The Enabling Environments for Sustainable Regional Agriculture Extension (ENSURE) is a 3-year project, soon to be launched, and financed through an AfDB ADF grant of USD 13.14 million. The project is implemented by the East African Community (EAC) and covers Burundi, DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Its overall objective is to build efficient, modern, and resilient agricultural extension systems that provide farmers across the EAC region with consistent and up-to-date advisory services. Specifically, the project aims to: • Create pluralistic extension policies and best practices tailored to the EAC region. • Deploy innovative public and private extension approaches, including digital solutions, that support the sustainable delivery of bundled technologies. • Strengthen regional extension capacity across member states. ENSURE focuses on priority EAC value chains, including maize, rice, sorghum, millet, beans, cassava, bananas, poultry, and livestock.
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Efficient rice threshing and polishing for premium quality grains, boosting income and market access in african communities. This technology greatly improves rice processing in Sub-Saharan Africa. It uses advanced machines like motorized threshers and polishers to replace manual methods. These machines can be easily moved near the fields, reducing transportation costs and increasing processing capacity. They work precisely, getting more rice without damage. This raises the quality and value of the rice, benefiting both small and large-scale farmers. Additionally, using these machines creates job opportunities. This represents a significant step towards modernizing rice processing and improving livelihoods for farmers in the region.
From Waste to Resource Peels from bananas and plantains, often overlooked, hold significant value in various applications. They serve as animal feed, organic soil input, and even find uses in cooking, water purification, and beauty products. However, the challenge lies in their chemical composition and nutrient ratios, necessitating proper handling for animal feed and soil treatment. Despite their potential, a lack of awareness about the diverse utility of peels has led to unnecessary waste accumulation in urban areas. Understanding and harnessing the multifaceted benefits of peels is essential for both sustainable agriculture and waste reduction.
Bean Flour Made Easy The technology of producing bean flour and flour products is of paramount significance, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. It addresses the challenges posed by the time and energy required for traditional bean preparation, making it more appealing to urban consumers. This innovation not only facilitates the creation of a wide range of processed and ready-to-eat products but also serves as a crucial first step in their production. By using bean flour, homemakers can save substantial time and reduce fuel costs when compared to the traditional method of lengthy boiling. Additionally, it enhances the bioavailability of essential vitamins and micronutrients in food products derived from beans.
Revolutionize the cassava value chain with CBC, ensuring seamless communication and robust market linkages for enhanced income opportunities. The Cassava Business Connector (CBC) is a digital tool that bridges communication gaps in the cassava value chain. It links producers, processors, and end-users, enhancing market access and income opportunities. The CBC enables real-time tracking, communication, and information sharing, improving market linkages. It's a powerful tool for cassava market innovation, benefiting various stakeholders. Developed as a public good, CBC strengthens the cassava value chain.
Affordable animal feed for breeders The technology of "Cassava Peels for Animal Feed Production" holds significant importance in Sub-Saharan Africa, where large quantities of cassava peels are generated as byproducts of cassava processing. These peels, if not properly managed, create environmental hazards through uncontrolled dumping and burning. However, their potential as a valuable resource for rearing livestock and fish remains largely untapped. Cassava peels have the potential to serve as an excellent source of feed and fiber for animals, but their utilization has been hindered by drying constraints, the risk of aflatoxin contamination, and poor storability when traditional methods are employed. The introduction of simple equipment to mechanize the conversion of cassava peels into animal feeds offers solutions to these challenges. This technology reduces labor costs, shortens drying times, and improves the shelf life of feed products. By effectively utilizing cassava peels as animal feed, smallholder farmers and agri-food manufacturers can enhance the value derived from their cassava crops and address the scarcity of nutritious animal feeds. Additionally, the mechanized processing of cassava peels into wet cakes and dry mashes presents opportunities for job creation and business development in rural areas of Africa. Overall, this technology not only mitigates environmental issues but also contributes to improving food security, livestock production, and economic prospects in the region.
Enhancing cassava yields and quality for greater food security in Africa. Improved cassava roots with higher dry matter and starch content are crucial for farmers. These qualities determine how cassava can be used, whether for making flour, chips, or industrial materials. In Sub-Saharan Africa, cassava crops often have low levels of these important traits due to limited accessible varieties. Enhancing root quality is a significant opportunity for the future, benefiting both food security and the agri-food industry. Breeding cassava for these traits is essential to meet local and regional market demands. This leads to higher economic yields for farmers, providing more food and income from the same area of land.
