gulf agriculture may-june edition

TM

M AY J U N E 2 0 1 5I S S N 1 7 5 1 - 8 4 0 7

Y O U R G A T E W A Y T O T H E M I D D L E E A S T A G R I B U S I N E S S

MINISTER OPENS AQUA MIDDLE EAST

GATEWAY FOR FOODSTUFFCOMMODITIES TRADE

GLOBAL FORUM FORINNOVATIONS

NEW PIVOT IRRIGATIONFACILITY IN TURKEY

HIGH QUALITY PLANTER BAGS

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Mulch mats for weed protection Packing and transportation Arrangement and transportation Arrangement and transportation

Small mulch mats Packing and transportation Metal trunk shaping rings ARBO®-STRONG

Elastic mulch mat ARBO®-SAUNA 100% jute container in 270-360 g/m2 density

MARTEX® - TEXTILE PRODUCTS FOR RAISING OF ORNAMENTAL, FRUIT,AND FOREST SEEDLINGS, OR FOR THE PURPOSE OF RECULTIVATIONProducts commonly applied at nurseries, both in temperate and hot climateUsed for raising trees in the forest, idle land, semi-desert area, steppe …….Excellent for tree planting by the road and highway, useful for the purpose ofgeneral cleaning works, composting, and in any similar applications…….

MARTEX® PLANTING BAGS AND CONTAINERS Parking and transportation of planting bags, other types of containers, mulch mats and rings

THE COMPANY FROM POLAND OFFERING PRODUCTS FOR NURSERY SECTOR, AND FOR ORNAMENTAL, FRUIT, FOREST PLANT RAISING OR RECULTIVATION

Our representatives: D-Hermann Meyer KG: e-mail: [email protected]; NL/GB-B&P Co., www.b-en-p.nl;

Scandinavia: OY Urban natural Ab, www.natural.fi; Russia: Landscape Design Ltd., www.garden-center.ru,

Ukraine: Demetra Ltd., e-mail: [email protected]; Bulgaria-Romania: Hermann-Meyer, www.meyer-shop.com,

Abu Dhabi: Arid Land Co., LLC., www.aridland-dev.com,

e-mail: [email protected]

2 MAY JUNE 2015GULF AGRICULTURE

Editor in Chief Mohammed Nasser Editor Marie Matthew Associate Editor Andrew Thomas Graphic Designer Elizabeth JohnMarketing Manager Megha Mary Matt Production Manager Abdul ShareefContributors Neville J. Chandler, P.K. James, Douglas Bott, Shakeeb Kolakadan, Dr. Terry Mabbett

Head Office Matt Media International Ltd, Woodgreen, London N22 5AR, UK.E-mail: [email protected], Web site: www.gulfagriculture.comMiddle East Office Al Saad Advertising & Publishing L.L.C., P O Box 25694, Sharjah, UAE, Tel:+971 6 5639494, Fax:+971 6 5639449.

Gulf Agriculture is read by agri professionals, farm managers & owners, landscape consultants, contractors, agri-equipment suppliers, horticulturalengineers, greenhouse managers, agronomists, veterinary surgeons, ministries, poultry & dairy breeders, importers, distributors, manufacturers and whole salers of food and agri inputs.Printed and published by Matt Media© Intl. Ltd.(U.K.) 2015

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CONTENTS

All rights reserved. The opinions and views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers. Readers are requested to seek specialist advice before acting on information contained in this publication, which is provided for general use and may not be appropriate for the reader’s particular circumstance. The publishers regret that they cannot accept liability for anyerror or omissions contained in this publication.

Cover courtesy: Case IH

NEWS UPDATE PAGE 04

NEW HOLLAND AGRICULTURE PAVILION OPENS ITS DOORS AT EXPO MILANO 2015 PAGE 24

CASE IH FOREFRONT SOLUTIONS FOR THE SUGAR CANE INDUSTRY PAGE 26

TSUNAMI:HUGE DIMENSIONS, HIGH CONTROL PAGE 29

MANAGING AVIARY BIRDS IS EASIER THAN YOU THINK PAGE 32

PREDATORY MITES AGAINST SPIDER MITE PAGE 34

REDUCING DANISH AGRICULTURE'S CONTRIBUTION TO CLIMATE CHANGE PAGE 36

COMPLETE SET OF AGRICULTURE AND GARDENING SERVICES PAGE 40

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Dubai's Green VisionSuccessfully Showcased atthe 3rd Annual Middle EastSmart Landscape Summit Dubai's Green Visionincorporating the latestadvancements in sustainableand innovative landscapingtechnology were showcasedsuccessfully at the 3rd AnnualMiddle East Smart LandscapeSummit that concluded inDubai rcently. Held under thepatronage of the DubaiMunicipality and produced byglobal conference organizersExpotrade, the summit wasattended by over 400participants, and featured over20 thought-provoking speeches,panel discussions and casestudies, interspersed withnetworking sessions. Thesummit took place on 28-29April at Sofitel Dubai The PalmResort and Spa.

The summit was inauguratedby Eng. Salah Amiri, Asst.Director General forEnvironmental & Public HealthServices Sector, DubaiMunicipality, in the presence ofH.E. Jennes De Mol,Ambassador, Embassy of theKingdom of the Netherlandsand H.E. Milos Perisic, ChargeD'Affaires, Serbian Embassy.Eng. Salah Amiri delivered theinaugural address whichemphasized the DubaiMunicipality's continuedcommitment towards a greenDubai in line with His HighnessSheikh Mohammed bin RashidAl Maktoum's vision.

Outlining the DubaiMunicipality's initiatives in thisregard, he spoke on ensuringsustainability by introducingmodern technologies inlandscaping, irrigation andhorticulture maintenance, andthe implementation of a numberof programs. He mentioned

initiatives such as allocation oflands for green areas,provision of waste water forirrigation using special sewagetreatment plants and irrigationnetworks, rehabilitation ofhorticulture companies, plantproduction by means ofestablishment of specialistnurseries and many more.

Eng. Salah Amiri's speechwas followed by a DubaiMunicipality presentation onimplementing sustainabilityacross Dubai parks. Thepresentation detailed the DubaiMunicipality's plans to constructpublic/neighborhood parks,community facilities and plazasby using solar energy to powerall facilities in the parks, alongwith operation of the lightingelements and irrigation systemsfor trees and green spaces, inessence, zero energy parks.Projects such as the Al-KhazzanPark and the Palm Park in Al-Awir were also discussed atlength, along with the use ofgreen materials in parks.

The Dubai Municipality'simpressive efforts towardsdeveloping the Dubai of thefuture as charted out throughthese two powerful sessionswas felicitated by Falconcity ofWonders, Platinum Sponsor ofthe summit.

The summit featured twodays of sessions that broughtthe latest in technology andinnovation in landscaping tothe fore.

A keenly-attended sessionwas the one presented by Dr.Mario Rossi from The Office ofH.H. The Crown Prince ofDubai who spoke at length onthe use of aerial drones inlandscape architecture andenvironmental design.Demonstrating an actual droneat the summit, he explainedhow drones could be used to

survey in tough locations whereremote sensing was of criticalimportance.

A research-based approach tourban green spaces, biodiversityand people formed the crux ofThe University of Sheffield'sDr. James Hitchmough'ssession. Explaining how urbanlandscapes in arid regionspresent specific challenges in asustainable world, Dr. Hitchmoughstressed on the importance ofembracing dry climates insteadof eliminating them, by usingstrategies such as utilizingcolourful annual and otherdesert ephemeral plants duringthe right seasons of the year. Healso emphasized the use ofresearch and took the audiencethrough the nuances ofbiodiversity in the region.

Day 1 featured sessionspresented by speakers from WArchitecture & LandscapeArchitecture - US, Khatib &Alami, The Singapore Instituteof Landscape Architects, QatarUniversity and premiumsponsors Falconcity ofWonders, SLA, Convic, SitesInternational, TigerTurf UK,Zeoplant LLC, speaking ontopics ranging from landscapingfrom a private developer'sperspective; design with nature;impact of urban spaces onpublic health; ecologicalrestoration; sustainablelandscape architecture; artificialturf; irrigation solutions;adversity in landscapeconstruction in UAE; livingsystems in Singapore; systemsfor productive and ediblelandscapes. The paneldiscussion for the day wassponsored by GrassCo & Aratexwhich discussed artificial grassand its use in sports andrecreational facilities in theMiddle East.

Sessions on Day 2

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commenced with a case studydiscussion on integrated openspace planning with the caseof Madinat Al Nakheel, Iraq,Basra in focus. This wasfollowed by sessions onbenefits of using nativeplants; using seawater forlandscape projects andagriculture; sustainabledevelopment in aridenvironments; use of smarttechnology in public spaces.Speakers for the day includedexperts from DewanArchitects, The University ofSheffield, Oman BotanicGarden, Diwan of RoyalCourt, Khatib & Alami, WoodsBagot and Arup. The paneldiscussion for Day 2sponsored by Gulf Landscapeand Irrigation Systems which

discussed creative greening ofopen spaces, emphasizing on theevolution of landscaped zones inurban developments. InteractiveQ & A sessions on both daysadded to the spirit of knowledge-sharing of the summit.

The networking sessionsover the two days sawparticipants in earnestdiscussions, with the specialexhibitor lounge being a majorattraction showcasing over 30solution providers from aroundthe globe. The third edition ofthis premier event featuredmore partnerships than everbefore, with major sponsorsincluding Falconcity ofWonders, Convic, SLA, SitesInternational, Zeoplant, Grassco& Aratex, TigerTurf inassociation with Flora

Engineering Services, GulfLandscape and IrrigationSystems, Cape Reed, GulfPerlite LLC, WT BurdenMiddle East, Global Light &Power LLC, Vision ProjectServices. The lounge featuredimpressive displays of a host ofinnovative solutions andproducts from companies suchas INMA Gulf, EDSA,ADFERT, Green Studios,GreenBest Ltd, Agial ArtGallery, BlueStream LLC,Cultiwall, BMC Gulf, CorysBuilding Materials LLC,Galerie Tanit Beyrouth,TANSEEQ LLC, MDT-tex,CIRTA Group, ANS Global,Casa Verde - Live Wall,Easigrass, CCGrass.

Highlights of Day 2 alsoincluded the prize draw, which

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generated a lot of buzz, withlucky winners walking awaywith an iPad and acomplimentary stay at SofitelThe Palm Resort and Spa,Dubai.

