2010
September
29 September 2010
Kenya Director of Fisheries praises Aqua Shops
RIUtv recently met the Kenya Director of Fisheries, Godfrey Monor, in his Nairobi office.
Earlier this year the Kenya Government launched an economic stimulus package, which includes a large-scale initiative to promote aquaculture in western Kenya.
28 September 2010
ShujaazFM's Boyie 'too popular'
The charismatic DJ Boyie (DJB to his friends) is one of the characters depicted in ShujaazFM, the multimedia Kenya youth communication phenomenon. Like any self-respecting urban youth, Boyie has a Facebook page (in fact 2 million Kenyans are already on Facebook). Kades, the actor who plays Boyie in the radio versions of ShujaazFM, explained this to a group of UK parliamentarians on their recent visit to the celebration held to mark the 5 millionth Shujaaz comic.
27 September 2010
5,000 Rwandan maize farmers to get fairer prices through warrantage - new RIUtv film
Earlier this month RIU news featured RIU Rwanda's work on warrantage. This story generated a great deal of interest from policy makers and practitioners alike, so RIUtv's Nik Wood went to Rwanda to find out how the warrantage scheme works.
26 September 2010
Armyworm presentation scores advocacy success
A case study incorporating the DFID-RIU funded project on armyworm control was well received at the International Food Security and Safety meeting, hosted by the Society of Experimental Biology and Lancaster University between 13-15 September 2010.
26 September 2010
RIU Director reflects on the MDGs
In his new Director's Update (23 September 2010), Ian Maudlin reflects on the lessons emerging from RIU and how these can support delivery of the Millennium Development Goals. In response to the emerging debate about the role of agricultural research in international development, Maudlin said:
22 September 2010
Improved SUPA rice reduces deforestation in Zambia
RIU Zambia has been working to improve the lot of farmers in Chinsali and around the Chambeshi flood plains. In particular they are keen to support efforts aimed at finding viable alternatives to commercial charcoal burning and the chitemene (cutting down trees and burning) system of farming, both of which are very destructive. This means finding alternative products for which there is strong demand and finding ways to support their commercialization.
22 September 2010
RIUtv meets Benson Maniaji from FIPS-Africa
RIUtv likes to profiles the unsung heroes from the RIU portfolio. This time we met up with Benson Maniaji whilst he was explaining the work of FIPS to a group of UK members of parliament - you can see what they thought on another FIPS RIUtv feature.
22 September 2010
RIUtv provides media training to Aqua Shops team
Research Into Use (RIU) works closely with its partners to help them to succeed. Supplying funds is an important part of what we do more; RIU is well placed to offer a range of other support to its partner projects. In addition to funding RIU has brokered a large number of very useful introductions and also supports targeted capacity building.
15 September 2010
UK parliamentarians impressed by FIPS work in western Kenya
Five British MPs and a member of the House of Lords, members of the UK All Party Parliamentary Group of Agriculture and Food for Development, today visited farmers in Western Kenya who have benefitted from FIPS-Africa's efforts to provide improved access to better farm inputs and information.
14 September 2010
UK MPs hear of ShujaazFM impact and plans for viability
A group of UK parliamentarians from the All Party Parliamentary Group on Agriculture and Food for Development visited the ShujaazFMFM launch last night (13 September), to celebrate the production of the 5 millionth copy of the comic since February 2010. ShujaazFMFM has quickly become established as one the most read publication in East Africa as it is estimated that each copy is read by 15-20 people. The latest research, announced at the launch, suggests that 58% of 18-24 year old people in Kenya are aware of ShujaazFMFM.
10 September 2010
British Parliamentarians to visit RIU projects in Kenya
An influential group of British members of parliament are to visit four RIU projects in Kenya next week. The four MPs and one member of the House of Lords are visiting on a trip organised by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Agriculture and Food for Development.
10 September 2010
Building work progressing well on armyworm bio-pesticide production facility
RIU Best Bets has invested in the fight against armyworm. The approach is to improve both community-based forecasting and make available bio-pesticides which are a safer and cheaper way of controlling this highly destructive pest.
10 September 2010
Gro-Plus productivity trials extends to a further 2,500 farmers in western Kenya
As rains sweep western Kenya, farmers are preparing to plant to take advantage of the short rains. In anticipation The Real IPM Company has been distributing packs of their new Gro-Plus product - small bags of fertiliser which is dissolved in water and used to soak seeds before sowing (seed priming).
10 September 2010
Poultry sector to get a boost in Sierra Leone
RIU Sierra Leone is working on developing the country's poultry sector. They have just released a report from the recent Poultry Sector Validation Workshop, which took place on 25 August 2010 in Freetown.