We know cassava The AKILIMO application offers personalized agronomic advice for cassava farmers, aiding in decisions related to land preparation, planting and harvesting schedules, fertilizer use, and intercropping. It predicts yields and provides tailored recommendations to maximize profits. Utilizing decision trees and algorithms based on field trials and modeling, it's accessible as a printable guide, smartphone app, interactive voice response system, and chatbot. Currently available in southern Nigeria and Tanzania, it caters to users of all literacy levels through various formats, including paper-based tools and a smartphone app downloadable from the Google Play Store.
High-Performance Breeding Chicken Breed The technology of "Dual-Purpose Chicken for Small-Scale Producers" addresses the limitations of indigenous chickens by introducing specialized breeds capable of both high egg production and meat yield. These improved breeds are cost-effective, disease-resistant, heat-tolerant, and efficient in converting feed. The distribution process involves companies establishing parent stock and hatchery operations, followed by the transportation of day-old chicks (DOCs) to brooder units. These specialized brooder units focus on essential care, including brooding, feeding, and proper vaccination during the initial 30-40 days of the chicks' lives. This technology allows for the wide dissemination of improved dual-purpose chicken breeds to a large number of smallholder farmers. The approach significantly enhances the survival rates of chickens by providing them with a strong start. An excellent example of this technology in action is the African Poultry Multiplication Initiative (APMI), which successfully initiated numerous brooder units in Tanzania and Nigeria. Through this initiative, millions of day-old chicks were delivered to hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers, significantly impacting poultry farming in these regions.
Low cost storage technologies for grain Large post-harvest losses of bean occurs across Sub-Sahara Africa because of improper storage techniques resulting in pest infestation that threatens the food security and livelihoods of farmers. As a result, farmers may opt to sell their produce immediately after harvest when market prices are at their lowest as a risk avoidance strategy. Grain storage pests such as weevils (bruchids) can be controlled by physical, chemical and biological methods. Some of the physical methods include use of hermitic storage bags and containers. The hermetic storage technology for grains avoids grain damage using sealed bags that prevents movement of air and moisture. The bags preserve the quality of grains and obstruct the entry of insects and microbial organisms through depletion of oxygen levels and accumulation of carbon dioxide. These conditions prevent damage by insects like weevils, moths and mites, curb development of fungi like aflatoxin that contaminate the grain, and maintain the taste and color characteristics of food. Hermitic bags allow for storage of grain without the need to apply chemicals.
Turning hides into leather to enrich communities The technology "Hide Curing and Secondary Leatherworks" emphasizes the importance of properly treating animal hides for maximum value. Hides, after meat, are the next most valuable product from livestock. They can be processed into various products like shoes, handbags, and clothing, provided skilled artisans and appropriate materials are available.
Nutrition-boosting, income-enhancing maize. Provitamin A Enriched Golden Maize Varieties are biofortified maize crops with significantly higher levels of provitamin A, addressing widespread malnutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa. They play a crucial role in reducing vitamin A deficiency, a leading cause of preventable blindness and weakened immunity.
Extend Freshness, Expand Opportunities with Cassava Flour! The technology of producing High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) and industrial starches is of paramount importance. It addresses the critical issue of rapid spoilage and mold in fresh cassava roots due to their high water content, a significant challenge for farmers in storing or selling their produce. African communities have long relied on various processing methods to extend shelf life and eliminate toxic cyanide compounds. Traditional cassava flour production techniques do not offer substantial market opportunities for smallholder cassava farmers.
NERICA: Higher Yields, Resilience, and Profitability for African Farmers. NERICA varieties mark a pivotal shift in African agriculture. Bred by crossing native landraces with Asian rice, they deliver higher yields and robust resistance to pests and diseases compared to conventional varieties. Their innate resilience to nutrient and water limitations makes them a strategic asset for enhancing farmers' productivity and profitability while reducing reliance on staple food imports. With lowland NERICA tailored for valleys and floodplains with sporadic water stress, and upland NERICA ideal for hilltops and elevated plateaus facing more frequent challenges, this technology is reshaping farming landscapes across Sub-Saharan Africa. It empowers farmers with a reliable, high-yielding resource that not only boosts food security but also drives economic stability in the region.
Enhance meat quality while prioritizing animal welfare. Humane Slaughtering and Meat Inspection ensures animals are slaughtered without pain or distress, improving meat quality and consumer health. It addresses the ethical treatment of animals in the meat processing industry.
Boost maize yields while eliminating the issue of Striga infestation The technology of Imazapyr resistant maize for Striga management (IR maize) is of paramount significance in addressing the persistent challenge of Striga weed infestations in maize crops, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Commercial seed manufacturers are introducing improved maize varieties that have been genetically modified to resist imazapyr, an herbicide effective in safeguarding crops from parasitic Striga weeds. This technology is a game-changer for regions where Striga significantly impacts maize production.
