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In The Spotlight

Nigeria moves to power bioethanol growth by linking 14 million cassava farmers to industry.

Agriculture

Nigeria has unveiled an ambitious agricultural and industrial plan aimed at integrating about 14 million smallholder farmers into the cassava based bioethanol value chain.

The move forms part of a broader effort to industrialise agriculture, strengthen rural livelihoods and cut Nigeria’s heavy reliance on imported fuel. Known as the Cassava Bioethanol Value Chain Development Project, the initiative is being driven by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and represents a key step in reshaping the country’s agricultural economy.

A central feature of the programme is the “triple helix” approach, which brings together government institutions, universities and the private sector. This partnership model is designed to speed up the transfer of research, skills and technology to farmers and processors. Through this collaboration, producers will gain access to high yielding and disease resistant cassava varieties, modern farming techniques and improved production systems that support large scale industrial processing. The approach is also expected to attract private investment and strengthen Nigeria’s bioenergy ecosystem.

The project aligns with Nigeria’s National Biofuels Policy (2007), which targets the blending of ethanol with Premium Motor Spirit with the long term goal of achieving a 10 percent ethanol mix. This strategy is expected to stimulate domestic demand for cassava derived bioethanol, reduce fuel imports and preserve foreign exchange. Currently, close to half of Nigeria’s petrol consumption depends on imports, and official estimates suggest the initiative could save more than US$3 trillion, roughly US$4bn, every year.

Beyond fuel, ethanol is widely used across the chemical, pharmaceutical and agri food industries, including in the production of disinfectants, solvents and beverages. This broad demand highlights the strong commercial potential of bioethanol outside the energy sector.

Approved in April 2023, the project is backed by a US$11.9bn government investment running through 2028. A pilot phase includes a 20 hectare biotechnology industrial park where hybrid cassava varieties such as TME 419 will be cultivated. While the opportunities are significant, success will depend on reliable logistics, strong processing infrastructure and a stable regulatory framework that balances industrial demand with cassava’s role as a staple food.

Nigeria depends heavily on imported cloves.

Agriculture

Nigeria is getting ready to introduce its first nationwide commercial clove farming campaign, scheduled to begin during the 2026 rainy season which usually starts in April.

The initiative was announced by Abdullahi Shuaibu, National Coordinator of the National Association of Clove Farmers, Processors and Marketers of Nigeria, and represents a bold move to position cloves as a viable commercial crop across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. The programme signals a growing commitment to agricultural diversification and long term economic growth.

The pilot phase of the campaign is expected to involve about 74,000 farmers, with at least 2,000 participants drawn from each state and the FCT. Each farmer will cultivate roughly 0.5 hectares of land dedicated to clove farming. Participants will receive improved seeds and essential farm inputs to help ensure healthy crop establishment and improved yields. This structured rollout is designed to build capacity while reducing the risks often associated with introducing a new commercial crop.

At present, Nigeria depends heavily on imported cloves, bringing in an average of 1,184 tonnes annually between 2020 and 2024 at a cost of around US$1million each year. By expanding domestic production, the campaign aims to reduce import dependence while creating opportunities to export surplus cloves and earn foreign exchange.

If successful, the initiative could make Nigeria the second African country after Tanzania, particularly Zanzibar, to produce cloves on a commercial scale. This transition is expected to support job creation, strengthen rural livelihoods and increase income opportunities for farming communities.

Global demand for cloves remains strong, driven by widespread use in food processing, pharmaceuticals and personal care products. The global clove market was valued at about US$5.7 billion in 2025 and is projected to exceed US$7bn by 2030, presenting attractive export prospects for Nigeria.

To support farmers, improved clove seedlings sourced from Tanzania are being distributed, alongside training manuals developed with academic partners. Officials believe the campaign could deliver meaningful benefits for rural economies, especially for youth and women. However, its long term success will depend on consistent technical support, effective coordination and the development of strong market linkages at both local and international levels.

Gulfood360 Africa Kenya 2027 Launches in Nairobi to Power Africa’s Global Food Trade.

Agriculture

Gulfood360 Africa Kenya is set to make its debut in Nairobi from 4 to 6 May 2027, marking a major expansion of Gulfood, the world’s most influential food and beverage sourcing platform.

Announced in Dubai in January 2026, the launch confirms Kenya as the official African host of the Gulfood platform and positions the country as a leading gateway into Africa’s fast growing food, agribusiness, logistics and innovation economy.

