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Solar-powered orchard robot wins agri-tech horticulture hackathon

The Agri-EPI Centre has announced the winners of the agri-tech hackathon, which focused on the horticulture and livestock/veterinary sectors

The winning team in the horticulture sector is Orcharbot with its concept of a solar-powered, zero-emission crop scouting and weeding robot featuring six technological innovations for weed identification and organic removal, fruit surveying and harvesting. The team members came from the University of West England, Bristol Robotics Laboratory and Antobot.

This section of the hackathon was judged by Rob Wilkinson of Grimme; Ali Capper of the NFU; David Telford of the Knowledge Transfer Network and Adam Spate of Bardsley England.

A team from the technology provider FarmVet Systems is the winner of the veterinary hackathon. Their concept - ‘VetAccess’ - is based on their existing VetIMPRESS secure data management platform. Their idea focuses on enabling farm teams to fully benefit from technology in the face of challenges created by vets working remotely due to COVID restrictions.

Judges in this category were Jan Van Dijke of Zoetis, Tim Potter of WestPoint Farm Vets (VetPartners), George Paterson of Landmark Systems, and Lucy Mather of the Knowledge Transfer Network. In particular, they liked the farmer-focused vision behind the concept.

Lisa Williams, Agri-EPI’s business development director, said, “The level of interest and enthusiasm from all the entrants to our hackathon exceeded all of our expectations, and we thank all the competitors and the judges for taking part. The Agri-EPI team is very excited about the coming year, as we work with both winning teams to support the feasibility testing and development of their concepts.

“There were many other strong ideas put forward during the hackathon which show great promise, so we have decided to work with all teams to provide support as they build on their ideas.”

The hackathon was supported with funding from the SmartAgriHubs element of the EU Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.

A total of 11 teams participated in the hackathon, which was held to support the development of technological solutions to the problems posed by COVID-19. The winning teams will receive a year of product launch support from experts at Agri-EPI Centre.

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APPP: Africa's largest infrastructure finance and partnership event

Event News

The 15th edition of the Africa PPP Summit (#APPP2025) will be held from 28 to 31 October 2025 at the Hilton Hotel, Windhoek, Namibia

As Africa's largest infrastructure finance and partnership event, it aims to drive private sector investment in key sectors like Electricity, Transport, Water and sanitation, and Industrial infrastructure. This summit will gather industry leaders to explore public-private partnerships (PPPs) as vital drivers of sustainable growth across the continent.

Held in Namibia, a country known for its strong infrastructure and investment-friendly policies, APPP2025 will highlight Namibia's strategic position as a logistics hub, with world-class roads, ports, and rail networks. The Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board, supported by the Office of the President, is the event's host, alongside AME Trade Ltd.

Over four days, the event will feature a conference with interactive discussions, a masterclass on capacity building, and site visits to key infrastructure projects. Topics will include Namibia's infrastructure plans, energy access (solar, wind, hydro), transport connectivity, water scarcity solutions, and regulatory changes to boost African economies. APPP2025 is an essential gathering for investors, policymakers, and industry leaders to network and collaborate on shaping Africa's infrastructure future. It promises to be a pivotal moment for economic growth through strategic infrastructure development.

ZIVO Bioscience and top animal health firm launch studies on poultry immune-boosting compounds

Poultry

ZIVO Bioscience, Inc., a biotech and agtech research company developing immune-boosting compounds from proprietary algal cultures, has announced a new partnership with one of the world’s leading animal health companies

The collaboration focuses on advancing ZIVO’s novel biologics for use in the poultry industry and may expand to other livestock and companion animals in the future.

The companies have signed two agreements to conduct independent studies that will explore the potential of ZIVO’s compounds to support poultry health. The goal is to enhance existing vaccination strategies and help address diseases that continue to affect poultry production.