Crop Care in Your Pocket: Nuru App, Your Farming Companion PlantVillage Nuru is a groundbreaking smartphone app that harnesses artificial intelligence to offer real-time offline diagnosis of crop damage symptoms caused by diseases and pests. Initially developed for cassava, it now extends its capabilities to diagnose damage in maize and is expanding to cover other crops, like potato. This free app not only provides instant diagnoses but also fosters community connections among users and offers guidance on managing the identified diseases and pests. This technology is a pivotal tool for farmers, enabling them to swiftly identify and address crop issues, ultimately enhancing agricultural productivity.
Balanced Protection for Sustainable Harvests Integrated Management of Insects, Diseases, and Weeds in Wheat (IPM) is an approach designed to minimize the use of chemical pesticides while maximizing natural control mechanisms for pests. It involves a combination of biological, mechanical/physical, and cultural techniques tailored to local conditions. IPM is crucial in preventing the emergence of pesticide-resistant pests, ensuring lasting crop protection, and maintaining food safety and environmental integrity.
Safeguarding Chickens and reducing Costs The "Low-Cost Cage and Free-Range Containment" is a special way to keep chickens safe and healthy while also saving money. It's like a movable house for chickens. During the day, the chickens get to run around outside and eat natural food like insects and plants. This makes them strong and healthy. This special chicken house is not expensive to build and is easy to move around. It's perfect for small farmers who can't afford big, fancy chicken houses. It also helps make sure the chickens are happy and well taken care of.
Empowering Beans, Sustaining Growth! The technology is a low-cost and sustainable solution for staking climbing beans, offering lower-cost, environmentally friendly alternatives, reducing the required number of stakes and addressing yield limitations associated with traditional staking methods.
Maize-legume: Savings in Soil, Growth in Profit Maize-legume rotation and intercropping is an innovative agricultural practice that combines the cultivation of maize and legumes on the same plot of land. This technique has proven to be highly beneficial, enhancing soil fertility through nitrogen fixation, increasing land and resource use efficiency, reducing weed and pest infestations, and ultimately leading to higher crop yields. It not only provides subsistence farmers with a more balanced and nutritious diet but also helps mitigate the risks associated with crop failure due to factors like drought or pests. This sustainable approach has made a significant impact in Sub-Saharan Africa, improving food security and agricultural productivity.
Weed Management for Optimal Yield The "Mechanical and Chemical Weed Management" technology is a game-changer for bean farmers, especially in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa. Weeds can cause major losses in bean crops, and this technology offers a more efficient and cost-effective solution compared to manual weeding. By using herbicides and mechanical weeders, farmers can save time, increase their yield, and ultimately improve their income. This innovation is a powerful tool in ensuring food security and economic stability for bean farmers in various African countries.
Empowering Cassava Farmers: More Yield, Less Labor, Better Quality Mechanized cassava planting and harvesting technology plays a crucial role in addressing the challenges faced by cassava farmers in Africa. With the goal of increasing yields and economic benefits, mechanization offers a faster, more efficient, and cost-effective alternative to manual planting and harvesting. By significantly reducing labor requirements and minimizing root damage, this technology contributes to improving cassava production and the competitiveness of African cassava farmers in the global market.
Efficiency Unleashed: Poultry Processing, Simplified Mechanized Defeathering and Egg Sorting technology addresses the labor-intensive and time-consuming processes of defeathering chickens and manually sorting eggs. It offers efficient, quick, and precise solutions for poultry farmers, enhancing productivity and product quality. The technology is crucial for small to medium-scale poultry producers, providing benefits such as increased throughput, reduced handling costs, and premium prices for high-grade eggs.
Conservation Agriculture for Sustainable Farming In regions like Sub-Saharan Africa, where dry tropical conditions and diminishing soil fertility pose significant challenges to wheat production, the adoption of Minimal Tillage and Surface Mulching of Soils is paramount. Traditional farming practices, characterized by excessive tillage and minimal organic matter incorporation, have led to the degradation of crucial soil functions, including nutrient retention and water management. With dwindling water resources due to drought spells and overexploitation, Conservation Agriculture (CA) emerges as a cost-effective solution. CA enhances wheat grain yields, ensures resilience to water scarcity, and benefits both farmers' incomes and the environment by promoting soil biodiversity, reducing emissions, and sequestering carbon, making it a vital strategy for sustainable wheat production in dryland farming systems.
Transforming Cassava, Mobile Processing for Sustainable Agriculture The Mobile Cassava Processing Plant (MCPP) addresses challenges in cassava commercialization by providing an alternative to immobile processing factories. The MCPP, developed by the TAAT Cassava Compact, is a six-wheel truck with modern processing machinery, an electricity generator, and a loader crane. It facilitates on-site processing of cassava into shelf-stable products, reducing postharvest losses and transportation costs.
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