The magazine for agricultural and rural development in ACP countries http://spore.cta.int N°174 february-march 2015 SuSTAinAble develoPmenT goAlS Setting the course lYCHee A festive commodity feediNg africa’s livestock Fodder and forage solutions inTerview Afiavi Agboh-Noameshie, gender specialist at the Africa Rice Center How can we rejuvenate family farming? Discover 4 routes to success proposed by the experts at CTA Learn more at www.cta.int/iyff CTA199 - Family Farming advert AW.indd 1 03/07/2014 17:01 SUMMARY SPore n° 174 - februArY-mArCH 2015 SuSTAinAble develoPmenT goAlS Setting the course 4 AfiAvi riTA AgboH-noAmeSHie Empowering Africa’s women through rice 12 feeding AfriCA’S liveSToCK Fodder and forage solutions 13 doSSieR CoVeR SToRY inTeRView How can we rejuvenate family farming? Discover 4 routes to success proposed by the experts at CTA Learn more at www.cta.int/iyff CTA199 - Family Farming advert AW.indd 1 03/07/2014 17:01 The Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) held in Rome in November 2014 brought together more than 2,200 participants, including senior government officials, donors, civil society and private sector groups, to review the progress in fighting malnutrition and chart the way forward. The world has progressed in reducing malnutrition in the last 20 years but serious challenges remain: 805 million people go to sleep hungry every day; 2 billion people suffer from micronutrient deficiency or ‘hidden hunger’; anhd around half a billion people suffer from obesity. Malnutrition is not just a human tragedy - it brings with it enormous economic costs; globally, child malnutrition costs more than US$100 billion (€80 billion) per year. To effectively address malnutrition requires a multi-sectoral approach bringing together all the sectors that influence our diet. A key sector is agriculture, which provides the source of our food and a major source of employment and income for poor people, especially those living in rural areas. During ICN2, the EC, FAO, the World Bank Group and CTA launched a framework for joint action on agriculture and nutrition. The initiative aims to have alignment among the four organisations to promote nutrition- sensitive agriculture in the countries where they work. The framework identifies three strategic priorities that the four partners will address through their joint efforts: enhancing resource mobilisation and political commitment to strengthen the link between food and agricultural systems and nutrition; scaling up proven nutrition-sensitive food and agriculture interventions at country level; and increasing knowledge and evidence to maximise the impact of food and agricultural systems on nutrition. Together, we will work to make a difference on the ground to help those most affected by malnutrition. Michael Hailu Director – CTA Making agriculture nutrition- sensitive Editorial is the bi-monthly magazine of the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA). CTA operates under the Cotonou Agreement between the countries of the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group and the European Union and is financed by the EU. • Postbus 380, 6700 AJ Wageningen, The Netherlands • Tel: +31 317 467 100 • Fax: +31 317 460 067 • Email: cta@cta.int • Website: www.cta.int • PUBLISHER: Michael Hailu • CHAIRMAN OF THE EDITORIAL BOARD: Stéphane Gambier • COORDINATION OF THE EDITORIAL BOARD: Anne Legroscollard • EDITORIAL BOARD: Krishan Bheenick, Isolina Boto, Thierry Doudet, Vincent Fautrel • MARKETING: Thérèse Burke • EDITORIAL STAFF: Executive editor: Joshua Massarenti, Vita Società Editoriale S.p.A., Via Marco d’Agrate 43, 20139 Milan, Italy • Editor of English version: Susanna Thorp, WRENmedia Ltd, Fressingfield, Eye, Suffolk, IP21 5SA, UK • Editor of French version: Bénédicte Chatel, 12 avenue de Wagram, 75008 Paris, France • Editor of Portuguese version: Ricardo Bordalo, Tapada da Carvalha, Cabanões, São João de Lourosa, 3500 – 885 Viseu, Portugal • CORRESPONDENTS: The following contributed to this issue: N Ackbarally (Mauritius), M Andriatiana (Madagascar), K Bascombe (Trinidad and Tobago), B H Carreon (Palau), K A Domfeh (Ghana), M Issa (Benin), E D Karinganire (Rwanda), J Karuga (Kenya), M A Konte (Senegal), P Kouakou (Côte d’Ivoire), M L Marna (Guinea-Bissau), S Mbugna (Kenya), C Mkoka (Malawi), C Muasya (Kenya), P Sawa (Kenya), T Tiemtore (Burkina Faso) • OTHER CONTRIBUTORS: N Brynaert, S Federici, O Frost, A Guillaume-Gentil, ISO Translation & Publishing, D Juchault, D Manley, F Mantione, A Perrin, M Protz, C Pusceddu, Tradcatts, G Zati • DESIGN: Intactile DESIGN, France • LAYOUT: Lai-momo, Italy • PRINTER: Latimer Trend & Company, UK • © CTA 2014 - ISSN 1011-0054 4 | Cover story 6 | Agriculture 8 | Livestock and fisheries 9 | environment 10 | Research and iCT 11 | Business and trade 12 | interview 13 | doSSieR Feeding Africa’s livestock: fodder and forage solutions improving fodder and feed supplies 17 | Viewpoint Emmanuel Osei Akuamoah: equity finance for Ghana’s feed industry A home grown approach 18 | Field report Malawi: integrating poultry and poultry feed A successful business model 20 | Value chains Lychee: a festive commodity 21 | Publications 25 | Get on board with CTA © E ad ai ry february-march 2015 | Spore 174 | 3 A t the end of the 1990s, the 191 United Nations Member States adopted the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and pledged to halve world poverty by 2015. This initiative has been instrumental in channelling funds and energy towards meeting eight key objectives. But the results have been mixed (see box, Millennium Development Goals - mixed results) and, although the MDGs had been drawn up by international consensus at the outset, it was a serious oversight that the process was not participatory. This grievance was tackled head on by the UN, which launched a series of consultations in 2012 to deliberate on a new post-2015 development agenda, but this time involving all the stakeholders. An ambitious and complex process Discussions to set the post-2015 goals were first conducted within the UN and a task force was set up following the MDG Summit in 2010. In June 2012, the Rio+20 Conference then focused on formulating a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These two discussion groups were subsequently merged. Development issues were thus consolidated with environment and sustainability issues and it was officially pledged that the future development programme would include the SDGs. The Open-ended Working Group (OEWG), founded in January 2013, is an intergovernmental committee responsible for drafting a summary document formalising the different SDG options based on The Future We Want outcome document adopted at the Rio+20 Conference. In parallel, consultation sessions were held in many countries on different topics such as food security and governance. The United Nations Development Programme also initiated ‘a global conversation’ to gather the opinions of citizens worldwide online or by SMS with more than 1.8 million people participating. In addition, the global MY World survey will run until 2015 in which any citizen can participate to give their views; nearly 2 million people in over 190 countries voted on their six development priorities during the first quarter of 2014 alone. Negotiations between UN Member States to set new SDGs will be underway in early 2015 based on the OEWG final report, which proposes 17 goals and 169 targets for the 2015-2030 period. These SDGs are more ambitious than the initial MDGs and have a broader scope, encompassing economic, environmental and social issues - the three dimensions of sustainable development. The focus is primarily on developing countries, but some of the goals and targets are universal. Poverty eradication is the first goal. The OEWG report underlines the importance of agriculture regarding food security and nutrition, while stressing the need to conserve resources and the environment. Three of the 17 goals relate to agriculture in a broad sense: the first is to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture (goal 2); the second is to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources (goal 14); while the third aims to protect and restore terrestrial ecosystems and biodiversity (goal 15). ACP countries are getting positioned In December 2013, the ACP Council of Ministers adopted the ACP Declaration, which is a common set of needs and expectations regarding the post-2015 programme. According to Achille Bassilekin, Assistant Secretary General of the Secretariat of the ACP Group of States, it is hinged on four pillars to stimulate economic and social growth; the definition of sustainable development SuSTAinAble develoPmenT goAlS Setting the course 2015 will undoubtedly be a pivotal year for the development agenda. The dialogue, which began in 2012 between UN Member States, civil society and the private sector on the post-2015 period, is well underway. What about ACP countries in agriculture? CoVeR SToRY As elsewhere in Africa, the population in eastern Uganda continues to grow as the environment deteriorates, putting more and more pressure on land that grows ever drier 4 | Spore 174 | february-march 2015 goals that take national priorities and circumstances into account; mobilising resources and strengthening endogenous capacities and partnerships. Agriculture and rural development are central to the ACP discussions, says Bassilekin. They are the main source of jobs and account, on average, for 60% of ACP GDP. “Rural development also means preserving livelihoods, native soils and the identity of our communities,” he states. In this area, “The ACP group is campaigning for enhanced food security and nutrition, increased organic farming and ecosystem conservation, the development of agricultural value chains, and finally the development of social services in rural areas to mitigate the impact of poverty.” The African Common Position adopted by the African Union in June 2014 outlines post-2015 development priorities for the continent. African countries advocate sustainable agriculture, food security and nutrition. To achieve this, they recommend improving the productivity of smallholders through technology, small-scale irrigation systems, the development of rural infrastructures, social services and credit. They also support the modernisation and diversification of agriculture via private sector involvement, expansion of agribusiness and strengthening resilience to external and climatic shocks. The Caribbean and Pacific regions have also defined an interregional position on the post-2015 agenda during the preparatory process for the Third United Nations Conference on Small Island Developing States. This position is not far from that of all ACP countries, states Bassilekin. “For these two regions, the post- 2015 development agenda should focus on poverty eradication, while generating more equality and boosting environmental resilience. The two regions are hence calling for the development of control indicators when formulating resilience policies and strategies to overcome their inherent vulnerabilities,” he says. ACP countries also argue that climate change issues be mainstreamed into all negotiations. Climate change is one of the most serious threats to development, with the very existence of some island states being at risk. It is also vital for agriculture, as implicitly implied in SDG 13 (Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts), but this issue is highly debatable. These SDGs are still in the making - the result of a broad participatory process in which everyone has had a chance to voice their opinion - and are to be adopted at the UN General Assembly in September 2015. The next step will focus on mobilising the necessary financial resources. