African Farming March April 2012

March/April 2012

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

ServingAGRICULTURE

for

3232YEARS

Managing the poultry barn environment.

Big farms for Africaand the real role for smallholders

RiceIntegrated crop management

Seed drillingIncreasing efficiencyw

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www.africanfarming.net

AF March - April 2012 Cover_Cover.qxd 21/03/2012 14:39 Page 1

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S01 AF March - April 2012 Start_Layout 1 21/03/2012 14:43 Page 2

CONTENTS

Contents

In the past two decades, there has beena rapid advance of maize as a majorfood crop in Africa.

John Deere’s 750A No-Till drill can work in uncultivated soil.

The air movement from ventilation helps keep the birdscool, as well as removing moisture from the barn.

March/April 2012

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

ServingAGRICULTURE

for

3232YEARS

Managing the poultry barn environment.

Big farms for Africaand the real role for smallholders

RiceIntegrated crop management

Seed drillingIncreasing efficiency

www.african

farm

ing.ne

t

www.africanfarming.net

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

Crop Protection 10Integrated crop solutions for African farmers - a recent presentation by Syngnta at the 2nd

Commercial Farm Africa event.

Poultry 12Managing barn environment key to controlling respiratory disease.

Dairy Farming 16A new breed of cattle could change the fortunes of dairy farmers. The Fleckvieh breed has

been introduced to Kenya from South Africa and is expected to give the Friesian breed stiff

competition.

Nigeria 18In Part III of our interview with Chris Okeke, he discusses non-competitive seeds, input and

output markets, as well as the real role for smallholders.

Food Security 22The recent AGCO Africa Summit called for a new vision for agriculture in Africa.

Rural Communications 24The growing role of mobile telephones in agriculture.

Rice 26To feed the world in 2050, investments in agricultural research and extension must be

substantially increased, and AfricaRice has shown that integrated crop management is a

promising way for SSA.

Irrigation 30Irrigation and crop management.

Seed Drilling 32Many of the newest seed drills have design features to improve work rates and increase efficiency.

Managing Editor: Zsa Tebbit

Editorial and Design team: Bob Adams, David Clancy, Andrew Croft, Prabhu Dev, ImmanuelDevadoss, Ranganath GS, Prashanth AP, Ian Roullier, Genaro Santos, Nicky Valsamakis, Julian Walker and Ben Watts

Publisher: Nick Fordham

Advertising Sales 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 EmailChina Wang Ying (86)10 8472 1899 (86) 10 8472 1900 [email protected] Tanmay Mishra (91) 80 65333361 (91) 80 40600791 [email protected] Camilla Capece (39)06 97619380 [email protected] Bola Olowo (234) 8034349299 [email protected] Sergei Salov (7495) 540 7564 (7495) 540 7565 [email protected] Tan Kay Hui (65) 9790 6090 (65) 6280 2823 [email protected] Africa Annabel Marx (27) 218519017 (27) 46 624 5931 [email protected] Saida Daha (974) 5 745 780 [email protected] Camilla Capece (971) 4 4489260 (971) 4 4489261 [email protected] Michael Tomashefsky (1) 203 226 2882 (1) 203 226 7447 [email protected]

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]

Production: Donatella Moranelli, Nasima Osman, Nick Salt, Jeremy Walters, and Sophia White E-mail: [email protected]

Subscriptions: [email protected]

Chairman: Derek Fordham

Printed by: Wyndeham Roche Ltd.

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

Serving the world of business

African Farming - March/April 2012 3


EVENTS

THE RECENT IPM Essen exhibition was attended by 59,600trade professionals who visited 1,517 exhibitors from 44countries. The show formed the economic barometer for theworldwide green sector, with 36 per cent of visitors comingfrom overseas – a rise of 10 per cent. This rise in internationalvisitors was reinforced by the fact that 74 per cent of IPMvisitors were decision takers, characterising the great successof the 30th IPM Essen."The 30th IPM Essen was superlative," said Frank Thorwirth,Chairman and CEO of Messe Essen, and Egon Galinnis,Managing Director of Messe Essen. Information about innovations, market orientation andmaintaining business contacts were crucial for trade visitors'participation in IPM Essen 2012. In this respect, the fair onceagain proved to be a meeting place for decision takers and afirst-rate networking platform: 74 per cent of visitors have aninfluence on purchases and procurements in their companies.One in three visitors placed orders directly at IPM or plannedto order something during their visit to the fair. Another 28 percent are expecting to conclude contracts after the fair on thebasis of the information they attained and contacts theyacquired. Visitors were also positive about the variety on offerand for the international reach of the fair. 88 per cent ofvisitors made a positive assessment of the current economicprospects of the sector.High satisfaction levels were reflected in the intention of 93per cent of this year’s exhibitors and visitors to attend nextyear’s IPM Essen, which takes place from 22-25 January,2013.

www.ipm-messe.de

IPM Essen 2012 sees nearly 60,000 visitors

THERE ARE CLEAR signs of exceptionally high exhibitor participationfrom home and abroad in the world’s top event for animal husbandry,EuroTier, to be held in Hanover from 13 to 16 November 2012.According to the information supplied by the organiser DLG, standbookings by more than 1,400 companies to date indicate that wellover 2,000 exhibitors can be expected at the event in November. Allthe world’s leading suppliers of machinery and equipment for modernanimal husbandry will be presenting innovative solutions and compre-hensive information about innovations and trends in Hanover.200 first-time exhibitors will be coming. At the last event in 2010,EuroTier with more than 1,900 exhibitors from 49 countries suppliedinformation to over 145,000 expert visitors, including 24,000 interna-tional visitors.Participation from the poultry industry sector will be unique at EuroTier2012 and cover the entire industry with its brand leaders from the fields

of breeding, husbandry and processing. This will make the “WorldPoultry Show” the highlight of the entire international poultry industrythis year. Further drawing power for visitors from the poultry sector isexerted by the cross-species exhibition areas such as feed and feedstorage, animal health or climate control technology in animal housingthat are not presented as comprehensively at any other exhibition.“BioEnergy Decentral”, the global forum for decentralised energysupply, is also encountering a high level of exhibitor interest. Also theFederal Association of Practising Veterinarians is now scheduling itsannual congress and associated specialist exhibition “VeterinarianMedicine” to overlap with EuroTier for the third time.EuroTier is the most important future forum addressing all aspects ofprofessional animal husbandry. Traditionally this is where bothtechnology trends are pointed up and all important questions ofmodern.

Strong exhibitor demand for EuroTier 2012

March

21-23 IFTEX 2012 NAIROBIwww.hppexhibitions.com

26-29 6th International Poultry Conference ALEXANDRIA www.mpn-wpsa.org

April

18-20 2012 FMB Africa Conference & Exhibition AGADIR fmb-group.org.uk

19-20 Africa International Soft Commodities 2012 LONDON www.cubicglobe.com

23-27 Shea 2012: Shared Value COTONOU www.globalshea.com

May

1-3 2nd All African Organic Conference LUSAKA www.oppaz.org.zm

8-9 Farm Chemicals International Trade Summit ACCRA www.farmchemicalsinternational.com

July

11-13 East Africa Irrigation Technology Week NAIROBI www.irrigationweek.com

August

5-9 XXIV World Poultry Congress SALVADOR www.wpc2012.com

2012 AVIANA Africa 2012 LUSAKA www.avianaafrica.com

Farming Calendar

NAMPO’s HARVEST DAY 2011 succeeded inits objective of supporting agricultural producerson their way to sustainability by once againpresenting a variety of exhibitions of a highstandard at a single venue. The attendancefigure for the four days was 73,552, which ishigher than the previous year.“We receive many compliments on the HarvestDay as a whole – many of them on the high

standard of the exhibitions. As may beexpected, the general feedback from exhibitorsis also positive about the Harvest Day as abusiness opportunity,” said Mr Jub Jubelius,Chairman of the NAMPO Harvest DayCommittee.Interest in the Harvest Day from internationalexhibitors, as individuals or as part of a govern-ment initiative, is still growing. The participation

of a group of exhibitors from the US andArgentina achieved permanence last year,while Germany and Canada have alreadyindicated that they intend becoming involved.The number of visiting groups from foreigncountries, especially from Africa, also grows bythe year.This year’s NAMPO Harvest Day will takeplace from Tuesday, 15th to Friday, 18th May.

NAMPO 2011 sets the tone once again

African Farming - March/April 20124


NEWS

DOMINION FARMS LTD, an US-based farming company that produces ricein Kenya, agreed to start a rice farm with the government in Nigeria thatwould be Africa’s biggest, with production at 300,000 tonnes a year. The US$40mn rice farm will reduce Nigeria’s rice imports by 15 per cent andcut rice costs by $342mn (54bn naira) a year, Agriculture Minister AkinwumiAdesina said in Abuja, at a press conference attended by officials fromDominion Farms Nigeria Ltd. Terms of the ownership were not announced. “There’s absolutely no reason in the world for Nigeria to be a foodimporting nation,” Adesina said. Nigeria must be a “food self-sufficient andfood exporting nation.” “Nigeria is the world’s largest importer of rice, at 2.3mn tons a year onconsumption of 4.9mn tons, according to the US Department ofAgriculture. Demand in the country will be 35mn tons by 2050,” Adesinasaid. “Nigeria will produce enough grain in four years to cover its needs,which would allow it to export to other West African countries and competewith Thailand and India.” The farm will stretch over 30,000 ha in Taraba state in Nigeria’s east,according to the Ministry of Agriculture. About 90 per cent of the land willbe operated by contract farmers, and the rest will be run as a corporatefarm and for training purposes, according to the Ministry. The farm willrequire 15,000 workers. Dominion Farms is based in Guthrie, Oklahoma, and operates a 17,000-acre leasehold in western Kenya, according to the company’s website. Agriculture accounts for 44 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP), andcontributes to about 77 per cent of all employment in Nigeria, Adesinasaid. Africa’s top oil producer spends “well over” 1.3tn naira annually toimport the four basic food items of wheat, rice, sugar and fish, he said. Nigeria plans to add 20mn tonnes of production over the next fouryears of crops including rice, cassava, corn, soybeans, sorghum andcotton, Adesina said.

US agri group to partner Nigerian governmentin “Africa’s biggest rice farm”

MZUZU COFFEE PLANTERS Co-operativeUnion in Malawi has in ten years gone fromproducing 90 tonnes of coffee per year totoday’s 450 tonnes per year. Prices for itsbranded Mzuzu Coffee average US$6 per kg. According to Chief Executive Officer HarrisonKalua, 2011 was one of the company’s bestyears, with the global coffee outlook promisingcontinuing good prices in 2012. In 2011 Mzuzu won the Japan External Trade

Organization (Jetro) Cupping of Taste ofHarvest Coffees competition in Tokyo. Theresults showed that a sample from MzuzuCoffee Planters Co-operative of Malawireceived the highest score amongcompeting coffees from Uganda, Burundiand Zambia. Kalua said the company would continue toattend international coffee events as partof its marketing efforts. Drying Mzuzu coffee.

