african farming may june 2014

May/June 2014

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

ServingAGRICULTURE

for

3434YEARS

Sound storage is one of the secrets tomycotoxin-free grain. P34

www.africanfarming.net

TractorsAdvances in technology

PoultryLayer breeding for better egg production

Grain storageTesting equipment for mycotoxins

AF May June 2014 - Cover_Cover.qxd 5/21/2014 4:35 PM

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Managing Editor: Zsa Tebbit

Editorial and Design team: Bob Adams, Hiriyti Bairu, Lizzie Carroll, Andrew Croft, Prashanth AP, Ranganath GS, Rhonita Patnaik, Ian Roullier, Genaro Santos, Nicky Valsamakis, and Ben Watts

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CONTENTS

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

Analysis 11Agriculture is the ‘engine of growth’ that Africa needs, according to the FAO.

Poultry 13The consumer-led market has pushed poultry producers to incorporate advanced methods forbetter quality of eggs.

Livestock 18Now more than ever it is essential to know the source of your minerals to ensure feed safety.The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) says that mixed crop and livestocksystems are the way to go in order to alleviate world hunger.

Focus on Angola 22Agriculture is vital to diversifying Angola’s economy as the country is currently engulfed byfood imports but has fantastic agricultural potential across the value chain; followed by aninterview with Lonagro Angola which opened in 2011.

Palm Oil 26Surging global demand for palm oil is increasingly becoming a major driver of tropicaldeforestation in West Africa. A leading palm oil producer has agreed to ensure the oil itsupplies will not result in any additional loss of rainforests.

Coconut Farming 28Increased investment, value addition and opening up of the export markets has boostedcoconut farming along Kenya’s coastal region with huge returns for local farmers.

Tractor Maintenance 30A look at Sparex, a company that can repair and maintain Africa’s tractor fleet cost-effectively.

Rice Processing 32Rice processing is set to become the next big investment opportunity in Africa

Grain Storage 34A look at some of today’s testing equipment for mycotoxins, which can produce a huge arrayof health risks for humans and animals.

Tractors 38Making use of developments in tractor technology can increase output and efficiency.

Equipment 44A round up of new equipment on the market.

John Deere tractor in Côte d'Ivoire.Photo: Tuleu Consulting Company.

Huge agricultural potential ready to be realised in Angola.

Layer breeding is the key to better egg production.

May/June 2014

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

ServingAGRICULTURE

for

3434YEARS

Sound storage is one of the secrets tomycotoxin-free grain. P34


TractorsAdvances in technology

PoultryLayer breeding for better egg production

Grain storageTesting equipment for mycotoxins

Serving the world of business

www.africanfarming.net African Farming - May/June 2014 3


NEWS

IN ONLY FOUR years, the annual African Farmers’ Workshop and Expo(AFWE) has grown from a local farming sector exhibition in Gauteng toa highly successful quartet of three-day shows additionally hosted inKwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and the North West Province. The nextJohannesburg event takes place from 12 to 14 August at theJohannesburg Expo Centre (Nasrec) and is expected to be the biggestand most exciting yet.

“The show aims to empower emerging and subsistence farmers acrossSouth Africa, and boost the national farming sector generally,” explainedMahlatse Masimini, CEO of Moshate Media, event organisers. “There hasbeen increasing interest in the African Farmers’ Workshop and Expo sincethe inaugural show, and that prompted our decision to expand the eventinto the other provinces; the ultimate aim is to stage the expo in allprovinces of South Africa, culminating in a flagship Johannesburg expo.”

Part of the enormous popularity and success of AFWE is its focus on keyelements of the farming business such as a breeder’s expo, the Agri YouthIndaba and the Agri Bizniz Summit. Other components include an indoorexpo, outdoor expo, and the highly popular free daily workshops.

African farmers’ expo and workshop ploughing ahead

African Farming - May/June 20144 www.africanfarming.net

June

4-6 IFTEX - International Floriculture Trade Fair 2014 NAIROBI www.hppexhibitions.com

18-19 Risks in Agri Trading: Emerging Markets 2014 Summit GENEVA www.agritradingrisks.com

22-24 Africa's Big Seven MIDRAND www.exhibitionsafrica.com

22-25 Agrofood Libya BENGHAZI www.agrofood.ly

July

2-4 RAC Africa 2014 CAPE TOWN www.exhibitionsafrica.com

31-5Aug 88th Agricultural & Commercial Show LUSAKA www.acsz.co.zm

August

12-14 African Farmers Expo and Workshop JOHANNESBURG www.africanfarmers.co.za

SEPTEMBER

1-3 AGRIFOODTEC East Africa 2014 NAIROBI

30-1 Oct BCPC Congress 2014 BRIGHTON www.bcpc.org

OCTOBER

30-31 Aviana Uganda 2014 KAMPALA www.avianaafrica.com

NOVEMBER

11-14 Eurotier 2014 HANOVER www.eurotier.com

11-16 Apimondia symposium ARUSHA www.apiafrica.org

18-20 AGRA Innovate Nigeria LAGOS www.informa.com

12-16 Eima International BOLOGNA www.eima.it

Farming CalendarAGRITECH EXPO “WAS a realised dream for ZNFU and all thefarmers,” said Dr Evelyn Nguleka, president of the Zambia NationalFarmers’ Union, following the overwhelming success of Zambia’sfirst full-scale, live agriculture event, in Chisamba in early April. The expo and conference were attended by more than 8,000people, including Zambian vice president Dr Guy Scott, the ministerof livestock and agriculture, the honourable minister WylburSimuusa, and former Zambian president Ruphia B Banda. 69exhibitors displayed the latest technology in farming and post-harvest equipment as well as products and services. Furthermore,40 exhibitors from the country’s leading poultry event, the ZambiaPoultry Expo, also joined the event.

Agritech Expo was devised and organised by leading events organiserSpintelligent and key partners, the ZNFU, the USAID’s Southern AfricanTrade Hub, Musika and GART, where the event took place. Agritech Expo’s event director Liam Beckett said: “Zambia has cementedits reputation as the region’s future bread basket and agri powerhouse.The feedback received during and after the show has been incredible.From exhibitors to visitors, everyone involved saw tremendous value inparticipating and we are all looking forward to creating a legacy event.The many deals that took place during Agritech Expo indicate that theZambian market is ready for this kind of agri-event, where everyone iswelcome, from the large scale to the emerging farmer.”The global agri giant AGCO was the exclusive diamond sponsor forAgritech Expo. AGCO's director of operations in Africa and theMiddle East, Nuradin Osman, said the first ever Agritech Expo to beheld in Zambia “was an eye opener of how vast the agriculturalsector is and its importance to the country and the region cannot beover emphasised. The expo not only brought customers andbusiness together for great interactions but fostered discussions thatwill see the sector develop with concerted efforts. We are proud tobe affiliated with the Agritech Expo as diamond sponsors and arealready looking forward to next year’s event which we believe willbe even bigger and better. Well done on a well-organised event.“Stanbic Bank was the platinum sponsor. Other sponsors included:AFGRI, Action Auto, SARO, John Deere, BASF, Seed-Co, EFE, DuPont-Pioneer, Valtra, K2, Kempston, Monsanto, Greenbelt,HarvestPlus, Lindsay, Zamseed, NWK and Rovic Leers.The USAID’s Southern African Trade Hub presented free workshopsdesigned particularly for smallholders and emerging commercialfarmers, to provide them with the basic information and context tobetter understand the technologies that are on display and available.During the keynote address of the conference, Zambia’s minister ofagriculture and livestock, the Hon Wylbur Simuusa, reiterated thegovernment’s commitment to the needed collaboration in the fightagainst poverty through agriculture, saying: “as the government ofthe day, we shall ensure to put our money in the mouths of ourpeople”. The minister further attested to the fact that the future ofZambia’s economic development was anchored on agriculture.

Agritech Expo a huge success


NEWS

KENYA’S AGRICULTURAL FINANCE Corporation (AFC), together with threecommercial banks, will offer US$50mn in loans to small-scale farmers over thenext three years.The credit facility is expected to increase to US$100mn in the next five years.To underwrite the risks associated with agricultural financing, especially thevagaries of weather, the government has provided US$1mn to AFC, Barclays,Co-operative, and K-Rep banks.“Alot of Kenyan farmers running productive and profitable businesses in thevalue chain sector have been excluded from financial services, especially bybanks, for a long time”, observed Kenya’s treasury secretary Henry Rotich.Credit will be provided at an interest rate of between 10 and 15 per centbased on borrower’s worthiness and will be skewed in favour of small andinformal operators, according to Mr Rotich.This financing is expected to lower the cost of production and in turn increasefood output- lowering the price of food and cost of living.

Pastoralists and small-scale farmers in dairy, cereal, beef and fruit subsectorswill have access to the financing.Officials from Barclays Bank of Kenya announced that it will increase itsfinancing towards agriculture to US$100mn over the next few years.While banks and other financial organisations have, over the years,considered farming a risky venture, it is increasingly becoming clear to theseinstitutions that money can be made from crops and livestock enterprises.Even with the risks involved, local banks and financial organisations haveventured into crops and livestock financing - funding individuals and groupsinvolved in agricultural enterprises.A report by Dr Robert Gichira, a micro-finance development specialist, indicatesthat financing small-scale farmers should be adopted in such a way that it wouldlink financial institutions such suppliers, processors, buyers and service providers.“Such an approach would help increase agricultural productivity and incomesof small scale farmers”, observed Dr. Gichira. Mwangi Mumero

THE INTERNATIONAL FUND for Agricultural Development (IFAD) andthe Government of Zambia recently held a regional workshop for Eastand Southern Africa in Livingstone, Zambia, to review lessons learnedfrom IFAD-funded projects and identify strategies to address challengesfaced during their implementation.Finance minister Alexander Chikwanda and agriculture and livestockminister Wilbur Simuusa of Zambia joined Périn Saint Ange, director ofIFAD at the opening session.The workshop attracted more than 200 participants, includinggovernment officials, representatives of other United Nations agencies,and bilateral development institutions, members of the private sector andcivil society groups, and partners from IFAD-funded projects in the region.In keeping with the United Nations’ designation of 2014 as theInternational Year of Family Farming, and the African Union declaring2014 as the Year of Agriculture and Food Security, family farming andagricultural investment was a central focus of this workshop.“Africa’s leaders are placing a greater priority on agriculture today,because they recognise that the sector has not met the continent’s needsand expectations,” said Périn Saint Ange.“Small farmers are central to this process, because they produce most ofAfrica’s food, ” Saint Ange added. “Yet they face daunting challengesof low productivity, poor access to markets, insufficient capital, and thedisruptive impact of climate change.We need to seize on this moment of high economic growth in the regionto provide small farmers with the support they need to provide food anddecent incomes for themselves and for the region as a whole.”

NIGER HAS BOUGHTmore than 72 differentbreeds of cattle, apartfrom 700 boar goatsand doper sheep from aSouth African firm UCKInvestments. This isreportedly the firstlarge-scale import into the West African nation.Niger said that this is a step to upgrade the local breed of animalsin the country and improve their yield at harvest periods, theNigerian Tribune reported.Anna Gogo Lanko, permanent secretary in the ministry of fisheriesand livestock development, said, “The coming of these animals is arealisation of our dreams in upgrading our animals. But importingthese animals did not mean that we have the intention of eradicatingour indigenous breeds, rather we just want to upgrade local animals.Veterinary consultant Isah Yahaya Vatsa explained that most of thebrown cattle are Bonsmaras, which he described as a beef breedand a cross between African cattle and the European ones.”He added that the red and white cattle were a breed for dairyproduction called Ayrshire.“The challenge is just to get the young animals through the growthphase with good nutrition so that they can grow up healthy. Thesebreeds will have the ability to improve the production capacity of localanimals significantly in cross breeding programmes,” Vatsa added.

Small-scale farming financing

Niger imports superior cattle breeds from South Africa Small farmers key to Africa’s agricultural future

Most of the brown cattle are Bonsmaras.



NEWS

A MAURITIAN FIRM Omicane is investing US$200mn in the construction ofa sugar processing factory in Kwale County on the Kenyan coast.

The planned factory will have a capacity to process more than 3,000tonnes of cane per day. It will include a 30,000 litre ethanol production plantas well as an 18MW power plant to be run on baggasse - a sugar by-product.

Omicane has a 25 per cent stake in the Kwale Sugar Company withthe rest owned by the Pabari Family. The company has leased 6,070hectares to produce more than 75 per cent of its cane needs - with the restcoming from outgrower farmers.

Cane production started in 2008 and the company is using sub-surface drip fed irrigation system to save water.

Officials say the firm plans to harvest 60 tonnes of rain fed cane perhectare and 140 tonnes or irrgated cane per hectare.

At least 1,200 registered outgrowers are to produce sugarcane on3,200 hectares of land.

Operations are expected to commence in July 2014, according toKenya Sugar Board (KSB), the market regulator.

Already, the firm has applied to Kenya Power for collaboration on thecontruction of a 19 km, 132 kV electricity transmission line for approvalby the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).

According to the Kenya Sugar Board, sugar production is expected toclimb by 17 per cent to 700,000 tonnes next year – helped by improvedsupply of cane and higher factory capacity.

Mwangi Mumero

VISITORS TO THIS year’s Africa’s Big Seven (AB7), the biggestfood and beverage expo on the continent, can expect a number ofexciting ‘first ever’ events. AB7 takes place from 22 to 24 June atGallagher Convention Centre, Midrand, Johannesburg.● Italian and Polish Pavilions: These two European countries join a growing

list of nations that will host trade pavilions at this year’s AB7 expo.● New product innovations brought from more than 40 countries.● Taverner’s Forum.● Free subscriptions to online trade magazines.● DrinkTech Africa Conference: This one-day conference takes

place on 24 June 2014.● South African Airways (SAA) flight discounts.

A number of popular elements will feature again as part of thisyear’s show:● Co-location with SAITEX: AB7 will once again be co-located with

SAITEX, the Southern African International Trade Exhibition - thebiggest business opportunities expo on the continent. TogetherAB7 and SAITEX feature almost 1,000 exhibitors from morethan 50 countries.

