#fertilizer subsidies Kenya

[farmerstrend]

The Decline of Wheat Farming in Kenya as Farmers Shift to Maize Farming

The area under cultivation of wheat in Kenya has been falling since 2019 as farmers shift to maize farming, according to data from the KNBS. In 2023, the area under wheat cultivation was 104,440 hectares compared to 2022 when it was 119,554 hectares, with production decreasing as a result. On the flip side, maize cemented its position as a staple food crop with the area dedicated to maize…

[beardedmrbean]

A dozen poor countries are facing economic instability and even collapse under the weight of hundreds of billions of dollars in foreign loans, much of them from the world’s biggest and most unforgiving government lender, China.

An Associated Press analysis of a dozen countries most indebted to China — including Pakistan, Kenya, Zambia, Laos and Mongolia — found paying back that debt is consuming an ever-greater amount of the tax revenue needed to keep schools open, provide electricity and pay for food and fuel. And it’s draining foreign currency reserves these countries use to pay interest on those loans, leaving some with just months before that money is gone.

Behind the scenes is China’s reluctance to forgive debt and its extreme secrecy about how much money it has loaned and on what terms, which has kept other major lenders from stepping in to help. On top of that is the recent discovery that borrowers have been required to put cash in hidden escrow accounts that push China to the front of the line of creditors to be paid.

Countries in AP’s analysis had as much as 50% of their foreign loans from China and most were devoting more than a third of government revenue to paying off foreign debt. Two of them, Zambia and Sri Lanka, have already gone into default, unable to make even interest payments on loans financing the construction of ports, mines and power plants.

In Pakistan, millions of textile workers have been laid off because the country has too much foreign debt and can’t afford to keep the electricity on and machines running.

In Kenya, the government has held back paychecks to thousands of civil service workers to save cash to pay foreign loans. The president’s chief economic adviser tweeted last month, “Salaries or default? Take your pick.”

Since Sri Lanka defaulted a year ago, a half-million industrial jobs have vanished, inflation has pierced 50% and more than half the population in many parts of the country has fallen into poverty.

Experts predict that unless China begins to soften its stance on its loans to poor countries, there could be a wave of more defaults and political upheavals.

“In a lot of the world, the clock has hit midnight,” said Harvard economist Ken Rogoff. “ China has moved in and left this geopolitical instability that could have long-lasting effects.”

HOW IT'S PLAYING OUT

A case study of how it has played out is in Zambia, a landlocked country of 20 million people in southern Africa that over the past two decades has borrowed billions of dollars from Chinese state-owned banks to build dams, railways and roads.

The loans boosted Zambia’s economy but also raised foreign interest payments so high there was little left for the government, forcing it to cut spending on healthcare, social services and subsidies to farmers for seed and fertilizer.

In the past under such circumstances, big government lenders such as the U.S., Japan and France would work out deals to forgive some debt, with each lender disclosing clearly what they were owed and on what terms so no one would feel cheated.

But China didn't play by those rules. It refused at first to even join in multinational talks, negotiating separately with Zambia and insisting on confidentiality that barred the country from telling non-Chinese lenders the terms of the loans and whether China had devised a way of muscling to the front of the repayment line.

Amid this confusion in 2020, a group of non-Chinese lenders refused desperate pleas from Zambia to suspend interest payments, even for a few months. That refusal added to the drain on Zambia’s foreign cash reserves, the stash of mostly U.S. dollars that it used to pay interest on loans and to buy major commodities like oil. By November 2020, with little reserves left, Zambia stopped paying the interest and defaulted, locking it out of future borrowing and setting off a vicious cycle of spending cuts and deepening poverty.

Continued in the link

[fertilitycentrekenya]

IVF Cost in Kenya: Understanding the Expenses Involved

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a widely used assisted reproductive technology (ART) that helps couples struggling with infertility to conceive. While the success rates of IVF treatments have significantly improved over the years, one of the primary concerns for many couples considering this option is the cost involved. In Kenya, like in many other countries, the cost of IVF can vary widely depending on several factors. Let’s delve into the details of IVF cost in Kenya, including the factors that influence it and how couples can manage these expenses.

Factors Affecting IVF Cost in Kenya

Clinic Reputation and Location: The reputation and location of the fertility clinic can significantly impact the cost of IVF. Clinics in urban areas or those with a higher success rate may charge more for their services.

Treatment Plan: The complexity of the treatment plan, including the need for additional procedures such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) or preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), can affect the overall cost of IVF.

Medication: The cost of fertility medications used during the IVF cycle can vary depending on the type and dosage required. These medications are often a significant part of the total cost.

Number of Cycles: The number of IVF cycles required to achieve a successful pregnancy can impact the total cost. Some couples may need multiple cycles before achieving success.

Additional Services: Additional services such as embryo freezing, embryo biopsy, or assisted hatching may incur extra costs.

Diagnostic Tests: Before starting IVF, couples may need to undergo various diagnostic tests to assess their fertility status. These tests can add to the overall cost.

Insurance Coverage: In Kenya, insurance coverage for IVF treatments varies. Some insurance plans may cover part or all of the costs, while others may not cover IVF at all.

Understanding the Cost Breakdown

The cost of IVF in Kenya is typically broken down into several components, including:

Consultation and Diagnostic Tests: This includes the initial consultation with the fertility specialist and various diagnostic tests to assess the couple’s fertility status. The cost can range from Ksh 10,000 to Ksh 50,000 or more.

IVF Cycle: The cost of a single IVF cycle in Kenya can range from Ksh 200,000 to Ksh 600,000 or more, depending on the clinic and the treatment plan.

Fertility Medications: The cost of fertility medications for a single IVF cycle can range from Ksh 50,000 to Ksh 200,000 or more, depending on the type and dosage required.

Additional Procedures: If additional procedures such as ICSI, PGT, or assisted hatching are required, they can add to the overall cost.

Follow-up Visits: After the IVF procedure, follow-up visits may be required to monitor the progress of the pregnancy. The cost of these visits is typically included in the overall IVF package.

Managing IVF Costs

While the cost of IVF in Kenya can be significant, there are several ways couples can manage these expenses:

Insurance Coverage: Explore your insurance options to see if IVF is covered. Some employers offer fertility benefits that can help offset the cost.

Fertility Financing Programs: Some clinics offer financing programs that allow couples to pay for IVF treatments in installments.

