other pertinent facts on KMC and the KMC factoryNot a single product from the animal (big herd in this case) goesto waste; the red and white offal (including tripe & intestines),throats, liver and hearts are transferred to separate areas forwashing, trimming and packing ready for distribution to customersor storage. Sinews are used to produce a binding agent for cornedbeef. Continuous trimming ensures adequate quantities of fat; thefat is frozen and later crushed and cooked to remove meat bits. Itis later boiled in water and salt added to separate it from the water.The oil is later cooked in centrifugal tanks to produce tallow that isstored in tanks for sale as corning oil. While condemned meat isincinerated in a huge digester, rejected meat is transported throughchutes to the inedible meats section. Here the lower legs are boiledfor thirty minutes to separate the hooves from the trotter; hoovesare used to make hard products while the horns are exported toAsian countries to make ornamental products. Bile is collected fromanimals and boiled to produce glue - a medium-sized tank requiresbile from about 600 animals.

KMC is guided by its motto “A Cut above the Rest” that describesits core product (meat) is guided by among others ‘Food Safety;Occupational Safety & Health & Road Safety’ policies. Personalhygiene rules guide operations in the factory and are strategicallyposted at different points.

Among other processes, the Quality Control Laboratoryperforms the soxhlet extraction method that seeks to determine thefat and salt content in sausages for instance. It also analyses the

meat and bone meal and lumen and blood meal for pets, andcorned beef (also tickled with salt for better preservation) amongother by-products.

All employees in the factory wear protective garments andfootwear including wellington boots; any and all persons enteringthe factory must disinfect their footwear in pools of calcium hypo-chloride. At the main entrance, the boots must be cleaned withsoapy water before the journey to disinfection begins.

A lot of water is utilised at the factory; owing to strict hygieneconsiderations and standards, each animal carcass could use asmuch as 1000 litres till it reaches the chilling rooms. h

MEAT PROCESSING

The expansive KMC factory.

All employees in the factory wear protectivegarments and footwear.



Installation and use of pumps adds the energy required to facilitate movementand transfer of water from one place to another, or to accelerate normalmovement down a natural gradient. Dr Terry Mabbett reports.

WATER SUPPLIES ARE invariably located away from theplace where needed for use. Potable water supplies,whether for people or poultry, can be many metresbelow ground surface level in wells and boreholes,

while water resources for irrigation and field livestock may be inwater-holes, ponds, canals and rivers too far from cultivated fieldsto be carried by hand or vehicle in any practically useful quantities.

Pumps have been used for thousands of years but were mainlysmall hand-powered and animal-powered pumps for raisingrelatively small volumes of water. It was not until the invention of thesteam powered engine some 200 years ago that pumping assumeda significant role in water engineering.

Pump and pumping technology is continually moving andimproving. While most larger pumps use chemical energy such asgasoline or diesel or electrical energy to empower and energisewater supplies, hand-operated pumps continue to play a vital rolein obtaining and using both domestic and agricultural watersupplies in some rural areas.

Pumps are not only used to access water but also to removesupplies that have been used and require treatment, processingand recycling. Thus pumps may be used to energise and movedomestic and industrial sewage, fluid from poultry manure lagoonsand contaminated water from sugar factories and other cropprocessing facilities.

Mainstream pumping technology encompasses two basic typesof pumps – positive displacement pumps and roto-dynamic pumps.

Positive displacement pumpsPositive displacement pumps generally deliver only smalldischarges of water irrespective of the head of water generated.There are a range of examples of which the piston pump, the rotarypump, the air-lift pump and the Archimedean screw are among themost widely used and best known.

The piston pump is typically used for obtaining domestic watersupplies in rural areas by lifting groundwater out of wells andboreholes. Basically a piston moves up and down within a cylinder.When the pumping lever is depressed, the piston is raised thuslifting the water above it and pushing it through the dischargeoutlet. Simultaneously it draws water from the well through the non-return valve to recharge and fill the cylinder. When the lever issubsequently raised, the non-return valve is shut off and the pistonmoves downwards. This allows water to flow through a higheradjacent valve and into the upper part of the cylinder, ready fordischarge when the lever is pushed down again.

