http://www.agfax.net AGFAX Radio - providing an update of news and developments in tropical agriculture.en-gb Mon, 05 Jul 2010 15:34:04 +0100 Mon, 05 Jul 2010 15:34:04 +0100 Copyright: (C) WRENmedia, http://www.wrenmedia.co.uk s.thorp@wrenmedia.co.uk (Susanna Thorp) webmaster@wrenmedia.co.uk (AGFAX webmaster) http://www.agfax.net/design/agfax-rss.gif http://www.agfax.net 144 90 AGFAX Radio RSS feed In planning for the World Cup, South Africa expected to welcome 350,000 fans from different countries. Feeding all these people was both a challenge and an opportunity - but would South Africa's farmers, particularly the small-scale farmers, benefit? In Johannesburg, Kofi Adu Domfeh spoke to Dora Parela, a street food vendor, and to Thomas Mawasha of Africa's largest fresh produce market, to investigate the connections between farming and football. 29/06/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=349&s=r AGFAX July 2010 www.agfax.net-audioId349 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT Exclusive breastfeeding - giving only breastmilk, and no other foods or water - has been recommended as the best form of nutrition for children up to 6 months old, by the World Health Organisation. In The Gambia, exclusive breastfeeding is one of Ten Steps to Successful Infant Feeding, being promoted by the Baby Friendly Community Initiative. Bakary Jallow of the National Nutrition Agency and village health worker Marie Jatta explain the reasons behind the initiative and how it is being implemented. 29/06/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=350&s=r AGFAX July 2010 www.agfax.net-audioId350 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT Dynamic, profitable local businesses are rare in rural districts along the coast of Tanzania. But in five districts, a support programme for village poultry producers is proving that local people can be successful entrepreneurs, given the necessary training, inputs and support. Through the programme, over 200 villagers have established poultry businesses, rearing at least 100 birds each for sale to local markets. Hatcheries, feed suppliers and veterinary services have also been involved, to create a sustainable model for village poultry promotion. 29/06/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=351&s=r AGFAX July 2010 www.agfax.net-audioId351 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT Drought, flooding, rising temperatures and new pest and disease threats are putting agricultural systems under greater pressure around the world. To survive, rural communities must diversify their activities and take full advantage of the diversity that exists in crops and livestock breeds. Three participants at the Nairobi Agrobiodiversity Debates, held in May 2010, explain how communities in Kenya, Peru and Iran are using agrobiodiversity to adapt to climate change. 29/06/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=352&s=r AGFAX July 2010 www.agfax.net-audioId352 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT East Coast fever kills over a million cattle a year in Africa, with young calves the most vulnerable. A vaccine against the disease exists, but mass vaccination has proved very difficult to achieve. However, in recent years the Global Alliance for Livestock Veterinary Medicine (GALVmed) has been working to have the vaccine formally registered, so that private sector companies can mass produce it and deliver it to the farmers in need. With that registration complete in Tanzania and Kenya, widespread use of the vaccine could soon be a reality. 29/06/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=353&s=r AGFAX July 2010 www.agfax.net-audioId353 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT Deforestation, soil erosion and scarce rainfall are constant challenges facing the people of southern Ethiopia. But in Welmera, Oromia region, 34 lead farmers are spreading a message of hope to their neighbours. Replanting of indigenous and exotic tree species has seen their livelihoods improve and degraded land restored to productivity. And visitors from Ethiopia and the wider region are witnessing what can be achieved when people realise the links between the environment and their own lives. 29/06/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=354&s=r AGFAX July 2010 www.agfax.net-audioId354 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT In southern Malawi, farmers growing pigeonpea have traditionally grown plants that take around nine months from planting to harvesting. But with rainfall becoming less reliable, crop failures are becoming more common. In response, crop breeders at the Chitedze Research Station have developed a medium duration variety of pigeonpea which can be harvested in five to six months. The variety is also suitable for other countries in the region such as Tanzania, Kenya and Mozambique. Geoffrey Kananji, a senior crop breeder, explains more to George Kalungwe. 29/06/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=355&s=r AGFAX July 2010 www.agfax.net-audioId355 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT In Chikungwi village in central Malawi, the women and children are singing. And the subject of their songs? Food - in particular how eating a wide variety of foods is both tasty and good for your health. It's part of a festival organised by local NGO the Story Workshop, to encourage people not to depend so heavily on a single staple food. In Celebrating the diversity of food George Kalungwe meets people at the festival to see what they think of the message. 07/06/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=343&s=r AGFAX June 2010 www.agfax.net-audioId343 Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT In Nigeria, as elsewhere in Africa, affording fertiliser when it is needed most is a real problem for many small-scale farmers. Fertiliser tends to be delivered late, is expensive and may be adulterated or of poor quality. But recently, the Notore chemical company, which runs Nigeria's only urea fertiliser factory, has done a pilot project to sell fertiliser in small, 1 kilo bags. It's also promoting the packs through village demonstrators. Aveseh Asough goes to Katsina state in the north of the country to find out more. 07/06/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=344&s=r AGFAX June 2010 www.agfax.net-audioId344 Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT Armyworm caterpillars are one of Africa's most serious migratory pests. Outbreaks, which occur on an annual basis, generally begin in Tanzania before spreading to Kenya and other parts of eastern and southern Africa. The caterpillars hatch in huge numbers - up to 1000 on a square metre - and can devastate both crops and grasslands. But new attempts are being made to fight the pest. Community members have been trained to predict outbreaks using pheromone traps, and a biological control product is also in development. Eric Kadenge reports on these New weapons to fight armyworm. 