Participants were impressedwith the quality of the event,commenting favorably at itsclose. Philipp Angell, ManagingDirector, Vision ProjectServices, said, “We are veryhappy with the decision toattend. Within 2 days of theshow we got so much contactsand interest on our product.”

John Samuel, CommercialSales Manager, Global Light &Power LLC, said, “It was agreat pleasure for our companyto participate in the LandscapeSummit. It was a very helpfulsummit as we could get goodcontacts and get to meet highdelegates from differentcompanies which would in turndevelop our business.”

Mohamed Habbal, SeniorManager-Operations, NakheelPJSC, commented, “Thesummit is really phenomenal. Ihave not expected this manyattendees and as many of leadand key concerned companies.This by itself is a main factor ofsuccess of this comprehensiveconference.”

Brad Hariharan, RegionalDirector, Expotrade MiddleEast, organizers of theconference, said, “The successof the 3rd Annual Middle EastSmart Landscape Summitshows that it has achieved itsgoal of promoting sustainablelandscaping technology andbest practices in the region. Weare deeply honored to organizethis event under the continuedpatronage of the DubaiMunicipality. We would alsolike to thank all our sponsors,delegates, speakers and partnersfor supporting this event, and

look forward to bringing thenext year's edition to thisaudience.”

Pan-Africa Project to Focus on Potential of FishTrade for IncreasedNutrition and IncomeA new pan-African project hasbeen launched to strengthen thecontinent's great potential forincreased trade in fish. Africa, acontinent that is endowed withplentiful fish resources inoceans, rivers, lakes,floodplains and fish farmsaccounts for just 4.9% of globalfish trade. More efficient tradecould significantly improveincome and nutrition formillions of Africans,particularly those 12.3 millionthat are directly employed inthe fisheries and aquaculturesectors.

Trade is constrained byinadequate market and tradeinfrastructure and poor policyimplementation. High transportcosts, complex and unalignedtrade rules and poor marketinformation also prevent Africafrom optimizing the social andeconomic benefits available.

Stephen J Hall, DirectorGeneral, WorldFish: “Africa hasthe potential to develop itsfisheries and aquaculture toplay a much greater role inpromoting food security,providing livelihoods andsupporting economic growth.Per capita consumption hasfallen, despite Africa's greatabundance of aquatic resources.FishTrade will create thefoundations for a more solid,productive and sustainablebuilding-up of this great,continent-wide, resource.”

FishTrade will work in four'corridors' to generateinformation on the structure,products and value of intra-

regional fish trade and itscontribution to food security inSub-Saharan Africa.Recommendations will beprepared on policies, fishcertification guidelines andquality and safety standards, aswell as regulations. A secondstage will focus onstrengthening the tradecapacities of private sectorassociations, in particular ofwomen fish processors, womentraders and all aquacultureproducers, in order for them tomake better use of expandingtrade opportunities throughcompetitive small- andmedium-scale enterprises.

Finally Fish Trade for aBetter Future will supportadoption and implementation ofappropriate policies, fishcertification procedures,standards and regulations bykey stakeholders in intra-regional trade.

The program will equipgovernments with the capacitiesneeded to implement theAfrican Union PolicyFramework and ReformStrategy for Fisheries andAquaculture in Africa.

Case IH presents the first '2015 innovations' at SIMA in ParisFramed by SIMA 2015 in Parisin February and Agritechnica inHanover in November, theUnited Nations “InternationalYear of Soils” offers excellentopportunities to present CaseIH's well-filled pipeline ofinnovative agriculturalengineering solutions to media,dealers, and end-customers.“SIMA 2015 has set the startingpoint for an explosion of newproducts, developed by ourdedicated engineers with theobjective of providing ourcustomers with the best possible

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solutions”, emphasised MatthewFoster, Case IH Vice Presidentresponsible for Europe, theMiddle East and Africa, at thetrade fair. “This event offeredan excellent opportunity topresent our next level precisionwith the correction service AFSRTK+ and the enhanced AFSConnect telematics with FileTransfer technology, anddemonstrate our excellence insugar cane harvesting with theCase IH Austoft® 8000 series”,said Foster.

Farmall, Maxxum, Puma,Magnum and Quadtrac models,Axial-FlowC combine, roundand square balers and theAustoft® 8000 Series sugarcane harvester made for animpressive - yet still incomplete- overview of the Case IHproduct range, an offering thattoday is broader than ever

before. One of the innovationspresented at SIMA was theMagnum 380 CVX in thewheeled and Rowtrac version.“After the distinction of“Tractor of the Year 2015” atEIMA in Bologna last autumn,the Magnum has now beenawarded “Machine of the Year2015” at SIMA. We are reallythrilled that the Magnumreceived these two awards oneafter the other”, emphasisedDan Stuart, Case IH ProductMarketing Manager Tractorsfor Europe, Middle East &Africa.

The Case IH Puma tractorspresented at SIMA equallysurpass the highest standards.The powerful, efficient and'clean' engine technologyensures low fuel consumptionand high performance. “Simpleand efficient, the system also

enables Case IH to achieveengine oil change intervals of600 hours”, highlighted Stuart.

The next generation RTK+correction service and the newFile Transfer function of AFSConnect telematics were yetanother highlight at SIMA2015. “These practice-orientedtechnologies have beendeveloped to help farmersmanage their farms, fields andmachines more efficiently thanever before. Producing “morewith less”, i.e. producing moreefficiently, is one of the keychallenges for agriculturalengineering and farmers alike.That is why we continuouslyimprove our tools for higherprecision and better datamanagement, and now launchthe new Case IH AFSConnect™ telematics systemfor example”, explained Ulrich

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Sommer, Product MarketingManager AFS EMEA region.

At SIMA, Case IH gavecentre stage to its powerfulagricultural equipment solutionsfor the sugar cane industry. Thisincluded the Austoft® 8000Series of industry-leading sugarcane harvesters. “Theseharvesters have several newfeatures that further improvetheir outstanding performance”,said Yoann Clarisse, Case IHHarvester Product MarketingSpecialist, EMEA Region. “TheAutotracker for example, whichis exclusive to Case IH, helpsto consistently reducesaccharose losses and rootdamage, and SmartCruisereduces fuel consumption andmaintenance requirementswhilst increasing engine life”,highlighted Clarisse.

On February 22nd a specialevent at the company's standwas attended by about 40representatives of corporatecustomers and large agro-industrial farms operating in thesugar cane and bio-ethanolsectors from several Africanand Middle Eastern countries,including Sudan, Mozambique,Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe,Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

“We understand the networkof Case IH dealers as our directeyes and ears towards ourcustomers. It is the dealers whoget the feedback from the end-users, it is them who stay indirect contact during purchaseand service of our machines.That is why we will furtherincrease our efforts to providethe best possible attention toour customers - in terms of thenumber of dealer outlets as wellas service quality”, emphasisedCase IH Brand PresidentAndreas Klauser.

“Customer satisfaction is oneof our main priority and we are

well aware of the key roleplayed by our dealers locally.To further support our networkand strengthen our presence inthe region, this year we arecreating a dedicated Case IHteam for Africa and the MiddleEast to support the region'shuge potential for growth, withparticular attention to thecorporate farming segment,”Foster added.

“Our approach to optimumcustomer care is an all-inclusivequality package. It includessupporting dealers with regardto identifying key businessareas and developing theirbusinesses. It includes partssupport, organisation andtraining of service staff, service,sales and marketingmanagement, facilitymanagement, tooling andequipment, harvesting and AFSas well as the services of CNHCapital, all to further increaseprofessionalism and thusenhance support for ourcustomers”, Klauser concluded.

Save Our Soils campaignleads fight to halt loss ofmillions of hectares of landThe Save Our Soils campaign,founded by organic fruitspecialist Eosta and 150 globalpartners including the UN, hasannounced that it is almosthalfway towards it's fundraisingtarget to help farmers savemillions of hectares ofthreatened land.

Eosta, operating under itsbrand name Nature & More,together with its partners in theSave Our Soils campaign, hasestablished a fund that willsupport farmers across theglobe in saving fertile soils.

According to UN stats, everyyear approximately 10 millionhectares (25 million acres) arelost to erosion, amounting to 30

football fields per minute. If theloss of fertile soil continues atthis rate, agriculture will not bepossible in 60 years, accordingto the UN's Food andAgriculture Organisation(FAO).

The climate, fresh waterresources and social cohesionalso suffer badly from soil loss,and for this reason 2015 hasbeen proclaimed as theInternational Year of Soils.

The Save Our Soils Fund,which was launched inFebruary 2015 at the BioFachtrade fair in Nuremberg,Germany, has now raised200,000 euros thanks to

contributions from Eosta/Nature & More, Soil & Moreand Triodos Foundation(Netherlands), Lebensbaum(Germany), Ambootia (India)and Amfri Farms (Uganda). Thetarget is to raise at least500,000 euros.

Nature & More initiated theSave Our Soils campaign in late2012, together with the FAO, todraw attention to the increasingsoil problem and now has 150international partners.

The campaign's coremessage is that every consumercan contribute to saving fertilesoils by choosing sustainableand organic food. So far, SaveOur Soils has principally beenan awareness campaign. Byestablishing the Save Our SoilsFund, practical help can now begiven to the other end of theproduction chain: the farmer.

Volkert Engelsman, CEO ofEosta/Nature & More andinitiator of the Save Our Soilscampaign, is pleased with thesuccessful launch: "The moneywe have now raised is a greatstart. In the years to come wewant to raise at least Euro500,000, so we're looking outfor contributions from other

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parties. In this way, we canmake a sound contribution toimproving agricultural practicesand supporting a future withmore food security."

The fund will assist farmersworldwide in saving soilfertility with the help of organictechniques.

IA Announces 2016, 2017Irrigation Show Dates &LocationsThe Irrigation Association hasconfirmed the dates andlocations for the 2016 and 2017Irrigation Show & EducationConferences. � 2016 Irrigation Show: Las

Vegas, Dec. 5 - 9� 2017 Irrigation Show:

Orlando, Fla., Nov. 6 - 10IA's annual Irrigation Show

is the world's largest irrigationexhibition. Show highlightsinclude over 300 exhibitors foragriculture, landscape and golfirrigation; networking withdecision-makers on the showfloor and at social events;insight sessions on industrytrends and initiatives for water-use efficiency andsustainability; and technicalsessions, seminars andeducation classes.

