“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” JEREMIAH 29:11
I am repeating the above bible verse that was part of our New Years’s message at the start of 2020. Little did we know at the time what was to follow since then! But be assured that God was not caught unawares by COVID-19 and all the turmoil that surrounds it. His promise above still stands firm for everyone that dares to put their trust in the Rock of Ages! We are happy to welcome all the new subscribers that have joined us since the last edition and look forward to be of service to assist you to grow you business and prosper.
Do feel free to also share your success stories with us for possible inclusion in future newsletters, and ask where you need more information, contact details of suppliers and/or other assistance.
African Green Resources Partnership to boost crop yields in Zambia
An initiative, which involves a US$40 million fertilizer-revolving facility and another US$170 million for value addition is to be implemented in Zambia by leading input suppliers and AFAP. READ MORE
Two-wheel tractors allowing Ethiopian farmers to boost their incomes..
The two-wheel tractor is multipurpose. By attaching various implements to a single-engine, farmers can use it for ploughing, planting, water pumping, transportation, harvesting and threshing. READ MORE
Nespresso introduces new Ugandan Coffee through Reviving Origins Program
Nespresso has introduced Amaha awe Uganda, ‘Hope of Uganda’, a new and seasonal coffee from the Rwenzori Mountains of Uganda made possible through the Reviving Origins programme; working with more than 2,000 farmers, providing training and expertise to improve coffee quality and productivity.. READ MORE
Agriculture in Tanzania – Fresh Opportunities for Accelerated Poverty Reduction
“The current trends in agriculture offer a tremendous opportunity to catalyze private investment, both local and foreign and raise the incomes of the poor,” said Bella Bird, World Bank Country Director for Tanzania. READ MORE
Community forestry can work, but plans in the DRC show what’s missing
Research conducted on the DRC model found a lot of potential but also some weaknesses which would need redressing.. Communities will be more likely to protect forest resources, and possibly even restore already degraded lands, if they perceive direct benefits to their livelihoods.. READ MORE
R2m investment helps Yebo Fresh expand township food distribution
Cape Town-based Yebo Fresh has attracted international interest from the Scheinberg Relief Fund, which has contributed R2m to the online grocery delivery startup to help it expand its distribution capacity and food relief efforts in disadvantaged communities. READ MORE
Anzisha Scenario Project – Young Entrepreneurs unlocking Africa’c potential
According to the ‘Very Young Entrepreneur (VYE) Scenario’ research paper launched by the Anzisha Prize, which has worked with very young African entrepreneurs for over a decade, investments in supporting successful transitions from school and university directly to entrepreneurship could unlock significant employment gains in Africa. READ MORE
The Agricultural Productivity Program for Southern Africa (APPSA) was established to increase the availability of improved agricultural technologies and has already assisted many farmers in the region to benefit from increased yields & productivity. READ MORE
Perspectives on African Aquaculture Statistics by Aquaculture Innovations
Global aquaculture production is soaring with more seafood farmed each year since 2013 than is harvested from the wild. In 2018 the aquaculture industry produced in excess of 114 million tons of aquaculture products globally, valued at more than $263bn! A massive industry indeed. READ MORE
Leslie Ter Morshuizen: Common Mistakes made by New Fish Farmers
There are certain errors that are commonly made by new entrants into the aquaculture industry and I thought it would be useful to highlight these, as a guide to new entrants so that they can avoid these errors, and to remind more experienced farmers to duck these mistakes. READ MORE
COVID-19 recovery is a chance to improve the African food system
“We believe it is possible to redesign food systems to deliver healthy foods, allow farming families to make a good living, and support thriving societies while generating sustainable ecosystem services. The COVID-19 recovery is a time to put decades of data about this to work.” Here the authors outline three ways to improve agriculture in line with the sustainable development goals.. READ MORE
Farm Mechanization under COVID-19
As the current pandemic and restrictions create labour constraints, systems agronomists and mechanization experts at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) discuss the role scale-appropriate farm machinery can play in addressing new challenges. READ MORE
We will feed the nation – ZAMBEEF
Zambia’s largest food producer and retailer continues to stand true to its mission despite the COVID-19 pandemic that is adversely impacting the manufacturing sector in the country and beyond. The viral disease is threatening the country’s hard-won food security, but Zambeef has vowed to continue feeding the nation! READ MORE
BASSON WORKWEAR: How to on Masks from the Experts
It is important to know in what category your respirator is classified. Here is the 101 of how to use a mask and some important instructions.. READ MORE
Part 2: Facing my own Black Swans
This is a continuation of the discussion started in our previous article – A Bevy of Black Swans – and explores the following two questions:
• What is the future you would want to create for yourself and your enterprise?
• What can and must you do now to begin to create that future? READ MORE
Part 3: Where do the Black Swans come from?
An obvious question to pose, is whether or not there is an interdependence, if not cause and effect, between leadership behaviour of the past and the advent of black swan events? In this article the authors explore the possibility that the choices and decisions of leaders may have contributed to the reality that a single viral outbreak can so rapidly have such a devastating economic and social impact at a global level. READ MORE
Mechanised Rice Production in SA
Mechanisation has been playing a critical role in the commercialisation of rice production across the whole production value chain. This study by the ARC-AE has indicated that upland or dryland farming with controlled irrigation is most practical for rice production in South Africa, rather than paddy field practice in other parts of the world. READ MORE
Erreppi: A New Tractor is Born to Farm!