● Free Business Matchmaking: This popular and highly effectiveonline business matchmaking service enables exhibitors andvisitors to pre-arrange meetings with pre-selected people online,weeks before the show. The service saves time so visitors andexhibitors can attend more meetings on each day of the show.

Sugar factory investment A world of ‘firsts’ at Africa’s Big Seven

WORLD BANK-SUPPORTED business hub, theEthiopia Climate Innovation Center (ECIC), hasbeen launched in Addis Ababa to supportpioneering clean technology enterprises thataddress climate change while creating jobs andimproving livelihoods. First of its kind in thecountry, the centre will help more than 3.1mnEthiopians increase resilience to climatechange and is expected to create more than12,000 jobs in the next 10 years.

Ethiopia’s agriculture, which is highlysensitive to fluctuations in rainfall, represents

the basis of the national economy. Accordingto the World Bank report ‘Economics ofAdaptation to Climate Change,’ without aproper green growth strategy, the total climateadaptation costs for Ethiopia could rangefrom US$1.22bn to US$5.84bn per year.

To reduce climate adaptation costs andcreate opportunities of growth, the EthiopiaCIC will provide financing, mentorship, andadvisory services to the growing number oflocal clean-tech entrepreneurs working inagribusiness, energy efficiency, renewable

energy and biofuels.“The CIC is a unique initiative which will

help to unleash the growth potential of localentrepreneurs, while at the same time enablingthem to come up with innovative businesssolutions to challenges related to climatechange. By employing emerging cleantechnologies these entrepreneurs will continuehelping Ethiopia adapt to climate change whilecreating jobs and improving the livelihoods oflocal citizens”, said Guang Zhe Chen, WorldBank country director for Ethiopia.

Ethiopian climate innovation centre launched to jumpstart climate-smart agricultural ventures

African Farming - May/June 2014 7www.africanfarming.net

S02 AF MayJune 2014 News_Layout 1 5/21/2014 5:04 PM

NEWS

AN INTERNATIONAL TEAM of researchers ledby the Yale School of Public Health hassuccessfully sequenced the genetic code of thetsetse fly, opening the door to a scientificbreakthroughs that could reduce or end thescourge of African sleeping sickness in sub-Saharan Africa. The study is published in thejournal Science.It took nearly 10 years and more than 140scientists from numerous countries to map thegenome of the fly, also known as Glossinamorsitans. Tsetse flies are the sole insect vectors ofa disease that threatens the health of millions ofpeople and devastates livestock herds.

The genetic blueprint will provide researchers withthe codes for the proteins that make up the tsetsefly, which is slightly larger than a common housefly.It is essentially a “parts list” of what the organism ismade from. Access to the blueprint is expected toaccelerate research into the tsetse fly’s unique

biology and promote the development ofimproved tsetse control methods as well as thedevelopment of new control strategies.“This is a major milestone for the tsetse researchcommunity,” said Geoffrey M Attardo, a researchscientist at the Yale School of Public Health and thepaper’s lead author. “Our hope is that this resourcewill facilitate functional research and be anongoing contribution to the vector biologycommunity.” The effort has already resulted in eightresearch articles that expand on the genome datausing functional genomics methods and are beingpublished under the banner “Tsetse GenomeBiology Collection” in the PLOS-wide journals.

KENYA IS INCHING closer to the commercialisation of a drought-tolerant maize variety developed using the controversial geneticmodification technology.Local and international scientists estimate that the maize variety willbe ready for farmers’ sampling in three years’ time.The Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) has harvested itsconfined field trials, the fifth since the experiments started in 2010,which impressed scientists.In such experiments, confined trials are conducted for seven seasons,and then subjected to National Performance Trials for two seasons.The scientists expect that legal challenges that disallow commercialisation

of GM crops will be resolved before the maize is available to farmers.Dr Murenga Mwimali, country co-ordinator for Wema and maizebreeder at Kenya Agricultural Research Institute-Katumani, said thatthe Wema project would bridge the gap in food inadequacy currentlybeing experienced in most parts of the country.He said preliminary results on the six trials conducted were showingthe potential of increasing maize productivity by the minimum 10 percent required than any other drought-tolerant variety currently in themarket. “We expect to generate more evidence to support scientificdata that the product being developed is superior to those already inmarkets,” he added.

A scourge of rural Africa, the tsetse fly is genetically deciphered

Kenya moves closer to GM maize



BAYER CROPSCIENCE AND Kaiima Bio-Agritech Ltd, Israel, haveannounced their collaboration to develop advanced hybrid rice varieties.The multi-year project combines Bayer's and Kaiima's expertise in breedingand technology in order to increase growers' productivity in important rice-cultivating countries. The goal of the collaboration is to focus on thebreeding of new high-yielding hybrid rice varieties utilising Bayer's elite ricegermplasm and Kaiima's proprietary Enhanced Ploidy (EP) technology.Kaiima has been able to successfully harness the benefits of polyploidy bydeveloping its breakthrough, non-GMO EP technology. When applied tohigh-impact food crops, EP significantly boosts plants' productivity. EP isbased on the genome duplication phenomenon that occurs naturally inplants, and is considered as one of the most important evolutionaryprocesses that plants use to adapt to stressful environmental changes."We are always eager to partner with innovative scientists around theworld to bring sustainable solutions to our customers," said Dr SteveCalhoun, international rice breeding manager for Bayer. "We lookforward to working with Kaiima to take hybrid rice to the next level.""There needs to be a collective effort to sustainably address food security,"said Dr Doron Gal, CEO of Kaiima. "We are pleased to partner with BayerCropScience - a global leader in innovative crop science - to develop abreakthrough in one of the world's most widely cultivated food crops," headded. "By applying our technology to Bayer's elite rice varieties, we cantogether bring new solutions to farmers that will help improve yield stabilityand secure productivity today and for years to come."Bayer CropScience is the global leader in developing and supplyinghybrid rice seed. Hybrid rice shows higher grain yields, better stresstolerance, and lower fertiliser requirements versus traditional open-pollinated varieties. In addition, Bayer uses naturally occurring geneticvariation to breed into their hybrids additional resistance to importantpests such as bacterial leaf blight and brown plant hopper, as well astolerance to abiotic stresses such as salinity and excessive flooding.

THE UGANDAN MINISTRY of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisherieshas introduced breeding guidelines for livestock farmers in the countryaimed at teaching farmers the best breeds, depending on the changingweather patterns of their location.The assistant commissioner for animal nutrition in the Ministry of Agriculture,Stephen Kajura, was quoted saying the guidelines were based on theprofitability of a given area during a meeting of stakeholders in beefproduction in East Africa organised by Makerere University College ofAgriculture."This is an expert guide to livestock farmers on the most suitable breeds forparticular agricultural ecological areas. If you're living in Rakai district, forexample, we shall be guiding you on which profitable breed you can takedepending on the availability of water and pasture and how much you cansell a litre of milk or a kilogram of meat for in that particular area," he said.Mr Kajura said that the government previously used to provide high-yielding animals to farmers but with the liberalisation policy, farmers wereleft free to buy what they wanted noting that although Uganda's livestockproduction - especially meat - is increasing, there have not been guidelinesfor farmers to follow.Meanwhile official figures show that livestock numbers increased between2010 and 2012 and there were 11,797,000 indigenous cattle (91.3 percent) compared to 861,000 (6.7 per cent) exotic ones. The indigenousbreeds continued to be dominant.The 2013 Statistical Abstract says the production of milk in 2012 wasestimated at 1,461 litres of milk which was an increment of 43 mn litres, 3.0per cent from 2011 adding that this was about the same percentageregistered in 2011.

Breeding of high-yielding hybrid rice varieties

New guidelines for Ugandan livestock farmers




ANALYSIS

African governments need to accelerate increased investment in smallholder farmers, that include ruralyouth and women to boost agricultural productivity, rural incomes and reduce malnutrition, said theFAO on the eve of the 28th Regional Conference in Tunis, Tunisia from 24-28 March.

Agriculture: ‘engine of growth’that Africa needs

ACCORDING TO THE Food andAgriculture Organization of theUN (FAO), while the continent’sannual total growth rate has

averaged 4.8 per cent up from 2.1 per centin the decade 2000-2010, growth in theagricultural sector over the same period hasslightly dropped from 3.2 per cent to 3.0per cent.

Currently, seven out of the top 10 fastest-growing economies in the world aresituated in Africa, and the InternationalMonetary Fund estimates that economicgrowth in sub-Saharan Africa will be 6.1per cent in 2014.

The challenge for Africa is to make thiseconomic growth more inclusive by

targeting agricultural and ruraldevelopment, women and young people.

Some 75 per cent of Africans are 25years old and under, and the population isexpected to remain largely rural for the next35 years, with women heading up manyhouseholds.

“Agriculture is the only sector of theeconomy capable of absorbing thisworkforce,” the director-general, JoséGraziano da Silva, has said. “There is noinclusive and sustainable way forward forAfrica without women, youth and agriculture.”

“For many years and in many parts of theworld, small-scale farmers, pastoralistfamilies and fisher folk were viewed as partof the problem of hunger,” he said.

“That could not be further from the truth.Family farmers are already the main foodproducers in most countries, and they can doeven more with the right kind of support.”

Improving access to financial services,training, mechanisation and technologycan transform subsistence farmers intoefficient producers.

Improving access to financialservices, training,

mechanisation and technologycan transform subsistence

farmers into efficient producers.

S03 AF MayJune 2014 Analysis_Layout 1 5/21/2014 5:11 PM

Through methods that increaseproduction while preserving naturalresources, family farming also provides asustainable alternative to input-intensivetechnologies that have resulted in damageto soil quality, land, water and biodiversity.

The success stories range from rollingout of improved banana varieties in centralAfrica to the introduction of high-yieldingvarieties of maize in east and southernAfrica. Productivity gains in cassava inwestern Africa have been immense, whilecotton production in the Sahel region hasbeen impressive. East Africa has stamped itsauthority on tea and floriculture productionand is now the preferred choice of majormarkets in the world.

On the other hand, the recurrent foodsecurity crises in the Horn of Africa and theSahel are stark evidence of the need tobuild resilience in the region and to copewith recurrent droughts that become morefrequent and extreme with climate change.The combined effects of drought, high foodprices, conflict, displacement and chronicpoverty has caused untold suffering tomillions across the continent.

Africa has the possibility to change thisand build on its success stories to advancefood security and sustainable developmentin the region. The launch of theComprehensive Africa AgricultureDevelopment Plan (CAADP) in 2003 hashelped spur food production and foodsecurity. African governments have showntheir commitment to achieve food security,identifying their individual pathways underthis regional framework. Experience has

shown that countries that have seen greaterprogress are those that managed toallocate at least 10 per cent of theirnational budget to the agricultural sector inline with the Maputo Declaration andimplemented CAADP compacts.

On average, agricultural production inAfrica has increased slightly less than oneper cent per year, compared with about twoper cent in other developing countries.

“Investment in agriculture andstrengthening governance andaccountability mechanisms are critical totrigger a transformation in the capacity ofcountries to deliver sustained and broad-based agricultural growth anddevelopment”, observed Bukar Tijani, FAOassistant director-general and regionalrepresentative for Africa.

Increasing potential sustainablyGovernments should primarily focus onsustainably increasing the potential ofagriculture, fisheries, livestock and forestryas a source of employment and income forthe African youth and women. This isespecially for the men and women thatengage in agri-business ventures aimed atincreasing family incomes.

In order to compete successfully withimports in their own growing domestic andregional agribusiness markets, Africanfarmers and agribusinesses will need toimprove value chain efficiency at all levels,the FAO said.

Rural farmers should also tap on theemerging market brought about byincreased urbanisation estimated at 40 percent and which consumes over 50 per centof total food production.

In addition governments should assistfamily farms to gain access to agriculturalinputs, affordable credit, rural services andextension information that allows them totake advantage of the growing market.

The FAO estimates that poverty rates inAfrica declined marginally from 56 per centin 1990 to 49 per cent in 2010, leaving388mn in extreme poverty andapproximately 239mn chronicallyundernourished in the continent.

Agriculture, according to the FAO, canbe a catalyst in lowering poverty rates andboosting food security in the continent.

On a positive note, as of today, nearly20 African countries have alreadyachieved, or are on track to achieve, thefirst Millennium Development Goal ofhalving the prevalence of hunger by 2015

Three countries - Djibouti, Ghana andSão Tomé and Príncipe - have also met theeven more ambitious 1996 World FoodSummit goal to reduce by half the totalnumber of hungry.

2014 is a good year to raise awarenessof the importance of agriculture and youthfor inclusive, sustainable development inAfrica. The United Nations has declared2014 as the International Year of FamilyFarming and the African Union alsocelebrates its year for Agriculture andFood Security.

In the Tunisia conference, 54 Africanmember countries participated. Additionally,other global nations such as China, France,India, United States, United Kingdom andthe Netherlands attended as observers. h

Mwangi Mumero

According to the FAO, the majority of smallholderfarmers in Africa produce food organically.

Agriculture can be a catalystin lowering poverty rates

and boosting food securityin the continent.

African Farming - May/June 201412

ANALYSIS

The work of the FAO and EU in Somalia shows that investment in agriculture can avoid future crises.




POULTRY

HOTRACO AGRI INTRODUCED a new,revolutionary touch screen poultry computerat VIV Europe 2014. It is completely differentto earlier platforms and existing technologies.Hotraco Agri is setting a new standard indesign, versatility, computing power and user-friendliness with this launch. Based on morethan 40 years of experience in the poultrysector and the proven technology of theexisting Orion computer, Hotraco Agri is nowfocusing on improving a number of facets. Thefixed controls and proven algorithms of thecurrent generation of poultry computers havebeen developed to a higher level and havebeen added to the software to produce anextremely high degree of reliability. The fullyintuitive touch screen operation isrevolutionary. Its design can be customised bythe user and is similar to a smartphone ortablet interface. A 3D overview of the housingcan be compiled with the aid of clear symbols.All texts can be configured and the computercan be set up in any language - even Chinese.The result is an extremely user-friendly andclear poultry computer which, thanks to a PCapplication, can also be accessed via theInternet any time and place, thus making itpossible for the user to access and retrieve allthe information on the housing. This completely renewed and innovative touchscreen poultry computer by Hotraco Agri givesthe user complete control over all housingprocesses such as climate, feed and water, eggflow and animal weighing. The new PCmanagement programme enables users tooptimise the living conditions of the animals aswell as achieve considerable cost savings byreducing energy consumption, feed and labour.

