HEALTH BENEFITS OF EGGS

Leave a Comment / Article, meat, Nutritional benefits /

Eggs are nutrient-packed, multi-purpose delicacies. Its uses and benefits cannot be over-exaggerated. These benefits include its culinary and commercial uses. The most common eggs consumed in Nigeria are hen’s eggs, but eggs from some other birds are also consumed. Eggs can be consumed in different ways as scrambled eggs, fried eggs, and omelets. We also use them in baked products, like poached eggs and souffles. To check for the freshness of eggs in the home, place the eggs in saltwater and observe if the egg sinks, it is fresh but if it floats; it is stale. Eggs have favourable characteristics that make them acceptable for use, they are; Convenient Inexpensive Easy to prepare Soft and easy to chew Apart from consumption, one can also go into mass production of eggs and supply to supermarkets, shops, and food industries. Eggs provide a whole range of health benefits, these includes. Rich source of protein: Eggs are rich sources of protein of high biological value, hence you can refer to it as a complete protein. This protein found in the egg helps the body build up muscles and repair worn-out tissues. Provide vitamins and minerals: They contain an appreciable amount of vitamin A, B6, B12, folate, iron, selenium. These are all necessary for the regular functioning of cells and maintain a healthy immune system. Contains unsaturated fat: Eggs contain unsaturated fatty acids, linoleic and oleic acids, which help low-density lipoprotein also referred to as bad cholesterol in the body. These unsaturated fats also help reduce inflammation and build stronger cell membranes in the body. Amongst these health benefits, if one discovers that he or she is allergic to eggs, he or she must avoid eggs and products produced with eggs. They can explore other sources of proteins of high biological value to get the same value. We can also use eggs for various other functions like thickeners, emulsifiers, stabilizers in mixtures, and binding agents. It is also used as a leavening agent in baked products by causing expansion of doughs and batters by the release of gases within the mixtures. It is necessary to note that egg yolks in eggs furnish up to 71 percent of the recommended dietary allowance for cholesterol intake daily, which shows that one egg a day is fair enough. So one has to be cautious enough and eat eggs in moderation for optimal health. References Meister, K. (2002). The Role of Eggs in the Diet: Update. American Council on Science and Health. Okeke, N. P. (2017). Fundamentals of Food and Nutrition. Imo State: SkillMark Media. Udoh, Chidera Jennifer

HEALTH BENEFITS OF EGGS Read More »

Yummy delicious guinea fowl and its health benefit.

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized /

Just in case you haven’t tried it before, get ready to enjoy the finger-licking nutrients in guinea fowl. Guinea fowl, is poultry originating from Africa, sometimes called pintades, pearl hens, or gleanies. They are from the Numida family and are related to other game birds such as pheasants, turkeys, and partridges. Guinea fowl meat is a less commonly consumed bird meat comparing it to other bird meats such as chicken and turkey. It’s tasty bird meat that has been likened to have a taste in between pheasant and chicken. Its meat is moist, lean, tender, and flavorful. Guinea fowl meat has been found to have numerous nutritional benefits. Just like every other meat, it is a rich source of protein and this makes it good for maintaining and strengthening the muscles. It is also rich source of vitamins and minerals. It is rich in niacin (vitamin B3) and pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) which contributes to energy creation, mental health, and nervous system function. It also contains vitamin B6, which helps to maintain immune health, support hair health, and reduce fatigue. Its richness in phosphorous contributes to the normal function of the cell and the maintenance of bones and teeth. It is also rich in choline for the normal function of the liver and cardiovascular health. It is rich in an antioxidant, selenium which protects the cells from damaging free radicals as well as normal thyroid function. Its eggs are not left out. The guinea fowl eggs are very tasty and consist of vitamins A, E, and also D3 which are essential for good health. Even according to some breeders the eggs from the guinea fowl pack have more taste and richness than the ordinary eggs. The guinea fowl meat is white, similar to chicken, but the taste is more reminiscent of pheasant, without excessive gamey flavor. People know meat to be rich in fatty acids, and it is also low in calories. Eating guinea fowl meat is a healthier choice as it has low cholesterol and low-fat content, and the fat content present in it is three times less than that present in beef. The meat of guinea fowl is appetizing and full of flavor, and the tender meat can be prepared easily in different ways. You can grill, roast, or even pan fry. You can also cook the meat with other food ingredients such as carrots, green beans, shallots, mushrooms, chestnuts, spinach, and peas, or maybe you will try other guinea fowl meat recipes to discover the taste. Guinea fowl meat and egg are healthy. So, try any recipes for cooking guinea meat into delicious dishes. #agrohealth Uju Onuorah Agrodemy content writer

