Agribusiness: celebrating world food day by charting innovative paths to increase productivity.

 

Celebrating world food day by creating innovative agricultural solutions to end poverty, tackle malnutrition and save our planet.

The exponential population growth to 9.7 billion by 2050 means all hands must be on deck to  rise to the challenge. There must be inclusion of innovative ideas in the way farming, processing and marketing of farm produce is done now to ensure increase productivity.

The use of design thinking comes into play here to chart the path to  productivity using smart agricultural constructs.

Robotics has been incorporated to livestock and general farming to increase productivity and also increase revenue by preventing losses. Africa needs to embrace more of technology-based agriculture to produce more and ensure food security. 

 Agricultural solutions are basically centered around :1) increased productivity which can be achieved by improved seeds, improved animal breeds, new farm practices,education of farmers, adoption of climate smart agriculture .

 2) Leveraging technology to provide data to farmers to improve productivity like Zenvus .The use of robots to enhance productivity such as use of

  3) Curbing food waste this can be by provision of cold hubs for farmers, provision of processing hubs to convert excess products or left overs to a new product with longer shelf-life.

4) Funding for farmers which can be in form of loans or private partnership in form of investment platforms.

5)Access to market: creating linkages for farmers to sell produce at  reasonable prices. The creation of new markets to improve productivity by adoption of circular economy in all agricultural value chains.

  Circular economy not only curbs wastes but closes loops in production cycles.

  6)  Adoption of clean energy to drive innovations in agriculture to reduce cost of production while saving the planet by reducing emissions.

Agribusiness :How to use circular economy to boost productivity in dairy value chain.

 

The circular economy is a new approach to the reduce-reuse-recycle model.

 

The circular economy has the added advantage of not only making products or by-products go back to production cycles it ensures sustainability of business and environment.

 

 What is the circular economy and how can this be implemented in the dairy value chain?.

 

  Circular economy is a model of production /consumption that involves the use, reuse and recycling of products, byproducts and materials of production to create a sustainable cycle of production and consumption.

Dairy industry is based on circular production cycles with the dairy and Agri-food sector sharing a history that dates back to early dairy business.

 

The use of pasture land for feeding dairy cows, by growing different crops on rotated pieces of land, by fertilizing the land with animal’s waste and at the same time keeping animals as a long-term stock of nutrients, the sector builds on the long and deep knowledge of humankind.

        

Dairy cows have a unique ability to consume non-edible feed stocks and turn them into a very nutritious protein that humans can eat.

 

 The concept of the circular economy is to look at the cycle of production and identify points or areas in the cycle that can be redirected into the production phase to achieve the following:

 

 

1)    Reduce waste and the resultant pressure on the environment by creating clean alternatives.

2)    Reduce cost of production by reusing some inputs or by-products thus increasing profit margin.

 

3)    Create new channels of production by creating new viable products from existing products.

 In the dairy industry the circular economy is employed in the following ways:

 

1)    The waste from cows provides a source of fertilizer that can be put back into the farm, it is also fed into bio digester thus helping to curb methane emissions and produce a renewable energy source for the farm.

 

2)    Cows utilize the grazing lands  as well providing a source of milk and natural fertilizer, and at the end of life the cow can be converted into a variety of products, such as beef, pet food, and leather goods

 

3)    Whey, a co-product of the cheese-making process was once put onto land, or fed to pigs, but is now being used as high-value protein concentrates for specific human nutrition (sports, infants, and the elderly) in a growing market, and in special cases, for young animal feed.

 

4)    Nutrient recycling from waste water treatment plants sludge from dairy processing: digestate (sludge output from a digester) e.g. from digesting manure or food waste is of outmost importance for a circular economy to function properly (whilst guaranteeing and safeguarding food safety and animal health).

 

5)    Waste to electricity: using the biogas from the digester to produce electricity. The heat will be redirected to the stalls to keep the facility warm, thus also increasing productivity at reduced cost.

 

6)    Cow mats produced from hide also boosts productivity by increasing the comfort of the animals thus stimulating more milk production.

The Circular Economy in Agriculture and Sustainable Development Goals.

  Circular economy, a new model of production based on the reduce,reuse and recycle but with emphasis on turning products/ by products to inputs in the cycle of production.

  The benefits of the circular economy are enormous but can be  to the sustainable development goals.(SDGS).

 The  circular economy results in more food production using sustainable methods, thus aligning with zero hunger .(sdg2)

 The recycling model of turning some products to inputs, reduces waste, provides new forms of clean and affordable energy.

This model reduces the pressure on the environment by turning waste to wealth, thus combating climate action while building sustainable cities and communities.(SDG 13 and 11).

The reuse of waste water by recycling also provides clean water while making environment clean by preventing run-off of waste water thus maintaining sanitation standards.(SDG 6).

 The circular economy is a paradigm shift from the linear economy by using innovative methods and strategies to improve production cycle to increase profit while curbing waste which translates to building sustainable industry,infrastructure with innovative models.(SDG 9)

 The production cycle in circular economy will open up opportunities creating decent work and economic growth. (SDG 8)

 The circular economy in  Agriculture aligns with the sustainable development goals also by ensuring life on land, below water are safe leading to responsible consumption and production. SDG14,15 and 12)

 The circular economy in the poultry sector:1) waste collected and turned to energy.