The 2015 Irrigation Showwill be held in Long Beach,Calif., Nov. 9 - 13. For thisyear's event, IA has partneredwith the American Society ofAgricultural and BiologicalEngineers to host the 2015Irrigation Symposium inconjunction with the show.

Tractor market: only thespecialists holding out Data on sales during the firstquarter of the year point to asharp drop in registrations. Theonly type showing growth is thenarrow track specialists forvineyards and orchards facing,

however, the application of newEuropean Union regulations onexhaust emissions which carrythe risk of choking off also thissector of the market.

The agricultural machinerymarket collapsed in the firstquarter of 2015 with steepdeclines for tractors, combineharvesters, transporters andtrailers. Data elaborated byFederUnacoma based onregistrations reported by theMinistry of Transport indicate a9.4% drop for tractors in the firstquarter of the year with 4,180units sold compared to 4,616 inthe same period in 2014, a 12.5%fall for combine harvesters, 28sold against 32 in 2014,transporters down by 32.7% with146 compared to 217, and trailersoff by 8.8% with 1,816 movedcompared to 1,992.

The aggregate of data onconditions in the sector showthat tractors closed 2014 downby 4.4%, harvesters off by26.6%, transporters falling by3.9% and trailers down 2.5%and that from 2009 to 2014tractor sales tumbled by 33% ina climate of financialuncertainty which discouragedinvestments by farmingenterprises for new machineryand equipment.

In these years, characterizedby the most severe crisis in theentire history of agriculturalmechanization, the only type ofmachine holding out and evencapable of growing was thespecialized narrow track tractorfor vineyards and orchards,machines which reflect theexcellence of the Italianindustry.

Over the past three years thesales of these specialists movedfrom 4,763 units in 2012 to5,277 in 2014 whereas the salesof traditional farm tractorsdeclined from 14,580 units in2012 to 12,901 last year. Thisalso means that the share of thespecialists out of all tractorssold moved up from 25% in2012 to 29% in 2014. Thistrend was confirmed in the firstquarter of the current year withthe increase of the specialistssold climbing from 1,326 unitsin this period in 2014 to 1,365taking them to 33% of totaltractor sales.

Unfortunately these compactnarrow track specialists are themost vulnerable to the newEuropean Union regulations onengines which requiresubstantial modification in theconstruction of the machinesinvolving exorbitant increases

NEWS UPDATE

GreenTech organiser Amsterdam RAI winsIngenious Award 2015 with vertical greenhouseThe vertical greenhouse city farming in the Amtrium, Amsterdam RAI'snew exhibition and convention building, was presented with theIngenious Award 2015 on Thursday 18 March 2015. The award is aninitiative by the Dutch association for engineers and engineeringstudents (KIVI) and the Dutch association of consulting engineers.

The jury was particularly impressed by the way the building reflectsa new perspective on urban construction in the 21st century and theway that the RAI's ideas are enabling abstract concepts to be translatedinto concrete form. The restaurant of the new building will shortly beserving meals containing fresh vegetables and herbs grown in its owngreenhouse. The Amtrium will be taken into use in May.

The design team, which includes Amsterdam RAI, Benthem CrouwelArchitects and Nelissen ingenieursbureau, have embraced this idea andtranslated it into an integrated design. According to the jury: “The

MAY JUNE 2015

in costs, enough to drive themout of the market. The newmachines which would berequired to come to the marketbeginning in 2017 would havesticker prices one-third higherthan those now sold to becomeinaccessible for farmingenterprises.

The Italian AgriculturalMachinery ManufacturersFederation FederUnacoma andfederation's Assotrattori, whichrepresents the tractor sector, arecurrently stepping up theirwork in EU quarters aimed atdelaying the application ofthese regulations without whichthe sole segment showingvitality throughout the depth ofthe crisis could collapse.

Nepal Earthquake's impacton food security andagriculture likely very highSome $8 million is urgentlyneeded to help disaster-struckNepalese farmers rapidlyrecover lost agricultural inputsand resume preparations forthe imminent rice sowingseason, FAO said.

The impact of the recentmajor earthquake on foodsecurity and agriculturallivelihoods is expected to bevery high.

Farmers who miss theplanting season that isexpected to start late Mayonwards will be unable toharvest rice - the country'sstaple food - again until late2016. This, together withlikely losses of food stocks andwheat and maize harvests,would severely limit foodsupplies and incomes in theSouth Asian country, wherearound two-thirds of peoplerely on agriculture for theirlivelihood, FAO said.

Last month, a 7.8 magnitudeearthquake - the country'sbiggest in 80 years - shookNepal, killing thousands whilelimiting access to food andleaving some 3.5 million inneed of food assistance.

Million of people across thecountry's Western and CentralRegions are affected by thedisaster, including its largestcities, Kathmandu and Pokhara.

But some of the country'smost vulnerable agriculturalareas, particularly the villagesin mountain and hilly regions,also bore the brunt.

Although damage to theagriculture sector has not yetbeen assessed, affected familieshave likely lost livestock,crops, food stocks and valuable

agricultural inputs. At the sametime, the disaster has destroyedmarkets and infrastructure,including roads and crucialirrigation and drainage canals.As a result, internal trade,including the movement ofemergency assistance, isseverely constrained.

Before the earthquake hit,FAO estimated Nepal's wheatproduction in 2015 at 1.8million tonnes - some 5 percentbelow last year's record harvest.But crop damage and farmer'sinability to harvest inearthquake-affected areas arelikely to change this forecast.In addition, disruption ofplanting operations for rice andmaize may severely reduce theplanted area for these crops inthe most affected areas.

In addition to distributingcrop-production packages tosecure this year's harvest, FAOand partners will support theNepalese government inpreventing further loss oflivestock by providing animalfeed and veterinary suppliesthat will ensure animals stayhealthy and productive forfamilies relying on them forfood and income.

In all, FAO will support20,000 of the most vulnerablefarming households protect andrebuild their livelihoods.Timely agriculturalinterventions are essential toincrease the resilience ofaffected farming families andgreatly reduce the time and costof recovery.

“There is a criticalwindow of opportunity tohelp crop producers plant intime to have a rice harvestthis year and regain theirself-sufficiency,” saidSomsak Pipoppinyo, FAORepresentative in Nepal. “Atthe same time, we need to do

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societal value, the future-oriented vision and the fact that Amsterdam RAIhas had the courage to be the first company to realise such a design,combined with technical features such as the humidification with rainwater, controlled ventilation and plant growth, have led us to award theAmtrium the Vernufteling - Dutch for ingenious -award.”

The city farming greenhouse will contribute to the air quality in thebuilding as part of a new form of urban agriculture which is unique inthe Netherlands and gives visitors to the building and local vicinity anew way of identifying with food cultivation. In addition, this ingeniousgreenhouse will provide the restaurant with genuinely fresh products anda range of other practical benefits.

On Tuesday 9 June 2015, speakers and delegates from around theworld will gather in the Amsterdam RAI Convention Centre for the firstGreenTech Summit. This exclusive, invitation-only conference forindustry leaders and influencers in the horticulture industry will discussthe theme: 'What's next for Green Horticulture?'. Delegates will havethe opportunity to visit the vertical greenhouse.


all we can to preserve vitallivestock assets whichprovide affected familieswith much needed incomeand nutrition.”

UN agencies and partnerslaunched a $415 millionemergency appeal for Nepalto address the most urgentneeds. FAO's appeal is part ofa larger $128-million request

under the Food SecurityCluster, led by FAO and theWorld Food Programme. Inaddition to emergencyagriculture support, thecluster aims to distribute50,000 tonnes of food tofamilies in need, along withsetting up cash-transferprogrammes and helpingcommunities rebuild.

Somalia registers recordexports of 5 millionlivestock in 2014Somalia in 2014 exported arecord 5 million livestock tomarkets in the Gulf of Arabiathanks to heavy investmentsin animal disease preventionbacked by the EuropeanUnion and the UnitedKingdom, FAO said.

This is the highest number oflive animals exported fromSomalia in the last 20 years.

The export data, collectedby the FAO-managed FoodSecurity and NutritionAnalysis Unit (FSNAU),indicates that Somaliaexported 4.6 million goats andsheep, 340,000 cattle and77,000 camels in 2014, worthan estimated $360 million.

Livestock is the mainstay ofthe Somali economy,contributing 40 percent to thecountry's Gross DomesticProduct.

“This is a key milestone forthe Somalia's livestock sectorthat reflects the largeinvestments being made tosupport the commercialdevelopment of the livestocksector to become morecompetitive in internationalmarkets,” said Said Hussein Iid,Somalia's Minister ofLivestock, Forestry and Range.“This is important for bothSomalia's economy in generaland for the livelihoods of themillions of livestock ownersthroughout Somalia.”

“The sector's potential isenormous,” Iid added.

"This shows that despite thechallenges, the Somali peopleare successfully working toimprove their economy andfood security," said RichardTrenchard, head of FAO'soffice for Somalia. "FAO andour partners are committed to

NEWS UPDATE

Azelis is pleased to announce its appointment by Evonik Industries AG, the leadingmanufacturer of performance silica, as distributor for the Aerosil® & Sipernat® range ofproducts in the Nordic region from 1st April 2015.

The supply of these products to the Food, Personal Care and Pharma Industries inDenmark, Sweden, Norway and Iceland is a further step in the strategic development ofthe relationship between Evonik and Azelis.

Azelis and Evonik look forward to further developing the silica business in theNordics. Andreas Ernst, Director Global Distributor Management, Evonik Industries,Silica Business Line, states: “We believe that with Azelis, we will have improved marketcoverage supported by a new sales organization, offering our customers soundcommercial solutions combined with a high level of local technical support across allNordic countries.”

Azelis offers a full suite of value added services to help customers create inventiveapplication ideas for new products and also to improve the performance of existingranges. Andrew Johnson, Managing Director, Azelis Nordic, adds: “The Evonik silicaproduct range offers our customers further opportunities in our approach to functionaland innovative ingredients. We regularly invite customers into our laboratories and willbe pleased to work with them on projects around these new materials in our portfolio.”

The agreement complements already existing and successful agreements between thetwo companies across many industry disciplines in Europe and Asia. Both companieswork together to deliver inventive solutions for customers and look forward to a

continued, successful partnership.Azelis is the leading global speciality chemicals

distributor providing a diverse range of innovativeproducts and services. We serve 20,000 customers in thecoatings, chemicals, rubber & plastic additives, food &health, animal nutrition, pharma and personal careindustries.

