african farming mayjune 2015

May/June 2015

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

ServingAGRICULTURE

for

3535YEARS

The Massey Ferguson 4708 is designed mainly for Africa. See page 28.

PoultryGetting the best possible start for chicks

Tractor power Latest developments

Grain storageWhat’s in store for cereal grain?

www.africanfarming.net

AF MayJune 2015 Cover_Cover.qxd 19/05/2015 14:31

S01 AF May_June 2015 - Start_Layout 1 19/05/2015 14:32

Managing Editor: Zsa Tebbit

Editorial and Design team: Bob Adams, Prashanth AP, Sindhuja Balaji, Hiriyti Bairu, Andrew Croft,Thomas Davies, Ranganath GS, Tom Michael, Rhonita Patnaik, Prasad Shankarappa, Lee Telot,Louise Waters and Ben Watts

Publisher: Nick Fordham

Publishing Director: Pallavi Pandey

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

Country Representative Telephone Fax Email

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

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

CONTENTS

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

Poultry 11Getting the best possible start for chicks.Safe work practices in poultry processing.

Livestock 16Volunteer farmers transforming East Africa’s dairy sector.

Palm Oil 18Will the sustainable palm oil surge exclude small farmers?

Integrated Pest Management 20Using mother nature in pest control.

Grain Storage 24A look at the prerequisites for successful cereal grain storage.

Tractors 28Some of the latest developments in tractors.

Agritech Report 34Agritech Expo offered a fantastic opportunity for small-scale and commercial farmers to networkwith each other and conduct business.

Precision Agriculture 36Devised for industrialised farms, precision agriculture now has the potential to increase theyields of smallholder farmers.

Mobile Communications 38Ways are being found to unite the strengths of cellular, satellite and fixed communications tothe benefit of farming across Africa.

Pumps 42Technology for handling water.

Feed quality is very important inboosting poultry growth.

Animal tracking device from FindMySheep usesGlobalstar’s chipset.

Sound structure remains at the root of successfulgrain storage.

Serving the world of business

www.africanfarming.net African Farming - May/June 2015 3

May/June 2015

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

ServingAGRICULTURE

for

3535YEARS

The Massey Ferguson 4708 is designed mainly for Africa.

PoultryGetting the best possible start for chicks

Tractor power Latest developments

Grain storageWhat’s in store for cereal grain?


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S01 AF May_June 2015 - Start_Layout 1 19/05/2015 14:32

African Farming - May/June 20154

EVENTS

2015 IS A special year for the organisers of FIAAP, VICTAM &GRAPAS International 2015 as it is their 50th year. Now alltogether in Cologne from 9–11 June, the three events will be underone roof at the Kölnmesse to comprise what is now the world’slargest dedicated animal feed and grain processing event. Over 250 exhibitors from all over the world will come together atthe events to display the latest technology and developments for theproduction of animal feeds, flour milling, grain processing andbiomass pelleting.Each exhibition has its own exhibitor profile; they are as follows:FIAAP: Specialist ingredients and additives that are used within theformulation of feeds for animals.VICTAM: Technology, equipment and systems for the production ofanimal feeds. Now also the technology used in the production ofbiomass pellets.GRAPAS: Flour milling, grain processing equipment and technology.In addition to the exhibition, there will also be a series of technicalconferences that will be going on during the shows. These are as follows:

Tuesday 9 June:● The FIAAP Conference; ● Aquafeed Horizons; and ● Biomass & biomass pelleting

Wednesday 10 June:● Petfood Forum Europe 2015; ● Feed Safety Assurance certificate

Thursday 11 June:● The IFF Feed Conference - Organised by IFF Research Institute of

Feed Technology, Germany; ● Global Milling Conference with GRAPAS International 2015.

Victam International will also organise a number of different activitiesfor visitors attending the FIAAP, VICTAM & GRAPAS exhibitions.

VICTAM’s international showpiece anniversary

AFRICA’S BIG SEVEN (AB7) 2015 will behosting numerous conferences and workshopsfocusing on the latest food and beverageproduction technologies available fromaround the world, and the new businessopportunities these provide to producers inAfrica. AB7 takes place from 21-23 June 2015at Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand.

“Africa’s middle-class has grown to 34 percent of the continent’s nearly one-billionpeople, and as its standard of living escalates,its choice of food and beverage productsevolves too,” said John Thomson of ExhibitionManagement Services, organisers of AB7.“There is a growing demand for fruit juicesacross Africa year-on-year, and manufacturerswill need to upgrade their technologies. Well-known Italian exhibition organiser Fiere diParma will be presenting a workshop on therole of technology in the increasingconsumption of juices worldwide.”

Upper- and middle-class Kenyans havebegun buying products that provide healthbenefits, such as fresh juice. Nigerians are also

becoming more health conscious as juicemanufacturers continue to market theirproducts intensely. Compounded consumerdemand for juice in Nigeria is expected togrow at nine per cent each year. Cameroongrows a wide variety of fruits that are used toproduce juices; Cameroon’s annual market forjuice beverages is expected to grow by 10 percent this year.

“The workshop covering juice consumptionand the role of technology will provide usefulinformation to business owners on new

developments and techniques for juices andpurée processing, packaging and newproducts, and how these create opportunitiesfor growth,” said Giacomo Rotunno,managing director of Senaf Promo Export,Italian export advisors and organisers of theevent.

“The food packaging and bottlingworkshop will focus on safety andsustainability of packaging technologies andmaterials complying with the new expectationsof the food industry,” added Rotunno.

The latest research on strategies andtechnologies for sustainable processing andenhanced consumer satisfaction will becovered in a workshop titled ‘New instrumentsto enhance safety, sustainability and efficiencyin the dairy industry’.

The FoodTech Conference, titled “ASpotlight on Food Manufacturing andMarketing in Africa”, focuses on thedevelopment and growth of Africa’s foodindustry, and takes place at GallagherConvention Centre on 22 June 2015.

Conferences and workshops on F&B technologies at AB7

F&B Buyers from Africa target Africa's Big Seven Expo.


MAY

28-30 AGRENA 2015 CAIRO www.agrena.net

JUNE

3-5 IFTEX 2015 NAIROBI www.iftex.org

9-11 FIAAP/VICTAM/GRAPAS International 2015 COLOGNE www.victam.com

17-19 Agritec Africa NAIROBI www.agritecafrica.com

23-25 AVI AFRICA 2015 JOHANNESBURG www.sapoultry.co.za

JULY

2-3 Aviana 2015 NAIROBI www.avianaafrica.com

28-29 1st International Research Conference on African BINDURA Honeybee and Indigenous Knowledge Systems www.zegu.ac.zw

SEPTEMBER

8-10 Agra-Innovate East Africa NAIROBI www.agra-innovate.com

23-25 African Dairy Conference NAIROBI www.dairyafrica.com

7-11 WVPA World Congress CAPE TOWN www.wvpa.net

OCTOBER

14-16 PALS Africa 2015 KUMASI www.10times.com/pals-africa

Readers should verify dates and location with sponsoring organisations, asthis information is sometimes subject to change.

Farming Calendar 2015

S02 AF May_June 2015 - News 01_Layout 1 19/05/2015 14:33

NEWS

ALTHOUGH SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA has the potential to become anagriculture powerhouse, crop yields for much of the region are a smallfraction of those in the rest of the world.

Agronomists say the continent needs to drastically increase itsagriculture productivity, and recommend a range of options – fromhigh-yield seeds to fertiliser to improved infrastructure – to spur anagricultural revolution on the continent.

The region’s economic development may depend on such arevolution, experts say, but it will require strong support fromindividual African governments.

Roughly 65 per cent of sub-Saharan Africa’s population relies onsubsistence farming. The typical farmer, however, has no fertiliser, no

high-yield seeds, no irrigation, and no medication for his/her animals.Cereal yields for sub-Saharan African farmers have declined or

stagnated since the 1970s, according to the World Bank. In the late1960s, most sub-Saharan countries were net food exporters. This isnot the case today.

Experts blame several factors for the region’s poor agriculturalperformance over the past three decades or so. First, sub-Saharan Africa’schallenging environmental conditions make agriculture productiondifficult, particularly for small-scale farmers. Soil quality is poor in manyareas, droughts are frequent, and infrastructure for transporting goods tomarket is limited. The diversity of the region’s agroecologies – from soil toclimate to type of crop produced – also complicates matters.

Added to these natural hurdles is the fact that foreign aid to thesector has declined significantly over the past few decades. In therecent past, there has been a clear shift away from productive sectorslike agriculture, infrastructure and trade towards social sectors such ashealth, education, and governance.

The answer to the slow growth of the agricultural sector in Africalies in the region’s governments devoting enough funding toagriculture. It is disheartening to note that most countries still fall shortof the CAADP ‘prescription’ of allocating at least 10 per cent ofnational budgets to agriculture.

Governments should strive to raise the productivity of smallholderfarmers as the avenue to sustainable agricultural growth. Researchand development in the breeding of new varieties of crops that arehigher yielding and locally adapted should be encouraged.

Then Africa will be in a better position to feed itself and producesurplus for export. This is long overdue! It should be realisedsooner than later. Nawa Mutumweno

T H E A N N UA L AG R I C U LT U R E / F o o dexhibition (AGRIKEXPO) will now takeplace on 5-7 November 2015 at the EkoConvention Centre in Lagos. According toAlabi Dele, project manager of theorganising company, it is important forexhibitors to meet with the decision makersand a wide array of visitors from across theregion for better time and money value.There is a renewed drive for commercial-scale agricultural practice with theattendant need for a renewed approachaway from the labour-intensive practice.

With more than 84mn ha of arable land,abundant sunshine, over 160mn people,cheap labour and a renewed zeal towardsagriculture, Nigeria is clearly headed for anagricultural boom. Its vast fertile lands callfor the deployment of modern technologyfor commercial scale productivity andGovernments are willing to lend support inpartnership with the private sector. Indeedthe opportunities for agri-business activitiesare clearly enormous.Agrikexpo has continued to grow in profileas West Africa’s largest agricultural event

and is partnered by the Federal Ministry ofAgriculture & Rural Development, NigeriaAgribusiness Group (NABG), and severalfarmer associations. Endorsed by the EU,the event is set to run concurrently with the2015 edition of the European UnionConference, themed on agriculture, andseveral export-oriented seminars.According to Paulette Van Trier, economicfunctionary at the EU, it will be a greatopportunity to engage the largest gatheringof top end attendees in West Africaagricultural business.

Improving African agriculture

INCREASED USE OF antimicrobial drugs in livestock systems willadversely affect poor farmers in developing countries, researchersat the Nairobi based International Livestock Research Institute(ILRI) have warned.

A recently released scientific paper published in the Proceedingsof the National Academy of Science (PNAS) shows that globaltrends in antimicrobial consumption is expected to rise by 67 percent between 2010 and 2030.

While researchers acknowledge that antibiotics are necessary inlivestock systems to meet the growing demand for meat, milk andeggs, widespread use may contribute to growing microbe resistance.

Additionally, residues of these drugs used in certain livestocksystems may harm consumers of eggs, meat and milk.

Researchers warn of the dangers of the increased use of

antibiotics in livestock systems. “Their effectiveness — and the livesof millions of people around the world — are now in danger dueto the increasing global problem of antibiotic resistance, which isbeing driven by antibiotic consumption,” noted RamananLaxminarayan, a senior research scholar at Princeton Universityand director at the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics &Policy, in Washington DC.

Poor farmers in developing countries, while contributing little tothe overall problem, will bear the brunt of excessive drug usage.

“Small-scale livestock keepers in developing countries areunlikely to be major contributors to the problem. However, they arelikely to suffer a disproportionately high share of the adverse effectsof high microbial use in farm animals,” said Tim Robinson of theInternational Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). Mwangi Mumero

Farming a rice field in Kartiak, Senegal. Little government support is provided to thefarmers so, they must farm to subsist. Image: africa924

Antibiotics in livestock usage

Agrikexpo 2015 fixes new dates

African Farming - May/June 20156 www.africanfarming.net


NEWS

THE GUMBORO DISEASE, which is produced bythe Infectious Bursal Disease Virus (IBDV), isone of the most recognised, studied andproblematic diseases affecting poultryproducers worldwide. Its control isclassically done by a combination ofvaccination and biosecurity procedures.Many times producers want to be protectedagainst the negative consequences of theinfection (mortality, immunodepression), buttend to forget the importance of preventingthe challenge risk for the coming flocks,which will ensure the control in a long-termapproach; a correct control strategy shouldconsider both protection and prevention.

Recent scientific evidence, initially found byCeva’s researchers, which are starting to be endorsed by thescientific community, have shown that some vaccines such asTransmune, can give both the desired properties for protection andprevention. Thus making a big difference and giving producers theultimate solution for Gumboro disease control, resulting in better

performances and more profits.As the IBD virus is strongly resistant to

environmental conditions and also tocleaning and disinfection procedures, itcan survive for a very long period of time.Normally all poultry houses arecontaminated before the chicks are placedinside.

Once the chickens become susceptibleto the infection, the virus replicates in itstarget organ (Bursa of Fabricius) beingsubsequently shed in exponentialquantities to the poultry litter, putting thecoming flocks on pressure cycle after cycle.

The scientific studies have proven thatthe most efficacious way to stop this cycle of

reinfection is by blocking the infection of the Bursas of Fabricius; inthis way the Gumboro virus (no matter the strain) cannot replicateand consequently will not be shed. In other words, by blocking theinfection of the bursa, the flocks will be protected and the challengerisk will be prevented.

BANANA, AVOCADO AND citrus farmers inAfrica will now be able to export their produceto lucrative markets in Europe, the Middle Eastand South Africa, thanks to new research."Previously, banana, citrus and avocado frommany African countries were banned byseveral importing countries due to the presenceof an invasive Asian fruit fly, known asBactrocera invadens," explained Dr SundayEkesi, a scientist with icipe. "Our studies havenow convinced countries such as South Africa,Italy, Portugal, Spain and the Netherlands toremove their quarantine restrictions forbanana, citrus and avocado from Côte d'Ivoire,Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique,

Tanzania and Senegal."icipe and collaborating organisations

conducted the research on banana in Kenyaand Mozambique, to assess the infestation ofB. invadens on the Cavendish dwarf varietyduring different ripening stages. Dr Ekesinoted that the findings, published in theJournal of Applied Entomology, showedmature green Cavendish dwarf banana to bea non-host stage of B. invadens, and shouldtherefore not be subjected to quarantinerestrictions. However, the researchersrecommend that banana bunches withprecociously ripened fingers and otherdamages be carefully inspected before

export, as such damage could facilitateattack by B. invadens.

A cold disinfection treatment for B.invadens in citrus and avocado fruits has alsobeen developed, enabling growers in sub-Saharan African countries infested by B.invadens to export avocado and citrus.

Banana, avocado and citrus - boosting African exports

African Farming - May/June 2015 7www.africanfarming.net

New approach for control of Gumboro disease


NEWS

A NEW TECHNIQUE to tackle the cattle killer East Coast Fevermay be in sight, according to a study conducted by the Nairobi-based International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) incollaboration with the University of Edinburgh.