Government Support: In some cases, the government may offer financial assistance or subsidies for IVF treatments.

Consideration of Alternatives: Depending on your specific situation, alternative treatments or procedures may be more cost-effective than traditional IVF.

Comparing Costs: Get quotes from multiple fertility clinics and compare their costs and success rates to find the best option for your budget and needs.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the cost of IVF in Kenya can vary widely depending on several factors. While it can be a significant financial investment, many couples find that the joy of starting a family outweighs the cost. By understanding the factors that influence IVF cost and exploring options for managing expenses, couples can make informed decisions about their fertility treatment journey.

[msclaritea]

China loans pushing world’s poorest countries to brink of collapse | Fortune

China’s unforgiving loans are pushing world’s poorest countries to the brink of collapse: ‘Clock has hit midnight’

BYBERNARD CONDON AND THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

May 18, 2023 at 3:44 AM MDT

China has pushed back on the idea, popularized in the Trump administration, that it has engaged in “debt trap diplomacy”

MARK CRISTINO/POOL/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

"A dozen poor countries are facing economic instability and even collapse under the weight of hundreds of billions of dollars in foreign loans, much of them from the world’s biggest and most unforgiving government lender, China.

An Associated Press analysis of a dozen countries most indebted to China — including Pakistan, Kenya, Zambia, Laos and Mongolia — found paying back that debt is consuming an ever-greater amount of the tax revenue needed to keep schools open, provide electricity and pay for food and fuel. And it’s draining foreign currency reserves these countries use to pay interest on those loans, leaving some with just months before that money is gone.

Behind the scenes is China’s reluctance to forgive debt and its extreme secrecy about how much money it has loaned and on what terms, which has kept other major lenders from stepping in to help. On top of that is the recent discovery that borrowers have been forced to put cash in hidden escrow accounts that push China to the front of the line of creditors to be paid.

Countries in AP’s analysis had as much as 50% of their foreign loans from China and most were devoting more than a third of government revenue to paying off foreign debt. Two of them, Zambia and Sri Lanka, have already gone into default, unable to make even interest payments on loans financing the construction of ports, mines and power plants.

In Pakistan, millions of textile workers have been laid off because the country has too much foreign debt and can’t afford to keep the electricity on and machines running.

In Kenya, the government has held back paychecks to thousands of civil service workers to save cash to pay foreign loans. The president’s chief economic adviser tweeted last month, “Salaries or default? Take your pick.”

Since Sri Lanka defaulted a year ago, a half-million industrial jobs have vanished, inflation has pierced 50% and more than half the population in many parts of the country has fallen into poverty.

Experts predict that unless China begins to soften its stance on its loans to poor countries, there could be a wave of more defaults and political upheavals.

“In a lot of the world, the clock has hit midnight,” said Harvard economist Ken Rogoff. “ China has moved in and left this geopolitical instability that could have long-lasting effects.”

HOW IT’S PLAYING OUT

A case study of how it has played out is in Zambia, a landlocked country of 20 million people in southern Africa that over the past two decades has borrowed billions of dollars from Chinese state-owned banks to build dams, railways and roads.

The loans boosted Zambia’s economy but also raised foreign interest payments so high there was little left for the government, forcing it to cut spending on healthcare, social services and subsidies to farmers for seed and fertilizer.

In the past under such circumstances, big government lenders such as the U.S., Japan and France would work out deals to forgive some debt, with each lender disclosing clearly what they were owed and on what terms so no one would feel cheated.

But China didn’t play by those rules. It refused at first to even join in multinational talks, negotiating separately with Zambia and insisting on confidentiality that barred the country from telling non-Chinese lenders the terms of the loans and whether China had devised a way of muscling to the front of the repayment line.

Amid this confusion in 2020, a group of non-Chinese lenders refused desperate pleas from Zambia to suspend interest payments, even for a few months. That refusal added to the drain on Zambia’s foreign cash reserves, the stash of mostly U.S. dollars that it used to pay interest on loans and to buy major commodities like oil. By November 2020, with little reserves left, Zambia stopped paying the interest and defaulted, locking it out of future borrowing and setting off a vicious cycle of spending cuts and deepening poverty.

Inflation in Zambia has since soared 50%, unemployment has hit a 17-year high and the nation’s currency, the kwacha, has lost 30% of its value in just seven months. A United Nations estimate of Zambians not getting enough food has nearly tripled so far this year, to 3.5 million.

“I just sit in the house thinking what I will eat because I have no money to buy food,” said Marvis Kunda, a blind 70-year-old widow in Zambia’s Luapula province whose welfare payments were recently slashed. “Sometimes I eat once a day and if no one remembers to help me with food from the neighborhood, then I just starve.”

A few months after Zambia defaulted, researchers found that it owed $6.6 billion to Chinese state-owned banks, double what many thought at the time and about a third of the country’s total debt.

“We’re flying blind,” said Brad Parks, executive director of AidData, a research lab at the College of William & Mary that has uncovered thousands of secret Chinese loans and assisted the AP in its analysis. “When you look under the cushions of the couch, suddenly you realize, ‘Oh, there’s a lot of stuff we missed. And actually things are much worse.’”

DEBT AND UPHEAVAL

China’s unwillingness to take big losses on the hundreds of billions of dollars it is owed, as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank have urged, has left many countries on a treadmill of paying back interest, which stifles the economic growth that would help them pay off the debt.

Foreign cash reserves have dropped in 10 of the dozen countries in AP’s analysis, down an average 25% in just a year. They have plunged more than 50% in Pakistan and the Republic of Congo. Without a bailout, several countries have only months left of foreign cash to pay for food, fuel and other essential imports. Mongolia has eight months left. Pakistan and Ethiopia about two.

“As soon as the financing taps are turned off, the adjustment takes place right away,” said Patrick Curran, senior economist at researcher Tellimer. “The economy contracts, inflation spikes up, food and fuel become unaffordable.”

Mohammad Tahir, who was laid off six months ago from his job at a textile factory in the Pakistani city of Multan, says he has contemplated suicide because he can no longer bear to see his family of four go to bed night after night without dinner.

“I’ve been facing the worst kind of poverty,” said Tahir, who was recently told Pakistan’s foreign cash reserves have depleted so much that it was now unable to import raw materials for his factory. “I have no idea when we would get our jobs back.”

Poor countries have been hit with foreign currency shortages, high inflation, spikes in unemployment and widespread hunger before, but rarely like in the past year.

