Posted on March, 3, 2016 at 11:17 am
Regional News
South Sudan admitted into EAC
South Sudan has been admitted into the East African Community (EAC), increasing the membership of the common market to six with a population of 162 million people. The 17th Ordinary EAC Heads of State Summit in Arusha, Tanzania, resolved to admit Africa's newest nation into the economic bloc on Wednesday.
http://www.nation.co.ke/business/South-Sudan-admitted-into-EAC/-/996/3100314/-/6t0bfiz/-/index.html
South Sudan finally admitted in EAC
South Sudan has been admitted as the 6th Country in EAC today thereby increasing the East African Community market to 162 million people, according to reports. As the youngest East African country, South Sudan was admitted Wednesday at the ongoing 17th Ordinary Summit of the EAC Heads of State in Arusha Tanzania. According to the treaty establishing the EAC, new members are admitted if they respect the principles of democracy, rule of law, accountability, transparency and social justice.
Kenya News
Agro-dealers protest move to sell inputs directly to farmers
Agro-dealers have protested over the government’s decision to sell subsidised fertiliser and seeds directly to farmers. While commending the government for helping reduce the cost of fertiliser and certified seeds, the dealers led by Ms Alice Munyao from Kinangop and Mr Said Hamis of Voi who are members of Mazao Forum said the government system is edging them out of business.
Weatherman warns of depressed rains after El Nino spell
The weatherman is warning of depressed rainfall in most parts of the country especially the eastern region during March to May long-rains season. The director of Kenya Meteorological Service James Kongoti wants farmers in affected areas to liaise with the Ministry of Agriculture to offset any expected farming challenges the depressed rains may bring.
Uhuru holds key to 50kg cap on farm produce bags
Farmers and traders across the country will be required to package their farm produce in sacks not exceeding 50kg, if President Uhuru Kenyatta signs into law a new Bill passed by Parliament on Wednesday. The approval of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Authority (Amendment) Bill, 2015 through its third reading in Parliament effectively handed potato, maize, rice and wheat farmers the much needed reprieve from exploitation by traders and middlemen.
Tanzania News
Modern technology needed to improve Tanzania's agriculture
Agriculture is one of the leading sectors in Tanzania accounting for 24 per cent of the GDP, 30 per cent of total exports and 65 per cent of raw materials for Tanzanian industries. Tanzanian crops include cereals with 4,798,071 planted hectares or 61 per cent of Tanzania’s total planted area, followed by roots and tubers 14per cent, pulses 12 per cent, and oil seeds 7 per cent.
http://www.ippmedia.com/?l=89491
Cereal market runs dry due to draught
Kibaigwa market is faced with plummeting export sales due to an acute shortage of crops caused by drought.
http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/-/1840340/3098436/-/kbcg1u/-/index.html
What good are bumper harvests without storage facilities?
With post-harvest losses claiming over 40 percent of Tanzania’s annual national production of cereals, it is futile to focus investment on increasing cereal production without improving post-harvest issues. Last year, many regions of the country enjoyed bumper harvests, but due to lack of proper storage facilities, farmers suffered great losses with many reporting that their harvests were rotting away at home.
http://www.ippmedia.com/?l=89453
VSO helps smallholder farmers increase yield
When the Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO) organisation opened its office in Zanzibar two years ago, subsistence farmers and entrepreneurs harboured hopes of increasing quality and quantity of their products, and thus minimising the problem of lack of reliable markets.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201603020008.html
How climate-smart agriculture is saving, revitalising the sector
In Tanzania, agriculture accounts for 24.1 percent of the GDP, employs more than three-quarters of the population and represents 30 percent of export earnings. However, because the sector largely practices substantial farming using old techniques that are unfriendly to the environment, the sector is in peril as is 80 per cent of the country that directly relies on it.
http://www.ippmedia.com/?l=89492
Rwanda News
Rwanda: Maize prices rise as Rwandan farmers fear looming scarcity
The farm gate price of maize has increased by 25 per cent defying the government's set minimal price as buyers rush to build stocks fearing a looming shortage. But the disparity between farm gate price of maize and what middlemen are earning confirms fears that the Rwandan maize farmer is not getting value for money as production costs remain high.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201603011468.html
E.Province farmers upbeat ahead of harvest season
Agronomists in different parts of the Eastern Province are predicting high maize and rice production this season. In separate interviews, on Monday, the agriculture officials said their projections are based on high quality seeds which were supplied to farmers, training and improved drainage system which has prevented flooding in rice fields.
http://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/article/2016-03-02/197594/
FAO makes remarkable contribution towards improving food safety in Rwanda
Developing countries are becoming more and more involved in international food trade. There is a shift from traditional production and sale of raw crops to producing processed or semi processed food products. Though it is to be counted an achievement, this shift has brought in new challenges that demand for measures in form of effective control systems to cope with international trends in food regulations and standards. These systems are essential to protect the health of consumers. They are vital in enabling countries to assure imported food products or of those intended for export met national, regional and international quality and safety requirements.
http://www.newtimes.co.rw/section/advertorial/730/
Uganda News
EAC leaders to sign business code of conduct for bloc
EAST African Community (EAC) Heads of State are expected to endorse the code of conduct and ethics for business in the region during a summit due in two days in Arusha. The code, which seeks to address corruption among private sectors in the region, has been rolled out by the East African Business Council (EABC). It also aims at augmenting ethical business practices in the areas of Human rights, labour standards, and environment and anti-corruption within the EAC partner states. In an interview with The Guardian at the weekend, EABC’s Acting Executive Director Lilian Awinja said the five presidents from the partner states will sign the code, a symbol of assenting to its implementation in the region
http://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1418405/eac-leaders-sign-business-code-conduct-bloc
Uganda, Tanzania agree on Shs13 trillion southern oil pipeline deal
Kampala- Tanzania has allowed Uganda to construct a $4b (Shs13.3 trillion) oil pipeline through the southern route. The oil export pipeline will connect Uganda to the northern part of the Indian Ocean through Tanga Port. The deal ends months of speculation by geopolitical analysts since Uganda signed last August a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Kenya proposing to construct a pipeline through the north-eastern route to Lamu Port. The deal was reached on Tuesday between Mr Museveni and President John Pombe Magufuli in Arusha ahead of the 17th Ordinary East African Community summit.
UNBS rolls out e-verification service to combat counterfeits
Consumers will soon be able to electronically verify whether the products they are about to buy are genuine, of good and standardised quality or not. This follows a move by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) to roll out a phone powered traceability and e-verification service called e-tag to combat the prevalence of counterfeit products on the Ugandan market. Using this product, customers will be able to detect forgeries of labels by sending the digits of the labels to code 141. The code will be redirected to the centralised computer system where it will be verified. This follows the successful pilot launch where the body partnered with the Ministry of Agriculture to kick-start the e-verification of goods in the agriculture sector.