10 September 2010
RIU Tanzania experiences frustrations of changing policy and practice
On 21 June 2010 RIU News announced that RIU Tanzania had achieved a policy change triumph in relation to import duties on hatchery equipment. This was timely because RIU Tanzania was in the process of helping hatcheries to import equipment to scale up indigenous poultry production as part of the poultry innovation platform (entrepreneurship)
9 September 2010
Research Into Use joins Kofi Annan and other African leaders to review the role of parliament at African Green Revolution Forum
RIU's Andy Frost and Tony Worthington joined a group of senior African parliamentarians in Accra, Ghana, at the first-ever African Green Revolution Forum. The forum was chaired by former UN Secretary-General and Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa chair, Kofi Annan.
8 September 2010
RIU Zambia Conservation Agriculture pilot support 70% of yield increases
RIU Zambia National Programme Officer, Frank Kayula, reported that the Conservation Agriculture pilots in Zambia have resulted in increased yields. Research by GART/CFU suggested that 70% of increased yields is down to timely planting and weed controls, according to the latest research results.
8 September 2010
RIU Zambia calls for more public private partnerships to promote Conservation Agriculture as a business
The second thematic meeting of the Conservation Agriculture Association was held on 1 September 2010 in Lusaka at the Pamodzi Hotel.
8 September 2010
Kenya Aqua Shops project on the way to first six franchises
RIU has supported FARM-Africa and partners to develop an Aqua Shop franchise model in Kenya under its Commissioned Work strand. This work strand is the most responsive of RIU's portfolio and it backs initiatives, often at a pilot scale, that can add valuable learning - in this case the development of a franchise model to support distribution of inputs for fish farming through one-stop Aqua Shops.
3 September 2010
Malawi: 'this little piggy went to the market'
RIU negotiation among key stakeholders in the pork value chain is solving some of the sector's most 'pig-headed' issues, ensuring a constant local supply of quality pigs to processors and consumers through the establishment of decentralized pig marketing structures.
2 September 2010
RIU Rwanda-backed scheme aims to stop poor maize farmers selling at rock bottom prices
RIU's coordinator in Rwanda explains how introducing a warrantage scheme can ensure that poorer farmers can take a similar place in the market to better resourced farmer.
1 September 2010
Bio-pesticide Best Bets in Ghana gets a boost
The Real IPM Company's programme in Ghana which is supported by RIU Best Bets, got a boost this week with the announcement that the Ghanaian Environmental Protection Agency's technical committee has recommended provisional clearance for the bio-pesticides products.
September
29 September 2010
Kenya Director of Fisheries praises Aqua Shops
RIUtv recently met the Kenya Director of Fisheries, Godfrey Monor, in his Nairobi office.
Earlier this year the Kenya Government launched an economic stimulus package, which includes a large-scale initiative to promote aquaculture in western Kenya.
28 September 2010
ShujaazFM's Boyie 'too popular'
The charismatic DJ Boyie (DJB to his friends) is one of the characters depicted in ShujaazFM, the multimedia Kenya youth communication phenomenon. Like any self-respecting urban youth, Boyie has a Facebook page (in fact 2 million Kenyans are already on Facebook). Kades, the actor who plays Boyie in the radio versions of ShujaazFM, explained this to a group of UK parliamentarians on their recent visit to the celebration held to mark the 5 millionth Shujaaz comic.
27 September 2010
5,000 Rwandan maize farmers to get fairer prices through warrantage - new RIUtv film
Earlier this month RIU news featured RIU Rwanda's work on warrantage. This story generated a great deal of interest from policy makers and practitioners alike, so RIUtv's Nik Wood went to Rwanda to find out how the warrantage scheme works.
26 September 2010
Armyworm presentation scores advocacy success
A case study incorporating the DFID-RIU funded project on armyworm control was well received at the International Food Security and Safety meeting, hosted by the Society of Experimental Biology and Lancaster University between 13-15 September 2010.
26 September 2010
RIU Director reflects on the MDGs
In his new Director's Update (23 September 2010), Ian Maudlin reflects on the lessons emerging from RIU and how these can support delivery of the Millennium Development Goals. In response to the emerging debate about the role of agricultural research in international development, Maudlin said:
22 September 2010
Improved SUPA rice reduces deforestation in Zambia
RIU Zambia has been working to improve the lot of farmers in Chinsali and around the Chambeshi flood plains. In particular they are keen to support efforts aimed at finding viable alternatives to commercial charcoal burning and the chitemene (cutting down trees and burning) system of farming, both of which are very destructive. This means finding alternative products for which there is strong demand and finding ways to support their commercialization.
22 September 2010
RIUtv meets Benson Maniaji from FIPS-Africa
RIUtv likes to profiles the unsung heroes from the RIU portfolio. This time we met up with Benson Maniaji whilst he was explaining the work of FIPS to a group of UK members of parliament - you can see what they thought on another FIPS RIUtv feature.