Yummy delicious guinea fowl and its health benefit. Read More »

VETERINARY DOCTORS YOU SHOULD KNOW.

Leave a Comment / Agric career, Article /

In many respects, a veterinarian is like a pediatrician. Animals cannot talk like babies and children, and hence clinical history is obtained from the owner or client as a pediatrician would get from a child’s parents. Achieving this requires excellent people skills and communication skills. What They cannot get from the clinical history is then acquired with the fingers, eyes, and smell. The ability to listen with a stethoscope and palpate with the fingers and hands will reveal much of the physical findings. The sense of smell is also essential in detecting the fruity odor of the ketotic cow’s breath, or the urea from the breath of a cat in renal failure. What cannot be revealed by the history and exam is further supported by diagnostic tests like blood work, urinalysis, and fecal exams; Veterinarians are well trained in laboratory medicine and parasitology. The general practice veterinarian spends one-third to one-half of his or her time in surgery. Animal neutering operations are done in most veterinarians’ offices. Many veterinarians also perform orthopedic procedures, bone setting, dentistry, and trauma surgery. Surgery requires good hand and eye coordination, and fine motor skills. A veterinarian’s job is like that of a human doctor. When health problems arise, veterinarians diagnose the problem and treat the animal. Accurate diagnosis frequently requires laboratory tests, radiography, and specialized equipment. Treatments may involve several different procedures including emergency lifesaving techniques, prescribing medication, setting fractures, birthing, performing surgery, or advising an owner on feeding and care of the animal. To prevent the introduction of foreign diseases, veterinarians employed by government agencies quarantine and inspect animals brought into the country from other countries. They supervise shipments of animals, test for diseases and manage campaigns to prevent and eradicate many diseases such as tuberculosis, brucellosis, and rabies, which threaten animal and human health. A veterinarian in research looks for better ways to prevent and solve animal and human health problems. Many problems, such as cancer and heart disease, are studied through the use of laboratory animals, which are carefully bred, raised, and maintained under the supervision of veterinarians. There are many veterinarians that are professors, teaching at schools and universities of veterinary medicine. Besides teaching, veterinary school faculty members conduct basic and clinical research, contribute to scientific publications, and develop continuing education programs to help graduate veterinarians gain new knowledge and skills. Veterinarians diagnose and control animal diseases and treat sick and injured animals. Veterinarians also work in public health. They help to prevent and control animal and human diseases and promote good health. As epidemiologists, they investigate animal and human disease outbreaks such as food-borne illness, influenza, plague, rabies, AIDS, and encephalitis. They evaluate the safety of food processing plants, restaurants, and water supplies. Veterinarians in environmental health programs study and evaluate the effects of various pesticides, industrial pollutants, and other contaminants on people and on animals. As opposed to human medicine, general practice veterinarians greatly out-number veterinary specialists. Most veterinary specialists work at a veterinary school, or at a referral centre in large cities. As opposed to human medicine, where each organ system has its own medical and surgical specialties, veterinarians often combine both the surgical and medical aspect of an organ system into one field. The specialties in veterinary medicine often encompass several medical and surgical specialties that are found in human medicine. Within each veterinary specialty, one will often find a separation of large animal medicine from small animal medicine. Some veterinary specialties are evolving, some are limited only in the teaching of universities, and some are practiced only in the field. List of Veterinary doctors: 1). Dr. Augustina Ezekwesili _ drezekwesili@yahoo.com 2). Dr. Mansur D. Salisu _ ddallaocci@gmail.com 3). Dr. Abdulsalam M. Saleh _ abdulsalammalamsaleh230@gmail.com 4). Dr. Chike Oguejiofor_ +234 803 899 3103 5). Prof. Garba H. Sharubutu_ President, Veterinary Council Of Nigeria since 2013. 6). OlatundeB Akanbi_ Head of Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Ibadan. 7). Prof. James Olopade_ Professor in Veterinary Anatomy and Neuroscience 8). Reuben Arowolo_ Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Abeokuta, Nigeria. 9). Benjamin O. Fagbemi_ Professor and Chairman, Research and Development University of Ibadan. 10). Grace Kia_ Predemics. Ahmadu Bello University,Zaria