Water discharge is determined by the energy available from andprovided by those working the pump handle. And the height towhich the water can be pumped using this mechanism has aceiling, fixed by the inherent strength of those doing the pumping,and the integrity of the pump seals which will start to leak when thepressure becomes too high.

Piston pumps come in numerous designs and with equallynumerous names. They are alternatively called ‘cylinder’ pumps or

‘plunger’ pumps and the wide range of pumping units working andoperating on this suction principle are often and collectively called‘barrel’ pumps.

Rotary pumps possess a pair of gears which mesh together whilerotating in opposite and opposing directions. Water that becomestrapped in between the rotating gears is empowered and energisedand subsequently forced into the delivery pipe. An air compressorused to force air down a pipe and into the inlet of the water pipeis the essential feature of the air-lift pump.

The mixture of water and air thus created is less dense than thesurrounding water in the well and therefore rises up above groundlevel. This type of pump is not particularly efficient, but willnevertheless pump and raise water containing highly abrasiveparticles of sand and grit, which would otherwise damagealternative types of pump that require close forced contact betweenthe water and moving metal parts.

The Archimedean screw pump, as the name implies, has anextremely long history and pedigree and is still used today in partsof Egypt for pumping irrigation water out of the River Nile and itstributaries. Water is raised by turning the screw. Such is thedurability of the original concept that some modern pumpingstations use the same basic idea except that the screws aremassively larger and are driven by a power unit.

Roto-dynamic pumpsRoto-dynamic pumps all have one thing in common which isreliance on rotational movement for pumping action. Three maintypes of roto-dynamic pumps are recognised and categorised bythe mode of water flow through the pump mechanism.

They are centrifugal, axial flow and mixed flow pumps.

Pumps and pumping for water in farming


PUMPS

A farmer uses a smallpump to irrigate his fieldsin Keta, Ghana.

Pump and pumping technology is continuallymoving and improving.


S07 AF March April 2013 Pumps & Rural Comms_Layout 1 14/03/2013 11:38

Centrifugal pumps are the most widely used and are particularlyappropriate for supplying water to farms and irrigation schemesespecially those employing a system of pipes that requires smalldischarges of water to be delivered at high pressure.

Centrifugal forces are a common feature of everyday life butnot always well understood. Basically a centrifugal force is createdby a circular spinning motion that enables liquid to remaincontained, the faster the spin the tighter the liquid is held. Themost obvious example is the spinning motion of the globe thatprevents surface water flying off into outer space.

Centrifugal pumps harness the very same idea by using animpeller which spins at high velocity inside the casing of the pump.Water is sucked into the pump from the pond, river, canal or othersource via a short pipe called the suction. As the impellercontinues to spin, water is pitched outwards for collection by thepump casing and subsequently ‘channelled’ towards the outletcalled the delivery.

Some basic centrifugal pumps feature simple impellers withstraight vanes but these are invariably inefficient because theycreate a lot of turbulence in the flow of water and therefore causesignificant loss of energy. That said they cost relatively little to buildand manufacture and are the ideal low-outlay pump whereefficiency is not the most important factor in the pumpingequation.

Larger pumps require more measured design and manufactureand are invariably fitted with curved vanes so that the waterexperiences smooth entry and exit through the impeller. With thisachieved, any loss of energy is kept to an absolute minimum witha correspondingly high level of energy efficiency maintained. Mostimpellers are fitted with side plates and are termed closedimpellers, but in situations where there are significant amounts ofdebris suspended in the water supply open impellers are used inpreference to minimise any risk of blockage.

Versatility is the hallmark of centrifugal pumps and consequentlythey can be used in a very wide range of situations andapplications. For instance, they are able to deliver water at lowheads of just several metres up to heights of 100 m or more. Inaddition, the discharge from these pumps is high, ranging fromseveral litres per second to several cubic metres per second. Thehigher discharges and pressures are achieved by operating two orthree pumps in tandem or by using a multi-stage pump. The latteris made up of several impellers on a single shaft which is drivenby the same motor with water fed from the outlet of one stage andinto the inlet of the next stage, thus enhancing the pressure at eachsubsequent stage.