22 September 2010
RIUtv provides media training to Aqua Shops team
Research Into Use (RIU) works closely with its partners to help them to succeed. Supplying funds is an important part of what we do more; RIU is well placed to offer a range of other support to its partner projects. In addition to funding RIU has brokered a large number of very useful introductions and also supports targeted capacity building.
15 September 2010
UK parliamentarians impressed by FIPS work in western Kenya
Five British MPs and a member of the House of Lords, members of the UK All Party Parliamentary Group of Agriculture and Food for Development, today visited farmers in Western Kenya who have benefitted from FIPS-Africa's efforts to provide improved access to better farm inputs and information.
14 September 2010
UK MPs hear of ShujaazFM impact and plans for viability
A group of UK parliamentarians from the All Party Parliamentary Group on Agriculture and Food for Development visited the ShujaazFMFM launch last night (13 September), to celebrate the production of the 5 millionth copy of the comic since February 2010. ShujaazFMFM has quickly become established as one the most read publication in East Africa as it is estimated that each copy is read by 15-20 people. The latest research, announced at the launch, suggests that 58% of 18-24 year old people in Kenya are aware of ShujaazFMFM.
10 September 2010
British Parliamentarians to visit RIU projects in Kenya
An influential group of British members of parliament are to visit four RIU projects in Kenya next week. The four MPs and one member of the House of Lords are visiting on a trip organised by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Agriculture and Food for Development.
10 September 2010
Building work progressing well on armyworm bio-pesticide production facility
RIU Best Bets has invested in the fight against armyworm. The approach is to improve both community-based forecasting and make available bio-pesticides which are a safer and cheaper way of controlling this highly destructive pest.
10 September 2010
Gro-Plus productivity trials extends to a further 2,500 farmers in western Kenya
As rains sweep western Kenya, farmers are preparing to plant to take advantage of the short rains. In anticipation The Real IPM Company has been distributing packs of their new Gro-Plus product - small bags of fertiliser which is dissolved in water and used to soak seeds before sowing (seed priming).
10 September 2010
Poultry sector to get a boost in Sierra Leone
RIU Sierra Leone is working on developing the country's poultry sector. They have just released a report from the recent Poultry Sector Validation Workshop, which took place on 25 August 2010 in Freetown.
10 September 2010
RIU Tanzania experiences frustrations of changing policy and practice
On 21 June 2010 RIU News announced that RIU Tanzania had achieved a policy change triumph in relation to import duties on hatchery equipment. This was timely because RIU Tanzania was in the process of helping hatcheries to import equipment to scale up indigenous poultry production as part of the poultry innovation platform (entrepreneurship)
9 September 2010
Research Into Use joins Kofi Annan and other African leaders to review the role of parliament at African Green Revolution Forum
RIU's Andy Frost and Tony Worthington joined a group of senior African parliamentarians in Accra, Ghana, at the first-ever African Green Revolution Forum. The forum was chaired by former UN Secretary-General and Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa chair, Kofi Annan.
8 September 2010
RIU Zambia Conservation Agriculture pilot support 70% of yield increases
RIU Zambia National Programme Officer, Frank Kayula, reported that the Conservation Agriculture pilots in Zambia have resulted in increased yields. Research by GART/CFU suggested that 70% of increased yields is down to timely planting and weed controls, according to the latest research results.
8 September 2010
RIU Zambia calls for more public private partnerships to promote Conservation Agriculture as a business
The second thematic meeting of the Conservation Agriculture Association was held on 1 September 2010 in Lusaka at the Pamodzi Hotel.
8 September 2010
Kenya Aqua Shops project on the way to first six franchises
RIU has supported FARM-Africa and partners to develop an Aqua Shop franchise model in Kenya under its Commissioned Work strand. This work strand is the most responsive of RIU's portfolio and it backs initiatives, often at a pilot scale, that can add valuable learning - in this case the development of a franchise model to support distribution of inputs for fish farming through one-stop Aqua Shops.
3 September 2010
Malawi: 'this little piggy went to the market'
RIU negotiation among key stakeholders in the pork value chain is solving some of the sector's most 'pig-headed' issues, ensuring a constant local supply of quality pigs to processors and consumers through the establishment of decentralized pig marketing structures.
2 September 2010
RIU Rwanda-backed scheme aims to stop poor maize farmers selling at rock bottom prices
RIU's coordinator in Rwanda explains how introducing a warrantage scheme can ensure that poorer farmers can take a similar place in the market to better resourced farmer.
1 September 2010
Bio-pesticide Best Bets in Ghana gets a boost
The Real IPM Company's programme in Ghana which is supported by RIU Best Bets, got a boost this week with the announcement that the Ghanaian Environmental Protection Agency's technical committee has recommended provisional clearance for the bio-pesticides products.
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