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Producing top-quality bale silage requires attention to a few essential steps.

Bale silage is gaining ground among livestock farmers in warm regions as a reliable, high-quality feed option that’s easy to store, transport, and use

In hot and humid climates where feed spoilage is a major concern, this method preserves nutrition by preventing fermentation and overheating after baling two common challenges in tropical environments.

One of the biggest advantages of bale silage is its convenience. Each bale functions as a self-contained, ready-to-feed unit, making handling much simpler. It removes the need for large silage pits or extensive infrastructure. For farms that rely on Total Mixed Ration (TMR), the uniformity and ease of mixing bale silage into daily rations make it an appealing option.

Producing top-quality bale silage requires attention to a few essential steps. Chief among them is compressing the forage tightly to remove air and wrapping it immediately to maintain an airtight seal. Clean handling is also critical feed must be kept free from dirt, soil, and other contaminants to avoid compromising quality.

Modern baler-wrapper machinery plays a central role in this process. Equipment that can adjust to different bale sizes and handle various chopped materials from maize and alfalfa to sugar beet by-products and wood chips helps ensure that forage is efficiently compacted and securely wrapped.

Using bale silage can significantly reduce feed losses, particularly in areas where pests, moisture, and high temperatures threaten traditional storage methods. It also supports better nutrient retention, offering a more consistent and reliable feed supply throughout the year.

For livestock farmers aiming to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and boost animal health, bale silage presents a practical, cost-effective solution. When done correctly with proper compression, cleanliness, and airtight wrapping this method delivers a powerful combination of convenience, quality, and long-term feed security.

In Kenya’s sun-drenched fields, a fresh model of agricultural finance is taking root.

In Kenya’s sun-drenched fields, a fresh model of agricultural finance is taking root.

SunCulture and Bridgin have unveiled a US$15mn financing structure to help smallholder farmers access solar irrigation that’s capital unlocked for climate-smart agriculture at scale.

Under this plan, Bridgin finances portfolios of SunCulture’s farmer receivables essentially acquiring or backing the payments owed by farmers for solar irrigation kits. That trick frees SunCulture’s capital, enabling it to extend credit to new customers while shifting the financial risk into a ring‑fenced special purpose vehicle (SPV) separate from the balance sheet. The structure also includes credit enhancements and is designed to absorb blended finance sources, making it more attractive to institutional capital.

Risk management is handled smartly: Bridgin’s platform monitors payments in real time, using analytics to flag potential default risk before it becomes a problem. According to Martin Andersen, SunCulture’s Finance Strategy lead, “the facility aligns repayments with customer payments, simplifying capital flows and enabling scale.” Manon Dubois, Bridgin’s Fintech Business Lead, emphasizes that “this structure is more than a financial instrument: it’s a blueprint for scaling rural innovation.”

SunCulture is no newcomer to impact. Its solar irrigation systems have enabled thousands of farmers to lift yields, conserve water, and raise incomes. To date, they’ve sold more than 50,000 systems, provided over US$35mn in credit, and documented yield hikes of up to 300% along with 80% water reductions.

This innovative financing tackles three chronic roadblocks in agritech: small deal sizes, risk perception, and murky data. By combining transparency with scale, the structure invites institutional investors into an arena often considered too small or too opaque.

For Kenya’s farmers, this could mark a turning point. Instead of being priced out of irrigation by high diesel or utility costs, they can tap solar-power and pay over time. For investors, it’s a rare chance to back agriculture and climate resilience in one shot. The SunCulture–Bridgin model may well become a replicable template for directing capital deep into rural regions that need it most.

Farming is the backbone of life across the African continent.

Africa’s agricultural sector, long seen as an untapped resource, is emerging as one of the most critical levers for achieving global sustainable development

Since the United Nations launched its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, progress has been underwhelming. Only 12% of the 169 targets are on track, while more than a third have stalled or even regressed. Yet amidst this global slowdown, one truth stands out clearly: investing in African agriculture could change the game.

Farming is the backbone of life across the African continent. It provides livelihoods for nearly 70% of the population, most of whom are women, and contributes around 30% to the continent’s GDP. However, this vital sector remains deeply underfinanced and underutilised. Cereal production in sub-Saharan Africa has increased by 37% over the past decade, not due to rising efficiency, but through the simple expansion of farmland. Yields per hectare remain approximately 60% below the global average, and just 5% of African farmland is irrigated. Mechanisation and access to inputs are limited, leaving millions of smallholder farmers at a disadvantage.

The result is a growing reliance on imported food. From 2015 to 2017, African nations spent an average of US$27bn a year on imported cereals. That number could balloon to US$110 billion by 2030 if investment remains stagnant. The implications stretch far beyond the continent. As the global population climbs and supply chains grow more fragile, Africa’s ability to produce food locally will be essential for global food security and price stability.

And yet, investment levels remain dismal. In 2022, African agriculture received just $49 billion from all sources—public, private, and development finance combined. That’s only about US$140 per farmer annually, compared to a global average of US$1,300. Agriculture currently draws less than 4% of all investment on the continent, and only 3% of global development funding. By comparison, the Africa Food Systems Forum estimates that US$200bn is needed to build a sustainable agrifood system capable of closing the development gap.

With 250 million Africans working in agriculture, the sector offers one of the most direct and powerful routes to inclusive economic growth. Investment in agriculture has been shown to be two to four times more effective at increasing incomes than investment in any other sector. Moreover, climate-smart practices could make African farms more resilient to climate shocks, enhance food security, and help preserve forests by increasing yields without the need for deforestation. African land also holds significant potential for carbon sequestration, aligning agricultural development with climate action.