Axial flow pumps comprise a propeller located inside a tubethat acts as a discharge pipe. The propeller is fixed to a longshaft running down the centre of the tube. The shaft andtherefore the propeller are turned by a power unit to raise thewater up the pipe.

Axial flow pumps are extremely efficient at raising big volumesof water using relatively low pressure and are therefore bestsuited for raising water out of lakes and rivers and intodistribution canals for eventual use in irrigating agriculturalcrops, or alternatively in land drainage schemes where largeamounts of water need to be raised through just two or threemetres.

On the downside they are very expensive because thecomponents and especially the drive shaft and bearings requiredfor support of the shafted propeller are of high cost. This meansthat axial flow pumps are generally used only for large pumpinginstallations.

Mixed flow pumps combine the technology of axial flowpumps and centrifugal pumps and therefore offer the ‘best ofboth worlds’. Thus mixed flow pumps offer greater efficiency inthe pumping of larger volumes of water than do centrifugalpumps, and are more efficient than axial flow pumps when itcomes to pumping water at higher pressures. h

PUMPS

An Archimedes screw pumps being used in Egypt.

Some basic centrifugal pumps cost relatively littleto build and manufacture and are the ideal low-

outlay pump where efficiency is not the mostimportant factor in the pumping equation.



More and more smallholder farmers are now harnessing the power of thetelephone to help them connect to agricultural services, information andmarkets.

THE NUMBERS ON the keypad of EricOwandu's mobile phone have beencompletely worn away, but that hasn'tstopped it from being one of the most

important tools on his farm. Six months agoEric, from Gem District, western Kenya,signed up to a regional trial of the new E-Farming text message service that provideshim with advice on crop management,fertiliser use and which maize varieties toplant. "My mobile phone is now like a pieceof farm equipment," he says. "It's key indetermining my productivity in the field."

Established in 2011, E-Farming is run bythe African Soil Information Service (AfSIS), aCIAT-led initiative, which has spent the lastfour years collecting and analysingthousands of soil samples in an effort tocreate a comprehensive soil map of sub-Saharan Africa. In its pilot phase, the textmessaging service - run in conjunction withthe Africa Soil Health Consortium led byCABI-Africa and Fibre Link CommunicationsLtd - is being assessed to see whetheragronomic advice can be effectivelydisseminated to farmers via mobile phone.

Agronomic adviceWhen registering for the service through SMS,farmers are able to indicate their crop ofinterest and whether they want information onsoils, fertiliser application, agronomy, marketsor pesticide use. Farmers also have the optionto send a separate SMS requesting specificinformation, to which AfSIS and Fibre LinkCommunications respond on an individualbasis. Eric is one of currently around 1,600farmers to have subscribed to the trial. Ifsuccessful, the service could be extended toinclude very precise, site-specific advice forboosting food production, based on the newAfSIS soil maps.

Here are two examples of what themessages - limited to 159 characters - say:● If your maize crop is about three weeks

from planting time it is time to weed yourfield. Weeds compete with plants forwater and nutrients, affecting their growth

● Weeding of maize should be completedby now. After this, top-dress with CAN orUREA fertilisers. Use one 50k bag/acre ofUREA or two 50Kg bags of CAN/acre

Each text message Eric receives costs 10Kenyan Shillings (US$0.12), and hereceives, on average, three messages permonth. While the cost is roughly doublethat of a standard text message in Kenya,Eric is very happy with the service,describing it as 'affordable'. He is also in nodoubt that it is effective: "I would urge otherfarmers to join," he said, with this season'smaize crop towering several feet abovehim. He even had some suggestions foradditional services: "I would request theAfSIS project to go further and tell us whenthe rainfall is due, where we can accessfarm inputs and where to sell our harvests."

