Photo Credit: techvoiceafrica.com

London-based start-up firm that leverages blockchain technology, Binkabi has expressed its readiness to boost agriculture trading through its blockchain technology in Nigeria.

During a meet-up with entrepreneurs in Lagos, Mr Quan Le, the Chief Executive Officer, stated that t

he blockchain technology would be leveraged to make agriculture commodity trading more profitable.

Nigeria, according to him, has been experiencing high risk and low profit due to lack of trust, poor financial and market infrastructure in the agriculture sector.

However in the bid to solve the problem which has led to the wastage of agricultural produce, the firm came up with platform to directly link farmers to consumers eliminating middlemen.

“Consequently, farmers make good profits from their produce and consumers get produce at a wholesale price, and both parties win.

“With the ”Commodities 3.0 System” that Binkabi presents, farmers can trade their produce easily and quickly, reducing excessive middlemen in the cross-border,” he said.

Le said that Commodities 3.0 System would eliminate inefficient paper-based processes which slowed down trading, resulting in food wastage.

He said that anyone could trade on agriculture commodities using Binkabi tokens and the more one traded, the more discounts the person would get. He further stated that farmers would be rewarded instantly, when they sell their goods through an online wallet, which is decentralised from blockchain.

He therefore assured traders that with the legal protection that Binkabi would provide, there would be no room for fraudsters.

He told consumers not to worry about the quality of agricultural produce, as Binkabi will ensure that the quality of agricultural produce meets global standards.

According to him, the platform would be officially launched in a few months, and participation is open to all at a low and competitive cost, with special benefits to the first traders.

He therefore encouraged traders to take advantage of the opportunity and be a part of the revolution as this would be the first of its kind in the world.

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Photo Credit: abudhabichamber.kr

The Abu Dhabi Farmers’ Service Centre, ADFSC, has revealed the ‘Agricultural Production Plan’ for the 2018-2019 season, starting from mid-August till June 2018.

The ADFSC identified 68 different types of fresh vegetables, including six fruit crops for the first time in the agricultural plan to encourage farm-owners to cultivate certain types of fruits.  It also includes 18 varieties of organic crops to encourage farmers to switch to organic farming.

While the agricultural season plan 2018-2019 introduces diversification of production of various crops required for the market during the next winter and summer seasons, three primary crops account for about 70 percent of the total expected production.

Cucumber alone accounts for about 38 percent of the total expected production followed by round tomatoes by 26 percent, and capsicum by six percent of the total production expected to be supplied to the markets. The Farmers’ Service Centre organised a farmer’s forum to familiarise them with the details of the plan. Two meetings were held with Abu Dhabi and Al Dhafra farmers on Monday afternoon. The second meeting with Al Ain farmers was held on Tuesday afternoon. The executive schedule of the plan was explained with regards to crops and expected revenues for the farmers.

“This year’s agricultural plan represents a significant shift in the work of the centre as it focuses on encouraging the shift towards organic farming and fruit cultivation,” said Nasser Mohammed Al Junaibi, Acting CEO of the ADFSC.

The ADFSC will ensure the marketing of crops supplied annually, including figs, mangoes, oranges, guava, grapefruit and lemons. It will also market herb varieties, including mint, parsley and coriander to meet the local demand. Al Junaibi added that the agricultural plan has become an annual practice through which the Farmers’ Service Centre organises the activity within the farms and the continuity of production for longer periods in order to achieve sustainability in the agricultural sector, support food-security and strengthen the local product position in the market. It also aims to secure equilibrium between open farms and greenhouses to prevent competition between them and allow everyone to market produce according to consumer needs.

The CEO of the Farmers’ Service Centre called on Abu Dhabi farmers to expedite communication with the centre for registration and briefing of the requirements of the plan, stressing that it has been prepared specifically for the benefit of the national farm owners, based on actual studies conducted on market trends and the process of supply and demand of agricultural products that can be grown in the local soil.

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According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the value of the country’s agricultural export increased by N14.6 billion or 24 per cent from N56.1 billion in q1 20117 to N73.7 billion in q1 2018 on a year on year basis.

