The South Korean government, through the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), has set aside $5 million to be used in the improvement of agricultural activities in Nyaruguru, one Rwanda’s most remote and poorest districts.

The deal was reached this March after the Nyaruguru district officials and representatives of KOICA agreed on the terms and conditions of the three year project. The funds will be used in the construction of contour terraces of about 400 hectares in Kibeho sector, supporting livestock cooperatives with at least 200 heifers, modern maize growing, milk production, among others.

“The project is timely and will boost the agriculture and land consolidation program of the district,” said the Mayor of Nyaruguru Francois Habitegeko. “We expect to increase on agricultural product, once this project is complete”

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FRANCE has set up Investors’ Fund under the Africa Agriculture Fund, with an initial target amount of US$120 million and eventually reaching $300 million, to support the development of the agricultural sector in Africa.

This came to light when the new French Ambassador to Zambia and Common Market Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Marie-Annick Bourdin presented her letters of credence to Comesa secretary general Sindiso Ngwenya in Lusaka yesterday.

Mr Ngwenya said France was highly supportive of Comesa and Africa as a continent indicating that the continent benefited greatly from its G8-G20 presidency in 2011.

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He said that the French government set up the investor fund to support the development of agriculture and food distribution projects in the continent. “This fund will initially raise $120 million, with the possibility of reaching $300 million,” he said.

The Gambia has joined 13 other West African countries to kick-start the implementation of a multi-million dollaragricultural project dubbed West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP), initiated by Ecowas with financial support from the World Bank.

WAAPP is a regional project and succeeds The Gambia Emergency Agricultural Productivity Programme (GEAPP) in The Gambia, intervening on the development of rice, maize, groundnut; vegetable valued chains and feed resources management for small ruminants and poultry in The Gambia.

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The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organizations (FAO) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) today announced they are increasing their efforts to promote private investments in agricultural businesses in the southern and eastern Mediterranean region.

The support will come through a series of new technical assistance projects that seek to develop policies and legal frameworks that create a favourable investment climate and foster private sector involvement in agribusiness in countries like Jordan, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia.

The projects, produced by FAO in conjunction with EBRD, will include policy discussions between government and private agricultural businesses and will address issues such as improvement of rural infrastructure, increasing food safety standards and developing local skills through adequate training.

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The joint venture partnership between one of Nigeria’s long standing conglomerates, Chellarams Plc, and Woolworths of South Africa, after a thorough assessment of the Nigerian market, has resulted in the establishment of Woolworths biggest retail outlet in Ikeja, Lagos worth over N200 million ($1,270,000 approx US).

Woolworths now plans to open another 30 stores in various parts of the country.

Woolworths Executive, John Fraser said “there is strong market in Nigeria. We are starting in Lagos with plans for rapid expansion in the country. We are excited to come to Nigeria, though there are infrastructure issues but the market is here.”

Source: www.businessdayonline.com