Vaccines made from milder parasites may protect livestockagainst the severe disease, according to the findings published inScience Advances. The paper is titled: Co-infections determinepatterns of mortality in a population exposed to parasite infection.

East Coast Fever kills one million cattle annually claiming overUS$300mn in loss for poor livestock herders in East and Central Africa.

The disease is caused by the tick-transmitted Theileria purvaprotozoa. In western Kenya, calves are routinely exposed to T purvaas well as the less harmful Theileria mutans.

Researchers now note that co-infection with the lesser parasitewas associated with an impressive 89 per cent reduction in deathsfrom East Coast Fever.

“Our results suggest seeking a simple vaccine that could protectcows from East Coast fever by innoculating them with a related, butfar less harmful parasite,” said lead author Mark Woolhouse, fromthe University of Edinburgh.

The researchers say that these findings explain why Europeancattle raised in the same regions as the indigenous Zebu cattlesuccumb quickly to T purva infections.

Since European cattle are managed in ways that reduce tickinfections, there is a reduced chance of attack from less harmfulparasites.

Currently, the only existing vaccine is made by grinding up ticksthat carry the T purva parasite. This technique is expensive toproduce and deliver, and it induces an infection in cattle that must

be treated with costly antibiotics, according to the ILRI.“East Coast fever is a major burden for millions of poor people

in Africa whose existence depends on healthy cattle. If we couldprovide a cheaper approach, it would greatly reduce poverty,” saidPhil Toye, a researcher with the ILRI.

The findings suggest that ‘fighting fire with fire’ is a strategy thatmight work against a range of parasitic diseases.

Researchers now believe that a similar process might be at workin malaria, where infection with the less harmful Plasmodium vivaxparasite may protect people from the Plasmodium falciparumparasite that kills almost 600,000 people each year.

Malaria is caused by a single-celled parasite, Plasmodium, althoughmore than one species of Plasmodium can cause malaria. The deadliestspecies is Plasmodium falciparum, whereas Plasmodium vivax is morewidespread, but causes less severe disease. Mwangi Mumero

THE NETHERLANDS EMBASSY in Ghana isrecommending that its government takes stepsto increase local feed production to aid thegrowth and economic potential of the fishfarming industry in Ghana.A recent study on the aquaculture sector inGhana found that there is great potential forthe tilapia farming industry. However, there isonly one local fish feed manufacturer. Most

fish feed is imported, which increasesproduction costs."I think there is definitely an opportunity toinvest in a local production plant for fish feedbecause there are only one or two plants thatproduce fish feed," said Thierry Van Helden,First Secretary at the Netherlands Embassy inGhana.The Netherlands Embassy is trying to lure

investors from its country to exploreopportunities in Ghana’s aquaculture sector."We want to stimulate Dutch companies toinvest in the aquaculture sector in Ghana andto increase trade in that area so we canmodernise and professionalise the sector to ahigher level," Van Helden added.The aquaculture sector contributes three percent Ghana’s annual gross domestic product.

East Coast Fever vaccine technique

SMALL-SCALE AND EMERGENT farmersaround Zambia are set to benefit from aninnovative credit facility that allows them toaccess financing for their cows without need toprovide collateral.

The ‘Loan-A-Cow’ facility, which emanatesfrom a partnership between the ZambiaNational Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) andZambia National Commercial Bank(Zanaco), was launched in August 2014 atChaloshi Farms in Chisamba, central Zambia.

Loan-A-Cow enables small-scale farmersand emergent farmers to access financing forthe acquisition of dairy cows. The small-scalefarmers can access funding as a co-operative,while emergent farmers can access it asindividuals. With this facility, the lendingbank, Zanaco, will not require conventional

collateral such as title to land. Instead, theanimals purchased will be used as collateraland the loans will be financed by proceedsfrom milk production.

So far, 253 in-calf dairy heifers have beenimported from South Africa and 318 farmersfrom seven co-operatives have benefittedfrom the loan scheme, according to the DairyAssociation of Zambia (DAZ) chairperson,Mirriam Mbazima.

Additional applications for the procurementof 447 in-calf heifers are currently beingprocessed for seven other co-operatives.

If successful, this loan scheme could boostthe country’s milk production, which has beenincreasing over the past five years. Milkproduction in Zambia has grown from 128mnlitres per annum in 2005 to 452mn litres in

2013, although local consumption stillremains low at 35 litres per capita.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestockhas put in place modalities to ensure that theanimals imported into the country poseminimum risk to the national herd and arealso of high genetic quality that will improvethe country’s productive levels.

According to ZNFU second vice-president,Graham Rae, the scheme has also brought onboard several private sector partners, amongthem leading dairy processors who will providesmall and medium-scale dairy farmers underthe scheme with off-take market opportunities.

However, he noted that potentialchallenges that could hinder the financingscheme from achieving its intended resultsshould be addressed. Nawa Mutumweno

Infection and treatment withECF vaccine. Image: ILVAC

Zambian dairy farmers to benefit from Loan-A-Cow credit facility

Investors sought for Ghana’s fish farming industry



NEWS

NAVAGRO, A LEADING manufacturer of agriculturalspecialty products, is launching vivast FX, an innovativeproprietary elicitor and advanced plant growth enhancer,as well as other lines of products in Africa and the MiddleEast after having been successful in markets in India,Latin America and the Caribbean. Navagro is intalks with leading distributors in African andMiddle East markets.The resistance of plants to diseases is mainlyrelated to genetics and environment.However, the ability of the plant to express itsgenetic resistance to a particular disease isaffected by mineral nutrition. Navagro’s vivast FX is a product with theinnovative concept of elicitation of resistancegenes in plants against diseases. The productinduces the physiological pathway forclosure of stomata during water stress andhelp in drought tolerance by activelyreducing the transpiration loss. vivast FX hasbeen developed based on enzymaticpolymerisation technology, with specific KDof polysaccharides which release fortifiednutrients to the plants with maximumefficiency and the added advantage ofdelivering the nutrients to the right spot. It activates pathogenesis resistance (PR)

proteins, chitinase & ß 1-3 glucanase. vivast FX has alsobeen proved to increase the mineral uptake, decrease therate of fallen fruits by 15.25 per cent and increase the

size and quality of the fruits. The product has alsoproved to increase the overall quality and yield of

vegetable and fruits. Vegetable and fruit cropsapplied with vivast FX have shownremarkable resistance against fungal, viraland bacterial disease. The product isrecommended for foliar, drip, sprinkler andseed treatment applications. vivast FX also has a proprietary formula init to increase the flowering, fruit and grainsetting and increasing the overall qualityand yield, and thus provide betterprofitability. It has been proved to protecttomato, cucumber, pea, melon,strawberry, lettuce and pearl milletagainst powdery and downy mildews aswell as other diseases, and also it hasbeen one of the best choice for thegreenhouse crops, organic farming, andproducts of high export value.Navagro has a wide range of products,such as plant growth promoters, bio-stimulants, advanced formulation of

combinational generics for crop protection.

Overcoming the odds with vivast FX




THE INTRODUCTION OF the CE-approved range of the Quad-Glow heater is an important stepin the product developmentstrategy of Roxell.

According to MichaelOsterman, product manager atRoxell, fuel costs are the biggestcosts for the poultry business."Energy costs have doubled inrecent years, and that’s hittingpoultry producers hard. In orderto meet the specific requirementsof the poultry farmers, Roxelldeveloped a Quad-Glow heater,based on more than 80 years ofexperience in agriculturalheating equipment."

This Quad-Glow heater has abroad range of high performing, fuel saving models accommodatingmost commonly used gas combinations. The heating system uses fuelmore efficiently by converting more of the thermal capacity of the gasto infrared heat and transferring more of that heat to the floor.

The Quad-Glow can have as much as 25 per cent fuel savings overtraditional brooders or space heaters.

Also the litter is dryer in Quad houses due to heating of a greaterfloor area, thereby lowering humidity and ammonia levels, givingbetter bird development and more profit, while saving fuel by notheating the exhaust air.

The new Quad-Glow has a ‘Quadrangular’ heat pattern that ismore closely shaped to the rectangular form of a poultry house.

AMBAR FEED MILLS is thelargest and most advancedfeed mill in Israel. It has twoproduction plants and itsannual production inanimal feed is about onemillion tons.In 2010 Ambar signed acontract with the Tatomagroup to build astationary productionplant for total mixedrations. The plant wasfound to have madesavings of up to 10 percent in raw materials andsince then two furtherextensions have beenmade to produce 10,000 daily rations.The plant is the result of Tatoma's experience in the design, constructionand commissioning of "Total Mixed Ration" type feeding systems forruminant livestock both in trailed and self-propelled machinery.The operation is based on ratios programmed into the automatic systemfor plant control, requiring only two people to operate it. The total cycletime of a mixture is between 10 and 15 minutes, depending on thecomposition and amounts of the ration.

Roxell develops CE-approved Quad heater

Stationary production plant to feed more than10,000 cattle daily



THE FIRST CRITICAL stage is toensure the quality of the chicks whenthey arrive at the farm, which is theresponsibility of the supplier

hatchery, through the correct managementof the breeding stocks and the hygieneduring the hatching process. After this stageit is up to the farm to maximise the geneticpotentials of the stock to be reared.

Many factors impact on the quality ofthe birds reared, such as management,nutrition and hygiene. The house shouldhave been well cleaned, disinfected andrested, to give a sanitary break, beforeintroducing the new litter. Depending onthe heating system, whole house or spotheating, the house and litter should bewarmed the day before the chicks are dueto arrive. This also gives time for the water

to reach ambient temperature before thechicks arrive. Temperature for young birdsis very important, asis fresh air, so it isimportant to ensure that there is minimalventilation in the house to remove dust,humidity and to ensure a constant supply ofoxygen for the birds.

Water essentialWater is the most important nutrient for anyanimal and one of the greatest problemswith chicks is dehydration. Depending onthe journey time from the hatchery, it isoften beneficial to allow the chicks to drinkfirst on arrival and then introduce the feedonce they have all had time to rehydrate.This also gives the chicks a chance to learnwhere the drinkers are placed in their ownindividual locality.

Feed quality is also very important inestablishing a fast growth. All birds arenaturally seed eaters, and as such are used toeating feed in a particulate form. Therefore itis always advisable to give a crumbled, orvery small, pelleted feed during the first phaseof the diets, ensuring that there is a minimumof fine particles as these may reduce overallfeed consumption, and hence growth.

First week criticalThe first week is a critical time as it is duringthis time that the intestine undergoes a veryrapid development along with other systemssuch as the immune system. It is thereforeimportant that the birds are able to consumeboth the energy and protein to enable thesesystems to develop with no limitations. Theconsequences of not achieving this will befelt throughout the life of the bird. In orderto aid this development, day length isusually extended during the first week to 23hours, so that chicks can eat and drinkwhenever they want. This light programmewill then be gradually reduced, dependingon the type of bird in question, to meet theirrequirements.

In nature, once the chicks hatch, manyof their requirements are provided by themother, through taking them to feed andwater or to provide heat whenever thechicks get cold. Another important factor isthat during this time the immune systemwill be developed through acquiredimmunity by being in constant contact withthe mother; thereby being in contact withmany bacteria which can be bothbeneficial and harmful.

The early rearing period, the brooding period, is one of the most criticalstages in a young bird's life be it a chicken, turkey, duck or any othercommercially reared bird.

Getting the best possiblestart for chicks

POULTRY

Temperature for young birds isvery important, as is fresh air.

It is critical that the birds areable to consume both the

energy and protein to enablethese systems to develop

with no limitations.


S04 AF May_June 2015 - Poultry_Layout 1 19/05/2015 14:37

Hygiene is paramountWith modern poultry practices hygiene isparamount and all care is taken to ensurethe cleanliness of the hatching eggs and thehatchery process itself. Equally, the housingthe chicks are brought to should be of ahigh level of cleanliness so the normalexposure to bacteria is severely limited.However a balanced bacterial colonisationof the intestinal tract is essential for the wellbeing of the bird and also to improve feedefficiency.

The vast majority of the bacteria in theintestine of any animal are either beneficialor neutral to the bird’s well being, and onlya very small proportion of the total bacteriaare pathogens. Many of the bacteria playan important role in the prevention of theestablishment of pathogenic bacteriathrough competitive exclusion, specificbactericide excretion or by changing theacidity of the varying regions of theintestine; thereby discouraging replicationor preventing colonisation of pathogens.Therefore the early establishment of thesebeneficial bacteria in the bird’s intestineresults in improved performance in growth,feed efficiency and also some forms ofdisease protection.

However, as already said, modernpoultry practises include a great deal ofeffort to reduce the bacterial challenges thechicks face prior to arrival at the farm.Therefore a way to introduce beneficialbacteria to the birds, in a controlled way,can help in the rapid establishment of abeneficial gut micro flora and this can beachieved through the use of probiotic

products during the first days of a chick’slife. Probiotics were first developed in the1970’s to combat a virulent Salmonellainfection in broiler flocks in Finland.

Since this time probiotic products havedeveloped further with the production ofsingle strain products or multi speciesproducts, using specific bacteria throughprecise fermentation methods to ensure

POULTRY


Maintaining good management practice is essential in order to achieve a successful rear of the flock, like these healthy week-old chickens.


quality of product. The origin of the varyingstrains of bacteria can be varied and maynot have originated from poultry.

PoultryStar is a multi species probiotic,which is a combination of fivespecies/strains of bacteria – all of whichoriginate from the intestine of healthychickens. This gives the advantage of takingbacteria from specific areas of the chicken’sintestine, which should result in a morerapid colonisation throughout the entireintestinal tract. Produced in a water-solubleand a micro-encapsulated form for eitherdrinking water or processed feedapplication, PoultryStar is suitable foradministration to day-old chicks to rapidlydevelop a healthy intestinal micro-flora.

Application of the water soluble productcan be through the drinking water for thefirst three days of life. Alternatively, on thefirst day chicks can be sprayed with theprobiotics solution either in the hatcherybefore shipping, or on arrival at the farmbefore placement. This can be followed upwith further three-day treatments at the timeof feed changes or during times of stress.The micro-encapsulated form can beincluded in the Starter and Grower rationsand beyond to develop and maintain thehealthy intestinal micro-flora.

Rigorous testing of PoultryStar hasshown significant improvements in growth

rate and feed efficiency in broiler chicksand improvements in the Productivity Index.With today’s demand to reduce antibioticsin poultry, meat production performanceshave been shown to equal or better somestandard AGP’s currently in use incountries where they are still permitted. Theincrease in Clostridium infections in poultryremains a serious concern andindependently published tests withPoultryStar have shown a reduction inNecrotic Enteritis infections and an alteringof the onset of Gangrenous Dermatitisin broilers or the reduction of thecolonisation of SalmonellaEnteritidis in the intestines.

