Tag: Livestock

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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World Bank issues US$375m financing to revitalize pastoralism in the Sahel region

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AFRICA – The Board of World Bank’s Executive Directors have approved the new US$375 million IDA financing, to support the implementation of the second Regional Sahel Pastoralism Support Project, known by its French acronym PRAPS-2 (Projet regional d’appui au pastoralisme au Sahel-Phase 2). The project is aimed to improve the productivity and resilience of pastoral production systems in the Sahel region including in Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal. Building on the successes of its predecessor (PRAPS-1), PRAPS-2 will pursue investments to establish more robust animal health systems,…

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Global ingredient manufacturer Kemin becomes majority shareholder in Egyptian animal vaccine company MEVAC

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EGYPT – Kemin Industries, a global ingredient manufacturer has expanded its presence in the global vaccine market by becoming a majority shareholder in MEVAC, an animal vaccine manufacturer based in Cairo, Egypt, and a shareholder in MEVAC’s sister company, UVAC. UVAC was established to produce foot-and-mouth disease and tissue-culture vaccines for animals, as well as human vaccines. As part of its investment in the two companies, Kemin will have access to a modern vaccine plant with production and R&D capabilities to support future growth. “We entered into a partnership with…

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