OVER 300 DELEGATES from 30 different countries attendedIEC Business Conference Vienna 2014 to address the issuesthat really matter to their egg businesses. “Business matters”was the message at the heart of IEC chairman, Cesar deAnda’s, opening speech, as he welcomed delegatesrepresenting the egg industry from all over the world.During the two days of conference sessions, delegates wereaddressed by a combination of high profile businessleaders and world leading scientists. Speakers included:Danielle Cagan from Nestlé, the world’s largest foodprocessor and manufacturer; Johann Morwald, formerALDI board member and CEO; Dr Franz Fischler, former EUcommissioner of agriculture; Nan-Dirk Mulder fromRabobank; and world leading researchers and scientists, DrDavid Swayne, Dr Ferry Leenstra, Professor Rudolf Preisinger and Dr Knut Niebuhr.A key message repeated by speakers, was “be prepared” – prepare for volatility to remainin the market and prepare your business so it can adapt to change.Nan-Dirk Mulder, from Rabobank, addressed delegates during the conference’s newbusiness analysis session. He discussed the global feed grains outlook and the impact thiswill have on the global egg industry in the short term – during the next 12 months. He tolddelegates that despite declining feed costs and improving stock levels, the egg industry stillneeds to be prepared – prepared for a return to volatility.

Hotraco Agri’s new generation ofpoultry computers

Round up from IEC business conference

IMO STATE GOVERNMENT has pledged torevive the multi-billion-naira Avutu Modern Poultryfarm, Obowo, established by the late GovernorSam Mbakwe but which was later abandonedto waste by successive administrations in the state.Governor Rochas Okorocha disclosed this whileon a tour of the Obowo local government area.He said that the state government had engagedthe services of some foreign and localagricultural experts comprising a South Africa-based firm and Crux Industries (Nigeria) Ltd tobring the establishment back to business.The farm reportedly covers an area of 20 sq km.The managing director of Crux, Sir Frank Ibeziem,

who corroborated the governor's submissionwhile on a facility tour to the poultry farm, saidalthough abandoned for over a generation bypast administrations with dilapidated, decayedand ramshackle infrastructure, arrangement hadbeen concluded to resuscitate the institution.This, according to Ibezeim, entails feasibilitystudies, installation of a one million water tank,administrative and residential blocks and at least,two poultry beds which would stock above30,000 birds. "The capacity of the facility will be2.5mn birds a year, 40mn eggs a year,processing plant with cold room, hatchery, feedmill, 45 poultry houses in nine plots", he said.

Nigeria state government to revive poultry farm


The consumer-led market has pushed poultry producers to incorporateadvanced methods for better quality of eggs.

POULTRY MANAGEMENT IS a vitalpart of egg production as thisensures good quality protein in eggyolk and egg albumen as well as

lipids, vitamins, nutrients and minerals and,therefore, producers must embrace custom-made layer breeding

According to Rudolph Presinger, atprimary breeder Lohmann Tierzucht GmbHin Germany, for a layer breeding to beeffective, the programme must look at leastfive years down the line in order to gaugefuture demand as well as consumerpreferences and requirements. These willinclude the market and egg characterssought after by consumers and clearlydiffering between purchasing groups onvarious continents and in constituentcountries.

Equally important are managementsystems used by poultry producers andchecking whether the birds are raised andmanaged in either traditional cage systems,enriched cage systems or free range.Choice may simply come down topreference of the producer but recentlyenacted EU (European Union) legislationoutlawing traditional cage systems meansproducers in the 27-member EU nationsare restricted in what they do. Suchexamples of restrictive and strictly enforcedlegislation related to bird welfare does not,as a general rule, directly affect Asia, butthis is something Asian poultry producerswill need to consider if they want to exporteggs to other parts of the world where thistype of legislation is in place.

The contemporary EU layer housing andmanagement requirements, related to birdwelfare and now enshrined in EUlegislation, is consumer-led. They wereestablished in countries like Germany manyyears ago, largely due to consumerpressure, and where even stricter and morerestrictive laws related to bird welfare maynow be in place.

Future demand and requirementsEggs almost certainly combine the mostnutritionally effective and economic sourceof quality animal protein. This is especially

true for developing countries where thebiggest on-going increases in eggproduction and consumption are takingplace and especially so in countries wherethe consumption of meat from otherlivestock is restricted. This may be due toconstraints on production (eg, climate,pests, disease and restricted feed sources),lack of purchasing power for averageconsumers or enforced dietary restrictionsdue to religious considerations.

Such a combination of factors becameonly too clear five years ago as HPAI(Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza) H5N1started to decimate poultry flocks (layers

and broilers) across Bangladesh. Reportsfrom this South Asian country suggestedmass culling of flocks (both layers andbroilers) had a significant negative impactof the availability and consumption ofquality protein by a significant section of thepopulation, and thereby impacting onnutritional health.

The demand for eggs continues to risein-line with on-going increases in worldpopulation which recently passed the sevenbillion milestone. World population isprojected to increase at a rate of around80mn per year for the foreseeable future.World egg production has increased at arate of one million tonne per year since2005 and is expected to stand at 75mntonne by 2015. In order to match andsatisfy these demands, more than 50mnhens are being added to world flocks eachyear since 2005, on the assumption thatconditions of layer management cancontinue to support the genetic potential fora 20kg egg mass produced per laying henper annum.

Current per capita egg consumption and

Layer breeding key tobetter egg production


POULTRY

Focus must remain on maximising the genetic potential of layers to produce high quality protein at competitive costs.

The demand for eggscontinues to rise in line with

ongoing increases in worldpopulation which recently

passed the seven billionmilestone.


S04 AF MayJune 2014 Poultry_Layout 1 5/22/2014 9:49 AM

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the rate of increase, if any, differssignificantly between continents andcountries. This depends on various factorsincluding dietary tradition, purchasingpower and the availability of other sourcesof protein-rich food. Europe and NorthAmerica continue to indicate little potentialfor growth in egg consumption. In contrast,Asian countries including China and India,as well as Latin America and certaincountries in Africa are predicted andexpected to register considerable growth inconsumption underpinned by changingconsumer habits and especially foreducated urban communities withincreased purchasing power.

Egg preferencePreferences for particular eggcharacteristics such as shell colour and eggsize differ markedly between countries andalso between defined groups of consumerswithin a single country. Japan, unlikeequivalent developed economies andcountries in Europe, has maintained one ofthe world’s highest levels of quality eggconsumption at 300 eggs per capita formany decades. The Japanese custom ofcracking and pouring a raw egg over abowl of rice for breakfast goes a long wayto explain this continued demand as well asthe Japanese focus on quality — usuallywhite-shelled eggs of superior internalquality and guaranteed free fromcontamination with Salmonella bacteria.

Japan is not the only country to have adistinct preference for white-shelled eggs.White-shelled eggs are also preferred inNorth and Central America, Middle East,India, Taiwan and the Philippines. On theother hand, brown-shelled eggs arepreferred in most of Latin America and inEurope. You have to search hard in theUnited Kingdom to find white-shelled eggson sale. Tinted eggs from birds which arecrosses between White Leghorns andvarious brown-egg breeds are also popularin Japan and China but not so common inEurope.

Coping with changeLayer breeding has demonstrated aremarkable ability to cope with new

challenges posed by significant changes inconsumer demand and requirements. Withsuitably timed and significant changes inbreeding technique and outcome, the layerbreeding industry has maintained its edgeover the last fifty years. Increased eggproduction and enhanced feed efficiency aswell as meeting changing consumerpreferences and increasing demand forhigh egg quality underpin the continuedsuccess in this sector of the world poultryindustry.

In the absence of these geneticimprovements, alongside improvements inpoultry nutrition, pests and disease andgeneral poultry rearing and management,the industry could not have achieved andmaintained its current standing in theworld food market. Focus must remain onmaximising the genetic potential of layersto produce high quality protein atcompetitive cost, while at the same timetaking on-board evolving requirements ofthe egg industry as dictated by costcompetitiveness, changing consumerhabits and also public opinion in relationto both egg quality and bird welfare.

Primary poultry breeders must lookbeyond current requirements and predictthe opportunities alongside the demandsplaced upon them for at least five yearsdown the line. Good communicationbetween breeders and distributors isessential so that new breeds areintroduced at the right time to obtainimmediate maximum benefit fromchanging markets.

An overview of the global industryshows how different markets requirediverse performance profiles from withinthe entirety of commercial layer breeds.This dictates the need for wide gene poolswith large elite lines that can be combinedand integrated to generate strain crosseswith specific attributes to meet specificmarket requirements.

The development and maintenance ofnew lines, testing, selection andreproduction of primary stocks willnecessarily mean large fixed costs in theoperation and a high level of expertise inquantitative genetics, as well as sound

internal organisation to keep track of theavailability of different sub-lines for nichemarkets. Close communication betweenprimary breeders and local distributors ongenetic developments, marketing andtechnical support is essential. Without this,it will be impossible to provide the bestpossible service to producers and to fullybenefit from changing consumer marketrequirements.

Molecular biology: A big stepAdvances in molecular biology enablenovel techniques to be used in geneticselection. Through the use of informativegenetic markers, geneticists can promptlyidentify individuals and families withspecial characteristics and therebyaccelerate traditional rates ofimprovement in egg production andquality as well as layer behaviour. Theseinnovations in biotechnology continue tocomplement traditional performancetesting and evaluation methods based onphenotypic selection indexes ofproduction, efficiency and qualityparameters.

The capacity to combine all availableperformance records from relatives inmultiple generations, locations andhousing systems requires powerfulcomputer programmes, but whenachieved ensure that the best males andfemales are selected and mated toproduce the next generation. DNAanalysis is providing extra information forcombined use with traditional breeding toselect males at an earlier age and todifferentiate among full brothers, whichprior to the availability of DNA analysisrecorded identical breeding values.Performance testing and genome wideanalysis in combination offers a promisingtool for the development of new straincrosses with performance profiles custom-designed to meet specific requirements.

The on-going rate of genetic progress inegg production efficiency appears to beeven greater than it was 20 years ago.Enhanced structure and increased size ofbreeding populations and application ofnew testing and recording technologies,alongside more powerful computersystems for breeding value estimation,have all contributed to the more effectiveand efficient use of available geneticvariation. Therefore, enhanced geneticpotential of laying hens cannot be fullyexploited unless there is on-farm hands-onmanagement, which includes diseasecontrol and proper nutrition, and keepingpace with the new gene technologies. h

Dr Terry Mabbett

POULTRY

The ongoing rate of genetic progress in egg productionefficiency appears to be even greater than it was 20 years ago.

Enhanced genetic potential oflaying hens cannot be fully

exploited unless there is on-farm hands-on management,

which includes disease controland proper nutrition.



POULTRY

VENCOMATIC GROUP HAS added Nutrimix as adealer for the group in Morocco. Nutrimix is a well-known company in Morocco with a strong reputationamong both layer and broiler breeder companies.Nutrimix will provide sales and service support for thebrands Prinzen, Vencomatic and Agro Supply. Vencomatic Group, a global supplier of housingand egg collection systems for the poultry sector,was already active on the Moroccan market andhas installed multiple successful projects. Thepartnership with Nutrimix enables VencomaticGroup to expand their market share. Valentijn Crum, Prinzen area sales manager,stated: "We strongly believe in local sales andservice to optimally support our customers.Nutrimix has the right knowledge and a network inthe Moroccan poultry sector to provide the localsupport needed to expand our market share."Anwar Amhaouche, general manager of Nutrimix,shared this opinion: "We have many customers thatare looking for solutions to cope with increasinglabour costs. The equipment of Vencomatic Groupoffers sustainable solutions for increasing automatedprocesses in the poultry industry. Combined with ourdedicated local service support, it enables us toanswer the needs of our customers."

THE DEPUTY MINISTER of Food and Agriculture for Ghana, DrHannah Louisa Bisiw, has indicated that the government isworking on a proposal for funding to revamp the poultry industry in the country. That is part of effortsto ensure the production of adequate meat, animal and dairy products to meet the country's proteinrequirement, she said. It will also help the country to cut the huge import bill on meat and meatproducts, which is currently pegged at more than US$300mn. She said this at the launch of RE3, anew natural poultry and livestock mill feed additive from Canada, which was distributed by the BorisB's Farms and Veterinary Supplies Ghana Limited and Best Environmental Technologies in the Ashantiregional capital, Kumasi. The minister observed that given that the country's national annual meatrequirement was likely to increase, the increase in demand for meat products would make a case forprofitable business in the livestock sub sector. The CEO of Boris B's Farms and Veterinary Supplies,Mr Boris Baidoo, said the company's commitment to provide quality services and products to thepoultry and livestock industry necessitated their partnership with Best Environmental Technologies todistribute RE3 to farmers in the country. He said the company would establish and set up a feed millto produce quality feed for the poultry market at an affordable rate to alleviate the plight of farmers.

Read more at: http://www.feedmachinery.com/news/africa/govt-to-support-local-poultry-industry-build-feed-mill-3234/ Copyright © FeedMachinery.com

Image: Seth Bokpe.

Vencomatic adds Nutrimixas Morocco dealer

Ghanaian govt to support local poultry industry


Research provides new insight to control blackhead diseaseTHE UNIVERSITY OF Georgia in Athens, USA, has completed a funded research project, whichstudied blackhead disease in poultry. The project is part of the association’s comprehensive researchprogramme encompassing all phases of poultry and egg production and processing.An experimental live attenuated vaccine failed to protect birds against the disease. Studies on thetransmission of blackhead disease indicate that spreading of litter from pullet houses in which flockshave had blackhead disease may be an important risk factor for spreading blackhead disease.


Now more than ever it is essential to know the source of your minerals toensure feed safety.

WITH HEADLINES DOMINATINGnewspapers each day on horsemeat contamination and E. colispinach scares, it is more

important than ever to have a traceabilityprogramme in place for both humans andlivestock.

A study by AMR Research, a US-basedinternational research firm, shows recallsare more common and costly than expected- expenses often exceed US$10mn perrecall, with companies losing twice thatmuch. An effective traceability system canmake many of these recalls avoidable.Safeguarding the quality of ingredients inanimal feed is therefore essential inensuring food safety.

