AGRIBUSINESS: FARMERS SHARE TOP LESSONS FOR PROFITABLE BUSINESS.

AGRIBUSINESS: FARMERS SHARE TOP LESSONS FOR PROFITABLE BUSINESS.Many people think farming is the easiest way to make money, away from a demanding office job. The reality couldn’t be farther from the truth. Farming is actually a school where farmers pick important lessons, some learnt the hard way. All through the year, we spoke to farmers who stood out in different ways. They are people who have excelled in poultry-keeping, livestock-farming, horticulture and even those who have found the trick of value addition on different products. They share the successes, failures, challenges learnt through 2018. Joseph Boit, maize and dairy farmer — Focus on a small unit and perfect it Joseph Boit, who won the BAKE Kenyan Blog award 2015 in Environment and Agriculture category. He tried horticulture on five acres of land but the huge farm was beyond what he could control. At harvest time, we went home empty handed. For years, Boit has perfected the art of maize-farming, a venture that has been passed on in his family for generations. Not long ago, Boit tried a hand in hay farming and allocated 100 acres for the same, reserving only 10 acres for maize. But Boit is always trying new things and last year, he ventured into horticulture. He set aside 5 acres for kales, onions and watermelons and trusted that rain water would supplement a water pan that was adjacent to the farm. But he was in for a rude shock when it failed to rain for a long time and the water pan dried. “I was unable to water the whole five acres and the onions failed to bulb. It was a total loss,” he says. When it finally rained, it was torrents that destroyed the whole crop of watermelons he had on 4 acres. The kales were in bad shape too and could not fetch much on the market. The loss taught him important lesson. “I should have focused on one acre and perfected it. I now understand why most horticulture farmers only do it on small plots that are easy to manage. I have learnt that horticulture is the most rewarding venture which also requires a lot of resources and dedication. It is not like maize farming. It needs proper planning and ensuring that everything is right.” Boit has not given up on horticulture. In fact, he has better plans for next year. “I am planting capsicum and cabbages on one acre next year. I have invested in a 3,000-litre tank near the farm as well as better irrigation system. I have fenced the whole farm because I also have many goats that may be a nuisance to my crops. I also have my market sorted since I have a motorbike and I will do deliveries on my own. I am not trusting middlemen and I will set my own prices. If all goes well, I am looking at Sh500, 000 profit just from horticulture by the end of next year.” continue

AGRIBUSINESS: Feeding 10 billion people by 2050 within planetary limits is achievable.

AGRIBUSINESS: Feeding 10 billion people by 2050 within planetary limits is achievable. A study published in the journal Nature, is the first to quantify how food production and consumption affects the planetary boundaries that describe a safe operating space for humanity beyond which Earth's vital systems could become unstable. 

 A global shift towards healthy and more plant-based diets, halving food loss and waste, and improving farming practices and technologies are required to feed 10 billion people sustainably by 2050 Adopting these options reduces the risk of crossing global environmental limits related to climate change, the use of agricultural land, the extraction of freshwater resources, and the pollution of ecosystems through overapplication of fertilizers, according to the researchers. "No single solution is enough to avoid crossing planetary boundaries. 

But when the solutions are implemented together, our research indicates that it may be possible to feed the growing population sustainably," says Dr Marco Springmann of the Oxford Martin Programme on the Future of Food and the Nuffield Department of Population Health at the University of Oxford, who led the study. "Without concerted action, we found that the environmental impacts of the food system could increase by 50-90% by 2050 as a result of population growth and the rise of diets high in fats, sugars and meat. In that case, all planetary boundaries related to food production would be surpassed, some of them by more than twofold."

AGRIBUSINESS: Simple steps to climate-proof farms have big potential upside for tropical farmers.

AGRIBUSINESS: Simple steps to climate-proof farms have big potential upside for tropical farmers.

Climate-smart agriculture boosts yields, mitigates extreme weather impact and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. 

A new study points to profitable opportunities for farmers and the environment. Cacao farmers in Nicaragua lose their crop, the main ingredient for chocolate, to fungal blight and degrading soils. 

Yields drop in Vietnam's rice paddies because of higher temperatures and increased salinity. 

Bean and maize growers in Uganda see their plants die during severe dry spells during what should be the rainy season. 

 The two-punch combination of climate change and poor agricultural land management can be countered with simple measures that keep farms productive and profitable. 

