Gahara, Rwanda | AFP | Inside a metal shed in southeastern Rwanda, Nicholas Hitimana brandished a plastic container holding a green liquid: geranium essential oil, freshly distilled and ready for export at more than $200 (175 euros) a kilo. The pioneer of essential oils in Rwanda, Hitimana said he understood …
Read More »African biosafety agencies move to bridge GMO communication gap
Kampala, Uganda | ISAAC KHISA | African countries are currently having trouble releasing their biotech crops popularly known as Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) to farmers, but scientists seem to be embracing a new strategy to ensure that there exist relevant regulatory systems. On July 18, the biosafety agencies and partners across …
Read More »Uganda Govt insists GMO bill has to be passed
Kampala, Uganda | Isaac Khisa| The Uganda government says it is determined to ensure that the Biotech Bill is passed into law to facilitate safe development and application of biotechnology in the country. The National Biotechnology and Biosafety Bill, 2012, is now before parliament for debate amidst protest from the opponents of the …
Read More »Nigeria begins yam exports to Europe, US
Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Nigeria on Thursday began to export yams to Europe and the United States, as part of moves to diversify its oil-dependent economy and earn much-needed foreign exchange. Agriculture minister Audu Ogbeh flagged off the first consignment of the fibrous tuber from the port in the …
Read More »EXPOSED: Uganda’s secret GMO research
Unknown to most Ugandans, NARO currently runs one of the most active GMO research facilities on the African continent Kampala, Uganda| ANDREW S. KAGGWA | Barbara Ntambirweki, a research fellow with Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE) is preparing for a bit fight – against introduction into the country of Genetically …
Read More »Top CEOs call for Ugandan agricultural revolution
Three top Chief Executive Officers from three different sectors have called on government and the private sector to think big about transforming Uganda’s current peasantry and subsistence agriculture, to a new commercial level Jimmy Mugerwa, the General Manager at Tullow Oil Uganda, William Sekabembe, the Executive Director at dfcu …
Read More »Mugabe’s Zimbabwe bans maize imports after bumper crop
Harare, Zimbabwe | AFP | Zimbabwe has banned the import of corn after enjoying a bumper crop that authorities hope will be enough to feed the nation and stimulate home-grown production, state-owned media reported Tuesday. Zimbabwe was once known as the “breadbasket” of Africa for its fertile land and modern …
Read More »COMMENT: Uganda isn’t a bad country, it is us who have let Uganda down
Uganda isn’t a bad country, it’s us the people who have let this country down. Lets walk our talk. Talk doesn’t cook rice like the Chinese say COMMENT | By Amos Wekesa | Rey is an amazing guy based in Fort Portal where he owns and runs Philippine Wood-works and Construction. His …
Read More »NARO tips farmers on drought, Fall Army Worm
The National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) has advised farmers to pay attention to their gardens to counter possible threats related to the Fall Army Worm that recently hit maize farmers in 65 districts of Uganda. Speaking on the sidelines of the World Bank’s Open Day event at Kololo Airstrip on …
Read More »OWC: China boosts Uganda’s drive to middle income status with 2 vehicles
Chinese Embassy Reinforces OWC The Chinese Ambassador to Uganda Zheng Zhugiang has said his country will do whatever it takes to help Uganda’s efforts of attainment of the middle income status. Speaking during a function to hand over two pickups to Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) on Monday, Amb. Zhugiang said …
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