The nuts are found in an almond-like fruit. It is dried, ground to powder, then boiled in water to let out a highly-concentrated butter. The substance rises to the top, solidifies, and is then milled and filtered to extract the unrefined Shea butter. It has an off-white color, frictionless feel, and easy-grip texture that has made it a valuable cosmetic ingredient for centuries.

Uses of Shea Butter

It helps stimulate collagen production for the treatment of wrinkles, scars, and burns.

• It can be used to moisturize dry scalp and stimulate hair growth
• It moisturizes and protects the skin from the sun’s harsh UV rays by creating a mild natural sunscreen
• Shea butter is used as a cooking butter
• It is used to treat eczema, burns, dry skin, acne, and dermatitis
• Other common uses of Shea butter include candle-making, cosmetic production, and in waterproofing wax.

Where Shea Butter is Found in Africa

Today, Shea butter is found in Nigeria, Ghana, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Guinea Bissau, Uganda, Togo, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Niger, Mali, Sierra Leon, South Sudan, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Guinea. Of these countries, Nigeria, Ghana, and Uganda are the largest producers of Shea butter in Africa.

Ghana and Nigeria cultivate the species called Vitellaria Paradoxa while Uganda cultivates Vitellaria Nilotica. Both species can grow as high as 50fts and takes 40 to 50 years of maturity before producing Shea nuts. The Shea tree grows wild across over 1.5 million square miles of the Savannah and can remain productive for up to 200 years.

About 600,000 tonnes of Shea butter is produced in Africa per annum. The Shea butter produced in West Africa is denser while that produced in East Africa is creamier. Also, West African Shea butter has a higher concentration of vitamin A, compared to that of East Africa.

According to FAO Stat, Nigeria was the largest producer of Shea nuts in 2017. Despite it produces about 370,000 metric tonnes per annum, only about 20,000 metric tonnes is processed into butter. Although most Shea butter produced in Nigeria is for domestic consumption, there is undocumented trade of Shea nuts across to Ghana, Togo, and Benin. On the other hand, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Ghana are the largest exporting countries of Shea nuts.

The global Shea butter market is estimated to reach $1.74 billion by 2025. For Africa to maximize its involvement in this market, there is a need for standard Shea processing methods and facilities, best practices awareness amongst farmers, and adequate documentation of all exported Shea butter across the continent. Most importantly, these governments need to heavily investment to harness the full potential of Shea butter in the international market.

Written by Joy Ejere Uche

The post Where this is found in Africa: Shea Butter  appeared first on MTFC | Meet The Farmers Conference - Nov 2019 - Dubai UAE.

Although the African Union agreed to implement it by July 1st, 2019, it has been postponed and further delayed by the COVID-19 global pandemic. Whenever implemented, AfCFTA could generate up to $35 billion per annum, cut importation by $10 billion, and increase the combined GDP of the countries to more than $2.5 trillion.

Also, it will ease the movement of people, goods, and services. It will create employment opportunities and become the largest free-trade zone in the world. It will also attract direct foreign investments to every country and quicken the industrialization of the continent.

AfCFTA holds a lot of promises for the agricultural, manufacturing, transportation, and other sectors that are directly or indirectly involved in the trade of goods within the continent. For this study, we will focus on helping farmers to understand the impact of AfCFTA on the agricultural sector.

Africa has the potential to become a major food producer and supplier for the rest of the world. For maximum productivity, the countries have to deepen integration and prepare common markets for intra-continental trade. The farmers need to put over 600 hectares of uncultivated arable lands into good use for large scale commercial farming. They need to replace outdated farming tools with modern technologies and techniques. And most importantly, agricultural policies must focus on the majority group of smallholder farmers.

These will not only increase food production but create jobs and reduce poverty for farmers who rely on agriculture as the only means of livelihood. In essence, AfCFTA will help ensure that the continent can feed its rapidly growing populations. It will foster macroeconomic convergence, economic integration, and decrease inequalities between wealthy and deprived economic regions.

The African Continental Free Trade Agreement will help ensure the redistribution of agricultural produce from surplus to deficit regions. The governments will have to invest in infrastructural development to help farmers to access markets, storage facilities, drought-resistant seed, and invest in all aspects of the agricultural value chain. Governments also have to invest in research and development programs to help smallholder farmers understand modern techniques and technologies.