Malawi’s Mzuzu Coffee experiences steady gains

FOSTERA™ PRRS*, A modified-live vaccine for growing pigs fromPfizer Animal Health, brings a new high standard of innovation to thecostly battle against porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome(PRRS) respiratory disease. Demonstrating its commitment to high standards, Pfizer AnimalHealth's research and development team made a significantbreakthrough. They created unique cell lines that were able toexpress a newly discovered key receptor protein for the PRRS virus(PRRSv). This innovative thinking was pivotal in bringing Fostera PRRSto the pork industry. "With more than half of weaning-age PRRSv-negative pigs becominginfected before going to market, this innovative vaccine option helpsgrowing pigs defend themselves against a PRRSv challenge," saysSteve Sornsen, DVM, MS, senior director, Veterinary BusinessSolutions at Pfizer Animal Health.A challenge study demonstrated that Fostera PRRS, which is the first andonly PRRSv vaccine to earn the label claim aid in prevention of PRRSrespiratory disease, reduced lung lesions by 84 per cent and reducedoverall respiratory clinical signs by 80 per cent. Additionally, resultsshowed vaccination with Fostera PRRS improved average daily gain by2.5 times compared to pigs in the placebo group."Fostera PRRS helps optimise performance by minimising the adverseeffects of a subsequent PRRSv challenge, thereby allowing growingpigs to maximise their post-challenge weight gain," says Doug King,DVM, senior veterinarian at Pfizer Animal Health. Fostera PRRS is the second product to launch under the Fosterabrand name and is supported by in-field support, resources anddiagnostics to help veterinarians and producers tackle this criticaldisease challenge.

*Vaccine virus may be shed and transmitted to other populations ofswine in direct or indirect contact with vaccinated swine.

New vaccine alternative against PRRS


S02 AF March - April 2012 News_Layout 1 21/03/2012 14:44 Page 5

NEWS

LOWER INPUT PRICES for corn, soybeans and day-old chicks compared to lastyear are more than offsetting a decrease in broiler and table-egg prices in Egypt.This is expected to generate better marginal profits for Egypt’s poultry sector,according to Dr. Hussein Soliman, US Grains Council director in Egypt.As profits increase, higher wages and growing consumer demand in Egypt willlead to industry expansion, Soliman predicted.Increased demand for animal protein has also pressured farm-gate milk prices,cattle prices and buffalo prices upward, in fact, improving profitability in cattleand buffalo feeding.“The Council has been instrumental in preparing this project expansion,”Soliman said. “The present market climate indicates great expansion in allsectors of animal protein production, which will translate into additional grainusage this year.” Soliman further noted that Egypt has increased its corn imports by two millionmetric tons in the last five years.

TANZANIA IS SEEKING new markets in the Middle East and Asia totriple its horticulture exports and grow its annual revenues fromUS$350mn to $1bn.Officials say that their strategy will include expanding export marketoutgrower schemes and building capacity of farm associations todeliver high quality products to export markets.The horticulture subsector has been a vital engine in fighting poverty inrural Tanzania. Currently, the subsector generates more than $350mnper year and offers direct employment of 350,000 people.The last three years have seen substantial expansion of the industry. In 2010, Tanzania received $1.3mn from USAID to strengthenhorticulture export linkages and domestic farm-to-market channels forthe high value vegetables through increased productivity andincreased management of natural resources.Over 500 smallholder farmers will be linked into profitablehorticultural value chains generating employment and increasinghousehold incomes.The vegetable and fruits subsectors are expected to expand in the newmarkets in Middle East and Asia.

ARGENTINA PLANS TO share its agricultural expertise withMozambican farmers to help increase yields and productivity in arange of crops, including bananas, citrus and exotic fruit.A delegation from the government-backed National Institute ofAgricultural Technology (INTA) recently met with farmers todiscuss starting a pilot project between March and April. Themove follows a research project in neighbouring South Africa thatwas launched in late 2011.INTA international technical co-operation general manager DanielDíaz, said his organisation would be looking at how to replicateArgentina’s successful Pro-Huerta project, which helped 600,000families develop their farmland, in Mozambique.“The areas of co-operation with the African country would beanimal and plant health, direct sowing, biotechnology, irrigation,technology transfer, development of crops,” he said.Diaz said he was confident the new initiative would be successfulbecause of the Mozambican farmers’ agricultural experience andwillingness to learn. The Mozambique National Farmers Union haswelcomed the project as a major boost for its plans to increase thecountry’s agricultural development.Mozambique has 36mn ha of potential farming land but at the momentjust 10 per cent of its land is devoted to crop growing. The country hasa population of 21mn with 3.5mn small producers, living off plots ofland of 0.5-5 ha, accounting for 98 per cent of all farms.In addition to fruit the country’s main crops are beans, cassava,rice, soya beans, palm oil, sunflower oil, sweet potatoes andcotton.

Argentine experts to assist Mozambican fruit industryTanzania horticulture

Brighter outlook for Egyptian livestock sector

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New KAHL fish feed extruder plant in Africa

CEVA ANIMAL HEALTH has launched Vectormune HVT-LT, a vectorvaccine, to the poultry industry at the 2012 International PoultryExposition in Atlanta. According to Ceva, this vector vaccine protectsagainst both infectious Laryngotracheitis and Marek’s Disease.Vectormune HVT-LT can be administered in the hatchery, in ovo, or atone day old to provide lifelong protection.

Ceva Animal Health introduces poultry vaccine

AGRITERRA LTD CONTINUES to expand its Mozambican cattle ranchingoperations. The total herd now stands at 3,750, on course to reach10,000 by 2015. The 5,000 target for 2012 is within reach.

Support infrastructure is being expanded, including a new 48bn litredam expected to increase per hectare capacity from 1.5 to seven head,as well as new feedlots and an expanded stud ranch. The dam will becapable of irrigating 4,000 ha and provide 132kV of hydroelectricpower for the irrigation pumps.

In its efforts to encompass all aspects of the beef business, thecompany has opened a number of butcheries. A new abattoir with acapacity of 4,000 head per month will commence operations in August2012. Average carcass prices range from US$835 to $1100 each.

Agriterra’s cattle ranching operations inMozambique on target




NEWS

NONE OF AFRICA'S major rice-consuming countries are self-sufficient inthe cereal. Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya andseveral others have rice-growing efforts ofvarious levels, but none seems close tosignificantly reducing imports from Asia.Apart from cultivation and other difficultiesthat plague these schemes, the locallygrown rice varieties have sometimes alsofaced consumer resistance because oftheir differences in appearance, taste,ease of cooking and so on, compared tothe imported varieties many have becomeaccustomed to. Rwanda has an ambitious plan to supplyall its own rice needs by 2016. As part of the plan, a 1750 ha wetlandin the country’s Nyagatare District has been set aside for rice cultivation. According to the New Times newspaper, the minister of agriculture said200 ha of the wetland had been reclaimed for rice cultivation under the

World Bank-funded Muvumba MarshlandRehabilitation Project. 750 more hectareswere expected to be ready for thebeginning of the rice planting season atthe beginning of January 2012. “Our target is to harvest 22,000tonnes of rice every year from themarshland, which will significantlyreduce the current importationburden,” agriculture minister AgnesKalibata said. “From our plan tocultivate in 100,000 ha of land underthe Rwanda Self SufficiencyProgramme, 50 per cent of which willbe used for rice production, we are

certain that within seven years we will have enough rice, not onlyfor local consumption, but also for export.According to Kalibata, the country consumes approximately 55,000tonnes of rice every year.

THE ETHIOPIAN HORTICULTURE Development Agency (EHDA) hascelebrated a key milestone as the east African nation beganexporting bananas for the first time ever.In a nation where agriculture is the foundation, Ethiopia’s economyhas for a long time relied heavily on thriving coffee yields as its maincash crop. In recent years the EHDA has been encouragingEthiopian farmers to acquire new farming techniques and new crops.In February the country recorded its first shipment of 40 tons oforganic banana to Saudi Arabia to meet growing demands for theproduce in that market.According to the EHDA, at least 11,400 farmers are involved inthe project covering 3100ha. It added that Ethiopia was in theprocess of exporting 200 tons of bananas per week for theJeddah market following an agreement with a foreign companyinterested in exporting.

THE GOVERNMENT OF Kwara State in Nigeria has signed aMemorandum of Understanding with investors from Spain todevelop rice cultivation, processing and packaging. The deal is saidto be 'worth US$44mn (70bn Nigerian Naira).'The state government is to provide 30 per cent of the total cost,including 20,000 ha of land. The Spanish investors are to providethe remaining 70 per cent of the total cost of the investment for theperiod of four years.The Spanish company and the representatives of Kwara stategovernment agreed that the investment will be in stages. Thecompany is to invest $91mn annually for the period of four years,making a total investment of $364mn. Based on the agreement, thestate government will allocate 5,000 ha of land for the process foreach stage. It is expected that each stage of 5,000 ha of land isexpected to yield 40,000 tonnes of rice annually.

Rwanda aims for rice self-sufficiency by 2016

A US$900,000 (75mn Kenya Shilling) mangoprocessing plant is set to open this month in akey cultivation region of the fruit, Malindi. Theplant will crush 60 tonnes of raw mangoesevery day. Another factory is also set to openin Hola, Tana Delta. With a combined capacityto process 90 tonnes of raw mangoes in a day,the new factories are expected to significantlyimprove farm gate prices paid to farmers. Malindi and Tana Delta are the mainproducers of Ngowe mango, which ispreferred for juice making. Malindi alone produces over 70 per cent ofthe total production of the variety in the Coastprovince. The new plant was set up by the MalindiFarmers Co-operative Society, which has beenbuying raw mangoes from its members for saleto the juice manufacturers. The project wasfunded by the Micro Enterprise SupportProgramme Trust (MESPT) that receives

support from Danida, a Danish fundinginstitution. The project was built from lastyear on a Build Operate Transfer (BOT)arrangement and MESPT will transfer it tothe co-operative once the capacity to run itis established. The pulp can be stored for a long period oftime and will also reduce the cost oftransport associated with selling rawmangoes, which sometimes go bad beforethey even secure a market. Total wastage isestimated at 40 per cent of the total collections. In Malindi, there are over 12,000 mangofarmers with an estimated 120,000 trees lyingon 1,700 ha of land, according to the results ofa baseline survey on the crop carried out in2009 by Institutional Development andManagement Services (IDM), a research firm. Since mango is a seasonal crop, an addition ofequipment to the machines that were importedfrom Italy will create capacity for the factory to

process passion, pineapples and water melon,Nyale said. The new plant has increased the Coastprovince processing capacity to 260 tonnes ofmango every day. In addition to the two newfactories, other major processors in the regioninclude Allfruits EPZ limited in Mikindani, whichprocesses about 100 tonnes of mango everyday for export to Europe, and Milly Fruit,famous for the Picana brand that is able tocrush about 70 tonnes of mangoes per day.

A rice farmer in Rwanda.