Through sourcing and distribution channels in every majormarket around the world, Azelis offers chemical producersmarket penetration, in depth local knowledge, value-addedservices and tailored multi-territory solutions. Azelis has aturnover of around Euro 1 billion and employs around 1,100knowledgeable people located in more than 37 facilities inmore than 35 countries across Europe, China, Australia,Canada, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam.

Azelis appointed by Evonik for silica distributionto life science industries in the Nordics

MAY JUNE 2015

remaining engaged andinvolved in supporting thoseefforts."

Buyers from Saudi Arabia,Yemen, Oman, Kuwait, Qatarand United Arab Emirates haveall taken advantage ofSomalia's thriving livestockscene and its improved diseasesurveillance and controlmechanisms.

Saudi Arabia, in particular,has contributed to steadilyrising exports over the last sixyears, following a move to lift a9-year ban on the import oflivestock from Somalia aimedat preventing the spread of RiftValley fever.

For the last five years,FAO, with financial supportfrom the European Union andthe UK government, hasengaged with the Somaligovernment to invest heavilyin livestock infrastructure,fodder production andlivestock vaccination andtreatment services.Transboundary animaldiseases have been a majorpoint of attention because theycan kill large numbers ofanimals, resulting in foodshortages, market disruptionsand trade and export barriers.

Every year, FAO vaccinatesan average of 12 millionanimals in Somalia againstpeste des petits ruminants(PPR) - a highly contagiousand often deadly viral diseaseof goats. Another 12 milliongoats are treated andvaccinated every year againstContagious CaprinePleuropneumonia (CCPP), asource of major losses amongSomali livestock producers.

In addition to animal healthcampaigns, four modernslaughterhouses, four meatmarkets and three livestockmarkets are also boosting local

livestock trade across Somalia.“There is no doubt that

livestock is, and will remain fora long time, central to theSomali economy,” saidTrenchard.

Continued investment inbuilding Somali livestockinstitutions is key to boostingincomes, reducing thevulnerability of ruralhouseholds, and steering thefuture growth of the sector,according to Trenchard, whosays the livestock sector is at atipping point.

“An investment in livestockmeans an investment ineconomic growth for the wholeof Somalia,” he said.

With trade of live animalsbooming, FAO is now workingwith the Somali governmentand partners to identify otheropportunities to derive addedvalue from livestock by-products.

In 2012, under a UK-fundedinitiative, Somali pastoralistswere trained in soapmanufacturing using camelbone marrow and trainedjewelers carved spoons,necklaces and flower vases outof the dense bones.

Soon FAO will start training150 Somalis in curing leather, apotentially lucrativeopportunity for the entirelivestock sector, while an EU-funded programme is currentlyunderway to improve milkquality in northwesternSomalia, one of the country'smain milk production regions.

The 2014 figures representan optimum level of liveanimal export for Somalia,according to FAO experts, whourge producers to shift focustowards export of meat andother by-products.

A livestock certificationsystem developed by FAO

along the Galkayo-Bossasolivestock corridor will furtherhelp to ensure high qualitylivestock for local consumptionand export.

Expected sharp fall inSouthern African maizeproduction raises foodsecurity concernsSouthern Africa's maize harvestis expected to shrink this yearby some 26 percent comparedwith 2014's bumper crop, asituation that could trigger foodprice increases and adverselyaffect recent food securitygains, FAO warned.

For 2015, the earlyproduction forecast for maize -a staple food throughout thesubregion - stands at about 21.1million tonnes, some 15 percentlower than the average for thelast five years, FAO noted.

The fall is mostly due to theimpact of erratic weatherconditions, including the latestart of seasonal rains inNovember/December, followedby heavy rains that causedflooding in parts of somecountries, and then a long dryspell in the southern areas ofthe subregion during Februaryand early March.

"Last year, the subregionsaw a bumper harvest, whichhas made this year's harvestprospects look even weaker sowe have to be cautious untilgovernments, often with thesupport of FAO, havecompleted all the assessmentsin the coming days. FAO isclosely monitoring thesituation on the ground," saidDavid Phiri, FAO'sSubregional Coordinator forSouthern Africa.

An expected significant drop(some 33 percent less than in2014) in the harvest of SouthAfrica - the subregion's main

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1 3GULF AGRICULTURE


producer and exporter accountsfor most of the overall declinein maize production.

Malawi and Zambia, thesecond and third biggest maizeproducers in the subregion, arealso expected to register smallerharvests compared with the2014 bumper crop. Lowermaize harvests are alsoanticipated in Botswana,Lesotho, Madagascar,Mozambique, Namibia,Swaziland and Zimbabwe.

The poor outlook is alreadyhaving some impact on cerealmarkets. South Africa recordedsignificant price increases inFebruary - although the riseeased in March followingimproved rains.

These price increases areexpected to mostly affect thosecountries that rely more onmaize imports such as Namibiawhere relatively high priceincreases were already recordedin February.

In most countries, maizeprices have remained below thesame period last year due to thecurrent ample supplies, whichcould, however, rapidlydwindle.

"The carry-over stocks from2014's bumper maize crop isexpected to partly offset theimpact of lower domesticproduction and somewhatcontribute to stabilising nationalsupplies in some countries,"said Phiri.

The poor outlook for 2015 isexpected to result in increasedimports in Southern Africa withforecasts for aggregate maizeimports in the 2015/16marketing year (May/April)indicating an increase to about1.8 million tonnes,approximately double the lowlevel of 2014/15 and one thirdabove the average.

The bulk of the growth in

imports is expected fromSouth Africa, mainlyconsisting of yellow maizeused in the feed industry.

In Zimbabwe, large volumesof maize imports are forecast,and larger import volumes than2014 are also forecast in thedeficit-producing countries ofBotswana, Lesotho, Namibiaand Swaziland. Given thecontraction in South Africanexport availabilities, alternativeexport supplies may be needed.

The expected decline in 2015maize production follows afavourable year in 2014 whenample supplies and low pricescontributed to improved foodsecurity conditions that resultedin a significant decline ofpeople in need of foodassistance in the subregion,with Zimbabwe, for instance,recording a 75 percent decrease.

"With the expected fall inmaize production in thesubregion, and the resultingprice hikes, the improved foodsecurity situation may bereversed in 2015/2016,especially if no timelyinterventions are made. Closemonitoring is critical totrigger early action to reduceany negative effects onpeople's food security andlivelihoods. This is at the coreof FAO's efforts to build moreresilient livelihoods," saidDominique Burgeon, FAO'sResilience Coordinator.

Platform for pastoralistsaims to give a voice tomillionsMillions of pastoralists willbenefit from a new onlineknowledge hub that will helpthem raise their voices ininternational policy debates andshare valuable information tostrengthen their agriculturallivelihoods.

The Pastoralist KnowledgeHub - launched by FAO, theEuropean Union, Germany andother partners - will enablemobile livestock keepers toconnect, to meet and discussissues like agriculturalinnovations or land regulationsand find shared solutions tocommon challenges.

“Pastoralists are able toproduce food where no cropscan be grown. Yet, theirconcerns are poorly heard bythe international community,”Helena Semedo, FAO DeputyDirector-General, said onMonday. "This hub is animportant platform to helpthem project their voices,share knowledge, and affectpolicy debates."

The hub also offers agrowing database of researchon pastoralism, contacts for aworldwide network of pastoralrepresentatives, and discussionforums for pastoralist networksand partnering institutions.

It also includes a mechanismthat lets pastoral communitiesnominate and selectrepresentatives to globalforums such as the Committeeon World Food Security.

Seven regional meetingswith pastoralist networks toshape the initiative are beingheld until October 2015.

The several hundred millionpastoralists who manage theworld's rangelands rely on arich legacy of traditionalknowledge and mobility tosurvive in the harshestenvironments on the planet.

They remain importantproducers of livestock, meat,milk, hair and hides and inmany countries produce morethan half of agricultural GDP.

Livestock grazing onpastoralist rangelands alsoprovides valuable benefits to

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MAY JUNE 2015

ecosystems, including helpingto recycle plants back intofertile soil and controlling thegrowth of bush and weeds.

Examples of more well-known pastoral societiesinclude the Bedouin of NorthAfrica and the ArabianPeninsula, the Maasai in EastAfrica, the Navajo of NorthAmerica, the Sherpa in Nepal,and Scandinavia's Sami people.

Despite their importance tofood production andecosystems, pastoralists havetraditionally been marginalizedin decision-making on matterslike the decrease of rangelandsand the disruption of theirmobility routes that negativelyaffect their lives andlivelihoods.

They have frequently beensubject to attempts to alter theirnomadic lifestyles and oftenfind it hard to access healthservices and schools

Pastoralists are also stillpoorly represented in decision-making processes in high-levelinstitutions such as the UnitedNations and their own nationalgovernments.

The hub brings togetherpartner institutions includingthe African Union, theEuropean Union, theInternational Fund forAgricultural Development, theInternational Union forConservation of Nature, theUnited Nations EnvironmentProgramme, the World Bankand non-governmentalorganizations as well aspastoralist civil society groups.

These organizations canshare their work and resourceson pastoralism and activelyconsult with pastoral networks.

“The new Hub aims to bringall groups and organizationstogether to voice pastoralconcerns to the international

community,” said Lalji Desai,Secretary General of the WorldAlliance of Mobile IndigenousPeoples.

The German Ministry forFood and Agriculture iscontributing $1.7 million toinitiate the Hub.

Dramatic impact of climatechange on people's livesdemands response - FAOleader

A strong and collectiveeffort is needed to tackleclimate change, which isalready having direct and"tragic" consequences forpeople's lives, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silvatold Italian lawmakers.

Climate-related factors arecontributing to intensified foodinsecurity for many of theworld's most vulnerable people- worsening situations thatwere already quite dramatic, hesaid.

"When agriculture does nothave the chance to bloom, andwhen food is scarce, theconsequences can be dramatic,"according to Graziano da Silva.

"Hunger can force people toleave families and homes insearch of better opportunitiesthat they do not always find.The loss of lives in theMediterranean is a tragicreminder of this," the FAODirector-General said.

Similarly, the recent tropicalstorms in the Philippines andVanuatu showed how quicklyfood crops can be destroyed bysevere weather events, whilerecurrent droughts have anequally deadly effect, he noted.

Speaking in the ItalianParliament with Italy'sEnvironment Minister GianLuca Galletti present, Grazianoda Silva explained that FAO isespecially concerned withclimate change due its clear

connections to food securityand agriculture.