Implementing the AfCFTA will have farmers focus their energy on quality over quantity of yield. It will stir the need for basic infrastructure and facilities to ensure maximum productivity. In general, it will have multiplier effects in improving continental food security and sustainability from a trade perspective. Especially now when the continent is grappling to sustain production capacity due to environmental and political challenges.

Written by Joy Ejere Uche

The post A Farmer’s Guide to Understanding the AfCFTA appeared first on MTFC | Meet The Farmers Conference - Nov 2019 - Dubai UAE.

Agriculture is greatly affected by the global climate shifts caused by the Greenhouse effect. The release of malign gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen dioxide depletes the ozone layer and leads to an increased risk of flooding, soil erosion, droughts, and wildfires. It invariably decreases crop productivity and affects the global agricultural value chain. 

Researchers are looking at alternative farming techniques, as well as solutions to the environmental condition. Thus, the need for farmers and all agro stakeholders to adopt a sustainable solution to avoid a global food crisis.  

The first step in addressing the impact of climate change on food production is to inform the farmers. They need to understand the causes and consequences of environmental challenges and mitigate them through safer farm practices.

Farmers need to understand the risk involved in not minding the relationship between environmental factors and food production. It is the farmers who have to adapt their agricultural practices to a changing environment.  

This may include adjustments in planting dates, crop varieties, drainage systems, and land management regimes to maintain soil fertility and maximize yields. An example of adaptation is the use of cover crops to protect the soil from erosion and the minimization of tillage.  

Global warming should be treated with urgency. Those who deny its anthropogenic sources do not know the implications of carbon emissions. The government is in a better position to endorse climate change mitigation policies. It should regulate industrial activities associated with the emission of harmful gases into the environment.  

These industries should leverage technology to reduce emissions and increase carbon sequestration/storage. The government should also set up legislative mandates to reduce emissions and tax defaulters. This way, more people will become more intentional in protecting the environment. 

Farmers, industries, the government, and we all should understand the impact of our changing climate on food production. Climate change-related shifts in long-term weather patterns will cause damages to crop, heat-induced pollination, and a higher incidence of pest infestation and crop diseases.  

Therefore, we should be concerned about the impacts of climate change on global food production and take additional steps to raise awareness of the issue. Farmers should adapt to, while the government should mitigate climate changes. 

Written by Joy Ejere Uche 

The post Understanding Global Climate Change and Alternatives for Farmers   appeared first on MTFC | Meet The Farmers Conference - Nov 2019 - Dubai UAE.

Ginger is one of the many cash crops that is grown on the fertile soil of Africa. We drink, spice our food, bake our cookies, and benefit from its antioxidant and medicinal properties. It contains Gingerol, an active ingredient in the treatment of inflamed arthritic joints, infections, high cholesterol, stomach cramps, cold, fever, diarrhoea, etc.  

Background 

Ginger is one of the strongest spices in the world, dating back to 5000 years AD. The earliest mention was in the writings of Confucius, an ancient Chinese philosopher, and the Romans. It was first discovered among the Austronesia people in South-East Asia before it graced the East African soils.  

The Austronesians used it for rituals, for healing, and in blessing their ships. In the first millennium, it was later carried in voyages to the Pacific Islands, India, and off to Madagascar and Comoros. The 14th century holds the earliest records of trade and barter; a pound of ginger in exchange for a sheep.  

Cultivation 

Ginger is a herbaceous perennial crop that is cultivated in the humid tropics. There are about 50 known species of ginger in Africa. It is a root crop with trumpet-shaped and scented flowers that appear in lilac, pink, pale yellow, or white variants. It has small, berries-like fruits, and its leaves smell like the crop. Ginger grows well on fertile, well-drained soil, and humid environments. It grows between 300m and 900m high, and 30cm depth.  

The seed or rhizome is first treated before planting to prevent pest infestation and diseases. The soil is cleared and ploughed 12 inches deep and 24 inches apart. The preferable planting season is between May and June where there is low rainfall.  