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development estimates that an additional €2.5 billion from public and private investments will be needed. The challenge will also be to monitor and control the SDGs, so reliable top quality data and indicators will be required to measure progress and design suitable policies and initiatives. Anne Guillaume-Gentil COVER STORY Millennium Development Goals – mixed results With a little over a year to go until the MDG fulfilment deadline, the 2014 report highlights the major advances. Several goals have been achieved, the first of which is the halving of the number of people living in extreme poverty before 2010. Other positive points include the fact that the number of people without access to an improved water supply has decreased twofold, gender disparity in primary and secondary education has been overcome, and the livelihoods of 100 million slum dwellers have improved. However, the picture is not as clear-cut regarding health related MDGs, particularly in terms of reducing child and maternal mortality and access to sanitation. Although the proportion of undernourished people fell from 24% in 1990- 1992 to 14% in 2011-2013, the progress has eased up over the last decade, and the target (halving the percentage of hungry people) has not been reached. Moreover, chronic undernutrition of children under the age of five has declined, but one in four children are still undernourished. There are disparities between urban and rural areas and between regions. East Asia and the Pacific region will be able to fulfil all eight goals by 2015, but that is not the case across sub-Saharan African countries. Nevertheless, the 2013 MDG report on Africa’s performance noted that the continent was on track to achieve the following targets by 2015: primary education for everyone, gender equity at all educational levels, lower HIV/AIDS prevalence among 15-24 year olds, an increased number of people with access to anti-retroviral drugs, and a higher proportion of seats held by women in national parliaments. © IR IN /E D en ho lm february-march 2015 | Spore 174 | 5 AGRiCULTURe weST AfriCA Progress for dried mango exports Mali and Senegal are following Burkina Faso’s example to enhance the commercialisation of dried mango in the European market. A fter dried pineapple from Benin, Cameroon and Togo, it is now dried mango from Burkina Faso that inspires the sub-region and is increasingly entering the European market through fair- trade buying groups. While the international market is still dominated by Brazil, West Africa is doing well and, representing 40% of today’s global production, ranks second. However the region is encountering difficulties in diversifying its export markets. In Senegal, some in the mango sector have decided to follow Burkina’s example by developing dried mango production in order to extend the fruit’s marketing period. According to Cheikh Ngane, chairman of the business association Interprofession horticole du Sénégal, Senegal produces the best mangos in the sub-region and is the second biggest exporter, just behind Côte d’Ivoire. “All over West Africa, dried mango remains an underexploited opportunity even though mango is the main fruit yearly produced,” says Ngane. Mali is also positioning itself in the market by mobilising some production areas around the capital, Bamako. Processing has been improved by using solar drying ovens, but losses remain significant due to the difficulty of preserving mangoes. Ten tons of fresh mangoes are picked in Mali, from which processing units manage to make 1 t of dried mangoes, a product presented at the last Turin Taste Fair. Even if the European Union remains the main export market, farmers in the area (Mali and particularly Senegal) aim to comply with packaging standards and improve quality thanks to solar ovens. “We don’t export to the United States because they won’t let our mangoes enter as long as fruit fly affects Senegal,” says Ngane who, nevertheless, feels optimistic about the future. WEEDS Constraints to cassava farming In an interactive discussion aimed at understanding bottlenecks to farming, young farmers have identified weeds as the most challenging constraint to cassava farming. “Even before you complete the first course of weeding, you see another set of grasses coming behind,” says Akinyele Bankole, a youth agripreneur with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture. The Sustainable Weed Management Technologies for Cassava Systems in Nigeria project is developing new best-bet innovative weed management practices, combining improved varieties, proper planting dates and plant nutrition, and intercropping. The project is also testing herbicides to help make weed control for cassava more efficient and effective. YouTH Recognising entrepreneurship The Anzisha Prize seeks to recognise young African entrepreneurs aged 15 to 22 who work to improve life within their communities. gabriel Kombassere, 17 years old, won the 2014 third prize: he founded ribla neda, a farming organisation that combats malnutrition and poverty in Yamoussoukro in Côte d’ivoire. riCe innovation expands production rice growing is booming in Africa and innovations are increasing. while the Congo is using improved seeds, Senegal has chosen small, anti-salt barriers to help desalinate lands. farmers from the central region (fayil valley) can thereby resume rice cultivation. SeAweed A new industry in Mauritius in mauritius, fishermen are growing seaweed that they use to make compost, pickles and jam. They are now aiming to develop a new industry to supply pharmaceutical and cosmetics producers with seaweed. This will help to offset reduced incomes due to declining fish catches. diverSifiCATion Coffee farmers turn to avocado with support from the norwegian investment fund for developing Countries, the company Africado ltd has developed an avocado plantation with more than 40,000 trees covering 137 ha at the foot of mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, and involving over 2,400 out-grower farmers. This initiative is helping local coffee farmers to increase their incomes by growing avocados. Mango processing has been improved by using solar drying ovens © P CD A/ N Sa to ur ou S Y 6 | Spore 174 | february-march 2015 AGRiCULTURe nuTriTion Tanzanians rally to African traditional vegetables Rallies have been held in Tanzania to improve people’s understanding of the benefits of growing and eating traditional African vegetables. I n 2014, a novel way to generate awareness about traditional vegetables in Tanzania and equip people with concrete suggestions as to how they could improve their diets hit the road: African traditional vegetable rallies. Armed with loudspeakers, photo sheets, pamphlets, and samples of seeds and live plants, two rally teams rolled into villages along two different routes in Arusha and Dodoma regions. From the eye-catching rally buses, teams broadcast messages on specific preselected topics, engaging farmers and villagers along the way and answering their questions. The project partners*, together with extension officers from Arusha, Meru, Kongwa and Mpwapwa district councils, met to decide on the topics that the rally would cover. Four specific topics were selected for promotion: the importance of good quality seeds; pest and disease management; vegetable production practices; and the nutritive value of vegetables. Participants also learned how to use mass campaigning techniques to deliver succinct and rapid messages to the public, and prepared banners, factsheets and handouts for use during the rallies. In just 2 days, 25 rallies were held in villages and small towns, around markets, and even along roadsides. Farmers were delighted with the concept that brought information about crop production and nutrition into the heart of their villages. “I didn’t know I was losing nutrients by washing vegetables after cutting,” said one farmer. During the rallies, farmers and consumers were interviewed for feedback and provided with contacts for further information. The rallies reached 765 people, showing the great potential of this original idea to motivate many people effectively, and in a rapid way. * The rallies were supported by the Good Seed Initiative, a project funded by Irish Aid that promotes use of quality seeds and consumption of African traditional vegetables in Tanzania. The scientific research and international development organisation, CABI, AVRDC - The World Vegetable Center, the Horticulture Research and Training Institute Tengeru (HORTITengeru) and INADES Formation from Tanzania are partners in the project. RHAMPHICARPA Unknown rice parasite threatens harvests in Africa Results from the research programme, PARASITE, on parasitic weeds in rice in sub-Saharan Africa have revealed that the root parasite Rhamphicarpa fistulosa is increasingly affecting rice cultivation. This often overlooked plant can reduce yields by as much as 20% and even cause complete crop failure. Wageningen University and Research Centre, the Africa Rice Center and the Tanzanian agricultural institute MARI have started field trials to examine the effects of organic and chemical fertilisers, and combinations of the two. Fertilisation is crucial because it reduces the parasite infection and the parasite may have less of an impact as well-fed plants may be more resilient. Researchers are also looking into whether other varieties or seeding intervals could suppress the pest. CASSAvA drying leaves to add value oxfam, in collaboration with the government of rwanda, is working alongside almost 1,000 small-scale farmers to support the development of technologies to dry cassava leaves for domestic consumption and export. improved drying practices are producing a more valuable and non-perishable product, creating a profitable and reliable market, generating new jobs, and doubling the price for farmers to €0.01 per bunch. viTAmin A Study backs orange maize  A study published in october 2014 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has established that orange maize increases vitamin A storage in the body and is as efficacious as a vitamin A supplement. HarvestPlus, a global research partnership, is working to introduce beta-carotene rich orange maize cultivation in Zambia with the goal of reaching 100,000 farmers by the end of 2015.  innovATion Sustainable charcoal burning To reduce deforestation, a Kenyan ngo, green Africa foundation, is promoting a modern kiln which produces a higher quantity of charcoal from wood and uses tree branches but not stems, thus removing the incentive for people to fell the entire tree to produce charcoal. in arid and semi- arid areas, communities rely on charcoal for income and up to 10 kg of firewood is used daily by each household. ProTeCTing PollinATorS Bee-friendly practices loss of habitat and food due to deforestation and unpredictable flowering of plants as a result of climate change has drastically reduced Kenya’s bee population. However, over 200 farmers in three regions have reversed the decline by implementing pollinator-friendly methods, including increasing the diversity of flowering shrubs to maintain food and habitats for the bees on their farms. The vegetable rallies reached 765 people in just 2 days © A VR DC - T he W or ld V eg et ab le C en te r february-march 2015 | Spore 174 | 7 FiSHeRieS And LiVeSToCK illegAl fiSHing The EU takes the lead Fighting against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU fishing) is a major concern for ACP countries. The Brussels Briefing organised by CTA in October 2014 gave an overall picture of the successful actions and initiatives by some ACP countries following EU sanctions. T he share of world fishing production for human consumption rose from about 70% in the 1980s to a record 85% (136 million t) in 2012, according to FAO estimates. By 2030, 37 million t more fish will be needed each year to maintain current consumption levels. IUU fishing has huge consequences and is not only restricted to illegal fishing. It also includes the processing, unloading, sale and fraudulent distribution of fishing products. According to the World Bank and FAO, the global loss of earnings represents between €20.9 and €57.8 billion per year and the cumulative deficit stands at around €1,755 billion over the period 1974-2007. These sizeable economic losses are accompanied by a real environmental disaster: almost a quarter of world fish stocks are being overfished. According to the NGO, Environmental Justice Foundation, the highest rates of IUU fishing worldwide are recorded in the waters of West Africa (particularly in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone), and represent 37% of the total catch. Other ACP regions have also been affected. In this context, CTA and its partners raised the issue of IUU at a Brussels Development Briefing in October 2014: not just to draw attention to the devastating impact of illegal industrial fishing on marine biodiversity and on the livelihoods of local fishermen, but also to highlight new and positive initiatives. Following a warning by the EU, Ghana, for example, introduced new corrective legislation in 2013 and has reinforced its monitoring, supervision and inspection system for coastal shipping. Fiji has also increased the surveillance of its waters, as stated by Inoke Wainiqolo, the government’s Permanent Secretary for Fisheries: “We make sure that our boats and our compatriots always comply with the standards and that none of the fish products which transit through