VETERINARY DOCTORS YOU SHOULD KNOW. Read More »

What is Agricultural Investment in the real sense?

Leave a Comment / Education /

By definition, Investment consists of all expenditures aimed at increasing the productive capacity of a business. It seeks to acquire assets, which yield productivity gains spread over time. In Agriculture, Investment takes different forms. It consists of acquiring agricultural lands, planting and cultivation of crops, animal husbandry, sales and purchase of agricultural equipment (machinery, equipment, buildings, etc.). From a microeconomic point of view, reasoning as an economic agent. Purchase of land by the farmer is considered an investment because it leads to increase in the farmer’s landholdings. However, from a macroeconomic perspective, this operation does not at all mean an increase in the country’s production capacity. It is merely a change of owner and not the acquisition of a new asset. In situations where the farmer cultivates, acquire storage facilities or processing, it can be considered an investment expenditure for the country. This is because these activities contribute to increasing the production capacity of society.

What is Agricultural Investment in the real sense? Read More »

AGRIBUSINESS IN ONDO STATE

Leave a Comment / Uncategorized /

Having discussed the definition and the general overview of Agribusiness in the last article, we astressed that Agribusiness is a combination of two words (Agriculture and Business) meaning it includes enterprises relating to Agriculture. Today we would take a leap further by considering each state and predominant Agribusiness common to them. First is Ondo State. General Overview of Ondo State It was created in 1976 from the then western region with a capital known as Akure, it is h is located in the south-west geopolitical zone of Nigeria with 18 local government areas which includes Akoko-Northeast, Akoko-Northwest, Akoko-Southwest, Akoko-Southeast, Akure-South, Akure-North, Ese-Odo, Idanre, Ifedore, Ilaje, Ile-Oluji, Irele, Odigbo, Okitipupa, Ondo West, Ondo East, Ose, and Owo. Ondo state spans through a land area of 14,793 square kilometres with population of 3,441,024 people as at the last census, many of which are inhabitants of urban areas of Ondo State. It is bounded in the North by Ekiti and Kogi States, in the East by Edo State, in the west by Osun and Ogun states and in the south by the Atlantic Ocean. The state has rivers, creeks and lakes due to proximity to the ocean, many of the predominant rivers are Ala, Oni, Ose, and others. The climate is that of Tropical Rain Forest type, with distinct wet and dry seasons. The tropical climate of the state is broadly divided into two: Dry season (Harmattan season) and Raining season. The annual rainfall varies from 2,000mm in the southern areas to 1,150mm in the northern areas. In the south, the mean monthly temperature is 27 degree Celsius, with mean relative humidity of over seventy five percent. The older sand ridge develops brown and orange sandy soils, while the most recent ones near the coast have light grey sandy soils. In the northern part of the state, the mean monthly temperature and its range are about 30 degree Celsius. The mean monthly relative humidity is less than seventy percent. Soils here are skeletal in nature and are of comparatively recent origin. Ondo State is blessed with lot of Agribusiness Potentials like cocoa, cashew, oil palm, cassava, plantain, wood felling, etc. Cassava: Since the entry of His Excellency Rotimi Akeredolu into office, he has taken the issue of Agriculture as a tool for poverty Alleviation. Through the Cassave to Ethanol which is aimed at providing value to cassava other than Garri, lafun and cassava flour which are utilized in breads and cakes. the project is undertaken through partnership the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. NNPC alongside with the Federal Government in order to offer one million jobs for the citizens of Ondo state and other indigenes living within and outside the State. The project aims to achieve employment to the public through farming schemes and processing, they have started by considering 2,434 cassava farmers. Plantains/Banana: Plantain cultivation is commonly grown in remote areas of Ondo state like Akoko, Ore, Ondo, Owo, Okikitupa, Ilaje etc., it is cultivated among family members. The climatic conditions of Ondo State support plantain and banana growth, once they are grown, they are consumed fresh by boiling/frying into chips or dried into flour for human consumption, goats feed on the peels also. Agribusiness you can take advantage of is buying its in bulk and selling in urban areas or processing plantains into dried chips that can be used in flour production used in cake, bread, amala, plantain cake. Cocoa:  Nigeria is the fourth leading