Dr Peter Okoth, senior scientist at CIATand AfSIS, explained why the scheme hasbecome possible: "Three or four years ago,farmers in Kenya didn't have mobile phones.Now almost every farmer or household in thecountry has one. You can buy a phone for aslittle as 800 KSH (US$10), thanks to low-costhandsets from China. It's an unprecedentedopportunity to reach farmers with importantcrop management information. Of course,the smart farmers will subscribe to theservice, and then organise group meetings

with their neighbours to share theinformation by word-of-mouth!"

Boosting yieldsSo far, farmers have reported that E-Farmingenabled them to purchase the correct seedand fertilisers, on time. Many are expecting todouble their maize yields. An extra advantageof the service is that the information reachesfarmers much more quickly than if an extensionadviser had to visit each farm in person. This isparticularly important when heavy rains makeroad travel in rural areas difficult.

Ambrose Ogwayo, an extension officer atthe Kenyan Ministry of Agriculture, wasapproached by AfSIS in 2011 to help recruitfarmers in Gem District into the scheme. Hehas personally helped the service reach anadditional 250 maize producers. "Thefarmers used to plant late, but now they planton time with the onset of the rains," heexplained. "From my observations, manymore farmers would like to join the service."

But Ogwayo also believes the service hassome limitations. "In many places farmers areilliterate and they would not be in a positionto read most of the messages. Also, whenthere is no face-to-face contact, it becomesdifficult for farmers to raise questions." Toaddress this, AfSIS is investigating thepossibility of sending text messages in locallanguages, and is also looking at establishinga voice-activated advice hotline for farmers tocall with specific questions. h

Mobile phones helping farmersmake better decisions


TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Half of Africa's one billion population hasa mobile phone - an increasingly popular

tool with many smallholder farmers.

It's an unprecedentedopportunity to reach farmers

with important cropmanagement information.



ONE OF THE benefits from recent increases in worldfood prices is that they may help to encouragefurther development of the African continent’sfarming potential.

Cropping is one of the areas where Africa offers scope toincrease production of food and other products. According toofficial estimates, Africa has 60 per cent of the world’s supply ofland that could be growing crops but remains uncultivated.Bringing more of this land into full production will require a numberof factors including profitable crop prices that will help to financeessential investment in tractors and equipment.

Another important factor needed to bring under-used hectares intoproduction is to use mechanisation efficiently. Like much of themachinery on African farms, cultivation equipment is influenced bytrends and developments in Europe and the United States where muchof the emphasis continues to focus on tillage methods that can helpto reduce fuel costs and the time needed for preparing a seedbed.

Pressure to save fuel and time is an important influence on trendsin cultivation methods, with some of the long establishedimplements becoming less popular. Examples include p-t-o drivenrotary cultivators, which have a reputation for using a large amountof tractor power to produce a relatively slow working speed. Thismeans they are now used less frequently for large scale cultivation,but they are still important for specialised work.

One of the unique features of a powered rotary cultivator is thehighly efficient chopping and mixing action of the rotor with its L-shaped blades, ideal for dealing with crop residues, particularlyfrom large-scale vegetable and flower production. Rotarycultivation is also popular for vineyard work and the blades areeffective for preparing seedbeds for crops that need a fine, deepseedbed for healthy root development

Some rotary cultivators can be equipped with steeltines instead of the traditional L-shaped blades. Tines

have a less effective chopping action, but theyalso avoid the risk of leaving a smeared,compacted soil layer which can build up when

the L blades areused at the

Like much of the machinery on African farms,cultivation equipment is influenced by trends anddevelopments in Europe and the United States.Michael Williams reports.

Progress intillage efficiency

Seed drill and HRB series power harrowcombination from Kuhn Farm Machinery.

Pressure to save fuel and time is an importantinfluence on trends in cultivation methods.


S08 AF March April 2013 Tillage Feature_Layout 1 14/03/2013 11:40

same depth over a number of years. Forthose who need the special benefits offeredby rotary cultivation, design featuresavailable from most of the leadingmanufacturers include a gearbox allowingthe rotor speed to be altered to produce afine or coarse tilth.