The farmer then weeds, applies fertilizer, and spreads green leaves on the plant beds, 45 to 90 days after planting. This process is defined as mulching and it is done to conserve soil moisture. The crop should be rain-fed or irrigated every two weeks to ensure high-quality yield. Harvest takes place between 4 to 5 months after planting.    

Nigeria is the largest producer of ginger in Africa and the third-largest exporter in the world after India and China.  South Africa, DR Congo, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Zambia, and Ghana. 

Written by Joy Ejere Uche 

The post Where this is found in Africa: Ginger  appeared first on MTFC | Meet The Farmers Conference - Nov 2019 - Dubai UAE.

Brewed coffee

Coffee is a drink that is brewed and prepared from roasted coffee beans. The dark-brown beans are slightly acidic, bitter and stimulating as a result of its caffeine content.

Coffee was first discovered in the native forests of Eastern Africa. According to history, it was found around AD850 in Kaffa by an Abyssinian (former name for Ethiopia) known as Kaldi. Coffee was first brewed in the mid-15th century by some Yemenis who obtained the beans from Somali traders that journeyed from the Eastern Highlands of Africa.

Coffee Cultivation

Cultivation

One of the ways of planting coffee is through the traditional Shade-grown method. The beans are planted at an altitude of 1500 meters on fertile forest lands. The seeds are intercropped alongside other food and tree crops that provide shade from sunlight.

See also: AATF partners IRRI to Scale Hybrid Rice Production in Africa

A more modern method is practiced in developed countries like Brazil. The seeds are first planted in a nursery within controlled temperate conditions. The seedlings are then transferred outside at six to twelve months.

Coffee sorting process

Coffee Producers in Africa

Ethiopia is the #5 producer of coffee in the world. The country is popular for exporting Kaffa and Sidamo (Arabica) beans. Another major species is the Canefora or Robusta which produces better yields as a result of high resistance to disease infestation. Both Arabica and Robusta trees produce crops within 3 years of cultivation and still produce for 20-30 years. Other gourmet Ethiopian coffee beans species include Wollega (Nekempte), Limu, Sidama, Yirgacheffe, Tepi, and Bebeka.

top producers of coffee in the world

Coffee in East Africa is cultivated in Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Burundi, and Uganda. In the North is Sudan and Ivory Coast on the West African coast. It is also produced in Zimbabwe, Angola, Cameroon, DRC Congo, Tanzania, and Malawi on small scales. 

Coffee is currently cultivated in over 70 countries globally and about 25 African countries economically benefit from its production. Brewed coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world. The bean is a major agro commodity in Africa and has become a primary export in Uganda, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Burundi.

Africa is recognized for producing some of the world’s finest quality beans. Millions of people in these countries depend on coffee production as the primary source of livelihood. The global demand for coffee is expected to increase by a third to 200 million bags by 2030, as the population increases.

The post Where this is found in Africa Series – an Expository of African Cash Crops appeared first on MTFC | Meet The Farmers Conference - Nov 2019 - Dubai UAE.

Many people in the world suffer as a result of chronic food shortage. Malnutrition results from insufficient intake of food nutrients. In 2016, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimated that roughly 815 million out of the 7.6 billion people suffered from undernourishment. It is also estimated that malnutrition cost the global community over $3.5 trillion per annum. Hence, the need for the UN’s intervention.

The 27 agro stakeholders were appointed by Antonio Guterres, Secretary-general of the United Nations as part of the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) committee.

See also: AATF partners IRRI to Scale Hybrid Rice Production in Africa

The members will decide on the advancement of the SUN Movement into its third phase (2021 – 2025). They will also commit to achieving the objectives of the forthcoming 2020 Tokyo Nutrition for Growth Summit.

The 27 members appointed to the SUN movement are:

• Henrietta H. FORE (USA)

Executive Director, UNICEF, and Chairman of the SUN Movement Lead Group

• Akinwumi ADESINA (Nigeria)

President, African Development Bank

• Aliko DANGOTE (Nigeria)

Chairman and CEO, Dangote Group

• Manal AL ALEM (Jordan), 

Chef

• Reem Ebrahim AL-HASHIMI (UAE),

Cabinet Member and Minister of State for International Cooperation

• Mercedes ARÁOZ FERNÁNDEZ (Peru),

Vice-President, Republic of Peru

• Inger ASHING (SWEDEN),

CEO, Save the Children International

• Cherrie ATILANO (Philippines),

Founder and CEO, Agrea Agricultural Systems International Inc.

