ZIMBABWE – International research organization ICRISAT has together with the Pan African Seed Company Seed Co Group developed a new hybrid of white sorghum (great millet) that is high yielding and promises greater resilience to erratic rainfall. The new invention has a yield potential of up to 8 tonnes per hectare, offering farmers a 25% yield increase over existing varieties.…
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Zimbabwe adopts “One Health” strategy in tackling antimicrobial resistance
ZIMBABWE – The Zimbabwe AMR Country grant consortium consisting of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as lead grantee, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Biomedical Research and Training Institute (BRTI) have partnered to rehabilitate 14 human and animal health laboratories which were commissioned in May 2022. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a natural phenomenon in…
READ MOREFAO Farmer Field Schools yield encouraging results in fighting antimicrobial resistance
AFRICA – FAO Farmer Field Schools (FFS) has shown that changes in animal production techniques can result in judicious antimicrobial use (AMU), safe food, and higher profit margins. Results from pilots in Ghana, Kenya, Zambia, and Zimbabwe reveal that farmers who took part in the FAO’s poultry FFS boosted their efforts in infection prevention and control while decreasing their usage…
READ MOREZimbabwe boosts antimicrobial resistance surveillance capacity
ZIMBABWE – At least 14 laboratories in Zimbabwe have been equipped to provide antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance data thanks to financing from the Fleming Fund, a UK aid programme that helps countries fight AMR. Five of these are devoted to veterinary research, seven to human health, one to food, and one to the environment. Surveillance is a vital tool to…
READ MOREZimbabwe embarks on potato seed multiplication program to get rid of low quality seeds
ZIMBABWE – The Government of Zimbabwe in conjunction with Kutsaga Research Station has embarked on a seed potato multiplication programme in a bid to eradicate aphid-transmitted potato viruses that cause severe yield reduction and loss of tuber quality in potatoes. Tobacco Research Board (TRB) Head Liaison, Dr Dzingai Rukuni said this programme will help reduce the critical shortage of the…
READ MOREFAO trains environmental health personnel in Zimbabwe on food safety risk analysis
ZIMBABWE – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has trained environmental health personnel in Zimbabwe on food safety risk analysis, focusing on risk assessment, risk management and risk communication. Based on the FAO/WHO Food Safety Risk Analysis Guide for National Food Safety Authorities, FAO and the government of Zimbabwe have trained 311 food inspectors since November…
READ MOREZimbabwe’s Seed Co launches new climate smart maize varieties
ZIMBABWE – Seed Co Zimbabwe, a leading certified seed company in Africa, has launched three new maize seed varieties SC 547, SC 437 and SC 303 as part of its efforts to address farmers’ challenges posed by climate change. The varieties were launched at the national annual field day at Seed Co’s Rattray Arnold Research Station in Goromonzi. The field…
READ MOREZimbabwe to export fresh citrus fruits to China
ZIMBABWE – Following the penning of the citrus phytosanitary protocol, Zimbabwe can now export fruits to China, in a development expected to broaden export destinations for the fruits and remove overdependence on South Africa and the European market. The phytosanitary protocol requires that a cold chain system for the export of fresh citrus fruits to China be put in place…
READ MOREZimbabwe develops app to furnish producers with information on best practices in beef production
ZIMBABWE – The Zimbabwe Agricultural Growth Programme (ZAGP) – Beef Enterprise and Transformation (BEST) Project has spear headed the development of a mobile application called “Kurima Mari/Ukulima Imali” to assist large-scale commercial and small-scale beef producers with information on best practices in beef production. ZAGP is a response to tackle the challenges facing the livestock sector in Zimbabwe through financial…
READ MOREZimbabwe’s AMP Group achieves FSSC 22000 Certification
ZIMBABWE – Associated Meat Packers (AMP Group), a joint venture business with Colcom Holdings Limited, Zimbabwe, a pork and meat products producer, has achieved the coveted Food Safety System Certification, FSSC 22000, becoming the 11th Zimbabwean company to receive the certification. The certification is a testament of the company’s continued commitment to continually improve the management and control of food…
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