"Climate change affectsagricultural production andmight change the geography offood production," he said. Theagricultural sector is itself aproducer of greenhouse gasemissions, but also has thepotential to sequester morecarbon in soils and forests ifsustainable production andmanagement policies areadopted, he added.

The world needs a paradigmshift to more sustainable,inclusive and resilient foodsystems, which will entailmaking farming techniques lessreliant on intensive use ofinputs and natural resources.

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Growth Products Ltd. announced that pHReducer has been certified as a RegisteredMaterial for Use in Organic Agriculture by theWashington State Department of Agriculture(WSDA). It is now included on the Brand NameMaterial List of products that the WSDA hasdetermined complies with The National OrganicStandards [7 CFR Part 205].

pH Reducer is a 100% Organic Critic AcidSolution designed for use on all vegetable, herb,field and permanent crops. A safe alternative tocorrosive acids, it lowers the pH of soilless mediaand water, and can act as a buffer in the mixingtank. pH Reducer contains a natural wetting agent,which allows citric acid to penetrate the soilquickly.

Available in 2 x 2.5gallon case, 30 and 55gallon drums, and 275gallon totes, pH Reducerrequires no agitation andwill not settle out ofsolution. With an acidicpH of 1.5, pH Reduceris compatible with mosttechnical materialsincluding fungicides andinsecticides.

A safe alternative to corrosive acids


The Minister ofEnvironment & WaterH.E. Dr. Rashid Ahmad

Bin Fahad officially opened theevent AquaME, at the DubaiWorld Trade Centre.

“The opening of AquaME isthe first step in promoting thefield of aquaculture in theMiddle East. We are displayingthe latest products and servicesin the field of fish farming, andhave created a platform todiscuss and showcase the latestbest practices and innovationsin marine research.

The exhibition also has anumber of scientific andtechnical seminar sessions tospread knowledge about theindustry, and increaseaquaculture as both a viableinvestment, and a way toincrease the number of activefarms in the country, thereforereducing the burden on ournatural fish stocks and help inpromoting self-sufficiency infish products,” said H.E. Dr.Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad.

The show has over 40exhibiting companies fromTurkey, Norway, UAE,Denmark, Malta, Chile, USA,Malaysia, Brazil, India, Greece,Taiwan, France, Australia,China, Italy, Thailand, Egyptand UK covering 685 sqm offloor space. The conferenceagenda, which covers GlobalAquaculture and its ProminentRole in Food Security and anoverview of aquaculture in theUAE among others, will seeover 19 international fieldexperts deliver the two daycontent schedule.

“The Middle East is facingmany influences andchallenges with regards to foodsecurity, especially in the areaof environmental preservationand development, whichrepresents one of the UAE'sprimary strategic issues. In thispremise, the Ministry ofEnvironment and Water iskeen to collaborate with allstakeholders inside and outsidethe country to intensify itsefforts in addressing thesechallenges - through thecreation and implementationof realistic, effective andhighly-sustainable solutions,”said H.E. Dr. Rashid AhmadBin Fahad.

AgraME, AquaME andVetME witnesses 25% increaseAgraME, which is co-locatedwith AquaME and VetME, hasalso seen a 40 per cent increasein exhibition floor space for the2015 edition due to higherdemand from exhibitors. Thisdemand comes mainly from thePoultry and Livestock area ofthe show, as well as the launchof AquaMe - the regions firstexhibition dedication to theaquaculture industry.

The three-day event hostedmore than 250 agriculture,poultry, aquaculture, andhorticulture businesses from 36countries including Turkey,Norway, UAE, Denmark, USA,Brazil, India, Greece, France,Australia, China, Italy,Thailand, Egypt and UK.

“This year we have seen alarge increase in attendancefrom the aquaculture industry

specifically, which comes downto AquaME being a stand-aloneexhibition space for the firsttime ever. The first day alsosaw a packed conferenceagenda with plenty ofinteresting announcementscoming out of the show floorthat will help grow the industryregionally - attracting theinvestment needed to reach thetargets set by not only thegovernment, but private entitiesin the industry as well.” saidRichard Pavitt, ExhibitionDirector, AgraME.

Agricultural ProductionNeeds to Increase Globally food safety, securityand sustainability are becomingthe most essential elements forthe welfare of futuregenerations according to Dr.T.S. Thiyagasundaram, Head ofthe Poultry Division at theDepartment of UAE President'sAffairs, Abu Dhabi.

According to theOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD) and the Food andAgriculture Organization (FAO)of the United Nations, by 2050agricultural production needs toincrease by 60 per cent to meetthe food demands of futuregenerations and requiresquantum changes in variousfood production and processingstrategies.

High tech crop and plantproduction keeps up with theglobal populations' demand foragricultural/plant based producemeeting the carbohydrates andplant protein needs, but the real

AGRAME REVIEW

MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT ANDWATER OPENS AQUA MIDDLE EAST

MAY JUNE 2015

challenge will be to keep pacewith the demand for animalprotein requirements like meat,milk and fish - which can onlybe achieved throughtechnological advancements inAnimal Agriculture.

Also, the global populationis becoming ever morestringent on their nutritionalpreferences necessitating theneed for quality, quantity and agreater variety of productswhich have to meet all foodsafety and security standards.

Among the animal proteinproduction technologies,poultry meat and eggs play acritical role as these smallvolume animals fit for highdensity rearing make goodeconomic sense. So, the role of

biosecurity in poultryproduction to help food securitywill be a main focus topic atnext week's conference.

Even though the UAE hasenormous resources and greatpurchasing power, the need toreduce dependence on importsand achieve self-sufficiency infood production cannot beoveremphasized. This becomesall the more important with therepeated global pandemics ofavian zoonotic diseases such asAvian Influenza resulting infrequent bans and interruptionsin importation. Emergence ofnew antibiotic and drugresistant microbes also poses athreat needing urgent attention.

“Targeting self sufficiency inpoultry eggs and meat

production for animal proteinavailability to UAE will be amajor challenge in the comingyears .The Government andnon-government agencies arealready focused on encouragingthis vital sector of the foodindustry evidenced by newfarm based enterprisesemerging far more frequentlyover the past few years,” saidDr. Thiyagasundaram.

“Adaptation of the latesttechnologies, GoodManufacturing Practices and afurther emphasis on efficientproduction per unit resource willhelp in marching towardsachieving the target of minimumof 50 per cent of poultryproducts to be produced locallywithin UAE.

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H.E. Dr. Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment & Water, Opens AQUA Middle East.


Under the patronage ofHis Highness SheikhMansour Bin Zayed Al

Nahyan, Deputy Prime Ministerof the UAE, Minister ofPresidential Affairs andChairman of Abu Dhabi FoodControl Authority, the secondedition of Abu Dhabi of theGlobal Forum for Innovationsin Agriculture (GFIA) wasdeclared open in Abu Dhabi byHis Excellency Dr. RashidAhmed Mohammed Bin Fahad,Minister of Environment andWater of the UAE.

Running from 9 to 11 March2015, the three-day event hasdrawn the participation ofmore than 250 prominentspeakers from globalcompanies and organisationsincluding McCain Continental,World Bank, Clinton ClimateInitiative, Plantagon, UnitedNations and the Committee onWorld Food Security.

In his opening speech, HisExcellency Dr. Rashid AhmedMohammed Bin Fahad,Minister of Environment andWater of the UAE, said: “GFIAarticulates the priority of theUAE to galvanize internationalefforts towards achieving acommon vision and approach toleverage innovative and smartsolutions for the developmentof agricultural sector and foodproduction. The forum alsoaims to enhance ourcontribution to achieving foodsecurity and minimizing foodshortage and global poverty.

“The most importantchallenge that we seek toaddress through this forum is

the need to increase agriculturalproduction by two-third by2050 to meet the anticipatedpopulation growth and solve theissue of limited resources. Theexperience of past years hasshown that our over-dependence on traditionalpractices and means cannotsolve the daunting issue of

growing food supply gapbetween developing anddeveloped countries.”

“The role of technology andinnovation in the advancementof agricultural and foodproduction sector is no longer asubject of dispute amongscholars. However, the questionthat remains unanswered is the

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GLOBAL FORUM FOR INNOVATIONS INAGRICULTURE OPENS IN ABU DHABI

MAY JUNE 2015

ability of internationalcommunity to deploy thesetechnologies and ensure theapplication of ideas andinnovative solutions for thebenefit of millions of owners ofsmall and medium-sizedagricultural ventures, especiallyin low- and middle-incomecountries. It is important thatwe leverage these technologiesthroughout the productionstages towards narrowing theproduction gap between thedeveloped and developingcountries,” Dr. Rashid said.

Sharing his expertise under

the theme of Climate SmartAgriculture, His RoyalHighness the Prince of Walescalled on participants tocontribute to the sustainableagriculture movement throughinnovation. A pioneer ofholistic agriculture with a keeninterest in organic farming, thePrince addressed in his videoaddress the crucial challenge ofhow food can be producedmore sustainably.

Speaking about climatechange and food productionprocess, Ren Wang, AssistantDirector General, Food and

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PRINCE CHARLESCALLS FORINTERNATIONALCOLLABORATION FORSUSTAINABLEAGRICULTUREMOVEMENTTHROUGHINNOVATION


Agriculture Organization of theUnited Nations, said:“According to FAO'sprojections, food production isset to increase by 60% towards2050, because of populationgrowth and changing dietarypatterns. Climate change isalready affecting foodproduction as well as foodsecurity and nutrition,especially for the poorest andmost vulnerable.”

In his speech about theagricultural practice of Uganda

and the programme ofagricultural development, KingGeorge Rukidi IV of Ugandaoutlined the agriculturaldevelopment programme in hiscountry.

He said: “From my corner ofthe planet, Toro, Uganda wehave embarked on anaggressive programme ofagricultural development. Theseprogrammes will be managedthrough the Kingdom of Toroand seek to develop 100,000acres of land for tree

harvesting, increase our bananaexports from 100,000 to150,000 tonnes per year, andfinding reliable partners toexplore and develop our land.”

In his televised speech, UnitedStates Secretary of State JohnKerry highlighted the importanceof finding solutions to the world'sneed to address the criticalchallenge of food and watersecurity and climate change.

His Excellency HumaidMatar Al Dhaheri, ActingGroup CEO of ADNEC said:

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MAY JUNE 2015

“ADNEC is delighted to hostthe second edition of the GlobalForum for Innovations inAgriculture. I am confident thatbuilding on the success ofprevious editions, GFIA willcontribute to generatingsignificant international debateon a wide range of issuesrelating to innovation inagriculture and food productionsectors towards addressingfuture challenges of foodsecurity and climate change.