Trace mineral contaminantsIn recent years, contamination of tracemineral supplements has been causingmore frequent problems across borders.China is a major supplier of inorganicminerals to the animal nutrition sector.Recently, trace elements shipped fromChina, including sources of zinc, copperand manganese, have been included in alist of products that are subject to enhancedchecks before being allowed to enter theEuropean Union. Cadmium and leadcontamination have been identified as thepotential hazards in these shipments.

Dioxin is a general term for a largegroup of fat soluble organo-chlorinecompounds, the polychlorinateddibenzodioxins and dibenzofurans, about30 of which are significantly toxic. Dioxinscan potentially be formed wheneverorganic compounds, chlorine and hightemperatures are involved. Commonsources include volcanic eruptions, forestfires, exhaust emissions, incinerators and inthe manufacturing of chemicals, pesticidesand paints. Dioxins can also be formed

during the processing of inorganicminerals. Metals, especially copper, can actas catalysts in dioxin formation.

Dioxins are termed “persistent organicpollutants” because they are very stable,resisting physical and biological breakdownto remain in the environment for longperiods of time. Dioxins are knownteratogens, mutagens and carcinogens inhumans and animals.

The difference in PCBsPCBs, dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls,differ from dioxins in that they areintentionally produced for the manufactureof transformers, inks, plasticisers, lubricantsand building materials. PCBs are present ininorganic trace mineral sources due to therecycling of metal sources, such as copperwiring. At least 70 per cent of coppersulfate is produced from renewablesources. PCBs are also a known carcinogenin humans and animals.

In recent years, contamination of tracemineral supplements has been causingmore frequent problems across borders.

Heavy metals are a concern becausethey can enter the soil resulting in thecontamination of inorganic trace mineralsources and can enter groundwater as apollutant. Mercury, lead, cadmium andarsenic can cause neurological signs in

livestock such as blindness, anemia, soft-shelled eggs, kidney and renal damage,and sudden death.

The use of mined versus recycledminerals has also been debated, howeverboth have had negative implications. Minedminerals tend to be higher in heavy metalcontamination, and the mining process cancause contamination with dioxins andPCBs. Dioxins can also be formed duringrecycling and often materials such as PVCcoating are not removed during the processof recycling.

A global issueDioxins, PCBs and heavy metals are aglobal issue. In December 2008, pork inIreland was found to be tainted with dioxincontamination, resulting in the productbeing pulled from 24 countries. In July2011, Belgian food safety officials found a138 ton consignment of feed grade coppersulphate imported from Romania withhigher than permitted presence of dioxin. InJanuary of this year, China’s State Councilpublicised a circular on soil pollution thatsets out a plan to contain the increasinglysevere problem by 2015. For heavy metalalone, experts estimate the country’spollution results in the loss of 10mn metrictonnes of grain and the contamination ofanother 12mn metric tonnes annually.

Avoiding feed ingredientcontamination


LIVESTOCK

The use of trace minerals to supplement the diets of ruminants, swine, and poultry is a universal practice, but themarket varies widely in terms of quality and safety.

In recent years, contaminationof trace mineral supplements

has been causing more frequentproblems across borders.


S05 AF MayJune 2014 Livestock_Layout 1 5/21/2014 5:26 PM

In 2010, Alltech conducted a survey ofmore than 300 samples of variousinorganic minerals, premixes, organicminerals and complete feeds from differentcountries in Asia. The test for the heavymetals of lead, arsenic and cadmium wasdetermined using an Inductively CoupledPlasma Optical Emission Spectrometry atthe Alltech China facility. Results showedcontamination from eight to 67 per cent.Overall, 19 per cent of all samples werecontaminated with at least one heavy metal(lead, arsenic and cadmium).

Quality control checkThe risk of contamination associated withinorganic minerals is a concern formanufacturers of all mineral supplementforms because inorganic mineral sourcesare used to manufacture organic mineralproducts. Quality assurance systems atevery feed mill should implement aprogram with their manufacturer that

addresses these concerns:● Does the manufacturer use approved

suppliers only?● Does the manufacturer audit its

suppliers?● Does the manufacturer have third-party

certifications from reputable groups todemonstrate its commitment to quality?

● Does the manufacturer test for dioxins,PCBs and heavy metals in all rawmaterials prior to sale? Traceability fromraw materials to finished product is amust for all feed additives.

Besides contamination issues, many feedmills are turning to organic minerals to limittheir impact on the environment. Growingawareness of the environmental pollutioncaused by those unused trace minerals hasled to concern and even new legislation inparts of the world controlling trace mineralsin feed and manure levels.

Quality control has to be at the top ofeach feed mill’s list when choosing traceminerals. As a result of past and currentfood crises, animal feed is an importantarea that affects the integrity and safety ofthe food chain. In addition, legislationconcerning the production of feed isgetting stricter. Routine analysis of feedand food ingredients and the assurance ofequally high standards of quality andtransparency from suppliers will continueto be critical in a global ingredient marketto protect the food chain fromcontaminants such as dioxins, heavymetals and PCBs. h

LIVESTOCK

Currently, 90 per cent of meat eaten in East Africa comesfrom pastoralists, who move with their flocks and herdsin search of grazing and water, and do not add tracemineral supplements.

Quality control has to be atthe top of each feed mill’s listwhen choosing trace minerals.


S05 AF MayJune 2014 Livestock_Layout 1 5/21/2014 5:26 PM


ACCORDING TO A recent ILRIreport, farmers and policy makerswill need to refocus from thealready over-farmed pieces of land

to mixed farming, especially in highpotential areas.

“It is these mixed farms that, more thanthe traditional breadbaskets and rice bowlsof the past, will feed the growing world overthe next few decades”, observes the report,highlighting the need to change the wayfarming is done.

In Kenya, research organisations such asthe Kenya Agricultural Research Institute(KARI) have focused on increasing yields onone crop or livestock by coming up withnew varieties that are disease resistant, highyielding and adaptable to harsh weather.

Already in many farming communitiesacross Kenya and other high potentialareas across the developing world, mostfarmers practice mixed farming with varyingand profitable results.

For instance, Robert Kanyi, a retiredteacher from Othaya, Nyeri, keeps threedairy cattle, a flock of chicken and goats aswell as growing crops such as maize,beans, coffee, tea, napier grass and anarray of agroforestry trees.

“Mixed farming is the only way toguarantee some income in small holdings

where land is scarce. With coffee priceserratic, farmers need to keep dairy cows to sellmilk, get manure and cushion family income”,asserted Mr Kanyi, whose four-acre farmoverlooks the scenic Aberdares Ranges.

But it is not just in the CentralHighland where mixed farming has beenpracticed for generations.

Rice-duck enterpriseIn the low-lying Mwea Irrigation Scheme-where farmers toil in soggy black soils allday long, Ludia Wanja supplements her riceincome with a fledging duck enterprise.

The rice-duck enterprise boostsfamily incomes, proteins and fertilisesthe kitchen garden where a variety ofvegetables are grown.

“Ducks are cheap to raise as they rely onkitchen wastes for feed supplementation.Wading through muddy water, they are ableto pick worms and small fish in irrigationchannels”, said Ms Wanja, a mother of three.

Duck eggs, occasional meat as well asguano (manure) boosts the farmer’sfortunes coming from rice farming. Duckshave also proved a viable enterprise inirrigation paddies in South Asia, wheremillions of peasants eke out a living.

She also has a fish pond where tilapiafish thrive and occasionally providesdinner and the much needed first classproteins for the family.

Equally important to smallholder farmers

in Kenya has been mixed systems that haveincorporated dairy goats, rabbits andindigenous chicken with food crops such asmaize, millet and beans.

Manure to boost soil fertility, milk for anincome and proteins, regular incomes fromsale of livestock or their products have alwayshelped rural households cope with erraticweather patterns and unreliable payments.

According to the ILRI report, groups offarmers mixing crops with livestock - oftenlocated between high-potential farmlandsand low potential rangelands - are theheavyweights in global food security.

Over the years, many farmers practicingmodest mixed crop-and-livestock agricultureboth in poor and rich countries haveimproved food security in many countries.

But it is in the developing countries wheremixed family farmers tending rice paddiesor cultivating maize and beans while raisinga few chickens and pigs, a herd of goats ora cow or two on relatively extensive andrain-fed lands who feed most of the world’spoor people today.

Consequently, these mixed farmers -neglected by governments are likely toplay the biggest role in global foodsecurity over the next several decade -when world population grows and peaksat around nine billion - an addition ofanother three billion people. h

Mwangi Mumero

Mixed crop and livestock

LIVESTOCK

Typical mixed crop-livestock farming of western Kenya. Image: ILRI.

Mixed farming is the onlyway to guarantee some

income in small holdingswhere land is scarce.

According to the ILRI report, groups of farmers mixing crops withlivestock are the heavyweights in global food security.

While governments and researchers have continued looking to high-potential farmlands and single-commodity farming systems as the answer to alleviating world hunger, the International LivestockResearch Institute (ILRI) says that mixed crop and livestock systems are the way to go.

S06 AF MayJune 2014 Angola_Layout 1 5/22/2014 11:09 AM

ANGOLA


Agriculture is vital to diversifying Angola's economy as the countryis currently engulfed by food imports but has fantastic agriculturalpotential across the value chain.

TWO-THIRDS OF Angolans dependon agriculture, most at a subsistencelevel. Cassava, sweet potatoes, andmillet are the main staples. Yet less

than 10 per cent of its available arable landis under cultivation. While this makes thedevelopment of agriculture potentially verypromising, Angola currently imports half ofits food.

Overpopulation due to displacement hasalso contributed to over-cultivation of landin some areas, decreasing soil fertility andreducing yields. But increased investmenthas contributed to the recovery of somecash crops, particularly coffee, bananas,sisal, sugar cane and oil palm.

With fertile soils, adequate levels ofwater, and a climate suitable for growing avast array of different crops, there isenormous potential to increase agriculturalproduction. Rehabilitation of agriculture is akey priority for the government in order toreduce dependence on oil, decrease foodimports and lift millions out of poverty.

Heavy investment in infrastructureAlready the government has investedheavily in infrastructure to improve roadand rail links and enable farmers to accessmarkets. Due to Angola's vast agriculturalpotential, foreign interest has also beensignificant. (Angola, Africa’s second-largestcrude oil producer, is targeting sugar self-

sufficiency as Brazil’s Odebrecht SA is dueto start harvesting from a 42,000-hectaresugar plantation. The farm is to beginproduction by June and ramp up to260,000 metric tons a year by 2018,according to managing director CarlosHenrique Mathias.)

The country has a climate that isfavourable to a wide variety of tropical andsemi-tropical cultures, and extensivegrazing areas situated in the Southwestplateau. The agricultural sector has provencapabilities in the colonial past for crops ofsugar, cotton, rubber, coffee, sisal, corn,peanuts, potatoes, cassava, beans, fruitgrowing and horticulture.

So in summary, a former self-sufficientcountry in all major crops except wheat,Angola is nowadays a net importer of allfood leading to high prices in shops. Thecountry is only slowly rebuilding itsagricultural infrastructure and capacitywhich was devastated by the nearly threedecades of Civil War

With approximately 58mn hectares oftotal agriculture area (FAO, 2010), Angola

is the 16th largest country in the world interms of its farming potential.

However, recognising the potential thatagriculture has in Angola, foreigninvestment in the sector has started to pickup. Brazil, Spain, USA, Portugal andCanada are continuing their investments inthe agro-industrial area in Kwanza-Sul,created back in 2010. The Japanesefinanced an infrastructure and irrigationproject in the Moxito province last year andare continuing their de-mining co-operation with the Angolan government inBengo. 2013 has seen the Portuguesebusiness group, Delta Cafés, begin topromote the production of coffee in Uigeprovince. The Chinese have announced thefirst rice harvest in Kuando-Kubangoprovince, and they also have an investmentin Malanje and Uige for agricultural studyand research centres. Across all provinces,the revival of the Angolan agriculturalsector province is beginning to stir.

Aware of the current predicament,Angola’s government has set up strategiesto revive and diversify the country’s

Huge agricultural potentialready to be realised

There is enormous potential to increase agricultural production. Image: IFAD.

Increased investment hascontributed to the recovery of

some cash crops.

FAO recognises Angola’s effort in fighting poverty.



economy. One of the sectors of centralimportance to Angola’s economic future isagriculture. First, more focus should beplaced on small-scale farmers who areresponsible for 90 per cent of theagricultural production in Angola, byimproving their yields and training them in

basic sales and marketing. Second, the costof local production, which is still highcompared to neighbouring economies,should be brought down and, mostimportantly, incentives to ease investments inthe food processing industry to substitute thecountry’s heavy reliance on imports should

be offered. If this is done, the rest is simple:Angola is already endowed with high qualitysoil and water resources. Thus, there is noreason why the country shouldn’t fulfil itsagricultural potential and find its way backto self-sufficiency and, eventually, rejoin ofthe podium of top food exporters. h

ANGOLA

ANGOLA, BRAZIL AND the FAO are to work closely together tostrengthen food security in the Southern African country by boosting itsagricultural and veterinary research.

Under a new South-South Co-operation agreement, Angolanresearchers will receive technical assistance and short-term trainingfrom the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA),which played a key role in Brazil’s successful domestic programme todrastically reduce hunger. “The availability of highly qualifiedresearchers and innovators who understand the complexity ofdevelopment challenges is key to making great strides in agricultureand food security in Angola,” said Laurent Thomas, FAO assistantdirector-general for technical co-operation.

“Brazil has much to offer in terms of proven technical know-howand this agreement is an important milestone in South-South Co-operation between the two countries. We believe it is a model that wehope will be followed by other countries of the global South.”

Facilitated by the FAO, the two-year project will be co-financed byAngola and Brazil, with Angola covering the US$2.2mn financialcosts and Brazil providing an in-kind contribution of US$875,000

through the work of EMBRAPA experts.The project will formulate a national strategy for agricultural

innovation in addition to training some 60 researchers fromAngola’s Agricultural Research Institute and 45 from its VeterinaryResearch Institute.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Floręncio Mariano daConceiçăo e Almeida, permanent representative of Angola to theFAO, said the project would contribute to national efforts on foodsecurity and poverty reduction which have already enabled Angolato meet the Millennium Development Goal target of halving itsproportion of hungry people ahead of the 2015 deadline.