Along with the usual mix of government mismanagement and corruption are two unexpected and devastating events: the war in Ukraine, which has sent prices of grain and oil soaring, and the U.S. Federal Reserve’s decision to raise interest rates 10 times in a row, the latest this month. That has made variable rate loans to countries suddenly much more expensive.

All of it is roiling domestic politics and upending strategic alliances.

In March, heavily indebted Honduras cited “financial pressures” in its decision to establish formal diplomatic ties to China and sever those with Taiwan.

Last month, Pakistan was so desperate to prevent more blackouts that it struck a deal to buy discounted oil from Russia, breaking ranks with the U.S.-led effort to shut off Vladimir Putin’s funds.

In Sri Lanka, rioters poured into the streets last July, setting homes of government ministers aflame and storming the presidential palace, sending the leader tied to onerous deals with China fleeing the country.

CHINA’S RESPONSE

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement to the AP, disputed the notion that China is an unforgiving lender and echoed previous statements putting the blame on the Federal Reserve. It said that if it is to accede to IMF and World Bank demands to forgive a portion of its loans, so do those multilateral lenders, which it views as U.S. proxies.

“We call on these institutions to actively participate in relevant actions in accordance with the principle of ‘joint action, fair burden’ and make greater contributions to help developing countries tide over the difficulties,” the ministry statement said.

China argues it has offered relief in the form of extended loan maturities and emergency loans, and as the biggest contributor to a program to temporarily suspend interest payments during the coronavirus pandemic. It also says it has forgiven 23 no-interest loans to African countries, though AidData’s Parks said such loans are mostly from two decades ago and amount to less than 5% of the total it has lent.

In high-level talks in Washington last month, China was considering dropping its demand that the IMF and World Bank forgive loans if the two lenders would make commitments to offer grants and other help to troubled countries, according to various news reports. But in the weeks since there has been no announcement and both lenders have expressed frustration with Beijing.

“My view is that we have to drag them — maybe that’s an impolite word — we need to walk together,” IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said earlier this month. “Because if we don’t, there will be catastrophe for many, many countries.”

The IMF and World Bank say taking losses on their loans would rip up the traditional playbook of dealing with sovereign crises that accords them special treatment because, unlike Chinese banks, they already finance at low rates to help distressed countries get back on their feet. The Chinese foreign ministry noted, however, that the two multilateral lenders have made an exception to the rules in the past, forgiving loans to many countries in the mid-1990s to save them from collapse.

As time runs out, some officials are urging concessions.

Ashfaq Hassan, a former debt official at Pakistan’s Ministry of Finance, said his country’s debt burden is too heavy and time too short for the IMF and World Bank to hold out. He also called for concessions from private investment funds that lent to his country by purchasing bonds.

“Every stakeholder will have to take a haircut,” Hassan said.

China has also pushed back on the idea, popularized in the Trump administration, that it has engaged in “debt trap diplomacy,” leaving countries saddled with loans they cannot afford so that it can seize ports, mines and other strategic assets.

On this point, experts who have studied the issue in detail have sided with Beijing. Chinese lending has come from dozens of banks on the mainland and is far too haphazard and sloppy to be coordinated from the top. If anything, they say, Chinese banks are not taking losses because the timing is awful as they face big hits from reckless real estate lending in their own country and a dramatically slowing economy.

But the experts are quick to point out that a less sinister Chinese role is not a less scary one.

“There is no single person in charge,” said Teal Emery, a former sovereign loan analyst who now runs consulting group Teal Insights.

Adds AidData’s Parks about Beijing, “They’re kind of making it up as they go along. There is no master plan.”

LOAN SLEUTH

Much of the credit for dragging China’s hidden debt into the light goes to Parks, who over the past decade has had to contend with all manner of roadblocks, obfuscations and falsehoods from the authoritarian government.

The hunt began in 2011 when a top World Bank economist asked Parks to take over the job of looking into Chinese loans. Within months, using online data-mining techniques, Parks and a few researchers began uncovering hundreds of loans the World Bank had not known about.

China at the time was ramping up lending that would soon become part of its $1 trillion “Belt and Road Initiative” to secure supplies of key minerals, win allies abroad and make more money off its U.S. dollar holdings. Many developing countries were eager for U.S. dollars to build power plants, roads and ports and expand mining operations.

But after a few years of straightforward Chinese government loans, those countries found themselves heavily indebted, and the optics were awful. They feared that piling more loans atop old ones would make them seem reckless to credit rating agencies and make it more expensive to borrow in the future.

So China started setting up offshore shell companies for some infrastructure projects and lent to them instead, which allowed heavily indebted countries to avoid putting that new debt on their books. Even if the loans were backed by the government, no one would be the wiser.

In Zambia, for example, a $1.5 billion loan from two Chinese banks to a shell company to build a giant hydroelectric dam didn’t appear on the country’s books for years.

In Indonesia, a Chinese loan of $4 billion to help it build a railway also never appeared on public government accounts. That all changed years later when, overbudget by $1.5 billion, the Indonesian government was forced to bail out the railroad twice.

“When these projects go bad, what was advertised as a private debt becomes a public debt,” Parks said. “There are projects all over the globe like this.”

In 2021, a decade after Parks and his team began their hunt, they had gathered enough information for a blockbuster finding: China’s hidden loans amounted to at least $385 billion in 88 countries, and many of those countries were in far worse shape than anyone knew.

Among the disclosures was that Laos was on the hook for a $3.5 billion Chinese loan to build a railway system, which would take nearly a quarter of country’s annual output to pay off.

Another AidData report around the same time suggested that many Chinese loans go to projects in areas of countries favored by powerful politicians and frequently right before key elections. Some of the things built made little economic sense and were riddled with problems.

In Sri Lanka, a Chinese-funded airport built in the president’s hometown away from most of the country’s population is so barely used that elephants have been spotted wandering on its tarmac.

Cracks are appearing in hydroelectric plants in Uganda and Ecuador, where in March the government got judicial approval for corruption charges tied to the project against a former president now in exile.

In Pakistan, a power plant had to be shut down for fear it could collapse. In Kenya, the last key miles of a railway were never built due to poor planning and a lack of funds.

JUMPING TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE

As Parks dug into the details of the loans, he found something alarming: Clauses mandating that borrowing countries deposit U.S. dollars or other foreign currency in secret escrow accounts that Beijing could raid if those countries stopped paying interest on their loans.