Launched in February 2014,

the Global Forum forInnovations in Agriculture(GFIA) achieved internationalacclaim for being the largestshowcase of innovations forsustainable agriculture theworld had ever seen.

Building on the success ofthe first edition, GFIA 2015leveraged partnerships withover 40 powerful internationalorganisations to make GFIA theworld's most influential eventfor the future of foodproduction.

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40%MORE VISITORS.

24NEW COUNTRIESREPRESENTED BY VISITORS.

4,552ATTENDEES FROM 85COUNTRIES.

254EXHIBITORS FROM 41COUNTRIES.

23MINISTERIAL DELEGATIONS.

251SPEAKERS ACROSS FIVECONFERENCE PROGRAMMES.


Confirming the show'sstanding as the world'sleading gateway for

foodstuff commodities trade,Gulfood's landmark 20thanniversary edition deliveredthe biggest and most influentialexhibition in its history. Theevent, which took place inFebruary at the Dubai WorldTrade Centre (DWTC), isexpected to generate show-floortrading and year-round legacysales numbering in the billionsof US dollars.

Hosted in Dubai - one of theworld's largest, central tradinghubs and a gateway between Eastand West - Gulfood has leveragedDubai's developed logisticsinfrastructure and customsservice, as well as the region'sburgeoning hospitality andtourism markets, to become aglobally-recognised business andinvestment platform forcompanies around the world.Spanning more than 127,000square metres of exhibition space,including a 23,000m2, purpose-built temporary structure, thelargest-of-its-type regionally,Gulfood 2015 welcomed 84,642visitors from 170 countries.

The 20th milestone editionof Gulfood attracted 4,800local, regional and internationalexhibitors, including hundredsof first-time companies whohad been waitlisted for anumber of years, thousands ofregular participants, and a smallof companies who haveparticipated at every show sinceits inception in 1987.

Tens of thousands of brandswere presented across the full

industry spectrum - fromfinished foods and bulkcommodities to beverageproducts, food service andhospitality equipment, andfresh, frozen, dry and processedfood. Among these were morethan 1,000 internationalspecialist Halal food brands andcompanies - from energydrinks, vegan and vegetarianfoods to meat and poultry,canned goods, gourmet and fine

foods - participating in thesecond Halal World Food, theworld's largest annual Halalfood sourcing event.

“The remarkable growth ofGulfood since its first edition 28years ago is a reflection ofDubai's global standing as atrade, logistics and commercehub for the food and hospitalitysectors and, at the same time, astrategic driver for the growthand development of the UAE'sincreasingly diverse economy,”said Trixie LohMirmand, SeniorVice President, Exhibitions &

Events Management, DWTC,the show organiser. “By buildinga sustainable and diversifiedeconomy and capitalising onglobal economic partnerships toguarantee long-term prosperityand security, Dubai and the UAEcontinue to strengthen theirpivotal role as a regional andinternational business hub. Inthis type of environment, therewill always be a need for abigger and better Gulfood.”

With the global Halal foodmarket accounting for a fifth ofthe world's food trade(Datamonitor, 2014), and themarket predicted to reach US$10trillion by 2030 (Global Futuresand Foresights Study), thegrowing commercial importanceof this particular market categorywas highlighted at Gulfood.

The international industryfixed its focus on theimplementation of Halalstandardisation and certificationframeworks during the inauguralHalal Investment Conference,while the unveiling of a 'HalalMark' by the Emirates Authorityfor Standardisation & Metrology(ESMA) reflected Dubai's visionto become a global IslamicEconomy capital. During theshow, two UAE based companieswere officially certified to use thenational Halal Mark: GlobalFood Industries, a frozen foodmanufacturer in Sharjah and AbuDhabi based food and beveragefirm, Agthia. At Gulfood 2015,ESMA revealed Australia andNew Zealand as the firstcountries to meet requirements ofthe new Halal Mark on importedmeat products.

GULFOOD REVIEW

WORLD'S LEADING GATEWAY FORFOODSTUFF COMMODITIES TRADE

SPANNING MORE THAN127,000 SQUARE METRESOF EXHIBITION SPACE,INCLUDING A 23,000M2,PURPOSE-BUILTTEMPORARY STRUCTURE,THE LARGEST-OF-ITS-TYPEREGIONALLY, GULFOOD2015 WELCOMED 84,642VISITORS FROM 170COUNTRIES

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GULFOOD REVIEW

The 20th edition of the showalso saw the largest-ever SouthAmerican participation withrepresentation from Argentina,Brazil, Chile, Ecuador,Colombia, Peru and Uruguay.Xavier Larrea, MarketingManager of PRO Ecuador, thecountry's trade and investmentpromotion organisation, said:''Ecuador started with a smallstand at Gulfood three yearsago. This year we had ninecompanies representing differentsectors, all of them eager toenter the Middle East market.Through our participation atGulfood, we want to promoteexports and attract foreign directinvestment and tourism from theMiddle East to Ecuador. Afterthe great results we had lastyear, we are sure this year willyield further strong results.”

Occupying one of the largestpavilions, the US presence atGulfood 2015 featured 166companies across more than2,000m2 - a reflection of theimportant role Gulfood has

played in the exponential growthof US agricultural exports to theUAE over the past threedecades, the value of whichtotalled US$1.5 billion last year.

Quintin Gray, the RegionalAgricultural Counselor of theOffice Agricultural Affairs,United States Department ofAgriculture, said: “Everyexhibitor I talked to told me thatthe USA Pavilion at Gulfood2015 was the best pavilion; ourorganisation and supportservices were the best seen atthis show. With estimated on-site sales exceeding US$80million and with sales in thenext 12 months projected to bemore than US$265 million as adirect result of the show,Gulfood stands as one of themost important food shows inthe world for US agriculturalexports. Every exhibitor I talkedto is already looking forward toparticipating in 2016.”

Beyond its role as a tradeand business platform, Gulfood2015 also hosted a series of

industry forums and seminars,bringing together governmentministers, top level officials,international industry leadersand food business experts todiscuss key topics on the globalfood industry agenda such asfood security, food franchisingand Halal, highlightingGulfood's strategic role as atop-level knowledge sharingand global dialogue platform.

With immediate and long-term food security an on-goingpriority for countries all over theworld, the World Food SecuritySummit - a Gulfood LeadersEvent held on the sidelines ofGulfood 2015 - highlighted theimportance of GCC nationsbeing at the forefront of strategicpublic-private sector partnershipsto tackle regional and globalfood security concerns.Sustainable global agricultureindustry, policy reforms,international farmland acquisition,strategies and domestic agricultureinitiatives, were among the hotly-debated topics.


AGRICULTURE MACHINERY

NEW HOLLAND AGRICULTURE PAVILIONOPENS ITS DOORS AT EXPO MILANO 2015

The Sustainable FarmPavilion is strategicallylocated in a central

position close to the LakeArena and is immediatelyrecognizable thanks to itsstriking architectural features.EXPO Milano 2015 willinaugurate a long season ofexhibitions, events andconferences, that will attractmillions of potential visitors tothe New Holland Sustainablepavilion in the 184 days until31 October, learning about thecore role of agriculturalmechanization in the foodproduction supply chain andcelebrating the role of farmerswho use New Hollandequipment and technology day

after day to provide food allover the world, in strict respectfor the environment andprotecting the naturalresources.

Intrinsically linked to theEXPO theme of "Feeding thePlanet, Energy for Life”, theNew Holland pavilion wasinspired, in terms of theconcept, construction and thethematic visit experience, bythe Clean Energy Leaderstrategy launched by the brandin 2006. It aims to reducefarmers' over-reliance on fossilfuels and promote bioenergycrop production, with particularfocus on the EnergyIndependent Farm project,which provides farmers with

ideas and technologicalsolutions for independentproduction, in a continuous andrenewable cycle, of all theenergy needed on the farm.

And one of the symbols ofthis innovative, efficient andclean technology is the new T6Methane Power tractor fuelledby biomethane and standingproudly on the sloping roof ofthe pavilion- It welcomesvisitors who will soon beimmersed in a thematic visitexperience where audio,augmented reality and virtualsimulation installationsillustrate how a worldmechanization leader sees thepresent and plans the future ofan agriculture that can produce

more food, using resourceswisely, eliminating waste andprotecting the environment.

Among the various themesillustrated in the SustainableFarm Pavilion, two stand outfor their significance. The first,The Seeds of Life Series is avideo storytelling relating thelife and daily challenges of nineAgricultural Heroes and NewHolland customers, able tocherish both tradition andinnovation for clean andhealthy food production.

The second is the timelinegallery that celebrates 120years of New Holland, from its1895 start in New Holland,Pennsylvania, through theingenious intuitions of its

founding pioneers and a host ofinnovations and technologicalsolutions that have graduallyrelieved the burden of farmingand made it more productive,profitable, and certainly morereliable and sustainable.

In the words of New HollandAgriculture Brand PresidentCarlo Lambro on the eve of theinauguration: "We've dedicatedmassive resources to ensuringwe exploit this uniqueopportunity to give millions ofpotential visitors a close-upview of New Holland and showthem what we do: we're theonly agricultural equipmentmanufacturer with its ownpavilion at EXPO and we'vedone everything in our power

to offer our visitors acompelling, inspiring andmemorable experience. TheExpo is creating plenty ofemployment opportunities too.For the six-months of the eventwe'll employ around 140 peopleincluding technicians, supportstaff, hostesses and stewards,many of whom CNH Industrialemployees' family members,who've respondedenthusiastically to theopportunity. I'm personallyextremely proud of what we'vemanaged to achieve and of thefact that New Holland isplaying a key role in a highprofile event on the world stageand one that's also of enormousimportance for Italy."

MAY JUNE 2015


2 5GULF AGRICULTURE

NEW HOLLAND AGRICULTURE IS THEONLY AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENTMANUFACTURER PRESENT AT EXPOWITH ITS OWN PAVILION THATOPENS ITS DOORS ON 1ST MAY,INAUGURATING THE EXHIBITION ANDA SERIES OF EVENTS ANDCONFERENCES, ALL STRICTLY LINKEDTO SUSTAINABLE FARMING ANDAGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION ASAN EFFICIENT SOLUTION FORFEEDING THE WORLD.


