Zambia Agribusiness Society

In 2012, I ventured into maize farming at my ‘Chimpinga Farm’ in Chipata. It was a huge project and I later discovered that maize is not that profitable. It is labour intensive and require a lot of inputs such as pricy fertilizers and weed killer. After my “successful” harvest that season, I was shocked with the price that was on offer for the purchase of maize from both the private sector and the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) . The margins were very tiny! Not making business sense at all! A friend visited my farm when we were preparing land for maize cultivation. He is an experienced and successful rancher. “Why waste land like this Baba Jere?” he asked. “There is no money mu Vi Nchebele Baba…” he said, alluding to the fact that maize farming is not profitable unless the maize is meant for making feed for animals. He suggested that I fence my farm and consider bringing in game or cattle which require less labour compared to maize farming. I am still thinking about that proposa...

You have a healthy chicken if your chicken’s poop is brown or green with white caps. Regular chicken poop is usually a shade of brown with a fluffy white cap. The whitecap is uric acid which would be urine in humans, while the brown part is the faeces proper. The poop is usually moist, soft, and mushy. There might be variation in the poop of different chickens as factors like diet and season can affect the nature of chicken poop. However, healthy chicken poop would generally fit the description above. One usual exception in chicken poop is the cecal poop which is more moist, runny, and smelly. It is usually excreted twice a day and comes from the cecum, a part of the bird’s internal organs where digestion happens. Although this poop looks different from your regular chicken poop, it is no reason to be worried. It is, instead, a sign that your chicken’s digestive tract is working perfectly fine. What Can Chicken Poop Tell You About Chickens? A ton of information can be obtained ju...

Instant dry yeast is gaining immense traction in various countries across the globe, owing to its extensive application in various end-use industries. One of the most important applications of instant dry yeast is in the food and beverage industry. This is basically due to the shelf life of instant dry yeast being relatively much more than that of active dry yeast. Hence, they are much more consistent and reliable as compared to active dry yeast. In addition, the production cost involved in making instant dry yeast is also relatively low as they are usually made form molasses, which is end-product of sugarcanes or in the sugar manufacturing plants. This makes it easily accessible at a much affordable rate. In addition to that, instant dry yeast is extensively used as food additives so as to help enhance the flavour, taste, and aroma of food products. For instance, due to the impeccable properties of instant dry yeast, it is essentially used in the production of beer to stabilize its co...

Modern biotechnology characteristically contemplates the natural processes of DNA imitation, breakage, ligation, and repair. This has given a better understanding of the mechanism of cell biology, in addition to its genetic procedure and how it can be useful to disciplines including medicine, plant, food science, and agrarian practices. Within agriculture, the major goal of modern biotechnology is to advance the quality, quantity, nourishment, taste, and shelf life of crops, eventually allowing shareholders to obtain greater productivity with reduced energy costs. This comprises agricultural procedures dating from antiquity, such as fermentation, and evolving disease-resistant plant varieties through the process of crossbreeding. With the increase in the consciousness regarding healthy living, the agricultural biotechnology market valued $39,565.6 million in 2020, which is expected to grow at a 10.7% CAGR during 2021 – 2030 and reach $106,870.0 million . GM Crops Increasing Efficiency ...

There has been a significant surge in the popularity of tea over the past couple of decades as it is extensively consumed as a healthy beverage due to the presence of a number of potent antioxidants, and minerals such as potassium, manganese, magnesium, and calcium. Thus, regular consumption of tea helps in not only reducing cell damage due to free radicals but also lowering cholesterol levels. It further facilitates the weight loss. Increase in the disposable income, rise in health awareness among individuals, increase in the number of tea drinkers, and surge in the number of health-conscious people across the globe are expected to drive the growth of the global tea market. Moreover, the growth in demand for herbal tea and introduction of new flavours and variety of tea are expected to create remarkable opportunities for the growth of the tea market. According to the report published by Allied Market Research, the global tea market is expected to reach $68.95 billion, registering a C...

Housing and environment Ideally the temperature for the first few days should be kept around 32 to 33ºC (at chick level). For a heat lamp or gas brooder the hottest area under its centre should be 40ºC with the coolest area being 24ºC. You can use a thermometer to check the air temperature at chick height. You will notice even if you do not have a thermometer your chicks will tell you if they are too hot or too cold. If the chicks are too cold they will be huddled under the heat source and if too hot they will be at the edges of the pen to escape the heat. Your chicks should be evenly spread around the pen with some eating, some drinking and some sleeping. As the chicks grow the temperature should be reduced by around 3ºC per week. Switch on the heat source 4 to 6 hours before placing the chicks so their environment including bedding is warmed to the desired temperature prior to their arrival. It is important to provide your chicks with fresh water daily. Ensure your drinke...

There’s been a steep rise in the number of passengers travelling via air in the last few years, which has boosted the in-flight catering service market in more than one way. In spite of the sluggish economic growth in a lot of countries, the number of passengers travelling internationally and domestically has escalated to a great extent. At the same time, the surge in the expectation of flyers to have wholesome healthy food, even on board, has been highly beneficial for the industry. According to a recent report published by Allied Market Research, the global in-flight catering service market is anticipated to exhibit a striking CAGR from 2019 to 2026, and is expected to maintain the sturdy line of revenue. Increasing adoption of online platforms for booking meals by the prominent airline companies has paved the way for lucrative opportunities in the industry. Most importantly, automation in the management of inflight catering has enabled airlines to dole out exclusive passenger ex...