The Erreppi Buffalo tractor, designed to perform in all types of terrain, while respectful of the environment, provides innovative solutions, especially where high power is redundant and versatility is a must. READ MORE
Smart tools for African Farmers by Backsaver
A recent report, ‘Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization’ commissioned by the FAO claims that in Sub-Saharan Africa, 70% of the land is still cultivated by hand. Michris Janse van Rensburg is one of the very few people who are trying to make life easier for the farmers, predominantly women, who undertake this backbreaking task by the production of appropriate farming equipment for small scale famers. READ MORE
MERLO: Making farming more attractive and efficient!
The Valmori family believes in planning for success. And this is evident on arrival at their farm in the Ravenna region of Italy, where order and meticulousness are the first things you notice, why they have chosen Merlo as partner.. READ MORE
Reliable frost protection for your crops with AGI Frost Fans
The AGI Frost Fan provides efficient and reliable frost protection against damage caused by frost in a variety of environments and temperatures. The custom-designed open impeller ensures efficiency in protecting frost prone crops, irrespective of the surrounding landscape.. READ MORE
Global market for water soluble fertilizers on the rise
The market for water-soluble fertilizers is expected to grow with a CAGR of 6,3 % from 2019 until 2026 reaching USD 23 billion. Thus, becoming increasingly important. A most recent report from Fortune Business Insights (TM), has confirmed this and has named COMPO EXPERT as a leader in this business sector. READ MORE
AGRICO in Zambia: Precise irrigation, effortlessly
With Agrico centre pivots Philip Nicolle and his team at Kakulu Farms located in Kapiri Mposhi, Zambia can control the irrigation of their wheat, maize and soya beans accurately from the comfort of their office or homes using a mobile phone or laptop. READ MORE
Flexipump – Simple Water Pumps for Africa
The Flexipump is very easy to use to water pump – perfect for small scale irrigation. This simple, human-powered pump is designed to be very user-friendly. Both women and men find it easy to manage and it’s compatible with most crops. Weighing it at only 2.5kg, it’s simple to transport. It can even be fixed to the back of a bicycle…READ MORE
A hand pump to bring water to Africa
The Jooste hand pump is a revolutionary breakthrough, designed to be easier to use than any other hand pump on the market. It has a relatively short stroke, for rapid operation. With its adjustable leverage, it is designed to lift water as high as 10m above the surface from a depth of 60m deep boreholes. READ MORE
Ethiopia: Importance of hand-pumped boreholes in drought relief programmes
Ensuring communities are able to access multiple safe groundwater water sources, primarily via hand-pumped boreholes but also motorised boreholes, is a reliable way to ensure continued access to water during a drought. READ MORE
Bosch Projects sugar equipment for the global sugar sector
“Bosch Projects, which has served the global sugar industry for over 58 years, offers a comprehensive service to customers, encompassing strategic planning and feasibility studies, sugar technology selection, project structuring and funding, design and engineering, project delivery and operational support and training.” READ MORE
Elead Processing Solutions for professional agro processing technology
We are a professional team from Africa that has, through selected partnerships and agencies, access to food and beverage processing technologies across a wide range of industries, including: Fruit and Vegetables; Food Processing & Manufacturing; Beverage Processing & Manufacturing; Pasta; Beer Brewing. READ MORE
FACET ENGINEERING: The importance of grain cleaning
It is highly recommended that harvested grain is passed through a grain cleaner and/or pre-cleaner in order to ensure that the quality of the grain is optimised before it goes into storage. READ MORE
Milling and Winning with the MM1500 Roller Mill
The MM1500 mill by Maize Master has an input of 1.5-tonne maize and produces grits and can also be used to mill other grain types such as sorghum, wheat, rye, rice and barley for those that want to produce specialised flours for the growing niche markets. READ MORE
So, you want to start a Food Company?
“It is highly unlikely that there will be one single manual on the do’s and don’ts for such a large industry and long value chain. This document, in the interests of being easily usable, only contains the more pertinent and “in your face “issues that you should be aware of to at least enter the industry. This manual does not contain ALL you need to know but some of the more CRITICAL things you need to know.” READ MORE
Why African farmers are waking up to the huge potential of Guinea Fowl!
In Africa, the potential of guinea fowl largely remains untapped across the continent’s sprawling markets. But poultry farmers in the southern and western regions are now beginning to see capacity expand, amid an effort to commercialise guinea fowl production. READ MORE
How to start a successful bread bakery business in Africa’s fast-growing
bread market
Ever considered one of the bread bakery business opportunities in Africa? You’re about to learn several reasons why you should. Everyone eats bread… READ MORE
Baking Solutions from Africa’s Leading Bakery Equipment Supplier
Macadams is proud to be aligned with Africa’s leading suppliers and manufacturers of food services and solutions. With a state of the art manufacturing facility in the Western Cape, Macadams is strategically positioned for efficient distribution into Africa and across the globe. READ MORE
