How a Ugandan Woman Became a Millionairess from Piggery.

How a Ugandan Woman Became a Millionairess from Piggery.RACHAEL Mubiru was tired of being a jobless housewife with no income. The trials of lacking an income are what drove her to venture into commercial farming. Today, she is practicing piggery and poultry farming, ventures that have turned her into a millionaire. Mubiru says she started piggery with local breeds but acquired exotic breeds after she watched President Yoweri Museveni on television encouraging farmers to turn to modern farming. more

Banker quits job to be a millionaire pig farmer.

Banker quits job to be a millionaire pig farmer.Martin was a Manager with Standard Chartered Bank before he quit the job to pursue an entrepreneurial passion in pig farming. Having been raised on the proceeds of pig farming as a young boy, he decided to leave the world of suits and ties to exploit the lucrative potentials of the pig business. And his bet paid off! Banker quits job to be a millionaire pig farmer. #banker Martin sells about 20 pigs every month and has gradually grown his business to a current stock of 200 pigs, which he often raises to 500 when the market demand increases. According to this Business Daily Africa article, his current total wealth – calculated from the worth of his pig stock – stands at nearly 2 million Kenyan Shillings (roughly $23,000). Banker quits job to be a millionaire pig farmer. #pigs. He plans to multiply this wealth eight fold by 2015 and believes this is possible because the demand and market for pigs is grossly undersupplied. more

Irrigation system that can tell when farm soil is dry .

Irrigation system that can tell when farm soil is dry. Students and a lecturer at Meru University of Science and Technology have developed a sensor-based automatic irrigation system. The innovation is aimed at reducing the labour cost and amount of water wasted in overhead and furrow irrigation methods. A solar-powered intelligent irrigation system is what Kenya needs to achieve food security and conserve water. The sensors in the system that we developed detect when the soil is dry so that the system can release water to crops,” said Maitethia, adding that once enough water has been channeled to the crops the system automatically closes the supply.more

Catfish lifts driver from poverty.

Catfish lifts driver from poverty. As a driver, Francis Mwangi could not make enough to sustain himself and his family, who depended on him. Even his own father ran away from their home in Mathari, Nyeri County, when he could not repay debts that had accrued in the family. Then Mwangi attended a training programme for farmers about fish farming and he decided to give it a try. He decided to risk by depositing Sh65,000 with the fisheries company and had a pond dug to accommodate his first batch of catfish. He says neighbours would laugh at him, wondering how he could just give away money. To the naysayers’ dismay, after five and a half months, the first harvest earned Mwangi Sh300,000, which shocked even the locals. Each kilo of fish is sold for Sh200 and some of the fish grow to as heavy as three kilogrammes. more

Adjusting sow nutrition in key stages of transition.

Adjusting sow nutrition in key stages of transition.New research and the development of an advanced nutritional programme have confirmed that improved sow nutrition at key stages in the breeding cycle will help improve birth weights and piglet vitality. Larger litter sizes challenge piglet livability,as more piglets can result in longer and more difficult farrowing for the sow and less litter uniformity. Small piglets in particular are more at risk of pre-weaning mortality. Improving sow nutrition around parturition, in the transition phase from gestation to lactation, can have a significant impact on piglet livability. The research programme has led to the development of Livelle Transition feeding strategy. This breakthrough in sow nutrition can help the sow in supporting larger litters, from birth to weaning. more

Plant voice.

Plant voice is a monitoring and control system which helps you realize the optimum greenhouse climate and irrigation strategy, based on plant needs. All data is presented at a glance via a customized visualization. The PlantVoice program, that is developed for the iSii process computer, focusses on the three plant balances: the energy, water, and assimilates balance. These balances are the center of each plant growth model. PlantVoice allows you to keep your plants ‘in balance’, and therefore enables the plant to grow optimally and you achieve optimum production and quality. With PlantVoice, you adjust the irrigation cycle to the plants’ needs and you realize the ideal . more

Green tea consumption can lower rice-induced diabetes risk in women: Japanese study

Green tea consumption can lower rice-induced diabetes risk in women: Japanese study: New research from Japan has shown that drinking green tea can reduce the risk of diabetes caused by rice consumption among women.