Expanding poultry protection

The first agreement involves a 42-day challenge study focused on coccidiosis, a common and damaging parasitic disease in poultry. This study aims to confirm earlier positive results from ZIVO’s compound, now used alongside the partner’s vaccine. It will also collect samples to evaluate new performance measures. Findings will support ZIVO’s regulatory process with the USDA’s Center for Veterinary Biologics and help establish a strong business case for commercial use.

The second agreement outlines a study of ZIVO’s compounds using a model for a viral poultry disease that causes high mortality and has no available cure. The virus was chosen for its well-known in vivo model, clear clinical results and short testing timeline. The goal is to confirm the antiviral effects ZIVO has already observed in earlier trials, including reduced severity and spread of low-pathogenic avian influenza. Positive outcomes could lead to broader studies covering more viral diseases.

The collaborating animal health company will fully fund both studies. Researchers will assess how ZIVO’s compounds can shorten the time between vaccination and immunity, protect birds in vulnerable periods, enhance immune response and reduce the impact of diseases that suppress the immune system.

“This collaboration supports our strategy to partner with a major animal health company that brings scientific expertise and R&D infrastructure to advance our innovations to global markets efficiently and at scale,” said John Payne, chairman and CEO of ZIVO Bioscience. “We are aligned with this company on the broad applicability of our immune-modulating technology and its potential to create a disruptive, non-antibiotic therapeutic platform.”

The regulation agency has requested farmers to switch to organic production methods and utilise only licensed pesticides.

Agriculture

The regulatory agency in the Gash Barka area has held food safety workshops for people and animals, focusing on farmers and owners of organisations that provide social services in the sub-zones of Sel'a, Kerkebet, Laelai Gash, Gogni, and Mogolo

During the seminars, Meaze Neguse, an expert in animal resources regulation, cautioned that hazardous food could risk the lives of both people and animals. He stressed the importance of safety and hygiene throughout the whole food production chain, from farm to consumer, and emphasised the close relationship between food safety and environmental protection. He exhorted everyone involved in the food processing and distribution industry to work with regulatory professionals.

Hadish Gebremeskel, a representative of the plant regulatory service, spoke at length about the immediate and indirect negative consequences of misusing pesticides. He aimed at the serious implications of employing unauthorised or harmful agricultural medicines without consulting specialists, noting that these methods are bad for the environment, people, and animals. He requested farmers to switch to organic production methods and utilise only licensed pesticides.

Sub-zone officials, for their part, said that the seminars make a big difference in achieving the objective of "Ensuring Nutritious Food for All and Everywhere." They urged farmers and food processing companies to use the skills they acquired during the training in their regular activities.

Eric Muuga explained the delay in the Thwake Dam. 

Water & Irrigation

Eric Muuga, Kenya's water and irrigation cabinet secretary explained to senators the reasons behind the delay in the construction of the Sh42.3 billion Thwake Dam 

He cited the Russia-Ukraine war and the COVID-19 pandemic as factors affecting progress. Muuga faced skepticism from lawmakers, especially Makueni Senator Daniel Maanzo, who questioned how these events impacted a project that stalled a year ago.

Muuga argued that the war caused a shortage of explosives needed for the dam’s foundation, while the pandemic led to a reduced workforce. He also mentioned that challenges with the dam’s height and the weak foundation required additional construction work. Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua expressed doubt about the contractor’s presence on-site, recalling an experience where excuses related to Covid-19 and later the Ukraine war were used for delays.

Muuga clarified that Thwake Dam is designed to be the largest rock-filled dam in Kenya, with a capacity of 688 million cubic metres. He stressed the importance of allowing time for the foundation’s embankment to settle to prevent future issues, stating that this settlement could take six to nine months. The cost breakdown reveals that the African Development Bank is providing Sh35. 6 billion, and the Kenyan government is contributing Sh6.71 billion.

Initially scheduled for fulfillment in December last year, the project is now set for completion by October 30, 2025. Upon completion, the dam will supply water to 1.3 million people, generate 20 megawatts of hydropower, and irrigate 100,000 acres, benefiting various areas in both Makueni and Kitui counties.

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