Mango processing plant to open in Malindi

Nigerian regional govt in deal with Spanish investors Ethiopia records its first banana exports



S03 AF March - April 2012 Analysis_Layout 1 21/03/2012 14:45 Page 9

Syngenta has world-leading technology solutions and a strong R&D pipelinewith focus on providing growers with integrated crop solutions that suit theirfarming needs. Andy Watt recently gave a presentation at the 2ndCommercial Farm Africa event in Dubai.

SYNGENTA IS EXTREMELY well placed to support thedevelopment of agricultural productivity in Africa, indeedanywhere in the world. One of its core aims is to supporta step change in agricultural productivity through

technology, innovation, footprint and thinking like a grower tobring pertinent solutions to the farming business.

According to Andy Watt, three elements build the foundationfor a sustainable production system in which technology enablesbetter solutions for farmers to increase productivity andprofitability, to increase resource efficiency, and help reach foodsecurity. These are technology, land and people.

40 per cent of the world’s food would not exist without cropprotection products.

Weeds, insects and disease have attacked food suppliesthroughout human history. Only very recently, however, hasmodern science discovered effective ways of controlling thesethreats to crop yield.

After 30 years of rapid growth in agricultural production, theworld can produce enough food to provide every person withmore than 2,700 calories per day, a level which is normallysufficient to ensure that everyone has access to adequate food,provided distribution is not too unequal1. Without cropprotection products, the world’s farmers could only harvestabout two-thirds of current production. The last time that 60 percent of current production was enough to feed everybody 2,700calories per day was when world population was about fourbillion. That was in 1975. Crop productivity improvements since1961 have forestalled habitat conversion to cropland of some970mn hectares globally. This makes up an area almost as largeas the total land area of the United States. Crop protectionproducts are absolutely essential for raising yields and keepingpace with rising demand.

As Andy says, development in Africa is challenging, and it isimportant not to become disillusioned if things don’t always workas expected immediately. However, the trend is up and thedevelopment potential is great. The focus on food security is a keydriver but with available land and water, a willing workforce andgrowing worldwide market potential, the opportunity to build asustainable export business is also a major driver for growth.

Technology enabling high productivityIn Zambia, Syngenta is working with growers to bring traditionalsolutions as well as using products to provide crop enhancement.It is providing crop programmes around pest, weed and fungus

control. This is a well run project producing corn, soy and wheatfor the regional markets. Under irrigation, yields for wheat canexceed 10 tonnes per hectare and maize over eight tonnes. Thesematch the best yields in Northern Europe for example and makethe Zambian large scale farmer a force to be reckoned with.

In Mozambique, open field tomatoes grow extremely wellwith yields in excess of 100 tonnes per hectare. In recent trials,Syngenta’s varieties came out in the top quartile in terms ofyield and brix levels and, coupled with the company's cropprotection programme of herbicides, fungicides andinsecticides, provide high quality tomatoes for making paste.Syngenta's integrated crop solutions would give the grower theproductivity and quality needed in order to increase factorythroughput and asset utilisation.

Sustainable commercial-smallholder farmer partnershipsSyngenta is also working with growers in Tanzania and Ghana totransfer leading technology from Asia Pacific and Latin Americato Africa, trialing seeds, crop protection and good agriculturalpractices. Currently 10 million tonnes of rice are imported intoAfrica each year so the company is working with African growersto provide technical support with expertise from APAC/LATAMand is aiming to increase yield in all rice growing systems fromtraditional rainfed paddy to irrigated, commercial farms.

In addition to the crops mentioned above, Syngenta can bringsolutions to growers for most major crops in Africa. The companyhas experience in vegetables, cocoa, sugar, coffee, fruit and nuts,

Integrated crop solutions forAfrican farmers

CROP PROTECTION

Under irrigation, yields for wheat can exceed 10 tonnes per hectare.

Development in Africa is challenging, and it isimportant not to become disillusioned if things

don’t always work as expected immediately.



and bananas with either seeds or crop protection and frequentlyeven both. Coupled with African expertise and a willingness totailor solutions to individual needs, Syngenta makes an idealpartner for a developing African agribusiness.

Working with large and small farmersSyngenta is truly global with a strong presence in Africa and cantransfer technology and ideas from other parts of the world toAfrica to accelerate improvements. A good example of this ismalting barley; they have been developing solutions for this inKenya based on the company's success in the UK and NorthernEurope. Harvestable yield in Kenya has increased by over 50 percent and the company is now in the process of commercialisingthese offers in Kenya.

Working with both large-scale and small-scale farmers is veryimportant; small-scale farmers are the traditional backbone ofAfrican agriculture and the company is working hard to train thisgroup of farmers as well as making its technology availablethrough suitably sized and priced packs of crop protectionproducts and seeds. "Frequently the large farm can provide areliable route to market for the small scale neighbour and we arepartnering with some large scale farmers to provide training, skillbuilding and making technology available to increase the small-scale farmers’ business alongside that of the large-scale farm,"says Andy.

"Last and by no means least, understanding the individualneeds of a farm at the end of a 100 km-long dusty road is reallyimportant to get the best yield and quality possible. We are verykeen to work with the farm to trial our solutions, understand whatworks best and fine tune the recommendations to suit the uniquesituation that the farmer faces. By thinking like a grower we canpartner to deliver cost-effective business solutions and contributestrongly to the further development of African agriculturalproductivity." h

*Andy Watt is the Head of Large Scale Farming for Syngenta inAfrica and the Middle East and can be reached [email protected].

1 (FAO: Agriculture and Food Security).

Malting barley crop in Kenya where harvestable yield has increased by over 50 per cent.

Working with both large-scale and small-scalefarmers is very important.

CROP PROTECTION



Respiratory disease represents a significant threat to poultry flocks.Managing the poultry barn environment is a key to controlling this.

STRICT ADHERENCE TO good management practicesthroughout the poultry operation, especially the wateringsystem, is the only way poultry producers can reduce theimpact of respiratory disease on their flocks and profits.

If the birds are showing signs of infection, a producer canrespond with medication. But all too often, the birds exhibit nosigns of infection other than underperformance. Respiratory diseaseis not a single virus or bacteria; it is generally a complex of both,making prevention and treatment far more complicated. Eventhough farmers are vaccinating most flocks, respiratory lesions stillturn up at slaughter on a regular basis; and these defects hurtweight gain and carcass quality.

The US Department of Agriculture reports: "As we enter the 21stcentury, the single most important issue for poultry farmers will behow to lessen the direct and indirect cost of disease. A thresholdhas been reached where poultry farmers will have to either producemore birds to overcome the current cost of disease or produce thesame amount of birds at a lesser cost with value-added diseasecontrol measures."

Ammonia is primary culpritThe primary culprit in respiratory disease is ammonia, which is aresult of moisture reacting with poultry droppings in the litter.Ammonia destroys the cilia (hair like projects that trap dust andother particles) in the chicken's trachea. This leads to erosion of thetracheal lining. The irritated tracheal lining is more susceptible toinfection by viruses or bacteria, and this can cause additional

destruction of the trachea. Finally, E. coli bacteria from the littergets into the trachea and the bird develops airsacculitis.

It makes sense, then, that you can reduce the incidence ofrespiratory disease by controlling ammonia in the poultry house.One strategy for controlling ammonia is to keep the litter dry; asecond is to remove ammonia with ventilation. Ziggity recommendsa combination of the two.

Because of its makeup, litter in a poultry barn will always containa certain amount of moisture, most of which comes from the birdsthemselves. Birds retain only about 30 per cent of the water theydrink. About 20 per cent goes into the air as the birds exhale, andthey excrete the remaining 50 per cent in their faeces.

Keeping moisture to a minimumWhile some moisture in the litter is inevitable, farmers should striveto keep the moisture content to a minimum - about 20 to 25 percent. This will keep the litter friable.

The following are some tips on how to keep the litter dry: ● Prevent leaky drinkers. Establish a regular programme of high

pressure flushing for the watering system. This will removebiofilm and sediment buildups that can clog drinkers and causethem to leak. Ziggity recommends using a hydrogen peroxide-based cleaner to scrub the interior of the water pipes beforeflushing. Also, when you determine a drinker is leaking, replaceit immediately.

● Have adequate ventilation, summer and winter. Another reasonfor wet litter is inadequate ventilation to dry the litter and move

Managing barn environment keyto controlling respiratory disease

POULTRY

Good management practices are essential, especially the watering system.

The single most important issue for poultryfarmers will be how to lessen the direct and

indirect cost of disease.

Birds can be placed at higher densities as long as correct environmental conditions are provided.


S04 AF March - April 2012 Poultry_Layout 1 21/03/2012 14:47 Page 12

the moisture out of the poultry barn. In warm weather, it makessense to ventilate the barn. The air movement helps keep thebirds cool, as well as removing moisture from the barn.

● In cooler weather, you’ll find it necessary to heat the barn, notonly to protect the birds from cold, but also to continue theevaporation process. Too often, farmers will attempt to savemoney by cutting back on heating. Research by University ofGeorgia poultry scientists shows, however, that the moneysaved on fuel is far outweighed by the money lost on underper-forming birds as a result of elevated litter moisture andammonia levels.

● Maintain correct pressure settings. During the drinking process,birds can only retain a certain amount of water in their beaks. Ifmore water discharges from the drinker than what the bird canretain, the oversupply spills onto the litter. The key to achievingthe correct pressure settings for your system is to take litterreadings. Again, strive for friable litter.

Many farmers use their watering system to vaccinate their flocksagainst respiratory disease. If you do, it is a good procedure toflush the water lines about 24 hours prior to vaccination to removeany biofilm and sediment in the lines. Then immediately after thevaccination, flush the lines again. This will remove any nutrients inthe lines left over from the stock vaccine solution. Also, be sure thatwhen you administer the vaccine, the lines are fully charged withthe vaccine solution. If they are not, you will have birds drinkingplain water instead of the vaccine.

Respiratory disease is a serious threat to the poultry industry.Each year, it determines for many producers the difference betweenmaking a profit and suffering a loss. The best way to combatrespiratory disease is to fight ammonia in the poultry barn. h

Source: Ziggity Systems Inc.

POULTRY

The air movement from ventilation helps keep the birds cool, as well as removingmoisture from the barn.

Because of its makeup, litter in a poultry barn will always contain

a certain amount of moisture, most of which comes from the birds themselves.




VEYANCE TECHNOLOGIES AFRICA, a subsidiary of VeyanceTechnologies Inc and the exclusive distributor of Goodyear EngineeredProducts, was recently contracted to supply Hutchings Hydraulics (Pty)Ltd with 7,500 m of Fortress™ 3000 wash-down hose. The hose is usedby a leading hygiene and sanitation service provider for cleaningapplications at one of South Africa’s biggest poultry farms.“Our clients were forced to replace their hoses every two to threemonths, increasing the cost of cleaning significantly. The hose, used in thecleaning of chicken houses both inside and outside, is often draggedacross concrete floors, causing it to wear out and burst. This causesunnecessary downtime,” says Paul Newman, Financial & MarketingManager at Hutchings Hydraulics. For this reason, Hutchings Hydraulicsrequired a cost-effective, but durable hose that would be suitable for usewith a high pressure trailer unit.“The Fortress™ 3000 wash-down hose is exceptionally durable andwill last between six to nine months, depending on the application itis used in,” explains Scot Arnold, KZN Sales Manager, VeyanceTechnologies Africa. The hose is suitable for use in various cleaningapplications, including dairies, packing houses, bottling plants,breweries, canneries and creameries.“Bacterial growth is a constant worry in the food production industry,especially in chicken farms where food poisoning bacteria are easilyspread in unhygienic conditions.” says Arnold.Goodyear Engineered Products’ Fortress™ 3000 wash-down hoseis currently the only product on the market that incorporatesMicroban antimicrobial technology, which inhibits the growth ofharmful micro-organisms.

