AGRICULTURAL ROAD MAP: CREATING A SUSTAINABLE GROWTH STRATEGY.

  The purpose of any agricultural road map is to chart a specific course to arrive at a desired destination. The purpose of the agricultural road map is to chart a path to food security and wealth creation.

  The path to sustainable growth can be fashioned after a model called the V.AI.M approach, this can be used for any value chain following the basic concept.

                          

Dr. Echbee Ojuri, Value chain strategist.

  V.A.I.M is a model upon which all agricultural restructuring can be anchored to enhance productivity.  The V.A.I.M refers to the strategies for growth, productivity as well as wealth creation used in AGRICULTURAL ROAD MAP.

   What is the V.A.I.M approach?    The V.A.I.M : V refers to value chain identification.

 A   refers to addition.

 I    refers to intervention.

M   refers to market.

  The first step is to identify your value chain of interest such as red meat, coconut, vegetables, rice ,poultry,piggery and fisheries.  

 A= ADDITION. The next step is to decide what value to addition  you want to implement.  The addition to the value chain, in terms of  new products, storage, transports e.t.c.

  I= INTERVENTION. The next step will be intervention, how do you want to achieve the goal? who are the partners to aid the goal? How to achieve intervention? 

This may be achieved by public private partnership, government funding, grants, loans and other financial aids. This will also show the drivers of the intervention.

 M= MARKET. How are you to market your products? Which method are you planning on using?  

Marketing of products could be by: 1) creation of off takers scheme. 2) Marketing hub 3) joint venture marketing partnership.

 The V.A.I.M map will provide a quick guide on where to invest, how to invest and the profit expected.

#opportunities to export beef.  #ho

Cassava exports, prices jump on surging china demands.

  

Vietnam exported $256 million worth of cassava and cassava products in the first two months of the year, a 77.9 percent year-on-year increase, with China being the biggest market. 

 China accounted for over 95 percent of exports in January, with prices rising by 69 percent year-on-year to $242.2 per ton. 

 According to the Vietnam Cassava Association, a number of local processing factories face a short supply though the harvest season has begun. 

 Local prices are expected to reach record levels by the end of the harvest since most of it would be exported to China at high prices, which have reached $270 FOB at Quy Nhon Port. 

 China has huge demand for cassava as a replacement for corn, whose global prices are surging, to feed pigs.

Manage mud to manage cattle health.

                 

Manage mud to maintain cattle health.

    

  

Significant presence of mud can increase energy requirements by as much as 30%. Wading through mud burns more calories, resulting in reduced gain for developing breeding stock and fed cattle, as well as reduced milk production for cows. Confounding things, cattle tend to eat less to avoid the extra effort to get to feed. On top of reduced performance, mud can have negative impacts on health, especially young calves. 

Mud clings to hair coats and makes it more difficult for the animal to regulate body temperatures, especially if nighttime temperatures dip below freezing. Pathogens also thrive in these conditions, creating continual exposure to calves. 

This occurs both directly because of the poor environment and indirectly when nursing from contaminated udders. Left unmanaged, excessive mud can also cause foot injuries and outbreaks of foot rot. 

 Four ways to manage mud to ensure cattle health. 

 1) Provide bedding. Multiple sources are available. When managed appropriately, manure and liquids tend to settle to the bottom of cornstalk bedding allowing for a drier surface. For feedlots and yearling cattle, it's recommended to provide 1 pound of bedding per day per inch of mud per head, while 4 pounds of bedding per day per inch of mud is needed for cow-calf pairs, with heavy bred females somewhere in the middle.

 2)Consider building a feeding pad. While a more expensive option, building a pad from packed gravel or lime with geotextile fabric provides a longer-term solution to managing mud. A concrete feeding area allows for easier cleaning and captures more manure nutrients for crop production. Both can be beneficial for reducing feed waste as well. 

 3) continue

  

Mosquitoes spread viruses faster than thought

Researchers say discoveries about virus development in mosquitoes might someday help stop disease transmission. Researchers at the University of Missouri have found viruses spread in the bodies of mosquitoes much quicker than previously thought. 

 "Previously, the common understanding was that when a mosquito has picked up a virus, it first needs some time to build up inside the mid-gut, or stomach, before infecting other tissues in the mosquito," said Alexander Franz, an assistant professor in the Department of Veterinary Pathobiology in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine and the study’s corresponding author. "However, our observations show that this process occurs at a much faster pace; in fact, there is only a narrow window of 32 to 48 hours between the initial infection and the virus leaving the mosquito’s stomach.

 For this field of research, that revelation is eye opening." continue.

AGRIBUSINESS: RED MEAT VALUE CHAIN.

 Red meat value chain is a lucrative business with potential for both local and foreign markets.. 

The red meat value chain  spans from the farm, to the processing of wholesome beef ,to export of by-products ,use of the waste for biogas and fertilizer.

The red meat value chain holds enormous possibilities with several sub units or subsections that can flood your  bank account with millions.

 The red meat value chain; interested in starting an abattoir? Are you thinking mechanized? fully mechanized or semi mechanized. 

 The choice depends on your project goal,are  you  thinking of starting small then scaling up? semi mechanized is for you.  Going all out? then fully automated is your choice.

 The difference between the two types of abattoir are the  machines, equipment and handling protocols. 

  

Agribusiness: Goat processing in an abattoir.

  Interested in abattoir business? thinking  of investing in the sheep and goat business? planning to start an abattoir to provide wholesome products to the populace? then take a look at this clean method of dehairing sheep and goat.

   

AGRIBUSINESS : How To Export Nigerian Vegetables To Foreign Countries.

Nigeria vegetable comes in various types they include Amaranthus (Tete) , Tel Fairia, ( Ewedu), Corchorus olitorius ( Ugu) Others are, Ukazi, Ugba, Bitter leaf, etc. Almost all the vegetable in Nigeria can be produced for fresh market in 4-6 weeks after planting. 

It can be produced all the year round depending on the availability of water. Globally, there is a huge demand for Nigeria’s fresh fruits and vegetables and the supply seems short, thus, there is the need for more involvement in agri-food exports from Nigeria. 

 You can export it fresh or dry. To export dry vegetables, you will need to wash before you take it to the machine for drying. You can dry it in a temperature of 42 to 45 degree. After the drying you will sort the bad ones and make sure the one you are sending is free from foreign particles. 

If you are exporting it fresh just make sure you it is free from foreign particles and it is ready for export. The dry vegetable is good for the US and far east while the fresh vegetable is very good for the UK market. 

 Vegetables can be preserved to prolong shelf-life by drying them using solar dryers. This method is safe and easy without loss of nutrients so vegetables get to destination in good condition.Farmers can also dry vegetables to prevent loss due to spoilage when harvest is plenty and demand is low. 

 This farmer uses this method to gather much profits while creating markets throughout the year. Dried vegetables can last for more than eight months without expiring/spoiling.

The inclusion of a solar dryer. into production has increased the shelf-life of vegetables from two days to more than eight months, allowing Kisii County farmer, Jared Otundo, sell his vegetables for longer and in faraway places. continue.