2) Feathers recycled, reused in fashion and construction industry reducing pressure of waste dumping in environment while creating wealth.

3)Feathers as raw materials for animal feed, feather meal.

4) Feathers as raw materials in creative industry, fashion and arts increasing opportunities for export of products while creating jobs and reducing climate action.

4)Innovative feeding methods that increases productivity without increasing cost of production by using feed stuff that are noncompetitive.

5) Eggs turned  egg powder an innovative product to curb egg glut, create a handy method to transport eggs while increasing shelf life.

6) Egg shells turned to calcium source for animals  and also shells used as raw material for scouring powder.

7)Egg shells also used as raw material in arts and crafts.

8)Egg shells turned to crockery,

 The opportunities are endless, the cycle continues. Food to waste and waste to food, energy and other products.

Agribusiness: Building a garri empire with innovative ideas.

  Echbee Foods, turning ordinary garri to extraordinary products. We are building a garri empire one recipe at a time providing nutritious food for children, empowering women and ensuring food security.

  Why garri? why not?  There is no home in Africa where garri is not on the menu at least twice a day, crunch the numbers and see the possibilities. If a larger % of the population eat garri, the cassava is here in the country, processing is done here then there is a market, a perpetual market.

 Introduction of garri to people is not necessary the catch here is to show how ordinary garri can be nutritious and affordable. Garri is easily accessible, affordable and a larger portion of the population are accustomed to the food.

Echbee foods thus decided to fortify what was already common in most homes to achieve our purpose of balanced meal with garri. Garri which is the most common by -product is food for over 800 million people in the world, thus fortifying the garri to produce a highly nutritious cereal can generate over 120 billion naira as revenue. 

  Welcome to the garri empire, a world of possibilities. We are changing the way people eat garri, one recipe at a time.

 The signature product of Echbee foods is our cassava flakes, which can be a snack or cereal.

 

  This is how most people drink #garri.

                                             #garri as  #snack and cereal.                                                 

Why drink #garri when you can have it #flaked? Follow us  for more mouthwatering recipes. For your next event try our garri puff-puff, cakes or finger foods.

Promoting Agribusiness with Value Chain Development.

Dr. Henrietta Bolanle Ojuri

Dr. Echbee, my resume: read

Value chain strategist.

Business development.

Waste to wealth advocate.

 Design thinking. 

Agro-processing

Agribusiness: How to develop a gender -sensitive value chain.

  Gender equality to achieve zero hunger, food security and a sustainable food systems. Developing a gender sensitive value chain will entail mapping out activities within the chain and analyzing actions of operators and key players within the chain. 

 One of the approaches commonly used to access processes and actors contributing to food systems and to determine which actions to undertake is the value chain approach. Value chains are  key components of agrifood systems and to better understand gender- based constraints a mapping of activities are necessary.  

 Activities that will monitor tasks and those assigned tasks within the food production cycle such as interactive sessions with players within the food chain  use of surveys, questionnaires and gender -based focal groups are  important to pin point constraints and also provide a platform to champion necessary actions.

               How to conduct a gender sensitive value chain analysis.?

Choose the value chain of interest then :

 1)  Carry out a gender sensitive value chain mapping by going through all activities within the chain and matching tasks against gender.

2) Identify gender based constraints along the chain .

3) Analyze the gender based constraints  and proffer solutions.

   

Agribusiness : creating gender -sensitive value chain.

Gender equality is the fifth sustainable development goal(SDG) and to achieve zero hunger, food security with sustainable food systems there is the need for developing gender sensitive value chains.

 There is a gender -sensitive value chain frame work developed by Food and Agricultural organisation which has added 2 components to the core value chains. 

The frame work looks or analyzes the value chain based on individual and household level of involvement in the production circle.. This analysis will enumerate gender-based constraints along the production cycle as well as along nodes of production making it easy to proffer solutions.

  The adoption of the SDG goals and the execution necessitates the need to reshape and restructure our food systems to be:1) More inclusive of the marginalized population. 

2)Environmentally sustainable. 3)Capable of delivering healthy diets.

                 Why is gender relevant to value chains? 

48% of Agricultural labor force in the low income countries/ under developed/developing countries are women. 

The contributions of women to production and value chain development are usually not acknowledged,because  the services rendered are usually not rewarded with wages as most of the work are regarded as an extension of the domestic chores.

        

 

The analysis of operations and actors within the food chain and along the production cycle will show constraints encountered by players and also give an idea how to address the constraints.

 Women  within the value chain are challenged  in terms of access to land, livestock ownership, credit facilities,  access to information,access to technology and education. These constraints are fundamental and when tackled  will create  gender sensitive value chains were contributions of women will be highlighted, addressed and rewarded.

  Empowerment is the key to developing gender-sensitive value chains,where women gain power and control over their lives and acquire  ability to make strategic choices. 

Education is a chief component of the necessary action to stop  gender -based constraints  in value chains.

 Lets access the constraints in a value chain and proffer solutions.: Cassava value chain.