our ports come from IUU fishing.” Despite this progress, there is still a long way to go in eradicating illegal fishing. “It is vital to ensure that effective policies, laws and institutional arrangements are put in place and enforced,” says Milton Haughton, Executive Director of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism. mAPPing A view of global livestock distribution fAo, the international livestock research institute and the université libre de bruxelles have joined forces to map global livestock distributions (cattle, chicken, duck, pig, sheep and goat). data are openly available on the livestock geo-wiki platform (http://livestock.geo-wiki.org/) and will be updated regularly by the international institute for Applied Systems Analysis. AQuACulTure increasing the weight of tilapia in Senegal, three fish hatcheries are doubling the weight of 6-month-old tilapia by reversing the sex of young fingerlings. According to Abudala napuru, an aquaculture expert, methyl testosterone, which turns females into males, is mixed with the feed of young fingerlings. by preventing breeding, the pond does not become overpopulated, decreasing potential competition for food. beeS Restoring a buzz for honey A network has been formed to restore meliponiculture (the production of stingless bees) to boost the honey industry in Trinidad and Tobago. The aim of the network is to share lost techniques and practices in rearing these insects safely in urban areas. The bees also have the potential to support local export industries. for example, the vanilla orchid’s natural pollinator is the melipona bee species. feed Commercialising dairy An international fund for Agricultural development project aimed at increasing dairy production in Kenya has given smallholders advice on how to plant, harvest and preserve animal feed. farmers are encouraged to use farm residues from maize stalks, beans and other crops and some are milling the residue into powder, making it easier to store and sell to other farmers. Patrols in the Indian Ocean are working to eradicate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing © E ur op eA id /D R ei ss 8 | Spore 174 | february-march 2015 enViRonMenT ClimATe SmArT Farmers take on new agricultural practices Farmers in western Kenya are using agricultural lime and intercropping legumes to help mitigate against climate change. energY Rewarded briquettes In Kenya, the social enterprise GreenChar produces briquettes that provide people with affordable and eco-friendly energy. With this innovation, Tom Osborn, GreenChar’s CEO, won the 2014 Anzisha prize. T he Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), with support from the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, has introduced the use of agricultural lime and intercropping of early maturing legumes to farmers in western Kenya to increase yields, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon stored in soil. “The agricultural lime helps to neutralise the soil pH, making calcium and magnesium available to the plants,” explains KALRO soil scientist, David Mbakaya. “It also increases water penetration, improving the uptake of major plant nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, increasing yields.” “Lime has become gold to me,” says Joyce Otieno. “I used to harvest 10-15 tins of beans on 0.4 ha, but now I harvest 60 tins of beans and seven bags of maize. It has brought me out of hunger.” The project is also training farmers to conduct soil analysis and intercrop legumes such as soya beans and Calliandra with maize. “I used to harvest two bags of maize per 0.4 ha, but since I started planting the soya beans and Calliandra with the maize it has improved to six bags,” explains Wangumba, a farmer from Mumias sub-county. The project is working with 20,847 farmers, with 14,550 using lime and planting legumes. Overall yields of maize have increased in 1 year from 2.5 to 80 bags/ha. RENEWABLE ENERGY Invasive vine turned into biogas The Merrimia vine, which has invaded 60% of Samoa’s forest, is being tapped as a source of biogas energy in the country. Biogas systems are expected to reduce dependency on fossil fuel for power generation in the country; 70% of Samoa’s national energy production comes from fossil fuels and 30% comes from hydropower stations. According to Mina Weydahl, an energy analyst with the implementing agency, UNDP, the project is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 200 t. FOREST PROTECTION Government halts indiscriminate logging following public protests The government of Guinea-Bissau has passed stringent legislation preventing indiscriminate logging in the country following widespread public protests organised by local NGOs concerned to save the country’s last remaining rainforests. The ‘order’ was given by the prime minister, Domingos Simões Pereira, following public protests and a petition with thousands of signatures against illegal logging. The document has been sent to international organisations including WWF and the UN, and to the government of China, where the companies most involved in forestry in Guinea-Bissau come from. reSilienT reefS Mapping the environment Palau international Coral reef Centre researchers have developed maps showing resilient reef areas, or areas that have a greater chance of recovering from severe environmental impacts such as coral bleaching or typhoons. The maps combine data from 161 surveys conducted in Yap, Kosrae and Pohnpei in the federated States of micronesia, that assess corals, fish, and invertebrates such as clams and sea cucumbers. Peninah Anyango uses agricultural lime on her farm in Ugenya, Siaya County, Kenya © A GR A/ D Ad er o ClimATe CHAnge information boosts resilience Thanks to the information centre established by the ministry of environment in Port- louis, mauritius, about 30,000 farmers now have free access to weather data such as temperature, humidity, wind speed/direction and solar radiation. This is improving their planning of field operations and enhancing their resilience to climate change. A t the 2014 Anzisha prize-giving, Tom Osborn’s eco fuel received a special energy prize award. This young Kenyan is the founder of GreenChar, a social enterprise specialising in production of briquettes and distribution of eco-friendly stoves. Since December 2013, GreenChar has been producing charcoal briquettes from agricultural wastes and marketing improved stoves, a technology that reduces firewood use and optimises the efficiency of the briquettes. Compared to the regular charcoal usually used by Kenyan households, GreenChar’s briquettes reduce smoke and particle emissions by about 80%. Additionally, they are longer lasting and emit higher amounts of energy. While safeguarding people’s health, GreenChar also combats deforestation. Since its foundation, the enterprise has sold 4 t of briquettes and distributed 450 stoves, saving nearly 950 trees and offsetting 360,000 kg of carbon dioxide-related emissions. Each kilo of briquettes saves 5 kg of wood and 10 kg of carbon dioxide-related emissions. According to GreenChar calculations, for every 39 kg of briquettes sold, one tree is saved. february-march 2015 | Spore 174 | 9 ReSeARCH And iCT OVERFISHING Tuna research An independent group of scientists have found that the Pacific bluefin tuna population has dropped 96% from its largest recorded size. The latest assessment from the International Scientific Committee for Tuna and Tuna-like Species in the North Pacific Ocean (ISC) reveals that 98% of the total catch is made up of small juvenile fish; fish that haven’t had a chance to reproduce and contribute to future populations. ISC has warned that populations will not increase without significant cuts in catches for both adult and juvenile tuna. Members of the Northern Committee of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission have recently agreed to cut catches by 50% from levels recorded between 2002 and 2004. online leArning new course on gender and food security fAo has developed a free online course (http://tinyurl.com/pbnc6tg) that provides guidance on how to design and implement agriculture policies and programmes that are gender-responsive, sustainable, contribute to gender equality, and improve food and nutrition security. rurAl SoCieTY Hotline for farmers Sènèkèla is a mobile service for farmers launched by orange mali in partnership with mali’s rural economy institute, institut d’economie rurale du mali, the international institute for Communication and development and the ngo rongead. it provides price and crop information and agricultural extension through a call centre. following a pilot phase conducted since 2013 in the Sikasso area, the service is now on the market across the country. loCuST invASion Biological insecticide shows promise The madagascan research institute, Centre national de recherche appliquée au développement rural, has developed a biological insecticide based on an entomopathogenic fungus strain (isola SP9). This enables control of locust invasions while safeguarding the environment and non-targeted insects (bees, caterpillars). registered in 2013, the next steps are to popularise this biological alternative across the country. moSQuiTo Breadfruit: a powerful repellent uS department of Agriculture scientists recently found that breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) is an effective mosquito repellent thanks to three of its compounds (capric, undecanoic and lauric acids). breadfruit is a staple food that has been grown for over 3,000 years in melanesia, micronesia and Polynesia. In its 2013 report, the International Telecommunication Union revealed that, “the adoption of ICTs remains very limited, particularly in less connected countries.” Among ACP countries, five Caribbean states (Barbados, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Surinam and Trinidad and Tobago) are out in front, followed by Fiji and Mauritius. Botswana, Cabo Verde and South Africa are the top African representatives, but the leader (Mauritius) is only 72nd in the world. This shows the extent to which farmers and fishermen in these countries are still far from being able to benefit from the economic opportunities and information flows offered by new technologies. The various ICT channels are often promoted as if each were the ultimate solution. And yet, meeting the information needs of the rural community in today’s world requires strategic, harmonised use of a wide range of communication channels and systems: radio, video, internet, mobile telephone, interactive voice response systems, etc. It is this approach that CTA sought to promote by organising a series of meetings in Rhenen, in the Netherlands, in October 2014. Over 3 days, specialists looked at the concept of ‘convergence’ in the field of ICTs for agriculture. Convergence concerns communication media, such as merging the ‘three screens’ (TV, PC and mobile phone) in a single smartphone. It also means bringing content together. This is the case when televised images and radio messages are put on the web, accompanied by written comments and the exchange of links and images, which can be easily accessed on smartphone, tablet or PC. Unlike traditional ICT models, convergent technologies for agriculture have a rich market. This can be seen by the success of the mFisheries programme which uses a wide array of mobile and internet applications to provide fishermen and traders in the Caribbean with data. While Digital Green, an NGO in India, enhances educational information with videos to promote innovative agricultural practices. innovATion ICTs: strength in unity Converging communication media (TV, PC, mobile) for agriculture offers a number of opportunities in ACP countries, as shown by the good practices shared by experts at a workshop organised by CTA. mFisheries uses a wide array of mobile and internet applications © C TA 10 | Spore 174 | february-march 2015 BUSineSS And TRAde COFFEE Boosting production and raising incomes In Kenya, 30,000 coffee farmers have doubled their yields and incomes after adopting improved agricultural practices. Hivos and ECOM Agro-Industrial, a coffee trading company, are training farmers in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda on pruning, compost, mulch and fertiliser application, and use of shade trees. The farmers are being linked with three coffee buying companies and are being offered credit for farm inputs and biogas digesters. To diversify incomes, farmers have also received training on horticulture and dairy farming practices such as fodder making. Coffee yields in Kenya average around 290 kg/ha, compared to 2.2 t/ha in Vietnam. I n