Antonino Marques Porto e Santos, permanent representative ofBrazil to FAO, quoted a message by former Brazilian President LuizInácio Lula da Silva to Angolan President José Eduardo Dos Santos:“The similarity between Africa’s Savanna and the Brazilian Cerradopresents tremendous potential for EMBRAPA’s intervention in theAfrican continent. Brazil would like to help Angola in diversifying andrealising its immense economic and agricultural potential andsecuring its food self-sovereignty.”

Angola, Brazil and FAO sign South-South Co-operation agreement


Lonagro Angola was opened in 2011, and is trading well with its head office in Catete, east ofLuanda. Several mega projects have been secured, and a new branch in Cacuso is currently beingopened to support these. John G Dapling, managing director, talks to African Farming.

ANGOLA HAS A long history andlegacy of organised agriculturebelieved to be traceable back tothe arrival of Bantu settlers around

the sixth century AD. During Portuguesecolonialisation, agricultural developmentwas one of the main strategies and steadydevelopment was made. By 1975 Angolahad a flourishing tradition of family-basedfarming and was self sufficient in all majorfood crops except wheat, as well asbecoming a major exporter of maize,coffee, sisal, bananas, tobacco andcassava. The start of the civil war in 1975saw an end to this development andprosperity, and agriculture suffered terribly,with only small scale subsistence farmingcontinuing. Since the end of the war in2002 there has been renewed interest inagriculture, but the progress has been slowdue to landmines, poor infrastructure anddisplacement of knowledgeable andexperienced people. However the speed ofprogress has increased in the last couple ofyears and there are many investments andinitiatives either happening now or about tohappen soon. The future looks very brightfor Angolan agriculture.

John Deere, a world leader in themanufacture and distribution of tractorsand agricultural machinery, has beenpresent in Angola for many years. But theAngolan market during the war was smalland difficult with little opportunity. In 2009John Deere realised the future potential ofthe Angolan market and started discussionswith the Lonrho Group in the UnitedKingdom to start a new, dedicateddistributor in Angola. Lonrho hadconsiderable previous experience in Angolaof importing and supporting vehicles andequipment and were already representing

John Deere in other markets, thus they werea logical choice. So Lonagro was born andbecame a reality with two principleinvestors, the Lonrho Group andAgromundo, a local company alreadyinvolved in the agricultural sector. Premiseswere constructed near to Catete andLonagro opened for business in 2010.Since then Lonagro has flourished withincreasing sales and customer base everyyear, now employing more than 30 peopleand selling 350 tractors a year.

Excellent after sale serviceThis success is based on an excellentproduct range with high reliability and a lowmaintenance cost, but with a special localfactor! Lonagro management realised earlyon that success and differentiation from thecompetition would only be achieved byexcellent after sales service. So they set outto make sure the John Deere products weresupported by a large, actively managedparts inventory and a service and repairfacility which functioned well at thecompany base in Catete but was alsomobile and available around the clock tosupport customers in any part of Angola.Mobile service units travel every day todifferent locations as needed and whilst inan area follow up is made of other usersnearby, to see if they need assistance. Thisgreatly reduces costs for each customer,spreading transport and accommodation

charges amongst them and improvesefficiency and response times. This servicehas proved the basis of Lonagro’s successand development and a strong partnershiphas developed between Lonagro and theircustomers, all of whom appreciate the careand attention offered to help make theirbusinesses successful. Lonagro with JohnDeere are committed to the future ofagriculture in Angola and the long termsuccess and prosperity of the farmingcommunity; in this business you have to seeit as a partnership as dependencies andtrust are at a high level.

More branches plannedThe next stage in Lonagro’s development isto branch out from Luanda and Catete andopen more convenient and local facilitiesso that the customers can be nearer toLonagro and be better served andsupported. A Cacuso branch will beopened in the next few weeks close to theagricultural heart of Malange and theexciting new Biocom and CITIC projects.Later in the year new facilities are plannedfor Waku Kungu and Huambo. Next year afurther three locations will be added.

This development will necessitateconsiderable investment both in financialand people terms. Recruitment of suitablyskilled people and subsequent training inJohn Deere products is paramount andalready being planned and actioned. h

Turning Angola green -John Deere green!


ANGOLA

Since premises were constructed near to Catete and Lonagroopened for business in 2010, the company has flourished withincreasing sales and and an expanding customer base every year.

Lonagro was born andbecame a reality with two

principle investors, the LonrhoGroup and Agromundo, a

local company involved in theagricultural sector.



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S07 AF MayJune 2014 Crops_Layout 1 5/22/2014 11:27 AM


Increased investment, value addition and opening up of the export marketshas boosted coconut farming along Kenya’s coastal region with huge returnsfor local farmers. Mwangi Mumero reports.

THE FORTUNES OF the previouslychaotic and disorganised coconutsub-sector took a turn for the betterin 2007 with the creation of the

Kenya Coconut Development Authority(KCDA), a government body mandated toboost investment and consumer awarenessin this vital crop.

“In the last few years, investors in valueaddition have set up processing units alongthe coastal region from Malindi, Kwale andKilifi. Investors attracted by increasedawareness are targeting virgin oil, copraoil, soap production and textiles”, observedMr Teddy Yawa, KCDA’s businessdevelopment officer, during a recent expoat the Jomo Kenyatta University ofTechnology and Agriculture (JKUAT).

Industry officials note that Kenya has apotential of generating more than Ksh 25bn(US$294mn) from the coconut sub-sector withthe widening local and international markets.

Huge export marketsHuge export markets exist in Europe, theUnited States and the large East AfricanCommunity (EAC).

But even with the huge potential only200,000 hectares are under the crop in thecountry, with more than 99 per cent of thecrop grown along the coast.

Away from the coast, coconuts havebeen doing well in Nyanza, Western Kenya,Eastern and the Rift Valley region.

Emerging coconut products such asvirgin oil, coconut milk, desiccatedcoconut, and fibre are gaining prominence.

For instance, virgin coconut oil is rich inmedium chain fatty acids (MCFA) said to boostthe immune system and has no cholesterol.

While there is increased demand forcoconut products that are said to be low incholesterol by health conscious consumer,coconut growing still relies on more than7.4mn trees that are old and of the lowproducing, East Africa Tall variety.

The East Africa Tall takes five to sevenyears to get its first fruits, but offers moreavenues for income. The dwarf varieties takeshort periods but are mainly used for theproduction of a local alcoholic brew Mnazi.

“We have been actively involved in

seedling propagation programmesinvolving trained nursery operators. Wehave a target of 500,000 seedlingsannually and so far over two millionseedlings have been given to farmers toreplace old stock,” asserted Mr Yawa as heexplained KCDA’s campaign to increaseaccess to seedlings.

In the last rainy planting season, morethan 81,000 coconut farmers at the coastshowed renewed interest in the crop withdemand for seedlings shooting to over100,000 seedlings.

At the same time, KCDA has beenworking with the Kenya AgriculturalResearch Institute (KARI) in mother palmidentification for breeding new, betteryielding varieties.

Equally, the authority has been workingclosely with the Kenya Forest Research Institute(KEFRI) in research in virgin coconut oil.

An ongoing research in collaboration

with the JKUAT in geo-textile shed nets willprovide insight on use of coconut fibres ingreenhouse technology. Research ondevelopment of locally fabricated coconutoil extraction machines is also ongoing.

Increased yieldsBetter crop husbandry has also boostedyield per crop from 15 to 30 fruits annuallyto more than 100. An acre of land cancarry 50 trees that can often beintercropped with low crops such a maize,beans and bananas - making better use ofland.

“We are aiming to reach 300 coconutsper tree,” said Mwangi Hai, the manager incharge of KCDA’s extension services.

Seed propagators have been receivingirrigation kits from free from KCDA withmore than 20 kits distributed.

Extension services targeting coconutfarmers in area in crop husbandry hashelped farmer in correct spacing, weedingand use of manure in boosting soil fertility.

Farmers are also being trained on pestcontrol with rhinoceros beetles (Oryctesmonoceros), coconut mites (Aceraiguerreronis), coconut bug (Pseudotheraptuswayi) and termites considered the mostharmful. Among the diseases, the Bole rot

A boost forcoconut farming

COCONUTS

KCDA has been working withKARI in mother palm

identification for breedingnew, better yielding varieties.

S08 AF MayJune 2014 Feature_Layout 1 5/22/2014 12:58 PM

(Marasmielus infescocophilus) and thelethal yellowing disease (Mycoplasma) aresaid to be the most destructive.

With an initial investment of Ksh2,500(US$30) per acre for seedlings, and aboutKsh17,500 (US$206) for compost manureand labour, coconut growing has fewoverheads-making it suitable for poorfinanced rural farmers. A seedling costs Ksh50(US$0.6) to Ksh 00 (US$1.2) with one fruitselling from Ksh 5 to Ksh 30 at farm gate.

“Value addition through processingvirgin coconut oil from the white fleshykernel fetches Ksh 00 (US$6) a litre. Returnsare better than just selling the fruits on farmgate”, said Mr Karisa Chai, a coconutfarmer from Kaloleni, Kilifi Country.

Other farmers are also mixing thecoconut oils with ingredients like aloe orNeem to make soaps and cosmetics, with100gram of body lotion selling for over Ksh200 (US$2.4).

According to Mr Yawa, most of theinvestors are at the cottage level mainly inthe processing of virgin oil, copra oil,coconut cream, coconut milk and in thetextile products.

Approximately, 2,000 farmers arecurrently channelling their coconut

produce through these processors - withthe number expected to rise.

To increase awareness on the emergingcoconut products, KCDA has beenorganising field days, documentaries, radiotalks and road shows.

“Participation in local and internationalexpos has also widened the net globallyseeking foreign investments and exporters.Already investors have set up a coconutmilk processing plant in Mazeras and adesiccation unit at Kaloleni to tap into thenew opportunities,” noted Mr Yawa.

The authority has also been linkinginvestors with financial organisation toaccess affordable credit. Specifically, Equityand Co-operative Banks have beenworking closely with KCDA in this aspect.

On the other hand, the Kenya IndustrialEstates (KIE) has initiated a farm incubationprogramme through the establishment ofcottages and the Malindi Coconut Centrefor Excellence.

According to KCDA, the centre will mainlyconcentrate on development of fibre andproducts from the coconuts’ outer casings.Husk fibre has been used in making rootingmaterials for the horticultural industry.

Coconut fronds have been used to makeroofing material (Makuti) and brooms. h

COCONUTS

Mr Teddy Yawa, Kenya Coconut Development Authority’sbusiness development officer, showing off some of the valueadded coconut products at a recent expo in Nairobi.Image: Mwangi Mumero.

KCDA has been linking investorswith financial organisation to

access affordable credit.



The need to improve African agriculture outputs and open up the huge potential that exists in both existingcultivated areas and newly planted regions is well known. This article looks at a company that hasintroduced a range of high quality warranted parts for all popular tractor brands in a structured way.

THE FUNDAMENTAL TOOL of agricultural mechanisation isof course the tractor, arguably the most versatile vehicle onearth, ploughing, seeding, fertilising, harvesting,transporting, pumping water, generating power are all

functions a tractor is fundamentally designed to do. Much has beenwritten about the need to increase the tractor population in Africa,and of course this is very true, however much less is said about theneed for cost-effective repair and maintenance of the existingtractor fleet. The majority of the African tractor population is madeup of rugged, reliable mechanical tractors, machines that havebeen in Africa since new together with used machines importedfrom Europe and beyond. Whilst the major manufacturers haveworked hard to build up a professional sales and service network,many machines operate below the radar of manufacturer’srepresentatives and are maintained by independent mechanicsusing a host of aftermarket parts often of dubious quality. It isestimated that of a total tractor population in Africa of over half amillion machines, around 70 per cent are more than 10 years oldand many are either under-performing due to poor maintenanceand wear, or not functioning at all following a failure of some kind.

Recognising this need is UK-based Sparex, a leading provider ofquality tractor parts, accessories and implement wearing parts.Sparex has used it’s team of engineers at a new technical centre inExeter, UK, to develop a range of parts suitable for themaintenance and overhaul of all popular tractor models found inAfrica. The full Sparex tractor parts range extends to more than22,000 parts, details of which, along with a comprehensiveapplication guide giving cross references to the original equipmentmanufacturers part numbers, are included in a new two volumecatalogue and also on the website www.sparex.com. In addition,the website includes details of more than 20,000 accessories andcomplimentary parts; this range covers hydraulic hose and fittings,PTO drive shafts, bearings, belts, vehicle lighting and electricalparts along with workshop tools and equipment. The third categoryin the Sparex range is machinery wearing parts for ploughs,cultivators, seed drills mowing machines and much more.

Engineering and quality assurance procedureAll parts pass through a detailed engineering and quality assuranceprocedure to ensure compliance with the relevant standards of

material and manufacturing, this is vital if a part is to perform reliablyin the rigorous conditions found in Africa. Many critical parts aremanufactured in house at the Sparex manufacturing unit in the UK.The facility operates with full ISO accreditation and also supplies anumber of global OE tractor brands direct to their production lines.

In addition to the wide range of tractor parts suitable for Ford,Fiat, New Holland, John Deere and other popular brands andworking in conjunction with leading tractor manufacturer MasseyFerguson, Sparex is now able to offer a range of parts that are fullymanufacturer-endorsed and approved for use with Massey Fergusontractors. Sold under the MF Heritage brand, the range covers over5,000 part numbers and is available both through the MasseyFerguson franchised network and also through independent retailerswho are usually much closer to the users of the older tractors thatmake up a crucial part of Africa’s tractor fleet.

Sparex has had a presence in Africa for over 20 years and currentlyhas two warehouses in South Africa, in Durban and the Cape; howevernow the complete range of parts is being rolled out across Africa in aprogramme of presentations and practical demonstrations, a numberof which were recently completed in Kenya. The presentations coverdetails of the range and important technical characteristics which allowmechanics and parts sellers to distinguish a quality Sparex part from aninferior part available on the market. The implications of fitting poorquality parts are explained: the consequences include poor tractorperformance, premature breakdown and accidents through failure of asafety critical part. The impact on crop production of a tractor failureduring a critical part of the season is of course immense.