Developed with the unified support of Kenya’s Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, the Agriculture and Food Authority and the Office of the Special Envoy on Technology, Gulfood360 Africa Kenya reflects a strategic partnership between Kenya and the United Arab Emirates. Anchored in the Kenya UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, the initiative is designed to boost trade flows, attract foreign direct investment, strengthen regional value chains and connect Africa more deeply with global food markets.

The platform aligns closely with President William Ruto’s Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda, which places agriculture, manufacturing, trade, logistics and technology at the centre of Kenya’s growth strategy. Gulfood360 Africa Kenya will act as a catalyst for value addition, agro industrial development, SME participation and export competitiveness, reinforcing Kenya’s role as Africa’s premier agrifood trade hub.

Kenya’s selection is supported by major investments in infrastructure and logistics, including airport expansion, port modernisation and the development of regional trade corridors. These efforts are complemented by the country’s leadership in clean energy, with more than 90 percent of electricity generated from renewable sources, offering sustainable and cost effective power for agribusiness and manufacturing.

As a gateway to the African Continental Free Trade Area and a key producer of tea, coffee, horticulture and processed foods, Kenya offers global firms access to a market projected to reach $567.31 billion by 2032. Its reputation as Africa’s Silicon Savannah further strengthens its appeal, showcasing innovation in agritech, artificial intelligence, digital trade and smart logistics.

Lee Kinyanjui, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry (MITI), said, “The launch of Gulfood360 Africa/Kenya signals a decisive step in Kenya’s trade and investment journey. Anchored by the Kenya–UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement and supported by structural reforms, this moment reflects a country mobilising its full value chain for global trade. Kenya is positioning itself as Africa’s gateway connecting farms, factories, and supply corridors to the world.”

Mutahi Kagwe, EGH-, Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development added,“Agriculture sits at the heart of Kenya’s economy, contributing over a quarter of our GDP and supporting millions of livelihoods across the country. Gulfood360 Africa/Kenya reflects our commitment to converting this agricultural strength into global opportunity, connecting Kenyan and African producers with the rest of the world.”

Trixie LohMirmand, Global Organiser of Gulfood, said, “Kenya is built for global competitiveness, and Africa is at its inflection point. Gulfood360 Africa/Kenya positions the country as the conduit through which African produce and value flow into international markets. This expansion sends a clear signal that Africa’s food economy is entering a new phase of scale, execution, and competitiveness and Kenya is leading that charge.”

African Farming

Tractor of the Year awards ceremony at EIMA 2021

The 44th edition of EIMA International 2021 will host the Tractor of the Year awards ceremony, and feature a parade of the fourteen finalist models

The Bologna-based event focuses on new products and offers a wide-ranging showcase for Tractor of the Year, the competition promoted by Trattori magazine, that selects the best models among those produced during the year, and awards prizes to the winners from different categories.

During the exhibition, the awards ceremony will be held for four models - Tractor of the Year, Best Utility, Best of Specialised and Sustainable TOTY - that have been selected on the basis of votes cast by an international jury of 26 journalists from trade publications.

The Tractor of the Year event will be a major attraction throughout the five days of the event. It is expected to be one of the most interesting new features of this year's EIMA International.

The open-air arena within the exhibition complex, between halls 37 and 35, has been chosen to display the finalist tractors. The audience can expect to see the fourteen models that competed for the "Tractor of the Year" on display in the open-air arena, while a speaker will introduce the technical features of each of the models. 

TOTY is an important promotional and marketing platform for the manufacturers of the tractor sector, which is able to develop substantial technological innovations every year, improve vehicle performance, and capture new user segments.

Top Stories

Grid List

Event News

HortiFlora Expo also serves as a strategic showcase for sustainable agriculture, innovation and export competitiveness. (Image credit: HortiFlora)

Event News

The HortiFlora Expo 2026 is poised to reinforce its status as one of Africa’s most influential international trade exhibitions for the horticulture and floriculture sectors.

Organised by HPP Exhibitions in collaboration with the Ethiopian Horticulture Producers Exporters Association (EHPEA), the event will once again be hosted in Addis Ababa, bringing together growers, exporters, buyers, suppliers and agribusiness leaders from around the world.