September 2014, the first ‘Toumou Délice’ packets, containing sterilised whole raw caterpillars, with a shelf life of 18 months, were marketed in Burkina Faso. This is a success for Kahitouo Hien, who designed and implemented this project while studying at the Institut international d’ingénierie de l’eau et de l’environnement (2iE), an engineering school in Ouagadougou. Hien was used to eating caterpillars as a child and liked it. In Burkina Faso, caterpillars are collected by women between July and September, then dried and sold in markets. When Hien discovered that this insect contains up to 63% protein and is rich in iron and omega 3, he decided to exploit caterpillar nutritional potential to prevent malnutrition. Caterpillars are a common part of the diet in the country but also a seasonal product, so the challenge was to find a way to preserve them for a year. In 2012, when still a student, he won the prize for best social impact at the Global Social Venture Competition organised by the University of Berkeley in the US, and subsequently received managerial, legal and technical support from 2iE’s project incubator. This enabled him to set up Fasopro and market the first ‘Toumou Délice’. The way Fasopro is funded is also innovative. In early 2014, the new start-up asked for €10,000 in funding. Thanks to a campaign on a crowd-funding website, the company successfully raised money towards a large- scale development in 2015. The marketing of ‘Toumou Délice’ packets is a first step. To treat and not only prevent malnutrition, Fasopro is working on new nutritional products especially for children under five and pregnant women. About 15,000 women and children should benefit from these products after the fourth year of operation. As the company develops, it will help to strengthen the shea sector and generate new sources of income for hundreds of rural women who will collect caterpillars. CombATing mAlnuTriTion Caterpillars for protein, iron and omega 3 By marketing shea caterpillars, Kahitouo Hien’s ambition is to prevent malnutrition while protecting and developing local resources. CerTifiCATion Côte d’ivoire pursues sustainable palm oil in Côte d’ivoire, the oil palm sector provides 200,000 regular jobs and a livelihood for more than 2 million people, and accounts for 3.13% of gdP. To meet the growing market demand for sustainable palm oil, the country has joined the round Table for Sustainable Palm oil certification process. eSSenTiAl oilS Certification fuels export boom Since 2009, madagascar has increased by over 25% its exports of certified organic essential oils, extracted from ylang ylang, patchouli, kaffir lime, jujube, clove and pepper. The certification process is complicated and expensive, but holds a financial benefit for the farmers. building on that success, producers are developing new oils using pink pepper and geranium. mAngo improved farming raises incomes in Haiti, farm gate prices have doubled and the percentage of mangoes rejected by exporters reduced from 30% to 15% after 25,000 farmers adopted measures to manage pests, maintain trees and bulk produce with other farmers. in 2014, the country had exported 2.5 million 4.5 kg boxes of mangoes to the uS compared with 1.6 million boxes in 2010. Fasopro is working on new nutritional products containing sterilised caterpillars for children and pregnant women © F as op ro These 6 pages were produced with contributions from: N ackbarally (mauritius), m andriatiana (madagascar), k bascombe (Trinidad and Tobago), b h carreon (Palau), m issa (benin), e d karinganire (rwanda), J karuga (Kenya), m a konte (Senegal), P kouakou (Côte d’ivoire), m l marna (guinea- bissau), s mbugna (Kenya), c muasya (Kenya), P sawa (Kenya) and t tiemtore (burkina faso). february-march 2015 | Spore 174 | 11 Why should Africa promote rice production and how will it improve the lives of African women? In Africa, rice production has grown rapidly but consumption has grown even faster. In 2009, Africa imported one-third of the available rice on the world market, costing an estimated €4 billion. What would happen if there was insufficient imported rice to feed our populations? We all witnessed the 2007- 2008 food crises in many African countries. To avoid further food crises, there is an urgent need for Africa to support the rice sector to produce rice that meets consumers’ requirements for quality, quantity and price affordability. Women play important roles along the entire rice value chain. Promoting the rice sector through gender integration would benefit women by paving the way for them to access women-friendly technology. For example, women are empowered through participation in varietal trials and capacity building in entrepreneurship because it boosts their income, enabling them to provide better education and healthcare to their children. Are there lessons from Asia that could be valuable for Africa, particularly for gender issues? I believe we have a lot to learn from Asia, which is why we are working in close collaboration with the International Rice Research Institute in the framework of the Global Rice Science Partnership*, which has developed a gender strategy to empower women. The term ‘empowerment’ includes the enhanced role of women in the design, experimentation and evaluation of agricultural research for development, as well as improved access to resources (inputs, knowledge, and improved technologies) and control over output (harvested rice and processed products). What activities are performed by women in the African rice value chain? This varies across countries and rice production ecologies. In Sierra Leone, women undertake planting, weeding and harvesting activities, whereas men perform land preparation. In Cameroon, tilling, transplanting and harvesting are performed by men and women. On the other hand, rice farming is considered a strictly female activity in some farming communities (e.g. southern Senegal). Generally, postharvest activities are performed by women. However, when some women operations are mechanised (to save time, reduce the energy burdens or improve the process) they tend to be overtaken by men. This compels researchers to ensure that technological innovations should build, and not mar, the welfare of men and women. How do you ensure that the technologies AfricaRice promotes are accessible and relevant to women? The AfricaRice gender strategy makes sure that all its research activities are gender-sensitive. All scientists are aware that technologies are not neutral and men and women may adopt or reject the technology developed. To ensure that scientists develop technologies that respond to women’s aspirations, we work with women to identify their specific needs. One example is the case of parboiling equipment developed in Benin where the mechanisation department worked closely with women parboilers. When the women started using the parboiling kit developed with their participation, the quality of their product improved and their business expanded. They were then able to express the need to increase the capacity of the kit that was initially taking 45-50 kg of rice to a larger capacity drum for up to 300 kg. What advice would you give to policymakers on rice and women? Policymakers need to mainstream gender perspectives and grow the political will to incite their collaborators to be gender-minded. I will always quote FAO’s 2011 State of Food and Agriculture: “If women had the same access to productive resources as men, they could increase yields on their farms by 20-30%. This could raise total agricultural output in developing countries by 2.5-4%, which could in turn reduce the number of hungry people in the world by up to 150 million people out of hunger”. Agriculture is an important engine for growth and poverty reduction. But the sector is underperforming in many countries, in part because women, who are often a crucial resource in agriculture and the rural economy, face productivity constraints. Susanna Thorp * GRiSP is the CGIAR Research Program on Rice, which brings together over 900 partners from the academic, public, private, and civil society sectors. AfiAvi riTA AgboH-noAmeSHie Empowering Africa’s women through rice Afiavi Rita Agboh-Noameshie is a gender specialist at the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) based in Benin. Women play a crucial role along the rice value chain and their needs should be considered in technology development and dissemination. inTeRView 12 | Spore 174 | february-march 2015 © A R A gb oh -N oa m es hi e doSSieR feeding AfriCA’S liveSToCK Fodder and forage solutions The forecasted doubling of demand for meat and milk in developing countries in the next two decades offers significant opportunities for livestock producers. However, the availability of - and access to - quality fodder and livestock feed remains an important constraint. 17 | VIEWPOINT emmanuel osei Akuamoah: equity finance for Ghana’s feed industry 18 | FIELD REPORT FROM MALAWI integrating poultry and poultry feed february-march 2015 | Spore 174 | 13A Y A CH P © E ad ai ry A frica’s consumption of animal products is rapidly increasing as demand from its burgeoning population rises. Between 2005 and 2030, it is forecasted that meat and milk consumption in Africa will grow by 2.8 and 2.3% per year. However, Africa’s livestock producers are currently not able to meet the rising demand. In particular, providing Africa’s livestock with sufficient quantity and quality of feed is a critical issue that researchers, NGOs and policymakers, amongst others, are working to address. One key factor for considering how to feed Africa’s livestock in the future is the difference in feed requirements for various livestock. Monogastric animals such as pigs and poultry farmed commercially are predominantly fed on concentrates produced by feed mills. However, with rapid population growth, there is growing competition between humans and livestock for grain. The best quality grain (e.g. maize in Eastern Africa) is used for human consumption, with that used for animal feed tending to be rather low. However, despite this, strong demand keeps prices high, and in most countries, feed accounts for up to 65% of poultry production costs. To address this issue, feed mills are innovating in the way they work with farmers supplying the grain (see Field report, Integrating poultry and poultry feed on p18) and to alternative source ingredients, including agro-industrial waste products. In contrast, whilst some concentrates are fed to dairy and beef cattle, the main source of livestock feed for ruminants, including cattle, sheep and goats includes crop residues, forages and fodder shrubs. So a key research issue is how to better integrate and promote efficient crop-livestock systems. The development of the dairy industry in Kenya, for example, demonstrates how integrating crops and livestock can simultaneously intensify livestock and crop production. Fodder for more milk and income in eastern Africa In Kenya, some 1.8 million smallholders provide more than 80% of the milk; a typical farm has just one or two cows. Most dairy cows are kept in ‘zero-grazing’ pens and, in addition to small amounts of purchased concentrates, are fed a variety of fibrous feeds. A key fodder source has traditionally been Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum), which is typically cut and chopped before being fed to the animals. “We use Napier grass because it’s nutritious and doSSieR Faster fodder James Wainana, CEO of Hydroponics Kenya, supplies hydroponic grown fodder to 500-1,000 livestock farmers from his farm in Kitengela. The fodder is grown from barley seeds (wheat and oats can also be used) and is ready to harvest in 7-10 days; if grown conventionally on soil, the fodder takes 12 weeks to harvest. The hydroponic system involves spouting the barley seeds in mineral solution rather than soil: 1 kg of barley seeds produces 8 kg of fodder and a farmer with two dairy cows only needs a space of 3 x 6 m to grow sufficient fodder compared to 0.8 ha required for growing Napier grass. M-fodder* is a mobile phone-based SMS system developed by students at the University of Nairobi to link smallholder livestock keepers to hydroponic fodder producers. Livestock keepers use the m-fodder app to order fodder by SMS 8 days in advance. The hydroponic fodder costs €0.5 per 10 kg compared to buying Lucerne fodder, for example, which costs €4.40 per 10 kg stack. “I have used hydroponically sprouted fodder for approximately 7 months. My milk yield has increased and enabled me to earn an extra profit of €9 per day,” says Mr Ochieng, a farmer from Nakuru county. *M-fodder is a Top 20 innovation