In conclusion: The firstweek of a bird’s life isprobably its mostimportant timeand the need tomaintain goodmanagemen t

practices are paramount to achieving asuccessful rear of the flock. However, a rapidestablishment of a healthy intestinal micro-flora through administration of probiotics willfurther improve performances and potentiallyreduce the incidence of gastro-intestinaldiseases. h Biomin

POULTRY

Rigorous testing ofPoultryStar has shown

significant improvements ingrowth rate and feed

efficiency in broiler chicks.


Hygiene is paramount and all care should be taken to ensure the cleanliness of thehatching eggs and the hatchery process itself. Image: WilleeCole Photography.


NEWS

THE POULTRY INDUSTRY in Zambia is set toenter a new era of growth following placementof the first broiler parent stock at Zambeef’snew multi-million dollar Zamhatch enterprise inMpongwe.

Zamhatch is a joint venture betweenZambeef and South Africa’s largest chickenproducer, Rainbow Chicken. The operation willprovide high quality day-old chicks to Zambianfarmers through Zambeef’s extensive networkof outlets countrywide by the middle of this year.

“Zambeef is putting its money where itsmouth is and will be relying on the Zamhatchday-old chicks to supply Zamchick, our broilerrearing division” said Zambeef’s joint chiefexecutive officer Francis Grogan.

Poultry farmers will have a reliable andconsistent source of day-old chicks that willenable them to optimise yields and profitabilityto help form the basis of flourishing businesses.

Mr Grogan said: “One of the reasons whyZambeef founded Zamhatch was to providehigh-quality broiler chicks to Zambia’s poultryfarmers. Zambeef has always supportedZambian businesses and we want to seeZambian farmers succeed.”

The operation will also provide strongbusiness opportunities for the farmers, who willbe able to buy quality day-old chicks atcompetitive prices from Zambeef outlets anddistributors throughout the country. Poultry feedfrom Zambeef’s Novatek stockfeed division will

be offered for sale with the chicks, providing aone-stop shop for poultry entrepreneurs.

Zamhatch is expected to generate additionalemployment, both in the Mpongwe area and atZambeef’s poultry operations in Chisamba, aswell as indirect employment through distributors.

Mr Grogan said: “The establishment ofZamhatch is in line with the group’s strategicintegrated business model, aimed at reducingrisk and earnings volatility and capturingmargin throughout the value chain.”

Chicken and egg production accounted foraround nine per cent of Zambeef’s revenue inthe financial year ending 30 September2014. It produced 6.2mn broilers and 40mneggs in 2014.

DURING THE LAST two decades, the turkey industry in westerncountries has become a fully integrated industry with a diversifiedproduct line that competes with other protein products on a year-round basis. Turkey production started in early 2000 in several North Africancountries such as Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt, as well as inSyria. They began by importing turkey poults from Europe and aboutone million poults were brought into the region in 2002. Now thesecountries are producing about 80 per cent of the nearly 30mn turkey

poults in the region today. This increase is due to the fact that thepublic is now familiar with turkey meat’s texture, taste, health, valueand reasonable cost compared to red meat. Turkey production and genetic selection is as advanced as chickenand other animal species. Turkey is a delicious source of lean proteinavailable in a variety of cuts and products in many countries aroundthe world. It adapts to all cooking methods from stovetop to oven togrill, and its delicate flavor is easily seasoned. So turkey complementsthe flavour profiles of many cuisines. Aviagen Turkeys

Zambeef hatches a new business

Turkey, the perfect protein




HEALTHY CHICKENS READY for processing harbour atremendous amount and variety of bacteria. These bacteriaare present on the surfaces of feet, feathers, skin and also inthe intestines. During processing, a high proportion of these

organisms will be removed, but further contamination can occur at anystage of the processing operation.

The procedure for converting a live, healthy bird into a safe andwholesome poultry product provides many opportunities for micro-organisms to colonise on the surface of the carcass. During the variousprocessing operations, opportunities exist for the contamination of thecarcasses from the environment, the process in the plant itself,contamination via knives, equipment, the hands of workers and also bycross-contamination from carcass to carcass.

Poultry processing has a number of unique features which makecontrol of microbial contamination more difficult than the processing ofany other conventional meat animal. Among them is the rapid rate ofprocessing in some processing plants, a condition which favours thespread of micro-organisms.

The carcass must be kept whole throughout the process and theviscera have to be removed rapidly through a small opening in theabdomen without breakage, to minimise contamination of the carcasswith intestinal organisms. After defeathering, the skin provides a complexsurface with many holes which are capable of trapping bacteria. Themicro-organisms are widely distributed over the carcasses under normalcircumstances and are spread over the skin during scalding anddefeathering and on the inner and outer surfaces during eviscerationand further processing.

Efforts should be made to prevent the build-up of contaminationpeaks during processing. Rinsing of the carcasses, especially duringdefeathering and evisceration is therefore of great importance. Spoilagebacteria grow mainly on the skin surfaces, in the feather follicles and oncut muscle surfaces under the skin.

The nature and rate of attachment of the micro-organisms dependsupon several factors including the bacteria involved and theirconcentration and also the conditions under which attachment occurs,namely, pH, temperature and contact-time.

The skin serves as a barrier to micro-organisms that might otherwisecontaminate the underlying muscle and therefore the deep muscles arenormally free of bacteria. The few bacteria found in the deep muscle areof types that can only multiply slowly or not at all at low temperatures.The important microbiological changes take place on the surfaces of thecarcasses.

It appears that some parts of the carcass are more favourable thanothers for bacterial growth, depending on the type of muscle and pH.Studies conducted over the last few years show that the sites most heavilycontaminated are the neck skin and less frequently on the back and thearea around the vent. Fewer organisms are found around the breast,legs and under the wings. h

Poultry is a important part of the animal food market and production is increasing to satisfy publicdemand worldwide. Therefore, it becomes necessary to maintain absolute hygiene and strict control atdifferent stages of processing to produce a safe and wholesome chicken product.

Safe work practices in poultry processing

POULTRY

The rapid rate of processing in some processing plants favours the spread of micro-organisms.

The important microbiological changes takeplace on the surfaces of the carcasses.


Dairy farmers in East Africa are getting to learn about a fresh new approachto agricultural extension: the volunteer farmer trainer model.

THE APPROACH, A farmer-to-farmer exchange ofknowledge and skills, has been applied with great successwithin the East Africa Dairy Development (EADD) project, amultifaceted partnership funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates

Foundation active in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. EADD aims todouble the incomes of 179,000 dairy farmers through improveddairy production and marketing. Volunteer farmer trainers helpdiffuse the knowledge on dairy production they receive fromextension workers throughout the community.

“The success of the volunteer farmer trainer approach is changingthe way we think about agricultural extension. Here, the farmersthemselves are the principal agents of change in their communities,with extension workers serving as facilitators,” said Steven Franzel,head of the Global Research Project on Markets and Value Chains atthe World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF).

A new policy brief on the volunteer farmer trainer model asapplied within the EADD project says that by June 2012, at least2,676 volunteer farmer trainers - a third of them women - werehelping dairy farmers in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda raise theirproductivity and incomes.

Most training is practicalMost of the training on better dairy production is practical andhappens on demonstration plots maintained on volunteer farmertrainers’ land. As trainees embrace improved dairy farmingmethods (eg, on better livestock feed crops, grasses, legumes, treesand shrubs, feed formulation and conservation methods), thevolunteers pay them neighbourly visits to look at their progress andanswer questions. Because volunteer farmer trainers are resident inthe community, they understand the local culture and conditionsand use the local language and expressions; this helps withcommunication and builds trust. On average, each volunteerfarmer trainer reaches five villages outside of their own, travellingmostly on foot and covering up to seven kilometres a day.

“Seeing other farmers in the community improve their productivityas a result of my training gives me satisfaction. It makes me feelgood,” Agatha Buuri from Mweiga, Kieni West District in Kenya, toldEvelyn Kiptot, a social scientist with ICRAF involved in the EADDproject. Kiptot is also the lead author of the new policy brief.

Esther Wamucii Wambugu, another volunteer farmer trainer inMweiga, said results were her source of inspiration, too.

Active dairy farmers in their own right, volunteer farmer trainersfind their work brings them early access to knowledge andtechnology, which they can apply on their own farms. Their linkswith agricultural extension and project teams provide them an

avenue to sell fodder seeds and seedlings they have grown tofellow farmers. They may also provide services such as baling andcutting of feed crops at a fee.

The volunteer farmer approach complements rather thansubstitutes regular extension run by government, NGOs or theprivate sector, Franzel emphasised. “Indeed, it is through thesetraditional avenues that volunteers receive technical support andtraining about innovations in the dairy sector. The volunteers alsorely on qualified extension staff to address problems and questionsthey cannot handle on their own.” Furthermore, he added, themodel is unsuitable for complex or high-risk practices that needspecialised skills, such as animal health.

Many challengesThe policy brief discusses some of the challenges volunteer farmertrainers face. In sparsely populated areas, for instance, the longdistances volunteers have to travel from one homestead to another isa hindrance. But with the commitment of the project and volunteersthemselves, few of these challenges have proved insurmountable.

The approach has produced impressive results under the EADDproject. By 2012, farmers involved in EADD-affiliated projects wereselling up to 304,000 litres a day through chilling plants, a 102 percent increase from 2009. Researchers were also encouraged tofind volunteer farmer trainers involved in another project activelysupporting fellow farmers three years after that project had ended,pointing to the sustainability of the system.

“The volunteer trainer approach amplifies the reach of dairy-sector extension and is inclusive of men, women and the poor. It iscost-effective and has been shown to produce real gains inproductivity and income,” said Franzel.

“We developed the policy brief to support policy decisions thatwill recognise and mainstream the volunteer farmer trainerapproach, so it can spread further and raise the incomes andimprove the livelihoods of more farmers in rural areas.” h

Volunteer farmers transformingEast Africa’s dairy sector


DAIRY FARMING

The volunteer trainer approachhas produced impressive results

under the EADD project.

The volunteer trainer approach is cost-effective and has been shown to produce

real gains in productivity and income.


S05 AF May_June 2015 - Livestock_Layout 1 19/05/2015 14:38

Solidaridad’s Sustainable West Africa Palm Oil Programme (SWAPP)launched its incubator and access to finance initiative in Accra last year, toprovide support and access to risk capital to help develop the oil palm sector.

AMONG GHANA'SSMALL-SCALE farmers,there's a saying that ifyour cocoa crop fails,

you may as well go back andtend your oil palm.

That's because oil palm ismore resistant to pests anddiseases, and provides aregular harvest throughout theyear - as long as it is lookedafter properly, which is rare,according to Rosemary Addicowho runs a programmesupporting farmers.

Her organisation, Solidarid,is working to get hundreds ofGhanaian small-scale farmerscertified by the Roundtable onSustainable Palm Oil (RSPO),which Addico hopes will boosttheir yields and profits. Toachieve this, they must first bebrought together in groups ofbetween 25 and 100 growers.

"If they are not in groups, wecan't train them and no onewants to invest in them. Thisway, they get better prices fortheir crops and higherincomes," Addico said.

Many individual farmers whogrow the fruit that makes palm oil- which is used in fuel andconsumer goods from cereals tocosmetics worldwide - produceonly around half the industryaverage of oil per hectare.

That is because of inferior-quality seeds and poormanagement of their trees. Yetthey still supply around 35 to 40per cent of palm oil globally.

As a growing number ofmultinational companiesscrutinise their supply chainsand commit to using only palmoil produced in a way that doesnot clear forests for newplantations or exploit workers,small-scale growers who cannotprovide the right guarantees

could lose out, experts fear.That has sparked interest in

helping them improve theirmethods and boost theirharvests.

Growth potentialBiswaranjan Sen, Unilever's vicepresident for chemicalsprocurement, calculates that ifthe world's 4.5mn small growersdoubled their harvests to fourtonnes of oil per hectare, theyalone could meet the projectedincrease in global demand forpalm oil, from 60mn tonnes ayear today to 78mn by 2020.

"The benefits would be that,technically speaking, you don'tneed fresh land and therefore thewhole tussle about deforestationversus development goes away,"he told Reuters.

Small-scale growers wouldearn more from the same amountof land, giving their families abetter quality of life, he added.

"The challenge is that a lot ofthis has to do with getting theright agricultural practices to thesmallholders - in many cases,helping them to replant," he noted.

Sen, who also co-chairs theRSPO board, said Unilever is

seeking to partner withgovernments in palm oil-producing nations, donoragencies, non-profit groups andplantation companies to developa system that enables poorfarmers to replace their palmswith higher-yielding varieties.

"The problem is it takes threeto four years for new trees toproduce fruit and six to sevenyears before they reach fulloutput," Sen said.

"There has to be a way offunding this, to sustain thesmallholder over the next four tosix years so they can see thebenefits," he added.

Jan Maarten Dros, co-ordinator of Solidaridad'sinternational palm oilprogramme, said upfrontinvestment is needed becausesmall-scale farmers lack thecapital and assets to swap theirold trees for new, and keep goingfinancially until they mature."There are alot of barriers toovercome," he said.

One problem for major palm-oil producers is that the millswhere the palm fruit is processedinto oil do not have contractualrelationships with small growers.

That gives the companiesrunning the mills little incentiveto invest in helping farmersproduce more.

Given the fragmented natureof the industry, the best solutionmay be to have companies cometogether with growers andauthorities across a region andjointly agree to promote practicesthat will support small-scalefarmers, said Solidaridad's Dros.

Finding a long-term answer tosmallholders' problems involvesdemonstrating good growingand harvesting practices on plotsin the field, and providing themwith better seeds and tools. It alsomeans training them in businessskills so they can keep their booksand plan for the next 25 years,Dros said.

Low prices, smarter game?As the level of industrycommitment to sustainablepalm oil has soared, however,palm oil prices have sunkalongside crude oil.

This may benefit forests asbig producers put plantationexpansion plans on hold. But itraises the question of whetherthey will be prepared to invest insmallholders as their profits aresqueezed.

Still, in an era when "the ideathat they can rush off and clearmore forest is anathema to theircustomers", companies willneed to find a smarter way tomove ahead, said ScottPoynton, founder and executivedirector of The Forest Trust.

Helping small growersharvest more from their land isno longer a philanthropicchoice. As [companies] theystrive to meet promises tosupply deforestation-free palmoil, "there is a real business casefor it", Poynton said. h

Will sustainable palm oil surgeexclude small farmers?


PALM OIL


As one of the major suppliers of palm oil and palm kernel products to the European market,Cargill is playing an influential role in encouraging greater usage of sustainable palm oil.


S06 AF May_June 2015 - IMP_Layout 1 19/05/2015 14:39

IPM is now widely used as an effective and sustainable method of pestcontrol and management in many regions of Africa. Domestic, regional andinternational IPM programmes are many. Tim Guest reports.

ACCORDING TO THE UN’s Foodand Agriculture Organisation(FAO), “Integrated PestManagement (IPM) is an ecosystem

approach to crop production and protectionthat combines different managementstrategies and practices to grow healthycrops and minimise the use of pesticides.”