In effect, China had jumped to the front of the line to get paid without other lenders knowing.

In Uganda, Parks revealed a loan to expand the main airport included an escrow account that could hold more than $15 million. A legislative probe blasted the finance minister for agreeing to such terms, with the lead investigator saying he should be prosecuted and jailed..." Article continues...

So, when any of these countries speak out in favor of China, we know It's because they have no choice. The Chinese government is truly evil to do this to other countries that couldn't possibly be competition for them. Displays of heartlessness such as this are so unfathomable.

[drdanojowa]

Ruto's fertilizer subsidies are only meant to benefit Ruto & Rigathi Co LTD shareholders of Central Rift and a little of Mount Kenya...truth be told. Worst, main beneficiaries are businessmen given tenders. Ruto should stop PR with food security... people are hungry, NO RAINS.

[newstfionline]

Friday, May 7, 2021

60 years since 1st American in space: Tourists lining up (AP) Sixty years after Alan Shepard became the first American in space, everyday people are on the verge of following in his cosmic footsteps. Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin used Wednesday’s anniversary to kick off an auction for a seat on the company’s first crew spaceflight—a short Shepard-like hop launched by a rocket named New Shepard. The Texas liftoff is targeted for July 20, the date of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic aims to kick off tourist flights next year. And Elon Musk’s SpaceX will launch a billionaire and his sweepstakes winners in September. That will be followed by a flight by three businessmen to the International Space Station in January.

The U.S. birthrate is falling; other countries have faced the same problem (Washington Post) With the U.S. birthrate declining for the sixth year in a row and undergoing its largest drop in nearly 50 years, according to provisional data released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States is facing a dilemma with which many wealthy nations in Europe and Asia have long grappled. Instead of trying to ramp up immigration, some governments have tried subsidizing fertility treatments, offering free day care and generous parental leave, and paying thousands of dollars in cash grants to parents. But there’s little evidence that these policies have been effective on a large scale. South Korea, for instance, spent roughly $120 billion between 2005 and 2018 to incentivize having children, but its birthrate continued to fall. Singapore began offering new child-care subsidies, more-generous maternity leave policies and grants for new parents that today amount to $7,330 per baby. But those interventions didn’t reverse the trend: Singapore currently has the world’s third-lowest fertility rate. And Japan, Russia, Estonia and other nations have similar problems.

Protest road blockades halt Colombian coffee exports, federation says (Reuters) Road blockades connected to anti-government protests in Colombia, which marked their eighth day on Wednesday, have halted shipments of top agricultural export coffee, the head of the grower’s federation said. The protests, originally called in opposition to a now-canceled tax reform plan, are now demanding the government take action to tackle poverty, police violence and inequalities in the health and education systems. Twenty-four people, mostly demonstrators, have died. “We are stopped completely, exports are stopped, there is no movement of coffee to ports nor internally,” federation head Roberto Velez said in a phone interview.

20 dead in Rio de Janeiro shootout (Reuters) At least 20 people, including a police officer, died on Thursday in a shootout during a police operation against drug traffickers in Rio de Janeiro’s Jacarezinho shanty town, O Globo newspaper reported on its website. Two passengers on a metro train were also wounded in the shooting in the northern Rio neighborhood, the newspaper said.

Gunboats and blockade threats as U.K., France clash over fishing (NBC News) The U.K. and France were engaged in a naval standoff on Thursday as a long-simmering dispute over post-Brexit fishing rights escalated in the English Channel. France deployed two maritime patrol boats to the waters off the British Channel island of Jersey, its navy said, after the British Navy dispatched two of its own vessels to the area late Wednesday. The dueling moves came as a flotilla of French fishing trawlers sailed to the Jersey port of St. Helier to protest over fishing rights. The French government has suggested it could cut power supplies to the island if its fishermen are not granted full access to U.K. fishing waters under post-Brexit trading terms. Clément Beaune, the French secretary of state for European affairs, told AFP on Thursday that Paris will “not be intimidated” by the British. On the other side of the Channel, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson pledged his "unwavering support" for the island after he spoke with Jersey officials about the prospect of a French blockade. Jersey, the largest of the Channel Islands with a population of 108,000, is geographically closer to France than Britain. It sits just 14 miles off the French coast and receives most of its electricity from France via undersea cables.

Ukraine wants aid, NATO support from Blinken’s visit (AP) U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with his Ukrainian counterpart in Kyiv Thursday, telling him that he was there to “reaffirm strongly” Washington’s commitment to Ukraine’s “sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence.” Blinken also assured Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba that the U.S. was committed “to work with you and continue to strengthen your own democracy, building institutions, advancing your reforms against corruption.” By visiting so early in his tenure, before any trip to Russia, Blinken is signaling that Ukraine is a high foreign-policy priority for President Joe Biden’s administration. But what he can, or will, deliver in the meeting later with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is unclear.

India hits another grim record as it scrambles for oxygen supply (AP) Infections in India hit another grim daily record on Thursday as demand for medical oxygen jumped seven-fold and the government denied reports that it was slow in distributing life-saving supplies from abroad. The number of new confirmed cases breached 400,000 for the second time since the devastating surge began last month. The 412,262 cases pushed India’s tally to more than 21 million. The Health Ministry also reported 3,980 deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 230,168. Experts believe both figures are an undercount. Eleven COVID-19 patients died as the pressure in the oxygen line dropped suddenly in a government medical college hospital in Chengalpet town in southern India on Wednesday night, possibly because of a faulty valve, The Times of India newspaper reported. Hospital authorities said they had repaired the pipeline last week, but the consumption of oxygen doubled since then, the daily said.

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid gains chance to form government, oust Netanyahu (Washington Post) Yair Lapid, a former news anchor and leader of Israel’s centrist opposition, was picked to negotiate a new governing coalition Wednesday, opening the possibility of Israel getting its first government not led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in more than a decade. President Reuven Rivlin tapped Lapid to make the next attempt to form a government one day after Netanyahu failed to assemble a parliamentary majority after 28 days of effort. Under Israel’s system, Lapid also has four weeks to craft a power-sharing plan. If he falls short, the president could open to the process to any member of the Knesset or call for Israel’s fifth election since the spring of 2019. Lapid will face a stiff challenge in trying to find common ground among the range of anti-Netanyahu parties elected in March. As a bloc, they would control enough seats to secure a majority. But ideologically, they range from the far right to the far left of Israel’s political spectrum. They also include Israeli Arab parties that traditionally play no part in supporting governing coalitions but that may be needed this time.

