Tag: Livestock

Ghana to allocate 150,000 hectares for grazing reserves to curb herd conflicts

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GHANA – The government of Ghana is set to convert 150,000 hectares of land into grazing reserves in a bid to provide ample feed for cattle, whose grazing and transhumance has led to conflicts between the herders and farmers. According to reports by Ghanaian Times, the facilities estimated to cost GHc25 million, are going to have forage that could sustain the feeding of about 520,000 cattle over a four-month period. This implies that once the reserves have their targeted forage, they have four months to prepare the next stock. Areas…

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Zimbabwean livestock farmers benefit from newly launched traceability system powered by Mastercard

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ZIMBABWE – E-Livestock Global, an American venture capital funded social enterprise, has launched a first-of-its kind livestock traceability system in Zimbabwe, bringing end-to-end visibility to the cattle supply chain. The solution powered by Mastercard’s blockchain-based Provenance solution is aimed to empower Zimbabwean farmers to prove the origin and health records of their cattle, while reducing risks to buyers. A first in the Middle East and Africa, the solution brings new hope to the country’s agricultural sector after an outbreak of tick-borne disease in 2018 led to the death of 50,000…

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Nigerian online livestock platform Livestock247 launches cashless service to promote security in markets

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NIGERIA – Livestock247, Nigeria’s 1st online livestock platform utilized to undertake buying and selling of live livestock, processed meat and other livestock management services, is set to introduce a cashless rural livestock market. LivestockXpress will be launched in partnership with Zenith Bank Plc, aimed to offer a safe and secure platform to undertake livestock trading. The introduction of the new service follows the upsurge in criminal activities in Northern Nigeria, where livestock markets have become soft spots for insurgents, rural bandits, and kidnappers. The multi-billion Naira livestock trading business takes…

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Makerere University on the road to availing first Anti-Tick Vaccine in Uganda

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UGANDA – Makerere University in Uganda has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Alfasan Uganda Limited, to facilitate production of test batches of an Anti-Tick Vaccine developed by the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB). The Anti-Tick Vaccine Initiative is hosted under the Centre for Biosecurity and Global Health, one of the milestones endorsed by the University when the then faculty transitioned into a college. The development of the vaccine started in 2005 with a seed grant from the Dutch Research Council, but the Government of…

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Kakuzi Plc to strengthen business with earmarked US$3.7m capital injection

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KENYA – Kenyan integrated agri-business firm, Kakuzi Plc, has announced that it will invest more than Ksh400 million (US$3.7m) in capital expenditures (CAPEX) this year, to expand production and upscale its smallholder operations value, in a bid to boost the global positioning of Kenyan avocados. Other than boosting production and market for its core crop avocado, the fresh food producer and exporter has indicated it will continue to invest in diversification projects for its macadamia, livestock, commercial forestry business lines and experimenting with the new blueberry venture. This was revealed…

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Ethiopia inaugurates US$2.3m veterinary drug manufacturing plant to meet local demand

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ETHIOPIA – Ethiopia has cut ribbon to the newly build 100-million Birr (US$2.3m) veterinary drug manufacturing plant, built by the National Veterinary Institute (NBI) in Bishoftu town. The factory will produce 91.5 million veterinary tablets annually, initially operating at 60 percent processing capacity. According to reports by Ethiopia News Agency, the plant will enhance livestock productivity and accelerate the sector’s growth by availing cheaper and readily accessible remedies for the herds. It will also save foreign currency by covering 15% of the country’s veterinary demands, producing 23 types of vaccines…

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Zambia launches National Livestock Development Policy, EU supports agribusinesses with US$31m fund

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ZAMBIA – Zambia has launched the National Livestock Development Policy (NLDP) aimed to transform the livestock industry, in order to enhance social economic development. The policy will be implemented over a 4-year span period from 2021 to 2024, with an expected expenditure of 1.45billion (US$80m) kwacha. Its focus will include promoting sustainable livestock production and productivity, promote standards and quality of livestock and its products, and strengthen livestock research and development. Also, it will promote sustainable management of farm animal genetic resource, improve animal welfare and livestock production environment to…

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AfDB supports Cameroon in establishment of US$119.7m livestock, fish farming development project

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CAMEROON – Cameroon has launched the CFAF65 billion (US$119.7m) Livestock and Fish Farming Value Chain Development Project (PDCVEP), aimed to boost the competitiveness of the beef, pork, and fish sectors. The initiative has been funded through a loan injection of CFAF55 billion (US$101.3m) from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and capital contribution of CFAF10 billion (US$18.4m) by the Government of Cameroon. The PDCVEP is scheduled to run for the next five years, targeting to improve producers’ income and create job opportunities in the beneficiary segments, reports Business in Cameroon. To…

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USAID partners with industry players led by Cargill to launch US$33m livestock management initiative

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AFRICA – The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched a five-year US$33 million Transformational Strategies for Farm Output Risk Mitigation (TRANSFORM) initiative, aimed to improve livestock management and combat the threat of zoonotic diseases to both human and animal health in the region. USAID has tapped on the expertise of a consortium of industry players led by Cargill and including Ausvet, Heifer International, and the International Poultry Council (IPC). The initiative will harness innovation to sustainably improve animal health, strengthen animal agriculture production systems in Africa and…

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COMESA enhances seed trade by developing certified labels, fosters trade in animal under AfCFTA

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AFRICA – The Alliance for Commodity Trade in Eastern and Southern Africa (ACTESA) is a specialized agency of COMESA, focused on agricultural development, has developed over four million physical seed labels that are ready for use by seed companies in the region. ACTESA, manages the Seed Development Programme which is implemented within the guidelines of the COMESA Seed Harmonisation Implementation Plan (COMSHIP). In line with COMSHIP, the programme has developed the COMESA Variety Catalogue, a platform that contains seed varieties which comply with requirements of having the seed registered in…

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