In detail it defines IPM as meaning “thecareful consideration of all available pestcontrol techniques and subsequent integrationof appropriate measures that discourage thedevelopment of pest populations and keeppesticides and other interventions to levels thatare economically justified and reduce, orminimise, risks to human health and theenvironment.” IPM emphasises the growth ofa healthy crop with the least possibledisruption to agro-ecosystems andencourages natural pest control mechanisms.

Preferred approach to crop protectionThe FAO itself promotes IPM as the“preferred approach to crop protection”. Itregards IPM as a foundation stone for bothsustainable intensification of cropproduction and for reducing risks from theuse of pesticides, and has its own umbrellaIPM programme currently comprising threeregional programmes in Asia, Near Eastand West Africa, as well as several stand-alone national projects, to which it facilitatescollaboration among ongoing national IPMprogrammes and provides assistance incapacity building and policy reform.

In West Africa, the FAO’s IPM initiative andscope is called the Integrated Production andPest Management Programme (IPPM), whichis a practical education-based approach toteaching farmers about the threats of overuseof pesticides and other farming challenges, inthe field. It has been running for some 14years, with many field schools currentlyteaching IPM in seven West African countries;Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali,

Mauritania, Niger and Senegal, and some30 sub-Saharan nations, overall, employinga farmer field-school (FFS) approach.

An environment-friendly approachAn environment-friendly approach todealing with pest problems is the underlyingpremise of IPPM; introducing beneficialpredator insects, using natural bio-pesticides, or adopting cropping practicesthat ensure that plants are healthy andresistant when pests attack, are just some ofthe methods employed. So far, theprogramme has trained more than180,000 farmers in West Africa, as well asover 2,000 trainers from a variety oforganisations including NGOs, giving themthe ability to adopt an approach that isrelatively simple and can rely, for the mostpart, on locally available materials.

With new-found understanding andrecognition of problems at the earlieststage, farmers can then decide on a bestresponse and apply it without delay.

One of the major points to the IPPMprogramme is raising the awareness offarmers and associated stakeholders to thebest and ‘worst’ agricultural practices, sothat through such things as having a newunderstanding as to the risks and/orbenefits of any particular pesticide practicesand what low-toxicity alternatives areavailable, the best choices can be made.

In several local and regional institutions,

universities and government departments,local laboratories have developed acapacity for improving the environmentalmonitoring of toxic chemicals in food andwater supplies as a result of pesticide use,highlighting the dangers and impressing onthe need for non-chemical alternatives.

Indeed, FFS programmes were initiallydeveloped to reduce toxic pesticide usethrough IPM, which is why training focuseson conserving and enhancing beneficialinsect populations.

And while such agri-systems as irrigatedrice typically have few insect-related problems,thereby negating the need for insecticide usein West Africa, instances of farmers beingunaware of IPM basics and, as a result, layingthemselves open to commercial pressures touse pesticides, have been recorded.

Conversely, cotton and vegetable cropshave typically relied on high volumes ofinsecticides and different highly toxicchemicals in their production, which makesFFS training for these farmers much moreacutely important to help them find less toxicapproaches for the control of insect pests.

Today, however, soil fertility managementis also a key part of West Africa’s FFSecosystem and an emphasis has beenplaced on increasing the use of organicagricultural practices and on establishingimproved nursery seed beds andtransplanting techniques for rice and othersystems. A survey, highlighted by the FAO,

Using mother nature in pest control


INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT

A farmer trained in IPPM. Image: FAO/Olivier Asselin.

An environment-friendlyapproach to dealing with pest

problems is the underlyingpremise of IPPM.



of 150 post-FFS vegetable farmers inBurkina Faso, had the respondents rankwhat they saw as the top three benefitsresulting from the FFS programme in whichthey were involved. First, was thedevelopment of proper seed beds andnurseries; second, were their newly-learnedskills for building and using compost; andthird came the making of local, naturalpesticides from plant extracts.

Push-pull in IPMAs African Farming reported last year, push-pull strategies for IPM have been pioneeredand are actively being researched by theRothampsted Research institute in the UK inco-operation with establishments like theInternational Centre for Insect Ecology andPhysiology in Nairobi. Together, they haveprogressed and identified some of the mostcomplex biological, biochemical andbehavioural interactions and relationshipsthat can now be used to effectively helpincrease food production and yields, whileat the same time reducing the use of man-made pesticides harmful to both theenvironment (non-target plants andanimals) and humans.

One of the team’s papers summed uppush-pull perfectly: “Push-pull strategiesinvolve the behavioural manipulation ofinsect pests and their natural enemies viathe integration of stimuli that act to makethe protected resource unattractive orunsuitable to the pests (push) while luringthem toward an attractive source (pull) fromwhere the pests are subsequently removed.The push and pull components aregenerally non-toxic.

Therefore, the strategies are usuallyintegrated with methods for populationreduction, preferably biological control.The strategy is a useful tool for integratedpest management programmes reducingpesticide input.”

A paper published last year and co-authored by Khan, Midega, Pittchar, Murage,Birkett, Bruce and Rothampsted’s JohnPickett, Achieving food security for one millionsub-Saharan African poor through push-pullinnovation by 2020, discusses push-pullthrough the intercropping of cereal crops witha forage legume, desmodium, and plantingNapier grass as a border crop. Desmodiumrepels stemborer moths (push), and attractstheir natural enemies, while Napier grassattracts them (pull). Desmodium alsosuppresses striga weed, thereby negating theneed for pesticide use - Mother Nature at hercleverest.

Developed world footnote - learningfrom AfricaThe developed world has an important lessonto learn from Africa’s advances in IPM. If one

considers the impact of insecticides indeveloped regions on vital pollinators, suchas the honey bee versus Neonicotinoids, itsurely makes sense to explore alternative,IPM-based methods of pest control - andAfrica is setting an example.

Encapsulating what latest push-pulladvances mean, not only for IPM in Africabut for a future IPM approach in thedeveloped world, Rothampsted’s ProfessorJohn A Pickett, CBE, DSc, FRS, told AfricanFarming that: “Besides the immense andrapidly growing benefits of this work increating sustainable food productionamongst some of the poorest sub-SaharanAfrican small holder farmers, the workdemonstrates the generic value ofdeploying semiochemicals and othernatural products released by plants to solveconstraints on agricultural productionsustainably. Thereby, in a rare example, wesee work in Africa showing the way forNorthern, high-input agriculture; butwhereas the tools in Africa are companionplants, in the North these will most probablyneed to be GM.” h

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT

IPPM focal point checking on cabbage crop. Image: FAO/Olivier Asselin.

In a rare example, we seework in Africa showing the

way for Northern, high-input agriculture.



S07 AF May_June 2015 - Grain Storage_Layout 1 19/05/2015 14:40

Dr Terry Mabbett looks at prerequisites for successful cereal grain storage

THAT WE RELY on cereal grain for staple food and cannotsurvive without it is a far-reaching but not an exaggeratedstatement. Wheat, rice and maize account for the bulk ofhuman food, and barley is a major raw material in the

production of beer and other beverages. Other cereals such assorghum and millet are regionally important as food in dry areassuch as the African Sahel. Elsewhere in regions like North Americathe bulk of sorghum goes into animal feed.

The pre-eminent position of cereal grain as an internationallymarketed commodity is essentially down to the relative ease inhandling and shipment and a capacity for long duration storage,compared with other food staples such as Irish potato, sweetpotato, yam and cassava.

Prerequisites for successful cereal grain storage includeharvesting at suitable grain moisture levels under congenialweather conditions, grain cleaning and grain drying if required.This complete programme of post-harvest preparation will achieve

an optimum moisture level for grain going into store. Also essentialis provision of the right conditions of temperature and relativehumidity throughout the holding period and which will allow grainto be stored without significant deterioration for up to five years.

What’s in storefor cereal grain?

GRAIN STORAGE


Sorghum is an important food grain in dryland Africa. Elsewhere it is primarily grownfor feed. Image: Omex.


Attention is always focussed on food grains (cereals used directlyfor human food) but increasing amounts of grain, home-grown andimported, are now used to feed livestock. The hazards and risksthreatening food grain in store – insects, fungal moulds, spores andmycotoxins, rodents and birds and human pathogenic bacteria –are equally important for grain earmarked for animal feed.

The physical and chemical deterioration of grain in store andconsequent loss of palatability and nutritive value affects livestock inmuch the same way as humans. And microbes like Salmonella andmycotoxins, including aflatoxins, can be transmitted from livestock tohuman consumers of meat, dairy products and eggs in the food chain.

Care and attention in transit and storeIndeed feed grain often requires more care and attention in transitand store than food grain. There are increasingly large volumes ofmaize and wheat imported into Africa from temperate producingareas. Top quality grain of the right type will always be sold bypreference on the international food grain market to gain top pricepremiums. However, grain of inherently poorer quality or nominallyhigh quality grain harvested under less than ideal conditions (highgrain moisture and during prolonged wet weather conditions) mayhave to be sold as feed grain at a consequentially lower price.

This, coupled with the inherent environmental problems associatedwith shipping grain from temperate countries into tropical Africa, withchanging and contrasting temperature and humidity, means that thehighest pressures placed on grain managers to maintain thesecommodities in sound condition invariably falls on feed grain.

Increased production of animal protein is a priority for Africa,but many countries are unable to produce enough cereal as food

grain, let alone set aside any quantity for animal feed. So whenfluidity in foreign exchange allows, cereals for feed grain areimported from big surplus-producing countries like the UnitedStates, Canada, France, Argentina and Australia. Maize accountsfor over 50 per cent of total world cereal usage in feed and wheat15 per cent. By far the largest proportion of world barley andsorghum production finds its way into livestock feed.

What’s in store for cereal grain? Threats to cereal grain in store and during shipment are broadlydivided into physical deterioration and chemical change causingdowngrades in palatability and nutritive value. And a wide range ofbiological threats, including rodents, birds, insects and pathogenicmicrobes that may directly or indirectly cause disease andpoisoning in both livestock and humans.Auto-oxidation: Oxidation is the most destructive chemicalprocess in cereal grain. The wide range of uncontrolled oxidationreactions occurring cereal grain is collectively called ‘auto-oxidation’. These chemical reactions may change, re-arrange anddestroy nutritionally important molecules leading to rancidity andoxidative stress. This in turn impacts on both food and feed quality.Palatability, feed acceptance, intake and therefore animal healthand livestock performance are all compromised. Auto-oxidation ofthe lipid (fat and oil) components in feed impacts greatly on feedquality and in turn adversely affects nutritive value, colour, taste,aroma and texture. Moulds and mycotoxins: There is no practical way of ensuringcereal grains completely avoid and escape the activities of fungiand moulds. The spores, via which they disseminate, infect cerealplants in the field and harvested grain in store and are literallyeverywhere. Some of these fungi, and especially the Fusariumspecies causing panicle and ear blights and rots of growing maize,wheat and barley plants in the field, manufacture extremely toxicchemicals called mycotoxins. The same goes for certain species ofPenecillium and Aspergillus storage fungi and surface moulds. Theyinvade, colonise and grow on the grain in store, or finished feed inthe mill, especially if they are allowed to survive on grain debris inthe store or feed mix remaining in bins and machinery. Insects and mites: A large number of different insects attackstored grain, the majority of which are Coleoptera – beetles andweevils – or larvae of Lepidoptera (moths). Both moulds and insectsrespond positively as the temperature rises, as long as it does notexceed the threshold at which living cells are killed and enzymeproteins are denatured (lose their functional shape). Insectsgenerally operate more ‘comfortably’ at higher temperatures thando surface moulds and populations will increase rapidly in areas of

GRAIN STORAGE

Attention is always focussed on food grains butincreasing amounts of grain are now used

to feed livestock.


Sound structures remain at the root of successful grain storage. Image: Bentall Rowlands


the grain bulk where mould has taken hold. These are the so-called‘hot spots’ of the grain heap or bulk, registering highertemperatures and moist conditions generated by the precedingfungal activity of the surface mould. Some species of grain storageinsect may be brought into store on insufficiently cleaned grain, butmost hold over in stores on grain debris from the previous load.Pathogenic bacteria: Food and feed grain and finished feed iswell known as a potential source of pathogenic bacteriaincluding Salmonella, Campylobacter, Clostridia, E. coli andYersinia. For most pathogens the low moisture availability inwell-dried grain and formulated feed is a deterrent to activeinfection, but some bacteria like Salmonella and Clostridia areable to survive in very dry conditions. And they therefore poseconsiderable threat of infection to livestock, the grain store andfeed mill workers and eventually consumers of meat and eggsthat have may become infected.

In fact the Salmonella bacterium is often used as an indicatormicrobe for any potential pathogenic infection in food and feedgrain and finished feed, because it is able to survive ultra-dryconditions. If Salmonella is not present then it is reasonable toassume the consignment of food and feed grain or finished feed isfree from infection in general. Grain becomes at real risk of carryingactive populations of pathogenic bacteria when rodents and birdsare able to enter and live in the store and contaminate the grain bycontact and via urine, faeces, saliva and other body fluids.Interactions: Grain spoilage is physical and chemical in naturealthough the direct cause is biological and the consequence of thefeeding activity and growth of microbes (mould fungi and bacteria)now able to utilise the grain as a substrate because of its highmoisture content. At 25°C and a relative humidity of 70 per centthe equilibrium moisture contents for most types of grain fall intothe 130-140 g/kg range (13-14 per cent). Beyond these levelsgrain commodities begin to deteriorate due primarily to mouldactivity. And if relative humidity is raised by 20 per cent to 90 percent the equilibrium moisture level grain shoots up to around 180-200 g/kg, and mould growth ‘runs riot’ (see Table 1).

Preservation of feed grain and feedPreservation of cereal grain is a long-term continual processstarting in the field and not ending until high quality grain has beenaccepted and used. Failure to provide congenial growingconditions and crop care leads to sub-standard yields of poorquality grain.● Treat seed grains with fungicide seed dressing to protect against

seed-borne and soil-borne fungal pathogens that invade thegrowing plants and eventually infect and contaminate thepanicles and kernels.

● Carry out a well-timed and balanced irrigation schedule,fertiliser programme and schedule of fungicide spray applicationfor leaf and panicle disease control.

● Only harvest when grain moisture level allows and never harvestduring wet conditions

● Clean all harvested grain to remove the chaff and all debrisincluding stalks and leaves because specific insects and fungalpathogens can be carried into store on such extraneous cerealplant material

● Harvested crops should not be placed in store unless the grainmoisture level is below the established and accepted maximumfor that crop, and above which there is risk and danger ofsurface mould activity (see Table 1)

● If harvested grain has an excessive moisture level then reduceaccordingly by drying to the appropriate and acceptable levelbefore placing in store.