Instagram fuels rise in black-market sales of maids into Persian Gulf servitude (Washington Post) The advent of Instagram in recent years has helped create an international black market for migrant workers, in particular women recruited in Africa and Asia who are sold into servitude as maids in Persian Gulf countries. Unlicensed agents have exploited the social media platform to place these women into jobs that often lack documentation or assurances of proper pay and working conditions. Several women who were marketed via Instagram described being treated essentially as captives and forced to work grueling hours for far less money than they had been promised. “They advertise us on social media, then the employer picks. Then we are delivered to their house. We are not told anything about the employers. You’re just told to take your stuff, and a driver takes you there,” said Vivian, 24, from Kenya. Domestic servants sold on the platform described encountering threats, exploitation and abuse. The agencies which marketed them, meanwhile, made thousands of dollars. In response to a request for comment last month, an Instagram spokesperson asked for the list of accounts identified by The Post so company officials could investigate. Instagram has since deleted these accounts.

Nonuplets: Woman From Mali Gives Birth To 9 Babies (NPR) A Malian woman has given birth to nine babies, in what could become a world record. Halima Cissé had been expecting to have seven newborns: ultrasound sessions had failed to spot two of her babies. "The newborns (five girls and four boys) and the mother are all doing well," Mali's health minister, Dr. Fanta Siby, said in an announcement about the births. Professor Youssef Alaoui, medical director of the private Ain Borja clinic in Casablanca where Cissé gave birth, said the babies were born at 30 weeks. The newborns weighed between 500 grams and 1 kilogram (about 1.1 to 2.2 pounds), he told journalists. The clinic has deployed a team of around 30 staff members to aid the mother's delivery and care for her nine children.

Nigeria reels from nationwide wave of deadly violence (The Guardian) Nigeria’s president Muhammadu Buhari has come under mounting pressure from critics and allies alike as the country reels from multiple security crises that have claimed hundreds of lives in recent weeks. An alarming wave of violence has left millions in Africa’s most populous country in uproar at the collapse in security. Attacks by jihadist groups in the north-east have been compounded by a sharp rise in abductions targeting civilians in schools and at interstate links across Nigeria. Mass killings by bandit groups in rural towns, a reported rise in armed robberies in urban areas and increasingly daring attacks on security forces by pro-Biafran militants in the south-east have also all risen. In April alone, almost 600 civilians were killed across the country and at least 406 abducted by armed groups, according to analysis by the Council on Foreign Relations. The violence has left much of the country on edge and Buhari facing the fiercest criticism since he took office.

[mediaronity]

Kenya: Ministry of Agriculture Announces New Subsidized Fertilizer Prices

Kenya: Ministry of Agriculture Announces New Subsidized Fertilizer Prices

Nairobi — The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Co-operatives has announced new subsidized fertilizer prices after the government availed a Sh3.5billion fertilizer subsidy. This follows a directive by President William Ruto for the ministry to avail 1.4million bags of fertilizer to farmers at a subsidized price of a maximum of Sh3,500 per 50Kg bag from the current price of…

[statzy]

India's Contribution to the 6.5% increase in Global CAGR for Powered Agricultural Equipment Market

India is an active exporter of agri-machinery to 147 countries like the US, UK, Germany and Italy. The global demand is expected to hit 279.5 Billion USD by 2025, increasing from 2018 to 2025 at a CAGR of 6.5%.

Market Analysis:

The top 5 countries that India exports the highest dollar value of agri-machinery are the USA (11.06 Million USD), Germany (4.95 Million USD), Nepal (2.77 Million USD), Hungary (1.72 Million USD), Kenya (1.42 Million USD). Each with a share percentage of 27.04, 12.1, 6.77, 4.21, and 3.74 respectively. The total export value of agri-machinery in these countries is 21.92 Million USD. These top 5 countries account for over 53.59% of the total agri-machinery export from India. 

The USA is the largest market for Agricultural Machinery export from India. In 2020-2021 (Apr-Nov), the USA imported 11.06 USD million worth of Agricultural Machinery from India. Among the top countries, the USA market share of the total Agricultural Machinery export shipments from India is 27.04%. The next spot is Germany, with the Agricultural Machinery shipment value being 4.95 USD Million. A share of 66.28% of the Agricultural Machinery export value from India is held by the top 10 countries in total. 

Considering the top trading partners which import Agricultural Machinery from India, Mauritius recorded the fastest growth in their import shipments from India compared to previous years. Uzbekistan is at the last with the least amount of imports from India.

Market Segmentation: 

The Global and Local Agri-machinery market can be segmented by using various criteria: 

Type of Machinery: Tractors, Fertilizing, Plant Protection Equipment, Harvesting Equipment, Irrigation Equipment, Hay and Forage Equipment, Crop processing Equipment, Seeding Equipment, Grain Handling Equipment, Cutters, Shredders and Sprayers.

Application Type: Agri Equipment, Construction Equipment, Chemical Applications, Financing Equipment, Material Handling Equipment, Snow Removal Equipment, Property Maintenance Equipment.

Agricultural Phase Type: Land Development, Sowing, Planting, Cultivation, Harvesting, and Threshing.

The coronavirus/pandemic has largely impacted the purchase behaviour of customers globally. Even after surviving the pandemic, India seems to be doing much better than last year in terms of its contribution to the powered agricultural equipment market. In recent years, agricultural mechanisation has been progressing steadily. A steady curiosity and understanding are being developed in the farmers subject to the application of Mechanical pieces of equipment to power their farming activities. Some of the major factors that have driven the market for the past many years are:  

Labour Shortage

Ease of Financing. 

Government Incentives. 

Rising Incomes. 

Large Untapped Market. 

The emergence of Contract Farming. 

Labour Shortage: This is one of the major reasons that has led to the mechanisation of agri-machinery. A ripple effect is a cause for labour shortage even in countries that are rich in labour like India. The large scale migration from rural to urban areas that promote different rural employment schemes creates a huge labour shortage in rural localities that are rich in agriculture. Many such schemes restrict migrant labourers from Bihar, UP and others into Punjab and Haryana during the crucial sowing and transplantation season. Thus due to the shortage of labourers, a sharp increase in the demand for farm machines is seen.

