New Holland has just revealed its methane powered concept tractor, taking a step to provide a self-sufficient fuel and lower carbon emission future for farmers. In practice, this means farmers with all the necessary resources won’t have to rely on fossil fuels to power their machinery, but can be energy independent, utilizing natural gas from […]
In these articles we look at the importance of keeping records as part of farm management, no matter how small or large your farming business may be. In the previous article we look at the filing system of Production and Marketing. In this article we look at Management and touch on Financial and General. A […]
Proactive machine maintenance works better than dealing with breakdowns. Farm machinery and equipment is expensive so it’s worth looking around for decent second hand implements. Many second-hand tractors and pickup vehicles (bakkies) have given their owners years of reliable service. If you have a weakness for new machines and tools, which some farmers do have, […]
A commercial venture into irrigated sugarcane on a 2 500ha parcel of land on the banks of the Luapula River, has taken shape in an astonishingly short time. The bush that covered this land has made way for fields of sugarcane, a year off harvesting, in three years. The Great North Road makes its way […]
Mr. Alexander and mrs. Agatha Tendai Matuka may have started out as small-scale farmers in Zambia’s Central Province some years back, but their joint passion for agriculture, keen business sense and ambition to excel has propelled them into commercial status in a short time. At their current rate of expansion and progress this husband-and-wife team […]
By Dr. Dede Amanor-Wilks, African Center for Economic Transformation. Over Christmas, I took the opportunity to visit Asare Odometa Plantations, a farming enterprise in the Asesewa area of the Manya Krobo District in Ghana’s Eastern Region that could be a model for the government’s One District One Factory election promise. The programme is slated for implementation […]
By Dr. Dede Amanor-Wilks, African Center for Economic Transformation. Over Christmas, I took the opportunity to visit Asare Odometa Plantations, a farming enterprise in the Asesewa area of the Manya Krobo District in Ghana’s Eastern Region that could be a model for the government’s One District One Factory election promise. The programme is slated for implementation […]
At least seven African countries had approached Senekal Farming (South Africa) with various offers to start sugar projects but it was Zambia that won the hearts and minds of this mega-farming sugar operation, said Dreyer Senekal speaking at the Zambia Seminar hosted by Agri All Africa in Centurion, South Africa. Senekal (jnr), son of mega-farmer […]
When the rainy season arrives, it’s crucial that crop farmers have clear planting plans, know the size of the lands to be planted and how to implement their programmes. You can only plant as many hectares you can afford to, so available finances play a critical role. With proper planning a farmer can manage the […]
During a recent meeting between the Zambian National Farmers’ Union (ZNFU) and the ministers of finance and agriculture, the union brought several worrying factors affecting growth in the agricultural sector, to the attention of the ministers. “The ZNFU pointed out that the high cost of doing business because of the high tax burden and cumbersome […]