• Alicia BÁRCENA IBARRA, (Mexico)

Executive Secretary, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

• David BEASLEY (USA)

Executive Director, World Food Programme

• Martin CHUNGONG (Cameroon),

Secretary-General, Inter-Parliamentary Union

• Josefa Leonel CORREIA SACKO (Angola),

Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture, African Union Commission

• Annette DIXON (New Zealand)

Vice President Human Development, World Bank

• Chris ELIAS (United States of America)

President of Global Development, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

• Shenggen FAN (China),

Director-General, International Food Policy Research Institute

• Sophie HEALY-THOW (Ireland),

Youth Leader

• Daniel KABLAN DUNCAN, (Côte d’Ivoire),

Vice Président Côte d’Ivoire

• Monica Katebe MUSONDA (Zambia),

Founder and CEO, Java Foods

• Jakaya KIKWETE (Tanzania)

Former President United Republic of Tanzania, Kikwete Foundation

• Shinichi KITAOKA (Japan),

President Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)

• Maryam MONSEF (Canada),

Minister of International Development and Minister for Women and Gender Equality, Canada

• David NABARRO (United Kingdom),

Sustainable Development Facilitator, 4SD

• Sania NISHTAR (Pakistan),

Founder and President, Heartfile Foundation

• Inia SERUIRATU (Fiji),

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fiji

• Feike SIJBESMA (The Netherlands),

CEO, Royal Dutch DSM

• Gunhild Anker STORDALEN (Norway),

Founder and President, EAT Foundation

• Gerda VERBURG (The Netherlands),

UN Assistant Secretary-General and Coordinator of the SUN Movement

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Africa consumes a total of 11.6 million tonnes of milled rice yearly. About 8.3 million of this farm produce is gotten locally while 3.3 million tonnes are imported. The partnership was spurred by the inability of Africa to become self-sufficient in rice production and concurrent demand grew at 6% yearly.

IRRI was founded in 1960 to combat hunger and improve the health of rice farmers and consumers. It also provides advanced rice research and gives lasting solutions to challenges.

IRRI will leverage AATF’s technological expertise and reach 23 Africa countries to deliver innovation to African farmers. It will accelerate the distribution of high-yielding rice varieties, good agro-practices, digital technologies, farm mechanization, crop care, etc. It will create awareness for rice farmers and also promote food security in the African agro-economy.

See also: NARO Invents Anti-tick Vaccine for Livestock Farmers

Both bodies will meet regularly to develop joint projects for rice production and the seed industry. AATF’s network would expand by joining other Agri-organization like Hybrid Rice Development Consortium (HRDC) and Direct Seeded Rice Consortium (DSRC). On the other hand, IRRI will become a member of the AATF-led Alliance for Hybrid Rice in Africa (AHyRA).

African Agricultural Technology Foundation Rice Project Manager, Kayode Sanni expressed his satisfaction on the partnership with IRRI. He noted that Rice is an important staple food for Africans. Thus, the need to upgrade the continent’s technologies and rice cultivation is key.

IRRI’s Head of Tech Transfer, Remy Bitoun also described the partnership as a good way to accelerate the distribution of better rice varieties and good agronomic practices. It will improve food security and the economic sustainability of rice-based agri-food systems.

Before the partnership with AATF, IRRI had made significant strides in uplifting the productivity and livelihoods of farmers in Asia.

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A major challenge is that most businesses encounter higher tariffs for exporting within than outside the African continent. The arduous visa requirements and export duties demanded across borders are enough to discourage intra-African trade. Building a trans-African highway network system will take years to complete but there has to be an efficient mode of transportation for intra-African trade to occur. If not properly addressed, there would be more goods than the means of transportation across the continent.

The high level of importation has left several African countries with negative trade balances. Shortage in the number of standardized manufacturing plants within the continent is saddening. Most manufacturing industries are either foreign-owned, redundant or cannot process very large quantities into consumable goods.