Commenting on the initiative, Sparex Group managing directorJeremy Burgess said “this is the first time anyone has introduced arange of high quality warranted parts for all popular tractor brandsin such a structured way. As we continue the introduction programmewe are eager to hear from anyone interested in representing Sparexin their local market; our aim is to dramatically increase the numberof stockists in order to make our high quality range available to alarge number of farmers and mechanics”. h

Repairing and maintaining Africa’s tractor fleet cost-effectively


TRACTORS

The Sparex Group Technical Centre in Exeter, UK, includes thelatest measurement and material analysis equipment.


Delegates at a recent technical seminar held by Sparex in Kenya.


Rice processing is set to become the next big investment opportunity in Africa, according to Britishmanufacturers and exporters of grain processing systems, Alvan Blanch Dev Co Ltd.

WITH NIGERIA LEADING the way in encouraging localrice production to substitute imported white rice byintroducing a 100 per cent import rice tax in 2015,there is a clear potential across sub-Saharan Africa

for local processors to benefit. Consumer expectations in Africahave developed from the international standard of white, polished,stone-free rice – which local processors struggle to simulate withdomestic processing.

Global trends can teach us what to expect from Africa’scontinuing rise in rice consumption. The International RiceResearch Institute tracks rice consumption worldwide and shows thecomplete reliance upon rice as the main staple in countries likeIndonesia where per capita consumption is 160kg/year, as well asthe stable consumption of 75kg/year in India where the diet is morevaried. With most African countries traditionally relying upon roottubers or grains like maize and sorghum as their staples, the growthof rice consumption over the last 50 years in sub-Saharan Africahas risen (see chart below) from 10 to 25kg/year. If we take Indiaas an example there could be a threefold increase again in Africabefore rice consumption settles at a constant – but this isnotwithstanding the ever-rising population in sub-Saharan Africanow pushing one billion. These figures just go to show the need fora dramatic improvement in African rice cultivation, preservationand processing cannot be ignored.

Alvan Blanch have noticed the increase of interest from agri-industrialists and large farmers in paddy rice drying, cleaning,milling and parboiling systems.

Investing in complete rice milling systemsThis has led to processors investing in complete rice milling systems,with an importance placed not only on the whitening and polishingof the rice, but increasingly on producing stone-free all-white rice.The managing director of the UK manufacturers and project

engineers, Andrew Blanch, announced the introduction of a newrange of optical sorters, designed with experts from the sortingindustry, with one of the sorters already in operation with an AlvanBlanch parboiling and milling system in Kebbi State, Nigeria, wherethey are now producing parboiled rice with no discoloured grains –worthy of competing with imported rice.

Parboiling has long been an area of expertise for the company –who have now directed their research and development departmenton re-designing their parboiling systems to use husk as fuel for theparboiling tanks and paddy drier – to make the process more viableas a business despite the rising fuel prices. They have teamed upwith manufacturers of small-medium sized, durable, husk-firedboilers to utilise the waste husk from the paddy to create steam forthe parboiling process, and to heat the drier. This technology haslong been the basis for large scale parboiling, but the company cannow offer this facility on plants as small as 16 tons/day.

This backwards integration through waste usage is to be anongoing trend for Africa, where waste is plentiful, but power is not.Bran, the other by-product from the rice milling process, is a vitalsource of fibre and nutrients in animal feed – for which AlvanBlanch are encouraging processors to consider investing in one oftheir small feed milling systems as an ideal second stage to riceprocessing operations.

The manufacturers, who have over 45 years’ experience ofexporting to Africa, are confident that a focus on their de-stoningand colour sorting machines, to be sold alongside the usual ricemilling systems, will change the rice milling industry in many Africancountries. With the incoming rice import ban in Nigeria at least, thefarmers will be empowered to charge more for their crop andexpand their operations, while giving processors an open, readymarket of up to 170mn people.

With 40 per cent of Africa’s 21mn tonne staple rice consumptionmade up of imported rice, processors and traders have undeniablepotential to turn local rice production and processing into abusiness capable of nation-wide distribution – but only if they canproduce stone-free, white rice. Alvan Blanch project engineer andmanufacture complete milling and sorting systems as well asparboiling and drying systems with a variety of capacities to suitsmall, medium and up to commercial sized processing operations,with a technical support office in West Africa. h


RICE PROCESSING

Assembly of complete rice milling line forUNIDO by the Alvan Blanch Nigeria team.


Processing riceinto profit



S09 AF MayJune 2014 Grain Storage_Layout 1 5/22/2014 11:38 AM

The effects and consequences of mycotoxins were felt long before the culpritchemicals were discovered and described. Dr Terry Mabbett looks at some oftoday’s testing equipment.

EARLY CIVILISATIONS IN Egypt andGreece both documented the‘curse’ of mycotoxins. The Salemwitch trials in seventeenth century

New England were almost certainly due tohallucinogenic effects in the accused witchvictims, brought on by mycotoxinsynthesised by the ergot fungus (Clavicepspurpurea) in rye and wheat. The mycotoxinhad remained intact and active throughgrain milling and bread baking.

The name ‘mycotoxin’ was first coined in1962 following the mysterious death of100,000 turkey poults in England andsubsequently attributed to secondarymetabolites (aflatoxins) from the fungalmould Aspergillus flavus. The termmycotoxin describes exactly the threat tohumans and farm animals from acutelypoisonous chemicals produced by specificfungal moulds. Mycotoxins which nownumber between 300 and 400 wereidentified, elucidated, and named duringthe next two decades. This period also sawthe advent and advancement of mycotoxintesting equipment.

Mycotoxins are as variable and versatileas the fungal moulds which produce them.Contamination may first appear on thegrowing cereal crop or during the post-harvest processing and storage period, andsubsequently right along crop commodityprocessing and feed and foodmanufacturing chains. Each and everymycotoxin is a ‘signature’ and a ‘callingcard’ left by a specific fungus.

Huge array of health risksMycotoxins can produce a huge array ofhealth risks for humans and animals even atlow concentrations and continue to provecatastrophic from medical, veterinary andfinancial perspectives. Mycotoxins arevariously nephrotoxic, carcinogenic andgenotoxic and have the capacity to killlivestock and humans. Research scientists

and regulatory bodies work tirelessly bycompiling toxicity data and correlating itwith mycotoxin occurrence in grain, foodand feed commodities, to provideappropriate guidance to industry forprotection of human and animal healthfrom mycotoxicosis.

Failure to monitor mycotoxin levels ingrain, animal feed and food commodities,and maintain levels below legally bindinglimits, places producers at risk, increasesproduction costs and prevents sales atnational and international levels.

The most important mycotoxinsEach and every mycotoxin presents aunique risk profile by targeting specificorgans or organ systems in the body.Mycotoxins of greatest importance tolivestock feed producers are most likely tooccur in those raw crop commodities (eg,maize and wheat grain) used as feedingredients. The most widely damaging andunderstood are:● Aflatoxins – Aflatoxin is synthesised by a

wide range of Aspergillus mould fungiand covers a group of toxins causingsevere liver damage and decreasedanimal growth. They operate at DNA

level to impair reproduction and inducetumour formation. Aflatoxin is classifiedas a Group I carcinogen according tothe International Agency for Research onCancer (IARC) and is regulated by atleast 76 countries for animal feed andhuman food ingredients as well asfinished food and feed products.

● Fumonisin – Fumonisin is produced byFusarium verticillioides, a commonfungal pathogen of cereals includingmaize (corn). Fumonisin causes swine(porcine) pulmonary edema (fluid on thelungs) and leukoencephalomalacia inequines. The latter is a deterioration ofbrain matter, often lethal or resulting inseverely diminished capacities during thelife span of the horse.

● Deoxynivalenol (DON) – DON is in theTricothecene family of mycotoxins andlike Fumonisins is synthesised byFusarium mould fungi. DON producesits strongest effects in swine (pigs)including feed refusal, severe digestiveand reproductive disorders to causesignificant on-farm production losses.

● Zearalenone – Zearalenone is alsosynthesised by various Fusarium fungalmoulds with accompanying estrogenic

New age testing forage old mycotoxins


GRAIN STORAGE

Sound storage is one of the secrets to mycotoxin-free grain. (Image: Bentall Rowlands)

Mycotoxins are as variable andversatile as the fungal moulds

which produce them.



GRAIN STORAGE


effects especially in swine (pigs), tocause reduced litter size, spontaneousabortion and even feminisation of youngmale pigs.

● Ochratoxin A (OTA) – OTA which isproduced by Aspergillus and Penicilliummould fungi is a known kidney toxin.OTA has been linked to human BalkanEndemic Neuropathy and according toIARC is a suspect carcinogen.

● T-2 and HT-2 – These mycotoxins areproduced by Fusarium moulds and causea wide range of severe problems inpoultry. Together with immune suppres-sion, T-2 and HT-2 are associated withpoor weight gain, decreased egg produc-tion and oral lesions resulting in reducedfeeding, as well as severe disorders of thecentral nervous system (CNS). Two or more different mycotoxins may

occur together as a result of increasedtemperature and humidity to favour severaldifferent mycotoxin mould producers at thesame time. DON which is most commonlyassociated with Fusarium graminearum(wheat scab fungus) often occurs togetherwith zearalenone (ZEN) produced byGibberella species (corn ear rot fungi).One mycotoxin can therefore be used as a‘marker’ for others.

Mycotoxins are active and destructive atconcentrations as low as several ppm (partsper million) or even ppb (parts per billion)and readily withstand the digestive systemsof livestock, domestic pets and humans aswell as most stages in the manufacture offood and feed, including those using hightemperature conditions. Grain drying andhigh temperature stages in feedmanufacture have little if any effect on

mycotoxin integrity. Aflatoxins arecommonly found in meat, milk and butter.Trichothecenes like DON and T-2 arecompletely stable at 120°C and moderatelystable up to around 200°C.

The global impact of mycotoxins on feedand food production is staggering withcosts to producers and losses in themarketability of food products that run intohundreds of millions of dollars annually.The United States Department ofAgriculture (USDA), United States Food andDrug Administration (FDA), EuropeanUnion (EU) and other internationalregulatory standards now impose specificguidelines on acceptable levels for allmainstream mycotoxins includingaflatoxins, deoxynivalenol (DON),ochratoxin A (OTA), fumonisin, zearalenone(ZEN) and T-2 and HT-2 toxins.

A new take on traditionTraditional methods of analysis formycotoxins are generally considered to beaccurate and precise but they may requireexpensive equipment and be complicated touse if operators are not trained in chemistry.Such methods may require the use ofvarious chemical solvents to extractmycotoxins which are not soluble in water

Mycotoxins may originate in thegrowing crop – golden wheat fields atTimau in Kenya. (Image: Omex)


alone. Solvent use is accompanied bystorage and waste disposal considerations.The global shift toward ‘greener’ and moresustainable practices is motivating food andagricultural commodity producers to reducetheir use of hazardous materials withoutcompromising the method’s analyticalperformance.

Traditional testing technologies such asenzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), fluorometer with immunoaffinity (IA)columns, solid phase extraction (SPE), orlaboratory methods including HPLC, UPLCor LC with tandem mass spectrometry(LC/MS/MS) are readily available andwidely used by laboratory and governmentmycotoxin testing sites. They are effectiveand accurate but there is still room forsimpler methods to provide rapid, accurateresults with less investment to get started.So, what should the next generation ofmycotoxin detection kits look like?

Modern mycotoxin testing equipmentFaced with the potentially huge health andeconomic consequences of mycotoxincontamination, modern testing equipmentmust be versatile in application andabsolutely accurate in determining the levelof contamination in food and feedmaterials prior to shipment, processing orconsumption.

Without exception rapid detectiontechnologies must be:● Comprehensive in scope to identify the

complete range of mainstreammycotoxins and sufficiently sensitive todetect mycotoxin at ultra-low concentra-tions, in parts per million (ppm) andparts per billion (ppb).

● Versatile. For use in the laboratory oron-site at any point along the cropcommodity chain, including harvesting,on-farm and dockside storage, transitand shipping, and at the feed mill orfood manufacturing plant.

● User-friendly for all laboratory staff orany on-site user with a minimum ofscientific and technical training.

● Able to provide rapid, repeatable andhighly accurate results within the requiredrange of mycotoxin concentration.Mycotoxin testing equipment options

continue to be the driving force foragriculture, agro-processing, feed and foodmanufacturing industries to protect andsecure the integrity of crop commodities andfinished products, and thereby the health oflivestock, companion animals and people.

Laboratory methods using fluorometry orHPLC with an immunoaffinity column arewidely accepted and available but newtechnology is being developed to serve fieldand non-technical users and suitable for

producers and buying operations, as wellas on-site laboratories.

This new dimension to mycotoxin testingis the quantitative lateral flow strip testsincreasingly offered by test kitmanufacturers. Lateral flow diagnostic testseliminate the need for highly skilledtechnical users, which means that accurateresults can be obtained at the growing,buying and processing points along thechain of custody for raw materials such asgrains, oilseeds and other raw materialsused in the production of human food andlivestock feed.

One recent state-of-the-art developmentin mycotoxin testing equipment wasdeveloped by a company not far from Salemin Massachusetts, USA, where the firstsuspected case of mycotoxicosis in ‘modern’times was recorded. VICAM, a WatersBusiness, based in the USA, and provider ofversatile field and laboratory detectionmethods for mycotoxins, recently introducedthe Vertu lateral flow reader. The equipmentutilises digital lateral flow readings for fast,user-friendly and quantitative mycotoxinresults at the point of delivery during storageor processing. This development is asignificant step forward in an industry thathas traditionally relied upon lengthylaboratory tests and skilled technicians toobtain actionable mycotoxin data.

Cereal grain producers and exportersuse onsite mycotoxin testing equipment toensure regulatory compliance and meetinternal quality standards for protection ofhuman and animal health. A wide range ofnew detection systems is available forqualitative screening and full quantificationscreening of what are considered to be‘major’ mycotoxins, singly or in multiples,whether onsite or for in-laboratoryscreening.