supported by CTA ILRI is collaborating with the Napier grass breeding programme of EMBRAPA, the Brazilian agricultural research corporation, to develop improved lines that are disease resistant and have high nutritional value 14 | Spore 174 | february-march 2015 it’s also high producing,” says Patrick Mogoko, a farmer from Kiambu near Nairobi. “Without Napier grass on the farm my cows would probably starve.” However, while farmers value its high productivity, in the early 1990s, a fungal disease known as head smut disease (Ustilago kamerunensis) reduced Napier stands by up to 50%. To address the problem, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) used its collection of Napier germplasm, in collaboration with the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (now the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation), to develop smut- resistant varieties. Two promising varieties, Kakamega 1 and 2, were released in 2004 and rapidly propagated, first by government institutions and then by community groups, to meet growing demand. By 2007, 16% of farmers in affected areas were using a disease-resistant variety. However, relying on just two varieties is risky, and farmers have reported that the Kakamega varieties are not as productive as the best local ones. ILRI has therefore been collaborating with the Napier grass breeding programme of the Brazilian agricultural research corporation, EMBRAPA. Supplied with disease-resistant varieties from ILRI’s genebank, EMBRAPA is developing improved lines that are disease resistant and have high nutritional value. Another notable research success has been the introduction of leguminous fodder trees into crop- livestock systems by the World Agroforesty Centre and partners. Fodder trees are highly nutritious for livestock, easy to grow and, by fixing atmospheric nitrogen, help improve soil fertility. In the highland regions of Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, over 200,000 farmers are now using a variety of up to nine leguminous fodder trees, including Calliandra calothyrsus, Sesbania sesban, and Leucaena leucocephala. With increased fodder availability and milk yields, incomes of rural smallholders have risen by some €25-100 per household per year (depending on adoption level); a significant proportion of fodder trees are planted by women and many have established fodder seedling nurseries to earn extra income. A residual alternative In many African regions, dried leaves and stalks of crops such as wheat, maize and sorghum provide around 70% of the available dry matter for feeding livestock. In Niger, doSSieR BecA-ILRI Hub researchers are working on improving Brachiaria grasses (an indigenous East African forage crop), to be more drought tolerant for smallholder farmers © IL RI © C CA FS /S K ilu ng u february-march 2015 | Spore 174 | 15 for instance, pasture and crop residues represent about 90% of feed for large ruminant animals. However, residues, especially from cereals, are often of low nutritional quality. Research to improve fodder feed value in recent decades often emphasised postharvest treatment of crop residues. In contrast, ILRI and collaborating CGIAR centres have focused on crop breeding to develop dual purpose cultivars for crop-livestock systems with improved grain and residue yields and higher overall fodder quality for a wide range of grain crops (e.g. maize, rice, sorghum, pearl millet, barley, cowpea and groundnut). ILRI estimates that in West Africa alone, up to 1.4 million ha could be intercropped with dual purpose cowpea varieties, directly benefiting over 9 million people. Sweet potato vines are another valuable animal feed providing more protein and dry matter per unit area than other staple feeds. In China, 25-30% of sweet potato is currently used as animal feed. The potential in sub-Saharan Africa has not yet been realised but pig farmers in Kenya and Uganda already use sweet potato vines supplemented with commercial feed. To overcome dry season shortages, researchers have developed an improved silage tube. “This technology allows farmers to make any amount of silage they wish depending on the amount of sweet potato vines and non-commercial roots available on farms, which allows farmers to better utilise their local feed resources which would have otherwise gone to waste,” says Ben Lukuyu, an ILRI animal nutritionist. Making use of agro-industrial waste (including doSSieR Finding the right feed Nearly 1,400 livestock feed resources are included in Feedipedia, an open encyclopaedia of animal feed resources. The feed resources are categorised in four main categories: forage plants, plant products/ by-products, feed of animal origin, and other feeds, which are further divided into sub-categories. The main objective of Feedipedia is to provide extension and development workers, planners, livestock farmers, researchers and policymakers, amongst others, with the latest information to help them identify, characterise and properly use feed resources to sustainably develop the livestock sector. The information on www.feedipedia.org is jointly managed by FAO and the French research institutes, AFZ, CIRAD and INRA. IMPORTANCE OF FODDER HYDROPONIC VS NAPIER FODDER Hydroponic Napier fodderBENEFITS OF FODDER HYDROPONIC FODDER PRODUCTION VS CONVENTIONAL FODDER PRODUCTION HYDROPONIC VS LUCERNE FODDER Hydroponic Lucerne Commercial feed Protein content 24% 90% €0.10 8 kg €0.10 €4.4 40% 80% €30 30 kg 2.5 kg 45% €5.40 4% Daily amount for one dairy cow Cost per 10 kg % cost vs hydroponic Digestibility Cost per 10 kg less space used less water (and it can be recycled) less fertiliser 30%70%4 TIMES Grown by an estimated 4 million farmers in Eastern Africa Constitutes up to 80% of total feed Kenya’s economic benefit = €18.5 million (1993 and 2008) Farmers spend ~ €8.8 raising and transplanting 500 fodder seedlings in the first year 4 kg of vines can replace 1 kg of dairy concentrate • • • • • napier grass fodder shrubs sweet potato vines Source: CGIAR & Elvis Ouma, m-Fodder founder/University of Nairobi 16 | Spore 174 | february-march 2015 Viewpoint Emmanuel Osei Akuamoah is the northern sector head of Ghana’s Venture Capital Trust Fund (VCTF), which has established a Soya Value Chain Project for supporting farmers to produce soya beans for the poultry industry. Equity finance for Ghana’s feed industry How will agriculture financing support the poultry feed industry in Ghana? Yellow maize and soya beans are the main raw materials for poultry feed. VCTF has initiated financial intervention for the four phases of the value chain (seed multiplication, production, aggregation and processing) that will ultimately lead to the increased production of livestock feeds for the poultry industry. The Fund is supporting financial interventions to agribusinesses involved in the production of maize and soya beans with €2.8 million disbursed so far. We also hope to have provided an additional €0.8 million during 2014 and we will continue to establish relationships with other key stakeholders who have the funds to ensure a constant flow of investment. In what ways are smallholder farmers benefitting from this initiative? Smallholder farmers have been grouped under nucleus farmers and farmer-based organisations. These farmers are given financial support for land preparation, purchase of seeds, and crop production. The farmers also get advice on farm management, including fertiliser application and weedicide or herbicide application. Produce from smallholder farmers is then aggregated and sold to the processors and milling companies, who produce the feeds for the poultry industry. The farmers are therefore supported to ensure a constant supply of raw materials for the feed industry. This is particularly critical as it has been observed that, during some periods during the year, processors are operating below capacity, sometimes less than 50%, which means there is then a shortage of livestock feed. What are the key factors for other countries to adopt a similar approach? I believe there are four key factors for supporting the development of efficient livestock feed value chains. First, certified seeds for quality crops should be available. Secondly, there should be the establishment of a well-organised outgrower farmers’ scheme under well-resourced nucleus farmers. Thirdly, financing should be timely as farming is seasonal and time dependent. Finally, supply of raw materials should be regular and in sufficient quantities for the processors to produce their feeds. Kofi Adu domfeh sugarcane bagasse) is another growing sector for livestock feed. For example, most brewery waste still contains valuable protein and fibre. Mifugo Feed Enterprise was set up near Dar-es-Salaam by a team of young Tanzanian entrepreneurs in 2011 to produce poultry, dairy and pig feeds from beer brewing wastes, which are available year round. In Nigeria, an award winning project to use cassava waste to feed goats was supported by the World Bank. A simple drying technology using black plastic sheets was introduced to smallholders in Osun State, producing an affordable feed. For every 1 t of cassava root eaten or processed, about 300 kg of peel and chaff traditionally go to waste. However, once dried, the cassava peelings can be kept up to 6 months. Future developments With a wide range of new and improved feeds becoming available, it is increasingly difficult for individual farmers to decide on their best option. To support its farmers, the East African Dairy Development (EADD) project has produced a comprehensive manual, Feeding Dairy Cattle in East Africa, which includes, amongst a variety of options, pasture management, forage production (e.g. haymaking, silage and fodder banks), and supplements. Also available online is an encyclopaedia of animals feeds, Feedipedia (see box, Finding the right feed). A simple decision-support tool, Techfit, has also been developed by ILRI and partners, which uses a participatory process to match the needs of potential feed technologies and approaches (in terms of land, labour, credit, inputs and knowledge) to the local context. The result is a shortlist of ‘best bet’ feed options, which can then be tested to see how well suited they are to local conditions. A complementary tool, FEAST (Feed Assessment Tool), has been developed to help researchers and development practitioners (e.g. EADD) assess local feed resource availability in collaboration with farmers and other relevant stakeholders. Selecting forage crops that support the overall productivity and sustainability of a mixed crop-livestock farming system, for example as one element in a crop rotation scheme, will be a key requirement for many farmers going forward. To mitigate the effects of drought, feed subsidies have often been introduced in drought relief packages (e.g. in North Africa). However, the approach has often led to dependency, market distortions and overgrazing. As an alternative, private insurance against drought has been successfully piloted in northern Kenya and parts of southern Ethiopia. Under the index-based livestock insurance (IBLI), insured pastoralists receive a pay-out based on predicted livestock mortality, which is estimated according to forage available over a season (as indicated by satellite imagery). Since 2010, over 4,000 livestock herders in Kenya have bought IBLI; the insurance is linked to a 50% drop in ‘distress’ sales of livestock to raise cash in times of drought, and a 33% reduction in dependence on food aid. ILRI is currently working with the Government of Kenya and the World Bank to scale up the provision of a macro IBLI product throughout northern Kenya within a public-private framework. Susanna Thorp doSSieR IMPORTANCE OF FODDER HYDROPONIC VS NAPIER FODDER Hydroponic Napier fodderBENEFITS OF FODDER HYDROPONIC FODDER PRODUCTION VS CONVENTIONAL FODDER PRODUCTION HYDROPONIC VS LUCERNE FODDER Hydroponic Lucerne Commercial feed Protein content 24% 90% €0.10 8 kg €0.10 €4.4 40% 80% €30 30 kg 2.5 kg 45% €5.40 4% Daily amount for one dairy cow Cost per 10 kg % cost vs hydroponic Digestibility Cost per 10 kg less space used less water (and it can be recycled) less fertiliser 30%70%4 TIMES Grown by an estimated 4 million farmers in Eastern Africa Constitutes up to 80% of total feed Kenya’s economic benefit = €18.5 million (1993 and 2008) Farmers spend ~ €8.8 raising and transplanting 500 fodder seedlings in the first year 4 kg of vines can replace 1 kg of dairy concentrate • • • • • napier grass fodder shrubs sweet potato vines Source: CGIAR & Elvis Ouma, m-Fodder founder/University of Nairobi © K A D om fe h february-march 2015 | Spore 174 | 17 The biggest