The Africa Sugar OutlookConference, held fromApril 28th to 30th in

Nairobi, Kenya, has confirmeditself as the largest annual sugarindustry gathering in Africa.Co-hosted by the Kenya SugarDirectorate, it welcomedhundreds of participants andkey speakers, includinggovernments' representatives,international experts, seniordecision makers and industryleaders from Africa, the MiddleEast, Europe, Brazil, andAustralia. The event explored

future opportunities for theAfrican sugar market, discussednew trade and financingstrategies, and shared bestpractices and latest innovationsin sugar production.

As the originator of sugarcane harvesting technology anda world leader in sugar caneharvesting solutions, Case IHconfirmed itself as GoldSponsor of the event for thefifth year in a row. Thecompany, in collaboration withits distributor in East Africa,Toyota TUSHO, displayed

outside the main conferencehall a representative selection ofits Farmall® and JX compacttractors, including four FarmallA units from 110hp to 140 hp,one Farmall 100 JX, and aJX90 tractor.

Patrice Loiseleur, Case IHInternational AgricultureProjects and Corporate FarmingManager, took part in theconference proceedings with apresentation of the full Caseoffering for sugar caneproduction. Focus was on themultipurpose Puma CVT Series


CASE IH FOREFRONT SOLUTIONS

MAY JUNE 2015

tractors, which are the idealsolution for cultivation androad haulage, and on the keyadvantages of Case IHAustoft® 8000 Series of sugarcane harvesters. Loiseleur alsohighlighted the importance ofthe first class and dedicatedservice support offered tocustomers by Case IH and itsnetwork.

At the end of the three dayconference, the companyorganized a special“side event” for therepresentatives of

corporate customers and largeagro-industrial farms operatingin the sugar cane and bio-ethanol sectors in Africa andthe Middle East. Invitees wereoffered an overview of Case IHoffering and specific insights on

the latest innovations with aguided walkaround presentationof the products on displaybefore joining the dinneroffered by the company.

Industry-leading solutions forsugar cane and bio-ethanolprojectsCase IH's sponsorship of everyedition of the Africa SugarOutlook Conference istestament to its continuedcommitment to the sugar caneindustry. Drawing on over 50years of experience in thissector, the company offers themost advanced and reliablesugar cane harvesters availablein the market, the Austoft®

8000 Series. These machines


2 7GULF AGRICULTURE

FOR THE SUGAR CANE INDUSTRY


are the industry's highestcapacity sugar cane harvestersand ideally suited for the mostdemanding productivity andperformance needs. In addition,the company offers theAustoft® 4000 Series,specifically designed for smallup to medium sizedlandholdings or big plantationswith reduced row spacing.

Case IH offering iscomplemented by a full rangeof equipment for sugar caneoperations, including therenowned Steiger®, MagnumTM

and PumaTM Series of highhorsepower tractors, self-propelled sprayers, tillage andseeding complexes, balers andother attachments, and a line-up of precision farmingsolutions.

High quality and reliabilityproven in actionGreen Fuel is a long-standingCase IH customer and the firstlarge-scale ethanol producingfactory in Africa. Based inZimbabwe, it produces anhydrous

ethanol from sugarcane to supplythe country and beyond with aclean, efficient, and renewablefuel source.

“At Green Fuel, we invest inthe latest technologies to ensurethat sustainable practices areused in the cultivation of sugarcane and associated productssuch as ethanol and electricitygeneration,” says ConradRautenbach, General Managerof Green Fuel.

To harvest and transportabout 4,000 tons of sugarcaneper day, the company relies onCase IH. Green Fuel's fleetencompasses ten Austoft 8000sugar harvesters, twentyMagnum 310 and four Puma140 tractors and twenty JX95tractors. “We use the Magnumtractors during harvestingoperations and for scraping inland development while thePuma tractors are the idealequipment in fertilization andcultivation activities,” addsRautenbach. The JX tractors areused for transport and othergeneral farm operations.

“With these machines, wehave prepared about 10,000hectares of new land andharvest over a million tons ofsugarcane a year,” furtherhighlights Rautenbach. “With asingle Case IH sugar harvesterwe are able to cutapproximately 1,000 tons perday of green cane.”

Having a full range ofspecific equipment for sugarcane production was a keydecision factor in choosingCase IH for Green Fuel, as wellas the availability of a wideproduct offering, precisionfarming solutions and strongafter-sales support. “What weappreciate the most is thequality and reliability of CaseIH units even in the harshAfrican environment in whichwe operate," commentsRautenbach.

With more products onorder for new landdevelopment operations, fieldoperations at Green Fuel willbe increasingly marked by thered livery of Case IH.


MAY JUNE 2015


2 9GULF AGRICULTURE

It's one of the 2015 most interestingbrand new in agriculturalmachinery: TSUNAMI, the new

self-propelled sprayer by Unigreen(Maschio Gaspardo Group), has beenpresented in worldwide preview atSIMA 2015 in Paris, the last february.

Tsunami combines the benefits of abig tank with a stable and agile structure,equipped with an independent pneumaticsuspension and coupling torsion: thanksto the 4 suspension system coupled tothe thrust bearing, Tsunami ensures highstability on every condition.

The Tsunami frame is made in hightensile steel; the basis of a long lastingand light sprayer. The chassis is dividedin front and rear section, connected by aspecial bearing, and all his parts areconnected with bolt. The frame designand the new independent air suspension

ensures the smoothest of rides andminimize boom movement.

Tsunami is a giant: 8,75 m long and3,95 m tall, with tank capacity of up to5.200 liters and boom up to 42 meters inwidth. Indeed, the ground clearance isremarkable (1,60 m) and allows to runeven in advanced plant growth. Huge,but also very agile: the sprayer steerswith an internal radius of about 3,75 m.

Tsunami cares also to the safety of theoperator, guaranteed by the new cabclass. IV, with certificated ROPSstructure: the cab is pressurized, to avoidaccidental inhalation of the product.

Powered by the FPT 250 HP EngineStage IV FINAL, Tsunami features theunique MASCHIO-ATS system: a newexhaust gas-treatment device,developed by MASCHIO and approvedby FPT.

FOCUS ON THE NEWSELF PROPELLEDSPRAYER MASCHIOGASPARDO, PRESENTEDIN WORLDWIDEPREVIEW THE LAST FEBRUARY

TSUNAMI: HUGE DIMENSIONS, HIGH CONTROL


Lindsay Corporation, oneof the world's largestexporters and marketers

of center pivot and lateral moveirrigation systems, has opened anew facility in Çorlu, Turkey inanticipation of long-term growthof the global pivot market.

Zimmatic® by Lindsaysystems are operating in over90 countries, irrigating 4.8million hectares (12 millionacres) of crops. It hasmanufactured and distributedagricultural irrigation

equipment for nearly 60 yearsfrom its original location, thetown of Lindsay, Nebraska, inthe center of the UnitedStates. Lindsay products andsystems help growers aroundthe world conserve water,increase crop production, andreduce costs such as fuel andlabor. Worldwide, only 20percent of cultivated land isirrigated, yet irrigated landproduces 40 percent of theworld's food supply.

“This investment signifies

the long-term commitment thatLindsay is making to supportthe growers of this region. Thestate-of-the-art manufacturingfacility will improve responsetimes and service levels toseveral important internationalregions including Turkey,Europe, The Middle East, NorthAfrica, Russia, Ukraine, andThe Commonwealth ofIndependent States,” saidLindsay International VicePresident Olivier Debart.

The Turkey location willmanufacture pipeline andstructural steel components, andserve as the main warehouse forshipping complete pivot systemsand parts to markets served. Themanufacturing site will alsoinclude a dedicated galvanizingfacility to ensure consistentproduct quality while increasingmanufacturing capacity.

Lindsay irrigation productsare sold through more than 200dealers in the U.S. and morethan 140 dealers in internationalmarkets.

IRRIGATION

NEW PIVOT IRRIGATION MANUFACTURINGAND DISTRIBUTION FACILITY IN TURKEY


Vencomatic introducesits new aviary systemfor layers: the Bolegg

Gallery. This multi-tier systemcombines user friendlinesswith an economic design.While birds can follow theirnatural behaviour resulting inoptimal laying performance, itallows you to collect eggs inan efficient way, preservingthe quality after lay.

As it is getting moredifficult to find skilled labour,the importance of an easy tomanage system is growing.

The Bolegg Gallery usesvertical space to increase thenumber of birds per m2 floorarea. Its open structuresimplifies inspection. Thewinchable back walls allownest inspection and the tree-concept offers a goodoverview and access to alllevels.

At the heart of the BoleggGallery you'll find theVencomatic laying nest. Thisnest is based on Vencomaticinnovations, such as theVencomat, the tipping floorand the egg belt. The design ofthe Vencomat ensuresminimum contact with theeggs. With the perfect angle ofthe nest eggs gently roll awaydirectly after lay protectingthem from damage by thebirds. All 3 tiers of the BoleggGallery are equipped with eggbelts, enabling automaticcollection of all eggs. Atipping floor closingmechanism prevents litteringthe nest at night and allowsdirt and dust to fall off easilywhen closing the nest. Thesystem offers an hygienicenvironment through thecombination of the nest andthe wiremesh floor.

The design combined witheasy operation makesmanaging aviary birds easierthan you think.

Vencomatic Group is knownfor its innovative andsustainable systems for thepoultry industry. Combiningthree well-known brands -Vencomatic, Agro Supply andPrinzen - Vencomatic Groupoffers a full range of innovativesystems for all types of poultryfarms worldwide.

For more informationwww.vencomaticgroup.com

POULTRY

MANAGINGAVIARY

BIRDS ISEASIER THAN

YOU THINK


Tree nursery growersshould now prepare toavoid infestation with

spider mites. They can count ontwo species of predatory mitesfor an efficient biocontrolstrategy. These Biobestbeneficials are very useful alsoin public green.

When temperatures startrising, pests become moreactive. That definitely applies tospider mite. “It's difficult topredict when exactly the firstspider mites will appear on theleaves of young trees”, saysJohn Van Eijk, advisor atBiobest Nederland. “Ingreenhouses, spider mites mayalready be active now, butoutdoor growers have a littlemore time to take action.”

“It is perfectly possible toachieve excellent control ofspider mite with biologicalsolutions. We particularlyrecommend Amblyseiusandersoni.” says John. “Thispredatory mite in the Biobestproduct range can establish evenin the absence of spider mites;since it is able to feed on pollenor other pests. Hence Amblyseius

andersoni can be introducedpreventatively. Growers canalready introduce A. andersoni inyoung trees now. An additionaladvantage: andersoni will alsofeed on thrips.”

