The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) is looking to build 63 village-type grain processing centers throughout 2012. These centers will be used by farmers to mill and store their rice, cutting PHL. In addition, there is a push to update existing rice mills to increase grain recovery.Such mills and processing centers could cut […]
Sustainable Intensification of Cereal-Based Farming Systems in Eastern and Southern Africa
Meeting minutes were published from the ‘Sustainable Intensification of cereal-based farming systems in Eastern and Southern Africa Project Inception Workshop‘ held from 6-9 February in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The minutes include crucial questions, magnitudes, and possible strategies to achieve better sustainable agriculture. http://africa-rising.wikispaces.com/Dar_Targets+group
India to Carry NE Essentials via Bangladesh
The Bangladesh government is permitting India to ferry necessary food grains to its northern regions via its territory. The roads and port Ashuganj are crucial for connecting the southern and northern parts of the country and soon about 5,000 metric tons of rice, wheat and sugar will be ferried.The northern regions are particularly hard to transport […]
Harvest Storage
ABCNet in Australia produced a video on harvest storage, detailing the processes and problems for Australian farmers. http://www.abc.net.au/landline/content/2012/s3428699.htm
President Mills Inaugurates Tetteh Quarshie Overpass-Mallam Junction Road
The President of Ghana inaugurated the Tetteh Quashie Interchange-Mallam Junction Motorway extension to enhance transportation in and around the Accra Metropolis. This development was made with assistance from the US Ambassador to Ghana, and marks the last of US support under the Millennium Challenge Account, which is an initiative to tackle poverty in developing countries. The road […]
TNAU Gets Patent for Instant Cumbu Food
The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University in India has developed new technology and acquired a patent for a ‘ready-to-cook Cumbu mix and food’. This technology allows millet to be processed and packaged without preservatives and also allows millet to re-enter diets, as more easily processed foods such as rice have taken over. http://ibnlive.in.com/news/tnau-gets-patent-for-instant-cumbu-food/229251-60-118.html
Record Wheat Stocks Offset South American Drought
Despite the severe drought in South America, world wheat stocks have grown to record amounts this year, corn stocks are larger than expected, and India will also have a record rice crop. Brazil and Argentina both have lowered soybean harvest forecasts, both 2 million tonnes lower than the January estimate, thus bolstering US sales. http://www.canadiancattlemen.ca/news/record-wheat-stocks-offset-south-american-drought/1000894325/
Making Sure the Food We Grow Is Good Enough to Eat
A new Centre of Excellence for Post-harvest Biotechnology (CEPB) has opened in the School of Biosciences at The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC). The centre is developing new technologies to reduce food losses, improving overall quality and food safety. Tropical countries like Malaysia have a particular problem because of the number of micro-organisms that […]
Egypt: Pro-poor Horticulture Value Chains in Upper Egypt
A special horticulture program in Upper Egypt helps small farmers and agricultural workers to work more efficiently and improve their business partnerships through the benefit of a program known as the MDG Achievement Fund. Visit www.mdgfund.org to learn more about the program. http://www.mdgfund.org/content/propoorhorticulturevaluechainsupperegypt
Mechanization: Essential for Rice Production and Processing
AfricaRice, a leading pan-African rice research organization, released an impact assessment estimating 0.9 million tonnes of milled rice was saved by halving on-farm post-harvest losses through the use of appropriate technologies. This would save almost 17% of current rice imports, with a value of US$ 410 million in 2011 prices—in turn raising about 2.8 million […]