Veyance wins contract for South African poultry farm


NEWS

DESIGNED AS VERSATILE workhorses for contractors and medium-sizedto large arable farms, John Deere’s newly styled 7R Series tractorsfeature more power, manoeuvrability and operator comfort than their7030 Series predecessors. There are five models in the range,developing a maximum of 230 to 310hp with Intelligent PowerManagement (IPM), according to 97/68EC ratings.

For added security, 7R Series tractors are fitted as standard withCESAR Datatag and immobiliser systems, with a unique transponderbased key. In addition, new models will be supplied withcomplimentary JDLink Ultimate telematics plus Service Advisor remotemonitoring and diagnostics systems for the first year.

Having optimised the performance of its field-proven and operator-friendly high-pressure common rail (HPCR) PowerTech Plus enginetechnology, which consistently achieves leading fuel efficiency results inindependent tests, John Deere has maintained the single fluid, diesel-onlyapproach on these latest models to conform to Stage IIIB emission standards.

The 9-litre PowerTech PVX engine on the three larger models – 7230R,7260R and 7280R – features a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT),cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and exhaust filters, which includea diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) and a diesel particulate filter (DPF). Thetwo smaller models – 7200R and 7215R – are powered by 6.8-litrePowerTech PSX engine using series turbochargers, which combine a low-pressure fixed geometry and a high-pressure variable geometryturbocharger. With IPM, both engines deliver an additional 30hp fortransport and non-stationary pto applications.

The newly designed structural chassis of 7R Series tractors takesadvantage of the high power density to cope easily with demandingload and draft applications.

NEW HOLLAND AGRICULTURE has announced, at the officialinauguration of Ntlo ya Lerato Rhino Orphanage, the donation of aTT55 tractor to support the wildlife reserve located in South Africa’sLimpopo Province. The tractor will be used for general maintenanceof the extensive territory of the sanctuary, whose name means “placeof love” in Pedi. The reserve takes in rhinos orphaned as a result ofpoaching, and rears them to adulthood, preparing them to bereleased back into the wild.New Holland’s distributor, New Holland South Africa, and theirdealer network also rallied to support the sanctuary and will provideat no cost the scheduled servicing and maintenance, including parts,that will be needed for the donated tractor. In addition, dealerJanpret Trekkers will donate a purpose-built implement.Sanctuaries like the Rhino Orphanage are vital to the survival of this

endangered species. As anagricultural equipmentsolutions provider, NewHolland has a longstanding relationship withSouth Africa and feels theresponsibility to supportthis initiative that helpssafeguard this country’srich wildlife and nature forfuture generations.

New 7R Series tractors from John Deere New Holland Agriculture supports new rhinoorphanage with tractor donation

African Farming - January/February 2012 15


A new breed of cattle could change the fortunes of dairy farmers. TheFleckvieh breed was introduced to Kenya from South Africa late last year andis expected to give the Fresian breed stiff competition.

KENYAN DAIRY FARMERS are used to the common exoticbreeds of dairy cows such as the Holstein-Friesians,Ayrshire, Guernsey or even Jerseys. For two years now,a new cattle breed has attracted the attention of Kenyan

dairy farmers. Fleckvieh is a high-yielding, dual-purpose cowthat can be used for both dairy and beef production. Kenyanfarmers, who have discovered the qualities of this breed, haveintroduced them into their herds. So far, more than 20,000farmers in Kenya have adopted the breed.

Fleckvieh (or Miling Simmental) is the second largest dairybreed in the world - and one of Europe's oldest. Through manyyears of selective breeding, Fleckvieh has acquired some of thecharacteristics that dairy farmers are looking for. The Fleckviehbreed was introduced by Fleckvieh Genetics East Africa (FGEA)from South Africa in 2009.

"We have inseminated various cows for cross breeding all overthe country. The Fleckvieh breed is a low maintenance dual-purpose breed which produces milk steadily for 305 days withoutdecline in yield," said Mr Gerard Besseling, who is also theFGEA's managing director.

Strong and high-yieldingFleckvieh are said to be strong and high yielding dual-purposecattle. Mr Besseling's company has crossbred the cattle withother locally available exotic breeds like Holstein-Friesian,Ayrshire, Guernsey and Jersey. Indigenous species like Boranhave also been crossbred to replicate the high production,fertility and disease resistance qualities.

Compared with other breeds, Fleckvieh owners will not haveto incur huge veterinary bills due to the breed's ability towithstand some of the common livestock diseases, such asmastitis, which is an inflammation of the udder that cuts downmilk production. The infection is caused by somatic cells (deadcells) from the bloodstreams that get into the milk in the udder.Fleckvieh cow milk has lower numbers of somatic cellscompared to other dairy breeds, meaning that Fleckvieh is lessprone to mastitis. There is another advantage. Less somaticcells means that the milk lasts longer without refrigeration.

What makes Fleckvieh different from other breeds is that theyare economically productive. The breed has a more efficientfeed conversion rate compared to other dairy cattle. Studiesshow that the breed can give more milk with the same amountof feed that is given to other breeds. For example, if a Friesian-Holstein diary cow is given 60 kg of feed, the amount of milk itwill produce is equal to what a Fleckvieh cow will produce withonly 45 kg of the same type of feed. With good management,

Fleckvieh dairy cows have been proved to produce between 25-30 litres of milk per day. On second calving, it produces 30-35litres, increasing this to between 30-40 litres after the thirdcalving. The breed has a consistent milk production throughoutthe lactation period - this is a big plus compared to other breeds.It produces milk steadily for 305 days a year without any decline.The breed has been known to produce up to 10,000 litres ofmilk in every lactation with good management.

Some farmers in Machakos, Central Kenya, Coast, Rift Valley,Nyanza and Western regions already have the cows.

Kenya is the third African country to introduce the breedknown to produce up to 10,000 litres per lactation season. Thebreed had been earlier introduced in South Africa and Namibia.

Deputy director of livestock production Samuel Matoke saysthe Friesian breed still dominates 60 per cent of the livestockindustry.

"Fleckvieh is a new breed which is good in its performanceand is also a dual purpose animal but it is still at the trial stage.There are times when it is hard to change Kenyans from whatthey are used to," added Matoke.

According to the livestock department, the Fleckvieh breedhas not been distributed across the country, thus making itsrating a bit sensitive, even though it's a dual-purpose breedmeant for beef and milk.

One of the new cows, obtained from South Africa, costs aboutSh150,000 but farmers in Kenya are currently acquiring thelivestock through artificial insemination.

Depending on management, natural conditions and feedingintensity, herd performances of 7kg of milk with 4.2 per cent fatand 3.7 per cent protein are achievable.

Male calves fatten fast and provide supplementary income.Under intensive fattening conditions young bulls reach dailyweight gains of more than 1.3kg with a slaughter age of 16 to18 months, according to the promoters. Culling cows reach aslaughter weight of 350 to 450kg. h

New cattle breed to improvedairy fortunes

DAIRY FARMING

The breed has a more efficient feed conversionrate compared to other dairy cattle

What makes Fleckvieh different from otherbreeds is that they are economically productive.



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S05 AF March - April 2012 Nigeria_Layout 1 21/03/2012 14:48 Page 17

Dr Terry Mabbett concludes his meeting with Chris Okeke who discusses non-competitive seeds, input and output markets, as well as the real role forsmallholders.

IN THE PREVIOUS issues, Chris Okeke,large-scale farmer and agriculturalentrepreneur, told African Farming whyNigeria is so far from feeding itself and set

out some of the hard facts and figuresunderpinning the gap between its foodconsumption and home-grown production.

Easier access to credit and improvedinfrastructure will not solve the third problemwhich is low productivity caused by limitedaccess to high yielding varieties expressingfull potential under Nigerian conditions. “Wedon’t have exactly the same problem withcassava, compared to rice, maize and soya,”says Chris “because cassava plantingmaterial is vegetative ‘sticks’ or cuttings, butwe still need investment to produce thematerial on the massive scale required, whichmeans it all comes back to money.”

Actual amount is important but so is theway it is targeted, says Chris, returning to thetheme of contemporary aid and developmentprogrammes for Africa and how, in spite ofgood intentions, they adversely affect inputand output markets in agriculture. “For themost part they are designed around smallpeasant farmers with repercussions forcommercial farmers in supply of inputs,” hesaid, using the supply of soluble fertilisers andpesticides to illustrate his arguments.

Agrichemicals are invariably supplied inhalf litre plastic bottles for small farmerswhich almost require a supporting plasticrecycling project simply to clear up the wastepackaging. Packaging soluble nutrients orpesticide in half litre plastic bottles is fine forlots of small farmers using portable knapsacksprayers but totally inappropriate for largescale broad acre farms like those belongingto Chris Okeke. “Agrichemicalmanufacturers would not dream of supplyinglarge farms in Europe and North America inthis way so why make an exception for Africa.Why do intelligent scientists andbusinessmen and their organisations keepon making the same old mistakes in their

dealings with African agriculture, decadeafter decade?” asks Chris Okeke.

“Whatever the motivation they should sitdown and work on the problem with those onthe ground in Africa who know about thenature and extent of problems faced.Otherwise it is a complete waste of my time,”says Chris. A classic case in point is multi-nationals trying to establish a supply and amarket for cassava starch which Chris Okekeunderstands first hand.

NSM Ltd is supplying Nestlé and othermulti-nationals with cassava starch to remedythe ridiculous situation whereby Nigeriacontinues to import huge volumes of cornstarch sourced from the North American Mid-West. Nestlé are trying to establish a supply ofAfrican starch focussing on cassava andworking with IITA at Ibadan, which boastssome new varieties with high resistance tocassava mosaic virus.

“Nestlé should know better than to rely onIITA” Chris Okeke tells African Farming“because it’s remit is just to supply newplanting material with NSM having to providetractors, tillage and other inputs. As aconsequence the whole set up stalls after the‘seed’ stage. We need more big-organisationinputs further down the line,” says Chris, “intolater stage agronomy and processing. These

skills are out of IITA’s remit – they simply don’tknow anything about it.”

Historically it has not been possible forNigeria to supply Nestlé with the starch itneeds from home-grown cassava so Nestléhas understandably ‘hedged its bets’ andcarried on importing corn starch. “There isa need to break this deadlock” says Chris.“If I don’t have the output market I can’t doit. I need Nestlé to confirm long termcontracts,” says Chris.