producer of cocoa in the world, while Ondo State is the largest producer of cocoa in Nigeria. Cocoa is the main agricultural export after petroleum, commanding huge income on the international market. In boosting and restoring the fortune in Ondo State, Gov. Akeredolu distributed 450,000 improved and quality cocoa seedlings to farmers in the state that within 18 to 24month, it would have matured for harvest instead of the normal three years. The hybrid will bring great relieve to farmers, great investment to the state and more revenue to the purse of the state. Many different sorts of products can be derived from cocoa. The husks of cocoa pods and the pulp, or sweating’s, surrounding the beans and the cocoa bean shells can be used. Some examples of these uses are: Animal feed from cocoa husk, Production of soft drinks and alcohol. Potash from cocoa pod husk can be used for soft soap manufacture, it may also be used as fertilizer for cocoa, vegetables, and food crops. Jam and marmalade – Pectin for jam and marmalade is extracted from the sweating’s. Once the beans have been fermented and dried, they can be processed to produce a variety of products. Other products include: Cocoa butter – Cocoa butter is used in the manufacture of chocolate. It is also widely used in cosmetic products such as moisturizing creams and soaps. Cocoa powder – Cocoa powder can be used as an ingredient in almost any foodstuff. For example, it is used in chocolate flavoured drinks, chocolate flavoured desserts such as ice cream and mousse, chocolate spreads and sauces, and cakes and biscuits. Cocoa liquor – Cocoa liquor is used, with other ingredients, to produce chocolate. Chocolate is used as a product on its own or combined with other ingredients to form confectionery products. Oil Palm: In Ondo places like Owena, Okikitipupa, Akoko, Ore, Oil palm are prevalent there. These has drawn four (4) companies to work on a minimum of 10,000 hectares of oil palm farmland in the State with Over 5,000 youth a been trained to drive the Ondo State Agricultural value chain. Botanical name is called Elaeis guineensis, it’s an economical important African tree  belonging to the palm family Arecaceae cultivated for its rich oil content. Palm oil, obtained from the fruits, is used in making soaps, cosmetics, candles, biofuels, and lubricating greases and in processing tinplate and coating iron plates. Palm kernel oil, from the seeds, is used in manufacturing such edible products as margarine, ice cream, chocolate confections, cookies, and bread, as well as many pharmaceuticals. The cake residue after kernel oil is extracted is used as feed for ruminant animals. The plant is also grown as an

AGRIBUSINESS IN ONDO STATE Read More »

The Role of Agriculture in Nigeria

Leave a Comment / Article, Business /

Prior to the discovery of oil in Nigeria, agriculture was the mainstay of the economy. Agriculture was then the highest earner of foreign exchange for the country, and Nigeria was also largely self-sufficient in food production. However, with the discovery of oil, the lure of petro dollars turned the focus of the country from agriculture. Nigeria began to import food that we could have easily produced locally. As we can now see, these activities have had adverse effect on the economy of the nation in the long run. Although agriculture is no longer the focal point of the Nigerian economy, it still plays some important roles in the country. These roles are listed below. Massive Employer of Labour Although no longer the largest sector of the Nigerian economy, agriculture still remains the single highest employer of labour in Nigeria, most especially in the rural areas. As of 2010, agriculture alone was employing about 30% of the population, and this figure is steadily on the increase because a whole lot of young people are picking up agriculture as an alternative after leaving school. Nigeria currently has a very high youth unemployment rate and this is beginning to result in a security threat in the country. Agriculture has the potential to rescue Nigeria from this quagmire. Foreign Exchange Earner Again, after oil, agriculture is the second highest foreign exchange earner for the country. In the agricultural sector, cocoa is the highest foreign exchange earner with Nigeria producing more than 200,000 tons of cocoa per annum. This output can be greatly increased if the current traditional methods of cultivation are traded for more modern mechanized methods. After cocoa, rubber is currently the second highest non-oil foreign exchange earner for Nigeria. Diversification of the Economy With the current dwindling of crude oil prices in the international market, there has never been a time that Nigeria needs to diversify more than now. In the quest for diversification, agriculture seems to the most sustainable way forward.