Qualitative strip tests can produceyes/no results in a few minutes with a target

threshold in parts per billion (ppb) or partsper million (ppm). Strip tests may alsoprovide highly sensitive, quantitative resultswhich compare with high-end laboratoryanalysis by LC or LC/MS/MS. For example,VICAM’s DON-V lateral flow strip testcorrelated to LC/MS/MS results better thanits contemporaries in a study carried out bya major pasta producer. Further refinementin lateral flow strip tests is expected tobroaden their use for mycotoxins and otherimportant contaminants of grains, animalfeed and human food.

Food safety diagnostics come of age Global food safety legislation andinitiatives show sweeping moves towardprevention with emphasis on supplierverification, traceability and ‘HazardAnalysis and Critical Control Point’(HACCP) requirements. Food andagricultural commodity producers arerequired, more than ever before, tounderstand and verify every link in theirsupply, processing and delivery chain.

Whether the target analyte is a foodallergen, pathogen, mycotoxin orveterinary drug residue, rapid diagnostictests help producers, processors, importersand exporters to ensure compliance withinternal quality guidelines and externalregulatory requirement. Operators andmanagers can specifically assess thesuitability of raw material for storage orprocessing, thereby protecting businessinterests while simultaneously safeguardingthe health of livestock, pets and peoplearound the globe.

Rapid diagnostic technologies such asVICAM’s Vertu lateral flow reader and kitslead the way in prevention and better foodsafety outcomes, thereby makingmycotoxin contamination less prevalentthroughout the global marketplace andhelping food and agriculture industries. h

GRAIN STORAGE


Mycotoxin contamination is passed down the feedand food ‘chain’, such as maize grain used in poultryfeed and causing mycotoxins to appear in hens’ eggs.(Image: Dr Terry Mabbett)


S10 AF MayJune 2014 Tractors_Layout 1 5/22/2014 11:19 AM

Choosing a bigger engine with more horsepower has always been the obviousway to increase output in the field, but another option is to use advances intechnology to boost productivity and efficiency, says Mike Williams.

BUYING MORE POWER can be aneffective way to boost output, whichis why the engine size in newtractors bought each year has been

increasing for years. In most Europeancountries, for example, the typical enginepower in the 1950s was 25 to 30hp andsince then it has been rising almost everyyear, currently reaching 130 to 150hp inmuch of Europe, and the trend is expectedto continue. Horsepower figures for Africancountries are not so readily available, butthe trend is clearly upwards although therate of increase is probably slower.

A different approach to increasing outputand efficiency is to make use ofdevelopments in tractor technology andexamples from the past include improvedpulling efficiency through using four-wheeldrive, three-point linkages for more efficientimplement attachment and control plusreplacing spark ignition engines with dieselpower’s better torque characteristics.Constantly variable transmissions or CVTsare a more recent development, but theirbenefits have already brought a bigincrease in popularity and more new tractormodels equipped with CVTs are on the way.

Benefits of CVTsA CVT is a combination of a mechanicalgear drive, an oil-operatedhyd ros ta t i c

transmission plus a high technology electroniccontrol system, and it offers advantages thatcan help the driver to increase output andefficiency for intensively used tractors. One ofthe CVT special features is the ability to adjustthe travel speed without altering the enginespeed or power output, increasing efficiencywhen working with some p-t-o equipment. Italso avoids the need for special creeper gearswhen full power output is needed at a veryslow travel speed.

The first production tractor with a CVTarrived in 1995 when Fendt announced the260hp Vario 926, and high horsepowermodels soon followed from othermanufacturers. After a slow start sales weresoon increasing rapidly and most of theleading tractor companies now offer theirown CVT models. Helping the big increase inpopularity is the fact that the new transmissionis no longer reserved for high horsepowertractors, but is increasingly available in thesmall to medium power range. The smallestCVT tractors are 70hp models with the Variotransmission from Fendt, currently the onlymanufacturer offering this type of drive systemon all models.

Small to mid-range CVT models are alsoavailable in the

Agrofarm TTV series from Deutz-Fahr withmodels from 109hp upwards, and the JohnDeere CVT is available on their specialAutoPower models starting with a 116hpversion in the 6R series. The big batch ofnew small to medium tractors announcedlast year also includes three additional T6Auto Command CVT models from NewHolland with power outputs between 110and 131hp, all available in 40 and 50 kphversions. Case IH also announced lowerhorsepower CVT models last year,producing additions to their Maxxum CVXseries from 110hp upwards.

Last year’s developments announced byClaas included a completely new CVTtransmission which will be available later thisyear as an option for the 140 to 184hp modelsin their Arion 500 and 600 tractorseries. Called the EQ200, the new

Technology forefficiency


TRACTORS

The trend [for engine power inAfrica] is clearly upwards

although the rate of increase is probably slower.


Massey Ferguson's MF 6600 series tractors produceup to 185hp from four-cylinder engines.


Claas transmission is backed by more than80,000 hours of development and testing andit features a new control system providingstepless range changes without a power break.

The Italian-based Argo company whichbuilds tractors under the Landini andMcCormick brand names announced amove into the CVT sector of the market forthe first time. There are two developmentprogrammes, one using a transmissionmade by the ZF company in Germany willfeature in new models from 143hp upwards,and the second project is a new transmissionbeing developed by Argo engineers forfuture Landini and McCormick models withpower outputs from about 110hp.

Another of the new developmentsannounced in 2013 was the news that theKorean-based TYM tractor company hasdeveloped a new CVT model. This issignificant because it is the first examplethat has not come from the long establishedAmerican or European tractor manufacturers.

The TYM TX1500 tractor is powered by a150hp Perkins engine from Britain and usesa CVT made in Germany by ZF.

Progress in diesel engine efficiency Diesel engine efficiency has been makingrapid progress, mainly because of pressureto meet increasingly strict regulations inmany countries to produce cleaner exhaustemissions. Most of the technicaldevelopments used to clean the exhaust gasesaim to burn fuel more efficiently, which alsomeans producing maximum power outputfrom each litre of diesel to give lower fuel costsper hectare.

One example is turbocharging, the mostwidely used method for achieving a cleanerengine exhaust. A turbocharger forces extraair into the combustion chamber, producingmore power by allowing additional fuel tobe burned but also burning the fuel moreefficiently. Adding a turbo typically booststhe power output of an engine by between

20 and 25 per cent and improves the fuelefficiency – the amount of power producedfrom each litre – by about 15 per cent.

Another method used by many of theleading tractor manufactorers for cleaningthe exhaust emissions is Selective CatalyticReduction or SCR, which means using aspecial additive that turns up to 90 per centof the unwanted exhaust gas into harmlessnitrogen and water. The additive works duringand immediately after the combustionprocess, and it also has the additional benefitof reducing the engine’s fuel consumptionper hectare by between five and 10 per cent.

Search for cleaner enginesThe search for cleaner engines that causeless environmental damage has alsobrought a switch to four cylinders in thepower range previously dominated by six-cylinder engines. The tractor industryguideline used to be three or four cylindersfor engines up to approximately 100 or110hp, with six cylinders taking over abovethis level. The recent trend is for four-cylinder engines to move up towards the200hp level with Massey Ferguson currentlyleading the way. Its new MF 6600 seriestractors introduced last year have four-cylinder engines producing up to 185hp.The reason for the engine change is thatusing fewer cylinders reduces the powerlosses due to friction and the energyneeded to move each cylinder, and theresult is lower fuel consumption and cost.

An important way to improve efficiencyand reduce labour costs in manufacturingindustries is to use automation or robotics,but farmers have so far been reluctant toadopt this approach for crop production.

TRACTORS

An important way to improveefficiency and reduce labour

costs in manufacturing is to useautomation or robotics.


Three new Maxxum models from 110hp upwards wereadded to the Case IH CVT tractor range last year.


The idea is not new as various automaticcontrol systems for driverless tractors havebeen demonstrated since the 1950s,starting in England with a buried cablecarrying signals detected by a sensor on thefront of the tractor. The cable followed theroute the tractor would regularly use, withinformation from the sensor operating thesteering and other controls. At least twoburied cable systems were installed inorchards for grass mowing between fruittrees, but the idea was abandoned becauseof cost and reliability problems althoughburied cable guidance is still widely used forrobot vehicles in factories and warehouses.

Research continues, but the aim now isa half-way stage which needs a driver butprovides the technology that can increaseproductivity and efficiency, and anexample is Guideconnect developed byFendt to allow one driver to control twotractors. The lead tractor is drivenconventionally and is followed by adriverless tractor, and both are connectedby a control system using radio signals,advanced electronics and a link with theGPS space satellite network. The GPS linkkeeps the robot tractor positioned at aconstant distance behind the lead tractorand offset to match the width of the

implement, and the control system alsomakes the robot tractor imitate speedchanges and other actions includingheadland turns carried out by the driver onthe lead tractor. Fendt started theGuideconnect research programme in2012 and development work continues.

Special control systems are beingdevelopoed by some companies to improveefficiency when transferring grain from thecombine to a trailer or chaser bin. The JohnDeere version is called Machine Sync andsmall scale production started for last year’sharvest. Machine Sync needs a driver to take


TRACTORS

Machine Sync from John Deere allows the combine driver tomanage the grain trailer tractor by remote control.


the tractor and trailer to and from the fieldand to bring the trailer close to the combinefor unloading the tank. At this stage thecombine driver takes over, using remotecontrol to position the tractor and adjust thetravel speed while grain is transferred.

One of the advantages of using thecombine driver to take complete controlduring trailer filling is that he has a betterview of the process and can achieve a fullload more accurately with less risk ofspilling some of the grain. This can beparticularly important when the mostexperienced operator is on the combine,leaving a less skilled driver with the grain

trailer, and it is one of the reasons whyCase IH introduced Vehicle-to-Vehicle orV2V remote control trailer management asan addition to their Advanced FarmingSystems or AFS technology. V2V allows thecombine driver to take control when thetractor and grain trailer comes within100m of the harvester, enabling him tosynchronise the travel speed and theposition of the trailer.

A more complete control system hasbeen developed by Kinze Manufacturing, aUnited States machinery company with aproduct range that includes chaser bins.With the Kinze System the tractor hauling

the grain is driverless and remains in thefield under the constant control of thecombine driver. When the grain tank isready to be emptied the combine driveruses the remote control system to start thetractor, bring it beside the harvester, loadthe trailer or chaser bin and then park thetractor at the edge of the field where thegrain is transferred into a large capacitytruck for road transport. Another optionwhere two or more tractors and trailers areused for grain harvesting is for one driver totake the full trailers to the grain store andreturn them empty to the field where thecombine driver takes control. h

TRACTORS


MAHINDRA & MAHINDRA was present at the recently concludedCII Africa India Conclave in New Delhi.Sanjay Jadhav, senior general manager exports (Africa and MiddleEast), spoke to African Farming about the agricultural scenario inAfrica and how Mahindra has been helping farmers across thecontinent by providing state of the art products as well as prompt andreliable after sales support. Africa’s arable land in Africa is vast but there is very little land undercultivation and productivity is also very low. The obvious reason for thisis the low level of mechanisation. However, Mr Jadhav feels that thesituation is changing. “With the economic growth of the continent andstrong focus on agriculture sector by governments, farm mechanisationlevels are going up. This is where Mahindra has been contributing withits products and the services in the overall agri value chain.”He said that in terms of agriculture, Africa today is where India wasin the 1970s. India has progressed reasonably well in the last fourdecades. “We have experience in bringing about a revolution inagriculture, which we can try and replicate in Africa as well.”

“We would like to work on bringing farmers to prosperity throughmechanisation and techniques that will improve yield therebyimproving the profitability. From smaller hp low cost tractors that caterto farmers with marginal landholdings, to high performance tractorswith superior features, we’ve revolutionised the farm equipmentspace. Our farm equipment and services provide a comprehensivesupport system to help farmers prosper,” Mr Jadhav said.Mahindra operates in more than 30 countries in Africa with a strongnetwork of distributors and dealers providing excellent after salesservice support to the farmers. Mahindra has a wide range oftractors from 20 HP to 95 HP which are suitable for varied soilconditions and applications making it the right choice for mediumand small scale farmers. It has created local assembly plants incountries like Nigeria, Mali, Chad and Ghana for tractor assembly.“This helps in terms of employment and industry development in thecountry,” Mr Jadhav opined. Going forward Mahindra andMahindra is committed to increasing its focus on Africa toparticipate in the overall growth of the continent.

Mahindra & Mahindra looks to revolutionise African agri sector

INTERNATIONAL TRACTORS, ONE of the topfarm equipment manufacturers in India,showcased its strength at the recently held CIIAfrica India Conclave in IndiaUnder the brand name ‘Sonalika’, InternationalTractors is one of the oldest agriculturalequipment manufacturing companies in Indiathat was set up in 1969.Rajiv Wahi, senior president, InternationalTractors, said, “Today, we have one of the largestintegrated manufacturing facilities making about400 tractors per day at one place. Wemanufacture 80 per cent of tractor components,engines, components and more in India.” Talking about the African farm sector, Mr Wahiadded that the African condition is similar toIndia. Africa is today where India was 30 yearsago, he asserted.“India’s tractor market is at 700,000 andAfrica is nine times the size of India.” However,the business is still low. “30,000 is the totalannual tractor market in Africa at present out ofwhich Sonalika supplies 6,000 Tractors perannum. There is a huge gap in tractorisationand mechanisation.”

He said that most of the land in Africa is noteven cultivated, though it is arable. Mr Wahi said that International Tractorsbelieves that a cost-effective tractor would go along way to help farmers in Africa.“A farmer in Africa cannot afford expensiveequipment. Agriculture in Africa should bedone as a business and a farmer must makemoney — for which he needs a cost-effectiveand simple tractor, which gives value formoney. We have been exporting for 11 years.The first country we went to was Côte d’Ivoire. “We do business in 35 countries in Africa andhave three assembly plants in Algeria,

Cameroon and Nigeria.”The senior president said that skills of farmersshould be improvised and thereforeInternational Tractors was setting up trainingcentres in Africa. “Farmers in Africa still use manual labour orcows. Our technology isn’t too complex butfarmers there still need to know how to use abasic tractor. So far, African agriculture hasfocused on northern and southern regions, thecentral part has been left out. So now we arelooking at sub-Saharan Africa to expand into.” With an endeavour of serving the globalfarming community better, the company plansto introduce its new range of narrow tractors,tractors for paddy applications and higher HPtractor range from 100 to 150 HP to theglobal market.Mr Wahi said, “We are bringing a 26HPtractor, a range of narrow tractors for vineyard,food vegetation.”Recently, International Tractors also joinedhands with a new business partner in Turkeyand Morocco in North Africa to expand itsbusiness in the continent.