The bottom line is the international marketplace not understanding African farming.Likewise agriculture is deemed too high riskby banks who display a historic reluctance totake a proper look at agriculture andsubsequently failing to invest in the sectoreven though it is the only major growth sectorin Nigeria and even bigger than oil and gas.“The market can’t see this and is thereforelosing out on opportunities in agriculture”says Chris Okeke.

Most starch still importedVirtually all (90 per cent) of starch used inNigeria is still imported, mainly as corn starchdespite cassava furnishing the purest form ofstarch. Cassava starch is pure white and doesnot require bleaching with acid. It is a wasteof time for Nigeria to try and compete directly

Big farms for Africa

NIGERIA

Cassava furnishes the purest formof starch - it is pure white and doesnot require bleaching with acid.

Nestlé are trying to establish a supply of African starch

focussing on cassava.



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with imported corn starch. Attempts to growmaize fail due to high levels of pests anddiseases sustained in Nigeria.

Another ‘string to cassava’s bow’ is thetraditional position as the ‘famine reserve’able to grow and yield in conditions that noother staple crop could cope with. But,according to Chris, this has turned out to bea ‘double edged sword’ with cassavaperpetually relegated to small farmersubsistence crop status. He says peopleinvolved in African farming who know whatthey are doing start from a different basicpremise than do aid and developmentorganisations. “They focus on inputs whereaswe focus on expertise – i.e. who will drive thetractors,” he says.

Distribution another problemThe next big problem to overcome isdistribution – such as whether you should ownyour own trucks or rely on haulage vehiclesfrom dedicated transport companies. “This iswhy overseas projects organised andoperated from overseas invariably fail on theground in Nigeria. They miss all the essentialpoints of a project’s establishment andoperation,” says Chris. Adding how NSMFoods is manned from top to bottom bypeople who know what they are doing.

Onwards, upwards and outwardsNo-one can accuse Chris Okeke of letting allthese real live problems hold back progressof his agribusiness operations now moving

ahead on a wider diversified front. He isconsolidating his expanding business on akey central site at Tsaragi in Kwara Statecomprising a rice processing plant planned tobe up and running in October 2011, a newcassava starch and flour mill with maize andsoya projects planned.

Projected production figures for cassavaare impressive at 800 tonnes of raw cassavaper day. The rice mill will process 25,000tonnes of paddy per annum to give 16,250tonnes of rice per annum. Backed up with afacility for farm chemicals storage and aworkshop for tractors and other farmmachinery and equipment, the site will becompletely self-sufficient.

The proposed ‘Farm Centre’ on its 50 hasite is strategically placed with Shonga and itsZimbabwean cassava farmers to the north, thecapital city of Ilorin to the south, and to theeast is the River Niger and the key ricegrowing belt at Lafiaji with the ‘old’ Tate andLyle sugar plantation at Bacita. “I havestrategically sited these processing plants nearto a guaranteed supply and market using myknowledge of the local road network and itsshortcomings to make accurate decisions,”Chris Okeke told African Farming.

Chris will be contracting several Zimbabwefarmers to grow rice. One is already anexperienced rice farmer and in the right placeat the right time on the River Niger and closeto Chris’ new rice mill. Chris himself is alreadygrowing rice (paddy and upland) right insidethe rice belt alongside many small growerswho will be regular suppliers of a combinedsignificant tonnage to the new rice mill.

Real role for smallholdersHe sees a real role and proper place forsmallholders but not the subsistence onecarved out by some overseas aid anddevelopment organisations. He envisagessmallholders rising on the backs of big farms.“There are many small farms in Nigeria

owned and run by reliablepeople who can provide asound out-grower base”says Chris Okeke.

Cautioning andqualifying his optimismChris says the small farmermust understand andappreciate the need tosupply big farm processorswith the right grade of cropcommodity and at a specifictime. “Unless you have theright cadre of people whocan achieve this then youcan forget a role for out-growers”, says Chris. Thatsaid he believes Nigeriacan achieve and sustain this

human resource requirement amongst smallfarmers by apprentice-style education andtraining. This he believes will allow Nigerianfarmers to rise to their full potential.

Nigeria currently produces around 50mntonnes of cassava but small farmers areunlikely to lift more than 11 tonnes/ha whileIITA trials achieve 30 tonnes/ha. “We mustbridge this gap. We have all the new ideasbut are lacking the means to adapt them tothe small farm situation” says Chris.

IITA and others need to expand their remitinto the adaptation phase of developmentprojects. Only when this has been achievedwill out-grower schemes be truly sustainable.Big farms for Africa may not be fashionableamongst overseas aid and developmentproviders but they provide jobs for workersand their families who are earning and eatingthroughout the year and not just during theharvest period. “These agricultural workersmay not be confident and bold enough tofarm for themselves but they know what theyare doing and will make ideal extensionservice providers,” says Chris.

But these progressive ideas and conceptsof Chris Okeke and others are clearly at oddswith overseas aid and development providerswho somehow appear to see subsistencefarming as the only way forward for Africa.What their policies and programmes areessentially doing is keeping farmers and theirfamilies locked into the subsistence treadmill,keeping them down and inhibitingdevelopment. “Why they persist with theseworn out ideas is a mystery,” says Chris, “andwhen they fail they simply blame it on theAfrican mind-set despite our best efforts topoint them in the right direction.” ChrisOkeke is scathing about this fixation onsubsistence farming and singles out UK’sDFID as one of the worst offenders. “I look atrealistic things and objectives,” says Chris. “Ido what can be done and don’t waste timeon those things over which I have no control.”

In September 2011 The EconomicManagement Team (EMT) unveiled anAgriculture Transformation Action Plan(ATAP) for Nigeria aimed at revolutionisingthe agriculture sector of the economy in thenext four years. The action plan, accordingto Akinwumi Adesina, Minister of Agricultureand Rural Development, is to treatagriculture not as a development issue, butpurely as a business, with emphasis onpartnership, investment and accountability.Rice, cassava, sorghum, cocoa and cottonare listed as key agricultural crops thatNigeria has comparative advantage in andthe Federal Government will focus attentionon these areas to ensure food security for thecountry. The goal is right but the way in whichit is reached will be the deciding factor insuccess or failure. h

NIGERIA

The small farmer must understand and appreciate the need to supply big farmprocessors with the right grade of crop commodity and at a specific time.

He believes Nigeria canachieve and sustain this humanresource requirement amongst

small farmers by apprentice-style education and training.




Food security has never been so profoundly challenged. In 2050, it isprojected that the global population will rise to more than 9bn people. Therecent AGCO Africa Summit tried to address this.

AGCO, A WORLDWIDE manufacturer anddistributor of agricultural equipment, has held itsfirst ever AGCO Africa Summit in Berlin. TheSummit is a joint initiative of AGCO, Bayer

CropScience and DEG – Deutsche Investitions- undEntwicklungsgesellschaft mbH. “With its population poisedto double in the next 20 years, it is a global responsibilityto develop a new vision for agriculture in Africa,” saidMartin Richenhagen, Chairman, President and CEO at theopening press conference. “Our objective is to promoteinternational dialogue to encourage global businesses toinvest in the future of Africa.”

The opportunitiesAfrica lies at the heart of what promises to be a newAgricultural Revolution.

The solution is to develop a systematic approach thatdevelops a strategic partnership to deliver crops that feedincreasing populations in an economically,environmentally and socially responsible way. While thechallenge is enormous, the opportunities are both substantial andachievable. Farmers are among the main beneficiaries of agriculturaldevelopment and are at the very core of the solution.

But there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. A lack of infrastructure,

mechanisation and technology across the continent calls for market-based co-operation between farmers, private industry, governmentand society to establish a new blueprint.

Africa holds the key to ensuring a sustainable food supply, but onlyif a new roadmap for progress is developed, harnessing both theexpertise of the private industry sector and the knowledge of localcommunities.

The goal of the AGCO Africa Summit was to raise awareness forthe needs of the African continent and to discuss the challenges ofagriculture with regard to the world food supply problem, decliningarable land base and population growth. Guest speakers includedThabo Mbeki (former President of South Africa), Prof. Dr. HorstKöhler (former Federal President of Germany), Dirk Niebel (FederalMinister of Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany),and Ilse Aigner (Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and ConsumerProtection of Germany). Panelists included Jose Pacheco (Minister ofAgriculture of Mozambique), Roberto Rodrigues (Former Minister ofAgriculture of Brazil), Bärbel Dieckmann (President ofWelthungerhilfe) and Omari Issa (CEO of The Investment Climate

Facility for Africa) – to name a few. Participants at the AGCO Africa Summit discussed the many ways

that agricultural mechanisation could secure better futures and howimproved cultivation methods could increase yields significantly.Higher productivity and efficiency would in turn help African countriesbecome less dependent on imported crops, creating better foodsecurity. “Large areas across Africa have suitable soil and climate forsuccessful agriculture, but many areas are not yet cultivated or are notproductive enough,” explained Richenhagen. “With 11 per cent of theworld’s arable land (86 per cent of which is uncultivated), Africa wouldbenefit from modern, mechanised farming techniques.”

With over 50 years of experience in Africa through its MasseyFerguson tractor brand, AGCO already leverages alliances withgovernments, foreign investors and donors to improve agriculturalpractices in Africa. AGCO plans to fund the development of ModelFarms and Training Centres in Zambia, Ethiopia, Morocco, Libya,Algeria and South Africa that will allow local farmers and dealers tobe trained on new farming technology. Hubertus Mühlhäuser, SeniorVice President, General Manager, Europe, Africa, Middle Eastcommented, “The solution for African agriculture is to developstrategic partnerships to deliver crops that feed an increasingpopulation in an economically, environmentally and sociallyresponsible way. With decades of dependency on food aid and theworld’s fastest population growth, Africa’s long-term prospects willrequire increasing degrees of self-sustainability.”

With a global population of seven billion people growing to 8.9bnpeople by 2050 (estimated by the World Bank), food production hasto increase, which means global farm productivity will need toimprove to meet the growing needs. Africa holds the key to ensuringa sustainable food supply, but only if a new vision for agriculture isdeveloped, harnessing both the expertise of the private industry sectorand the knowledge of local communities. h

AGCO calls for a new vision foragriculture in Africa

FOOD SECURITY

AGCO has over 50 years of experience in Africa through its Massey Fergusontractor brand. Here is the MF 8690 high hp tractor with drilling implements.

“With 11 per cent of the world’s arable land(86 per cent of which is uncultivated), Africa

would benefit from modern, mechanisedfarming techniques.”


S06 AF March - April 2012 Feature A - B_Layout 1 21/03/2012 14:49 Page 22

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By bringing together existing expertise and giving practical direction,mobility can deliver tangible results.

TELECOMMUNICAT IONS HASLONG been at the centre of globalcommerce in driving businesstransformation. Yet recently, mobile

communications has become more widelyrecognised and accepted as an enabler ofsustainable growth, especially in Africa andother developing markets.

It does not have the same barriers toaccess as other forms of technology. It issimple, inexpensive and convenient to use.And access to mobile networks is nowwidely available, even in more remoteareas. Soon it will be possible for everyoneand everything to be connected.