● Maintain temperature and humidity of the store at levels that willnot compromise grain moisture level

● If stored feed grain is especially susceptible to surface mouldsand mycotoxin generation, because it was insufficiently dried orstorage conditions are sub optimal, then treat the grain with amould inhibitor like propionic acid or one of its salts (eg, calciumpropionate). This will not only inhibit surface mould activity butshould give significant control of pathogenic bacteria likeSalmonella which may be present

● Maintain a sound exclusion and management programme forrodents and birds. Mice (Mus sp) are well known carriers ofSalmonella and various species of rat are established carriers ofYersinia. Birds carry and transmit E.coli.

● Carry out a constant integrated pest management programmefor storage insect pests like Sitophilus weevils and Triboliumbeetles using insect traps for pest monitoring

● Always carry out a thorough grain store cleaningprogramme and finish up with a terminal disinfection byfogging between each consignment of grain coming into andout of the same store. h

GRAIN STORAGE


Table 1. Equilibrium moisture levels (g/kg) for mainstream cereal grainsRelative Humidity (%)

Cereal grain Temperature ( C) 50 70 90Barley 25 108* 135* 195* Maize 25 112 140 196Sorghum 25 110 138 188Wheat 25 109 136 197

*Equilibrium moisture level of grain as g/kg and equivalent to per cent moisture level. Grain moistures that are in equilibrium with 70 per cent RH are shown in bold type. These arelevels beyond which most stored grain begins to show microbial spoilage and damage.


S08 AF May_June 2015 - Tractors_Layout 1 19/05/2015 14:40

THE POPULAR POWER output for newtractors sold in Africa is from 60 toabout 130hp, a power range thatcovers many of the specialist fruit and

vineyard models as well as the generalpurpose agricultural tractors.

This is also the power sector covered by theGlobal Series tractor range announcedrecently by Massey Ferguson. The new tractorsare based on a clean-sheet design aimed atmeeting the growing demand for a simpleworkhorse tractor for markets throughout theworld. Production will be at factories in China,Brazil and Turkey, which will be operated byMassey Ferguson and will meet the sameengineering standards as the existing MFfactories in Europe and the United States.

AGCO, the Massey Ferguson parentcompany, is investing US$350mn in theGlobal Series tractor project, and thecomplete range will be phased in over a five-year period starting last year when the 82hpMF4708 tractor was announced. The 4708tractor is designed mainly for Africa andproduction of additional Global Seriesmodels started earlier this year at a newMassey Ferguson factory in China.

The complete range will include semi-platform and full cab versions withmechanical gearbox type transmissions. Twoand four-wheel drive versions will beavailable and the power units will be from theexisting AGCO range with mechanicallyoperated controls.

A range designed for vineyardsAnother of the new arrivals in the under-100hp sector last year was the T3F seriesfrom New Holland, a range of tractorsdesigned for vineyards, fruit and intensive

vegetable and ornamental crop production.There are four models, all powered by three-cylinder FPT engines covering the 50 to 72hpsector. The tractors are compact, with the topmodels weighing only 2.2 tonnes with anoverall width of 1.35m, and the turningradius is only 3.4m to offer goodmanoeuvrability. The maximum lift capacity is2,277kg and the transmission options are a12F/12R gearbox or a 20F/20R versionincluding creeper gears. .

New Holland has one of the mostcomprehensive tractor ranges with the topmodel powered by a 669hp engine, but thegeneral purpose models at around 100hp

are in the T4 series tractors powered by a 3.4litre four-cylinder turbo engine made by FPT.There are five models with power outputsbetween 75 and 114hp, offered with a widechoice of 30 and 40kph transmission optionsand with 3,884kg lift capacity on the rearlinkage. A front linkage plus p-t-o is availableat extra cost with 1,670kg capacity.

In the popular power sector John Deereoffers the 6 series tractors with power outputsfrom 100 to 170hp and a big choice ofspecification levels and equipment options. Atthe top of the 6 series are the five 6M Utilitymodels powered by either four or six-cylinderengines from 105 to 170hp and availablewith four transmission choices and 30 or40kph road speeds. The options list includesJohn Deere’s front axle suspension system togive a smoother ride and improved stabilityover rough ground, and the top three models

Tractor power


TRACTORS

Four-wheel drive version of a new 4700 Global Series tractorworking on the AGCO demonstration farm in Zambia.

The 4708 tractor [fromMassey Ferguson] is

designed mainly for Africa.


A JCB Fastrac 3000 series tractor pulling atrain of sugar cane trailers in Malawi.

Mike Williams reports on some of the latest developments in tractors.


from 140hp upwards are also available in aspecial rowcrop version.

Also available in John Deere’s 6 series arethe 100 and 110hp 6B models providing asimple, no-frills specification with platformand cab options. There are three 6D seriesmodels with 4.5 litre turbocharged engineswhich are also intercooled on the top twomodels. Power outputs are 100, 110 and125hp, the gearbox has nine speedsforwards and in reverse and a dual-speed p-t-o is standard equipment.

Africa an important marketAfrican countries are an important market forArmaTrac tractors made by the Erkunt group inTurkey. ArmaTrac specialises in the small andmedium horsepower sector of the market anduses British-made Perkins engines plustransmissions from the ZF company inGermany and Carraro of Italy. Power outputsare in the 50 to 110hp range and thespecifications include two and four-wheel driveversions, cab and platform options and both12 and 16-speed transmissions are available.

The popular two-wheel drive ArmaTrac702 and the four-wheel drive 704 versionare powered by a 73hp engine linked to a12F/12R gearbox that provides a 37.7kphtop speed and the specification includes a2800kg maximum lift capacity on the rearlinkage.

The Landini tractor range includes highhorsepower models, but the smaller Rex and4 series tractors are a popular choice insome African countries because they aresuitable for orchard and vineyard work. Thecurrent Rex models, which feature a numberof detail improvements, cover the 68 to110hp sector using three and four-cylinderPerkins engines. The standard transmission isa mechanical gearbox with 15 speedsforwards and in reverse, and the lift capacityon the linkage is 2600kg, increasing to

3250kg for Rex GT models.Landini also offers the Landforce series

tractors designed for non-European markets.They have power outputs from 112 to 158hpand are available in platform and cabversions with transmission choices startingwith a 12F/12R gearbox and including a54F/18R version on some of the top models.Maximum capacity on the rear linkageranges from 4500 to 8400kg.

A speciality of Argo Tractors, the companythat makes the Landini, McCormick andValpadana ranges, is tractors with articulatedor pivot steering plus four-wheel drivethrough equal diameter front and rearwheels. Most models also feature a reversiblesteering position allowing the operator tocontrol the tractor while driving in reverse.The pivot steering system allows goodmanoeuvrability, which makes this type of

tractor suitable for working in vineyards andin confined spaces where vegetable andornamental crops are grown. The Landinitractors have engine power from 25 to 95hp,cab and platform versions are available andtop models have a 40kph top speed

Farmall revivedCase IH revived the Farmall name – one ofthe tractor industry’s most prestigious brandnames – when they introduced a new rangeof smaller utility models, and the currentFarmall tractors cover power outputs from 45to 140hp. The base models are the Farmall Aseries powered by four-cylinder Shibaura orFPT engines producing 45 to 75hp, and thetwo smaller models have 8F/8R gearboxes,with 8F/2R on the 65 and 75hp models. Twoand four-wheel drive versions are availableand lift capacities on the rear linkage arefrom 830 to 1340kg depending on the model.

The other Farmall models are all availablewith either a roll-over structure or a cab, andthey include the 100A series, a four-modelrange with power outputs from 110 to140hp. The five Farmall C series modelshave a higher specification including anoptional 24-speed gearbox transmission.

TRACTORS

A speciality of Argo Tractors istractors with articulated or

pivot steering plus four-wheeldrive through equal diameter

front and rear wheels.

The new T3F tractor range from NewHolland is expected to be a popular choice

for fruit farms and vineyards in Africa.


A 35hp Landini Rex tractor workingon a South African fruit farm.


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Plenty of choice from ClaasClaas offers plenty of choice in the popularpower range, including six models in theTalos range. All the Talos tractors arepowered by four-cylinder engines, includingtwo 100 series models with 47 and 55hprated power output, and the Talos 200series offers outputs from 71 to 95hp. Thestandard transmissions have 16 speedsforwards and reverse and a 30 kph topspeed for the 100 series tractors, increasingto 20F/20R gearboxes and a 40 kphmaximum for the 200 series. The 200 seriesspecification also has a 60 l/min hydraulicflow and 3100kg rear linkage lift capacitycompared with 36 l/min and 2200kg lift forthe 100 series. Cab and platform optionsare available and the specification includesa three-speed p-t-o.

The four Axos 300 series models fromClaas offer outputs from 74 to 100hp fromfour-cylinder Perkins engines, which are allturbocharged while the top two models alsohave intercooling. There is a choice oftransmission options with slow-speed creepergears available as an option. Cabs arestandard, but there is a choice of a standardversion plus a special low roof version forworking where height is restricted. Four-wheeldrive is standard with a 55 deg steering angle.

SAME Deutz-Fahr is one of the world’sleading manufacturers of tractors and farmmachinery, and African countries are animportant market with more than 30distributors selling the SAME and Deutz-Fahrbrands. The full range of tractors includespower outputs from 50 to 440hp, but thebiggest selling models in the African continentare the Explorer Special series under theSAME brand name and Deutz-Fahr’sAgrofarm C tractors. Both are designed asgeneral purpose tractors with a specificationthat includes two and four-wheel driveversions and 1000 series four-cylinder SDFengines with outputs from 75 to 100hp.

The SAME and Deutz-Fahr ranges alsoinclude special tractors which are a popularchoice for orchard, vineyard and plantationwork in African countries. The SAME modelsare the Frutteto3 Natural and the Deutz-Fahrspecial models in the Agroplus F Keylineseries. A full synchromesh transmission isstandard in all models, and power outputsare from 50 to 75hp using the SDF 1000series engines.

Recent successes from IndiaAlthough India is a relatively recent arrival inthe tractor industry, production hasexpanded rapidly and the Escorts Group is

one of the country’s leading manufacturers,exporting to 62 different countries, 26 ofthem in Africa. Recent successes include theIndian tractor industry’s biggest order,valued at US$40mn to supply tractors toTanzania, and 800 tractors have beendelivered to Nigeria.

Escorts builds 16 tractor models underfour brand names. The Escorts Economyrange covers the 25 to 35hp sector, thePowertrac tractors are described as theValue range and have outputs from 34 to55hp, the Farmtrac models from 35 to110hp are the Premium range and FerrariBy Farmtrac is a 26hp special tractor fororchards and vineyards. The recentlyannounced Farmtrac Heritage tractor,designed specifically to meet Africanfarming requirements, is said to be the mostfuel-efficient tractor in its class and is alsotough enough to stand up to haulage workon rural roads.

The JCB Fastrac tractors are notrepresented in the big-selling 60 to 130hpcategory, but they are designed as highoutput four-wheel drive tractors that canhandle a full range of field work but arealso designed for high speed haulage. The3000 series Fastracs, which cover thebiggest selling models in Africa, have an80kph top speed which is matched by thestopping power of a truck type ABS brakingsystem on both the front and rear wheels,and there is also a front and rearsuspension to provide increased stabilityand driver comfort when the tractor is usedfor transport work.

Most of the JCB Fastracs on African farmsare used for haulage, and particularly formoving bulky crop material such as sugarcane for processing, and at other times theycan earn their keep doing general field work.Fastrac 3000 series tractors have 7.4 litreAGCO engines with outputs from 195hpupwards, and the power is delivered througha 24-speed semi-powershift transmission. h

There are six Talos series modelswith power outputs below 100hp.

TRACTORS


Agritech Expo offered a fantastic opportunity for small-scale and commercialfarmers to network with each other and conduct business with some of theworld’s leading suppliers to the agricultural industry. Nawa Mutumweno reports.

ZAMBIA NATIONAL FARMERS’Union (ZNFU)’s vision foragriculture dovetails with that of thenation which is ‘’to be the

breadbasket of the region.’’ When the regionthinks of food, it should think of Zambia.

Being surrounded by eight countries, apotential market for agricultural produce,bodes well for Zambia which prides itself asthe only country in the region that is self-sufficient in wheat production. It is,therefore, important to strengthen suchcomparative advantage and make thecountry relevant in the region in as far asagriculture is concerned.

The Agritech Expo, now in its second year,was held at GART Centre in Chisamba,central Zambia, from 16-18 April 2015.

Like last year, the event attracted allmajor agricultural stakeholders from small-scale, emerging, large-scale farmers tocorporate farmers and agribusiness firms,industry stakeholders, VIPs and media. Itbuilt on last’s year’s successes, making it anevent that farmers and other agribusinessplayers will always look forward to. Morethan 11,700 visitors, 100 exhibitors, bothlocal and international and 150 membersof the press ‘descended’ on the premises.

‘’Agritech has blossomed into Zambia’sleading outdoor agricultural event and hasproven itself not only as a networkingplatform, but a unique and targeted businessone, where actual sales happen. Neverbefore have we had sales of over a millionUS dollars at an agricultural show. This onlygoes to show the huge business potentialassociated with the Agritech Expo,’’ ZNFUpresident, Dr Evelyn Nguleka enthused.

The event boasts of an exhibition space ofover 33,000 sq m in order to cater for anexpanded irrigation zone, an increasednumber of crop trials/demos, a new sprayerarena of 1,400 sq m, livestock sale arena,equipment display arena, VIP business arena,and the new Zambian agro SME village.

One significant feature of this year’s eventwas the extension from two to three days,highlighting the growing interest in the expoand the opportunities that abound thereof.

In her reflections of the event, Dr Nguleka

said it was heartening to host high-profilepersonalities at the expo such as PresidentLungu, Vice-President Inonge Wina, whoofficially opened the event, the Zambianand German agriculture ministers and manyother dignitaries and experts in the sector.

‘’The President’s visit was a verysignificant boost, as it gave the much-needed political buy-in, especially goingforward. It is gratifying to note that the Expohad support from farmers, agribusinessfirms and policy makers,’’ she said.

According to a statement issued after theevent, Dr Nguleka said the union willcontinue supporting programmes in theagricultural sector that aim at enhancingfood security and better yields.

‘’As the only business-to-businessplatform in the sector, Agritech Expo onceagain drew thousands of small-scalefarmers as well as owners of commercialenterprises, to engage and conductbusiness with some of the world’s leading

suppliers to the agricultural industry. Fromcrop trials and machinery demonstrations,the event serviced the needs of the entireagriculture-value chain in Zambia and itsneighbours,’’ she elaborated.

Access to latest technology informationThe expo offered a grand opportunity forfarmers to access the latest technologyinformation to improve their productioncapacity and to become more competitive.Local agriculture experts were also on handto advise farmers on financial issues specificto the agricultural sector.

The expo also offered a range of free,practical workshops to assist farmers in theuse of the latest technologies to improvetheir productive capacity and to becomemore competitive. Panel discussions andquestion and answer sessions focused onthe following industry topics:● Farm mechanisation development for

small, emergent and commercial farmers● Irrigation development for small,

medium and commercial farmers ● Financing the agri-industry● Commodity market development● Crop management and legume production● Livestock

2015 Agritech expo a resounding success


AGRITECH REVIEW

The event attracted all major agricultural stakeholders from small-scale, emerging, large-scale farmers to corporate farmers and agribusiness firms, industry stakeholders, VIPs and media.