What if spider mite isalready present in the tree-nursery? John: “In that case, itis better to use another solution.

Phytoseiulus persimilis, oftenjust called Phyto, is veryefficient against spider mite (forexample: two spotted spidermite) but should be used onlycuratively. Without spider mite,this beneficial cannot survive.In some situations, we alsorecommend the combined useof andersoni and Phyto.”

CROP PROTECTION

PREDATORY MITES AGAINST SPIDER MITE

Cherry growers are gearing up forthe start of the blooming period.Honeybees are widely used for

pollination, but adding bumblebees is agreat idea to ensure an optimal resultunder all weather conditions.

April is a crucial month for cherrygrowers. Blooming starts and successfulpollination is a key factor on the path to asuccessful harvest. Cherry growerstraditionally use honeybees. But Lode VanSchaeren of Biobest Belgium, advisor insoft and hard fruit crops, stronglyrecommends to add bumblebees to themix. “Especially when the weather

conditions are less favorable, for examplewhen it's cloudy or colder, bumblebeeswill do a much better job than honeybees.”

Lode advises to use three Multi HivesTurbo per hectare. These hives contain alot of bumblebees from day 1 and they areready for immediate action in shortblooming crops like cherry.

The Multi Hive Turbo contains 3individual hives, each coming with abottle of 2 liter of sugar water. That keepsthe bumblebees going in case bloominggets delayed by a few days. With theTurbo Hives 4 weeks full activity isguaranteed.

USE BUMBLEBEES FOROPTIMAL POLLINATION


Denmark's Green Growthpolicy has helpedreduce the agriculture

sector's carbon footprint whileensuring the sector remainsvibrant. Smart measures, suchas improved use of manure anda 40% reduction in the use ofinorganic fertiliser, havecontributed to a 28% reductionin greenhouse gas emissionsbetween 1990 and 2009.

Agriculture is responsible forup to a quarter of allgreenhouse gas emissionsworldwide, and Denmark'sagricultural sector is noexception. Denmark is one ofthe world's most intensivelyfarmed countries and a leadingexporter of dairy products.Denmark's agricultural sector isthe country's third largestsource of greenhouse gasemissions after the energy andtransport sectors, contributing17% of emissions.

Agricultural production inDenmark is based on intensive,specialised farms with large-scale poultry, beef and dairyunits and arable farms commonacross the country. Suchintensive agriculture placesconsiderable demands on theenvironment, and Denmark hasa long history of efforts toreduce the environmentalimpact of agriculture. In 1989,for example, the governmentintroduced the ActionProgramme for Joint BiogasPlants, which explored the useof liquid manure in large scale-biogas plants as a way to reduceemissions and improve manuremanagement in the country's

intensive livestock industries.The programme was backed upby action plans to reduceagricultural contamination ofwater courses. The Action Planfor Sustainable Agriculture,launched in 1991, tightenedcontrols on the use of manureon farmland, and was followedby a further action plan in 2001,to improve manure handlingand reduce the amount ofammonia released into theatmosphere.

All of these measures wereaimed at reducing the impact ofagriculture on the environment,including nitrogen pollution ofgroundwater and release ofgreenhouse gases - methane andnitrous oxide in particular - tothe atmosphere.

The Agreement on GreenGrowth, signed by all ofDenmark's major politicalparties in 2009, builds on thesemeasures and aims to ensurethat protection of theenvironment and the climategoes hand-in-hand withmodern and competitive

agriculture and food industries.The Agreement includesmeasures to promote organicfarming, re-establish wetlands,encourage environmentallysound farming practices andreduce use of pesticides andnutrients. It also focuses onefficiency in resource andenergy use and the applicationof environmental technologiesthat reduce input use, energyconsumption and emissions,recover valuable by-products,and minimise waste disposalproblems. One of the specificaims of the Agreement is toreduce the greenhouse gasemissions from Danishagriculture by 800,000 tonnesof carbon dioxide equivalentsper year by 2015, half of whichwill come from reducing theamount of nitrogen applied asmanure or inorganic fertiliser.

A key climate-changemitigation element of theAgreement is its target to usehalf of all manure produced inthe country to produce biogasby 2020 - a 10 - fold increasefrom 2009 levels. Production ofbiogas will reduce methaneemissions from manure andreduce the country's dependenceon fossil fuel - both of whichwill help bring down Denmark'scarbon footprint. The use ofcatch crops and establishmentof perennial plants such aswillow for biomass, mandatedunder the Agreement, willsequester considerable amountsof carbon in organic matter andwoody species.

With a budget of someUS$2.4 billion for 2009-15, the

DANISH AGRICULTURE

REDUCING DANISH AGRICULTURE'SCONTRIBUTION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

AGRICULTURALPRODUCTION INDENMARK IS BASED ONINTENSIVE, SPECIALISEDFARMS WITH LARGE-SCALE POULTRY, BEEF ANDDAIRY UNITS ANDARABLE FARMS COMMONACROSS THE COUNTRY.

MAY JUNE 2015

Agreement provides fundingfor several initiatives that willcontribute to climate-changemitigation. These include thedevelopment of common,centralised biogas plants, farm -level investments forconnecting to these plants andplanting of perennial energycrops, such as willow. Plantingthese crops has also been madetax-deductible, to encourageuptake by farmers.

Such initiatives are balancedby policy measures aimed atensuring the continued healthand vibrancy of the agriculturalsector, which is at a vital part of

Denmark's economy,accounting for 3% of grossdomestic product andemploying 8.5% of thecountry's labour force. Many ofthe changes are aimed atsimplifying the policyenvironment in whichagriculture operates, in order toreduce farm overheads andincrease the efficiency ofproduction.

To date, the variousmeasures have had considerableimpact: Denmark's greenhousegas emissions declined by up to28% between 1990 and 2009(from 18.7 to 13.4 million

tonnes of carbon dioxideequivalents). Much of thisdecline came from a 31%reduction in nitrous oxideemissions, due to improved useof manure and a 40% reductionin use of inorganic fertiliserbetween 1990 and 2000.Studies suggest that greenhousegas emissions from Danishagriculture could be cut by afurther 50 - 70% withoutreducing food production, andthat increases in biogasproduction from manure couldresult in a positive energybalance for the agriculturalsector as a whole.

DANISH AGRICULTURE

3 7GULF AGRICULTURE


POLISH AGRICULTURE

MARTEX®-Jerzy Marek Strenkowski, isa family owned company from Polandengaged in the production and supply of

textile products for nurseries, including those canbe effectively used in the temperate, dry or evenhot climate.

The company offers different kinds ofproducts including a series of containers underthe common name of ARBO®. Also there arenursery and transportation bags, bags for generalpurpose and for the collection of small plasticitems (plastic bottles, cans, AL), householdwaste utilization, and many others.

Under the brand of MARTEX®, the companyoffers mats for protection against weed,containers for ground and water perennials,

HIGH QUALITY PLANTER BAGSMARTEX® DELIVERS ITS PRODUCTS TOMORE THAN 24 COUNTRIES INEUROPE. LOOKING FOR DISTRIBUTORSIN GULF AND THE MIDDLE EAST

MAY JUNE 2015

POLISH AGRICULTURE

3 9GULF AGRICULTURE

expanding tape for connectingof tree and its support, multi-colour marking tape, protectivematerial for draining pipes andtrees located near the roadsand streets, tunnels/ sleeves forventilation and weights used infoil tunnels.

Additionally, the companyoffers the following range ofproducts: jute textile (in balesand KARO type clothing), jutefelt, knitted fabric/net forshading, bedding material forapplication directly on ground,geo-textile, foil and foam withthermo-insulative propertiesfor plants and objects (in balesand variety of formats),capillary mats for tables,wrapping band for trees,stabilizers of ground in theslopy area.

Water saving jute mat, for

application in dry and hotclimate, which effectivelyreduces water evaporation andits assimilation by weed;aluminum foil coatedcontainer which reflectssunlight, and thermo-

insulative inserts, forapplication inside bags, potsor directly on ground are alsoincluded in the product range.

MARTEX® delivers itsproducts to more than 24countries in Europe.


KUWAIT UPDATE

Established in 1985, AlShaheenNurseries has been ever sincedeveloping itself as one of the leaders

in the field of agriculture retail andlandscaping. AlShaheen Nurseries provides acomplete set of agriculture and gardeningservices. The team is run by well qualifiedengineers and experienced supervisors, with along and successful track record in agricultureprojects execution. The company is located inShuwaikh, 4th Ring Road, Nurseries Area. It’s

our pleasure to introduce our wide range ofservices we offer the following:� Landscaping and planting division for indoor

and outdoor gardens. Wholesale division (ForAgricultural Companies only).

� Maintenance team for agricultural projects andhouse gardens.

� Designing and implementing irrigationsystems.

� Wide range of indoor and outdoor plants. � Wide rang of flower and vegetable seeds. � Different sizes and colors of plastic net shades.

All kinds of natural and chemical fertilizers.� Peat Moss, potting soil, hydroton.� Agent and distributor of indoor and outdoor

pots of different shapes and sizesAlShaheen Nurseries showroom is

considered as a garden center for selling indoorand outdoor plants – Grass – Peat Moss –Potting Soil – Plastic Net Shades – Pots –Rocks –Seeds – Natural and ChemicalFertilizers – Agrilite – Irrigation Sys. – Waterpumps – Insect killer – Hydroton – Palm bags.The Company aims to provide many items toserve different customer’s tastes, in addition toprovide the best quality and less prices underone roof.

AlShaheen Nurseries owns a farm in Wafraarea specialized in growing plants, flowers, andpaspalum grass, runs by well qualifiedengineers to provide the market and theAgricultural companies with the best varietiesand quality. The farm is considered one ofleading farms in Wafra in growing plants,flowers, and pasplam grass.

The Project Division is run by well qualifiedteam of engineers and supervisors to designlandscape and maintain gardens. There is a teamfor designing & implementing irrigationsystems.

The whole sale division was established in2000 to provide the Ministries and the agriculturalcompanies with plants, garden tools and irrigationsystems. Since then, the division has beensupplying some of the leading government andprivate projects.

Shaheen M. AlRubaieGeneral Manager

COMPLETE SET OF AGRICULTUREAND GARDENING SERVICES

gulf agriculture may-june edition

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