 Ease of Financing: A large number of banks and microfinance institutions have been set up all across rural India for the support of the Agri industry. This has provided many farmers with easy availability of credit to purchase farm machinery.

Government Incentives: Government actively works towards providing Incentives in the form of subsidies, low import duties on agricultural machinery and easy financing schemes. Thus the Indian government has also been a major driver of the farm equipment market in India. Some of the subsidies in favour of farmers owning machinery are Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM), and NABARD loans in India. 

Rising incomes: Due to strong economic growth and agricultural productivity, the income levels of rural households have been continuously increasing over the last few years. This is one of the many reasons that enabled farmers to significantly increase their spending on agriculture mechanization.

Large Untapped Market: Despite strong growth in recent years, the penetration of tractors and several related types of equipment remains relatively low. This indicates a major loophole in the market that can be captured with continuous innovation and cost-cutting machinery.

The emergence of Contract Farming: Contract Farming is expected to strongly boost the agri-equipment market. It enables farmers to get the benefits of technology, training and financing. It is studied that the revenue earned from contract farming is 11 per cent higher than average non-contract farming. 

Recent News: 

There is a scope for improvement in terms of product innovation and availability of retail finance for small farm machinery. If made available, the mechanisation of the farms is predicted to increase rapidly. This will help reduce the cost by 20 per cent and improve productivity by 30 per cent. With plans to double Farm Mechanisation within ten years, the government must work on supporting small utility machines that are to be used by smallholder farmers. The powered machinery market in the agricultural industry lacks new and modern innovations. To counter this, VST, the largest maker of power tillers, launched and claimed that 95 DI Ignito is India’s first 9HP electric start power tiller. It is partnered with the launch of a range of fuel-efficient brush cutters to meet the needs of small and marginal farmers.

Conclusion: 

The powered agricultural machinery market in India is evolving rapidly. The industry has always focused on innovation and flexibility to support smallholder farmers that are major risk-takers. India is also coming up with solutions to boost exports that are at the highest in recent years. To boost export it must focus on building better trade relationships with other countries besides those that are being targeted by major competitors of such as Germany ($1.03B), the Netherlands ($989M), the United States ($713M), China ($659M), and Italy ($625M). 

Questions: 

How does India manage such a high volume of exports of agri-machinery to so many countries?

India exports agri-machinery to nearly 147 Countries. The USA is India’s largest Importer and Uzbekistan is the least. There are about 35 top exporting ports in India that trade Agricultural Machinery from India. Nhava Sheva Sea exports the majority of Agricultural Machinery shipments from India with a share of 52.0%, followed by Bombay Air Cargo with 13.0%.

What are the major exporting ports in India that deal in agri-machinery? 

There are about 35 top exporting ports in India that trade Agricultural Machinery from India, Nhava Sheva Sea exports the majority of Agricultural Machinery shipments from India with the share of 52.0%, followed by Bombay Air Cargo with 13.0%.

Which is the top importing port for agri-machinery from India?

Felixstowe port, UK solely imports 3167 shipments of Agricultural Machinery from India and holds the largest share of 32.0%.

What is the objective of providing subsidies for farmers to own their agri-machinery? 

To adapt to newer and faster machines.

Further, to facilitate machine purchasing.

Helping to decrease the cost of cultivation.

Additionally, to ensure the timeliness of cultivation timing.

Most importantly, to improve the livelihood of the farmers.

What are the different types of agri-machinery covered through various government incentives offered? 

The list includes some of the machinery namely, 

Tractor

Rotavator

Laser Land Leveller

Post Hole Digger

Straw Baler

Hey Taker

Rotary Slasher

Pneumatic Planter

Paddy Trans-planter

DSR machine

[farmerstrend]

Thyme Farming in Kenya: The Current State of Thyme Farming in Kenya

Thyme farming in Kenya has been steadily gaining traction, driven by the rising demand for this versatile herb both locally and internationally. The Kenyan climate, particularly in regions such as the Rift Valley, Central Kenya, and parts of the Eastern region, provides an ideal environment for thyme cultivation. With an altitude ranging between 1,200 to 2,200 meters above sea level and…

[abujaihs-blog]

'Bamboo Industry Can Earn Nigeria $22bn Annually’

Bamboo Industry has been identified as a major foreign exchange earner for Nigeria which is itching to diversify its sources of revenue especially from monolithic oil economy to agriculture which was the country’s economic mainstay in the ‘60s.   Due to its wide range of uses Bamboo is considered an excellent source of wealth and prosperity both from domestic and export market and proper harnessing of the industry can earn Nigeria USD22b, from studies conducted by experts.   Confirming this aggregated industry wide study, Abdulkadir Hassan, a development consultant with interest in green economy and renewable energy, said in the past it was called the poor man’s timber but through research and innovation this perception has changed as it has contributed a lot to the global economy.   In an interview with LEADERSHIP, Hassan said today China alone makes about USD50b from bamboo and bamboo products and produces bamboo products for both domestic and export markets. “The market in China has been stimulated over time especially in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, as its farming was encouraged through policies and incentives.   It was used in the afforestation and reforestation of degraded land and incentives in the form of government patronage and subsidies were offered to the farmers. Subsequently after 1998 due to devastating flood, logging was banned and the industry had to use bamboo and related alternatives. This was how the market was developed to the extent that China is now making much from the green gold”, he explained. The demand in India is about 30 million metric tons per annum and is expected to grow significantly especially with the setting up of National Bamboo Mission, which led to establishment of Cane and Bamboo Technology Centre to develop bamboo value chain for improved livelihood and this is similar to technology park or incubation facility, said Hassan who is also a consultant/adviser on research and strategy to the Coalition of the Northern States Chambers of Commerce, an umbrella platform of the chambers of commerce in the 19 northern states and Abuja. According to him, its economic impacts are many. In the housing sector for example apart from providing sustainable and affordable housing, it creates chain effects across all economic sectors. Kenya is taking advantage of this as it planned to construct 500,000 housing units using bamboo and other related agricultural waste materials by 2030, in line with the country’s Big Four Agenda aimed at making Kenya an upper-middle income nation. Considering the fact that over 200 million Africans live in substandard shelter with no access to basic services, bamboo can be used as an option to minimise this challenge. Kenya has also established Bamboo Policy 2019 so as to optimize economic impacts from bamboo.