Agritech has blossomed intoZambia’s leading outdoor

agricultural event.


S09 AF May_June 2015 - Agritech Report & VivAsia_Layout 1 19/05/2015 14:41

‘’The most discussed topic was access tothe right technologies and mechanisation,as well as access to finance. It tells us thatthese are the most immediate needs amongfarmers in Zambia,’’ Dr Nguleka explained.

One of the exhibitors at the event wasAFGRI, which offers a mechanisationsolution to farmers. The firm has sincepartnered with John Deere Financial,Zanaco Bank and ZNFU to put a co-operation agreement in place, wherebysmallholder farmers will be able to obtainfinance at very competitive interest rates,thus enhancing their farming operationsand financial well-being.

Bread basket of the region?‘’With mechanisation and proper farmingtechniques, the yields of cash crops such assoya beans and sunflower can be vastlyimproved. Zambia has the necessaryresources to become the bread basket ofthe region,’’ AFGRI executive countrymanager, Wayne Wild said.

BASF, a silver sponsor of the Agritech, isthe world’s leading chemical company withcustomers and production sites in morethan 170 countries worldwide. In Zambia,the company implemented the ‘LimaChuma’ (‘Cultivating Prosperity’) project toprovide smallholder farmers with the skills,technical know-how, and input which isneeded to enable the farmer to achievesignificantly higher yields. During the firstphase of the programme, over 25,000farmers were trained in Southern Provinceof Zambia with a target to reach more than100,000 smallholders in the next five years.

‘’Today, the average maize yield for thesmallholders here in Zambia is a little belowtwo tonnes/ha. We are convinced that withappropriate skills, technical know-how, andinput, yields of up to five tonnes/ha caneasily be achieved,’’ said Eike Hupe, areamanager, Southern Africa, BASF.

Cropserve Zambia Ltd managing director,Makarand Sorte, identified the majorchallenge affecting Zambian agriculture aslack of diversity in the sector with the majorityof farming and Government interventionsconcentrated on one crop – maize. Heargued that it is high time special attention ispaid to neglected crops in order to enhancethe viability of the sector.

Zanaco Bank challenged stakeholders topartner and help solve some of the mainchallenges besetting the sector whichencompass ‘’poor agronomic practices,leading to very low yields; no market linkagesfor smallholder farmers and lack ofGovernment intervention in marketing; poorinfrastructure in the rural areas – roads,electricity; lack of security (titled land) toenable farmers borrow; and lack of financing

for Capex and working capital purposes.’’Some of the financial institutions that are

supporting agriculture in Zambia thatexhibited at the expo are: FNB Zambia, whichhas a value chain financing that supports theentire farming business system, offeringfinancing at both the input and output level;Stanbic Bank, who are committed to thedevelopment of agriculture and to addingvalue to the farming business through a widerange of specialised products and services,including the support of the bank’sagricultural advisors and business managers;Barclays Bank, which accords theagricultural sector access to financing anddedicated team support to help growagribusinesses to the next levels; and ZanacoBank, which has a very elaborate agribusinessunit that is offering solutions to grow thesector, especially at smallholder level.

The banks understand that theagricultural industry is important toZambia’s economic sustainability andprovides farmers with access to the latestinformation, trends and studies about theindustry and offers innovative solutions thatcan contribute to effective and efficientfarming decision-making.

The international companies present atthe expo acknowledged that Zambia is a keymarket in sub-Saharan Africa due to theactive agriculture industry in the countrywhich is two-fold: a well-developedcommercial agricultural sector that relies onhigh technology equipment to improve theirbusiness efficiency and an emergingagricultural sector that is developing fast andis a key market for the latest technology andequipment to improve yields and profitability.

Investment neededZambia’s agricultural sector is beckoningfor investment, with the country’s vastarable land; abundant water supplies withabout 40 per cent of the regional (SADC)resource being in Zambia; favourableclimatic conditions; availability ofworkforce; central location in the regionwhich opens doors to export opportunities;

and a conducive investment environmentanchored on immense government support.

As Antois van der Westhuizen, head ofretail at John Deere Financial rightfullyobserved: ‘’The potential exists to makeZambia a food basket for the region. Thereare signs of excellence with the latesttechnology being employed andmechanisation being used as a method ofincreasing efficiency and yield. Financingsolutions should be flexible and made to fitthe needs of the farmers while stillmaintaining proper risk managementprincipals. In order to accomplish this weneed to break away from traditional lendingproducts and be more innovative.’’

Indeed AgritechExpo is Zambia’s onlyagricultural trade expo that showcasesworld-class farming technologies,agribusiness innovations and a business-to-business network and transactions platformdesigned to inspire the future of thecountry’s agriculture. Its key partnersinclude the Golden Valley AgriculturalResearch Trust (GART), an autonomous andself-sustaining public-private partnership;Musika, a Zambian non-profit companythat works to stimulate private sectorinvestment in the smallholder market; andUnited States Agency for InternationalDevelopment (USAID)’s Southern AfricaTrade Hub, a five-year US government-funded programme designed to increaseinternational competitiveness, intra-regionaltrade and food security in southern Africa.

It is organised by ZNFU, the apex farmersassociation in Zambia, promoting theinterest of more than 600,000 farmersthrough Spintelligent, a South-African-based specialist provider of face-to-facebusiness platforms, integrated digital mediaand industry publications for the emergingmarkets of sub-Saharan Africa.

According to Dr Nguleka, “the next eventis planned to be even better. A number ofnew surprises are lined up but they will becommunicated as the event nears.” Thedates for the next Agritech Expo are 14-16April 2016 at the same venue.” h

AGRITECH REVIEW

From crop trials and machinery demonstrations, the event serviced the needs of the entire agriculture-value chain in Zambia and its neighbours,.


S09 AF May_June 2015 - Agritech Report & VivAsia_Layout 1 19/05/2015 14:41

Devised for industrialised farms, precision agriculture now has the potentialto increase the yields of smallholder farmers.

PRECISION AGRICULTURE IS closely associated withtechnology and its application to large-scale farms indeveloped countries. GPS-equipped sensors on tractors, forexample, enable farmers to measure and respond to soil

variability across vast tracts of land, and dispense the right amountsof fertiliser and water exactly where it's needed.

For many years, this was widely seen as irrelevant to small-scalefarmers in developing countries. How much variability can there beon a two hectare plot? And how could poor farmers afford thetechnology? But there's a growing body of research now to supportthe idea that small-scale farmers can benefit from precisionagriculture. One of the reasons for this is greater awareness of howmuch variability can exist in even the tiniest plot of land.

Raj Khosla, professor of precision agriculture at Colorado StateUniversity, confirmed this in a 2012 study of how the nitrogen in thesoil of seven farms in China ranging from 1.5 to seven hectares insize correlated with wheat yields.

"We saw the same scale of variability that I would see here inColorado," he said. "There was variability of 1.5 tonnes of wheatper hectare to five tonnes, with strong spatial correlation. Whereyields were higher, plants were removing more nutrients. We'veseen variability on less than a third of a hectare of land."

About 500mn small-scale farms provide more than 80 per cent ofthe food consumed in large parts of the developing world, and thesefarmers and their families also make up most of the world'sundernourished people. If precision agriculture is relevant to smallfarms, the next question is how to transfer it to that context.

The technology which has driven precision agriculture in theglobal north is becoming more widely accessible. For example, anew handheld device known as the GreenSeeker, developed byTrimble, can be used to measure the health and nitrogen status ofplants, enabling farmers to make more precise assessments offertiliser requirements.

"The GreenSeeker is based on the relationship between the lightreflectance in the red and near infrared spectrum of a plant, andthe nitrogen status of that plant," said Bruno Gérard, director of theGlobal Conservation Agriculture Program at the InternationalMaize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT).

"It is now used by extension services in the Yaqui valley in Mexicoto recommend nitrogen application on wheat. In other parts of theworld such as Ethiopia and South Asia, CIMMYT scientists are alsoevaluating the use of GreenSeeker. Better use of nitrogen fertilisernot only increases profitability but also reduces groundwaterpollution."

The GreenSeeker costs about US$500, making it relativelyaffordable though still expensive for many small-scale farmers.Khosla suggested enterprising farmers may find ways round thisonce they see the potential benefits.

Precision levellingIn Uttar Pradesh, India, Tata Chemicals carried out a trial with afarmer on his two-acre plot to see how precision levelling improvedhis spring wheat yields under flood irrigation. Traditionally, farmersin that region use a wooden plank hooked to an ox to level fields,an imperfect technique that leaves water unevenly distributed.

"A small precision leveller tractor with GPS was used to level halfof the land," said Khosla. "The traditionally levelled field yielded800kg, while the precision levelled field produced 2.25 tonnes,almost 300 per cent more. That farmer then applied for amicrofinance loan to buy his own precision leveller, and is charginga fee to neighbouring farms to level them."

Micro dosing can increase yieldsAt the same time, precision agriculture does not necessarily dependon technology. For the past decade, the International Crops ResearchInstitute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has been promotingmicro-dosing of fertiliser to resource-poor farmers in sub-SaharanAfrica. This means using only eight to ten kg of nitrogen per hectare,

From agribusiness to subsistence:high-tech tools available for all


PRECISION AGRICULTURE

Sorghum and millets can benefit from a precision-farming technique calledmicrodosing, where small, affordable quantities of fertilizer are applied with the seedat planting time. Image: ICRISAT.

Small-scale farmers can benefit from precision agriculture.


S10 AF May_June 2015 - Precision Agriculture_Layout 1 19/05/2015 14:42

approximately a fifth of the recommended application rates, butapplying it precisely to the roots three to four weeks after planting.

There is no technology involved. In Niger, farmers commonly useCoca-Cola bottle caps to measure the dose. But the precisionmeans farmers get good results, even using much less than therecommended amount.

"The basis for the micro-dosing rate was that resource-poorfarmers are likely to adopt lower rates because they are moreaffordable," said Kizito Mazvimavi, head of ICRISAT's impactassessment office. "Although higher rates are known to give higheryields, the marginal returns to investment when using lower fertiliserrates are much better."

In Zimbabwe, ICRISAT has recorded yield increases of 30-50 percent among farmers adopting the technique. With evidence thatprecision agriculture techniques can work, the challenge is creatingappropriate enabling environments to encourage take-up.

In a low-tech setting this may depend on knowledge transfer,which ICRISAT has done by training extension workers and NGOs,and by providing factsheets to farmers. ICRISAT has also persuadedthe Zimbabwe Fertiliser Company to supply products in smaller10kg formats. Other support mechanisms, such as microfinanceservices, might also encourage more farmers to invest in low ormedium-cost technologies.

It may seem a big leap from precision agriculture's roots inlarge-scale, highly-resourced farms to the opposite end of thespectrum, but researchers and development actors increasinglyrecognise that the ideas are highly transferable.

"We've already proven that it is scale-independent," said Khosla."So it's about replicating the same principles: using the right inputs,the right timing, in the right amount, and employing techniques andhuman labour together to make that happen in small-scaleenvironments." h

PRECISION AGRICULTURE

Trimble GreenSeeker RT200 Nitrogen Application System.

The basis for the micro-dosing rate was thatresource-poor farmers are likely to adopt lower

rates because they are more affordable.


S10 AF May_June 2015 - Precision Agriculture_Layout 1 19/05/2015 14:42

Technology for farming used to imply harvesting and production machinery;telecommunications was barely mentioned. Today, however, ways are beingfound to unite the strengths of cellular but satellite and fixed communicationsto the benefit of farming across Africa. Vaughan O’Grady reports.

IN 1995 MOST people in Africa did notown a phone or possibly even haveaccess to one. Twenty years laterpenetration of mobile communications

across the entire continent is estimated atwell over 60 per cent (individual countriescan be much higher) and rising. Meanwhilebroadband Internet has reached a numberof countries thanks to undersea cables. Andsatellite communication, possibly thanks toall this competition, is more affordable andreliable than ever before.

Not only is access to electroniccommunications becoming wider andcheaper but it can clearly boost farmingefficiency. The most obvious example is thebasic phone call. A farmer can find out inadvance if a customer needs a crop or(slaughtered or live) animal. There’s noneed to risk oversupply and waste or tospend money on an unnecessary journey.

But if that sounds good, how aboutcomprehensive data on weather patterns,soil and vegetation health collected bysatellite and sent to your phone? ThisNASA-inspired project could allow farmersand food distributors to determine quicklywhich regions will have crop surpluses theycan purchase to sell at central markets.When distributors can buy excess food, it issuggested, it can encourage farmers to growmore in good years, knowing there is a market.

Linking satellite and cellular Bringing satellite and cellular together forfarmers is a particularly promisingapproach. Certainly rural and remotecommunications are now being targeted bynew technology such as much smaller radioaccess nodes (that is, cellular base stationsor ‘small cells’) supported by satellite totransport (or ‘backhaul’) signals across vastdistances. Indeed the industry organisationknown as Small Cell Forum recentlydevoted a series of study papers to the driveto bring cellular communications to ruraland remote areas.

Clearly the importance of satellite, evenas other forms of communication take holdin Africa, should not be underestimated. Ascollaborative Information andCommunication Technologies (ICT) groupthe Commonwealth TelecommunicationsOrganisation puts it in a recent report (TheSocio-Economic Impact of Broadband insub-Saharan Africa: The SatelliteAdvantage): “Unlike submarine cables orterrestrial fibre optic networks, satellitebandwidth can be delivered to any locationin Africa. Every square inch of the continentis covered with satellite bandwidth.”

Costs coming downIn addition more satellites are beinglaunched and new capacity is becomingavailable, bringing down costs. Allied withcheaper and more widely available cellularcommunications, this is already having amajor effect on African businesses —including agricultural businesses.

One interesting development, about to golive across Africa, comes from satellitecommunications giant Globalstar. At therecent Global Forum for Innovations inAgriculture in Abu Dhabi, it demonstratedthe fruits of its collaboration with aNorwegian company, a joint venture calledFindMyAnimal, involving satellite tracking

using specially designed animal collars.These collars are already being used to trackmore than 12,000 valuable sheep and cattlein Norway, and to monitor cattle in Brazil andendangered species in North Africa.

FindMyAnimal’s collar connects withGlobalstar’s satellite network to helpfarmers find animals that are close to theedge of a designated area or haveescaped. The reason that this is news rightnow is that Globalstar’s recent launch of asatellite gateway in Gaborone dramaticallyincreases the company’s coverage acrosssub-Saharan Africa and, by extension, theopportunities for the system.

Corry Brennan, Globalstar’s simplexregional sales manager for EMEA, explainsthe origins of the service. “In the north ofNorway the grazing of the sheep is nottraditional: no paddock, field or fencedfield,” he explains. “They’re literally let outonto the mountains. Knowing where theyare becomes paramount in terms of trying tomanage the herd.” Hence the servicefounded by Halvor Mjoen, who comes froma farming family and has an interest in ITservices. In Norway it’s called FindMySheep.