Implementation of these climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices can increase yields, benefit the environment and increase farmer income, according to a new cost-benefit analysis by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) published November 19 in PLOS ONE.

Veterinary Medicine: Dogs set to benefit from simple blood test to spot liver disease.

Veterinary Medicine: Dogs set to benefit from simple blood test to spot liver disease.A new blood test can quickly spots early signs of liver disease in dogs,according to a new study . The test means that fewer dogs will have to undergo invasive liver biopsies. The tests developed by vets quickly spots early signs of liver disease in dogs. The test is based on insights gained from human patients and will help vets identify damage and start treatment early, saving the lives of many dogs. The test which is to be launched worldwide means that fewer dogs will have to undergo invasive liver biopsies, findings by the University of Edinburgh suggest. Diagnosing canine liver disease is challenging and catching early signs of damage is key to its treatment. Current diagnosis is based on biopsies, which are expensive and can lead to complications.

AGRIBUSINESS: How plants can generate electricity to power LED light bulbs.

AGRIBUSINESS: How plants can generate electricity to power LED light bulbs.Researchers have discovered that living plants are literally 'green' power source: they can generate, by a single leaf, more than 150 Volts, enough to simultaneously power 100 LED light bulbs. Researchers also showed that an 'hybrid tree' made of natural and artificial leaves can act as an innovative 'green' electrical generator converting wind into electricity. Sustainable energy sources, which are pollution free and environmentally friendly, are one of the key challenges of world's future society. The interdisciplinary team of roboticists and biologists at IIT-Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia in Pontedera (Pisa, Italy), found that living plants can help with electricity. Fabian Meder, Barbara Mazzolai and their coworkers at IIT discovered that living plants are literally "green" power source, which may become one of future's electricity supplies that perfectly integrates in natural environments and is accessible all over the world. Researchers discovered that plants can generate, by a single leaf, more than 150 Volts, enough to simultaneously power 100 LED light bulbs. Researchers also showed that an "hybrid tree" made of natural and artificial leaves can act as an innovative "green" electrical generator converting wind into electricity. .

AGRIBUSINESS: Climate change increasing the prevalence of harmful parasite.

AGRIBUSINESS: Climate change increasing the prevalence of harmful parasite.

A rise in a parasite called liver fluke, which can significantly impact livestock production in farms in the UK and across the world, could now be helped by a new predictive model of the disease aimed at farmers. 

 Cattle or sheep grazing on pastures where the parasite is present can become infected with liver fluke, which develops in the liver of infected animals, leading to a disease called fascioliasis. Current estimates suggest liver fluke contributes to around £300 million annually in lost productivity across UK farms and $3 billion globally.  

 Until now, risk predictions have been based on rainfall estimates and temperature, without considering the life-cycle of the parasite and how it is controlled by levels of soil moisture. 

This, combined with shifts in disease timing and distribution attributed to climate change, has made liver fluke control increasingly challenging. A new tool for farmers has now been developed by the Bristol team to help them mitigate the risk to their livestock. 

The model, which works by explicitly linking liver fluke prevalence with key environmental drivers, especially soil moisture, will help farmers decide whether they avoid grazing livestock on certain pastures where liver fluke is more prevalent, or treat animals based on when risk of infection will be at its peak. 

Importantly, the model can be used to assess the impact of potential future climate conditions on infection levels and guide interventions to reduce future disease risk. Professor Thorsten Wagener from Bristol's Cabot Institute added: "Water-related diseases can be difficult to eradicate using medicine alone, as resistance to available drugs is increasing. We need predictive models of disease risk that quantify how strongly infection risk is controlled by our rapidly changing environment to develop alternative intervention strategies."

AGRO-VETERINARY: Whole blood test for toxoplasmosis is sensitive and specific.

AGRO-VETERINARY: Whole blood test for toxoplasmosis is sensitive and specific.Transmission of toxoplasmosis from mother to fetus can lead to severe congenital problems and fetal death, and tests for the parasitic infection during pregnancy are critical. Now, researchers have showed the efficacy of a low-cost whole blood test for toxoplasmosis. Researchers reporting in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases have showed the efficacy of a low-cost whole blood test for toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis results from infection with the Toxoplasma gondii parasite, usually transmitted to humans from eating undercooked contaminated meat or through exposure to infected cat feces. Existing tests for the infection are serum tests, which require blood samples to be processed using infrastructure and technology which can be prohibitive in developing areas and unaffordable in developed countries like the United States.