Advantages of power harrowAn obvious p-t-o powered alternative tothe rotary cultivator is the power harrow. Itneeds less tractor power than a rotarycultivator, reducing fuel and labour costsper hectare. Popular working widths areabout 2.5 to 3.5m with a typical 120 to150hp tractor requirement, but biggerversions with hydraulic folding include an8.0m wide model from Maschio fortractors in the 300 to 350hp range.

Power harrows are capable of producinga fine tilth in a wide range of soil types, butthey do not match the chop-and-mixcapability of a rotary cultivator. In many soilsusing p-t-o power for either a rotarycultivator or a power harrow can produce aseedbed in one pass following primarycultivation with a disc plough or a heavytined cultivator. Adding a seed drillattachment to the cultivator helps to boostefficiency by combining seedbedpreparation and sowing the seed in oneoperation. All the leading power harrow androtary cultivator manufacturers offer this typeof till-and-drill combination, and the extraworking width of power harrows can makethis an efficient crop establishment system.

Design improvements introduced onpower harrows include strengthened drivemechanisms. Hitting a tree root or a largestone can cause a shock load leading toexpensive repair bills, and this was a familiarproblem when power harrows first appeared.Design improvements have helped toovercome the reliability problem andexamples include adding a spring coupling

to absorb shock loads in the drive train, andKverneland’s NG power harrow tines have aspecial steel core that allows just enoughspringiness to absorb some of the shockloads. Most of the leading manufacturersalso use tines that can be replaced quickly inthe field, and an example is Amazone’sQuick+Safe tine design.

Another victim of the demand forcultivations with improved fuel efficiency anda faster work rate is the mouldboard plough,probably the oldest tillage implement on thefarm. Rising fuel and labour costs broughtsome predictions that ploughing wouldbecome obsolete, replaced by more power-efficient cultivation systems plus herbicidesprays to control the weed problems.

So far the gloomy predictions about the

end of ploughing have been incorrect, butthere has been a big reduction in the areaploughed each year, especially in Europewhere ploughing was once part of thecultivation routine on almost every arablefarm. Although some farmers have stoppedploughing completely, mainly on the lightersoils, many more are continuing to ploughon a rotational basis covering some of theirland each year.

Ploughing has unique ability of completelyinverting the soilThe rotational approach retains some of thebenefits of ploughing on part of the farmeach year, and this can be an importantattraction. Ploughing has the unique abilityto completely invert the soil, which can bemore effective than a herbicide spray fordealing with some persistent weed problems.Inversion with a plough is also an effectiveway to incorporate organic manure into thesoil, and ploughing can also deal with theruts and other surface damage caused byheavy harvesters and trailers.

A design feature available on manyploughs, but not on other implements, is theability to change the working width from thetractor cab. The adjustment varies the widthfor each furrow, typically between about300 to 450mm, and in most cases this iscontrolled hydraulically while the plough isworking. The advantages include the abilityto increase the working width to makemaximum use of the tractor power whileploughing down a slope, but change to anarrower setting when the slope is upwards.Width adjustment also allows experiencedoperators to compensate while ploughingbeside an irregular field boundary.

Disc harrows have remained a popularoption for primary cultivations forgenerations of farmers. Attractions includemaking efficient use of tractor power; thecutting and mixing action of the discs is aneffective way to deal with straw and other

TILLAGE

The plough's special feature is theability to invert the soil.

A design feature available onmany ploughs, but not on

other implements, is theability to change the working

width from the tractor cab.


A Great Plains Flatliner similar to thebatch of subsoilers supplied to Sudan.



M O R E S U C C E S S W I T H P Ö T T I N G E R

www.poettinger.at

PLOUGHSDISC HARROWS STUBBLE CULTIVATORS

Mr. Justin Hawley, Sales Representative - Africa 516 Makou Street, Monument Park, Pretoria, South Africa Tel: + 27 82 945 1769, Fax. +27 11 704 1904, [email protected]

Effi cient harvesting with MEXPÖTTINGER MEX

Pöttinger’s MEX 5 and MEX 6 fl ywheel harvesters off er optimum technology for

farmers who want to harvest their own maize silage. The cost-eff ectiveness of

this system is clear: make more use of your existing tractors up to 220 hp,

optimise coordination of harvesting operations with transport logistics,

just-in-time harvesting to meet your schedule, plus straightforward servicing.