Brennan explains: “When the collars arebeing configured, you can use GPS co-ordinates to create a square or rectangularfour-sided notional fence.” This is geo-

Herding in space!


ICT

Animal tracking device From FindMySheep uses Globalstar's chipset. Image: M2M News Daily.

Clearly the importance ofsatellite should

not be underestimated.


S11 AF May_June 2015 - Mobile Comms_Layout 1 19/05/2015 14:43

fencing — or “building a fence without theneed to build a physical fence,” as he puts it.

The collar signals the animal’s positionat pre-set intervals. However, if the animalescapes past the virtual fence you can ‘ask’the collar to send out alerts with new GPSco-ordinates every few minutes until theanimal is found.

Globalstar is integral to the systembecause the chipset that’s embedded inthe collar “sends a signal skywards to oneof our 32 operational satellites. Thatsignal will bounce off the satellite and bereturned to an earth station — a gateway— and then delivered out via our privatenetwork and on to the farmer’s server.”

The signal can be delivered through anormal laptop or computer interface orelse by an app available on asmartphone, depending on whether afarm has access to fixed or only tocellular. This can show individualinformation, maps or views of the herd.

Alternatively, a farmer can just ask for textmessage alerts. “The package is tailored tosuit the farmer’s needs,” Brennan explains.“For large industrial-type farms you wouldobviously have somebody whose full-timeposition may be to monitor the herd virtually.A smaller farmer would probably usesmartphone app access. The business modelworks to scale,” he adds. “Halvor can offer itto the guy with 200 head of sheep as well asthe guy who’s got 5,000 head.”

But that’s not all. Over time, theFindMyAnimal system can also provide

useful information based on tracking andanalysis of patterns of where the animals thatproduced the best quality meat were grazing.The result could be invaluable informationand insight that can be used to determine thebest grazing areas for future seasons.

And in the next few months we mayhear of it more often as Globalstar’sservice extends to the whole of Africa and

the company extends licensing for thistechnology in the region. But the provingground exists in Norway — with 12,000units to date — and the need and theconcept should easily translate to Africa.As Brennan puts it: “With this particularanimal tracking product you’re talkingabout large swathes of unfenced land.Africa is a model for that.” h

ICT

Over time, the FindMyAnimal system can provide useful information based on tracking and analysis of patterns of wherethe animals that produced the best quality meat were grazing.

The package is tailored tosuit the farmer’s needs.


Useful links:agra-alliance.orgartes.esa.int/news/satellites-improving-lives-rural-africaeu.globalstar.com/en/index.php?refer=International_Africaict4ag.org/en/scf.io/en/by_use_case/Rural__Remote.phpwww.cto.intwww.findmysheep.com/enwww.innovationsinagriculture.comwww.itnewsafrica.com/2013/11/top-10-mobile-agriculture-applications/www.nasa.gov/content/goddard/to-bring-satellite-data-to-african-agriculture/#. VPBLSym99UQwww.smallcellforum.org

HIGH-LEVEL PRESENTATIONS AT eLearning Africa, Africa’s leadingconference on technology for development and education, will focus onthe role ICTs are playing in transforming the continent’s rural economiesby improving access to information and training. More than 70 per cent of African workers are employed in farmingand the role ICTs can play in boosting agricultural growth has beenidentified by the African Union as a key factor in making a reality ofits 2063 Vision of a “transformed continent.” The subject has been described as “critical” by African political leadersand will be one of the matters under discussion at a roundtable meetingfor education and technology ministers at the conference.eLearning Africa will provide a showcase of a series of presentations aboutnew training-based solutions to some of the most enduring challengesfacing Africa’s farming and rural communities. Presenters include:● Willis Ndeda Ochilo of CABI, a leading agricultural entomologist,

who will explain how CABI’s ‘Plantwise’ initiative, which organisesweekly plant clinics supported by an online database with access tointernational expertise, is helping to improve the productivity ofagricultural crops.

● Ghanaian Albert Yeboah Obeng of Foresight Generation Club,

who will discuss the contribution new initiatives, such as onlinefarmer association meetings and agricultural e-commerce, canmake not only to economic growth but to more environmentallysensitive farming practices and the development of resilience to theeffects of climate change.

● Creesen Naicker of the MRP Foundation (a part of the GlobalLiteracy Project), who will demonstrate the free, tablet-based learningplatforms his organisation has been providing to disadvantaged ruralpopulations in parts of South Africa, such as Kwa Zulu Natal.

● Nathan Castillo of the University of Pennsylvania will show theeffect on struggling learners in rural areas of South Africa ofproviding culturally contextualised, high-quality digital content inlocal languages through the ‘Bridges to the Future Initiative.’

“If proven successful,” says Castillo, “the programme will be scaled upto other low performing provinces and then throughout the entirecountry as a means of improving the quality of early literacy learningthat takes place in the most marginalised environments.”

eLearning Africa, 10th International Conference on ICT forDevelopment, Education and Training is being held 20-22 May in theAfrican Union Headquarters, Addis Ababa.

Focus on ICT for education in rural Africa


FRAME IS ONE of Europe’s largest manufacturers of corrugatedsteel storage silos. The FP flat bottom range of silos is now availablewith models from 3.64 up to 32.0 metres diameter and capacitiesfrom 50 to up to 20,000 tonnes. The FC range of 45° hopperbottom silos are manufactured with diameters up to 12.73 metres.All silos can be manufactured to ASAE, DIN and Eurocodestandards, depending on the client’s specific requirements.Standard sidewall & roof sheet galvanising is 450 g/sq m, which isheavier than many other manufacturers, with the option of 600 g/sqm now available at a slightly higher price.Frame’s in-house, computer based quotation and design facilitiesenable the company to respond very promptly to meet client’sspecific requirements. With its ISO 9001:2008 and 3834-2 Quality ManagementCertification recently issued and it’s highly efficient automatedmanufacturing facilities, Frame is able to supply either a single siloor a complete storage facility at competitive prices & within realisticlead times.A full range of accessories, including aeration and temperaturesensing systems together with catwalks, access ladders andplatforms as well as sweep augers are produced in the modernFrame manufacturing facilities in Italy.The Frame range of silos is suited to both the agricultural andcommercial markets, and silos have recently been supplied to anumber of countries in Africa, including Uganda, Rwanda,Tanzania, Nigeria, Burundi, Cameroon and Senegal.

Corrugated steel storage silos from Frame


Hand pumps are vital tools in rural communities, but their use is poorly regulatedin most African countries.

OF THE 35 sub-Saharan Africancountries, 20 do not haveformal pump standardisationpolicies. Handpumps -

human-powered pumps, including pedal-powered pumps - are a particular point ofconcern. More than 180mn people out ofthe 930mn in sub-Saharan Africa dependon handpumps for water, with around onemillion handpumps installed and 60,000more being added to that figure annually.

Zambia's loose recommendations andpossibly unexamined preference for acertain model of pump exemplifies one ofthe downsides of informal handpumpstandardisation. Standardising a region'spumps can improve the supply of spareparts and the availability of people whoknow how to fix and operate the machine.A good policy can also dictate the bestmodel of pump for different regionalconditions.

“Based on many of the reports andevaluations I’ve read, I think it would behelpful to have more structure to the wild,wild west of rural water-point installation,”said Susan Davis, who heads theinternational water and sanitationconsultation firm Improve International. MsDavis added that, in many countries,“organisations operate independently ofeach other and the government, and areignorant of contextual settings", and that 40per cent of organisations surveyed by theRural Water Supply Network for its 2015report on pump standardisation wereignorant of the need for standards.

Standards for technologiesJess MacArthur, a water sanitation andhygiene technical advisor for iDE, arguesthat countries that rely heavily onhandpumps should consider adopting apolicy of standardisation. That said, strictrules can stifle innovation, and anycountry-wide policy should account fornew technology that improves on what wehave today.

One way to create a policy that allowsfor invention is to charge the governmentwith endorsing pump models. If the tacticworks smoothly, proven designs will

proliferate and new designs can go up fortesting with the potential for endorsement.Another viable route, according to MsDavis is to persuade governments to"encourage organisations who facilitatesustained basic or above water servicelevels to continue or scale up work in theircountry", and to have governments askorganisations who cannot demonstrate thisability to cease operations. She noted, "Thiswould allow more flexibility and innovationin technology, approaches to installationand service delivery, financing, etc.”

So, engineers should work with policymakers to examine the research, conducttests and identify the right pumps to use.Support for such an approach is available.For example, the Technology ApplicabilityFramework (TAF) is a tool that can helpevaluate the suitability of existing pumpsand new designs proposed forendorsement. TAF provides a neutralapproach for investigation of water,sanitation, and hygiene (WASH)technological innovation through anobjective examination of criteria in anumber of key dimensions:● Technology performance.● Market potential and scalability.● Institutional support.

● Innovation and planning.● Sustainability of service provision.● Potential and process uptake of new

technologies.

TAF comprises a screening assessment thatdoes an initial assessment of the need for thattechnology in the context in which it is goingto be applied and identify any show-stoppers.Those that pass this then undergo a morethorough assessment that uses 18 scoringsheets based on these six sustainabilityindicators for three distinct perspectives: theuser, the producer/implementer, and theregulator/investor.

Making it workDavis advised that there is one more issueto consider in the push for standardisation.While technology guidelines that are basedon performance, not on someone's opinionor a good marketing campaign, arehelpful, installing the pump is not the end ofthe story.

“There is so much more to lastingservices than the handpump, and much ofit has to do with what happens after thepump is installed,” Davis said.

Types of handpump and utilisation differmarkedly. Handpumps are frequently

Technology for handling water


PUMPS

Hand water pump. Image: Scleroid.



PUMPS


installed on hand-dug wells and boreholesin rural areas. Most pumps are positivedisplacement pumps and havereciprocating pistons or plungers.Household pumps are typically low-costlifting devices on shallow dug wells offeringsufficient and sustainable sources for smallcommunities or single households. Villagepumps cater to small communities of up toabout 1,000 inhabitants, and take the formof constructed, hand-dug wells, and tendto be equipped with simple but reliableand low-maintenance direct-actionhandpumps.

Most handpumps are reciprocatingpumps, whereby water is lifted by a piston

that is raised and lowered inside a cylinderthat has a footvalve. The piston is moved bya rod connected directly to a T-handle or alever handle - and some pump types featurea flywheel with a crankshaft to create thereciprocating movement of the piston.Reciprocating handpump types includesuction pumps, direct action pumps, andlever action pumps.

Other handpump types include rotaryhandpumps and diaphragm pumps.

Some reciprocating pumps use acircular action mechanism to drive thepistons. Arguably, they should becategorised as rotary, but are not. Themost commonly used rotary handpumps

are the rope pump and the progressivecavity pump. However, the progressivecavity pump is difficult to maintain.

Another type of pump is the diaphragmpump, which features a flexible diaphragm,which is expanded and contracted todisplace water. Diaphragm pumps are easyto install, because there are no heavymechanical parts. They tend to becorrosion-resistant because they haveplastic hoses rather than metallic risingmains. However, diaphragm pumps needhigh-quality rubber diaphragms, which areexpensive, and they are relatively inefficientbecause of the energy needed to expandthe diaphragm on every stroke. h

THE AFRICA SUGAR Outlook Conference,held in April in Nairobi, has confirmed itself asthe largest annual sugar industry gathering inAfrica. Co-hosted by the Kenya SugarDirectorate, it welcomed hundreds ofparticipants and key speakers, includinggovernment representatives, internationalexperts, senior decision makers and industryleaders from Africa, the Middle East, Europe,Brazil, and Australia. The event explored futureopportunities for the African sugar market,discussed new trade and financing strategies,and shared best practices and latestinnovations in sugar production.

As the originator of sugar cane harvestingtechnology and a world leader in sugar caneharvesting solutions, Case IH confirmed itselfas Gold Sponsor of the event for the fifth yearin a row. The company, in collaboration withits distributor in East Africa, Toyota TUSHO,displayed four units outside the mainconference hall.

Patrice Loiseleur, Case IH internationalagriculture projects and corporate farmingmanager, took part in the conferenceproceedings with a presentation of the fullCase offering for sugar cane production. The

focus was on the multipurpose Puma CVTSeries tractors, which are the ideal solutionfor cultivation and road haulage, and on thekey advantages of Case IH Austoft 8000Series of sugar cane harvesters. Loiseleuralso highlighted the importance of the firstclass and dedicated service support offeredto customers by Case IH and its network.

At the end of the three day conference, thecompany organised a special “side event”for the representatives of corporatecustomers and large agro-industrial farmsoperating in the sugar cane and bio-ethanolsectors in Africa and the Middle East.

Drawing on over 50 years of experiencein this sector, the company offers the mostadvanced and reliable sugar cane harvestersavailable in the market, the Austoft 8000Series. These machines are the industry’shighest capacity sugar cane harvesters andideally suited for the most demandingproductivity and performance needs. Inaddition, the company offers the Austoft4000 Series, specifically designed for smallup to medium sized landholdings or bigplantations with reduced row spacing.

The Case IH offering was complemented

by a full range of equipment for sugar caneoperations, including the renowned Steiger,Magnum and Puma Series of highhorsepower tractors, self-propelled sprayers,tillage and seeding complexes, balers andother attachments, and a line-up of precisionfarming solutions.

Green Fuel is a long-standing Case IHcustomer and operates the first large-scaleethanol producing factory in Africa. Based inZimbabwe, it produces anhydrous ethanolfrom sugarcane to supply the country andbeyond with a clean, efficient, and renewablefuel source.

“At Green Fuel, we invest in the latesttechnologies to ensure that sustainablepractices are used in the cultivation of sugarcane and associated products such as ethanoland electricity generation,” said ConradRautenbach, general manager of Green Fuel.

To harvest and transport about 4,000 tonsof sugarcane per day, the company relies onCase IH. Green Fuel’s fleet encompasses tenAustoft 8000 sugar harvesters, 20 Magnum310 tractors, four Puma 140 tractors and 20JX95 tractors. “We use the Magnum tractorsduring harvesting operations and forscraping in land development while the Pumatractors are the ideal equipment infertilisation and cultivation activities,” addedRautenbach. The JX tractors are used fortransport and other general farm operations.

“With these machines, we have preparedabout 10,000 ha of new land and harvestover a million tons of sugar cane a year,”further highlighted Rautenbach.

Having a full range of specific equipment forsugar cane production was a key decisionfactor in choosing Case IH for Green Fuel, aswell as the availability of a wide productoffering, precision farming solutions and strongafter-sales support. “What we appreciate themost is the quality and reliability of Case IHunits, even in the harsh African environment inwhich we operate," concluded Rautenbach.

Case IH offers solutions for the sugar cane industry

With a single Case IH sugar harvester, Green Fuel are able tocut approximately 1,000 tons per day of green cane.