A key beneficiary will be thedevelopment of more efficient supplychains. In particular, mobility will drivesubstantially improved productivity andincome for agricultural producers (afurther US$138bn by 2020, according toAccenture estimates), as well as cuttingcosts and improving traceability for buyersand processors.

Not only will this provide social andhumanitarian benefits for local smallholderfarmers but such services are also provingcommercially successful – the key toviability and sustainability in the longerterm. As Oxfam CEO, Dame BarbaraStocking, has recognised: “Mobiletelephony could have significant potentialto help the poorest farmers towards greaterfood and income security.”

Identifying opportunitiesVodafone and Accenture recently joinedforces together with Oxfam to determinethe key underlying issues which could beaddressed through the application ofmobile technology and to quantify thepotential benefits which could be achieved.

In helping to meet the challenge of feedingan estimated 9.2bn people by 2050, theresulting study - ‘Connected Agriculture: therole of mobile [communications] in drivingefficiency and sustainability in the food andagriculture chain’ - examined specificopportunities which could substantiallyincrease agricultural income. The studyexplored those areas identified as mostimportant in realising the potential of mobiletelephony in helping to feed tomorrow’sworld, including improved access to financeand markets and better information andsupply chains.

Improving access to financeIn the area of financial services, the studyfocused on three ways to improve the livesof farmers. First, mobile payment systemspresent a low-cost, secure and quick way totransfer money to other individuals orbusinesses, allowing them to invest in betteragricultural inputs. Second, micro-insurance systems offer a convenient andaffordable way to buy micro-insuranceagainst crop failure when buying seeds andfertiliser and to receive payouts. Third,micro-lending platforms provide anappropriate means of securing loans fromdistant investors to buy seeds, tools,machinery or animals to improve output.

Another area of opportunity is in theprovision of agricultural information. Poor

transport and communicationsinfrastructures mean that farmers indeveloping countries struggle to getinformation about agricultural bestpractices and new developments.

Using mobiles to increase access toexpert agricultural information canprovide real-time support in helping ruralfarmers meet the challenges they face.Mobile information platforms enablefarmers to receive text alerts direct to theirmobile phone, tailored to their locationand the crops that they grow. Farmerhelplines also ensure that smallholderscan use their mobile phones to call ahelpline staffed by agricultural experts togive them immediate advice.

Improving supply chain visibilityAgricultural supply chains in developingcountries are typically complex, fragmentedand inefficient, involving large networks ofsmall-scale farms, retailers, aggregators,distributors and exporters. In meeting thischallenge, the study looked at how mobiletechnology can be used to manage thesupply chain more effectively throughimproved data visibility.

Smart logistics enables mobile devicesto collect data on the location, speed androute of food distribution trucks, for betterfleet management. Tracking systems usemobiles to record movements of items

Connected agriculture:the growing role of mobile telephony

RURAL COMMUNICATIONS

A Ugandan farmer makes notes on cropconditions and checks market prices.

“Mobile telephony couldhave significant potential to

help the poorest farmerstowards greater food and

income security.”



through the agricultural supply chain,from farms to shops.

Using mobile technology to managesupplier networks enables agriculturalfield agents visiting farms to use mobilephones to record data on farm conditionsand expected yields. Similarly, adoptingmobility to manage distribution networksallows retailers to keep records of sales ofagricultural inputs like seeds, fertiliser andchemicals.

Improving access to marketsIn improving access to markets, mobilesolutions could help farmers indeveloping countries secure better pricesfor their crops and improve competitionin the supply chain through more effectivetrading practices.

Here, agricultural trading andtendering platforms provide an onlinemarketplace for farmers and buyers totrade directly via their mobile phone.Agricultural bartering platforms also allow community members toexchange goods and services with each other.

Many of the anticipated benefits from such initiatives will taketime to come to fruition. The systems required to deliver thesemobility initiatives are complex and fragmented, demanding thecombined support of a variety of key organisations across the

agricultural supply chain, includinggovernments, NGOs and privateenterprises.

However, work is already underway in anumber of key areas demonstrating how,by bringing together existing expertise andgiving practical direction, mobility candeliver tangible results. For example, thetwo-way flow of agricultural information inreal time is enabling smallholders toimprove productivity. At the same time,track and traceability systems usingadvanced machine to machine (M2M)technologies is helping African farmersand distributors find new markets and meetrequired quality and regulatory standards.

There is a clear need for close co-operation between mobile networkoperators, governments, NGOs and theprivate sector to deliver the products,services and potential benefits highlighted.The issues and interests of thesestakeholders are converging and it is in

their long-term interests to make these initiatives a success. Byworking together they can use mobile technology to unlockenormous benefits for the agriculture sector, particularly in Africaand other developing economies. h

By Andy McFarlane, head of marketing, Vodafone Global Enterprise.

RURAL COMMUNICATIONS

Mobile solutions could help farmers secure better prices fortheir crops and improve competition in the supply chainthrough more effective trading practices.



To feed the world in 2050, investments in agricultural research and extensionmust be substantially increased and AfricaRice has shown that integratedcrop management (ICM), is a promising way for SSA.

THE WORLD POPULATION isexpected to increase almost as sure asthe sun rises in the east. Much of thisincrease will be concentrated in

developing countries, with sub-SaharanAfrica (SSA) leading the way, as its populationis estimated to double from 770mn in 2005to 1.5bn by 2050.

According to the United Nations Food andAgriculture Organization (FAO), global foodproduction must increase by 70 per cent tofeed the world - a challenge that has neverbeen as demanding as now, in the face ofclimate change and soaring food prices,which inflict serious damage on the foodsecurity of the poorest households. Moreover,the rate of yield growth of major cereal cropsdropped from 3.2 per cent per year in 1960to 1.5 per cent in 2000. While environmental

degradation heightens in several parts of theworld, the potential for an increased use ofagriculturally critical natural resources suchas land and water is declining. Climatechange is aggravating the severity anduncertainty of weather events.

However, lessons learned from the pastindicate that advances in science andtechnology can expand the world’sagricultural frontier and sufficient food can beproduced to nourish the growing populationin the future.

We believe that SSA will play a significantrole in global food security in the comingdecades. Unlike Asia and Europe, where theavailability of potential land and water foragriculture is declining, Africa still has a largereservoir of underused agricultural land andwater resources.

Only 150mn ha out of the total cultivablearea of 875mn ha are currently harvested.The continent is using about four per cent ofits water resources and has annual renewablewater resources of about 5.4tn cu m.

Moreover, several staple food crops areproduced at competitive costs in SSA. Therecent upward trends in agriculturalcommodity prices reinforce thecompetitiveness of agricultural production inSSA.

Investing in agricultureTo feed around nine billion people in 2050,agriculture in developing countries needs anet investment of about US$83bn per year,says FAO. In the last two decades, agriculturewas neglected by both developing countriesand donors. The Organisation for EconomicCo-operation and Development estimatesthat official development assistance toagriculture fell by 43 per cent between themid-1980s and 2008.

In SSA, agriculture remains a powerfulengine for economic growth, food security,and poverty reduction, accounting for 35 percent of GDP, 75 per cent of employment, and40 per cent of exports. Estimates say that adollar of farm income increases the overalleconomy (e.g., $1.88 in Burkina Faso and$1.48 in Zambia). Despite this, SSAgovernments have failed to prioritise thesector and to reverse decades of policy biasagainst agricultural production.

In 2003, African countries adopted theComprehensive Africa AgricultureDevelopment Programme in Maputo,Mozambique, and pledged to increaseagricultural spending by at least 10 per centof the total government budget by 2008. But,only eight countries have reached the 10 percent budget quota for agriculture, and thecontinent’s average is only 4–6 per cent.

Without consistent investment in its owndomestic agricultural resources, SSA cannotfully seize the opportunity for transforming thisstrategic sector.

Supporting agricultural R&DTo feed the world in 2050, investments inagricultural research and extension must besubstantially increased, particularly in SSA,where agricultural productivity generally lagsbehind the rest of the world. A case in point:annual paddy yield in Asia almost doubledfrom 2.06 tons per hectare in the 1960s to4.06 tons per hectare in the 2000s, while inSSA it just increased from 1.81 tons perhectare to 2.31 tons per hectare over thesame period.

Given the context specificity of agriculture,technology transfer has limited effectiveness.In the 1960s, a stock of proven agricultural

Feeding the world in 2050

RICE

Experimental rice field at theAfrica Rice Centre.Africa still has a

large reservoir of underused agricultural land

and water resources.


S07 AF March - April 2012 Rice and Feature C_Layout 1 21/03/2012 14:51 Page 26

technologies in Asian countries was assumed to be effective andadaptable to African conditions.

But, many imported varieties failed to outperform local species. Infact, out of more than 2,000 Asian varieties ofmangrove rice for testing in the Africanenvironment, only two performed comparablyto the best local varieties. Generally, varietiesimported from other regions into SSA were notadapted to local conditions.

The failure of direct technology transferunderscores the need for developingendogenous research capacities in SSA.Although the internal rate of return onagricultural research is above 20 per cent,agricultural R&D has suffered from decades ofinadequate investments, particularly in the1980s and 1990s. A recent report, however,indicates a 20 per cent increase in spendingbetween 2001 and 2008 on agricultural R&D.

Agricultural extension and advisory servicerepresent another key area of investment tostimulate agricultural productivity in SSAthrough widespread dissemination of newinformation and knowledge.

Closing the yield gapAfricaRice has shown that integrated cropmanagement (ICM), a step-wise approach ofintegrating new technological options intoproduction systems with full farmerparticipation, is a promising way for SSA, inview of the large gaps between actual farmers’yields and attainable yields under bettermanagement. In Mali, ICM technologicaloptions increased its average rice yield inirrigated areas from two to six tons per hectare.With improved technology, average yields ofcassava more than doubled from 8.6 tons perhectare to 20.8 tons per hectare under farmermanagement. And, the use of inorganicfertiliser can increase mean maize yields from1.4 tons per hectare to 3.9 tons per hectare.Closing the yield gap for the main staple foodcrops in SSA is critical to increase agriculturalproductivity while meeting the regional andglobal food security challenge

AfricaRice’s recent simulation illustrates this point well. By bridgingthe attainable yield gap in the three main rice technologies (upland,rain fed lowland, and irrigated), while doubling the areas underirrigated and lowland rice production, SSA can meet its requirementsin rice and even produce a surplus of five million tons for export.

Institutional and infrastructural developmentHowever, even with proven agricultural technologies, disseminationand adoption by farmers are hampered by limited effective demand,restricted access to information and credit, as well as poor institutionaland infrastructural development.

Despite the availability of improved seed technologies developedby agricultural research organizations in Africa, adoption by farmersremains limited. Greater public involvement is needed to overcomemarket failures that are affecting the national seed system.

In addition, core infrastructure such as electricity, storage, and rural

RIce planting in Mali.

Integrated crop management(ICM) is a promising way for SSA.

Processing the World’s Crops – for 60 years


RICE



roads is vital to transform SSA’s agriculture.For instance, better road infrastructurewould help reduce transportation costs andimprove access to markets.