Building on the momentum of previous editions, HortiFlora Expo 2026 is expected to welcome a strong international presence, with exhibitors and visitors travelling from Europe, the Middle East, Asia and across Africa. The exhibition provides a vital business platform for showcasing cut flowers, planting materials, fresh fruits and vegetables, seeds, agricultural inputs, logistics solutions and agri-technologies, reflecting Ethiopia’s rapidly expanding role in global horticultural value chains.

Taking place at the Millennium Hall, the 2026 edition will continue to prioritise business-to-business engagement, offering structured buyer–seller meetings, networking sessions and opportunities to explore new export markets. The event plays a crucial role in strengthening trade relationships between Ethiopian producers and international buyers seeking consistent quality, traceability and reliable supply.

HortiFlora Expo also serves as a strategic showcase for sustainable agriculture, innovation and export competitiveness. As Ethiopia remains one of Africa’s fastest-growing floriculture exporters, the event will highlight advancements in production efficiency, sustainability standards, cold chain infrastructure and market access solutions.

With the exhibition now firmly established as an annual event, HortiFlora 2026 is expected to further elevate its global profile and support Ethiopia’s ambition to become a leading international horticulture hub. For both exhibitors and visitors, the expo offers a unique opportunity to connect with industry leaders, identify emerging trends and build long-term partnerships across the horticulture and floriculture industries.

With the support of the Ethiopian Horticulture Producers Exporters Association (EHPEA), the exhibition has experienced impressive growth over the past two decades. Van Raamsdonk expressed satisfaction with the latest edition, stating, “It was a highly successful event, featuring a record-breaking 140 exhibitors, stunning stands, and a consistent flow of visitors, including a strong international presence, particularly from the Middle East.”

This year, the exhibition expanded its scope beyond flowers to include fruits and vegetables. “The inclusion of fruit and vegetable growers alongside the traditional floral exhibitors significantly expanded the event’s scope.”

Explaining the shift to an annual format, he added, “With Ethiopia’s rising production of fresh flowers, fruits, and vegetables, an annual event will further strengthen the country’s export potential, stimulate its economy, and foster continued growth in the horticultural sector’s employment.

IPM ESSEN 2026 Highlighted Innovation in Horticulture. (Image credit: IPM ESSEN)

The three day programme begins on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.

Livestock

Fishmeal plant strengthens west coast fisheries.

Aquaculture

The South African government has welcomed a major R170 million investment by the African Pioneer Group into a new fishmeal plant at Sandy Point Harbour in St Helena Bay, Western Cape.

The facility is set to boost local and export supply chains by producing a range of fish products and strengthening the small pelagic sector’s value chain.

Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Willie Aucamp,said, “This facility is so much more than an expansion of processing capacity. It is a strategic intervention in the small pelagic value chain that strengthens domestic beneficiation, enhances operational efficiency, and positions South Africa to extract greater economic value from each tonne of fish harvested,” he said. He added that the project “strengthens local opportunities without increasing pressure on the resource base” and represents investment in communities and the future of South Africa’s fishing industry.

Aucamp emphasised and added, “The more than R170 million investment represented by this facility contributes directly to sustainable industrial growth in a priority coastal node,” he said, highlighting the partnership between government, science and the fishing industry as central to sustainable marine resource management.

The small pelagic sector plays a crucial role in coastal employment, food security, animal feed supply chains, and export earnings, especially along the West Coast. However, it is also highly vulnerable to environmental variability and climate-driven shifts. The Minister pointed to recent scientific assessments showing major fluctuations in biomass and recruitment, particularly the record-low anchovy recruitment in 2025 and persistently low sardine populations.

In response, the sector has been urged to diversify fishing efforts towards more abundant species such as round herring, which has shown strong biomass performance. “This species now plays a critical buffering role in maintaining throughput in the pelagic sector during periods when sardine and anchovy are constrained,” the Minister said. He explained that investments like the Sandy Point fishmeal plant support resilience by enabling efficient processing of a wider species mix, reducing waste, improving turnaround times, and stabilising supply to downstream industries.

Overall, the plant is seen as a strategic move towards sustainable industrialisation and strengthened marine beneficiation, aligning with the Oceans Economy Master Plan and the government’s industrial policy framework.

Global antimicrobial usage peaked dramatically at 118,600 tonnes in 2013 before dropping to 84,000 tonnes by 2020.