feed mill in Malawi, Central Poultry Feeds (CP Feeds), was established over 14 years ago. As well as feed production, the company is also involved in interrelated activities, including poultry rearing, and dairy and beef cattle production. S ituated on the outskirts of Lilongwe, CP Feeds currently employs over 1,000 workers involved in its various agricultural activities. Maize is the major raw material used in the various feeds for poultry (broilers, layers and chicks) and other livestock (dairy and beef cattle). The grain, comprising standard and hybrid varieties, is bought locally from subsistence farmers and transported to the mill; the minimum offered for sale is 1 t (20 hessian bags of 50 kg). The company provides cash payment on the spot (around €0.14 per kg), with prices varying according to supply and demand. Integrating poultry and poultry feed field rePorT from mAlAwi CP Feeds is Malawi’s biggest producer of poultry feeds, which is distributed to local and regional buyers doSSieR 18 | Spore 174 | february-march 2015 © C M ko ka Another key ingredient in the feed is soya cake, which is produced after oil is extracted from the raw beans. CP Feeds buys the cake from Sun Seed Limited, a sister company at the same premises, which produces cooking oil (branded Mulawe) for local household consumption. “Other than maize and soya cake, CP Feeds also includes premixes, which are imported from South Africa. These contain vital vitamins and proteins required for good poultry production,” says Shaibu Makwinja, CP Feeds’ marketing manager. The mill also produces feed to the standards and specification requested by certain commercial clients for poultry and other livestock (with the exception of pigs, as the mill owners are Muslim). In several districts where outlets are not available for the sale of CP Feeds products, the company enters into formal sales agreements with local distributors. Buyers also come from as far as neighbouring Mozambique (particularly Tete province) and Tanzania. Up to 20% of CP Feeds products are sold to these regional buyers. Free technical and veterinary advice, including training on layers, broilers and even manure production, is also provided to customers. CP Feeds also sells a range of non-feed products including poultry equipment, feeding trays, vaccines and drugs. Over 1,000 farmers have access to the company’s technical team, which is trained in livestock production and provides assistance and expertise in production issues. With regards to the future, Makwinja states that changes in climate are negatively impacting on the sector as rains are sometimes erratic, which affects crop yields. Quality is another major concern. For example, maize received during April and May often has high moisture content. Moisture is a particular problem with regard to aflatoxins caused by the Aspergillus fungus, which grows on food crops such as maize, groundnuts, and sorghum. Aflatoxins reduce feed quality and may even inhibit poultry production due to their toxic effect. However, in late 2014, CP Feeds unveiled a new, state- of-the-art mill, which will more than double production from 200 to 500 t per day. To ensure efficiency, mixing of ingredients is automated during the packaging process, and conveyers are used to load several trucks at one time. Besides selling to local, small-scale and larger commercial consumers, the company plans to expand its regional marketing to Eastern and Southern Africa. In addition, around 3,500 t per month of feed is used at the company’s farms, which include breeder, layer and broiler units. “We produce 150,000 chicks weekly, which are bought by small-scale farmers in both rural and urban areas. These farmers buy the feed, especially growers mash (a type of fine feed), because growth at an early stage demands a balanced diet,” says Makwinja. “Demand for chicken meat is extremely high and we are currently unable to keep up with the market requirements. By using our specialised feeds, the chickens grow faster and are ready for sale within 5 to 6 weeks. Chickens weighing 2.1 kg are sold at MWK 2,000 (€3.45) each. Even chicken parts, which are the cheapest form of protein available, can be bought for a mere MWK 200 (€0.35), which is an affordable meal for most people,” he continues. Salimu Mkombe, a farmer who grows maize and supplies close to 5 t each year to CP Feeds says the mill is a ready market for his produce. He also buys feed for his chicks (generally around 200-300 birds) and states that there is a strong relationship between farmers and the mill, and others that are in the poultry business. In future, he hopes the company will continue to take into account farmers’ concerns in determining better maize prices supplied to the mill, particularly as the cost of farm inputs can be high. Charles Mkoka Around 3,500 t per month of feed is used at CP Feed farms, which include layer units to meet growing consumer demand for eggs doSSieR february-march 2015 | Spore 174 | 19 © C M ko ka L ychees - small, plump, pinkish-red to white fleshed fruits with scents of rose and muscat - accompany the Christmas and New Year period in Europe, which imports 20,000 to 25,000 t/year, mainly from the Indian Ocean region. Madagascar is by far the largest supplier, with export volumes ranging from 14,000 to 23,000 t, mostly transported by ship from the port of Tamatave. “Malagasy lychee is a standard-quality loss leader that is sold in retail outlets over the Christmas period,” says Pierre Gerbaud, a horticultural analyst. In contrast, high quality lychees grown on the island of Réunion are air-freighted fresh (without sulphur treatment) to be sold on retail markets in the shell or traditionally in bunches attached to branches. Although Réunion lychees are increasingly popular and market volumes are rising, only 540 t were sold in 2013/14. Compared to Madagascar and Réunion, Mauritius markets both sulphur-treated and fresh on-the-branch lychees and adjusts volumes to the current market situation. “This tailoring of supply to demand is an asset for Mauritian producers, but the tonnages are much smaller (140 to 270 t/year),” says Gerbaud. Finally, South Africa’s strategy is to market lychees with a higher average grade than those from other production areas, ensuring that sulphur treated lychees still maintain a high taste quality. This country markets around 4,000 t/year of lychees. Restructuring the Malagasy lychee sector Annual lychee production in Madagascar is presently estimated at 80,000 to 100,000 t. The initial strategy was to boost volumes, but this resulted in a decline in fruit quality. Then in 2010/11 shockwaves rippled throughout the sector when Germany suspended imports after sulphur residues on lychees were found to be above the threshold allowed by European regulations. This led to a complete overhaul of the Malagasy lychee production sector, and an extensive certification programme was initiated. Only a few exporters had Global G.A.P. certification in 2008, but since then a majority of others have qualified. “This is now a precondition for gaining access to the European market,” says Gerbaud. There is renewed confidence in Malagasy lychees, but this has not improved smallholder producers’ livelihoods - they are still generally at the mercy of the market, and without any bargaining power, are forced to accept prices. Prices fluctuate from season to season, but also within the same short marketing period (November- January). The development of an organic and fair trade sector, along with enhanced fruit processing potential, seems promising for these smallholders, who represent an overwhelming majority in this sector in Madagascar. A promising new approach The Fanohana cooperative, based in the Analanjirofo region on the east coast of Madagascar, which is supported by various partners, including the French NGO Agronomes et veterinaires sans frontières, has succeeded in promoting local products by processing and selling them on export markets. Lychee was the main focus of this cooperative at the beginning, followed by pineapple, vanilla and spices. Fanohana currently produces fresh, certified, organic and fair trade lychees which are processed into pulp and canned or exported in bulk. The certification label has enabled cooperative members to obtain stable, above-market prices. The structuring and professionalisation of the farmers’ organisation and the search for alternative lucrative business opportunities were key to this success. Also decisive at the outset was the commitment of the French cooperative company, Ethiquable, to buy lychee pulp. Volumes increased tenfold, to reach around 400 t between the 2008/09 and 2013/14 seasons, and the number of customers grew from one to five. Although the volumes involved here were small in relation to national exports, Fanohana illustrates that there are ways for smallholder producers to fully benefit from cash crops. Lychee processing also overcomes the constraint of the short competitive seasonal marketing window, while curbing the high loses incurred when selling fresh lychees. Anne Guillaume-Gentil Lychees from the Indian Ocean region are choice fruits enjoyed over the Christmas and New Year period in Europe. Madagascar focuses on high volume production, whereas lychee producers in other areas are geared more towards marketing high quality fruit. The organic and fair trade sectors are also taking a foothold, to the benefit of smallholders. lYCHee A festive commodity Fanohana workers preparing Lychees for distribution VALUe CHAinS © A VS F 20 | Spore 174 | february-march 2015 PUBLiCATionS @ In sub-Saharan Africa, informal markets are the dominant sales route for meat, milk, eggs and processed foods made from animal products. Conventional thinking tends to regard such markets as food safety hotspots, owing to their lack of health and safety regulation, their tendency to operate outside taxation and licensing systems, and their use of traditional processing methods. However, the authors of this new publication call for a reappraisal of food safety in informal markets, based on information gathered from 25 case studies. An important theme to emerge is the need to focus on risks rather than hazards. For instance, current systems to assess food safety would likely identify the high levels of bacteria in Kenya’s informally-marketed fresh milk as a dangerous hazard that merits tougher enforcement of safety standards. In reality, however, risks to human health from this milk are very low, as it is normal for families to boil milk before drinking it. This is also an example of how culture is a vital determinant of food safety, which means that simply providing information may not be enough to change food safety behaviour. Other lessons from the case studies include the findings that traditional, informally sold foods often have no worse compliance with food standards than food sold in the formal sector, that traditional processing methods can be surprisingly effective at controlling risks, and that food safety problems are most often best solved through stakeholder engagement and incentives, rather than regulation and enforcement. food safety and informal markets edited by K roesel & d grace CTA, 2014; 288 pp. iSbn 978-11-3881-876-7 CTA no. 1797 20 credit points Understanding risk Gender study ■ While drawing on research projects in 14 countries in Africa and the Middle East, this fascinating account of how women and girls are gaining empowerment through the use of ICTs is not a typical end of programme summary. Rather than excising the emotion from their account in the views of scientific objectivity, this excellent book presents science that matters, with readers left in no doubt of the importance of the subject and the potential for positive change that ICTs could bring. That said, the authors do not present ICTs as a panacea to gender inequality, being mindful of the need to be balanced and realistic, as well as hopeful. Examples include community radio as a catalyst for democracy in Cameroon, use of social networking by Zambian women to create a space for social change, and ICT-mediated responses to sectarian violence in northern Nigeria. Themes explored include emancipation versus tradition, developing a critical voice through safe ICT spaces, and the role of ICT in personal and social transformation. Women and ict in africa and the middle east by i buskens & A webb Zed books, 2014; 336 pp. iSbn 978-17-8360-042-7 £21.99 • €28 Zed books ltd 7 Cynthia Street london n1 9Jf, uK www.zedbooks.co.uk Transforming farming The latest edition of ICT4Ag explores how ICTs are transforming the lives of family farmers, giving them better access to