EQUIPMENT

SPAREX, A GLOBAL wholesaler of spare parts and accessories for tractorsand agricultural machinery, is celebrating 50 years of successful business. Sparex has recently invested in quality control management, warehousingand upgraded logistical capabilities in the UK, France and Germany. ATechnical Centre of excellence has been built in the UK ensuring that bothnew product development and quality management remain at the heart ofSparex. Significant investments have also been made in the e-commercecapabilities. Sparex operates 23 ecommerce websites around the worldgiving customers access to thousands of parts at the touch of a button, lateststock and pricing information, and a fast and easy way to order online.The company is now a multinational business with a turnover of US$130mnproviding spare parts for agricultural machinery in over 100 countries. Butwhat is making Sparex so successful? Jeremy Burgess, managing director ofSparex said, “It’s a combination of experience and expertise.” There are500 Sparex employees in the world, 130 of them being sales and technicalspecialists. “I think the main reason why Sparex is so successful, is ourglobal thinking,” added Burgess. “Unlike some of our competitors, wecover not only local areas, but the whole world, starting in the UK, andreaching out as far as Africa, the Middle East and even the Far East. Whencustomers who are further away order a particular part, Sparex distributionpartners are the key to the great success of the company. They know exactlywhat the farmers in their country need.”“Sparex South Africa now has a warehouse of 2,100 sq m in Durban andanother warehouse in Stellenbosch, we have grown our staff to 25 andhave steadily grown the business to be a major player in the agriculturaltractor spares business in South Africa and beyond into Africa. We prideourselves on quality product and staff to back this up,” said Neil Larter,managing director of Sparex South Africa.

THE NEW BASESTATION3from Valmont Irrigation issaid to be the mostinnovative irrigationmanagement product onthe market, pushingmonitoring and controltechnology to the next level.The English version ofBaseStation3 is now available around the world, and additionallanguages will be introduced throughout the year.With BaseStation3, growers can manage their irrigation equipment from acomputer, laptop, tablet or smartphone – using native iOS (iPhone, iPad)or Android apps – for total control of their operations. They can try the appby downloading it from their app store and clicking on the demo button.Growers can choose an internet-connected or stand-alone installation,and select a communication link using data radio, Internet Protocol or acombination of technologies – a choice no one else offers. AnotherBaseStation3 exclusive is that a typical installation does not require anyrecurring fees. BaseStation3 allows for multiple, simultaneous users and provides tieredlevels of access and security. Farm managers can designate who canaccess or control each piece of equipment, from centre pivots andlinears to pumps and generator sets.BaseStation3 is intuitive and easy to use. It provides instant at-a-glancestatus updates and quick notifications if a field approaches cautionarystatus range for soil moisture. It also enables informed irrigation decisionsbased on the amount of moisture in the crop root zones.

Valmont’s BaseStation3, seen here on a smartphone.

[email protected] www.evonik.com/animal-nutrition

Global availability – Reliable supply Secure supply and world-class logistics only make sense if you can also count on competent professionals with expertise in animal nutrition, analytics and product handling. It all comes together in MetAMINO®. Evonik – Simply Efficient™

Celebrating 50 years of Sparex Valmont’s BaseStation3 provides total farm control


S12 AF May_June 2015 - Equipment_Layout 1 19/05/2015 14:48

Ruth Kinoti, general manager, Shalem Investments, was the winner of the EMRC-Rabobank ProjectIncubator Award (PIA) 2015. She talks to EMRC about how participating in the process has impactedher and her business.

SHALEM INVESTMENTS FROMKenya is currently working with over9,000 small scale sorghumproducers in Kenya to gain access

to markets and increase their collectiveproduction. The company has bought grainfrom 7,200 farmers so far in 2015, with a totaltonnage this year of over 5,000 metric tons.

Why did you decide to join the AgriBusinessForum 2015 and apply for the EMRC-Rabobank Project Incubator Award?I felt it was a relevant opportunity for me bothon a personal and on a business level. WhenI read over the conditions to apply for theProject Incubator Award I realised that I metall the criteria, and importantly the mostsignificant criteria: adding value to farmers.

I joined the AgriBusiness Forum forseveral key reasons:● To learn what I thought I would be able to

achieve not only from the speakers but fromthe other participants, benefiting from theirexperiences as farmers and investors.

● Evaluating my own business. By meetingothers and speaking about my business Icould see how people reacted to it andwould be able to get feedback.

● Sharing know-how and experience.Sharing for me is an essential componentto make sure your business grows. Wework in a sector with so many people.We all need to understand what othersare doing and how they are themselvesachieving their own success. Through thiswe can get many insights and lessons.

● Understanding financiers. I went becauseI knew there would be many financiersand I could listen to them, understandtheir perspective and get ideas from them.

You received a US$10,000 cash prize as thePIA winner. What will you do with themoney? How do you think it can transformyour company?Well, the money will go to the mostessential need – providing finance to thefarmers I work with.

From the money I received I will give500,000 (US$7,000) Kenyan Shillings assmall credit guarantee to a loans bank,which will enable the farmers I work with to

access loans for their inputs. With thismoney they will be able to buy from inputsuppliers the necessary products, such asfertilisers, to farm appropriately.

This will be a pilot system which I hopesucceeds so we can then roll it out further.

The rest of the money will allow me to fillsmall gaps in my actual business, such asbuying some weighing scales or acomputer, which will help me significantlyon a daily level.

You spent three days attending theAgriBusiness Forum 2015 in Kinshasa.What did you gain in participating inthis EMRC forum, and how important issuch a networking event for the likesof business people such as yourself? The interaction I had was wonderful andreally lifted my spirits and boosted me inways that I never thought could be possible.

I realised that, by being present andspeaking openly about what I do, I couldgauge the reaction of other participantsand partners and sponsors concerning mybusiness. And through this I realised thatwhat I am doing back home in Kenya isimportant. I received recognition for mywork. I felt boosted like I have rarely feltbefore, which I think as a business person,is the most important component to pushyour business to the next level.

My time in Kinshasa made me realisethat the work I am doing is important, thatpeople care and understand my vision,which I have worked so hard to achieveback home in Kenya. This, for me, is hugein terms of confidence boosting and willallow me to fight even more to grow mybusiness and help the farmers I work with.

As a Kenyan woman representing smallscale farmers, what is still required atthe local, national and regional level inorder to develop your business? Well there is a lot to say about thesedifferent issues, but in short I believe that:● At the local level I think it is so important

to focus on capacity building. Farmersneed to be given the skills to develop sothat they can really achieve somethingwith their farms.

● At the national level I would like to see moredone to increase access to inputs, to seefairer and affordable prices at the marketlevel and also to increase access to marketsfor small farmers. This is something that thegovernment can change by introducing theright policies and creating stableprogrammes within the country that cantransform these key policy areas.

● At the regional level, I think what is neededis interaction which will give farmers accessto wider markets. We must understand whatneighbouring countries are doing in thesame sector as ours and vice-versa. Weneed to increase the value addition offarmers, and to do this farmers need to beable to sell their produce to more markets.

Winning the PIA will most probablyimpact your business for the comingyears. What encouragement and words ofadvice would you give to those thinkingof applying for the next EMRC-RabobankProject Incubator Award?I would definitely recommend this. It doesso much for you both on a personal and abusiness level.

I would tell everyone who is working inagriculture and is having an impact in theircommunity that this is a perfect way to getto know your own business better, to beamongst your peers and to gain exposureand, most importantly, feedback. And ofcourse, you meet potential investors. Thereis a perfect mix of people at the forum,especially for someone who has a vision fortheir business.

This award will be a massive turning pointfor me both personally and professionally. Ican’t thank Rabobank Foundation enough,and of course the entire EMRC Team. h

Shalem Investmentswins PIA 2015


INTERVIEW

Ruth Kinoti, general managerof Shalem Investments.




VIV Asia 2015 registers high visitor and exhibitor ratings.

ASIA’S LEADING INTERNATIONALfeed-to-meat exhibition VIV Asiawitnessed leaders in the agriculture,livestock and fisheries industries

participate in the three-day show held at theBangkok International Trade ExhibitionCentre (BITEC) from 11-13 March 2015.

Show manager Ruwan Berculo said: “VIVAsia 2015 has exceeded our expectations.We wanted it to be a show that was relevantto everyone in Asia and also to the milk,aquaculture, meat and egg businesses aswell as its established theme of feed tomeat. This was most definitely achieved,and at the same time the show has beenbigger again."

According to Berculo, visitors rated theshow 8 out of 10, while exhibitors gave it8.5 out of 10.

Official show statistics said that therewere more than 38,000 visitors at BITEC forthe three-day show. There were more than800 exhibitors from 120 countries spreadacross seven halls. Specifically, there werebusiness leaders from animal proteincompanies from every single Asian country,said show organisers VNU Exhibitions.Major exhibitors included Jansen PoultryEquipment, Biomin, Big Dutchman, AndritzFeed and Biofuel, DSM and HellmannPoultry Equipment, among others.

According to the organisers, the top 20countries at the show were Thailand, India,Vietnam, The Philippines, China, Malaysia,Indonesia, Bangladesh, South Korea,Pakistan, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar,Japan, Singapore, The Netherlands,Australia, Egypt, USA and Cambodia, with21,723 visitors. The highest number ofvisitors were from Thailand. Severalattendees were of the opinion that the showwas bigger than the earlier edition held in2013 and that Thailand was fast gearing upto be a competent entity as a global meatexport centre.

Crowds drawn to conferences and seminars VIV Asia 2015 also saw several conferencesbeing held over the course of three days —notable ones being the Aquatic AsiaConference, Biogas Conference, DairyTech Conference, Pork Production Summit

and Pet Health and Nutrition Conference.There were a total of 3,496 attendees, andpresentations were made by companiessuch as Aviagen, Biomin Singapore,Hamlet Protein, Bayer Thai, ADDCON Asiaas well as government agencies andeducational institutions.

The biogas conference was considered agreat success and organisers are rooting tobring back the event for the next edition of theshow. The Special Event Aquatic and DairyTech conferences were also well-received.

Poultry remains key focusThe significance of poultry was highlightedat the show, with the major growth in Asianattendance originating from countries thathave a strong interest in producing chickensand eggs. The egg industry, in particular,received a boost by the decision made bythe International Egg Commission (IEC) tohold its Asian leadership forum in Bangkok.The two-day forum attracted 110 industryleaders, and organisers want to repeat theIEC event alongside VIV Asia 2017.

The pork production industry alsoreceived a fillip at VIV Asia 2015. Its

regional appeal gained traction and 40 percent of visitors involved in farming reportedhaving pig-producing interests.

Aquatic AsiaAside from the expected line up ofexhibitors, VIV Asia 2015 also witnessedparticipation from the aquaculture industry.The Aquatic Pavilion featured companiesthat developed innovative products for thesustainable farming of fish and shrimp.There were also conferences held onvarious topics such as feed, ingredients,additives, health management andadvanced technology to boost the industry.Some of the exhibitors included INVE Asia,Leiber, Biomax, Cargill and Seapromega.

PavilionsThe show had a truly international feel to itas there were several country pavilions. TheNetherlands was the official partner countryof the event. There were two Dutchpavilions, a Dutch Innovation seminar andseveral networking events. The seminar wassupported by the Dutch Poultry Centre. Inaddition, the Mayor of the City of RotterdamAhmed Aboutaleb opened the seminar andmade a guided tour on the exhibition floorwhere he visited a number of Dutch exhibitors.

There was a strong show of support fromthe USA, Taiwan, Italy, France and China.

The next edition of VIV Asia will be heldin 2017, but organisers are already gearingup for VIV MEA 2016, which will be held inAbu Dhabi from 16-18 February. h

VIV Asia 2015 - a meeting placefor professionals

SHOW REPORT

Zoetis is the world's largest producer ofmedicine and vaccinations for pets and

livestock, and their stand drew huge crowds.

The biogas conference wasconsidered a great success andorganisers are rooting to bring

back the event for the nextedition of the show.


35

Company ..........................................................................PageAlvan Blanch Development Company Ltd ................................32Ashkan Consulting (Pty) Ltd......................................................14AWILA Anlagenbau GmbH........................................................12Ayurvet Ltd ................................................................................22BCS S.p.A. ................................................................................31Ben Burgess and Co Ltd ..........................................................47Bentall Rowlands Storage Systems Ltd ....................................27Carfed SA ..................................................................................10Case IH......................................................................................52Ceva Santé Animale ..................................................................17Chief Industries UK Ltd. ............................................................27Compact Seeds and Clones SA................................................19Eurodrip SA ................................................................................7Evonik Degussa GmbH ............................................................45Frame Srl ..................................................................................26Goizper Sociedad Cooperativa..................................................19Griffith Elder & Co Ltd ..............................................................12Grupo Tatoma (Ingeniería Y Montajes Monzón S.L.) ................50Househam Sprayers Ltd ............................................................37Informa /IIR Middle East (Agra Innovate Nigeria 2015) ............43Kepler Weber Industrial S/A ......................................................21Kirloskar Brothers Ltd. ................................................................5LEMKEN GmbH & Co. KG ........................................................33Nav Agro Pvt Ltd ........................................................................9New Holland ..............................................................................29Omex Agrifluids Ltd. ..................................................................41Pan Trade Services Ltd (Jacto AG) ..........................................49Pan Trade Services Ltd (Baldan) ..............................................39Pan Trade Services Ltd (JSFS) ................................................41Pan Trade Services Ltd (Nogueira)............................................47Pottinger ......................................................................................2Prive SA ....................................................................................25Silos Córdoba S.L. ....................................................................24Technical Systems (Pty) Ltd ......................................................13The GSI Group S.A. ..................................................................23USE Poultry Technology B.V. ....................................................15

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THE BCS GROUP today is a leading multinational company in themechanisation industry. It designs and manufactures machineries foragriculture (motor mowers, reaper binders, mowers and mower-conditionersfor tractors, isodiametric tractors) and greens maintenance and machines forproducing autonomous electricity and welding units (generating sets, enginedriven welders and lighting towers) represented by the brand MOSA.

The company has its headquarter at Abbiategrasso (Milan), where in1943, Eng Luigi Castoldi founded BCS SpA, forerunner to the current group.

The production activities take place in three plants in Italy covering a totalarea of over 360,000 sq m, each one dedicated to a specific product line.

In addition to the administrative, commercial, technical assistance andresearch and development offices, the BCS Group plants contain all mainproduction processes: mechanical and sheet metal machining with CNC

robotic systems, gear construction, welding cycles, heat treatments in acontrolled atmosphere, coating processes, quality control, chains andassembly and testing islands, centralized spare parts warehouse, finishedproducts warehouse and logistics.

This ensures maximum production flexibility, allowing the company toquickly and effectively adapt to the needs of different markets and, aboveall, it allows us to make the highest quality products.

The distribution is performed through dealers and retailers throughoutthe world. The business strategy aimed to the internationalisation andexpansion of its business throughout the world, has allowed the BCSGroup to consolidate its leading position in the countries where it hasgained great experience and to expand into developing countries withgreater needs for technology and mechanisation.

BCS: cultivating your passions for over 70 years!



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