Despite these opportunities, public spending on agriculture across African governments is far below target. In 2022, only US$16bn about 3% of public expenditure—was directed toward farming, falling short of the African Union’s recommendation of 10%. Only Malawi and Ethiopia have consistently met that threshold since 2008. Private sector investment is similarly lacking, with just 3% of Africa’s private funding going into agriculture, far below the global average of 10%.

To reverse this, investment strategies must be sharper and more targeted. Development agencies have a pivotal role to play in unlocking further funding through catalytic capital, risk-sharing mechanisms, and blended finance models that draw in private investors. Governments need to focus on building the foundations—improving infrastructure, cutting red tape, and creating a business environment that welcomes agricultural investment. And the private sector must seize the commercial opportunity by scaling innovative financing models, investing in local supply chains, and supporting agri-tech and entrepreneurship.

Efforts are already underway. The Agricultural Transitions Lab for African Solutions (ATLAS), launched by the Paris Peace Forum, is tracking progress and aligning funders across sectors. Its “2x30 Challenge” aims to double the current investment in African agriculture to US$98bn by 2030. The potential pay-off is enormous: food security, stronger rural economies, greater climate resilience, and sustainable growth not only for Africa, but for the world.

African agriculture doesn’t just need more investment—it deserves it. With the right support, it can feed a growing population, lift millions out of poverty, reduce reliance on imports, and transform global food systems. The seeds of change are already in the soil. It’s time we helped them grow.

Farmers will also benefit from a 50% subsidy on pesticides and herbicides.

Namibia’s Ministry of Agriculture is rolling out a US$34mn investment for the 2025/26 financial year to support rain-fed agronomic farming, targeting long-term food security, climate resilience, and rural livelihoods

The funding, announced under the Dry Land Crop Production Programme (DCPP) and supported by the Cereal Value Chain Development Programme (CVCDP) and Comprehensive Conservation Agriculture Programme (CCAP), will reach thousands of small-scale and subsistence farmers across the country.

The initiative will support farmers in 10 key crop-growing regions: Zambezi, Kunene, Omaheke, Otjozondjupa, Kavango East, Kavango West, Ohangwena, Oshikoto, Oshana, and Omusati. The CCAP, meanwhile, will operate across all 14 regions, enhancing conservation practices and climate-smart agriculture techniques.

Each region will receive a tailored portion of the funding, with Zambezi set to receive over US$3.8mn, while Ohangwena, Omusati and Oshikoto will each receive US$2.9mn. Support will come in the form of subsidised seeds, fertilisers, and mechanised tillage services.

Farmers will also benefit from a 50% subsidy on pesticides and herbicides, and US$400 per hectare weeding support (up to five hectares per household). Additionally, the programme offers storage and post-harvest processing support, including up to US$10,000 for grain storage, US$30,000 for hammer millers, and US$30,000 for threshers.

Interested farmers are encouraged to register at the nearest Agriculture Development Centre to access these subsidies.

The overarching goal is to boost yields, food and nutrition security, and reduce poverty and income inequality. The programme also aims to create jobs and build resilient agricultural value chains by supporting inputs and capacity building.

Through these well-structured interventions, Namibia is stepping up its fight against hunger, climate shocks, and rural poverty empowering its farmers to feed the nation from the ground up.

Globally, coffee production is expected to hit a record 178.7 million bags in 2025/26.

Uganda’s coffee industry is stirring up strong momentum, with exports reaching 855,441 bags in August 2025, earning the country Shs722.58 bn, according to the latest report from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF)

While this marks a 2.45% rise in volume compared to August last year, total earnings dipped 8.19%, largely due to a softening in global prices.

Robusta coffee remained the dominant force, contributing 797,363 bags worth US$180.79mn (≈ Shs705 billion), while Arabica accounted for 58,078 bags, generating US$21.96mn (≈ Shs85.64 billion). Despite the overall drop in Robusta value, Arabica showed impressive gains up 11.88% in volume and nearly 64% in value year-on-year.

The average export price stood at US$3.95 per kilogram (≈ Shs15,405/kg), a decline from US$4.19 in July and US$4.41 last August, reflecting continued global price pressure. MAAIF attributed the lower prices to lingering effects from July’s global market dip, especially for Robusta.

In the 12-month period from September 2024 to August 2025, Uganda exported 7.93 million bags of coffee, up from 6.73 million bags the year prior. Earnings skyrocketed by 58.72%, reaching Shs7.94 trillion, thanks to stronger volume and Arabica’s price surge.

At the farm-gate, prices remained encouraging: Robusta Kiboko fetched Shs6,500/kg, Robusta FAQ Shs13,500/kg, Arabica parchment Shs14,500/kg, while Drugar held steady at Shs13,500/kg, despite a slight dip.

On the export front, Kyagalanyi Coffee Ltd led with an 8.73% share, followed closely by Export Trading Company (8.61%) and Olam Uganda Ltd (8.26%). Together, the top 10 exporters controlled 64% of Uganda’s coffee trade.

Globally, coffee production is expected to hit a record 178.7 million bags in 2025/26, fuelled by recoveries in Vietnam and Indonesia, and record output from Ethiopia, according to the USDA.

Locally, MAAIF credited favourable weather conditions for supporting coffee activities such as planting, pruning, and training. In August alone, over 145 farmer trainings were conducted across 11 regions, reaching 4,000+ farmers, with a focus on climate-smart practices, pest control, and agronomic skills.

Looking ahead, Uganda’s coffee exports for September 2025 are projected at 750,000 bags, as the main harvest season begins in Central and Eastern regions—positioning Uganda to remain a leading coffee exporter both regionally and globally.

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