African governments have to invest heavily to resuscitate the production and manufacturing sector to create employment for the locals and ensure that quality goods are manufactured. Governments have to ensure that the manufacturing companies for the AfCFTA are not multinationals because it would be unfair competition to local manufacturers. The rules of origin can help prevent the transhipment of goods and foreign companies from taking advantage of zero tariffs.

Furthermore, there is an uneven distribution of populations amongst African countries. Some countries also have an unfair advantage of numbers over others in market size and landmass. These factors have to be considered before setting transactional and regulatory duties. There are concerns regarding uneven economic gains of the agreement such as tariff losses and the cost of adjustment to a competitive environment. Some countries, for example, depend solely on the fiscal revenues generated on tariffs, eliminating these would constitute a huge loss of revenue.

For smooth transactions between the countries, there would be a need for increased cooperation on rules of origin, harmonization of custom tariffs, trade facilitation and setting up phytosanitary measures regarding the standard of goods traded. There is a need for government sensitization so that citizens can benefit from the opportunities presented by this agreement. Business owners should also be aware of fraudulent acts and avoid exporting counterfeit goods from respective countries.

The concerns about the AfCFTA are genuine and have to be addressed for seamless trade facilitation within the continent. Pan-African financial institutions like the African Development Bank and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) are contributing their quota to foster trade-relations in the region. Afreximbank has set aside a $1 billion AfCFTA Adjustment Facility to enable countries to adjust to the sudden tariff revenue losses as a result of the implementation. These and more are essential for Africa to be truly ready to implement and enjoy the full benefits of the free trade agreement.

The post Is Africa truly ready for the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement? Part 2 appeared first on MTFC | Meet The Farmers Conference - Nov 2019 - Dubai UAE.

See also: Personality of the Week – Peter Awin

Cynthia Mosunmola Umoru oversees the development and operations of a 7000-hectare agribusiness engaged in farming, food production, processing and distribution of a wide range of produce. She is an Ashoka Fellow and Goldman Sachs 10,000 women Scholar. She also served as an ambassador, advocate, and consultant to the Youth Division of African Union Commission.
Honeysuckles produce high-quality products from its farms and ponds.

Cynthia trains and mentors young Nigerian youths that want to venture into agricultural food production through her ABIRA Agricultural Support Initiative. She is also engaging schools, governments, and businesses to recognize the absence of infrastructure to participate in modern agriculture, especially for the youth. Cynthia was recently selected by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global Leader.

The post Personality of the Week: Cynthia Mosunmola Umoru appeared first on MTFC | Meet The Farmers Conference - Nov 2019 - Dubai UAE.

Meet the Farmers Conference is our annual agro event that connects agro producers from Africa to off-takers from the Middle East and beyond. The conference serves as an opportunity for participants to learn, network and to establish strategic partnerships for bilateral trade relationships between Africa and the Gulf Cooperation Council.

Our aim was to prepare farmers and all agro stakeholders present towards the third edition of the Conference that is slated to hold in November 2019. The vision and mission of MTFC were communicated to encourage agro exportation from Nigeria to the GCC.

The Abuja media launch was our second media launch in Nigeria, after the first event held in Lagos State. It was well-attended by our partners, farmers, and representatives of both private and public agro stakeholders, such as AFEX Commodity Exchange Limited, the Federation of Nigeria (FACAN), Nigerian Women Agro-Allied Farmers Association (NIWAAFA), Farm Awareness for Food Preservation Initiative (FAFPI), etc.

See also: Crenov8 launches Meet the Farmers Conference 2019 in Lagos Nigeria

The event was an opportunity for attendees to register and effectively network ahead of the main conference in Dubai, UAE. Both participants and members of the press gained insight on the export requirements and received answers to questions pertaining to the conference.

We also announced that the third edition of Meet the Farmers Conference 2019 will be held at the Marina Hotel., Dubai UAE on the 27th and 28th of November 2019. The theme of the conference is “Creating a Sustainable Future; Food Security| Trade | Technology.”

Registration is still ongoing for attendees, sponsors, and partners. The registration can be processed on the website or via email to mtfc@crenov8.com.

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