Author: agricagric-co
For many farmers who migrated to the country’s Eastern Highlands, hopes for a better life are turning into a nightmare amid tropical storms and cyclones. A decade ago, Lloyd Gweshengwe migrated to Zimbabwe’s Eastern Highlands, lured by the region’s abundant rainfall, fertile soils and good grazing land for his livestock. In the low-lying, parched areas of Gutaurare area in Manicaland province, where Gweshengwe used to live, rain-fed agriculture was longer sustainable. Recurring droughts would frequently wiped out crops, while clean water sources would dry up. At first, Gweshengwe was happy with his new life in the Eastern Highlands, where a…
Climate change will force tens of millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa to migrate by 2050. In Zimbabwe, it’s already started. Julius Mutero has harvested virtually nothing in the past six years. For his entire adult life, he has farmed a three-hectare plot in Mabiya, a farming community in eastern Zimbabwe. There he grows maize and groundnuts to feed himself, his wife, and their three children. He sells whatever’s left for cash. But over a decade ago, his area started getting less rain and the rivers dried up. What was already a hot climate, with temperatures that could reach 30…
The small-scale pig production in Zimbabwe is on the rise. The country that used to be the breadbasket of Africa might be on a comeback journey. Through financial support from the European Union amounting to € 40 million, the Zimbabwe Agricultural Growth Programme (ZAGP) was established in June 2019. ZAGP is addressing the challenges affecting pig production, with the goal of turning pig farming into a vibrant sector that contributes significantly to the country’s economy.31 Piglets born alive/year According to the agricultural magazine Farmers, the Tarara farm in Zimbabwe (one of the beneficiaries of the ZAGP) situated in Mashonaland East…
Goat farming has numerous perks and disadvantages. The main advantages of goat farming are the high market demand and the availability of a wide variety of goat breeds. If you are a beginner interested in starting a goat farming business, you should be aware of the following advantages and disadvantages. Goats are magnificent creatures that have been raised in India since a long time. Goats are being raised commercially in almost every corner of the world. In addition, commercial goat farming is slowly becoming popular all over the world. As the world’s population grows, so does the demand for food.…
t is true that all around the world the farming population is aging. I recently read that the average age of a farmer in Zimbabwe is 60 years and in the United States it is 55. In a world where food insecurity levels are steadily increasing, this statistic should be cause for concern. We need to be asking questions beyond current debates about land ownership or access to land like: Where are the young farmers? Our country faces challenges with growing population, rapid urbanization and climate change – who is being educated to become future farmers? Who will take care…
These chickens don’t always have the freedom you imagine free-range chickens have on the farmThe term “free range” refers to food from animals that have access to outdoor spaces. It can also refer to animals who have free access to graze or forage for food. However, although the term “free range” brings to mind wide open spaces with animals living in nature, eating natural foods, and soaking in the sunlight, there are no government regulations in place in the U.S. to ensure this is the case. Therefore, it’s important for producers to be clear about what they mean when they…
f you’re a new or struggling farmer, you might be wondering what the key to success is.The truth is, there isn’t just one way to achieve it.But successful farmers do tend to share some attributes.If you learn and emulate these seven traits, you might just find success lurking around the corner. Patience Farmers have to be patient.Raising crops takes time.Plus, it might not always turn out the way you expect.Farming comes with lots of surprises, like equipment errors and disease outbreaks.Successful farmers don’t get frustrated by slow or unexpected results.Instead, they take it in stride and plan for how to…
To understand the new smart watched and other pro devices of recent focus, we should look to Silicon From a technology standpoint, agriculture actually hasn’t changed that much since the industrial revolution. Some might say raising pigs hasn’t changed much since the first were domesticated 6,000 years ago. And yet it is clear that other industries are being disrupted at a faster and faster rate, supported by billions of dollars from venture capital investors while a new ecosystem of incubators, accelerators and shared workspaces to support startups is kickstarting a faster and faster cycle of innovation. Apple’s Watch records exercise,…
Zimbabwe has been prone to droughts in the past few years mostly caused by climate change. The southern African nation’s poor farmers are increasingly falling prey to natural disasters, droughts and torrential rain largely due to climate change. However, insurance can assist in managing these losses, and crop insurance is that branch of this financial mechanism that is especially geared to covering losses from adverse weather and similar events beyond the control of growers.
Venture capitalists invested more than $2 billion in agriculture technology startups in 2014 and again in 2015. That trend is expected to continue in 2016 because the demand for innovative farm technology is high, and when inventors show results, modern farmers have demonstrated a willingness to embrace those inventions and new techniques. With that in mind, here are seven emerging technologies that can literally change the agricultural landscape in the years ahead. Perhaps the equipment having the most immediate effect are soil and water sensors. These sensors are durable, unobtrusive and relatively inexpensive. Even family farms are finding it affordable…