The average amount of fertiliser applied in SSA was only about 9 kg per hectare in2002, agains tthe global average of 101 kg. This gap clearly indicates that Africanagriculture has enormous productivity potential if only it had better access to fertilisers.

A combo fourYet, producing enough food at the aggregate level will not necessarily translate intoadequate food security and equitable access to food by all. Improving agriculturalproductivity should be a constitutive part of a pro- poor growth strategy that sustains thegeneration of sufficient off-farm jobs.

To feed the world in 2050, an intelligent combination of four factors is essential:appropriate technologies, good infrastructure, favourable economic and institutionalenvironment, and the preservation of natural resources. Only then can science be certainof making the greatest impact on resource-poor farmers and the burgeoning urbanpopulation in 2050. h

Dr. Seck is the director general of the Africa Rice Center.

A rice farmer in Rwanda.

Core infrastructure such aselectricity, storage, and rural

roads is vital to transformSSA’s agriculture.

BRIGGS & STRATTONSales & Service Organisations

ALGERIASARL Farid Outilux Vente en Gros

Cite des orangers, lot 52, groupe A, El Hamiz, AlgiersTel: +213 (21) 869717 Fax: +213 (21) 860349

ANGOLAEcoserv-Equip Commercio & Services

Av. 4 of Fevereiro No. 97, LuandaTel: +244 (2) 395 074 Fax: +244 (2) 392 486

E-mail: [email protected] Hire

Prvt Bag BR12, GaberoneTel: +267 731 3136

EGYPTGeneral International Supplies GISCO

47 Ramses St., CairoTel: +20 (2) 2575 1200 Fax:+20 (2) 2575 13 71

ETHIOPIAHagbes Prvt. Ltd. Co.

Bole Rd. Africa Avenue, Servita Bldg., Adis AbabaTel: +251 (11) 1552233 Fax:+251 (11) 1551113

E-mail:[email protected]

Agria Machinery Services & Co Ltd.C523/4 Downhill St. Kokomlemle

Tel: +233 (21) 238 169 Fax: +233 (21) 222 621 E-mail:[email protected]

KENYACar & General (Kenya) Ltd.

Cnr. Lusaka, Dunga Rd. Industrial Area, NairobiTel: +254 (20) 554500 Fax:+254 (20) 554668


Agri Tech CoGargarsh Road, KM 7, Tripoli

Tel: +218 (91) 2157234 Fax: +218 (21) 3330669E-mail:[email protected]

MALAWIToppers

19 Haile Selassie Rd, PO Box 42 ,BlantyreTel: +265 01 62981 Fax +265 01 620692

E mail:[email protected] Ltd.

Cauden Dev.Bldg. Allee des Manguires, PaillesTel: +230 286-2674 Fax:+230 286-0977


Le Monde du Jardin57 Rue Abou Al Alaa Zahar, Casablanca

Tel: +212 22 861693 Tel: +212 22 860120E-mail:[email protected]

NAMIBIACymot S.W.A.

15 Newcastle St. North Industrial Area, WindhoekTel: +264 61 295-6000


Boulos EntreprisesPlot 10, Block D Acme Rd. IKEJA, Lagos

Tel: +234 (1) 492-0156E-mail:[email protected]

SOUTH AFRICABriggs & Stratton RSA Pty. Ltd.

1055 Ridge Road, Honeydew Ext 152040 Gauteng, Johannesburg

Tel:+27 (11) 7948190 Fax:+27 (11) 7941724E-mail:[email protected]

TANZANIACar & General Trading Ltd.

Maktaba Street, Dar Es SalaamTel: +255 (22) 2113016 Fax:+255 (22) 211-3015

[email protected]

SIA Ben Djemaa & CIE220, Ave des Martyrs, Sfax 3000

Tel: +216 (74) 408-409 Tel: +216 (74) 408-065E-mail:[email protected]

UGANDACar & General (Uganda) Ltd.Plot No.81, Jinja Road, Kampala

Tel: +256 (41) 234-560E-mail: [email protected]

ZAMBIAM&G Spring & Forge Ltd.

Plot 7307 Chibengele Rd. Light Ind. Area, LusakaTel: +260 (1) 289-622/3 Fax:+260 (1) 289-624


G North & Sons Pvt. Ltd.27 Lobengula St. Southerton, Harare

Tel: +263 (4) 663-717/8 Fax:+263 (4) 666-414E-mail:[email protected]

A COLLABORATION BETWEEN the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and theAfrican country of Burundi has resulted in farmers having two new rice varieties that areset to boost rice production.Rice was first introduced into the country in 1890 but only took off as a major food cropand staple in the 1980 s. However, the country’s farmers were not able to grow enoughrice to keep up with demand. Based on a collaborative effort with the Philippine-headquartered IRRI that began in 2008, farmers in Burundi will soon have two new ricevarieties, IRRI’s IR77713 and IR79511, which were chosen over Burundi’s local grownvarieties because they produce more rice, have higher grain quality, and taste better. These two varieties can produce one and a half tons more rice than local varieties andthey mature two to three weeks earlier, meaning that farmers can grow two crops in thesame season.“I am happy that the varieties I selected are now released. I would like to get seeds now,to be among those who will multiply seeds, so that my income can increase,” said Ms.Scolastique Simbandumwe, one of the farmers who helped pick the new varieties.The rice varieties were released by IRRI-Burundi ahead of schedule, after only four growingseasons. These varieties are targeted to be planted in the low lying areas around thecountry in the hope of boosting food production and matching farmer and consumerneeds.“We do, of course, still have a long way to go. We will actively assist Burundi’s Ministry ofAgriculture to multiply the seed of these new varieties so that they can reach farmers assoon as possible,” says Mr. Joseph Bigirimana, IRRI’s liaison scientist and co-ordinator inBurundi.

IRRI releases two new rice varieties in Burundi

Burundi releases two new ricevarieties for better lives.


RICE


Irrigation management has always been important but now, with theworld having to grow more food with less resources, it is becomingeven more vital. Peter White, Soil Moisture Sense Ltd, discussesirrigation and crop management.

NOT ONLY MUST water be usedoptimally but growers must learnto use nutrients more efficientlywhile at the same time

improving yield and quality. Many growers spend large amounts of

money and time feeding their crops withlittle regard to whether the crops really needit and where the feed goes within the soil.Excessive watering causes leaching belowthe root zone and then, when rain arrives,these nutrients are washed further into thesoil and eventually into the rivers and seas,causing environmental problems.

Soil Moisture Sense Ltd(www.soilmoisturesense.com) has beenactive in Africa for a number of years. SMSLtd was formed from Peter White WaterManagement and sells in-field (orgreenhouse) sensing equipment withtraining, services and advice on all aspectsof irrigation management and cropmanagement.

Peter White started working in Africa inKenya in 2001, at the request of Hygrotech.They bought a number of diviners (portablesoil moisture monitoring probes) and Whitegave onsite training and advice.

Initially, the main crop being monitoredwas runner beans, where there wereproblems with consistent yields and quality.White’s advice was to set up some trials toconclusively find the ‘correct’ way to irrigateto overcome these problems. Yield wasgreatly affected by flower set and Whitesuggested that poor irrigation practiceswere causing the problem.

Once flowers set, then the next need wasto get optimum yield and quality and thiswas also greatly affected by the way theirrigation was applied. Within a very shortperiod the managers were able to ‘see’

what was correct – increased yields of 33per cent were achieved while using lesswater and fertiliser.

From this small beginning, more growersbecame interested in what the companycould do for them. SMS can monitor anycrop that is irrigated both in soil andsubstrate, and also crops that are notirrigated. To date, the company monitors alarge range of flowers in both soil andsubstrate. Many vegetables - coffee,avocados, various fruit crops - havebenefited from this work.

Simple aimsThe company’s aims are simple – SMS aimsto improve yield and quality, save water ifpossible (although some growers whounder-irrigate use more) and save or atleast optimise nutrient use. As power andfertiliser become more expensive there ismore and more need for growers to knowwhat they are doing. They are also underincreased pressure from supermarkets andthe environment.

SMS markets a range of products and

sensors. All of the company’s systemsautomatically send data to its server wherethe data is collected, put into graphicalformat with advice and then put backsecurely online. It can then be viewed byanyone with the correct login and passwordeither on their PC or, increasingly, on theirsmartphone. To view some example datago to www.soilmoisturesense.com and loginusing demo and password of demo, thenclick on My Account and then click on thevarious boxes.

Some success storiresSMS has achieved a great deal for itsgrowers in many countries – a fewexamples are:● Pepper production in Spain in plastic

greenhouses – almost 50 per centsaving in water and fertiliser use whileimproving yield and quality. This resultedin the grower saving US$1,300 permonth per ha from fertiliser alone for anoutlay of just $1,300 – good business.But more improvement is still possible:When studying the data in detail, slow

Increased yields with less water

IRRIGATION

Hypericum being monitored usingan EnviroSCAN in Kenya.

SMS aims to improve yieldand quality, save water if

possible and save or at least optimise nutrient use.



downs of water use for two days after every irrigation can beseen - a suggestion of temporary water logging.

● Flower production in Kenya: some growers are already better atirrigating than others so smaller gains can be made, but even a10 per cent reduction in water and fertiliser use can result insubstantial financial improvements.

● Wheat irrigation in Kenya has resulted in substantial gains forthe growers, and one of SMS’s growers - a dry land wheatproducer - has learned a great deal about his growing, makinga big financial contribution to his business. Growers interestedin what they can achieve should visitwww.soilmoisturesense.com/index.php?pid=259

SMS has identified temporary water logging in many soils andhelped the growers make changes to their irrigation system and soilstructures, leading to vast improvements.

SMS’s agronomic beliefs:Only irrigate when you really need to – this will encourage yourcrop to develop a proper, large root system. This will help theplant to cope when the demand is at its maximum, due to hightemperature and water use or during different crop stages suchas fruit fill. Remember that too wet is often worse than too drybut neither is good and lack of oxygen can be a big problem insome soils.

Identify rooting depth from SMS’s data so that when you doirrigate you refill the soil to the bottom of the root zone. Manygrowers do not apply enough to fully re-wet the soil and, in time,certain root layers run out of water and cease to help provide forthe needs of the plant.

SMS does not profess to be a nutrient expert although thecompany does have considerable experience of helping growerssave fertiliser. Firstly you must get your watering right, however. Inthe company’s experience, most growers over-feed.

When using drip irrigation you need to be able to identify waterspread as well as depth – SMS can help with this. Many growersassume their water spreads, as seen in adverts, ‘like an onion’ –often, in the company’s experience, it spreads more like a carrot!With correct management this can be improved dramatically. Youcan imagine that with poor water spreading you may be onlywatering 10 per cent of the root volume instead of the 50, 70 or90 per cent that may be needed for optimum growth.

In many cases you can save water, fertiliser and power while atthe same time improving yields and quality.

