Farming

Agri-Focus – 26 March 2024

Hanks Saisai provides an update on the state of the agriculture sector. https://iono.fm/e/1419742

27 March, 2024

Costly mistakes to avoid as a Namibian farmer

By Hanks Saisai, Technical Advisor: Crops & Poultry, Agribank Many livelihoods in Namibia rely directly or indirectly on agriculture and the products that reward the hardworking men and women who farm as a way of life. It is important to note that the journey of a farmer requires hard work, determination, dedication, and a sense of innovation. One must always be aware of common mistakes that are […]

26 March, 2024

Africa

Cocoa beans are in short supply: what this means for farmers, businesses and chocolate lovers

By Michael E Odijie, UCL A shortage of cocoa beans has led to a near shutdown of processing plants in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana, the two countries responsible for 60% of global production. With chocolate makers around the world reliant on west Africa for cocoa, there is significant concern about the impact on the prices of chocolate and the livelihood of farmers. Cocoa researcher Michael Odijie explains […]

20 March, 2024

Environment

Nile Basin farmers grow food forests to restore wetlands and bring back a turtle

By David Njagi via Mongabay In the 44 years Naomi Rita Sitati has lived in Bukirimo village in western Kenya, she has known only one system of farming, which her community has depended on for generations. Cultivating sugarcane as the only crop in large plots is a common practice in the region, which is part of the larger Nile Basin, and Sitati was happy with it. Apart from creating jobs for […]

29 February, 2024

Videos

Food security ‘vital part of national security’, Sunak tells farmers

Rishi Sunak has told farmers that food security is a vital part of national security as he set out support for the sector. Speaking at the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) annual conference, the Prime Minister outlined a doubling of the amount going to technology and innovation schemes such as robotics, roof-top solar and agricultural research, to £220 million, helping farmers to increase productivity. The money is part of the Government’s […]

21 February, 2024

World

Indian Farmers Reject Govt’s Proposal after a Tense Standoff

Farmer unions in India have rejected a government proposal that offered them a floor price for some crops, saying they will start marching to New Delhi this week again unless a better offer is made. The Indian government's proposal was made over the weekend in a bid to break a deadlock with the agitating farmers who have been protesting for a week now. But farmers say the proposals will not […]

20 February, 2024

Environment

Agritechnica exhibition expands reach in growing Asian markets

Agritechnica Asia expands into Vietnam – Organizer DLG to meet high market demand for agricultural machinery knowledge in Asia with tailored country-specific Agritechnica formats – HortEx exhibition for horti- and floriculture to be held in parallel – DLG’s “Agritechnica Asia” event in Bangkok continues as hub for Asia. (DLG). The German Agricultural Society (DLG) is strengthening its services in Asia to meet greater demand and new requirements of […]

14 February, 2024

Environment

Farmers need to gain access to agricultural information

By Erastus Ngaruka, Technical Advisor: Livestock & Rangeland Management Agriculture is by far an economic pillar in Namibia as it directly or indirectly supports all livelihoods in the form of food, employment, and income. Besides that, agricultural production faces many challenges that are associated with climatic conditions, technology, markets, and knowledge or skills amongst others. For example, potential agricultural production in Namibia is vulnerable to climate change […]

31 January, 2024

Business / Economics

We need a better understanding of how crops fare under solar panels, study shows

Farmers in Bihar, India, growing crops amidst solar panels. Image by C. de Bode/CGIAR via Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0). By Ruth Kamnitzer via MongaBay The dream of agrivoltaics is to generate your electricity and eat your edamame too. But a recent study in Agroforestry Systems shows that agrivoltaics — growing food beneath solar panels — is not so simple. Research published in September finds that overall crop yields decrease when paired with solar panels and offers […]

24 January, 2024