The Role of Agriculture in Nigeria Read More »

The Role of Agriculture in Nigeria’s Economy

Leave a Comment / Article, Business /

Agriculture has been regarded in recent times as the most viable route with which Nigeria can successfully meander from her current economic dilemma. This article is aimed at shedding some light on the role of agriculture in the Nigerian economy. Agriculture involves the science, practice and occupation of cultivating land and raising crops. It also involves the feeding, breeding and raising of livestock. The main purpose of agriculture is to provide food and raw materials for human use. Nigeria is currently poised to be a world power in the agricultural sector. The fact that Nigeria is richly blessed with abundant human and natural resources is one point that has been consistently repeated in various fora. However, permit me to re-echo it with some statistical data. As at the time of writing this article, 80% of the land mass in Nigeria was considered as good enough to support crop planting activities; that is the land is arable. This land area amounts to about 82 million hectares. Unfortunately, only about half of this arable land mass is being currently cultivate. Agriculture currently contributes between 30 and 40 percent to the national gross domestic product (GDP) of the country with a huge majority of the rural population engaging in subsistence agriculture. The relatively diverse variety of climatic conditions in Nigeria makes it possible to raise a wide range of crops across the country. The climate varies from the desert like and savannah climate in the north and central regions to the thick rain forests of the southern region. The major crops grown in economic quantities in Nigeria are beans, sesame, cashew nuts, cassava, cocoa beans, groundnuts, gum Arabic, kolanut, maize, melon, millet, oil palm, plantain and banana, rice, rubber, sorghum, soybeans and yams. Coupled with these crops, Nigeria also produces fruits such as pineapples, cherry and citrus (oranges, lemon, lime and tangerine) To learn more about various agribusiness you can start in Nigeria, visit our free online agribusiness academy www.agrodemy.net/academy

The Role of Agriculture in Nigeria’s Economy Read More »

WHY AGRICULTURE IS IMPORTANT IN NIGERIA

Leave a Comment / Article, Business, Opportunities /

Agriculture is at the center of the Nigerian economy, providing the main source of livelihood for the majority of Nigerians. The farming sector of this West African country employs about 70 percent of the entire country’s labor force. Nigeria’s small farms produce 80 percent of the total food and 33 percent of this country’s land is under cultivation for this purpose. This is the leading African country in farming because it has the highest levels of productivity and profitability in this particular sector. Agriculture in Nigeria is the foundation of the economy, as keeps the people stable in what they do. Two Reasons of Agriculture Importance Nigeria is twice the size of Zimbabwe and South Africa combined and has over 200 million people. The people of Nigeria depend on produce from the local farms for their daily meals as more than 80 percent of Nigerians buy their farm produce from the market. This country is at a huge advantage in terms of agriculture profitability because of the huge demand for farm produce. Nigeria has the benefit of having large stretches of fertile land available to cultivate. This country has one of the largest expanses of land in Africa with more than 900 thousand square kilometers and 70 percent of it is able to be cultivated to produce sustenance for the population of Nigeria. This land provides Nigeria with practically an unlimited source of farming food, providing agricultural produces and jobs for the people. Top Two Most Profitable Types of Farming in Nigeria Nigeria is Africa’s largest rise consumer. It is mainly small-scale farmers who produce rice, sell 80 percent of their total production and only consume 20 percent of their product. This creates a huge market for the consumption of rice by way of the vast population of Nigeria, as well as the larger continent of Africa. Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava in the world. This West African country produces cassava for 20 percent of the world, 34 percent of Africa and 46 percent of West Africa. Despite the fact that Nigeria has an enormous market for cassava, it is mostly grown for family consumption and local sale by smallholders. However, this field faces many challenges because of outdated technology and inadequate storage facilities. These challenges cause agricultural productivity to be low and postharvest losses and waste to be high. In order to make Nigeria’s agriculture productivity more sufficient, the government and private sector need to develop ways to enhance cassava’s competitiveness in the international market and improve the efficiency of domestic rice production. Livestock development is also an important aspect of Nigeria’s agriculture. The domestic production of livestock products is far below the national demand, which causes large imports of livestock and livestock products. The livestock sector can create new opportunities for farmers and provide more affordable and healthier diets for future generations. Through farming and livestock development Nigeria has a stronghold on its agriculture productivity. With the help of the leaders in this West African country, livestock and farming productivity can hopefully improve enormously. Agriculture in Nigeria is so important to the economy and people’s daily lives that, despite its setbacks, it will inevitably prosper. – Megan Maxwell REFERENCE: https://borgenproject.org/why-agriculture-in-nigeria-is-important/