Tested, Proven &

Trusted in Africa100%


crop residues and discs will also break uphard, dry soil clods to help produce aseedbed. Another reason for choosing a setof discs is the fact that the design ismechanically simple, which should meanrelatively low maintenance costs. Operatinga set of discs should also be astraightforward job that does not needyears of experience, as selecting a suitabledisc angle and increasing or decreasing theload on the weight trays to provide therequired amount of soil penetration are the

principle adjustments. Equipment manufacturers supplying disc

type cultivators to African countries includethe American based Great Plains companywhich sells mainly heavy duty discs to suithigh horsepower tractors. Ryan Haffner ofGreat Plains says there is a preference inAfrica for big diameter discs which arerugged enough to work in difficultconditions and also leave the coarsesurface finish that is generally preferred onAfrican farms because it offers increased

weather resistance. Great Plains also ownsthe Simba machinery company in the UKwhich has supplied large numbers ofmachines to Africa including Flatlinersubsoilers used in Sudan.

To speed up the cultivation processbased on discs there is growing interest inimplements that bring discs, tines and apress roll together to provide a one passoperation instead of two or threecultivations with individual implements. Thetines provide soil fracturing to a depth of upto 30cm on some models while the discsproduce a surface tilth and mix straw andother crop residues into the soil. The pressroll at the rear provides the final levellingand firming action which on many soils canleave the ground ready for the seed drill.

Tine, disc and press roll combinationimplements have become a popular choiceon European farms, helping to speed up thecultivation routine to save fuel and time, andsome are also in use of African farms. h

TILLAGE

Lemken's Rubin disc cultivator has a12cm maximum working depth.

Tine, disc and press rollcombination implements help

to speed up the cultivationroutine to save fuel and time.

African Farming - March/April 201332 www.africanfarming.net


S09 AF March April 2013 Equipment_Layout 1 14/03/2013 11:50

Company..................................................................Page

AGCO International GmbH ....................................33, 35

Agrimport ........................................................................2

Agromundo....................................................................21

Alvan Blanch Development Company Ltd.......................9

Amandus Kahl GmbH and Company KG......................17

AWILA Anlagenbau GmbH..............................................5

Baldan ..........................................................................32

Bessemer (Pty) Ltd. ......................................................20

CNH International SA....................................................36

Industrial Power Generation Ltd. ..................................27

Jacto........................................................................22, 25

Kepler Weber Industrial SA ..........................................13

Machines 4 Food Ltd.....................................................23

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. ............................................11

MASCHIO GASPARDO S.p.A.........................................7

P. de Heus en Zonen Greup b.v ....................................15

POTTINGER ................................................................31

Reinke Manufacturing ....................................................5

Silos Córdoba S.L. ........................................................19

Symaga SA ....................................................................8

T-L Irrigation Co.............................................................29

Zagro Singapore Pte Ltd. ..............................................16

A D V E R T I S E R S I N D E X

ONE OF THE STAR attractions at the 2013 LAMMA Show was thisdistinctive Case IH Magnum 340, one of a limited number ofidentical tractors which the company has produced to mark 25years of Magnum production at its factory in Racine, Wisconsin. Just25 Silver Edition models, all based on the flagship Magnum 340,came to Europe. The first-ever Magnum rolled off the production line in 1988 andwas eagerly awaited because it was the first all-new tractor to bedeveloped by the combined engineering expertise of InternationalHarvester and Case, two of the best-known companies in the farm-equipment sector. Since then Magnum-series models have been atthe forefront of high-horsepower tractor design. Known for ground-breaking pulling power and torque, Magnum has achieved anexcellent reputation for performance, reliability andstraightforward operation and service. Powered by an 8.7-litre, six-cylinder turbocharged and intercooleddiesel delivering up to 374hp with Power Management, theMagnum 340EP features Efficient Power (EP) technology to providegreater power and increase productivity. This includes SelectiveCatalytic Reduction (SCR) technology, which improves horsepower,engine responsiveness, fuel economy and reliability for maximumperformance and lowest possible operating costs. The 340EP delivers its power through a full Powershift Transmissionand, like all Magnum models, is equipped with AutomaticProductivity Management (APM), which automatically selects themost efficient gear ratio and engine speed combination. When APMis activated the operator needs only to select the desired groundspeed for optimised performance.

