REPORT: Tanzania losing out on intra-Africa trade

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

Intra-African trade is estimated to have amounted to $371 billion last year, but Tanzania was not among the major beneficiaries, a new report suggests.

According to the Africa Export and Import Bank (Afreximbank) report, Tanzania is among five countries that registered steep declines in their trading with the rest of the continent last year. Others are Mali, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Gambia and Libya, which collectively account for around 11 per cent of total intra-African trade.

The Afreximbank’s African Trade Report 2018: Boosting Intra-African Trade – Implications of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) says these economies registered steep declines in trading with their peers, which averaged over 20 per cent.

“The champions of intra-African trade remained largely the same in 2017 as in 2016, with South Africa, Namibia and Nigeria contributing over 35 per cent of intra-African trade. This compares with ten other countries – Zambia, Côte d’Ivoire, Swaziland, Botswana, Zimbabwe, DRC, Mozambique and Kenya, Morocco and Ghana – which also account for 35 per cent of intra-African trade,” reads the report.

Source: IPP Media

The post REPORT: Tanzania losing out on intra-Africa trade appeared first on The Cooperator News.

Uganda to open EA’s largest organic fertilizer in Tororo

/0 Comments/in , , , , , /by

Sitting on a 600-acre piece of land, the Guangzhou Dongsong Energy Group-owned industrial complex in Tororo District, will produce about 300,000 tonnes of organic fertilisers annually, making it the biggest organic fertiliser plant in East Africa. Ms Jane Guo, the group chief executive officer, said the fertiliser production section will be launched on October 9 with the firm expected to roll out full production in June next year.

“We are on course. Different sections have been given to different contractors and so far the progress is good. ,” she said during a press briefing.

The fertilisers, she said, are designed specifically for Ugandan soils to boost agriculture in the country.

Chemical fertilisers

Uganda imports approximately 100,000 tonnes of chemical fertilisers annually, which Ms Guo says, is dangerous to the soils. Apart from the fertilisers, the factory will also manufacture construction materials such as steel, glass and unbaked bricks.

The fertiliser factory, when completed, will mark years of controversy, corruption and bribery allegations that dogged the process of awarding the company mining rights.

Inspector-General of Government Justice Irene Mulyagonja had previously investigated the company over allegations of fraud, bribery and outright corruption.

However, the IGG later dropped the investigations paving way for the construction of the $650 million investment. Construction work is already going on at the industrial park, with the first batch of equipment expected in the country for installation late this month.

According to Ms Guo, work should have been completed by March. However, there have been delays due to rigorous testing procedures of new technology and failure to secure financing in time.

Source: The EastAfrican

The post Uganda to open EA’s largest organic fertilizer in Tororo appeared first on The Cooperator News.

FROM THE FIELD: Weather Reports Come to Aid of Uganda’s Farmers

/0 Comments/in , , /by

Farmers in Uganda are facing increasingly erratic climatic conditions which are impacting on agricultural production.

Farmers in Uganda are keeping their crop yields high, thanks to improved weather data supplied by the UN Development Programme (UNDP)-backed push to modernize climate monitoring systems.

The majority of farmers in the East African country rely on rain to grow crops, but as that rainfall becomes less reliable and drought conditions increase, agricultural production has suffered.

These changing weather patterns across the region are testing age-old farming practices, and making it harder for some growers to make a living and feed their families.

The Government of Uganda has responded by embarking on an ambitious plan to revolutionize its weather, water, and climate monitoring systems in order to provide farmers with better information about growing conditions.

It’s hoped the initiative will help build resilience when rainfall fails to arrive.

Click here to see exactly how the climate information is helping Ugandan farmers.

Source: UN News

Source: UN Africa Renewal

The post FROM THE FIELD: Weather Reports Come to Aid of Uganda’s Farmers appeared first on The Cooperator News.