WHY AGRICULTURE IS IMPORTANT IN NIGERIA Read More »

8 TYPES OF AGRIBUSINESS IDEAS TO THINK ABOUT

Leave a Comment / Article, Business /

Making more money through farming is sometimes seen by many as an old-fashioned way of doing things. However, in the real world out of fantasy, agriculture is one of the core sectors in the world and especially Kenya where it amounts to more than 30% of the gross domestic product. For you to succeed in this sector, it is crucial to get some entrepreneurial skills. Agribusiness is no longer considered as an art or a science; its passion and a way of making money. Below are some of the tips to help you in this field; Well, if you do that you can rest be assured you can’t fail in agribusiness. Here are some of the few agribusiness ideas you can start in 2018/19 and make money. Hass Avocado Farming Hass avocado at Mkulima Wa Nyeri Farm Hass Avocado business is booming day in day out in Kenya. Hass avocado takes about 2-3 years to mature and has a lifespan of more than 50 years. You can start with one care or a few seedlings and expand later. Currently big companies such as kakuzi are buying a single fruit not less than Kshs15 from small scale farmers. Below is break down of what you expect from hass avocado investment depending on the care given. With our package, you can sit back and watch us do the work for you. For only 40K you can join the millionaires club within no time. here is the package. Irish Potato farming With less than seventy thousand shillings you can grow irish potatoes in one acre of land. In areas such as Kinangop or Molo one acre of land can produce a minimum of 90 bags which retails not less than Ksh 2000. To invest in this type of farming you will require; a piece of land in a good area, the best seed tuber variety and DAP fertilizer (200 kgs per acre) and fungicides. For you to know the best tubers for your area, consult your local agricultural experts.  Cassava Farming Although cassava is an indigenous crop, it is a fast growing and well adapted to dry areas and is currently picking up as people in Kenya and beyond try to eat heathy. Having said that, you can never go wrong with this investment in areas such as Taita Taveta, Baringo, Makueni, Machakos and Kitui. Cassava only takes10 months to mature after planting.  Some of the basic requirenments of this type of venture include; a piece of land with well drained soil of pH of between 5.5 and 6.5, cuttings from middle stem portions, Fungicide/insecticide. Start small with cassava business. With Ksh 20,000 you are good to go. Poultry Farming In Kenya poultry products (meat and eggs) are on demand on daily basis. Actually the demand is so high that we are at times forced to buy these products from Tanzania or Uganda. Poultry farming is broken into three categories which are Pullet or Layers, Broiler chicken and Cockerel farming. Main things required to farm poultry include: Sufficient land space, Good fencing, Chicks, Feeds. With good care of your chicks by feeding them well and maintaining your farm you are likely to thrive and be a successful poultry farmer. The initial set-up required to start this would be about Ksh30,000. Bee Keeping Agribusiness In Kenya the most important species is called the Apis mellifera also know as the Honeybee. Though the country has a vast potential to grow this market only 20% has been tapped. Leaving a large 80% for future investors like you. Special beekeeping equipment is the most expensive cost head of bee production but the returns out-weigh this burden especially if the bees are well-nurtured. The initial start-up capital required is about 10,000 to 50,000 varying on factors such as equipment cost and location costs. Read: Improving banana farming in Kenya through Value Addition Capsicum Farming (Pilipili hoho) Capsicum is an easy crop to grow as it can be grown both indoors and out-doors. Capsicum only takes 3 months to mature and the market is usually readily available. You require; a piece of land in a suitable area with enough rainfall or enough supply of water, you can construct a greenhouse if you want to, quality certified seeds. You can start with let’s say KSh 100, 000 and grow on a 40*80 piece of land and within 3 months you can get 450,000. Mushroom farming This is a new venture in Kenya compared to other types of farming. Mushroom production used to be a complex thing but over time things have changed as numerous research, training and workshops have been conducted. With many researches, there have been development of more tolerant varieties such as oyster mushrooms. Mushroom farming does not require a huge piece of land in comparison with other crops. With a quarter acre of land, you can have your incubation house as well as a cropping house. In addition, you can make use of the vertical height as mushrooms don’t grow that tall. Assuming you have 1000 bags in a cropping room, you are assured of 2 tons of button mushrooms selling at an average of Ksh 600 per kg translating to about Ksh 1.2 million. The market for mushrooms in Kenya lies in supermarkets, households and hotels. According to NAFIS, the demand for mushroom is growing up to 1200 tons a year. With proper strategies and marketing, this is definitely a venture you should think about. You can learn about any of the agribusiness mentioned on Agrodemy free online school www.agrodemy.net/academy