He said that Bamboo offers an excellent medium for empowerment and inclusive growth and development and is capable of creating jobs, wealth creation opportunities and supporting enterprise development.   He said: “There are about 10 million bamboo farmers in China and over 35 million jobs. Rwanda has recently keyed into bamboo empowerment programme through china Aid Bamboo Project; the project has engaged about 2400 women who are being trained to use bamboo to produce a number of products include household items, kitchen utensils, decorations, bags and so on.’’ Unfortunately, he observed that despite its inherent economic value, Bamboo industry in Nigeria remains undeveloped and untapped due to low level of awareness. “However, as more Nigerians get to know about this important plant, the industry would grow rapidly, taking into accounts its socio-economic and environmental benefits. Because of its importance it is being given special names in places where there is adequate awareness, such names include ‘green gold’, ‘green resource and miracle plant amongst others,” he said. Bamboo is a tropical and temperate plant and also grows in cold areas and belongs to grass family and is one of the fastest growing plants in the world.   There are over 1400 species of bamboo globally, this makes it possible to determine what species to planted in any place. In fact some species are capable of growing up to 90 centimeters in a day. Bamboo can be harvested between 3 – 5 years; thereafter it continued to regenerate for about 70 years. This implies one would continue to harvest for a long period, what an attractive investment. Hassan said the plant is mostly found in the forest areas but it can grow in almost all parts of the country, with the largest reserves include Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Delta, Rivers, Cross Rivers and Ebonyi amongst others in the South.   Other large reserves are found in Niger, Kogi, Taraba, Federal Capital Territory, Benue and Nasarawa. It also occurs in Kebbi, Kaduna, Adamawa, Bauchi, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara and Borno amongst others. The ones in the south are thicker and shorter and those found in the north are slimmer and longer and this implied that it can be planted in all parts of the country, as with good practice appropriate species suitable different parts could be used, he added. He said that there are over 10,000 documented products that can be derived from bamboo, as Nigerians get understand this, the industry would be stimulated, but due to low level of awareness the farming practice is yet to be popular, as most of the reserves occur in the wildness.   “So the value chain is yet to be optimized, as the present level of value addition is micro-fraction compared to what is obtainable in Asia, Latin America and even Europe”, he said. LEADERSHIP reports that Bamboo has a wide range of applications across sectors. In the past the uses were considered traditional but with the increasing level of awareness it has made inroad into knowledge based system through research and innovation.   The uses cut across all the basic needs of life; shelter, food and clothing and due to its diverse uses, globally over 2.5 billion persons benefit from bamboo value chain both direct and indirect impacts, according to Hassan. “It serves as sustainable and alternative raw material for many industries. For example in Bangladesh alone it is used as input for over 45,000 SMEs as well as a number of big players across industries.   It played role in many key inventions; for instance it was used in the development of the first set of air planes, used in the invention first light bulb by Thomas Edison as well as other scientific research activities”, he stated. Also, Bamboo offers more cost effective and eco-friendly building materials thereby addressing the issue of sustainability, he disclosed adding that “Over 1b persons are said to be living in bamboo shelter in the world, mostly in Asia. READ ALSO: OVER TAXATION, OTHERS RAVAGE NATION'S HOUSING SECTOR - EXPERTS The housing sector is responsible for about one third of global greenhouse gas emissions and consumes 40 per cent of global resources. Using bamboo in building and construction would eventually minimize this major challenge, in addition to making access to housing more affordable. Already innovative architectural designs and concept are fast emerging on the use of bamboo to develop basic and complex buildings, mass housing and industrial projects. Such innovative initiatives would help attaining SDGs, Habitat III New Urban Agenda and Paris Agreement 2015.” In agriculture it is used in fencing, support stands, agro-forestry, soil quality enhancement, production of bio-fertilizer, drying, packaging and so on.

It is also used in the fabrication of agricultural implements and equipment. Even the farming practice of bamboo is also very attractive. With the development of its value chain more farmers would key into its business. Also there exist opportunities in establishing nurseries; in some places even with less than a hectare one can make tens of thousands of dollars from the sale of seedlings. Hassan further said that in some countries the seedling cost as much as USD30 per pot while in Nigeria it goes for about N300-500, adding, “For example one quarter of an acre can be used to produce 2400 containers, at USD30 each one can earn USD72,000 and in Nigeria at N300 per container that gives N720,000.00. Another example of innovation is in the making of greenhouse, conventional greenhouse costs about N3 – N5m on average but the alternative one made from bamboo requires about 15-20 per cent of that amount. By CHIKA IZUORA Read the full article

[pcafrica-blog]

Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, on Saturday said that Africa is confident of the future because of energy and talented youth population in the continent. According to him, Africa is undeterred by the failures it experienced in the past Osinbajo spoke at the G7 Summit special outreach forum on Africa with selected African nations and leaders including Nigeria, Guinea, Tunisia, Niger, Ethiopia and Kenya. In a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on media and publicity, Laolu Akande, Osinbajo said “Africa is confident of the future because we have learnt,…we are investing more in education, insisting on good governance and holding ourselves to account.” “But the greatest reason for our optimism is in the incredible energy, talent and creativity of our young people, male and female who are completely undeterred by the failures of the past and are daily taking advantage of innovation and technology bringing about the Africa of our dreams,” the Acting President stated. Assuring the G7 countries of Africa’s increasing collaboration as never before in trade, counter terrorism and strengthening democracy, Osinbajo commended the seven most industrialized nations of the world for their support in the fight against Boko Haram terrorism, especially the US, France and the United Kingdom as effective partners in the Lake Chad basin. He attributed recent successes to the joint intelligent unit which has provided useful and timely intelligence in the war against terrorism. On the progress made so far in the country, Prof Osinbajo said that there is massive increase in rice yield over the past two years, distribution of fertilizer subsidies to farmers, who have also benefited from an e-wallet system which guaranteed that the subsidies actually gets to the farmers. He said that the N-Power programme which has started engaging some of the up to five hundred thousand young previously unemployed graduates instalmentally as teachers, agricultural extension workers and public health professionals “is a breakthrough in mass post-tertiary education.” (at Lagos, Nigeria)

[abujaihs-blog]

'Bamboo Industry Can Earn Nigeria $22bn Annually’