07/06/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=345&s=r AGFAX June 2010 www.agfax.net-audioId345 Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT Poverty and climate change are putting natural resources under huge pressure in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Lukwanga village in Uganda is typical of many rural communities. Here, brick-making is a useful source of income, but has left the land stripped of its top soil and its trees, increasing the pressure on farmers. But for six months, the local community knowledge centre has been running an information campaign - using drama and songs, among other means - to spread messages about natural resource use. Pius Sawa visits the community to see if the campaign has worked. 07/06/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=346&s=r AGFAX June 2010 www.agfax.net-audioId346 Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT Slum dwellers generally have little space to grow crops close to their homes. But in some slum areas of Nairobi, a project has introduced the growing of vegetables, such as onions and kale, in sacks. The sacks have a simple but effective design, including a central column of stones which helps plants in all parts of the sack to get water. And to prevent theft of the vegetables, the sacks are stored in a central location which is fenced and guarded. In Vegetable growing in the slums Winnie Onyimbo talks to an agronomist who has helped to introduce the sacks and to one of the growers, to find out more. 07/06/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=347&s=r AGFAX June 2010 www.agfax.net-audioId347 Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT Cameroonian journalist Aaron Kaah reports from Bamenda on how the city's slum dwellers are earning valuable income from agriculture. He speaks to Richard, a young man who supplements his income from driving by selling maize, tomatoes and cabbages. Given the need for urban areas to be producing more food for their expanding populations, Kaah questions whether slum areas need to be included in development plans. 07/06/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=348&s=r AGFAX June 2010 www.agfax.net-audioId348 Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:00:00 GMT Forestry researcher Paul Bosu explains the meaning of degraded forest, and describes work by the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) to promote mixed species tree plantations. He calls on commercial timber companies to support community tree planting, and emphasises that the benefits of tree planting are not only for ourselves, but our children, grandchildren and the wider world. 26/05/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=336&s=r AGFAX Resource: Farming with trees www.agfax.net-audioId336 Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT Ernest Abloh, chief agronomist for Ghanaian fruit exporter Blue Skies Ltd., explains the environmental standards that the company adheres to in its pineapple production. These include retaining buffer strips for biodiversity, fallowing of fields and planting of trees. He believes that, like European farmers, African farmers should be financially rewarded for protecting the environment. 26/05/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=337&s=r AGFAX Resource: Farming with trees www.agfax.net-audioId337 Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT Agriculture student Michael Ahala explains why he is passionate about agroforestry, as a way to restore soil fertility on degraded land and protect crops and homes from damage by wind. He plans to promote agroforestry methods in his community and encourages young people to go into farming. 26/05/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=338&s=r AGFAX Resource: Farming with trees www.agfax.net-audioId338 Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT In Ghana, work to encourage tree planting by adults have had limited success. So FORIG is now working with school children, teaching them about the importance of trees and conducting tree planting activities. The local district education office has responded by requesting seedlings, and there are plans to expand this pilot project into other areas. 26/05/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=339&s=r AGFAX Resource: Farming with trees www.agfax.net-audioId339 Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT Trees offer many benefits to urban areas, including shade, wind breaks, and helping to improve air quality. They can also provide fruit, and fodder for animals. But they need to be chosen carefully, and planted in appropriate places, to prevent damage to roads and buildings. 26/05/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=340&s=r AGFAX Resource: Farming with trees www.agfax.net-audioId340 Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT Grafting a small stem or branch from a mature tree to the root of a young seedling is a way of producing a new plant that will flower and fruit quickly. But it's a technique that requires some skill. Tree researcher Theresa Peprah give a lesson in grafting, explaining what can go wrong, and encouraging farmers to try tree grafting on their farms. 26/05/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=341&s=r AGFAX Resource: Farming with trees www.agfax.net-audioId341 Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT One way to increase production from old cashew trees is to remove their branches and graft new branches in their place, taken from younger and more productive trees. The Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana is also helping cashew farmers by identifying the most productive cashew plants, for multiplication and distribution to farmers. 