8 TYPES OF AGRIBUSINESS IDEAS TO THINK ABOUT Read More »

3 or more ways Agribusiness Impacts Your Life

Leave a Comment / Article, Business /

Agribusiness is a broad concept used to describe corporate agricultural enterprises individually and collectively. Agribusinesses are companies involved in one or more stages of the production of crops and livestock. Examples of agribusiness activities include Providing food or fibers is the ultimate product of all agribusiness operations. As such, the economic impact of agribusiness is significant; agribusiness is almost two times as large as the sum of all manufacturing enterprises (measured in total assets); it represents 40 percent of all consumer spending; and it employs 37 percent of the labor force. The term “agribusiness” was coined in the 1950s by John Herbert Davis and Ray A. Goldberg to reflect the two-way interdependence between businesspeople and farmers in the dual roles of suppliers and purchasers. Business firms that serve agriculture rely on farmers for their markets and for some of their supplies. By the same token, farms could not operate without businesses that manufacture farm supplies and those that store, process, and merchandise farm commodities. Agribusiness consists of several million farm units and several thousand business units, each an independent entity, free to make its own decisions. Agribusiness is the sum total of hundreds of trade associations, commodity organizations, farm organizations, quasi-research bodies, conference bodies, and committees, each concentrating on its own interests. The U.S. government also is a part of agribusiness to the degree that it is involved in research, the regulation of food and fiber operations, and the ownership and trading of farm commodities. Land-grant colleges, with their teaching, experiment stations, and extension functions, form another sector of agribusiness. In summary, agribusiness exists in a vast mosaic of decentralized entities, functions, and operations relating to food and fiber. The evolution from agriculture to agribusiness has brought with it numerous benefits. These include reduced drudgery for laborers; the release of workers for nonagricultural endeavors; a better quality of food and fibers; a greater variety of products; improved nutrition; and increased mobility of people. The release of farm manpower and the creation of new, off-the-farm jobs have been the basis for the country’s economic growth and development for the last 150 years. The key to this growth and development has been increased worker productivity, which in turn spurs creativity, new products and wealth. This translates into risk capital, new factories, new jobs, and increased consumer purchasing power. You can learn about various agribusiness with our short courses on www.agrodemy.net/academy

3 or more ways Agribusiness Impacts Your Life Read More »

Shopping Basket