information, markets, services and inputs, and making them more resilient to external shocks. Innovations highlighted include the role of village savings and loan associations and a participatory radio campaign in Ghana to help family farmers adapt to climate change. ict4ag: building resilience for family farming by CTA CTA, 2014; 24 pp. CTA no. ict078e downloadable as Pdf file from: http://tinyurl.com/nozxz7x Progress report More than 500 million family farms manage the majority of the world’s agricultural land and produce most of the world’s food. This annual publication from FAO analyses family farms and the role of innovation in ensuring global food security, poverty reduction and environmental sustainability. The report argues that family farms must be supported to innovate in ways that promote sustainable intensification of production and improvements in rural livelihoods. the state of food and agriculture 2014: innovation in family farming by fAo fAo, 2014; 161 pp. iSbn 978-92-5108-536-3 downloadable as Pdf file from: http://tinyurl.com/knps8wz Community forests Based on an analysis of legally- recognised community forests in 15 countries, this report reveals a link between community forests that have strong legal recognition and government protection with healthier forests and lower carbon dioxide emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. The authors call on governments to enforce the rights of forest communities over their land and prevent encroachments from illegal settlers and loggers. securing rights, combating climate change by C Stevens, r winterbottom, K reytar et al. world resources institute, 2014; 64 pp. iSbn 978-15-6973-829-0 downloadable as Pdf file from: http://tinyurl.com/pk5owtj february-march 2015 | Spore 174 | 21 PUBLiCATionS Market transformation Global review Working model? ■ Passionate, personal, informed and informal, Changing the Food Game is a bold analysis of why and how current agricultural systems must be transformed if they are to sustainably feed 10 billion people by 2050. With a background in sustainable market transformation, Simons skilfully describes the failures in agricultural markets, including issues such as protection for European farmers and the impacts this has in Africa, and how such failures make unsustainability inevitable. This includes the impact of agriculture on land, water, biodiversity and climate change. Having described the problem we face, Simons then sets out the solution, in the form of four phases of market transformation. Examples from the palm oil, coffee, cocoa and spice sectors are used to explain how transformation starts. Further phases proceed from first movers to the creation of a critical mass and institutionalisation of change, and finally reach a ‘level playing field’. Real world examples and presentation in short, manageable chunks, make the analysis both accessible and fascinating. ■ With increasing demands on forests as a source of renewable energy and a wide array of other products, the global forestry sector is undergoing a major transformation. This book, which provides an excellent overview of the current state of the sector, presents research studies conducted in the global North and South under five main themes: globalisation, governance, wood supply, trends in non-conventional products, and ecosystem services. In looking at the impacts of globalisation, the studies focus on the drive towards a green economy, the development of renewable energy products and the importance of phytosanitary trade regulations. Governance issues include illegal logging, certification, forest tenure and the rise in corporate social responsibility. In examining the status of wood supply, trends in plantation management are key, while the increasing demand for bamboo to fulfil a diversity of functions is covered in a chapter on non- conventional products. A final chapter draws lessons from two schemes offering payment for ecosystems services in Costa Rica and Ecuador. ■ If farmers are to participate in modern commodity value chains, and thereby access lucrative markets, they must meet a demanding range of requirements: regular supply, high quality and safety in produce and production, and compliance with logistical procedures such as bulking, packaging and transport, are all increasingly essential. So do such demands exclude resource-poor, small-scale farmers from modern markets? Not necessarily, suggest the contributors to this recent publication from FAO. Drawing on nine diverse case studies from the developing world (including citrus production in South Africa, and vegetables in Tanzania), the book offers a detailed examination of the extent to which contract farming is helping small farmers to access markets and meet the requirements of manufacturers, retailers, exporters and others, in both the food and non-food (biofuels and forestry) sectors. The studies also aim to clarify the significant ways in which contracts can vary according to the commodity, the market, public policies and other country-specific factors. changing the food game: market transformation strategies for sustainable agriculture by l Simons greenleaf Publishing, 2014; 268 pp. iSbn 978-17-8353-230-8 £24.99 • €30 greenleaf Publishing Aizelwood business Centre Aizlewood’s mill nursery Street, Sheffield S3 8gg, uK www.greenleaf-publishing.com forests and globalization: challenges and opportunities for sustainable development edited by w nikolakis & J innes routledge, 2014; 226 pp. iSbn 978-11-3878-739-1 £85 • €105 routledge 130 milton Park Abingdon oX14 4Sb, uK www.routledge.com contract farming for inclusive market access edited by C A da Silva & m rankin fAo, 2014; 227 pp. iSbn 978-92-5108-061-0 US$55 • €44 fAo Publications viale delle Terme di Caracalla 00153 rome, italy www.fao.org/publications downloadable as Pdf file from: http://tinyurl.com/peak29m Managing risks In Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania, farmers are increasing their resilience to climate change through adoption of technologies which improve soil health and fertility and facilitate water conservation, and through better diversification of sources of livelihood and income. The results and lessons learned from these pilot activities show that adapting to climate change will require renewed efforts in improving land and water management through supportive policies, capacity development and targeted investments. adapting to climate change through land and Water management in eastern africa by fAo fAo, 2014; 180 pp. iSbn 978-92-5108-354-3 downloadable as Pdf file from: http://tinyurl.com/mj758n6 Adaptation The causes of vulnerability to drought in Eastern Africa and the western Indo-Gangetic Plain of South Asia are reviewed in this report, before the options to increase resilience to drought in the agricultural sector are discussed. Strategies outlined include sustainable management of agroecological landscapes and measures to improve access to food, to protect people’s health and to lower the risk of investment in farming. drought risk reduction in agriculture by n Cenacchi ifPri, 2014; 56 pp. downloadable as Pdf file from: http://tinyurl.com/p9uscd5 Reducing contamination Groundnuts are prone to contamination by aflatoxins during production and storage. This study found that while inferior groundnut kernels, which are likely to be contaminated, are sorted out, the rejects are not taken out of the food chain; instead they are offered to consumers in a crushed form as an ingredient in cooking. A strategy suitable for developing countries, where stringent enforcement of regulation may not be feasible, is presented. strategies to control aflatoxin in groundnut value chains by w J florkowski & S Kolavalli ifPri, 2014; 28 pp. downloadable as Pdf file from: http://tinyurl.com/pym6zc6 22 | Spore 174 | february-march 2015 PUBLiCATionSLiC Ti S JES WEIGELT / ALEXANDER MÜLLER / CHARLOTTE BECKH / KLAUS TÖPFER (EDITORS) SOILS IN THE NEXUS A Crucial Resource for Water, Energy and Food Security Hunger weapon Informal economy Multiple values ■ Featuring in a series titled the Anthropology of Food and Nutrition, this collection of papers offers a transdisciplinary examination of food during times of war, including social, cultural, political and nutritional perspectives. The politicisation and militarisation of hunger is a key theme, with food, or the lack of it, consistently used as a weapon, and hunger and high food prices often being a major driver of revolution. But beyond the political machinations, the volume also offers much more personal accounts of food in times of conflict, including peoples’ determination and innovation in preserving something of their traditional cooking and eating experiences even when faced with refugee camp rations or war-zone famine. The examples, both contemporary and historical, are drawn from around the world, including several from Africa, as well as Asia, Latin America and Europe. War-time experiences in Sierra Leone, the relationships between land mines, cluster bombs and food insecurity in Africa, and the special nutritional needs of those living in refugee camps are all covered. ■ The first in a two-book series on Africa’s participation in global trade, this volume focusses on what is described as ‘globalisation from below’. This is the world of informal traders and entrepreneurs, operating under the radar of the police, regulation and taxation. Yet as Lee makes clear through her series of ethnographic studies, it is a world of passionate entrepreneurs who long to be successful and whose work makes a significant contribution to African societies, in achieving their material aspirations. Much of the book focusses on trade between Africa and China. In the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, traditional gateway for Chinese products to the world, a large population of African traders uses a complex network of contacts and connections to send Chinese goods to Africa. Another chapter focusses on those who trade in these goods back in Africa. A final chapter looks at clothing factories established under the US African Growth and Opportunities Act, a system which Lee argues has failed to bring about better standards of living for African workers. ■ Our planet’s soils make an enormous contribution to our existence, supporting over 90% of global food production, storing 10 times the amount of carbon held in forests, preventing floods by storing water, and providing a home to enormous and essential biodiversity. But soils are increasingly under threat from erosion, exhaustion and urban expansion, putting at risk their capacity to support the growing population in the coming decades. If they are to be protected and sustainably managed, a new recognition of their multiple functions is needed, extending integrated resource management approaches to include the ecosystem services that soils provide. Reappraising the value of soils goes beyond their physical properties and functions, requiring vital perspectives from social sciences: politics, anthropology, economics and other cultural studies must all make their contribution in building an understanding of ‘soils in the nexus’. Transdisciplinary and technical, this collection of research papers is primarily aimed at a scientific audience rather than the general reader. food in Zones of conflict edited by P Collinson & H macbeth berghahn, 2014; 252 pp. iSbn 978-17-8238-403-8 £60 • €75 berghahn books ltd 3 newtec Place magdalen road, oxford oX4 1re, uK www.berghahnbooks.com africa’s World trade by m C lee Zed books, 2014; 176 pp. iSbn 978-17-8032-350-3 £21.99 • €28 for Zed books’ address, see p21 soils in the Nexus edited by J weigelt, A müller, K Töpfer, et al. oekom, 2014; 164 pp. iSbn 978-38-6581-431-9 €34.95 oekom waltherstr. 