26/05/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=342&s=r AGFAX Resource: Farming with trees www.agfax.net-audioId342 Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT Four people, including a farmer, a journalist and a researcher, give their opinions on the value of planting trees on farms. These include getting fruit, boosting soil fertility, providing shade for certain crops, fodder for livestock, and timber, as well as helping to mitigate the effects of climate change. 25/05/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=334&s=r AGFAX Resource: Farming with trees www.agfax.net-audioId334 Tue, 25 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT Forestry specialist Ernest Foli discusses the benefits from planting trees on farms, gives examples of trees that can be planted and describes some of the skills needed in growing healthy, productive trees. He also explains how trees can help to moderate some of the impacts of climate change, by promoting rainfall and protecting the soil against scorching heat. 25/05/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=335&s=r AGFAX Resource: Farming with trees www.agfax.net-audioId335 Tue, 25 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT From 1997-2005, Kenya's Smallholder Dairy Project worked to improve standards in the informal milk trade. Interventions included training of smallholder dairy farmers and milk traders - for example in fodder production and milk hygiene - testing of technologies such as milk containers, and work to develop supportive policies. As a result, Kenya's informal milk trade has been transformed, with milk traders being certified by the Kenya Dairy Board, and given support to develop their businesses. In Informal milk trade - clean and certified, dairy specialist Margaret Likuyu reviews some of the changes with those who have been involved. 26/04/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=328&s=r AGFAX May 2010 www.agfax.net-audioId328 Mon, 26 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT The government of Malawi is considering whether to reintroduce DDT for indoor spraying of houses, as part of its malaria control programme. Concerns have been raised in the country, particularly by the Tobacco Control Board, which is anxious that leakages of the chemical might threaten Malawi's international tobacco trade. A delegation recently visited Zambia to see how DDT is being used there. Chris Kang'ombe, Malawi's Secretary for Health, was part of the delegation. In Difficult decision over DDT, he talks to George Kalungwe about what he learned, and his thoughts on whether Malawi should reintroduce DDT. 26/04/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=329&s=r AGFAX May 2010 www.agfax.net-audioId329 Mon, 26 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT International seed giant Monsanto is working with several partners, including national governments and the publically funded International Centre for Wheat and Maize Improvement (CIMMYT), to develop drought-tolerant maize varieties suitable for Africa. The Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) project is working in five countries over a ten-year period, using conventional breeding and biotechnology techniques, to develop varieties of maize that can yield 20-30% more than current, non drought-tolerant varieties. In Breeding drought-tolerant maize - a team effort, Dr Godfrey Asea, who is leading the WEMA project in Uganda, explains more about how the project is working and what it aims to achieve. 26/04/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=330&s=r AGFAX May 2010 www.agfax.net-audioId330 Mon, 26 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT Hartmann, director general of IITA, has an exciting vision for farming in Africa. Young people are not interested in farming like their parents and grandparents did. But agricultural products can find a good market in many industries, so increased production can mean higher incomes. This in turn gives the potential for agriculture to modernise, making use of sophisticated equipment and supporting many other jobs. But higher education in Africa needs to change, to produce a new generation of well-trained young entrepreneurs who can drive the modernisation of African farming. He explains his vision to Busani Bafana in Agriculture could end poverty in Africa. 26/04/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=331&s=r AGFAX May 2010 www.agfax.net-audioId331 Mon, 26 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT Over the last twenty years, fish stocks in Lake Malawi have been severely depleted by over-fishing, to feed a growing population. But fish constitute 70% of the protein eaten by Malawians, so finding a solution is vital. The Malawi government has been encouraging farmers to try fish farming in ponds, but uptake has been slow. One challenge has been the poor quality of young fish available to fish farmers. To address this, a fish farming development programme has involved private sector companies in breeding fast growing, disease-free young fish, to supply to Malawi's fish farmers. Find out more in Fast growing fish for farming. 26/04/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=332&s=r AGFAX May 2010 www.agfax.net-audioId332 Mon, 26 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT While the chemical pesticide DDT has been banned by most countries for use in agriculture, its use for indoor spraying of houses, to kill mosquitoes and control malaria, continues to be practised in some areas. And with cases of malaria on the rise, several African governments are considering whether carefully controlled use of DDT should be part of their malaria prevention strategy. In DDT - the right choice for mosquito control? three professionals offer their views on the wisdom of reintroducing DDT, focussing on public health, risks to agricultural exports, adequacy of infrastructure, and the potential for less toxic alternatives. 26/04/10 http://www.agfax.net/link.php?i=333&s=r AGFAX May 2010 www.agfax.net-audioId333 Mon, 26 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT