Archive for November, 2009

Ghana Mine to Supply Fish to Accra

GHANA – Gold Fields Ghana Ltd., which owns Ghana’s biggest gold mine, Tarkwa, will supply fish to Accra and other cities in Ghana in the next three years.

Mr. Peet Van Schalkwyk, Manager of the Tarkwa mine told The Ghana News Agency that the company had started a fish farm which is expected to produce about 50 thousand fishes within six months from one pond.

Water harnessed from the company’s underground mine, now has filled four separate ponds and in the next few years Gold Fields Ghana Limited will be producing about 200 thousand tilapia fishes every six months.

Mr. Schalkwyk made this known when selected media practitioners visited the mines to have first-hand information about the operations of company.

Read the full article HERE

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Nigeria: FG to Inject N4.5 Billion Into Rural Economy

Abuja — The Federal Government is to inject N4.5 billion into the nation’s rural economy as a measure to reduce poverty and create employment.

Senior Special Assistant to the President and National Coordinator of National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP), Dr Magnus Kpakol, made the disclosure yesterday at a press priefing in Abuja.

Kpakol, said each state is to receive N121 million as micro-credit for the implementation of the scheme, while at least 22 states have made pledges towards provision of matching fund for the scheme.

The National Coordinator also said whereas the economy grew by two per cent, the nation’s population grew by three per cent owning to what he said was “bad policy.”

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Uganda: Turning Banana Peels Into Poultry Feeds

Over 1,500 tonnes of garbage are generated in Kampala daily that Kampala City Council is overwhelmed by the waste output due to its lack of capacity to collect and dump it at its landfills.

Three quarters of garbage rots uncollected on pavements, streets, sewerage outlets and water channels.

A working with a banana peels mill. Banana peels bran is much cheaper than maize bran.

This unfortunate tragedy is witnessed especially in markets, blurring the city’s image and posing a serious health danger. However, thanks to an innovation of Kasubi Parish Local Community Development Initiative and Kawaala Recycling and Manufacturing Development Group who have started turning banana peels into veterinary feeds.

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Rwanda to Host Continental Agro Meet

Kigali — Rwanda will play host to the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Program (CAADP) stake holders’ meeting slated for December 7-8, 2009.

Addressing the media yesterday, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Ernest Ruzindaza, said the high level meeting will bring together all CAADP partners and stakeholders.

The meeting is expected to attract representatives from the continent’s regional economic blocs and the donor community.

According to Ruzindaza, the summit will mainly focus on reviewing the achievements registered inline with CAADP’s direction, analysing the challenges encountered and forging the way forward.

Read the Full Article HERE

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Ghana: 2010 Budget to Focus On Agriculture

Ghana plans to boost its agriculture sector in 2010 by increasing investments to support local production.

Minister for Finance and Economic planning Dr. Kwabene Duffuor said in his budget speech last week the government’s strategy is to modernise and enhance food security in the country.

Duffuor said promotion of crops such as mango, pineapples, cashew, sheanut and soya beans through large-scale commercial farming will be intensified. A public private partnership project to establish a cocoa factory is also in the offing, and will increase production to 1,000,000 metrics tons by 2012.

The minister said improvement of roads in agricultural areas and provision of farming inputs is a priority.

Ghana is also developing an Industrial Policy that will focus on nurturing small, medium and micro-enterprises (SMME’s). The Policy will enable the provision of business support and training, venture capital, micro-credit and export credit facilities to businesses.

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