Chad
One key to our learning so much in Chad was first connecting with Dr. Diego Boilengar. Dr. Boilengar is a former university lecturer in Germany, specialized in agricultural enterprise development. He was serving as a special advisor to the Minister of Agriculture, and from the moment I cold-called him from Nairobi one day in May, […]
Niger
I was introduced to the Ministry of Agriculture of Niger by my great friend and longtime colleague, Dr. Issoufou Kapran. He put me in contact with Mr. Boukari Diamoitou Nguessibo, the Secretary General of the Ministry. I flew into Niamey’s brand new, and very impressive, international airport, and met with Mr. Diamoitou and the head […]
Benin
Arriving in Benin’s capital of Cotonou on a Sunday, I didn’t really know what to expect. Like many international agronomists working in Africa, I’d spent a lot of time in neighboring Nigeria, and lived for several years in Ghana, but Benin – the former Dahomey – had always remained outside my travel itineraries. What a […]
Togo
The most interesting thing about my week in Togo was that about an hour after landing in Lome, I was addressing the Minister of Agriculture and his full cabinet regarding the importance of improved seed for Togo’s farmers, and the mission of SSG. And I’d never been to Togo. The high-energy Agriculture Minister, Mr. Noel […]
Q&A: The Private Sector’s Role In Getting Improved Seeds To Farmers
By Sara Jerving ACCRA, Ghana — Across the African continent, national agricultural research systems are developing seed varieties more durable to withstand drought, disease, and pests, as well as producing higher yields. But after the seeds are developed, a challenge remains — getting them to farmers’ fields. Areport published last month by the Seed Systems Group found that if one-third of […]
Improved Seeds For Farmers To Generate 25 Million Metric Tonnes Of Food
Source: ghananewsagency.orgA Nairobi-based Seed Systems Group (SSG) on Thursday launched a new report titled: “Improved Seeds, Improved Lives,” which highlighted the potential benefit high yielding seeds could have on agricultural development in Africa. The report covered 15 African countries including; Ghana, Burkina Faso, Uganda, Chad, Benin and Togo encompassing 315 million people with average child malnutrition […]
Invest In Scientific Research Into Agriculture
Source: Graphic Online The Director of the West African Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), Professor Eric Y. Danquah, has asked Ghana and the rest of Africa to prioritise investment in scientific research to help produce improved seeds for farmers to facilitate the continent’s green revolution. He said the failure of African countries to partner academic institutions […]
Seed System Group Begins Task Of Delivering Improved Seeds To Whole Of Africa
Source: agrf.org September 5th, 2019 A study by seed scientist Dr. Joe DeVries found that farmers in countries where improved seeds are readily available reported increased yields each year. In comparison, the output stagnated for countries where improved and climate resilient seeds were not in supply. Dr. DeVries and his team studied data from 15 countries, […]
OPINION:- Can We Turn The Tide On Hunger With A New Wave Of Seed Support?
Julien Amouzou (second from right) is CEO of Togo’s leading seed company, Le Paysan. He produces about 400 metric tons of seed of maize and soybean per year, but Togo needs 14,000 MT of seed of these crops annually. (Photo taken by Joe DeVries) Supplying African farmers with high-yielding, climate resilient varieties of crops could […]
Congo Republic
There are two Congos in Africa, a big one (pop. 87 million) and a smaller one (pop. 6 million). This visit was to the small one. Smallholder agriculture in Congo Republic is heavily based on the cultivation of cassava. Very little cereals crops are produced, although several very large-scale farmers are now experimenting with rice […]