Bamboo Industry has been identified as a major foreign exchange earner for Nigeria which is itching to diversify its sources of revenue especially from monolithic oil economy to agriculture which was the country’s economic mainstay in the ‘60s.   Due to its wide range of uses Bamboo is considered an excellent source of wealth and prosperity both from domestic and export market and proper harnessing of the industry can earn Nigeria USD22b, from studies conducted by experts.   Confirming this aggregated industry wide study, Abdulkadir Hassan, a development consultant with interest in green economy and renewable energy, said in the past it was called the poor man’s timber but through research and innovation this perception has changed as it has contributed a lot to the global economy.   In an interview with LEADERSHIP, Hassan said today China alone makes about USD50b from bamboo and bamboo products and produces bamboo products for both domestic and export markets. “The market in China has been stimulated over time especially in the 1970s, 80s and 90s, as its farming was encouraged through policies and incentives.   It was used in the afforestation and reforestation of degraded land and incentives in the form of government patronage and subsidies were offered to the farmers. Subsequently after 1998 due to devastating flood, logging was banned and the industry had to use bamboo and related alternatives. This was how the market was developed to the extent that China is now making much from the green gold”, he explained. The demand in India is about 30 million metric tons per annum and is expected to grow significantly especially with the setting up of National Bamboo Mission, which led to establishment of Cane and Bamboo Technology Centre to develop bamboo value chain for improved livelihood and this is similar to technology park or incubation facility, said Hassan who is also a consultant/adviser on research and strategy to the Coalition of the Northern States Chambers of Commerce, an umbrella platform of the chambers of commerce in the 19 northern states and Abuja. According to him, its economic impacts are many. In the housing sector for example apart from providing sustainable and affordable housing, it creates chain effects across all economic sectors. Kenya is taking advantage of this as it planned to construct 500,000 housing units using bamboo and other related agricultural waste materials by 2030, in line with the country’s Big Four Agenda aimed at making Kenya an upper-middle income nation. Considering the fact that over 200 million Africans live in substandard shelter with no access to basic services, bamboo can be used as an option to minimise this challenge. Kenya has also established Bamboo Policy 2019 so as to optimize economic impacts from bamboo.

He said that Bamboo offers an excellent medium for empowerment and inclusive growth and development and is capable of creating jobs, wealth creation opportunities and supporting enterprise development.   He said: “There are about 10 million bamboo farmers in China and over 35 million jobs. Rwanda has recently keyed into bamboo empowerment programme through china Aid Bamboo Project; the project has engaged about 2400 women who are being trained to use bamboo to produce a number of products include household items, kitchen utensils, decorations, bags and so on.’’ Unfortunately, he observed that despite its inherent economic value, Bamboo industry in Nigeria remains undeveloped and untapped due to low level of awareness. “However, as more Nigerians get to know about this important plant, the industry would grow rapidly, taking into accounts its socio-economic and environmental benefits. Because of its importance it is being given special names in places where there is adequate awareness, such names include ‘green gold’, ‘green resource and miracle plant amongst others,” he said. Bamboo is a tropical and temperate plant and also grows in cold areas and belongs to grass family and is one of the fastest growing plants in the world.   There are over 1400 species of bamboo globally, this makes it possible to determine what species to planted in any place. In fact some species are capable of growing up to 90 centimeters in a day. Bamboo can be harvested between 3 – 5 years; thereafter it continued to regenerate for about 70 years. This implies one would continue to harvest for a long period, what an attractive investment. Hassan said the plant is mostly found in the forest areas but it can grow in almost all parts of the country, with the largest reserves include Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Delta, Rivers, Cross Rivers and Ebonyi amongst others in the South.   Other large reserves are found in Niger, Kogi, Taraba, Federal Capital Territory, Benue and Nasarawa. It also occurs in Kebbi, Kaduna, Adamawa, Bauchi, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara and Borno amongst others. The ones in the south are thicker and shorter and those found in the north are slimmer and longer and this implied that it can be planted in all parts of the country, as with good practice appropriate species suitable different parts could be used, he added. He said that there are over 10,000 documented products that can be derived from bamboo, as Nigerians get understand this, the industry would be stimulated, but due to low level of awareness the farming practice is yet to be popular, as most of the reserves occur in the wildness.   “So the value chain is yet to be optimized, as the present level of value addition is micro-fraction compared to what is obtainable in Asia, Latin America and even Europe”, he said. LEADERSHIP reports that Bamboo has a wide range of applications across sectors. In the past the uses were considered traditional but with the increasing level of awareness it has made inroad into knowledge based system through research and innovation.   The uses cut across all the basic needs of life; shelter, food and clothing and due to its diverse uses, globally over 2.5 billion persons benefit from bamboo value chain both direct and indirect impacts, according to Hassan. “It serves as sustainable and alternative raw material for many industries. For example in Bangladesh alone it is used as input for over 45,000 SMEs as well as a number of big players across industries.   It played role in many key inventions; for instance it was used in the development of the first set of air planes, used in the invention first light bulb by Thomas Edison as well as other scientific research activities”, he stated. Also, Bamboo offers more cost effective and eco-friendly building materials thereby addressing the issue of sustainability, he disclosed adding that “Over 1b persons are said to be living in bamboo shelter in the world, mostly in Asia.   The housing sector is responsible for about one third of global greenhouse gas emissions and consumes 40 per cent of global resources. Using bamboo in building and construction would eventually minimize this major challenge, in addition to making access to housing more affordable. Already innovative architectural designs and concept are fast emerging on the use of bamboo to develop basic and complex buildings, mass housing and industrial projects. Such innovative initiatives would help attaining SDGs, Habitat III New Urban Agenda and Paris Agreement 2015.” In agriculture it is used in fencing, support stands, agro-forestry, soil quality enhancement, production of bio-fertilizer, drying, packaging and so on.

It is also used in the fabrication of agricultural implements and equipment. Even the farming practice of bamboo is also very attractive. With the development of its value chain more farmers would key into its business. Also there exist opportunities in establishing nurseries; in some places even with less than a hectare one can make tens of thousands of dollars from the sale of seedlings. Hassan further said that in some countries the seedling cost as much as USD30 per pot while in Nigeria it goes for about N300-500, adding, “For example one quarter of an acre can be used to produce 2400 containers, at USD30 each one can earn USD72,000 and in Nigeria at N300 per container that gives N720,000.00. Another example of innovation is in the making of greenhouse, conventional greenhouse costs about N3 – N5m on average but the alternative one made from bamboo requires about 15-20 per cent of that amount. By CHIKA IZUORA Read the full article