29 80337 munich germany www.oekom.de investment Public-private partnerships (PPPs) have increasingly become seen as a way to stimulate investment in agriculture and technology, in order to increase productivity and foreign exchange earnings. But are PPPs an effective way to achieve poverty eradication and improve rural livelihoods? This analysis by Oxfam reveals that ‘mega-PPPs’ are unproved and risky, and it is the poorest who are likely to lose out, be put at risk or be bypassed. moral hazard? ‘mega’ Public-Private Partnerships in african agricultures by r willoughby oxfam, 2014; 40 pp. iSbn 978-17-8077-685-9 downloadable as Pdf file from: http://tinyurl.com/otsg2f8 Sustainable farming This case study describes the factors that enabled 200,000-300,000 ha of degraded land in Burkina Faso to be brought into productive use through the application of improved traditional farming techniques. Farmers and their local knowledge of suitable and efficient methods, diffusion of improved techniques through community networks, and provision of financial support for the initial start-up costs are seen as the key factors that contributed to such success. a greener burkina by A lenhardt, J glennie, n intscher et al. odi, 2014; 44 pp. downloadable as Pdf file from: http://tinyurl.com/nk5uduy Conservation Forest genetic resources are essential for the continued productivity, services, adaptation and evolutionary processes of forests and trees. This first report from FAO aims to build the information and knowledge base required for action towards better conservation and sustainable management of forest genetic resources at the national, regional and international levels. the state of the World’s forest genetic resources by fAo fAo, 2014; 304 pp. iSbn 978-92-5108-402-1 downloadable as Pdf file from: http://tinyurl.com/qfj826e february-march 2015 | Spore 174 | 23 PUBLiCATionS to obtaiN PublicatioNs Publications marked @ may be downloaded from the following website: http://publications.cta.int Titles marked with the logo can be obtained as follows: if you are a subscriber to cta publications: use one of these options. • If you have an account with http://publications.cta.int, go on-line and select your books depending on the credit points you have, then click on ‘Add to shopping cart’ and ‘Proceed to checkout’. • If you do not have Internet access, you can continue using the order form supplied by CTA. if you are an acP organisation involved in agriculture but are not yet a subscriber to cta publications, you can: request a subscription online at http://publications.cta.int, by email to pdsorders@cta.int or by mail to CTA - PdS, Po box 173, 6700 Ad wageningen, the netherlands. organisations that subscribe in 2015 will receive 200 credit points. Those already subscribed will receive 200 credit points plus half of the amount of credit points spent in 2014, i.e. a maximum of 400 credit points. if you are not an acP organisation involved in agriculture: You can either buy the publications from the publisher or in a book shop. Alternatively you can download certain titles on the website http://publications.cta.int. more than half of our publications are downloadable free of charge. Titles marked with the symbol can be purchased from the publishers cited or from bookstores. Power generation Neutral Standpoint? ■ The heavy dependence of developed countries, in particular, on fossil fuels for electricity generation, transportation, industry and domestic energy needs, are a cause of global climate change. About a third of energy expenditure in developed countries goes on electricity, largely generated by a combination of fossil fuelled power stations, nuclear power and renewable energies. Understanding the pros and cons of these various technologies, and their political dimensions, is the main focus of this excellent, accessible book. Readers with a primary interest in the agricultural dimensions of energy policy will find a chapter on biomass and biofuels. It’s also worth noting that the book’s scope includes both developed and developing countries. Many of the latter may be in a better position to design energy systems that meet a ‘triple bottom line’, balancing costs and benefits in terms of the economy, society and the environment, since they are often closer to starting ‘from scratch’ rather than having to redirect a highly developed, inertia-driven existing system. ■ Organic production or conventional? Industrial methods or sustainable approaches? Global food sourcing or local? These are just three issues - among many - in food and agriculture where views have become highly polarised, with most people judging the oppo- sing sides as either entirely good or entirely bad. Economists take a different approach, making judgements on the basis of costs and benefits, and therefore finding both good and bad elements in both sides. Written by two senior American economists, Depolarizing Food and Agriculture is both very interesting and very readable, offering economics-based solutions to these seemingly irreconcilable conflicts. Ultimately, our approaches to food production and consumption, they argue, need to be multifaceted, diverse and targeted, with the goals of improving social well-being and reducing misinformation, transaction costs and hunger. The authors focus heavily on examples in the US with relatively little discussion of the developing world. Nevertheless, the issues are globally relevant. understanding energy and energy Policy by T f braun & l m glidden Zed books, 2014; 224 pp. iSbn 978-17-8032-934-5 £21.99 • €28 for Zed books’ address, see p21 depolarizing food and agriculture by A barkley & P w barkley routledge, 2014; 196 pp. iSbn 978-04-1571- 423-5 £29.99 • €38 for routledge’s address, see p22 Managing resources Water cuts across many of the proposed Sustainable Development Goals - from poverty, to health, energy and the environment. According to this report, key challenges include setting realistic targets, carefully considering the local context to address the needs of the poor and promoting sustainable water resources development in a way that values healthy ecosystems. on target for People and Planet: setting and achieving Water-related sustainable development goals edited by van der bliek, P mcCornick & J Clarke iwmi, 2014; 56 pp. iSbn 978-92-9090-801-2 downloadable as Pdf file from: http://tinyurl.com/pnzkv8t Good practice Documenting 30 case studies, this study illustrates the vital role of women’s grassroots organisations in ACP countries, as well as their potential to stimulate learning and innovation in development programmes. The study also documents examples, challenges and opportunities for advancing women’s rights. acP Women: actors of development by ACP Secretariat ACP Press, 2014; 94 pp. downloadable as Pdf file from: http://tinyurl.com/mm55e4z 24 | Spore 174 | february-march 2015 GET ON BOARD www.cta.int 2 3 4 1 The Intra-ACP Agricultural Policy Programme promotes the agricultural development of the Caribbean and the Pacific through their market integration. What are the programme’s special features? There are a vast number of intra-ACP programmes, but the programme in question aims to foster the sharing of good agricultural practices between regions, and particularly Small Island Developing States (SIDS). This programme, which has four components (agricultural policy; value and market chains; ICTs, science, technologies and climate change; and knowledge and communication management) has been designed to help SIDS in the Caribbean and Pacific open up internationally as a means to acquiring good practices and technical and financial partnerships. To achieve these objectives, CTA is developing several initiatives and sharing its expertise in a variety of fields ranging from value-chain development to knowledge management. How can smallholder farmers from the Caribbean and Pacific be better integrated into markets? Agritourism is a particularly interesting example. In the Caribbean and the Pacific, tourism accounts for half of GDP but, very often, tourists do not consume ‘local’ products. Why miss out on this enormous market (40 million tourists a year in the Caribbean and 1.5 million in the Pacific)? To link local farmers with markets, CTA provides financial and technical assistance to farmers’ associations and the programme’s institutional partners. An agritourism conference has also been held in the Caribbean. In bringing together political decision-makers at this event, CTA wanted to assist in the development of favourable policies. Beyond the local level in these regions, which have difficultly accessing the international market for various reasons (distance, insufficient production, etc.), existing resources need to be taken advantage of. If tourists are given the opportunity to discover high-quality, local products, they can become potential customers once they return home. Many niche products, such as virgin coconut oil, organic meat and coffee, could be produced and exported further, as is the case with chocolate from Grenada, which is sold on international markets. People are prepared to pay more for high-quality, ethical products. Is climate-smart agriculture particularly important to SIDS? Climate change is a serious threat to the survival of SIDS. Coastal areas, where the majority of populations and infrastructure are located, are the most affected. In these states, however, there is no question of emission reduction as they produce hardly any carbon dioxide. Climate-smart agriculture, therefore, is an appropriate solution and research is a priority in this field. As such, the Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community has developed food crops that are adapted to climate change. For example, trials have been carried out on the breeding of crops, such as taro (Colocasia sp.) and breadfruit, with very positive results in the field. Exchanges are being planned with the Caribbean Agriculture Research and Development Institute in the Caribbean with, for example, a taro that is adapted to high levels of water salinity. 2014 was the UN’s international year of SIDS. What was the result of this international year? A UN international year is always a positive event and 2014 provided the opportunity to raise awareness amongst the international community to the urgent situation of SIDS. But we must ensure that this attention does not waver in the coming years because there are many challenges. CTA has focused its attention on the private sector because agricultural producers are, above all, business oriented. Before the UN’s international conference held in Samoa in September 2014, CTA participated in a forum organised for the private sector to support the sustainable development policies of SIDS. Tangible results have been achieved with the creation of partnerships, such as that between CTA and the Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisation to strengthen agri-food systems in the Pacific by supporting the development of the agri- industry. Another result was the official announcement by CTA of a Pacific Week of Agriculture - similar to the Caribbean Week of Agriculture - which will take place in Vanuatu in 2015. For further information on the Intra-ACP Agricultural Policy Programme see: http://tinyurl.com/ozc8vkl Samson is Associate Programme Coordinator ARD policy and is leading the Intra ACP programme at CTA. 4 QUeSTionS FoR SAMSon ViLViL FARe on THe COOPERATION BETWEEN THE PACIFIC AND THE CARIBBEAN REGIONS © C TA february-march 2015 | Spore 174 | 25 SPORE n.175 The presence of refugees puts demands on the the severely strained economies and infrastructure of poor countries. How is this challenge affecting ACP regions? Having reliable and high quality statistics and data is essential for the improvement of agriculture to facilitate decision-making and measure the results of policies. © U NH CR /S M od ol a © A GR A Reader services Write to Spore CTA - Spore redaction Po box 380 6700 AJ wageningen The netherlands fax: +31 317 460067 email: spore@cta.int Subscribe to Spore SubSCriPTionS for THe PrinTed verSion Are: • Free for organisations and individuals involved in rural development and residing in an ACP country (African, Caribbean and Pacific): - via http://publications.cta.int by clicking on ‘Apply for a free subscription’ - by post (Po box 173, 6700 Ad wageningen, the netherlands) or send an email to spore@cta.int • for other individuals and organisations: €36 annually (6 issues) from: earthprint ltd Cavendish road Cavendish House Stevenage, Hertfordshire Sg1 2eQ united Kingdom e-mail: CTA@earthprint.co.uk SubSCribe To Spore e-nounCemenT Subscribe to the free Spore email summary (90 Kb) at: http://spore.cta.int or send a blank email to join-spore-en@lists.cta.int for text-only: join-spore-text-en@lists.cta.int further information available from: spore@cta.int reAd Spore on-line • Internet: see spore.cta.int Reproduce Spore • Articles in Spore can be freely reproduced for non-commercial use, if credited as coming from Spore. Please send a copy to the editors. • Reproduction for commercial use requires prior permission. DOSSIER | Data COVER STORY | Impact of refugees on use of resources coming up in the next issue Sustainable cultivation of medicinal plants promotes an alternative source of supply and provides valuable income for the poor. © A O ua rg hi di VALUE CHAINS | Medicinal plants | Spore 174 | february-march 201526 Transformation Food Prosperity Resilience Competitiveness Discover how www.cta.int/knowledge-is CTA170_30thPROS_BCad_ENG_art.indd 1 20/03/2014 09:41