The Namibia Statistics Agency in close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry is planning and preparing for the next Namibia Census of Agriculture to take place in 2013/14.

The project is funded by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) with a grant of N$4.3million to supplement government in carrying out the census, which will count crop production, cattle as well as small stock at different farms across the country. The funds received will be used for services of experts, training and procurement of equipment to successfully carry out the census.

Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) Statistician General, Dr. John Steytler has assured the public that information obtained from farmers will be confidential. “We guarantee that we will not disclose personal information of the farmer’s activities. This census is very important so we therefore call on the full participation and cooperation of the public,” Steytler highlighted.

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The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry has announced that it is currently in the process of buying more tractors for the crop growing regions of Caprivi, Kavango, Oshikoto, Ohangwena, Omusati, Oshana and Kunene North.

In a statement issued by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Joseph Iita, the ministry’s current fleet of about 65 tractors is not sufficient to serve all the constituencies therefore more tractors are needed to equip each constituency with a minimum of 4 tractors and their accompanying implements.

According to Iita, the Ministry has realised that to maintain the current fleet of tractors is a major challenge due to the unavailability of garages specialising in the maintenance and repair of tractors as well as the provision of spare parts. “Currently, most of the tractors and implements in the regions are parked, waiting to be serviced and repaired in preparation of the next cropping season,” Iita stated.

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Cattle farmers have finalised preparations for the establishment of a sh1.75 b ($7m) modern abattoir to enable them export meat products abroad.

The farmers under their cooperative the Uganda Meat Producers Cooperative Union (UMPCU) Ltd, have agreed to build an abattoir that meets international standards. The made the decision at their Annual General Meeting held at Uganda Manufacturers Association Lugogo on Wednesday.

A UMPCU official Dr Francis Jumba noted that local cattle farmers will get double the price of their meet products and carcasses, when the project kicks off. He added that farmers will be able to get better breed improvement as part of the benefits accruing out of a Memorandum of Understanding reached between the UMPCU, Fresh Cuts and Top cuts.

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A Brazilian processing company, Usibra Ghana Limited, is to establish a $25 million cashew processing plant in Ghana. The plant, which is expected to process 300 metric tonnes of cashew daily, will provide about 2,000 direct jobs in the country.

The Director of Usibra Ghana Limited, Mr. Tarisco Falcao, announced this when he paid a call to the Minister of trade and Industry, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, in Accra. Usibra is the largest cashew nut processing company in Brazil, with two units capable of processing 70,000 metric tonnes of cashew nuts per season.

The company has a subsidiary, Nutsco, in Camden, New Jersey, USA, which processes and distributes cashew and other nuts in the US market. Usibra has an investment potential of $45 million.

Briefing the minister, Mr. Falcao said 80 per cent of the cashew processed in Ghana would be exported to the US and European markets. He stated that growers would be paid a good price for their cashews, in order to stimulate further production.

Source: ghanabusinessnews.com

Ghana is to receive 7.2 million Euro from the European Union to help with the production and export of Bananas.

Finance Minister Seth Tekper signed the financing agreement on behalf of the government, while EU Ambassador, Claude Marten initialed on behalf of the EU. The money will be used for the Banana Accompanying Measures Project (BAM).

Trade Minister Haruna Iddrisu said, “It is to improve the livelihood of banana farmers in the Greater Accra, Eastern and Volta regions.” The Minister added “it will include expansion of social amenities and basic amenities in that area to encourage them to increase volumes of production.”

The EU Ambassador also revealed that Ghana exports about 50,000 tons of bananas to the European Union.

Source: business.myjoyonline.com