Food imports in Kenya continue to rise despite heavy investment in agriculture.
Category: Agriculture
Drought-Hit Kenyans Find Gold in Tea Trees – But for How Long?
At Sweet Waters, a village in central Kenya, Veronicah Nyambura stands under the hot sun between two fields. One is full of lush plants – but the other has crops so wilted that their leaves have curled up. The green land is planted with tea tree, an Australian native that thrives in this semi-arid part […]
Kenya: Brazil Pledges to Step Up Partnership With Kenya in Cotton Production
Brazil is looking to step up its partnership with Kenya in cotton production as well as promote trade and economic cooperation between the two countries through business missions. Brazil is keen on boosting its cooperation to enhance Kenya’s capacity in cotton production under an initiative that also includes Tanzania and Burundi, Ambassador Fernando Coimbra said. […]
Kenyan millers struggling due to unpaid Govt subsidies
Maize millers are struggling to stay in business following delays by government to pay them billions of shillings accrued during the maize subsidy programme that ended last December. The debts result from transport rebate that the government was supposed to refund the processors for ferrying maize from the Port of Mombasa to their milling plants […]
Tanzania: $25m poultry project launched in Kilimanjaro
A new Sh56 billion ($25m) poultry project was officially launched at the weekend in Kilimanjaro Region, bringing new hope that Tanzania would soon become self-sufficient in the production of chicks. Gracing the event, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Dr Mary Mashingo, said the government plans to meet stakeholders and investors […]
Tanzanian farmers frustrated by high fertiliser prices, says Govt
THE willingness amongst farmers to apply fertilisers is immense but they are being let down by suppliers, the Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Dr Charles Tizeba has said. Dr Tizeba voiced the misgivings at a press conference over the weekend where among other things he announced the indicative prices for sowing fertilisers – DAP. […]
Rwanda: Low productivity makes farmers unable to compete with cheap imported wheat
Farmers and other players in the agriculture sector have blamed the high cost of production, and low productivity per farm that makes locally produced wheat more costly imported one. The situation has pushed some wheat processing factories to import from abroad, Sunday Times has learnt. Patrick Buseruka, a wheat farmer from Nyamagabe District, told Sunday […]
Uganda: Drought drives up milk prices
Since November last year, most of the districts in the Rwenzori sub-region have been experiencing drought and this has affected milk production. As a result, milk prices have soared, especially in Fort Portal town. Farmers now move long distances with their animals in search of pastures and water due to their (farmers’) failure to adapt […]
Nigeria: Oil palm giant Presco unveils expansion plan, invests U.S.$1 Billion
In a bid to further boost oil palm production in the country, Presco Oil Palm Plc has unveiled plans to expand its production capacity by building a new refinery. Indeed, under the expansion plan, the company is expected to stake $30 million on the project to boost oil palm production in the country. Similarly, the […]
‘Water ATMs’ deliver liquid assets in India’s capital
One of 24 ATMs being piloted across Delhi. Two years ago, Anand Shah, founder of Indian firm Sarvajal, wrote in our op-ed pages about how the company had developed solar-powered ‘water ATMs’ to get clean and affordable water to people in remote parts of India. Shah ended by sharing his vision to have a water […]