International Tractors equipping African farmers

Ca


NEWS

UPL LTD, A global leader in cropprotection and seeds company,participated and exhibited at therecently held 10th CII-Exim BankConclave on India Africa ProjectPartnership in New Delhi.Speaking at the summit, Jai RShroff, CEO of UPL Ltd, said,“India can be the best businesspartner for Africa in many areasbecause we understand thedemocratic way in which theirgovernments work. We have aprivate sector and Indianentrepreneurs can invest inmultiple projects.”UPL has many projects acrossAfrica where the company hasbeen getting involved withfarmers, giving them better seedsand chances for betterproductivity, better chemicals,spraying technology and createbetter linkages by involvingseveral NGOs in the projects. “We hope to see a big impact inthe next few years. Right now weare in the investment phase. Weare setting up agricultureextension centres in the continent,where we train farmers on howto use seeds, plant seeds better,use hybrid seeds.”Mr Shroff added that farmers donot have the best understandingof how to plant hybrids.Therefore, the company’s missionis to teach the appropriate use offertilisers and chemicals, which isa part of Brew Africa to create anetwork of companies for cashflows to farmers.Talking about their presence inthe continent, UPL can be tracedin South Africa, Botswana,Zimbabwe, Malawi andMozambique.“We are trying to get them toproduce rice, sorghum,sunflowers and we are helpingthem develop forages to improvecattle. We have a stronghold inThailand and are growingsteadily.” The CEO said that thecompany was constantlyresearching for new productsand has recently registered anew rice type called ‘EROS’ inIndonesia and launched cornhybrids in Vietnam.

UPL Ltd strengtheningroots in Africa and Asia


NEW HOLLAND’S ACCLAIMED range of twin rotorCR combines are present at the New Holland SouthAfrica stand at Nampo show. The stand was animatedby daily demo activities, videos and all New Hollandbest product displays.

“The latest CR upgrades are testament to ourunceasing quest to improve the harvestingproductivity of the world’s professional farmers andcontractors,” stated Hedley Cooper, head of combineharvester product management. “The all-new andproven dynamic feed roll, with integrated dynamicstone protection has improved capacity by up to 15per cent. The range continues to offer intelligentinnovations that improve harvesting productivity andoperator experience such as the SmartTrax systemand the IntelliView IV colour touch screen monitor.”

The all-new Dynamic Feed Roll, located in front ofthe rotors, positively feeds the rotors for smoother,streamlined feeding and automatically directsstones into a dedicated trap. The additional roll,available on all models, improves feederperformance by up to 15 per cent thanks to greaterthroughput. Furthermore, the on-the-go DynamicStone Protection means you can keep harvesting onstony ground without the need to stop.

Productivity can be further increased via advancedPLM technology. All CR combines are delivered PLMconnect telematics ready, which enables eventualretrofit by authorised New Holland dealers.

New Holland has developed the SmartTraxsystem in-house to ensure that it is the perfect matchfor CR combines. The triangle structure has beendesigned to reduce ground pressure by up to an

impressive 57 per cent, when compared to wheeledmachines, and to improve stability.

The grain handling system on the CR range hasbeen further upgraded to match the increasedcapacity and throughput of the range.

New Holland has developed the SmartTraxsystem in house to ensure that it is the perfect matchfor CR combines, which are available in bothnarrow and wide frame versions.

For extensive harvest operations, the twin pitchrotors are the default choice for people searchingfor high performance in all crops and conditions.They can be precision adjusted to cope withchanging conditions. The Opti-Clean systemoptimises the stroke and throwing angles in thecleaning system for enhanced cleaning efficiency.

The CR’s feeding system has been redesigned tofurther increase throughput capacity and to allow thefitment of wider headers, as well as the grain handlingsystem which has been further upgraded to match theincreased capacity and throughput of the range.

Flagship CR range of combines at Nampo

CASE IH SHOWCASED its full line of equipment atthe recent Nampo Harvest Day 2014 with animpressive display of its tractor ranges, harvestingand haymaking equipment, precision farmingsolutions and its new range of implements thatmade their first public appearance at the show.● Case IH showed its full line-up of tractors, from

the smallest in the range, the 42 kW JX55T, rightup to the 492 kW Quadtrac 600. The Magnumtractor range was centre stage. These medium-high horsepower tractors deliver power andproductivity (up to an additional 36 hp,increasing performance by up to 14 per cent) inthe toughest conditions together with exceptionalfuel efficiency (up to 15 per cent lower fuel

consumption compared to previous models).● Also on show were the Patriot self-propelled

sprayers that use the best technologies availableto enable timely, consistent coverage at the rightrate and droplet size. These technologies includethe AIM Command spray system, designed tomaintain a constant rate and pressure under arange of speeds and conditions, and theAccuBoom automatic boom section control thatprevents overlaps and over-application.

● A new range of Case IH implements for optimalsoil conditions: The Case IH Ecolo-Tiger & TrueTandem 330 Turbo.

● The Case IH Axial-Flow combine range was centrestage at the Nampo show, with special presenta-tions to highlight the benefits of its proven single-rotor technology: thorough threshing, lower lossesand the gentlest grain handling.

● The Case IH maize headers can increase produc-tivity by as much as 15 per cent over 24 hours.

● Case IH importer Northmec held practicaldemonstrations of the Case IH AFS guidancesystems with RTX DGPS guidance. Thedemonstration showed the exceptionalaccuracy of the Case IH guidance system withQuantum tractor and an orchard sprayer.

Case IH showcases full line of equipment and launches new offering at Nampo 2014

S11 AF MayJune 2014 Equipment_Layout 1 5/22/2014 11:48 AM

IT ALL BEGAN as an idea in 1982. My father, Mr Silvandersson, whohad many contacts with dairies, found that they lacked a practicaland non-toxic means to get rid of the flies that invaded their

buildings. So he then contacted the largest dairy co-operative anddeveloped, together with its members and in co-operation with theSwedish Defence Research Agency, a new type of glue trap,incorporating a special adhesive that, unlike the old fly-papers, doesnot stick to fingers. In 1984, he filed a patent for the world's leadingwindow glue trap. The inventiveness of the company has neverwavered since.

Ceaseless creativityIn 1997, the company developed the Silvalure system for non-toxicinsect and pest control. All products are designed to provide the bestpossible effect while only having a minimal impact on the environment.

In 1998, a patent was filed for glue traps in fluorescent colours andpatterns. In 2000, the company launched a UV resistant adhesive. In2001, its first patent for the Cryonite system was approved. Cryoniteeliminates pests with the help of dry ice (-78°C). This method is perfectfor the food and other industries and has been tried and tested in manyparts of the world.

In 2005, he launched CoreDot, a precision technology for applyingthe glue on the boards exactly the way you want it. There are manyadvantages:● High degree of precision – it provides a sharp gluing margin with both

glue-free and glue-covered surfaces exactly the way you want it.● High degree of flexibility – the glue board is custom-made and is

formed and adjusted to match your wishes.● High degree of freedom of choice – with CoreDot you can select

exactly the model and form that you want on the glue surfaces,based on the design, construction and function of your insect trap.In 2008, a new brand was created aimed at the general public. Finally,

in 2010 , it was extended to professional pest control and crop protection.

Diverse opportunitiesSilvandersson targets both consumer and professional and agriculturalmarkets (farming, greenhouse crops), with specific ranges. Thedistribution is done either by shops accessible to individuals or throughprofessional distributors.

The very positive image of Sweden in terms of environmentalprotection is an asset to this company. If the early years were devotedto conquering the domestic market, now 90 per cent of the productionis exported to some 35 countries worldwide.

The ecological challenge"30 years ago, we did not talk much about the environment. We wereahead of our time and it was difficult at first to convince the market.We have however been helped in this by the dairy co-operative, whichwas our first client. Ecological ideas spread and our products haveattracted an increasingly wide clientele.

"We must remain reasonable. I do not say that our products are 100per cent safe for the environment. But if they are not used according toour recommendations, their impact will be minimal," said KennethSilvandersson.

And the first of these rules is to focus on prevention. "In the case offlies, for example, preventive measures at the right time can avert pest

problems completely, at the height of the season. If you wait for themto multiply before you act, it is already too late. And we must haverecourse to chemicals. We must constantly educate our clients whetheragricultural or private, on the benefits of prevention. This is a real job."

A future marketThis market is growing. " We develop mechanical traps, glue and systemsusing pheromones. And the demand is growing. We also work a lot withfood manufacturers, hotels and restaurants. Their approach is a littledifferent. Our products are used primarily to monitor their insectpopulations, to detect the presence of parasites.

Meanwhile, the Swedish company operates cryogenic processes, forwhich demand is real. This is the case of Cryonite, for which the firmhas filed patents, "a technology that uses carbon dioxide to kill insectsby freezing. The nozzle ejects a patented carbon dioxide, having aparticle size and an optimal speed. Cryonite is an environmentallyfriendly product that can be used almost anywhere, including foodestablishments, hotels, hospitals and schools, where there are insectsat different stages of development.

The biological pathway, further noted Kenneth Silvandersson, alsoseems to be a promising future. In the future, he said, whenever possible,environment friendly technologies will replace chemical processes. Butthey still remain essential and will continue to make progress. h

The Swedish company Silvandersson, a leading environmentally friendly pest controlmanufacturer, was born in 1982. An interview with its director, Kenneth Silvandersson...

Catch it with flies.


IN INTEGRATED GROWTH protection, pheromones and sticky boardsare used to supervise fly activity as well as to make diagnoses. Bydoing this, attacks are supervised early on and measures can be taken.Sticky boards are also used to capture both incoming insects andthose already established. Depending on which insect is in question,either yellow or blue sticky boards are used.This year Silvandersson is running special programmes for field trialsfor free in Africa to show the techniques to the growers and helpgrowth and quality in Africa's agricultural industry.

IPM - Integrated Pest Management

Silvandersson celebrates 32 years!


LABCELL HAS INTRODUCED the Em50Gremote data logger that logs and transmitsdata collected from a range of differentsensors for monitoring soil conditions. Withits internal batteries and onboard SIM andGSM module, the Em50G is a very cost-effective way to monitor soil moisture,temperature and other environmentalconditions without having to make site visits.It can also help to save water through bettermanagement of irrigation.

Simple and quick to set up - in around 20minutes from opening the box - the Em50Gcollects data at user-defined intervals fromup to five sensors, stores up to 36,000 datascans on 1MB of non-volatile Flashmemory, then transmits the data to a secureserver four times per day. This password-protected data can be accessed via theinternet or via Decagon’s DataTracsoftware package. Customers need not getinvolved with contracts with mobile phoneservice providers, as Decagon Deviceshandles this and simply provides customerswith an annual data plan.

Compatible sensors enable measurementsto be made of soil moisture, soil temperature,soil electrical conductivity, leaf wetness, airtemperature, air relative humidity, rainfall,wind speed and direction.

Company ................................................................PageAlvan Blanch Development Company Ltd. ..................11AWILA Anlagenbau GmbH ..........................................31Bentall Rowlands Storage Systems Ltd ......................35Bomford Turner Ltd ......................................................40Chief Industries UK Ltd. ..............................................33CNHI International S.A. ..................................................2Compact Seeds and Clones SA ..................................19Denis SA ......................................................................27Eurodrip SA ....................................................................7Evonik Degussa GmbH ................................................17Exhibition Management Services (EMS)......................10Federunacoma SURL ..................................................42Goizper Sociedad Cooperativa ....................................27Kepler Weber Grupo ....................................................25Kirloskar Brothers Ltd. ....................................................5LonAgro - Equipamentos Agricola Limited ..................21Machines 4 Food Ltd. ..................................................15Maschio Gaspardo SPA..................................................9Nuco Industrial Services ..............................................31Omex Agrifluids Ltd. ....................................................31Pan Trade Services Limited ..............................23, 29, 41Planetfair GmbH ..........................................................28Poltek ............................................................................15Pottinger........................................................................39Reinke Manufacturing ....................................................8Same Deutz-Fahr Italia S.P.A. ......................................48Silos Córdoba S.L.........................................................33Sparex Limited..............................................................47Symaga SA ....................................................................6Technical Systems........................................................13The GSI Group Africa ..................................................37Vi-COR..........................................................................15

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

MASCHIO GASPARDO, LEADER in Italyand among the top world producers ofagricultural equipment for tillage,seeding, crop care and landscapemaintenance, has signed an agreement forthe acquisition of the Feraboli Group, ahistorical company from Cremona thatproduces agricultural machines, and isknown at a national and internationallevel for its hay making equipment. In2012 the group had a turnover ofapproximately US$41mn (60 per centcoming from the internal market) and ithas three production plants in Italy, with200 employees overall.Maschio Gaspardo Unigreen keeps oninvesting in Italy, where it has 13production plants, to be added to the threeoverseas, and is concluding its fourthacquisition in the last two years. Inparticular, thanks to this importantoperation, Maschio Gaspardo hascompleted its product range with the haymaking equipment, reaching the full lineand offering a variety of high-quality andhigh-tech products that covers all thephases of agricultural mechanisation.Among the machines produced by theFeraboli Group for tillage, harvesting andhay making, the patented round baler with

variable chamber and geometry is theflagship product, internationally renownedfor its quality and reliability.“With the acquisition of Feraboli weconsolidate our leadership in the productionof agricultural equipment both in Italy and inEurope. This operation represents a stepforward in the group development processwith the target of reaching a turnover ofUS$480mn in 2014,” said Egidio Maschio,president of Maschio Gaspardo“We are really satisfied with thisoperation – says Francesco Feraboli,President of Feraboli – with the MaschioGaspardo Group we have found theperfect industrial partner to guarantee ourprocess of growth and strengthening in theexport markets.”

Maschio Gaspardo doubles with Feraboli

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