Rwanda is laying the foundation for a more productive, resilient, and competitive livestock sector.

Crops

Nigeria moves to power bioethanol growth by linking 14 million cassava farmers to industry.

Agriculture

Nigeria has unveiled an ambitious agricultural and industrial plan aimed at integrating about 14 million smallholder farmers into the cassava based bioethanol value chain.

The move forms part of a broader effort to industrialise agriculture, strengthen rural livelihoods and cut Nigeria’s heavy reliance on imported fuel. Known as the Cassava Bioethanol Value Chain Development Project, the initiative is being driven by the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and represents a key step in reshaping the country’s agricultural economy.

A central feature of the programme is the “triple helix” approach, which brings together government institutions, universities and the private sector. This partnership model is designed to speed up the transfer of research, skills and technology to farmers and processors. Through this collaboration, producers will gain access to high yielding and disease resistant cassava varieties, modern farming techniques and improved production systems that support large scale industrial processing. The approach is also expected to attract private investment and strengthen Nigeria’s bioenergy ecosystem.

The project aligns with Nigeria’s National Biofuels Policy (2007), which targets the blending of ethanol with Premium Motor Spirit with the long term goal of achieving a 10 percent ethanol mix. This strategy is expected to stimulate domestic demand for cassava derived bioethanol, reduce fuel imports and preserve foreign exchange. Currently, close to half of Nigeria’s petrol consumption depends on imports, and official estimates suggest the initiative could save more than US$3 trillion, roughly US$4bn, every year.

Beyond fuel, ethanol is widely used across the chemical, pharmaceutical and agri food industries, including in the production of disinfectants, solvents and beverages. This broad demand highlights the strong commercial potential of bioethanol outside the energy sector.

Approved in April 2023, the project is backed by a US$11.9bn government investment running through 2028. A pilot phase includes a 20 hectare biotechnology industrial park where hybrid cassava varieties such as TME 419 will be cultivated. While the opportunities are significant, success will depend on reliable logistics, strong processing infrastructure and a stable regulatory framework that balances industrial demand with cassava’s role as a staple food.

Ethiopia puts coffee at heart of culture climate and growth. (Image credit: Ethiopian News Agency)

Sugar workers halt strike as government signals settlement plan. (Image credit: Capital Business)

Technology

GrainMate stands out as an affordable and user-friendly solution with a measurable impact on food systems.(Image credit: Sesi Technologies)

Machinery & Equipment

The GrainMate Grain Moisture Meter is a compact, handheld agricultural innovation developed to help farmers, grain traders, feed manufacturers and aggregators accurately assess grain moisture levels before storage, processing or sale.

Moisture management plays a vital role in modern agriculture, as excessive moisture in harvested grain can result in post-harvest losses, mould development and aflatoxin contamination, all of which threaten food safety, grain quality and farm profitability.

Created by Sesi Technologies in Ghana, GrainMate reflects a growing push towards climate-smart and climate-resilient agricultural technologies tailored to the needs of smallholder farmers and agribusinesses across Africa. The device is already widely adopted across sub-Saharan Africa, where thousands of users rely on it to take fast and reliable moisture readings across multiple grain types.

Traditionally, farmers have depended on manual and inaccurate methods—such as biting grains or visual inspection—to judge dryness. GrainMate modernises this process by delivering instant digital readings of moisture, temperature and humidity via a clear LCD display. This allows users to make informed decisions in seconds rather than relying on guesswork. The device currently supports seven major commodities, including maize, rice, soybeans, sorghum, millet, groundnut and wheat, with scope for future expansion.

Designed for field and market use, the GrainMate Moisture Meter is simple and durable. Users insert the robust aluminium probe into a grain sample, select the appropriate crop setting, and press a button to receive accurate results. The meter is battery-powered, operating on just two AA batteries, and includes features such as adjustable calibration, a backlit screen for low-light environments, audible alerts and intelligent power management to conserve energy.

GrainMate directly addresses key agricultural challenges, particularly in regions facing high humidity, variable temperatures and limited access to drying infrastructure. By delivering fast, reliable moisture data, the technology helps reduce spoilage, improve storage outcomes and enhance price negotiations at markets.

Overall, GrainMate stands out as an affordable, user-friendly solution with a measurable impact on food systems, empowering both smallholders and commercial operators to reduce losses, protect grain quality and strengthen food security throughout the agricultural value chain.

 

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