The Food Corporation of India is looking to build another 8 metric tonne storage facility in the next 18 months. Currently 51 metric tonnes of space is available in storage facilities when there is a need for storage for 63 metric tonnes. Warehouses are to be built near producing and consuming centers in order to […]
Post Harvest Losses of Foodgrains Decline
In the results of two published surveys, India has announced that its PHL of foodgrains has declined. The data comparison on storage losses from a 2004 Millennium Survey with a 2010 ICAR study shows that wheat PHL has been reduced from 8% to 6%, rice has gone from 11% to 5.2%, and maize from 7.5% […]
For More Focus, Restructure and Reduce Agriculture Schemes
The agriculture ministry plans to reduce and restructure the 53-odd welfare schemes in the country. Of programs to stay is the “Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana” (RKVY)- which is an assistance scheme to motivate states to take more steps toward improving agriculture. States are allotted grants, disbursed by the state’s chief secretary. A priority is to form […]
Millennium Challenge Account Compact
Although benefiting greatly from the Millennium Challenge Account Compact (MCA), a large amount of loan money was returned unused to the lending bank, and many farmer loans were not repaid in time. Major inhibitors to the success of the program targeting Ghanaian farmers were “willful negligence,” bad weather conditions, pest infestation, and lack of value chain […]
Government Urged to Enact Agricultural Marketing Act
The Zambia Co-operative Federation (ZCF) director general James Chirwa reports that farmers are afraid to diversify their crops because they lack market certainty. Most ‘buying’ depots have no scales, sieves, stacking machines, and no moisture meters. Crop marketing in Zambia is directly affected by high input prices; the government needs to provide enough financial resources […]
Climate Change ‘Fights’ Rice Farmers in Northern Ghana
In Ghana, torrential rainfall led to a reduction of rice production by 36%, loss of 14 human lives, and millions of Ghana Cedis in crop damage and loss. Farmers have called for an agro-metereological station to forewarn farmers and help them prepare for the effects of climate change. http://vibeghana.com/2011/12/30/climate-change-fights-rice-farmers-in-northern-ghana/
EC Seeks Proposals for Projects to Improve the Livelihood of Rural Households in Malawi through Improvement in Post-harvest Storage and Processing Methods
The Malawi government is seeking proposals for postharvest storage and processing and diversification of smallholder agriculture productivity. Deadline for submissions is Feb. 6, 2012. http://www.fundsforngos.org/europe/ec-seeks-proposals-projects-improve-livelihood-rural-households-malawi-improvement-postharvest-storage-processing-methods/
Kumasi Polytechnic Acquires 200-Acre Land for Entrepreneurship Village Project
The Kumasi Polytechnic school in Ghana has acquired 200 acres to build an Entrepreneurship Village, with model crop and aquatic farms, as well as small scale industries for training purposes. The school seeks to link the local and international markets as students learn how to set up their own businesses. Kumasi Polytechnic has also funded a […]
56-Year-Old Wins Chief Farmer
Ghana uses a competition at the 27th Annual Farmer’s Day for the ‘best farmer’ to encourage farmers to work on reducing PHL, and awards technology to aid in farm productivity to multiple winners. The winning farmer also asked government officials to follow through on their promises to provide resources to help farmers and also to […]
Food Processing Curbs Climate Losses for Cameroon’s Women Farmers
In Cameroon, roads also pose serious problems for farmers. Women farmers find that processed agricultural products help prevent heavy PHL that would otherwise occur during the transportation of produce. The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is providing loans to farmers to enable them to buy more processing technology. http://www.trust.org/item/?map=food-processing-curbs-climate-losses-for-cameroons-women-farmers