Case IH Magnum - at the forefront oftractor technology

I wish to subscribe toAFRICAN FARMING AND FOOD PROCESSING

for 1 year (6 issues) starting with the next Issue.

Europe a 94.50, Kenya Ksh1500, Nigeria N2800,

South Africa R210, United Kingdom £57, USA $111

Enclosed is my cheque/draft.❑ Please send us the invoice ❑Please debit my: Amex ❑ Visa ❑ Mastercard ❑

Card number: ooooooooooooooooExpiry date: oo/oo Security Code: ooo(Please note that we will debit your account in sterling).

Name..............................................................................................Position..........................................................

Organisation ..........................................................................................................................................................

Telephone............................................................Fax............................................................................................

Address.....................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................................

Country.............................................................................Email............................................................................

Signed ...............................................................................Date............................................................................

Send this subscription form by airmail together with cheque payable to:Alain Charles Publishing Ltd, University House, 11-13 Lower Grosvenor Place London, SW1W 0EX, UK

Subscription Form

YOUR BUSINESS Government/Public/Diplomatic Services

Education/Research Institutes

Commercial Services

Import/Export Agents, Distributors

Farms & Plantations

Food Processing

Aid Organisations

Agricultural Equipment & MaterialManufacturers

Others, Please specify ...............................

..................... ................................................

..................... ................................................

..................... ................................................

01

03

06

08

09

11

12

13

16

Subscription order can also be placed via the web: www.alaincharles.com or email at [email protected]

MASSEY FERGUSON'S MFBeta five- and six-walkercombine harvesters, whichmade their debut at theSIMA, Paris show, nowcome equipped with acompletely new ‘Skyline’cab and other new featuresto boost operator comfortand overall productivity.

The new Skyline cab brings the highest levels of vision, comfortand control to Massey Ferguson’s best-selling harvester range,providing a working environment and specifications normally onlyfound on premium combines.

The Skyline cab interior provides an excellent workspace, superbvisibility through noise-reducing glass, along with a totally new controlarm console equipped with the new powergrip controller. It is alsofitted with a new techtouch terminal that provides full monitoring andcontrol along with automatic setting for multiple crops.

Equipped with state-of-the-art features and control systems thecab is manufactured using the highest quality materials. It not onlylooks good, but operators will also appreciate the quality ‘feel’.With its luxury features and unsurpassed levels of specification theSkyline sets the combine cab benchmark.

The Skyline cab will be standard for all 2013 season models inthe Massey Ferguson Beta series combine harvesters, whichincludes the five-walker MF 7360 at 276hp* and the six-walker MF7370 at 360hp**. Both are also available with the uniqueParaLevel system that provides levelling on slopes up to 20 percent. (*Max Power; **Max power, plus 30hp boost for unloading).

New MF Beta combine range with Skyline cab



NEW HOLLAND T6000 SERIES

CLASS LEADING FLEXIBILITY, POWER AND PERFORMANCE.

Versatile T6000 Series tractors are a natural choice for haying

operations, heavy loader work, roadside mowing or row crop

applications. Whether you’re looking for proven performance at

an exceptional value or the latest electronic conveniences,

T6000 Series tractors offer wide model confi gurations ranging

from 110 hp to 165 hp to match your applications.

www.newholland.com - [email protected]


african farming march april 2013

Documents

alain charles publishing

dairy farming

local dairy farmers

london sw1w

middle east regional

threat of mycotoxins

farmers calendar

nick salt