On a quarter on quarter basis, the value of Nigeria’s agric export increased by N29 billion or 63.8 percent from N44.7 billion in q4 2017 to N73.7 billion in q1 2018.
The sector accounted for 1.6 percent of Nigeria’s total export for the one-year period.

According to the NBS data, Sesame seeds led the list of agricultural commodities exported for the period, followed by cocoa and cashew nuts. The foreign trade report shows that sesame seeds worth N26.6 billion in q1 2018 from N13.03 billion in q1 2017, representing 105 percent year-on-year increase.

Stakeholders say the export numbers are an indication that the sesame seed production has the capacity to grow and earn the country huge foreign exchange and create hundreds of jobs in the country as long as the government draws a master plan for the sub-sector, as it has done in rice.

Nigeria’s sesame production is put at 200,000 metric tonnes with an average of 0.8 metric tonnes per hectare, according to data obtained from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD).

Sesame seed is Nigeria’s biggest agricultural produce exported to Japan. It is considered as one of the world’s oldest oilseed crop that has the highest oil content than any other seed.

The oil extracted from the seed is used in making vegetable oil and for medicinal purposes for treatment of ulcers and burnt. The stem as well as the oil is used by cosmetic industry in the production of soaps and other beauty products.

Source: Business Day

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Qualitrace, a traceability and anti-counterfeiting start up that uses track and trace technology to authenticate product farm inputs and outputs has emerged winner of the Ghana edition of Innov8Agric Challenge of Meet the Farmers Conference, MTFC 2018, and will now compete at the grand finale of Meet the Farmers Conference, Dubai for up to US$5,000 grant price.

The event took place during the maiden edition of Meet the Farmers Conference Ghana which was held at the Kempinski Hotel, Gold Coast City, Accra. Skylink Agro, GraCom Tomatoes, Osado, Apam Farms and QualiTrace pitched at the event, with Qualitrace emerging as the winner.

Qualitrace will be participating at the main Meet the Farmers Conference, MTFC taking place in Dubai in November 2018. It is a two-day conference which includes an all-expense paid trip to Dubai for the Grand Finale of the challenge and an opportunity to win the cash prize of $5,000 grant, funding, and investment opportunities from African and GCC investors, opportunities for business expansion and access to experts and mentors in the business of Agriculture.

The Challenge is designed to promote ground-breaking ideas for early stage Agric entrepreneurs from all sectors of the agriculture ecosystem using creative and innovative methods to change the landscape of the agriculture value chain in Africa. The competition will guide Agritech entrepreneurs around their way in the industry and open them up to funding and investment opportunities in Africa and the Middle East.

Meet the Farmers Conference (MTFC) is an initiative of Crenov8, a leading conglomerate consulting & Digital Media firm in the Middle East, Dubai, and Africa. The Ghana edition of the event held today at Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel, Accra with high profile dignitaries in attendance.

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Organized by Crenov8, the challenge is aimed at promoting innovative ideas for early stage Agric entrepreneurs from all sectors of the agriculture ecosystem who are applying creative and innovative methods to improve the agriculture value chain.

Interested entrepreneurs can apply via: http://mtf.crenov8.com/innov8agric.  The selection team made up of successful entrepreneurs, investors and industry leaders will be selecting the best ideas based on innovativeness, originality and viability of the idea. Deadline for the application is 30th June, 2018.

The regional finale will hold during the Meet the Farmers Conference in 4 African cities – Accra Ghana on 4^th July, Nairobi Kenya on 2^nd August, Kigali Rwanda on 5^th September, Abuja Nigeria on 4^th October while the Grand Finale will hold on 4^th November 2018 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Selected businesses will have the opportunity to exhibit and participate in the regional satellite conferences. Winners will emerge from each region and then go on an All-expense paid to Dubai to participate and exhibit in the MTFC grand finale and pitch for the top prize of 5000USD as well as follow-on funding and investment opportunities. They will also have access to a high worth pool of investors and potential customers at the conference.

Innov8 Agric Challenge is an initiative of the Agri Value Chain Development Conference, Meet The Farmers Conference (MTFC) which will hold across four African Countries and in Dubai, UAE with the focus on The Future of Agribusiness.

Register to participate in the conference via https://mtfc.crenov8.com

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