The environmentEverybody is aware of the global need to look after theenvironment, whether by saving water or by avoiding leachingand pollution and, in most cases, both. A perfect example ofwhat could be done is the case of irrigating from a lake.Growers may pump too much water from a lake, fill the waterwith nutrients and then over irrigate, the water full of nutrientswill filter back to the lake causing serious problems. SMS canhelp avoid this type of problem. h

IRRIGATION

Monitoring soil moisture content coffee in Tanzania using a diviner

In many cases you can save water, fertiliser and power while at the same

time improving yields and quality.

Salad onions irrigated with aPivot near Lake Naivasha.



Increasing output to save time and costs is among the crop establishmentpriorities, and many of the newest seed drills have design features to improvework rates and increase efficiency.

ONE OF THE obvious cost-savingdevelopments is designing seeddrills that need less initialseedbed preparation. It is a

trend that started more than 30 years agoand still continues, and there has alreadybeen a big reduction in the number ofcultivations carried out on many farms toallow significant savings in time and fuelconsumption. Although the number and typeof cultivations needed is determined to someextent by soil type, the crop to be grown and,in some cases, by problems such as soilcompaction and weed infestations that needspecial treatment, the general trend is toeconomise on seedbed preparation.

The ultimate in cultivation saving is no-tilldrilling when the seed drill works directly intoundisturbed soil. This can mean attractivecultivation cost savings, although there is alsolikely to be increased dependence on

herbicides for weed control. An example ofthis approach is John Deere’s 750A No-Tilldrill which has the versatility to work inundisturbed stubble, into land that has hadjust a primary cultivation with a plough or aset of discs, and also into a fully preparedconventional seedbed.

John Deere’s No-Till drill has pneumaticseed delivery and is available with 3.0, 4.0and 6.0m working widths and with hoppercapacities of 1,000, 1,800 and 2,300 litresrespectively. Sowing depths can be adjustedbetween 13 and 90mm and work rates upto 6ha/hr are available with the 6m version.Power requirements start at 80hp for the3.0m drill.

One of the benefits of establishing cropswith reduced cultivations and no-till drillingsystems is moisture conservation. Moving soilin a traditional sequence of cultivationsincreases the exposure to moisture loss, andcrops sown into dry soil germinate moreslowly and unevenly, often bringing lower

yields. Another advantage in some situationsis that stubble and other residues fromprevious crops are left on the surface betweenthe crop rows, and this helps to reduce therisk of wind erosion.

Strip tillage is another form of reducedcultivation and an effective way to reduce soilmoisture losses when establishing maize andother crops sown in widely spaced rows. It iswidely used in the US and has becomeincreasingly popular in parts of Europe andother areas where conserving soil moisture isan important factor. Strip tillage alsosignificantly reduces the amount of tractortime and fuel needed to establish each hectare.

Cultivator-drill combinationsCultivator-drill combinations offer a differentapproach to reducing time and fuel costs forcrop establishment. It is a system that is widelyused in Europe, especially for small tomedium acreages and for a wide variety ofcrops. The combination consists of a p-t-opowered cultivator plus a seed drill, bothworking together and mounted on the tractorthree-point linkage. The cultivator is usually apower harrow and most of the leadingmanufacturers offer a power harrow that canbe used either on its own or with a specialseed drill attachment. Disadvantages of thetill-and-drill combination include relatively

slow work rates because power harrowing isnot a high-speed operation, but the powerharrow can be used after a single primarycultivation or, in some conditions, can work inundisturbed soil and it can be much moreeffective in hard soil than tined cultivation.

One of the design features that canimprove drilling work rates is the size of theseed hopper, with more capacity reducing thetime lost for refill stops. Amazone uses a2,000 litre hopper on the 3.0 and 4.0m wideversions of the AD-P Super combination drill.It can work at speeds up to 15 kph, themakers say, and it is teamed up withAmazone’s KG series power harrowsequipped with RoTec Plus coulters with awedge type rear roller to consolidate the soilaround the freshly sown seeds.

A 2,000 litre seed hopper is also featuredon the 3.0 and 4.0m versions of the Ventaseries drill from the French manufacturer,Kuhn Farm Machinery. The Venta combi unitsinclude Kuhn’s HR1003 series power harrowsand a special feature of the drill design is thenew Seedflex coulter system that can beadjusted to exert 35 to 40kg downwardpressure, 25 per cent more than the previousdesign and said to offer better penetrationand depth control in difficult ground conditions.

Kverneland’s top selling seed drill is therecently introduced TS Evo offered with

Seed drill progress

SEED DRILLING

John Deere's 750A No-Till drill canwork in uncultivated soil.

The ultimate in cultivationsaving is no-till drilling when

the seed drill works directly into undisturbed soil.


S08 AF March - April 2012 Planting & Seeding_Layout 1 21/03/2012 14:55 Page 32

working widths from 4.0 to 6.0m and with three hopper capacitiesfrom 1,200 to 2,200 litres. Design features include a pneumaticseeding mechanism with a hydraulically powered fan, the main frameis in three sections for improved contour following and there are fiverows of tines giving more efficient trash clearance than the three rowson Kverneland’s previous TS series combination drill.

The fact that power harrow/drill combinations are mounted on therear linkage means the hopper capacity has to be limited by thetractor’s lift capacity, but one option for overcoming this problem is tocarry an additional seed hopper on the front linkage. The front-mounted hoppers are available from some of the leadingcombination drill companies to provide additional capacities of 1,000litres or more.

For those who want a seed drill with a bigger working width and amuch larger hopper capacity, the choices are likely to be amongtrailed machines which are not restricted by lift capacity. Simba GreatPlains offers the recently introduced Centurion trailed drill in 4.0 and

6.0m widths with a 4,100 litre hopper. The specification includes4mm discs to open the slots for the seeds and the options includeweigh cells to check the seed hopper contents.

The company, owned by American based Great Plains, has alsoproduced the V-300 drill series to suit smaller acreages and 100hptractors. Seed only and seed plus fertiliser versions are available andthe seeding mechanism includes 19 Turbo Coulters that can operatewith up to 250kg of downward pressure for working in hard soilconditions. As well as arable crops, the V-300 drill can be used to sowgrass and clover seed for livestock.

Hopper capacity on the 6.0m wide Lemken Compact-Solitaire drill is5,000 litres. It is based on the Lemken Heliodor cultivator and it can besupplied in either seed only or seed plus fertiliser versions. For sowingfertiliser the hopper is supplied with a dividing wall that can be moved tovary the ratio between the seed and fertiliser capacities. The specialOptiDisc double-disc coulters place the fertiliser between the seed rows.

Precision drills are important for crops where accurate seed spacingis important, and they are used for large scale production of salad andvegetable crops and for sowing maize. The new arrival in this sectorof the market is Vaderstad of Sweden which introduced the Tempo drillfor sowing maize seed last year. It is based on a number of newfeatures designed to improve spacing accuracy while allowing fasterworking speeds. An example is the position of the seed release, whichis immediately in front of a press wheel to prevent the seed rolling asit falls on to the soil.

Two versions of the Tempo maize drill are available initially, sowingsix and eight rows and with four row space settings from 700 to800mm. Each of the sealed seed hoppers holds 70 litres and theoptions include fertiliser placement and micro-granule hoppers. h

SEED DRILLING

Close-up view of a 4.0m wide Kuhn Venta series combination drill.

MAIZE PLANTERS • RICE DRILLS • CEREAL DRILLS

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TOGETHERWE’RE EVEN STRONGER

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For more details of the Great Plains range, contact

Ryan Haffner Tel:+1-785-787-5744Email: [email protected]

Cereal/Rice Grain Drill 1.5 - 4m Cereal/Rice Grain Drill 3.66 - 12m

Flatliner 500 Soil Loosener 3 - 4.5m Yield-Pro® Precision Planter 3 - 18m



Company ................................................................Page

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AWILA Anlagenbau GmbH ..........................................15

Big Dutchman International GmbH ..............................19

Briggs & Stratton AG ....................................................28

Ceva Santé Animale ....................................................17

Ceva Santé Animale ....................................................35

CNH International SA ....................................................2

County Tractor Spares Ltd. ..........................................34

Great Plains International ............................................33

Industrias Machina Zaccaria S/A ..................................25

Jacto..............................................................................11

Kepler Weber Industrial S/A............................................9

Meister Media Worldwide..............................................31

Priya Chemicals ............................................................14

Symaga, SA ....................................................................5

Syngenta Agro AG ........................................................13

Valtra Africa ..................................................................23

Valtrac Pty Ltd...............................................................21

Zagro Singapore Pte Ltd...............................................14

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Subscription order can also be placed via the web: www.alaincharles.com or email at [email protected]

FOR 2012, CLAAS has introduced three new single rotor rakes andadded an additional wider working model to its trailed twin rotor rakerange. The new CLAAS Liner 3100 is designed to meet the needs ofthose who want the wide raking width of a four-rotor rake, but with thecompact dimensions of a two-rotor rake for ease of transport.

The new two-rotor Liner 3100 is therefore ideal in this respect andwith a working width that can be infinitely adjusted from 8.70m up to10m, the ability to put four 3.00m swaths into one makes this ideal forthose running QUADRANT balers or medium size Jaguar foragers.

Each of the rotors incorporates a constantly lubricated hub and isfitted with 14 tine arms, that are secured using the PROFIX quickchange system for easy removal for transport or in the event of anarm being damaged. To ensure accurate ground contour followingfor a clean finish, each of the rotors has Cardan suspension and iscarried on a six-wheel chassis, with the wheels positioned as close tothe tines as possible, so that the rotor can quickly adapt to groundundulations. The rotors are mounted so that when they are lifted, theystay parallel to the ground, and the lift height is adjustable up to90cm. Individual rotor lifting is available as an option, as iselectrohydraulic adjustment of the raking height.

For transport, in order to stay below 4.00m, it is necessary toremove just three tine arms, which are then securely carried on themain frame for easy access. In addition, as they are lifted the rotorsare dropped hydraulically and secured by a mechanical lockingdevice. In addition, integrated wheel weights are fitted as standard toensure optimum transport stability and to also allow the LINER 3200to be transported at up to 50km/h.

For next season, CLAAS will be offering three new single rotorrakes: the new LINER 450, 420 and 370.

CLAAS to introduce new single rotor rakes


Ceva Santé Animale S.A. - www.ceva.com - [email protected], av. de La Ballastière - 33500 Libourne - France - Phone: 00 33 (0) 5 57 55 40 40 - Fax: 00 33 (0) 5 57 55 42 37

EFFECTIVE PROTECTION AGAINST GUMBORO DISEASE

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SUPERIOR ENGINEERING COMES IN RED

MF 5650: PURE GOLD

Robust, easy-to-operate and very versatile MF 5650 combines are capable of harvesting a huge range of crops and

conditions including maize, cereals, rice, soybean, edible beans and grass seed

There is also specialist equipment available for directly cutting bean crops

These ruggedly built combines blend simplicity of design and light construction with some of the latest technology to produce a highly

flexible range of machines at superb value-for-money

High speed and high yield means you can maximise your profits

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African Farming March April 2012

Documents

crop protection

majorfood crop

real role

integrated crop solutions

poultry barn environment

new vision

new tdftractors

new breed of cattle